Liquid Discharge Head Time-Division Heater Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing liquid discharge head systems face issues with parasitic impedance causing dull rising and falling waveforms of current pulses, leading to inconsistent ink discharge and degraded image quality due to the difficulty in arranging components to reduce impedance near the element substrate.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharge head with a selection unit that energizes heaters in a time-division manner, using a common power source line to target specific heaters for ink discharge, while non-targeted heaters are energized before and after the targeted heater, to minimize the impact of parasitic impedance and maintain consistent current waveforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common power source line is used to supply power to multiple heaters, then the device complexity is reduced, but the parasitic impedance causes dull rising and falling waveforms of current pulses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by energizing non-targeted heaters before and after the targeted heater in a time-division manner. This pre-positioning of current flow in adjacent heaters prepares the electrical path to maintain consistent current waveforms when switching between heaters, reducing the impact of parasitic impedance on the targeted heater's current pulse shape.
2Productivity
If multiple heaters are driven simultaneously to increase productivity, then the discharge speed is improved, but the parasitic impedance makes current waveforms inconsistent across heaters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by energizing heaters in a time-division sequence rather than simultaneously. Each heater receives periodic current pulses in turn, with non-targeted heaters energized before and after the targeted heater. This periodic sequencing maintains consistent current waveforms for each heater while achieving high productivity through rapid sequential discharge.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the timing of heat signals is shifted to reduce noise, then the noise level is reduced, but the current waveforms become different for each heater degrading image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing each heater with a tailored energization pattern where non-targeted heaters are selectively energized before and after the targeted heater. This localized approach ensures that each heater receives consistent current waveforms appropriate to its specific position in the array, maintaining uniform discharge characteristics and high image quality while still achieving noise reduction through time-division multiplexing.
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 reduces the dullness of current waveforms, ensures uniform ink discharge, and improves image quality by maintaining consistent current flow to each heater, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the liquid discharge head.
Implementation Method 1
Voltage is applied to a recording element (a heater) provided on a liquid discharge head to cause the heater to generate heat, causing a discharge port (a nozzle) to discharge liquid.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge head includes a first unit configured to supply power, and a second unit including an input unit to which the power is input, a plurality of heaters connected to the input unit via a common power source line and configured to discharge liquid, an energization unit configured to energize the plurality of heaters, and a selection unit configured to select a target heater from the heaters for discharging liquid to be energized in turn by the energization unit for a period corresponding to a time interval at which liquid is discharged, wherein the selection unit further selects non-target heaters from the heaters to be energized different from the heater targeted for use for discharging liquid before and after the target heater is energized.