Inkjet Printer Maintenance Scheduling to Prevent Image Quality Degradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for printing maintenance patterns on continuous sheets in inkjet printing apparatuses often result in mutual interference between maintenance operations, leading to increased processing time, degradation of image quality, and paper jams due to inefficient scheduling and analysis of maintenance patterns.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that schedule maintenance operations on inkjet printing systems to avoid mutual interference by ensuring different frequency maintenance operations are printed on separate non-image areas, allowing for high-throughput and high-quality printing by optimizing the printing order and analysis of maintenance patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple maintenance patterns are printed in predetermined order on continuous sheet, then maintenance operations can be performed during printing, but mutual interference between maintenance operations occurs leading to increased processing time and degradation of image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments maintenance operations into different types (preliminary ejection, misfiring monitor, register adjustment) and assigns them to different non-image parts of the continuous sheet. By dividing the maintenance tasks and distributing them across separate spatial locations on the sheet, the system avoids mutual interference between maintenance operations while maintaining high throughput, thereby preventing degradation of image quality.
2Area of stationary object
If maintenance patterns requiring analysis are printed at neighboring positions, then space is utilized efficiently, but analysis time increases and real-time maintenance cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts maintenance patterns requiring analysis (misfiring monitor pattern, register adjustment pattern) and places them in separate non-image parts that are spatially distributed along the continuous sheet. This extraction prevents these analysis-intensive patterns from being printed at neighboring positions, thereby reducing analysis time and enabling real-time maintenance while still utilizing non-image areas efficiently.
3Reliability
If maintenance operations are performed at fixed intervals, then equipment performance is maintained, but processing time increases due to suspension and restart of analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary placement of maintenance patterns in the continuous sheet during the printing process, with patterns strategically positioned in non-image parts. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the sheet is conveyed and patterns are printed, analysis can proceed without suspension and restart, thereby maintaining equipment performance while reducing processing time.
4Area of stationary object
If multiple maintenance patterns are printed on one non-image part, then space is saved, but paper jams occur due to contact with paper waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments maintenance patterns and distributes them across multiple separate non-image parts along the continuous sheet rather than concentrating them in one location. This spatial segmentation ensures that maintenance patterns are printed at locations that do not contact paper waste during conveyance, preventing paper jams while still achieving high space utilization of non-image areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for printing on a continuous sheet with an inkjet head includes printing a plurality of images in sequence and performing plural kinds of maintenance operations by using intermediate areas located between one of the images and next one of the images in accordance with a schedule, and setting the schedule such that a first maintenance operation included in the plural kinds of maintenance operations and a second maintenance operation which is performed with frequency different from that of the first maintenance operation are not performed at the same intermediate area.