Tube Pump Pressing Body Position Control for Current Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The simultaneous flushing and air suction process in liquid discharging apparatuses requires a more expensive power source due to increased instant maximum electric current, primarily caused by the overlapped portion of the tube pump design, which increases the load on the pressing body and subsequently the electric current required.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharging apparatus with a controller that adjusts the flushing process based on the positional information of the pressing body, performing a second flushing process with a reduced jet amount when the pressing body is positioned to press the overlapped portion of the tube, thereby reducing the current demand on the ink jet head and the entire system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the tube pump has an overlapped portion in the tube arrangement, then the liquid discharge function is improved, but the load on the pressing body increases and the instant maximum electric current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs a preliminary determination of the pressing body's position before executing the simultaneous flushing and air suction process. Based on this advance knowledge of the position, the controller selectively executes either the first flushing process or the second flushing process, thereby preparing the system to avoid peak current conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the jet amount parameter of the flushing process based on the pressing body's position. When the pressing body is in the overlapped portion, the controller executes the second flushing process with a reduced jet amount, thereby changing the operational parameters to reduce the instant maximum electric current while still maintaining liquid discharge functionality.
2Reliability
If the pressing body presses the overlapped portion of the tube, then the liquid discharge flow passage is maintained, but the load on the pressing body becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The controller executes a partial flushing action (second flushing process) when the pressing body is in the overlapped portion, rather than the full flushing process. This partial action is sufficient to maintain the liquid discharge flow passage reliability while reducing the force load on the pressing body by reducing the jet amount.
3Reliability
If the instant maximum current value is largely estimated, then the power source can handle peak demands, but the power source becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses feedback from the pressing body's position information to dynamically adjust the flushing process. By continuously monitoring the position and responding accordingly (selecting between first and second flushing processes), the system provides feedback control that prevents excessive current peaks, allowing for a less expensive power source while maintaining reliable operation.
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 approach reduces the instant maximum current required, allowing for the use of a less expensive power source while maintaining efficient operation during the simultaneous flushing and air suction process.
Implementation Method 1
a tube pump including: a tube defining at least a part of a liquid discharge flow passage connected with the receiving portion, a casing having an inner peripheral wall forming a cylindrical space to contain the tube along the inner peripheral wall such that the tube arranged along the inner peripheral wall has an overlapped portion at which a part of the tube overlaps with another part of the tube in an axial direction of the cylindrical space, and a pressing body configured to press the tube arranged along the inner peripheral wall toward the inner peripheral wall while rotating about a rotating shaft provided along a central axis of the cylindrical space
Implementation Method 2
a liquid jet head including a plurality of nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including: a liquid jet head, a receiving portion, a tube pump, and a controller. The controller carries out a process of acquiring present positional information of a pressing body inside the tube pump and a simultaneous process which simultaneously performs a flushing process and a discharge process and, as the flushing process, carries out a process of selectively performing either an ordinary flushing process or a restrained flushing process. In the simultaneous process, the controller carries out either the ordinary flushing process when the pressing body is not positioned to press an overlapped portion of a tube or the restrained flushing process when the pressing body is positioned to press the overlapped portion of the tube.