Inkjet Printing Apparatus with Segmented Line Head Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing apparatuses face a trade-off between print resolution and processing speed, where increasing one typically reduces the other, and adding more line heads for multi-color printing increases the apparatus size without improving print quality uniformly across all colors.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves an inkjet printing apparatus with multiple line head groups, where a first group handles primary colors with a lower number of nozzles and a second group handles black ink with a higher number of nozzles, allowing for selective adjustment of print resolution and speed to prioritize high resolution for specific colors without compromising overall processing speed or apparatus size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the number of line heads is increased to maintain print resolution at higher transport speeds, then print quality is improved, but apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the line heads into different groups based on their functional requirements. First line heads handle specific color inks while second line heads handle other color inks, allowing different numbers of heads per group rather than uniformly increasing all heads. This segmentation enables selective expansion only where necessary to maintain print resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different quantities of line heads to different ink color groups based on their specific printing requirements. Rather than uniformly distributing line heads across all colors, the system provides M second line heads (M>N) for colors requiring higher resolution coverage, while using fewer first line heads for other colors, optimizing both print quality and apparatus size.
2Productivity
If the transport speed is increased to improve processing speed, then productivity is improved, but print resolution is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing function across multiple line head groups that operate at different intervals. First line heads print on every N-th line while second line heads print on every M-th line, allowing the system to maintain high transport speeds while still achieving adequate print resolution through the combined output of multiple heads operating in sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs partial action by having different line head groups operate at different frequencies (every N-th line vs every M-th line). This allows the system to achieve sufficient print resolution for each color group without requiring all line heads to operate at maximum frequency, thereby maintaining higher overall processing speed while preserving print quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If the number of line heads for each ink type is increased to maintain print resolution, then print quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the line head configuration into distinct first and second groups, each handling different ink colors with different quantities (N and M respectively). This segmentation allows the system to achieve high print resolution for colors requiring more heads without unnecessarily increasing the number of heads for all ink types, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different numbers of line heads for different ink color groups based on their specific printing requirements. The system配置M second line heads for colors needing higher resolution coverage and N first line heads for other colors, optimizing the balance between print quality and device complexity by avoiding uniform over-provisioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus comprises: a transport mechanism that transports a recording medium; a first line head group including a first line head in number of N that ejects first ink; a second line head group including a second line head in number of M that ejects second ink; and a controller, where M is a natural number larger than N. The line heads form images along lines extending in a width direction along a surface of the recording medium by ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles aligned in the width direction. In a first printing step, the controller makes each of the first line head in number of N perform printing process on every N-th line, while making each of the second line heads in number of M perform the printing process on every M-th line.