Vertical Image Dryer Layout for Aqueous Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current inkjet printers face challenges in fixing aqueous ink images to media sheets efficiently without increasing the printer's footprint or cost, as existing dryers are not long enough to provide the necessary high-temperature exposure required for adequate drying, leading to ink offset onto subsequent sheets.
Innovation Solution
A color inkjet printer is configured to move media sheets bearing aqueous ink images vertically through a dryer with a housing and media conveyor, exposing them to adequate heat for sufficient time within a compact design, using infrared heaters and heated air to fix the ink images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional dryers are added in series to increase the length of the dryer and the time that the media sheets are within the dryers, then the fixing of ink images is improved, but the expense and footprint of the printer are substantially increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a horizontal dryer arrangement to a vertical dryer configuration. The media conveyor is arranged vertically within the dryer housing, allowing media sheets to be exposed to heat from infrared heaters positioned above and below the conveyor path. This vertical arrangement achieves adequate drying time and temperature exposure without increasing the horizontal footprint of the printer, thus resolving the contradiction between improving ink image fixing and reducing printer area.
2Reliability
If the temperature of the heat or the time of exposure to the heat is increased to fix an ink image properly, then the image quality is improved, but the dryer length and exposure time requirements are not met with current dryers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal parameters within the dryer by introducing infrared heaters that emit radiant heat energy. The infrared heaters operate at wavelengths that are efficiently absorbed by the aqueous ink, rapidly heating the ink and evaporating the water carrier. This parameter change in heating method and temperature distribution allows adequate drying to be achieved within the existing dryer length and media sheet exposure time, improving image quality without requiring extended drying duration.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If high temperature heat exposure is provided for sufficient time to fix ink images, then ink offset is prevented, but the current dryer configuration cannot provide adequate exposure time at media speeds of 850 mm/second
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional convective heating with infrared radiant heating. The infrared heaters emit electromagnetic radiation that directly penetrates and heats the ink on the media sheet without requiring prolonged contact time. This substitution of heating mechanism allows the ink to be rapidly heated and dried during the brief period the media sheet passes through the dryer at high speed, preventing ink offset while maintaining the existing media transport speed and exposure time.
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
The vertical dryer configuration ensures effective ink fixation to media sheets without expanding the printer's footprint, maintaining image quality by preventing ink offset, and allowing for a range of media types without additional cost or space.
Implementation Method 1
The fixing of an ink image on a media sheet is typically achieved by exposing the media sheet and the ink image to a relatively high temperature heat to evaporate water or solvent in the ink image
Implementation Method 2
exposing them to adequate heat for sufficient time within a compact design, using infrared heaters and heated air to fix the ink images
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printer has an image dryer that moves printed media sheets vertically through the dryer from an entrance to the image dryer to an exit from the image dryer. The vertical configuration of the image dryer enables the inkjet printer to increase the dwell time of the printed sheets in the image dryer without increasing a footprint of the inkjet printer.