Image-Forming Device Large Feed Calibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional inkjet printers face a high processing load due to frequent calibration requirements for conveying lengths, which affects image quality and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

An image-forming device with a recording unit, conveying unit, and control unit that employs alternating small-feed and large-feed modes to convey the recording medium, where the control unit calibrates only the large-feed distance to correct for discrepancies, reducing the need for frequent calibrations and improving image resolution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If calibration is performed for each conveying length every time the sheet is conveyed, then image quality is maintained, but processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing load

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The conveying operation is segmented into multiple conveying lengths (first conveying length and second conveying length), with calibration performed selectively only for the second conveying length, not for all conveying operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing full calibration for every conveying operation, the system performs partial calibration only for the second conveying length, accepting that the first conveying length does not require recalibration after initial setup

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Measurement precision

If calibration is performed frequently for conveying length, then conveying precision is maintained, but time is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconveying precisionVSAvoidtime for calibration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Calibration is performed in advance for the second conveying length during initial setup or periodic maintenance, so that when the conveying operation executes, the calibration data is already ready and no time-consuming recalibration is needed during actual printing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts which conveying lengths require calibration based on the operation mode, performing calibration only when necessary (for second conveying length) rather than uniformly for all conveying operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7665818B2Multipass image-forming device having large feed calibration

Publication Date: 2010.02.23 BROTHER KOGYO KK

AI summary

An image-forming device forms an image having improving image quality by conveying a sheet in a nonuniform conveyance, and reduces a processing load required for calibrating a conveying length for the recording medium. In an image-forming device, a process for acquiring a theoretical conveying length for conveying a recording medium (S404) and for calibrating the theoretical conveying length (S409) is only executed for a large feed used to convey the recording medium a second conveying length greater than a first conveying length (S405: YES) and not for small feeds used to convey the recording medium the first conveying length (S405: NO). Since calibration is performed on the second conveying length, which is greater than the first conveying length, this method reduces a decline in precision for the conveying length of the recording medium, even when reducing the number of calibrations.