Endless Belt Transport Error Detection in Printing Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Textile printing apparatuses with endless belts face transport errors due to belt eccentricity and dimensional variations, leading to print quality issues, as existing solutions do not effectively detect or correct these errors during continuous printing.

Innovation Solution

A printing apparatus equipped with a control system that detects transport errors by comparing actual and predetermined belt movement, triggering an alarm and updating compensation tables to maintain print quality, thereby preventing continued printing with declined quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If test printing is performed before actual printing to correct the amount of feed, then initial transport errors are corrected, but transport errors occurring during continuous printing are not detected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinitial transport error correctionVSAvoidcontinuous printing quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism by detecting the actual position of the endless belt during continuous printing and comparing it with the predetermined position. When a deviation is detected, the system generates an alarm signal to notify the operator, enabling real-time monitoring and correction of transport errors that occur after initial setup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If an alarm system is added to detect transport errors during printing, then print quality can be maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprint quality controlVSAvoiddetection system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a simple intermediary mechanism - a detection device that monitors the position of the endless belt and a control circuit that generates alarm signals. This intermediary system bridges the gap between the mechanical transport system and the quality control requirement, providing effective monitoring without introducing complex control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3121021B1Printing apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.10.09 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3121021B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3121021B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3121021B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A printing apparatus (100) includes a belt mover (25) for an endless belt (23) that transports a recording medium (95), a feed amount calculator that calculates an amount of feed of the belt mover, a movement amount detection sensor (70) as a movement amount measurer that measures actual amount of movement of the endless belt by image processing, a compensation table storer that stores a compensation table for compensating a transport error of the endless belt, and a control portion that calculates the amount of feed that is to bring about a predetermined amount of movement of the endless belt by using the feed amount calculator and by referring to the compensation table storer, moves the endless belt by using the belt mover on the basis of the amount of feed, compares the actual amount of movement of the endless belt measured by the movement amount detection sensor and the predetermined amount of movement, and determines whether a difference greater than or equal to a predetermined value has occurred between the actual amount of movement and the predetermined amount of movement.