Ink Jet Head Nozzle Alignment for Uniform Image Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image recording apparatuses face issues with non-uniformity in images due to the difference in ink ejection order between black and color inks, leading to degradation in image quality and increased recording time.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs an ink jet head with first and second nozzles aligned at specific intervals, where both nozzles eject ink during alternating movements of the carriage, ensuring that the second ink is ejected after the first ink in one direction and before in the opposite direction, thereby maintaining uniformity and reducing the number of carriage movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If both black ink and color ink are ejected when the carriage is moved to either side of the scanning direction, then image formation is completed, but non-uniformity occurs in the recorded image due to varying ink ejection order
Solution Approach 1:
The ink jet head is divided into first nozzles for black ink and second nozzles for color ink, with the second nozzles positioned at intervals of n times the first nozzle interval. This segmentation allows independent control of black and color ink ejection timing and position, enabling uniform image formation by controlling which ink is ejected first in different scanning directions.
2Manufacturing precision
If the carriage moves alternately to right and left sides for recording, then complete image coverage is achieved, but recording time increases due to multiple carriage movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines black ink ejection and color ink ejection into a single carriage movement operation. By positioning second nozzles at intervals of n times the first nozzle interval and controlling both nozzle types to eject ink during the same carriage movement, the system achieves complete image coverage in fewer carriage movements, significantly reducing recording time.
Data Source
AI summary
With an ink jet head in which color nozzles are aligned with an interval of three times an interval of black nozzles at the right side in a scanning direction of the black nozzles, when an image is recorded by ejecting black ink and color ink superposed on each other, a first unit recording operation is repeatedly executed, in which scanning by ejecting ink from at least one of the black nozzles and color nozzles is repeated three times while moving a carriage in the scanning direction, and a recording sheet is conveyed by a predetermined amount every time scanning is completed. In the first unit recording operation, the carriage is moved to the left side while ink is ejected from both the black nozzles and color nozzles at the first scanning. Moreover, in each of the second and third scanning operations, ink is ejected only from the color nozzles.