Gravity-Driven Printer with Motion Correction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers without a carriage, which use gravity to move the printing medium or part, often result in print displacement and distortion due to the movement of the printing medium or part during printing, leading to inaccurate printing of information.
Innovation Solution
A printer design where the printing part and medium are supported to move in the gravity direction, with a position sensor and correction mechanism that adjusts the printing information based on the moving distance and speed of the printing part, ensuring accurate printing by correcting for displacement and ink injection timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the printing part or printing medium moves in the gravity direction without a carriage, then electricity consumption and noise are reduced, but print displacement and distortion occur due to continuous movement during printing
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the moving distance and moving speed of the printing part or printing medium before printing. This advance measurement allows the control unit to pre-calculate correction values for printing information, ensuring that the printing accuracy is maintained despite the continuous gravity-driven movement. The correction is applied in advance to the printing data, preventing distortion before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a sensor that continuously detects the position of the printing part or printing medium during movement. This feedback information about the actual moving distance and speed is fed back to the control unit, which then adjusts the printing information accordingly. The feedback mechanism ensures that the printing remains accurate by continuously compensating for any deviations caused by gravity-driven movement.
2Device complexity
If the printing part or printing medium moves continuously in the gravity direction, then the carriage structure is eliminated, but the printed result becomes distorted obliquely
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures the moving distance and moving speed of the printing part or printing medium in advance and uses this information to pre-correct the printing information. By applying correction values before the actual printing occurs, the system prevents oblique distortion in the printed result while maintaining the simple gravity-driven movement structure without a carriage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the printing information based on the measured moving distance and moving speed. The control unit adjusts printing parameters such as position, timing, and speed compensation to compensate for the gravity-driven movement. This parameter adjustment ensures that the printed shape remains accurate despite the continuous movement that eliminates the need for a complex carriage structure.
3Productivity
If printing is performed without stopping the printing medium or printing part, then productivity is improved, but print displacement occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the moving distance and moving speed before printing begins. This advance measurement allows the control unit to pre-calculate and apply correction values to the printing information, enabling continuous printing without stopping while maintaining print position accuracy. The correction is applied in advance to the printing data, ensuring accuracy throughout the continuous printing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor continuously monitors the position of the printing part or printing medium during the printing process, providing feedback to the control unit. This real-time feedback allows the system to adjust printing information dynamically, maintaining print position accuracy even during continuous operation without stopping, thereby improving productivity while preserving precision.
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
This approach allows for accurate and distortion-free printing of original information while efficiently utilizing gravity-driven movement, maintaining the benefits of carriage-less printer designs.
Implementation Method 1
a printer that does not have a carriage is proposed... one that has a medium carrier to feed paper as a printing medium in the gravity direction by using gravity efficiently
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes a printing part that prints inputted printing information on paper while moving by gravity and supports that support the printing part and the printing medium facing each other so that the printing part is movable in the gravity direction. The printing part corrects the inputted printing information according to a moving distance and a moving speed of the printing part and prints corrected printing information on the printing medium.