Battery-Aware Image Printing Control for Thermal Head Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses with low battery capacity may fail to complete printing when external power is interrupted, leading to potential issues such as ink ribbon and recording paper sticking together or the ribbon being cut due to the thermal head's heat.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a processor and memory to perform control processing that provides appropriate notifications when printing with external power, ensuring the thermal head can be safely retracted and preventing system shutdown by managing battery capacity and external power supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If printing is performed using external power in low battery state, then printing can be executed even with limited battery capacity, but printing may not complete if external power supply is stopped and the system may shut down causing thermal head retraction failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of battery capacity before allowing printing to start. It calculates whether the battery can support the thermal head retraction operation and provides advance warning to the user if the battery capacity is insufficient, preventing the harmful situation from occurring in the first place
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors battery capacity during printing operations and provides feedback to the user through notifications. When battery capacity falls below the threshold required for safe operation, the system alerts the user to prevent system shutdown and thermal head retraction failure
2Loss of energy
If system shuts down due to insufficient battery capacity, then power consumption is stopped, but thermal head cannot be retracted and ink ribbon may stick to recording paper or be cut by thermal head heat
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by preventing system shutdown through advance warning notifications. By alerting the user before battery capacity becomes insufficient, the system enables the user to take corrective action (such as connecting power or stopping printing) to prevent the harmful outcome of thermal head retraction failure and ink ribbon damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by implementing a warning mechanism that buffers against the potential harmful effects. The notification system acts as a cushion, giving the user time to respond before the critical low-battery state causes system shutdown and subsequent mechanical damage
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
Ensures safe and complete printing operations by providing user notifications and managing power usage, preventing mechanical issues and system failures during low battery conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a heated thermal head is pressed on an ink ribbon, and ink is sublimated from solid to gas, so as to adhere to a recording paper
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus configured to be capable of performing image printing using power of a battery or power supplied from an external device, and includes a processor, and a memory storing a program which, when executed by the processor, causes the image forming apparatus to execute control processing of performing control to perform image printing, wherein in a case of performing image printing using power supplied from the external device, in the control processing, control is performed to perform predetermined notification if power required to perform image printing on one page of recording paper does not remain in the battery.