Image Forming System Delay Control for Media Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming systems face issues with inadequate media heating, leading to poor ink adhesion, media distortion, and smudging, which result in reduced image quality and throughput due to insufficient heating of the media before, during, and after printing.
Innovation Solution
An image forming system that includes a print head assembly, a media transport unit, a heating unit, a temperature module, a delay determination module, and a control unit, which detects media temperature and applies a delay in print head movement based on a calculated delay value to ensure the media reaches a target temperature range before printing, thereby improving ink adhesion and system efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the entire media is heated to the target temperature range before printing, then ink adhesion and image quality are improved, but the printing throughput and productivity are reduced due to waiting time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the heating and printing processes by implementing separate heating zones and staged printing operations. The media is heated in incremental zones along the transport path, allowing different portions of the media to be at different temperatures simultaneously. This enables continuous printing on heated portions while other portions are being heated, resolving the contradiction between quality and throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary heating to the media before it reaches the printing zone. The heating unit operates in advance to bring the media to the target temperature range, and the system determines when the media is ready for printing by monitoring temperature. This preliminary action ensures quality requirements are met without requiring the entire system to wait, thereby maintaining throughput.
2Productivity
If the media is transported and printed on without waiting for the entire media to reach the target temperature range, then the throughput is improved, but image quality defects such as poor ink adhesion, media distortion, and smudging occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system with temperature sensors that continuously monitor the media temperature. The system uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the heating rate and determine the optimal moment to begin printing. This ensures that printing only occurs when the media has reached the appropriate temperature, preventing quality defects while maintaining high throughput through continuous monitoring and adaptive control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control of the printing process by adjusting the delay between temperature detection and printing based on real-time temperature measurements. The system can adaptively modify printing parameters and timing according to the actual thermal state of the media, allowing optimal balance between throughput and image quality under varying conditions.
3Manufacturing precision
If a delay is applied between detecting the temperature and printing to allow media heating, then image quality is improved, but the system efficiency and throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by implementing overlapping heating and printing operations. While one portion of the media is being heated, another portion is being printed on. The heating and printing processes continue simultaneously without interruption, eliminating idle delay time while ensuring quality requirements are met through proper thermal preparation of the media before it reaches the printing zone.
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 and throughput by ensuring adequate media heating, reducing defects such as buckling and smudging, and allowing for partial printing before the entire media reaches the target temperature, thus optimizing the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
The image forming system may heat the media prior to, during, and/or after forming an image with ink on the media
Implementation Method 2
detecting a temperature of the media by a temperature module to determine whether the detected temperature is outside of a target temperature range
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of determining a delay value by an image forming system may include transporting a media along a media transport path by a media transport unit, heating the media by a heating unit, providing a plurality of print passes across the media transport path by a print head assembly, and applying ink to the media to form an image including a plurality of swaths by the print head assembly such that a respective swath is formed on the media corresponding to a respective print pass. The method may also include detecting a temperature of the media by a temperature module to determine whether the detected temperature is outside of a target temperature range, and determining a delay value by a delay determination module in response to a determination that the detected temperature is outside of the target temperature range.