Inkjet Head Drive Cycle Adjustment for Resonance Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid discharge devices, such as inkjet heads, often experience unstable ink ejection due to structural resonance frequency matching or being close to the drive frequency, leading to deteriorated image quality.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge device and method that adjust the drive cycle based on the relative movement of the object to be conveyed, ensuring the drive cycle falls within a range that avoids resonance frequencies, thereby stabilizing ink discharge precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drive frequency is increased to improve productivity, then ink discharge speed increases, but structural resonance occurs causing unstable ejection and deteriorated image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the drive cycle based on the actual conveyance speed of the object. The drive cycle computation unit calculates the drive cycle according to the relative movement amount, and the discharge controller modifies it in real-time to avoid resonance frequencies. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain stable ink ejection across varying operating conditions while preserving high discharge speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the drive cycle parameter to avoid resonance frequencies. The discharge controller computes a modified drive cycle that differs from the basic drive cycle calculated from conveyance speed, specifically adjusting it to fall within a range that avoids the resonance frequency of the inkjet head structure. This parameter modification resolves the contradiction by allowing high-speed operation without triggering resonance.
2Reliability
If the drive cycle is adjusted to avoid resonance frequencies, then ejection stability improves, but the accumulated position error increases causing discharge precision deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the discharge controller continuously monitors the drive cycle and adjusts it to maintain both stability and precision. By computing the modified drive cycle based on the basic drive cycle and the resonance frequency information, the system provides feedback control that prevents accumulated position errors while maintaining stable ejection through resonance avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary computation of the modified drive cycle before actual ink discharge operations. The discharge controller calculates the appropriate drive cycle adjustment in advance, based on the basic drive cycle and resonance frequency characteristics, ensuring that both stability and precision requirements are met before the discharge process begins.
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
Prevents ink discharge precision deterioration by adjusting the drive cycle to avoid resonance frequencies, maintaining stable ink ejection and improving image quality.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator element such as a piezoelectric element is driven to eject an ink droplet
Implementation Method 2
an actuator element such as a piezoelectric element is driven to eject an ink droplet
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge device and a method of discharging liquid. The liquid discharge device includes a head driver to drive an actuator element to generate force to discharge an ink droplet from a head onto an object to be conveyed, the object to be conveyed moving relative to the head, and a discharge controller. The discharge controller and the method includes computing a first drive cycle according to an amount of relative movement of the object moving relative to a head, adjusting the first drive cycle to a value within a second cycle range different from a first cycle range in which an ink droplet is abnormally discharged from the head, obtaining a second drive cycle as a result of adjustment performed on the first drive cycle, every time the second drive cycle passes one or more times, and adjusting the first drive cycle.