Head Driving Device Nozzle Landing Position Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Recording heads in liquid discharge apparatuses face variations in ink droplet amount and landing position due to structural differences in piezoelectric elements and nozzles, leading to deteriorated image quality, especially in high-speed printing applications.
Innovation Solution
A head driving device with a recording head and input-and-output interface that acquires correction information from a specific pattern chart to adjust the landing position deviations of each nozzle, using circuitry to perform correction processing and adjust the drive waveform for precise ink droplet placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drive signal with appropriately set drive waveform is used, then ink droplet speed and discharge stability are improved, but variations in landing position and amount of ink droplets occur due to structural variations in piezoelectric elements and nozzles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the drive waveform parameters (voltage, pulse width, shape) for each individual nozzle based on measured landing position deviations. The correction information storage unit stores specific parameter adjustments for each nozzle, and the drive waveform correction unit modifies the drive signal parameters dynamically to compensate for structural variations in piezoelectric elements and nozzles, thereby maintaining both discharge stability and landing position accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If correction processing is performed for each nozzle, then landing position accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional correction information storage and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the correction system into distinct functional units: a correction information storage unit that stores individual nozzle correction data, and a drive waveform correction unit that processes corrections for each nozzle separately. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each nozzle's drive waveform without affecting the entire system, enabling precise correction while maintaining modular system architecture that manages complexity through functional decomposition.
3Productivity
If high-speed printing is performed, then productivity is improved, but variations in landing position and ink droplet amount increase leading to deteriorated image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-measuring and storing correction information for each nozzle before high-speed printing operations. The correction information, which compensates for structural variations in piezoelectric elements and nozzles, is determined in advance and stored in the correction information storage unit. During high-speed printing, the drive waveform correction unit automatically applies these pre-calculated corrections without adding processing delays, enabling both high productivity and maintained landing position accuracy.
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 solution enhances image quality by accurately correcting nozzle landing position deviations, achieving high-resolution ink placement and improving print quality even in high-speed printing environments.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of nozzles 4 and a plurality of piezoelectric elements 5 corresponding to the plurality of nozzles 4
Data Source
AI summary
A head driving device includes a recording head, an input-and-output interface, and circuitry. The recording head includes a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of pressure generating elements corresponding to the plurality of nozzles. The input-and-output interface is configured to acquire correction information generated based on a chart image of a specific pattern for correcting a deviation amount of a landing position of each of the plurality of nozzles. The circuitry is configured to set the correction information acquired by the input-and-output interface and perform correction processing for correcting the deviation amount of the landing position on a driver for each of the plurality of nozzles of the recording head, in accordance with the correction information.