Inkjet Printer Nozzle Elevation Control for Medium Lift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet recording apparatuses face inefficiencies in rapid mass production due to the need for frequent stops and interruptions in image formation caused by partial projections on the recording medium, leading to decreased operation efficiency and image quality.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet recording apparatus with a conveying unit, ink ejecting units, an elevating unit, and a measuring unit that adjusts the distance between the nozzle surface and the conveying surface based on measured lift distances to prevent contact and ensure continuous ink ejection, allowing for controlled retreating and restart movements to maintain image quality and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inkjet recording apparatus stops or interrupts image formation upon detecting partial projections, then contact between the nozzle surface and lifted portion is prevented, but operation efficiency decreases due to frequent stops and recovery tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the nozzle surface movable relative to the recording medium. The elevation control unit dynamically adjusts the distance between the nozzle surface and conveying surface in real-time based on lift distance measurements, allowing the system to adapt to partial projections without stopping operation. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by maintaining both reliability (preventing contact) and productivity (continuous operation).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control through the measuring unit that continuously monitors lift distance and provides this information to the elevation control unit. The elevation control unit uses this feedback to adjust the nozzle position dynamically, enabling the system to respond to partial projections without interrupting image formation, thus maintaining both reliability and operation efficiency.
2Productivity
If the inkjet recording apparatus continues image formation without adjustment, then operation efficiency is maintained, but image quality deteriorates due to non-uniform deviations of ink landing points
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the nozzle-to-medium distance based on real-time lift distance measurements, allowing continuous operation while maintaining precise ink placement. This dynamic compensation ensures that image quality is preserved even when the recording medium has surface irregularities, resolving the contradiction between productivity and manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If the nozzle surface is protected by stopping transfer, then contact with lifted portions is prevented, but throughput decreases due to frequent stops and recovery tasks
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of stopping transfer to protect the nozzle, the system dynamically elevates the nozzle surface to maintain a safe distance from lifted portions. This dynamic protection mechanism allows continuous throughput while preventing nozzle contact, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
4Manufacturing precision
If the conveyance rate is decreased to prevent low image quality, then image quality is improved, but operation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the nozzle-to-medium distance to compensate for surface irregularities, allowing the conveyance rate to remain high while maintaining image quality. This eliminates the need to reduce conveyance speed, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is an inkjet printer, which limits reduction in work efficiency without deterioration of formed image quality. The inkjet printer is equipped with: a conveyor unit for conveying a print medium (P) on a conveyor surface in the conveyance direction; an ink-discharging section for discharging ink from nozzle openings on a nozzle surface that faces the conveyor surface; a vertical motion unit for changing the distance of the ink-discharging section from the conveyor surface; a measurement section (113) for measuring the floating distance of the print medium at a measurement position at a prescribed separation distance (L1) on the up-stream side of the ink-discharging section in the conveyance direction; a vertical motion control section for causing, when the floating distance reaches at least a first distance (H1) and after a prescribed period from the floating detection timing has elapsed, the ver - tical motion unit to perform, on the basis of the separation distance and the print medium conveyance speed, a retracting motion of moving the ink-discharging section to a position (H3) where the nozzle surface does not contact the floating portion while said floating portion is conveyed into a range that faces the ink-discharging section; and a discharge control section for continuing ink discharge until the retracting motion start timing.