Ink-jet Drive Signal Stabilization via Temperature Threshold Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deformation of piezoelectric actuators in ink-jet recording apparatuses due to environmental temperature changes leads to unstable ink ejection, affecting print quality, and existing solutions complicate the control structure by varying drive signal waveforms and voltages.
Innovation Solution
An ink-jet recording apparatus with a temperature sensor integrated into the driver IC on the ink-jet head, which generates drive signals to control the actuator unit, maintaining the environmental temperature within a prescribed range by applying non-ejection signals to stabilize the actuator deformation without complicating the control structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the waveform and voltage of the drive signal are changed based on environmental temperature to stabilize ink ejection, then print quality is improved, but the control structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential temperature compensation function from the complex control system. Instead of changing drive signal waveforms and voltages based on temperature, the invention simply adds or removes nozzles from the ejection operation based on temperature conditions, thereby stabilizing ink ejection while keeping the control structure simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple temperature threshold-based control strategy rather than complex continuous control. The system uses predetermined temperature thresholds to determine whether to operate all nozzles or only some nozzles, avoiding the need for complex real-time adjustments of drive signals while achieving adequate temperature compensation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the drive signal waveform and voltage are varied with temperature to compensate for actuator deformation, then print quality is maintained, but the control device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential temperature compensation function from the complex control system. Instead of changing drive signal waveforms and voltages based on temperature, the invention simply adds or removes nozzles from the ejection operation based on temperature conditions, thereby stabilizing ink ejection while keeping the control structure simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple temperature threshold-based control strategy rather than complex continuous control. The system uses predetermined temperature thresholds to determine whether to operate all nozzles or only some nozzles, avoiding the need for complex real-time adjustments of drive signals while achieving adequate temperature compensation.
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
This solution maintains print quality by stabilizing the actuator deformation within a specific temperature range, reducing the need to vary drive signal characteristics with temperature, thus simplifying the control structure and preventing print quality deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor for detecting an environmental temperature of the actuator unit
Implementation Method 2
a piezoelectric actuator including a piezoelectric element. Various other actuators utilizing energy transducing principle are also used. In particular, the piezoelectric actuator is widely used
Data Source
AI summary
An ink-jet recording apparatus including: (A) an ink-jet head which includes: a channel unit having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of pressure chambers that respectively communicate with the plurality of nozzles; and an actuator unit which is disposed on the channel unit and to which drive signals are applied, thereby changing a volume of the plurality of pressure chambers; (B) a driver IC which is disposed on the ink-jet head and which includes: a drive-signal generating portion for generating the drive signals and applying the generated drive signals to the actuator unit; and a temperature sensor for detecting an environmental temperature of the actuator unit; and (C) a control device arranged to execute a low-temperature-condition control by controlling the drive-signal generating portion to generate the drive signals so as to change the volume of the plurality of pressure chambers, where the environmental temperature detected by the temperature sensor is not higher than a prescribed first temperature.