Inkjet Printer Nozzle Flushing via Segmented Receiver Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face issues with ink discharge failures due to nozzle exposure, leading to ink drying and precipitation, which affects the fluidity and printing quality, especially with white ink that has a higher likelihood of precipitation compared to color inks.
Innovation Solution
The printer employs a control method that includes a flushing process where one nozzle row discharges ink while another row is kept non-discharging, using a receiver with a width smaller than the nozzle row interval, to prevent ink drying and maintain ink fluidity, thereby suppressing ink discharge failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all ink heads perform flushing operation simultaneously facing the capping device, then ink discharge failure is suppressed for all nozzles, but the receiver width would need to be larger to accommodate all nozzle rows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flushing operation into segments corresponding to different nozzle rows. The receiver width is designed to accommodate only one nozzle row at a time (smaller than the interval between adjacent nozzle rows). The control device sequentially positions different nozzle rows to face the receiver and performs flushing operations in stages, thereby suppressing ink discharge failures without requiring a large receiver width.
2Device complexity
If the receiver width is made smaller than the nozzle row interval, then device complexity is reduced and space is saved, but some ink heads cannot face the receiver simultaneously for flushing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic positioning of the carriage holding the ink heads relative to the fixed receiver. The control device sequentially moves different nozzle rows into position to face the receiver during flushing operations. This dynamic approach allows a compact receiver structure to serve all nozzle rows over time, achieving both space efficiency and complete flushing coverage.
3Quantity of substance
If some ink heads are separated from the capping device during flushing, then the receiver can be positioned for optimal reception, but the separated ink heads become exposed to atmosphere causing ink drying
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary positioning to ensure that during each flushing operation, only the specific nozzle row intended for flushing is positioned to face the receiver, while other nozzle rows are already positioned to face their respective capping devices. This preliminary arrangement prevents exposed nozzles and maintains continuous ink supply to all nozzles throughout the flushing process.
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 discharge failures by ensuring that nozzles are not exposed to the atmosphere during flushing, maintaining ink fluidity and improving printing quality by reducing the likelihood of ink precipitation.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of nozzles 313 discharging white ink 211 in a discharge direction D3 in the nozzle surface 311
Data Source
AI summary
A printer is provided with a first nozzle surface including a first nozzle row, a second nozzle surface including a second nozzle row positioned with respect to the first nozzle row in a main scanning direction, a receiver having a width smaller than an interval between the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row, and a driver. A processor of the printer causes the driver to perform a discharge driving to discharge ink from at least one of nozzles of one of the first nozzle row or the second nozzle row, and causes the driver to perform a non-discharge driving to not discharge ink from at least one of nozzles of the other of the first nozzle row or the second nozzle row, in a state of one of the first nozzle row or the second nozzle row being caused to face the receiver in a discharge direction.