Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Ink Switching Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet type printers and other liquid ejecting apparatuses face issues where estimated ink residual amounts are inaccurately calculated, leading to prevention of maintenance processes due to perceived low ink levels, even when sufficient ink remains, causing maintenance to be missed or performed too late.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a switching unit, residual amount estimation portion, and controller that allows maintenance processes to be performed by selecting an alternative liquid supply source when the estimated residual amount of one supply portion is low, ensuring the process can be completed before the ink is exhausted, even if the actual residual amount is higher than calculated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the maintenance process is prevented when the ink residual amount estimation value is less than the determination value, then the risk of ink exhaustion during maintenance is reduced, but the opportunity to perform necessary maintenance processes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter being monitored from the ink residual amount estimation value of a single ink cartridge to the total ink residual amount estimation value across multiple ink cartridges. This allows the maintenance process to proceed when the total available ink is sufficient, even if one cartridge appears low on ink individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid supply system is designed to support multiple ink cartridges that can serve as alternative sources. When one cartridge is deemed insufficient, the system can switch to another cartridge, making the maintenance process executable without interruption.
2Reliability
If the ink consumption amount is calculated based on maximum individual difference and usage environment conditions, then the estimation is conservative and safe, but the actual ink residual amount may be higher than estimated causing unnecessary maintenance prevention
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the ink residual amounts from multiple ink cartridges by calculating the total ink residual amount estimation value. This combination compensates for the conservative estimation in individual cartridges, providing a more accurate picture of the total available ink for maintenance operations.
3Reliability
If the determination value is set according to the ink consumption during maintenance process, then the maintenance can be completed without exhausting ink, but the maintenance process cannot be initiated when estimated ink level is low even if sufficient ink actually remains
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the evaluation parameter from individual cartridge ink levels to total system ink availability. This allows the maintenance process to be initiated when the combined ink from multiple cartridges is sufficient, improving accessibility while maintaining reliability through the switching mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus which includes a plurality of liquid receiving portions in which the same kinds of liquid are received, a switching unit which switches the liquid receiving portion that supplies the liquid to a liquid ejecting head, and a controller which performs a maintenance process including discharging the liquid through the liquid ejecting head, in which, when a liquid residual amount of the liquid receiving portion that supplies the liquid to the ejecting head, which is calculated by a residual amount estimation portion, is less than a determination value, the controller performs the maintenance process in a state where the liquid receiving portion to supply the liquid to the liquid ejecting head is selected among the plurality of liquid receiving portions and the liquid is supplied from the selected liquid receiving portion to the liquid ejecting head.