Sub-tank Flow Restricting Part Prevents Ink Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses face challenges with air dissolution and ink thickening in sub-tanks, leading to clogged nozzles due to high viscosity ink or solid materials.
Innovation Solution
A sub-tank with a filter acting as a flow restricting part is positioned below the lower limit level of the liquid level, separating the ink into upper-and-lower direction layers, preventing mixing of air-dissolved ink with fresh ink and high viscosity ink with low viscosity ink.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sub-tank is used to adjust water head pressure and store ink, then the ink supply to the recording head is stabilized, but air dissolves into the ink and causes viscosity increase and nozzle clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-tank is divided into an upper storage chamber and a lower pressure adjustment chamber by a partition wall. The flow restricting part is positioned in the lower chamber below the lower limit level, creating separate zones for ink storage and pressure regulation. This segmentation prevents air-dissolved ink from mixing with fresh ink while maintaining stable pressure for reliable ink supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow restricting part acts as an intermediary element between the ink storage region and the pressure adjustment region. It restricts ink flow in the upper-and-lower direction, creating a barrier that prevents air-dissolved ink from the upper chamber from mixing with fresh ink in the lower chamber, while still allowing pressure equilibrium.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the float type level sensor covers the entire liquid surface to suppress air dissolution, then air dissolution is reduced, but the sensor structure becomes complex and occupies significant space
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of covering the entire liquid surface with a float type level sensor, the invention applies air dissolution suppression locally at the critical region. The flow restricting part is positioned below the lower limit level where ink flow occurs, creating a localized barrier that prevents air dissolution at the ink-air interface without requiring a large-scale sensor structure.
3Productivity
If ink is replenished from the main tank to the sub-tank, then the ink supply is maintained, but high viscosity ink and air-dissolved ink mix with fresh ink causing nozzle clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall and flow restricting part create segmented zones within the sub-tank. Fresh ink replenished from the main tank enters the lower chamber below the flow restricting part, while the upper chamber stores previously used ink. The flow restricting part prevents mixing between these zones, maintaining ink composition stability while ensuring continuous supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow restricting part serves as an intermediary barrier that separates fresh ink from air-dissolved ink during the replenishment process. It allows pressure equalization and controlled flow while preventing the mixing of ink with different compositions, thus maintaining ink quality stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively reduces the amount of dissolved air and viscosity of the ink in the flow path to the recording head, preventing nozzle clogging and ensuring stable printing.
Implementation Method 1
The flow restricting part restricts flowing of the ink in an upper-and-lower direction in the tank main body
Implementation Method 2
A liquid level of the ink contained in the sub-tank is detected by a float type level sensor
Implementation Method 3
an inkjet recording apparatus which ejects ink on a medium to form an image is known. The inkjet recording apparatus is provided with a sub-tank which adjusts a water head pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A sub-tank is disposed in a flow path from a main tank to a recording head. The sub-tank includes a tank main body, a level sensor and a flow restricting part. In the tank main body, ink replenished from the main tank is contained. The level sensor detects a liquid level of the ink in the tank main body. The flow restricting part restricts flowing of the ink in an upper-and-lower direction in the tank main body. The flow path is connected to the tank main body at a position below the flow restricting part. The flow restricting part is disposed at a position below a lower limit level of the liquid level.