Ink Filling Unit Adaptive Drive Control for Main Tank Shortage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing systems face inefficiencies in determining ink shortage in the main tank due to unnecessary ink filling operations, as the current systems do not account for the varying amount of ink remaining in the main tank, leading to prolonged time in determining ink availability.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus and method that adjust the ink filling operation based on the ink amount in the main tank, driving the filling unit at a smaller capacity when the main tank has less than a predetermined amount of ink, thereby optimizing the ink filling process and reducing unnecessary operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filling unit repeatedly performs predetermined number of ink filling operations to determine ink shortage in the main tank, then the ink availability can be determined, but the time required increases proportionally with unnecessary filling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The filling unit dynamically adjusts the number of ink filling operations based on the detected ink amount in the main tank. When ink amount is large, more filling operations are performed; when ink amount is small, fewer operations are performed. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the determination process both reliable and time-efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of filling operation count based on the ink amount parameter detected in the main tank. By linking the number of filling operations to the actual ink availability, the system optimizes the balance between determination accuracy and time consumption.
2Ease of operation
If the filling unit performs a fixed predetermined number of ink filling operations, then the determination process is simple, but unnecessary operations are performed when ink amount in main tank is small
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static fixed-number filling approach to a dynamic adaptive approach. The filling unit adjusts the number of operations based on real-time ink amount detection, improving productivity while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection unit provides feedback on the ink amount in the main tank, which the control unit uses to adjust the number of filling operations. This feedback mechanism enables the system to optimize productivity by preventing unnecessary filling operations while keeping the control logic simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a main tank for containing ink; a sub tank for containing ink supplied from the main tank and containing ink to be supplied to a print head; a detection unit configured to detect an ink amount in the sub tank; and a filling unit configured to perform ink filling operation that fills the sub tank with ink from the main tank by driving a driving unit, in a case where the detection unit detects the ink amount in the sub tank that is less than a first predetermined amount, wherein in a case where the ink amount in the main tank is less than a second predetermined amount, the filling unit drives the driving unit at smaller drive amount than that in a case where the ink amount in the main tank is greater than the second predetermined amount.