Inkjet Head Control for Can Body Printing to Prevent Nozzle Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing on can bodies often results in ink clogging due to unused or low-frequency ink ejection ports, which can degrade image quality if ink is ejected onto the can body to prevent clogging.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with an inkjet head and a head control unit that directs ink from unused or low-frequency ports to a strip-shaped region on the can body, forming a secondary image that is less conspicuous and allows for ink ejection from more ports, thereby preventing clogging while maintaining image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ink is ejected from unused or low-frequency ink ejection ports onto the can body to suppress ink clogging, then ink clogging is prevented, but image quality degradation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The can body surface is divided into a main image formation region and a strip-shaped image formation region. Unused or low-frequency ink ejection ports are directed to eject ink only onto the strip-shaped region, which extends along the axial direction of the can body. This segmentation allows frequent ports to maintain image quality while unused ports remain clear, preventing clogging without degrading the main image.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the can body are assigned different functions: the main image formation region receives ink from frequently used ports for high-quality printing, while the strip-shaped region serves as a dedicated area for preventing clogging in unused ports. This local differentiation of quality requirements allows the system to maintain overall image quality while preventing clogging in specific areas.
2Reliability
If more ink ejection ports are utilized to prevent clogging, then clogging is suppressed, but the number of usable ports for main image formation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The strip-shaped image formation region serves multiple functions: it prevents ink clogging in unused ports, provides an additional image formation area, and allows the system to utilize all ink ejection ports (both frequently used and unused) for productive purposes rather than leaving some ports idle and prone to clogging.
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 approach effectively prevents ink clogging while minimizing the impact on the main image quality by using unused ink ejection ports for a secondary image that is less noticeable, thus maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the can body.
Implementation Method 1
an ink jet head that includes multiple ink ejection ports and ejects ink to an outer circumferential surface of a can body to perform image formation on the outer circumferential surface
Data Source
AI summary
In ejecting ink from unused ink ejection ports or ink ejection ports not used frequently onto a can body to suppress ink clogging, the ink clogging is suppressed while degradation in the quality of an image to be formed on the can body is suppressed. On the surface of a can main body 110, a main image MG, which is a main image, and a strip-shaped image OG, which is a sub-image, are formed. The strip-shaped image OG is formed using ink ejection ports not used at forming the main image MG or low-frequency ink ejection ports not ejecting ink frequently. Thus, ink clogging hardly occurs in an ink jet head.