Inkjet Printhead Drop Volume Control for Satellite Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face image quality degradation due to the separation of ink drops during flight, resulting in satellite drops that land outside the intended area, causing ink blur and impacting printed image quality.
Innovation Solution
A color inkjet printer system that analyzes ink image content data to identify features with trailing edges followed by white space, modifies the ink image content data to reduce ink drop volumes in these areas, thereby minimizing satellite drop formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If standard ink drop volumes are used during printing, then adequate ink coverage and image density are achieved, but satellite drops form during flight causing ink blur and degraded image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating ink drop volumes based on spatial location within the image. Trailing edge regions and regions adjacent to white space are identified and assigned reduced ink drop volumes compared to standard regions. This localized modification reduces satellite formation in problematic areas while preserving adequate ink coverage in other areas, thereby improving overall image quality without uniformly reducing print density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the ink drop volume parameter based on the local image characteristics. The controller modifies the ink drop volume parameter for specific pixels or pixel groups in trailing edge regions and regions near white space, changing it from the standard volume to a reduced volume. This parameter adaptation reduces the likelihood of satellite formation while maintaining print quality in other areas.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If ink drop volumes are reduced in trailing edge areas to minimize satellites, then ink blur is reduced, but image density and coverage in those areas may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively reducing ink drop volumes only in trailing edge regions and regions adjacent to white space, while maintaining standard ink volumes in other areas. This localized approach reduces ink blur in problematic regions without compromising overall image density and coverage, as other areas continue to receive adequate ink application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by reducing ink drop volumes only in specific problematic regions (trailing edges and areas near white space) rather than uniformly across the entire image. This partial modification is sufficient to reduce ink blur and satellite formation in those areas while preserving adequate ink coverage and image density in the remaining areas.
3Manufacturing precision
If ink image content data is analyzed and modified to reduce satellite formation, then image quality improves, but computational processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by analyzing the ink image content data and identifying trailing edge regions and regions adjacent to white space before the actual printing process. By pre-processing the image data to identify problematic areas and pre-determining the reduced ink drop volume requirements, the system avoids complex real-time calculations during printing, thereby reducing computational burden and processing time while still achieving improved image quality.
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 reduces ink blur by producing smaller ink drops in specific areas, such as trailing edges and side edges, which decreases the likelihood of satellite formation and enhances image quality without increasing computational burden.
Implementation Method 1
Each inkjet has a thermal or piezoelectric actuator that is coupled to a printhead controller. The actuators in the printheads respond to the firing signals by expanding into an ink chamber to eject ink drops
Implementation Method 2
Each inkjet has a thermal or piezoelectric actuator that is coupled to a printhead controller. The actuators in the printheads respond to the firing signals by expanding into an ink chamber to eject ink drops
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a printer identifies image areas and image features in ink image content data that are likely to produce ink blur within an ink image. The ink image content data for these areas and features is modified to attenuate the appearance of ink blur. The image areas identified as being likely to produce ink blur are the trailing edge and the side edges of the ink image content data. The modification of the ink image content data for the features and predetermined areas improves the quality of the printed ink image.