Upstream Inlet Air Unit for Substrate Drying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid discharge apparatuses face productivity decreases due to difficulty in drying liquids on substrates, as existing heating devices struggle with efficient heat transfer and substrate adhesion, leading to issues like film wrinkling and shrinkage.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus incorporating a temperature controlling member and an upstream inlet air unit that draws air between the substrate and the temperature controlling member, reducing air interposition and enhancing heat transfer efficiency while maintaining substrate adhesion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a heating drum is used to heat the substrate, then drying efficiency is improved, but film wrinkling and shrinkage occur due to air interposition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidfilm wrinkling and shrinkage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet air unit draws air between the substrate and heating drum before the substrate contacts the heating surface. This preliminary air removal prevents air pockets from forming during heating, eliminating the cause of wrinkling and shrinkage while maintaining efficient heat transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes air from the space between the substrate and heating drum using the inlet air unit positioned upstream. By removing the harmful air interposition before contact, the system achieves both good adhesion and uniform heating without deformation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Use of energy by moving object

If the substrate contacts the heating drum directly, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but air interposition reduces adhesion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidsubstrate adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet air unit operates before the substrate contacts the heating drum to draw out air from the contact zone. This preliminary action ensures that when contact occurs, air pockets are minimized, maximizing both adhesion and heat transfer efficiency simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Improves drying efficiency, reduces film wrinkling and shrinkage, and maintains substrate adhesion, thereby enhancing the overall productivity of liquid discharge processes.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature controlling member configured to heat or cool a conveyed substrate to which a liquid is applied, the conveyed substrate contacting an outer peripheral surface of the temperature controlling member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

an upstream inlet air unit configured to draw air between the substrate and the temperature controlling member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11235598B2Apparatus, inlet air unit and liquid discharging apparatus

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

An apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a temperature controlling member configured to heat or cool a conveyed substrate to which a liquid is applied, the conveyed substrate contacting an outer peripheral surface of the temperature controlling member; and an upstream inlet air unit configured to draw air between the substrate and the temperature controlling member, the upstream inlet air unit being provided upstream of a contact location of the substrate with the temperature controlling member, in a conveying direction.