Interlaced Printing Method for Inkjet Nozzle Defect Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ink-jet printers suffer from reduced image quality due to the lower resolution of yellow ink nozzles, which requires multiple passes to achieve desired color printing, leading to visible white streaks when an abnormal yellow nozzle is present.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus with an interlaced-printing method that determines the state of each nozzle, adjusting the printing process by varying the conveyance distance based on the nozzle's state to prevent adjacent raster lines from forming white streaks, thereby enhancing image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple pass-printing is performed by yellow color nozzles to achieve desired resolution, then printing resolution is improved, but white streaks become visible when a particular yellow nozzle is abnormal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the conveyance distance variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the conveyance distance based on the nozzle state (normal or abnormal) detected during printing. When a yellow nozzle is abnormal, the system increases the conveyance distance to skip the defective nozzle's raster line position, preventing white streak formation while maintaining high printing resolution through adaptive process control.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the conveyance distance is increased to skip abnormal nozzle raster lines, then white streaks are suppressed, but printing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the conveyance distance specific to each nozzle's state rather than uniformly increasing it for all nozzles. The control unit determines the state of each yellow nozzle individually and adjusts the conveyance distance only when a particular nozzle is abnormal. This localized adjustment suppresses white streaks at defective positions while maintaining normal printing speed for regions with functional nozzles, optimizing overall printing efficiency.
3Productivity
If the conveyance distance is kept small for high printing speed, then productivity is improved, but adjacent raster lines from abnormal nozzles create visible defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by implementing a state determination mechanism that monitors each yellow nozzle's performance in real-time during printing. The control unit receives feedback on nozzle state (normal or abnormal) and dynamically adjusts the conveyance distance accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that small conveyance distances are used for normal nozzles to maintain high printing speed, while automatically increasing the distance when abnormal nozzles are detected to prevent image quality deterioration.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejection head, a carriage, a conveyor and a controller configured to, when it is determined that the state of the ejection is in a first state, execute a first printing process and, when it is determined that the state of the ejection is in a second state, execute a second printing process. In the first printing process, (i) a previous pass-printing is performed, (ii) the printed medium is conveyed by a first distance after the previous pass-printing, and (iii) a succeeding pass-printing is performed after the conveyance of the printed medium. In the second printing process, (i) the previous pass-printing is performed, (ii) the printed medium is conveyed by a second distance larger than the first distance after the previous pass-printing, and (iii) the succeeding pass-printing is performed after the conveyance of the printed medium, in the interlaced-printing.