Inkjet Printhead Discharge Position Correction for Image Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing apparatuses face image quality deterioration due to ink discharge position shifts between outgoing and return paths, leading to irregular air streams and reduced accuracy in ink landing positions.
Innovation Solution
The printing apparatus discharges ink as first and second liquid droplets, with a determination section deciding whether to perform discharge position alteration correction based on the discharge amount per unit area, preventing corrections that could worsen image quality by moving the discharge position along the transport direction and ensuring non-overlap of droplets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If discharge position alteration correction is performed to compensate for ink landing position shifts, then image quality should be improved, but image quality deteriorates due to irregular air streams caused by high ink discharge amounts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of ink discharge amount by selectively omitting discharge position alteration correction for liquid droplets in regions where the discharge amount per unit area exceeds a threshold. This parameter change prevents the formation of irregular air streams that would otherwise cause image quality deterioration, while still applying correction where appropriate to maintain landing position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying discharge position alteration correction uniformly to all liquid droplets, the invention applies partial correction only to droplets where the discharge amount per unit area is within acceptable limits. This partial action approach avoids the harmful effects of excessive ink discharge in certain regions while maintaining correction benefits in other regions.
2Productivity
If ink is discharged in both outgoing path and return path, then printing productivity is improved, but ink landing position shifts occur between paths
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses feedback by calculating the discharge amount per unit area for each liquid droplet and using this information to determine whether discharge position alteration correction should be applied. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adaptively adjust correction application based on local discharge conditions, maintaining both productivity and precision.
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 enhances image quality by minimizing discharge position alterations, reducing the risk of rippling, and maintaining accurate ink landing, thereby preventing image quality deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of nozzles that discharge ink onto the recording medium
Implementation Method 2
an air stream between the recording medium and the printing section becomes irregular
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A printing apparatus is provided with a printing mechanism section that forms an image by discharging an ink toward a recording medium while reciprocating with respect to the recording medium, a pass analysis section that specifies a discharge position of the ink in an outgoing path and a return path of the printing mechanism section, an execution section that executes discharge position alteration correction, which alters the discharge position so that ink to be discharged in one path of either the outgoing path or the return path, is discharged in the other path, and a determination section that performs determination of whether or not the execution section performs the discharge position alteration correction.