Waste Liquid Outlet Self-Cleaning in Liquid Discharge Heads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid discharge apparatuses face challenges in effectively preventing waste liquid from adhering and accumulating at the outlet region of the waste liquid channel, leading to potential clogging and hindering cleaning operations, especially under low humidity and high temperature conditions.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus incorporates a cleaning liquid drainage system where the cleaning liquid outlet is positioned to directly or adjacently drain over the waste liquid outlet, utilizing gravity or inclined designs to wash away adhering waste liquid, and may include communication holes or a merged channel to mix and prevent drying, ensuring efficient cleaning without additional mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If waste liquid is drained through a waste liquid channel, then waste liquid removal is achieved, but waste liquid adheres and accumulates at the outlet region causing clogging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste liquid channel functionalityVSAvoidwaste liquid adhesion and accumulation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the cleaning liquid, originally intended for nozzle cleaning, to serve a dual purpose by draining it through the waste liquid channel outlet to wash away adhering waste liquid. This converts the cleaning liquid's flow into a beneficial cleaning action for the waste liquid channel outlet, preventing clogging without requiring additional mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The waste liquid channel outlet is designed to serve multiple functions: draining waste liquid from the nozzle and simultaneously receiving cleaning liquid to clean the outlet region itself. This multi-functionality allows the same structure to perform both waste removal and self-cleaning operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If cleaning liquid is applied to the wiper, then nozzle face cleaning is improved, but cleaning liquid requires additional drainage mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenozzle face cleaning effectivenessVSAvoidcleaning liquid drainage system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cleaning liquid drainage path with the waste liquid channel. The cleaning liquid drainage channel is positioned to communicate with the waste liquid channel outlet, allowing both cleaning liquid and waste liquid to share the same drainage infrastructure. This eliminates the need for a completely separate drainage system for cleaning liquid.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses its own cleaning liquid to clean the waste liquid channel outlet. The cleaning liquid flows through the waste liquid channel outlet under gravity, automatically cleaning the outlet region without requiring external intervention or additional cleaning mechanisms for the channel itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If waste liquid outlet is positioned for drainage, then waste liquid removal is efficient, but waste liquid dries and adheres under low humidity and high temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste liquid drainage efficiencyVSAvoidenvironmental conditions causing adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies cleaning liquid to the waste liquid channel outlet in advance or concurrently with waste liquid drainage. This preliminary cleaning action prevents waste liquid from drying and adhering by maintaining a wet cleaning liquid layer on the outlet surface, countering the drying effect of low humidity and high temperature environmental conditions.

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

This configuration effectively prevents waste liquid from adhering and accumulating at the outlet region, maintaining the functionality of the waste liquid channel and ensuring uninterrupted cleaning operations by using the cleaning liquid to dissolve and remove waste liquid, thus preventing clogging.

Implementation Method 1

The cap caps the nozzle to suck a waste liquid from the nozzle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Implementation Method 2

the cleaning liquid outlet is positioned to directly or adjacently drain over the waste liquid outlet, utilizing gravity or inclined designs to wash away adhering waste liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 3

using the cleaning liquid to dissolve and remove waste liquid, thus preventing clogging

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS12508810B2Liquid discharge apparatus and cleaning method

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, a cap, a waste liquid channel, a wiper, a cleaner, and a cleaning liquid drainage. The liquid discharge head has a nozzle, from which a liquid is discharged, on a nozzle face. The cap caps the nozzle to suck a waste liquid from the nozzle. The waste liquid channel is connected to the cap and has a waste liquid outlet from which the waste liquid is drained. The wiper wipes the nozzle face. The cleaner applies a cleaning liquid to the wiper. The cleaning liquid drainage drains the cleaning liquid applied to the wiper to the waste liquid outlet.