Inkjet Printer Carriage Timing Correction for Landing Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face issues with ink landing positions deviating from targeted positions due to the resiliency of flexible connecting members, leading to deteriorated image quality.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printer system that includes a carriage with a recording head and a connecting member that can bend in variable curvature, along with a controller executing specific steps to adjust the discharging timing based on the measured pause period, ensuring accurate ink landing by correcting for the gap fluctuations between the recording head and the sheet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flexible and resilient connecting members are used to allow the carriage to move smoothly, then the carriage can move along the main scanning direction, but the resiliency of the connecting members causes the gap between the recording head and the recording sheet to fluctuate, leading to ink landing position deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The controller executes a measuring step before the discharging step to measure the pause period in advance. Based on this pre-measured pause period, the controller determines whether to use first or second discharging timing, allowing the system to compensate for the resiliency effect before ink discharge occurs. This preliminary measurement and timing adjustment prevents ink landing position deviation.
2Reliability
If the carriage is maintained motionless at the one end part, then the resiliency influence of connecting members is more likely to occur, but the gap fluctuation causes ink to land at positions deviated from targeted positions
Solution Approach 1:
The controller measures the actual pause period during which the carriage is maintained motionless at the one end part. Based on this measured pause period, the controller adjusts the discharging timing (using first or second discharging timing) to compensate for the gap fluctuation caused by connecting member resiliency. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate ink landing positions even when the carriage is stationary.
3Manufacturing precision
If the discharging timing is adjusted based on the measured pause period, then ink landing positions can be corrected, but the control system becomes more complex with multiple timing determination steps
Solution Approach 1:
The controller changes the discharging timing parameter based on the measured pause period. When the pause period is within a first length, the controller uses first discharging timing; when the pause period is within a second length (longer than the first), the controller uses second discharging timing. This parameter adjustment approach corrects ink landing position deviation while maintaining a relatively simple control logic based on pause period thresholds.
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
Prevents deterioration of image recording quality by accurately correcting ink landing positions, reducing the influence of connecting member resiliency and maintaining consistent image quality.
Implementation Method 1
the connecting members may be flexible and resilient. Therefore, the resiliency of the deformed connecting member may influence the carriage
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printer including a body, a carriage, a recording head, a bendable connecting member, and a controller is provided. The controller executes a moving step to move the carriage in an orientation after the carriage is halted for a length, a measuring step to measure the period, and a discharging step to manipulate the recording head to discharge ink at a sheet. In the discharging step, if the measured period is within a first length, the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink at a first discharging timing, and if the measured period is within a second length which is longer than the first length, the recording head is manipulated to discharge the ink at a second discharging timing, which is advanced to be earlier than the first discharging timing.