Inkjet Recording Head Deviation Correction via Local Quality Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet printers face issues with image deviation at joint portions due to differences in nozzle alignment and paper conveyance, leading to banding and quality deterioration, with existing solutions failing to effectively address these issues without compromising image quality.
Innovation Solution
An image recording apparatus with a conveyer, carriage, and recording head that alternately executes recording passes and conveying operations, with a controller adjusting nozzle discharge amounts and positions to overlap dot recording ranges and correct deviations based on predetermined conditions, ensuring image quality is maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ink amount to be discharged is restricted to suppress banding, then banding is suppressed, but image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating ink discharge control based on position. Specifically, the ink discharge amount is adjusted according to the position of dot arrays - restricted in regions where banding is likely to occur (at boundaries between different printing operations) while maintaining normal or enhanced discharge in other regions. This spatially-variable control strategy suppresses banding at critical locations without compromising overall image quality.
2Reliability
If processes are performed to make image deviation hardly conspicuous, then image deviation becomes less noticeable, but image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing position-dependent ink discharge control to address image deviation. The controller adjusts discharge amounts based on the specific position of dot arrays - reducing ink discharge in regions where deviation would be conspicuous (such as boundary regions between printing operations) while maintaining normal discharge elsewhere. This selective approach makes deviation less noticeable without uniformly degrading image quality across the entire printed area.
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 effectively minimizes image deviation and maintains image quality by adjusting discharge amounts and positions, making deviations less conspicuous and preventing quality deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a recording head held on the carriage and including a discharge surface in which nozzle arrays including a plurality of nozzles arranged in the conveyance direction are opened
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a conveyer; a carriage; a recording head; a memory; and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the conveyer to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction such that dot recording ranges are partially overlapped with each other in the conveying operation. In a case that a predetermined condition is fulfilled, the controller is configured to cause the recording head to record a dot including a correcting portion by correcting discharge, and in a case that the predetermined condition is not fulfilled, the controller is configured to cause the recording head to record the dot including the correcting portion by ordinary discharge.