Heating Unit Control for Printing Apparatus Temperature Uniformity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Printing apparatuses face issues with temperature unevenness in the medium, particularly at the end portions, leading to potential deterioration in printed image quality due to exposure to outside air, which existing technologies do not adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A printing apparatus equipped with a liquid ejecting unit, medium support unit, medium width detection unit, and a control unit that individually controls heating units along the medium's width direction to maintain temperature stability by adjusting the output based on detected medium width and position, incorporating temperature detection units for responsive temperature management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the medium support unit uses a plurality of heating units to heat the medium during printing, then the overall temperature maintenance is improved, but the end portions of the medium experience temperature drops due to exposure to outside air

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature maintenanceVSAvoidtemperature drop at end portions

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the heating output of each heating unit adjustable independently based on its position. Heating units at positions corresponding to end portions of the medium are controlled to output higher heat than those at central positions, creating a non-uniform heating distribution that compensates for local heat loss at the exposed end portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control by using temperature detection units to measure the temperature at each heating area, then using this temperature information to adjust the output of corresponding heating units. This closed-loop control ensures that temperature drops at end portions are compensated in real-time based on actual temperature conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Temperature

If the heating units operate at high output to compensate for end portion cooling, then the temperature stability at end portions is improved, but the overall energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature stability at end portionsVSAvoidenergy consumption of heating units

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by providing heat selectively to specific areas rather than uniformly across the entire medium. Heating units corresponding to end portions operate at higher output while central heating units operate at lower output, avoiding excessive energy consumption in areas that do not require additional heating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Temperature

If the printing apparatus uses individual control of multiple heating units based on medium width detection, then the temperature uniformity across the medium is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature uniformityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the heating function into multiple independent heating units, each corresponding to a specific heating area along the medium width. This segmentation allows independent control of each heating unit based on local temperature conditions and medium width detection, enabling precise temperature uniformity control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit performs multiple functions: it detects medium width, determines the position of end portions, controls the output of multiple heating units individually, and processes temperature feedback from detection units. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each control task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 effectively suppresses temperature drops at the medium's end portions, thereby maintaining image quality by dynamically controlling heating based on detected width and temperature variations, ensuring consistent printing performance.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of heating units provided along a width direction of the medium and configured to heat the medium support unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11472178B2Printing apparatus

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A printing apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit capable of ejecting ink, which is a liquid, onto a medium and capable of reciprocating in a width direction (X-axis direction) of the medium, a medium support unit that supports the medium on a support face, a medium width detection unit that detects a width of the medium supported on the support face, a plurality of heating units that are provided along the width direction of the medium and heat the medium support unit, and a control unit capable of individually controlling the plurality of heating units. The control unit controls an output of each of the heating units in accordance with the width of the medium detected by the medium width detection unit.