Tilting Cap Mechanism for Liquid Ejecting Head Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in appropriately positioning a cap with respect to a tilted liquid ejecting head, leading to issues with contact and airtightness during capping, especially when the nozzle unit is attached to the recording head carriage in a tilted state.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus design that includes a cap which moves in a tilting manner along with a holder, supported by a support member, and an urging member that ensures the cap can align and contact the liquid ejecting head even when it is tilted, allowing for precise positioning and maintaining airtightness through elastic deformation and guiding protrusions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the nozzle unit is attached to the recording head carriage in a tilted state, then the assembly process is simplified, but the cap cannot be properly positioned and contacted with the nozzle unit
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed to allow the cap to move in a tilting manner relative to the recording head carriage, enabling the cap to dynamically adjust its orientation to match the tilted nozzle unit. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by maintaining proper contact despite the tilted attachment state.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap's position and orientation parameters are made variable through the tilting movement mechanism. By allowing the cap to change its angular position relative to the carriage, the system can accommodate the tilted nozzle unit while maintaining proper alignment for contact and airtightness.
2Manufacturing precision
If a separate cap driving mechanism is added to position the cap accurately, then cap positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cap positioning function is merged with the existing holder structure and cap movement mechanism. Instead of adding a separate driving mechanism, the patent integrates the positioning capability into the holder that already supports the cap, thereby avoiding increased device complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is designed to move automatically in a tilting manner through the holder mechanism without requiring an external driving force. The cap's own weight and the holder's geometric constraints enable self-positioning, eliminating the need for complex active control systems.
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
Enables appropriate positioning and contact with the liquid ejecting head, even when tilted, ensuring effective capping and preventing nozzle drying, while simplifying the configuration by eliminating the need for a separate cap driving mechanism and enhancing airtightness.
Implementation Method 1
an urging member which urges the cap in a direction of getting closer to the opening face
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head including a nozzle which ejects liquid, and an opening face to which the nozzle opens; a cap which forms a closed space between the cap and the opening face; and a holder which holds the cap so as to move in a tilting manner in a direction which goes along the opening face.