Inkjet Recording Device Ink Consumption Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet recording devices inject a large amount of ink during cleaning operations, regardless of the nozzle clog severity, leading to unnecessary ink usage.
Innovation Solution
An inkjet recording device with a damper and controller system that detects ink levels and performs flushing operations in stages, using a small amount of ink initially and escalating only if necessary, to minimize ink usage for nozzle cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large amount of ink is injected during cleaning operations to remove nozzle clogs, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the ink consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning operation is divided into multiple stages: first performing a flushing operation with a small amount of ink, and only if necessary, proceeding to a cleaning operation with a large amount of ink. This segmentation allows the system to achieve effective cleaning while minimizing unnecessary ink consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by initially performing a flushing operation that uses a small amount of ink to handle minor clogs. Only when the flushing operation fails to clear the nozzle does the system proceed to the excessive action of a full cleaning operation with large ink volume, ensuring ink is used excessively only when truly necessary.
2Reliability
If a flushing operation is performed periodically with a predetermined amount of ink, then the nozzle clog is removed, but a large amount of ink is injected even when the clog is light
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning strategy is made dynamic by adjusting the ink volume and operation type based on the detected clog severity. The controller dynamically selects between flushing operation (small ink volume) and cleaning operation (large ink volume) according to the actual nozzle condition, rather than using a fixed predetermined amount of ink for all operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the detector that measures ink ejection amount or pressure to determine the severity of nozzle clog. Based on this feedback, the controller decides whether to perform a flushing operation or a cleaning operation, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes ink usage according to actual nozzle conditions.
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
The system effectively reduces ink consumption by using a small amount initially and increasing only when the nozzle is heavily clogged, optimizing ink usage and extending the device's operational life.
Implementation Method 1
a suction pump configured or programmed to absorb a fluid in the sealed space
Implementation Method 2
an ink supply device located on the ink path to supply the ink from the ink cartridge toward the damper
Data Source
AI summary
A controller includes a second controller that periodically performs a flushing operation of injecting a predetermined amount of ink from a nozzle, a third controller that repeatedly performs the flushing operation until a remaining amount of the ink in a storage chamber after the flushing operation is detected by a detector to be a first amount, a first counter that counts a first operation number of times of the flushing operation, and a fourth controller that performs a first cleaning operation of absorbing a fluid in a sealed space by a suction pump when the first operation number of times counted by the first counter reaches a first threshold value.