Inkjet Feeding Control via Displacement Sensor

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ink jet recording devices require complex configurations to accurately measure and detect the movement of a belt, making it difficult to simplify the setup and reducing precision, which can lead to print failures such as print lines.

Innovation Solution

A printing device with a simplified configuration where a displacement sensor is arranged on the moving section, allowing for precise control of the recording medium's feed amount by detecting displacement, reducing the need for distance measurement and minimizing the risk of print failures through deceleration of the moving section during detection and use of a claw portion for displacement detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a detecting section is arranged on the gripping unit to continuously detect movement amount, then the belt movement can be detected, but the configuration becomes complex and difficult to simplify

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebelt movement detection precisionVSAvoiddetection system configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the detection function from the gripping unit and relocates it to the moving section. Specifically, the displacement sensor is mounted on the moving section to detect the position of the stationary section, thereby detecting belt movement without requiring the gripping unit to have detection capabilities. This separation simplifies the overall configuration while maintaining detection precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of detecting movement of the moving gripping unit relative to a stationary reference, the patent inverts the approach by making the moving section stationary for detection purposes and detecting the position of what would traditionally be considered stationary. The displacement sensor on the moving section detects the position of the stationary section, effectively using relative motion detection to achieve the same measurement goal with simpler hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If the moving section moves at high speed, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision of displacement decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransportation speedVSAvoiddisplacement detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the control section instruct the moving section to decelerate before the displacement sensor needs to take an accurate measurement. The system predicts when measurement is needed and adjusts speed in advance, allowing high-speed operation overall while ensuring accurate measurements are taken during brief decelerated intervals when precision is critical.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs periodic action by creating a cycle of acceleration and deceleration. The moving section operates at high speed for most of the time to maintain productivity, then periodically decelerates when the recording medium approaches the discharge position and accurate displacement measurement is required. This periodic speed adjustment balances productivity and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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 enables precise transportation and printing of the recording medium, reducing print failures and simplifying the device configuration, thereby enhancing printing precision and cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

a displacement detecting section that detects a displacement amount of the moving section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDisplacement detection:

Data Source

PatentEP3308969B1Printing device
Publication Date: 2020.09.30 MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO LTD
  • EP3308969B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3308969B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3308969B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a printing device such as an ink jet device capable of transporting a recording medium at satisfactory precision with a simple configuration. In an ink jet device including a feed amount correcting unit that corrects a feed amount of a recording medium, and a control section (14) that controls the feed amount correcting unit, the feed amount correcting unit includes a moving unit (42) that moves with the movement of the recording medium in a transporting direction (X) and a displacement sensor unit (41) that detects a displacement amount of the moving unit, and the control section controls the feed amount of the recording medium based on a difference of a feed amount acquired at the time of printing and a set feed amount set in advance.