Ink Jet Printer Optical Sensor Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printers face drawing failures due to variations in the position of the drawing target object on a conveyor line and errors caused by the object slipping on the line, exceeding the preset landing accuracy tolerance.
Innovation Solution
An ink jet printer configuration that includes an ink tank, a nozzle for ejecting ink, a storage unit for drawing data, an optical movement measurement sensor to track the object's movement, and a drawing control unit to adjust ink ejection based on the object's offset position and movement data, ensuring accurate drawing within a defined distance range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the position of the drawing target is fixed to ensure drawing accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using an optical movement measurement sensor to continuously monitor the actual position of the drawing target object during conveyance. The drawing control unit receives this position information and dynamically adjusts the ink ejection timing to compensate for position variations, thereby maintaining drawing accuracy without requiring complex mechanical fixing equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of fixing the drawing target position with a control-based approach. Instead of using additional mechanical equipment to physically constrain or reposition the object, the system uses optical sensing and electronic control to achieve the same positioning accuracy through software-based compensation
2Ease of operation
If the drawing target position varies on the conveyor line, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to position variations exceeding landing accuracy tolerance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the drawing process by continuously adapting the ink ejection timing based on real-time position measurements. The system transitions from a static, fixed-timing approach to a dynamic, adaptive approach where ejection timing is modified according to the actual instantaneous position of the drawing target, enabling accurate drawing despite position variations
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 solution enables accurate drawing of information such as characters, symbols, and images on objects conveyed by a conveyor, even with variations in the object's position, thereby suppressing drawing failures and ensuring consistent output.
Implementation Method 1
an optical movement measurement sensor that includes an imaging device and generates a measurement value related to movement of a drawing target object based on a measurement image generated by capturing an image of the drawing target object with the imaging device
Implementation Method 2
a nozzle configured to eject the ink supplied from the ink tank toward the object within a drawing distance range
Data Source
AI summary
An ink jet printer 1 includes: a storage unit that stores drawing data specifying an ejection timing, which corresponds to drawing information, of a nozzle at each of a plurality of offset positions in a conveyance direction; an optical movement measurement sensor that includes an imaging device and generates a measurement value related to movement of a drawing target object based on a measurement image; a fixing portion for positioning and fixing the optical movement measurement sensor with respect to the nozzle such that a depth of field of the imaging device includes the drawing distance range of the nozzle with respect to a distance direction from the nozzle; and a drawing control unit that controls ink ejection from the nozzle based on a current offset position based on the measurement value and the drawing data.