Dynamic Firing Reservation Assignment for Printhead Nozzles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Printers with printheads that include multiple nozzles face inefficiencies due to the need to send firing reservations to all nozzles, even if not all are used simultaneously, leading to excess fluid application, unpredictable nozzle firing, and increased circuitry requirements, which complicates accounting for varied demands on primitives during printing.
Innovation Solution
Assigning and reassigning firing reservations to primitives allows for a variable firing sequence per cycle, utilizing a smaller amount of circuitry and bandwidth, and maintaining a desired ratio of nozzles to circuitry, by dynamically reallocating firing reservations based on peak nozzle usage, ensuring efficient printing and reduced time to complete a print job.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If firing reservations are sent to all nozzles in a primitive, then complete coverage is ensured, but circuitry complexity and data bandwidth increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the primitive into multiple groups, with each group having its own drive circuit. This segmentation allows the system to manage fewer circuits per group rather than requiring one circuit per nozzle, reducing overall circuitry complexity while maintaining complete coverage through coordinated group firing.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple nozzles are combined into groups that share common drive circuits. By merging the control function for multiple nozzles into shared circuits, the system reduces the total number of circuits required while still enabling independent control of each nozzle through selective firing within groups.
2Productivity
If all nozzles are fired simultaneously, then printing speed increases, but fluid application becomes excessive and placement becomes unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements staggered firing sequences where nozzles within each group are fired at different times rather than simultaneously. This periodic action within groups allows high-speed printing while maintaining precise dot placement by controlling the timing and sequence of fluid ejection from multiple nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts firing sequences based on the specific print job requirements. By making the firing pattern adaptive rather than fixed, the system can optimize for speed when appropriate while maintaining precision when needed, resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision.
3Ease of operation
If firing reservations are assigned to each individual nozzle, then precise control is achieved, but data bandwidth and circuitry requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into group-level controllers rather than requiring individual nozzle control signals for every operation. This segmentation reduces the total data bandwidth required while maintaining precise control through coordinated management of nozzles within each group.
4Device complexity
If a fixed firing sequence is used for all primitives, then system simplicity is maintained, but efficiency decreases due to varied demands on different primitives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic firing sequences that adapt to the specific demands of different primitives and print jobs. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize printing efficiency for each situation while maintaining manageable complexity through the structured group organization framework.
Data Source
AI summary
Assigning firing reservations to primitives can include assigning a plurality of firing reservations to each of the plurality of primitives and reassigning a firing reservation of the plurality of firing reservations from a primitive of the plurality of primitives to another primitive of the plurality of primitives.