Inkjet Printer Gap Measurement for Wave-Shaped Sheets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face challenges in accurately printing on wave-shaped recording sheets due to varying gaps between the ink discharging surface and the recording sheet, leading to positional deviations and low-quality images.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet printer system that includes a mechanism to acquire gap information at individual positions on the wave-shaped recording sheet, using a gap information acquiring device, identifying and complementing unacquired data to determine precise ink discharging timing for each position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the recording sheet is deformed in a wave shape to improve printing adaptability, then the inkjet printer can handle various sheet types, but the gap between the ink discharging surface and the recording sheet varies causing positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the gap between the ink discharging surface and the wave-shaped recording sheet at multiple positions before printing. This advance measurement allows the control device to calculate appropriate ink discharging timing adjustments for each position, ensuring accurate ink placement despite the varying gap caused by wave-shaped deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the ink discharging timing based on the measured gap at each position. Instead of using a fixed discharge timing, the control device varies the discharge timing according to the local gap conditions, allowing the printing system to adapt to the wave-shaped recording sheet while maintaining positioning accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If gap information is measured at all positions to ensure accurate ink placement, then printing precision improves, but the complexity of the measurement system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures gap information at a finite number of discrete positions across the recording sheet rather than continuously at every point. This partial measurement approach provides sufficient information for accurate printing while avoiding the excessive complexity of continuous measurement systems. The control device interpolates or selects appropriate gap values for positions between measurement points.
3Manufacturing precision
If ink discharging timing is adjusted for each position to correct positional deviation, then print quality improves, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the timing parameter of ink discharge based on the measured gap at each position. By adjusting only the timing parameter rather than modifying the physical structure or ink properties, the system achieves accurate printing on wave-shaped sheets while keeping the control mechanism relatively simple and focused on a single adjustable parameter.
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet printer is provided, which is configured to acquire gap information related to a gap between an ink discharging surface and a recording sheet in each individual position of top-formed positions and bottom-formed positions within a predetermined wave-shape generating range, identify, when the predetermined wave-shape generating range includes a partial range in which the recording sheet is not placed, a top-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired and a bottom-formed position where the gap information has not been acquired, within the partial range, complement the unacquired gap information in the identified top-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other top-formed positions, and complement the unacquired gap information in the identified bottom-formed position with a value determined based on the respective pieces of gap information acquired in other bottom-formed positions.