Inkjet Printhead Flushing Control for Fast-Drying Ink Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid ejecting apparatuses face challenges in achieving high-speed printing while preventing unsatisfactory ink ejection due to increased ink viscosity, particularly when using inks with shorter drying times.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a controller that executes first and second flushing processes to manage ink viscosity, including discharge and non-discharge flushing driving, and printing processing, with threshold-based timing to minimize ink stagnation and maintain print quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If preliminary discharge is executed to suppress ink viscosity increase, then ink ejection quality is improved, but printing time increases due to head movement outside recording area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the recording area into multiple flushing areas along the scanning direction. Instead of moving the head outside the recording area for preliminary discharge, the head performs flushing operations within segmented zones (first flushing area, second flushing area, third flushing area) during bidirectional scanning, thereby suppressing viscosity increase without sacrificing printing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the preliminary discharge function with the normal printing scanning motion. The head performs flushing operations in dedicated zones while moving back and forth within the recording area, merging the viscosity control function with the existing bidirectional scanning mechanism rather than requiring separate head movements.
2Productivity
If ink with shorter drying time is used to increase printing speed, then productivity is improved, but ink viscosity increases more rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary flushing actions in the first and second flushing areas before the head reaches the main printing zone. By pre-agitating the ink in these upstream zones during the scanning motion, the system compensates for the rapid viscosity increase characteristic of fast-drying inks, ensuring reliable ejection when printing occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic flushing operations as the head scans through multiple zones (first, second, and third flushing areas) during bidirectional movement. This periodic agitation of the ink supply maintains consistent viscosity throughout the printing process, counteracting the rapid thickening tendency of high-speed printing inks.
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
Enables high-speed printing by reducing ink viscosity through strategic flushing processes, thereby preventing unsatisfactory ejections and optimizing printing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a non-discharge flushing driving of driving the head so as to vibrate the liquid without discharging the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a head having a nozzle; a carriage; a receiver; and a controller. The controller is configured to execute: a first flushing processing; a second flushing processing including at least one of a discharge flushing driving and a non-discharge flushing driving of driving; and a printing processing. The first flushing processing is executed in a case that a first count value is not less than a first threshold value, the first count value being an elapsed time since a completion of the first flushing processing. The second flushing processing is executed in a case that a second count value is not less than a second threshold value, the second count value being an elapsed time since a completion of the printing processing.