Ink Concentration Correction in Printing Apparatus Circulation Route
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inkjet printing technologies face challenges in maintaining ink concentration uniformity, leading to decreased print quality and potential suspension of print operations, as existing methods require mixing adjustment ink with ink in a tank, which takes time and may not allow continuous printing.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a circulation route, a detection unit to monitor ink concentration, and an injection unit to correct the concentration by adding a correcting liquid downstream, allowing continuous printing without suspending operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If adjustment ink is supplied to the ink tank to correct concentration, then the ink concentration can be corrected, but it takes long time for the ink concentration to become uniform and print quality may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the concentration correction function from the ink tank by providing a separate correction liquid supply system that injects correction liquid directly into the circulation route, bypassing the need to mix correction liquid with ink in the tank and wait for uniform distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a correction liquid as an intermediary substance that directly adjusts the ink concentration in the circulation route without requiring mixing in the ink tank, thereby reducing the time to achieve uniform concentration
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple reservoirs are provided for storing ink, then the ink concentration can be corrected, but the print operation may need to be suspended
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables continuous concentration correction by injecting correction liquid directly into the circulating ink flow, allowing the print operation to continue without suspension while maintaining ink concentration uniformity across the system
Solution Approach 2:
The correction liquid is injected upstream in the circulation route before the ink reaches the print head, allowing the corrected ink to be prepared in advance and ensuring continuous supply of uniformly concentrated ink without interrupting printing
3Manufacturing precision
If ink concentration is corrected in the ink tank, then the concentration can be adjusted, but the ink must be circulated until uniform which decreases productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the concentration adjustment function from the ink tank environment and implements it directly in the circulation route, eliminating the need to wait for ink circulation and mixing to achieve uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The correction liquid serves as a mediator that directly modifies the ink concentration in the circulation route without requiring the ink to be stationary in the tank for mixing, thereby maintaining circulation and printing operations
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
The solution enables real-time correction of ink concentration, maintaining print quality and preventing suspension of print operations by continuously managing ink concentration within predetermined ranges, thus ensuring stable and high-quality printing.
Implementation Method 1
a first detection unit configured to detect a concentration of the ink in the collection passage
Implementation Method 2
an injection unit configured to inject a correcting liquid capable of correcting the concentration of the ink into a circulated ink flow
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus which includes a circulation route configured to supply ink stored in a storage unit to a print head via a supply passage and send back the ink collected from the print head to the storage unit via a collection passage and which performs printing on a print medium by ejecting the ink from the print head includes: a first detection unit which detects an ink concentration in the collection passage; an injection unit which injects a correcting liquid capable of correcting the ink concentration into a circulated ink flow downstream of a position where the first detection unit detects the concentration in the collection passage; and a control unit which obtains an injection amount of the correcting liquid based on the concentration detected by the first detection unit and controls the injection unit such that the correcting liquid is injected in the injection amount.