Ink-jet Head Viscosity-Based Drive Voltage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink-jet recording apparatuses face challenges in accurately calculating the jetting amount of inks due to varying viscosities among different ink types, leading to increased frictional resistance and jetting failures, especially when pigment inks settle and become more viscous than dye inks, causing drive voltage requirements to differ across nozzles.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a controller that estimates the viscosity of inks in each nozzle and adjusts the drive voltage accordingly, applying a higher voltage when viscosity exceeds a threshold to prevent jetting failures and accurately calculate the jetting amount by accounting for increased viscosity, ensuring consistent droplet sizes across all inks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common drive voltage is applied to multiple drive elements for multiple ink types, then the device complexity is reduced, but the jetting precision deteriorates due to varying viscosities causing inconsistent droplet volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the common drive voltage into multiple adjusted voltages based on ink type. The controller divides the drive elements into first and second groups, applying different voltages to each group according to their respective ink viscosities, while still using a single power supply circuit. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining voltage control differentiation without requiring separate power supplies for each ink type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the voltage parameter dynamically based on ink viscosity characteristics. When pigment ink is detected, the controller increases the drive voltage for that ink type to compensate for higher viscosity. This parameter adjustment ensures consistent droplet volumes across different ink types while using a unified power supply architecture.
2Reliability
If the drive voltage is increased to jet viscous pigment ink, then the jetting reliability improves, but the jetting amount precision deteriorates for less viscous dye inks due to excessive droplet volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different voltage levels to different drive element groups based on their local ink viscosity requirements. First drive elements handling pigment ink receive higher voltage, while second drive elements handling dye ink receive standard voltage. This localized adjustment ensures each ink type receives appropriate driving force without affecting others, resolving the contradiction between reliability and precision.
3Stability of the object's composition
If pigment ink is left stationary for a long time, then the pigment concentration at the bottom increases improving ink stability, but the viscosity increases causing jetting failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compensates for viscosity changes caused by pigment settlement by dynamically adjusting the drive voltage parameter. When pigment ink has been stationary, the controller detects the increased viscosity and increases the drive voltage accordingly to maintain reliable jetting. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining pigment stability and ensuring jetting reliability.
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 solution enhances the accuracy of ink jetting amount calculation, preventing failures and maintaining consistent droplet sizes, even when viscosities vary among different ink types, thereby improving the reliability and precision of the ink-jet recording process.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the inks is jetted from the nozzle by using deformation of the piezo element caused when a drive pulse signal having a predefined drive voltage is applied between two kinds of electrodes provided at both ends of the piezo element
Data Source
AI summary
An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an ink-jet head provided with first and second nozzles for jetting a first ink and a second ink respectively, first and second drive elements which apply energy to the first and second inks respectively; a power supply circuit; and a controller. The controller estimates viscosity of the first ink in the first nozzle, controls the power supply circuit to generate a first drive voltage or a second drive voltage higher than the first drive voltage based on the viscosity of the first ink in the first nozzle estimated, drives the first and second drive elements by use of the drive voltage generated in the power supply circuit, and calculates a jetting amount of the first ink to be jetted from the first nozzle and a jetting amount of the second ink to be jetted from the second nozzle.