Individually Controllable Vacuum Holes for Large Format Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large ink jet printer systems face inefficiencies due to non-adjustable vacuum zones, leading to vacuum pressure loss, inkjet de-priming, and increased setup times when handling materials of varying sizes, resulting in wasted time and resources.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum table system with individually controllable vacuum holes using a valve mechanism, allowing selective opening and closing of vacuum holes based on magnetic or mechanical control, enabling flexible vacuum application to any substrate size without manual masking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum holes are left unrestricted outside the print material area, then vacuum pressure is maintained across the entire table, but vacuum pressure is lost and inkjet de-priming occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum table is divided into multiple independently controllable zones with individual vacuum holes that can be selectively activated or deactivated. Each vacuum hole or group of holes can be controlled separately through a control system, allowing the active vacuum area to precisely match the print material boundaries, thus preventing vacuum pressure loss and inkjet de-priming while maintaining reliable vacuum where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum hole activation state is dynamically adjusted based on the print material size and position. The control system enables real-time switching of vacuum hole states (active/inactive) according to the specific print job requirements, allowing the system to adapt to different material sizes and prevent harmful effects while maintaining effective vacuum coverage.
2Loss of energy
If manual masking is used to cover active vacuum holes, then vacuum pressure is preserved, but setup time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical masking process is replaced with an automated electronic control system that selectively activates or deactivates individual vacuum holes through electrical or magnetic control mechanisms. This substitution eliminates the need for manual masking operations, reducing setup time and labor costs while effectively preserving vacuum pressure in the required areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically determines which vacuum holes should be active based on print material dimensions and position, and autonomously adjusts their states without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by intelligently managing vacuum hole activation, eliminating the need for operator masking actions and reducing setup time.
3Reliability
If zone controls are used with pre-determined sheet sizes, then vacuum coverage is optimized for specific patterns, but flexibility for varying material sizes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Each vacuum hole or zone is assigned independent controllable properties, allowing different regions of the vacuum table to have different activation states tailored to the specific print material. This local control enables optimal vacuum coverage for each material size and position, while providing full flexibility to adapt to varying material dimensions without being constrained by pre-determined zone patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system provides universal functionality by being able to accommodate any material size or shape through selective activation of individual vacuum holes. The system can be configured for different print scenarios (different material sizes, positions, and shapes) using the same hardware infrastructure, making it universally adaptable to various printing requirements without needing physical reconfiguration.
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 solution reduces consumable costs and downtime by allowing precise control of vacuum pressure over any substrate shape, preventing inkjet de-priming and optimizing printer setup times.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum hole through which a vacuum is drawn, an outlet connected to a vacuum source
Implementation Method 2
a restrictor, which in some aspects is magnetic, is movable within the slot
Data Source
AI summary
A printer having a vacuum system to hold down material being printed is provided. The vacuum system includes a number of vacuum holes in the printer table. Each one of these vacuum holes is individually controllable such that variously sized materials may used on the printer table and vacuum may be applied only underneath the particular material being printed on.