Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Flushing Control for Thickened Ink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses, such as ink jet recording devices, face challenges in reliably discharging thickened ink due to environmental changes or the use of non-standard inks, leading to ejection errors and increased ink consumption, as optimized flushing conditions are difficult to set for various types of inks.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with a user-configurable flushing system that allows adjustment of the number of droplets ejected, droplet weight, and flushing timing, along with the output of test patterns to determine and optimize the discharge state of thickened liquids, enabling the selection of specific test patterns for setting optimal flushing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flushing conditions are optimized for standard ink, then thickened standard ink can be discharged reliably, but non-standard inks or inks affected by environmental changes cannot be reliably discharged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of flushing parameters (number of droplets, droplet weight, timing) based on actual ejection state detection. The system transitions from static pre-optimized conditions to dynamic adaptation, allowing the flushing conditions to be modified in real-time according to the detected state of the liquid ejection nozzles, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability for standard ink and adaptability for different ink types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis by detecting the ejection state of liquid droplets and automatically adjusts flushing parameters accordingly. The liquid ejecting apparatus monitors its own performance and modifies its own flushing conditions without external intervention, enabling it to adapt to different inks and environmental conditions while maintaining reliable discharge.
2Reliability
If flushing conditions are set for ink most likely to become thickened, then all types of inks can be stably ejected, but ink consumption increases unnecessarily for inks that do not readily become thickened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by adjusting the flushing parameters (number of droplets, droplet weight, timing) to match the actual thickening state of the specific ink being used. Instead of always applying maximum flushing intensity suitable for the most prone-to-thicken ink, the system applies only the necessary flushing action required for the current ink type and environmental conditions, thereby reducing unnecessary ink consumption while maintaining stable ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes flushing parameters (number of droplets, droplet weight, timing) based on detected ejection state and ink characteristics. By dynamically adjusting these parameters rather than using fixed conservative settings, the system achieves stable ejection for all ink types while minimizing ink consumption during flushing operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pre-optimized flushing conditions are prepared for different ink types, then each ink can be flushed optimally, but the complexity of setting and managing conditions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for manual selection and management of multiple pre-optimized conditions by implementing self-diagnosis and automatic adjustment. The liquid ejecting apparatus detects its own ejection state and automatically determines the appropriate flushing parameters, thereby maintaining adaptability to different ink types while significantly reducing the complexity of condition management for the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from ejection state detection to automatically adjust flushing parameters. By continuously monitoring the ejection performance and using this feedback to modify flushing conditions, the system achieves optimal flushing for different ink types without requiring users to manually select from multiple pre-configured conditions, thereby reducing operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus performs ejection in which droplets are deposited onto a medium and flushing in which droplets are not deposited onto the medium. The apparatus includes a recording head configured to eject the droplets, a presentation unit configured to present at least one condition selected from a number of times of ejecting droplets in the one flushing, a weight per one of the droplets in the flushing, and a timing of the flushing to be changeable, and a flushing controller configured to control the recording head to perform the flushing based on the condition changed via the presentation unit.