Binary Continuous Inkjet Printer Drop Separation and Crosstalk Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Binary continuous inkjet printers face challenges in controlling jet breaking to separate printing and non-printing ink drops effectively, leading to crosstalk issues and printing defects due to the need for high or low potential charging electrodes for each nozzle, which results in inefficient drop separation and placement accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A printing control method for a multi-nozzle binary continuous inkjet printer that differentiates the flowpaths of drops by applying a deflection force, allowing drops of varying volumes to be directed either to the printing medium or a gutter, with the cumulative formation time of drops adjusted based on the medium's movement rate to ensure accurate pixel placement across a wide range of media speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If charging electrodes are used with high or low potential for each nozzle to control jet breaking, then drop separation is achieved, but crosstalk occurs between adjacent nozzles causing printing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guard drop as an intermediary element between printing drops from adjacent nozzles. This guard drop acts as a physical barrier that prevents crosstalk between nozzles by occupying the space where charged drops from neighboring nozzles might interfere. The guard drop is intentionally formed with lower charge or different trajectory to serve as a protective buffer zone, allowing the printing drops to pass through without interference while maintaining drop separation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the drop stream by introducing guard drops at specific intervals between printing drops. This segmentation creates distinct zones: printing drop zones and guard drop zones. By temporally and spatially separating the printing drops with guard drops, the system prevents harmful interactions between adjacent nozzle outputs while maintaining the ability to control jet breaking for each nozzle independently.
2Manufacturing precision
If drops of different volumes are used for printing and recovery, then drop separation is improved, but placement accuracy decreases due to varying drop dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by giving different properties to different drops in the sequence. Printing drops are formed with specific volumes and charge levels optimized for precise placement on the medium, while guard drops are formed with different volumes and lower charge levels optimized for separation and buffer functions. Each drop type is locally optimized for its specific role in the printing process, allowing the system to achieve both good separation and accurate placement for the printing drops.
3Productivity
If the medium moves at higher speeds, then productivity increases, but placement accuracy of pixels deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamics by making the jet breaking control adaptive to the medium's movement rate. The charging electrode potentials and timing are dynamically adjusted based on the real-time speed of the medium. When the medium moves faster, the system increases the frequency of jet breaking and adjusts charge levels to maintain proper drop formation and placement timing. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain pixel placement accuracy across a wide range of printing speeds.
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 method enhances printing accuracy and reduces crosstalk by ensuring that drops of specific volumes are directed appropriately, maintaining consistent drop dimensions and improving placement accuracy even at higher media speeds, thereby minimizing printing defects.
Implementation Method 1
Deflecting electrodes located downstream of the charging electrodes create an electrostatic field which results in deflecting charged drops whereas uncharged drops are not deflected
Implementation Method 2
The drops, being of the same sizes due to their production mode, are formed at a drop charging electrode. According to the potential applied to the charging electrode at the moment of jet breaking, the drop is electrically charged or uncharged
Data Source
AI summary
A printing control method of a multi-nozzle binary continuous ink jet printer wherein drops of a first category and drops of a second category are formed by jet breaking. The flowpaths followed by the drops of the first and second categories are differentiated. For printing a black pixel followed by a white pixel, a drop of the first category and a drop of the second category are formed. The cumulative formation time drops of the first and second categories is equal to or higher than the running time of one pixel.