Inkjet Recording Head Alignment Using Segmented Reference Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses face challenges in accurately adjusting the position of recording heads to prevent white lines from forming on the recording medium due to misalignment, which affects image quality.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus selects a reference head and adjusts the other recording heads to have their longitudinal directions parallel to the reference head, while positioning the head base orthogonal to the paper conveyance direction, using specific adjusting members to ensure proper alignment and prevent white lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the recording heads are adjusted to be parallel to each other, then the alignment accuracy is improved, but the adjustment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment process is divided into two independent stages: primary arrangement (making longitudinal directions parallel) and secondary arrangement (positioning head base orthogonal to conveyance direction). This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, improving alignment accuracy while managing complexity through structured decomposition of the adjustment task.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs primary arrangement first to establish parallel longitudinal directions among all recording heads before performing secondary arrangement to position the head base. This preliminary action ensures that the foundation for alignment is established first, making subsequent adjustments more effective and reducing overall adjustment complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the head base is positioned orthogonal to the conveyance direction, then the image quality is improved, but the positioning precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent first performs primary arrangement to make all recording heads parallel to each other before performing secondary arrangement to position the head base orthogonal to the conveyance direction. This preliminary parallel alignment reduces the precision burden on the final orthogonal positioning step, as the relative relationships are already established.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning task is segmented into two independent arrangements: primary arrangement for parallelism and secondary arrangement for orthogonality. This segmentation allows each positioning requirement to be addressed separately with appropriate precision levels, rather than requiring all positions to be perfectly precise simultaneously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple adjusting members are used to control head positions, then the alignment flexibility is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting members are divided into two functional groups: first adjusting members for primary arrangement (controlling longitudinal direction parallelism) and second adjusting members for secondary arrangement (controlling head base orthogonality). This segmentation provides alignment flexibility for each degree of freedom while organizing the complex structure into manageable, functionally distinct components.
Data Source
AI summary
An inkjet recording apparatus includes recording heads and a head base. The recording heads include a first recording head, a second recording head, a third recording head, and a fourth recording head. The first to fourth recording heads each include three segment recording heads. The segment recording heads eject ink on to paper. The head base supports the 12 segment recording heads. One segment recording head among the 12 segment recording heads is selected as a reference head. The segment recording heads other than the reference head among the 12 segment recording heads are arranged such that longitudinal directions of the segment recording heads other than the reference head are parallel to a longitudinal direction of the reference head. The head base is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the reference head is orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the paper.