Inkjet printers use printheads with tiny nozzles to dispense ink or other printing fluid on to paper or other print substrates. Some inkjet printers use water-based and other very low volatility inks to help prevent ink from drying on and clogging the nozzles, and otherwise to help improve the performance of the printer and the quality of the printed image.
The same part numbers designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures.
Water-based and other low volatility inks are desirable for many inkjet printing applications to help prevent ink from drying on and clogging printhead nozzles, and otherwise to help improve the performance of the printer and the quality of the printed image. Water based inks are commonly referred to as latex” inks. Powerful blow driers are often used in latex and other low volatility ink printers to quickly evaporate the moisture in the ink immediately after the image is applied to the print substrate. The moisture in the hot air flowing out of the printer downstream from the dryer may condense into vapor that can produce a noticeable fog, particularly at high print volumes in cooler operating environments. A vapor control heater has been developed to introduce warm air into the moisture laden air leaving the printer to help reduce the risk of unwanted condensation. If condensation is stopped in the air stream leaving the printer, it will then be more difficult for condensation to form as the air stream disperses into the area surrounding the printer.
Examples of the vapor control heater are not limited to use with hot air blow driers, but may be used with other types of dryers or without a dryer. Also, in some examples, a vapor control heater may be incorporated into an air heating system that also includes a print zone heater that raises the temperature of the print zone to help maintain good print quality in cooler operating environments. The examples shown in the figures and described herein illustrate but do not limit the disclosure, which is defined in the Claims following this Description.
As used in this document: a “printhead” means that part of an inkjet printer or other inkjet type dispenser that dispenses fluid, for example as drops or streams; and “printing fluid” means fluid that may be dispensed with a printhead. A “printhead” is not limited to printing with ink but also includes inkjet type dispensing of other fluid and/or for uses other than printing.
A scanning carriage 14 with pens 16 illustrates just one example of a printhead assembly that may be used with air heating system 12. Other types of printhead assemblies are possible. For example, instead of ink pens 16 with integrated printheads 20 shown in
In this example, air heating system 12 includes a print zone heater 38, a dryer 40, and a vapor control heater 42. Print zone heater 38 includes a heating element 44 and a fan 46 to move heated air into a print zone 48 where ink or other printing fluid is (or will be) dispensed from printheads 20 on to substrate 26. Vapor control heater 42 includes a heating element 50 and a fan 52 to move heated air into the stream of air leaving the printer downstream from dryer 40. Heating system 12 may also include temperature sensors 54 associated with heaters 38 and 42 and operatively connected to controller 28 to help control the heating functions of each heater. Each temperature sensor 54 may be implemented in a thermostat or other temperature control device as part of system 12 or as a discrete part otherwise connected to controller 28.
Other suitable print zone air heating configurations are possible. For example, more or fewer fans 46 and conduits 80 could be used. However, the rate of air flow into the print zone should be low enough to avoid adversely affecting the placement of printing fluid on the print substrate. While it is expected that heaters associated with each fan, such as those shown in
Print quality problems associated with cooler ambient temperatures usually are worse at the beginning of a print job when the temperature in the print zone is lower. As the printer works, the print zone warms and print quality improves. Print zone heater 38 may include a variable power heating element 44 to supply more heat when the print zone is cooler and less heat when the print zone is warmer. Alternatively, two (or more) discrete heating elements 44 could be used to vary the power output of heater 38. A temperature sensor 54 (
While the operating parameters of a print zone heater 38 may vary depending on the particular printer and printing environment as well as the number, size and configuration of the fan(s) and heating element(s), testing indicates that for an inkjet printer 10 with a print zone 48 up to about 2.64 m wide operating at a room temperature of about 15° C., a desired print zone temperature of about 30° C. may be reached and maintained by: (1) initially applying more power through one or multiple heating elements 44 to heat the air to a higher temperature, about 55° C. for example, to quickly warm the print zone to the desired temperature; and then (2) reducing the power through heating element 44 to heat the air to a lower temperature, about 40° C. for example, to maintain the desired print zone temperature during printing.
Referring again to
Referring now also to the detail views of
Vapor control heater 42 can provide the heat needed to prevent moisture condensing in the flow of air exiting the printer. If condensation is stopped in the air stream leaving the printer, it will then be more difficult for condensation to form as the air stream disperses into the area surrounding the printer. The power output of heater 42 may be varied by energizing one or both heating elements 50, for example to supply more heat for high density or high speed printing on vinyl and other less absorbent substrates and less heat for lower density or lower speed printing on more absorbent substrates. Alternatively, a single variable power heating element could be used to vary the heat level or a constant power heating element could be used when no variation in power level is desired.
Other suitable vapor control heating configurations are possible. For example, individual heating elements corresponding to each fan could be used, the fans could be positioned downstream from the heating element(s) to draw air through the heating element(s) into the plenum, more or fewer fans could be used, and/or heated air could be ducted directly to the print zone without a plenum. However, unlike the lower flow print zone heater, the vapor control heater usually will utilize a much higher air flow to provide the desired mixing. Thus, it is expected that more and/or higher volume fans and heating element(s) spanning the width of the print substrate will be desirable for most printing environments compared to the print zone heater.
A temperature sensor 54 (
For large format printing applications, the printer controller usually will receive the print data swath by swath, rather than all at once. It may not always be possible to turn heater 42 on and off, or otherwise adjust the output of heater 42, fast enough to achieve the desired vapor control conditions using swath by swath ink estimates. Where more lead time is desired, the ink estimates may be based on a “plot preview” received before the actual print data. Many large format printers receive a plot preview from the raster image processor before receiving the actual print data, for example to preview the print job on the printer control panel. Even at the typically low resolution of a plot preview, the amount of ink for the print job can be estimated with sufficient accuracy to determine whether or not vapor control heater 42 should be activated (or remain activated) and, if yes, at what level of heat output. For longer print jobs, the distribution of ink on the plot preview may be used to adjust heater 42 during printing. In the example of method 140 shown in
Control options for both examples include leaving heater 42 off, leaving heater 42 on, turning heater 42 on, turning heater 42 off, and adjusting heating element(s) 50 to supply more or less heat, and adjusting fans 52 to supply more or less air flow.
It may not be desirable in all printing applications to utilize both a print zone heater 38 and a vapor control heater 42. For example, for printers without a hot air dryer or for lower production printers in which condensation is not likely to be a problem, a vapor control heater may be undesirable even in cooler operating environments in which a print zone heater is beneficial. For another example, a print zone heater may be unnecessary in operating environments regularly at or above the desired print zone temperature whether or not a vapor control heater is used to inhibit condensation. Thus, an air heating system for a printer, such as system 12 shown in
“A” and “an” used in the claims means one or more.
As noted at the beginning of this Description, the examples shown in the figures and described above illustrate but do not limit the disclosure. Other examples are possible. Therefore, the foregoing description should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined in the following claims.
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PCT/US14/18689 | Feb 2014 | WO | international |
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WO2015/130325 | 9/3/2015 | WO | A |
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