Liquid Discharging Apparatus Fault Mode Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid discharging apparatuses face challenges in managing discharge faults in nozzles, leading to inconsistencies in liquid consumption tracking, reduced throughput, and inconvenience for users due to mandatory maintenance operations, even when the quality of the product is not affected.

Innovation Solution

A liquid discharging apparatus with a control method and device driver that allows users to select between discharge and maintenance operations based on detected faults, optimizing operations to reduce unnecessary maintenance, conserve liquid, and improve user convenience by presenting options and adapting to different types of liquids and landing targets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a maintenance operation is executed automatically when a discharge fault is detected, then the quality of product is maintained, but the throughput deteriorates and liquid is consumed unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct qualityVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the maintenance operation execution based on real-time detection results and operational context. When a discharge fault is detected, the system does not automatically execute maintenance but instead continues operation while monitoring, allowing the system to adapt between quality assurance and throughput maintenance based on actual conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter from automatic maintenance execution to conditional continued operation. By monitoring discharge faults without immediately triggering maintenance, the system alters the operational state to balance product quality requirements with throughput preservation, only initiating maintenance when truly necessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a maintenance operation is executed automatically when a discharge fault is detected, then the discharge performance is restored, but the operation time increases and user convenience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge performanceVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides self-service by automatically detecting discharge faults and determining whether maintenance is needed, eliminating the need for users to manually intervene. The system monitors its own performance and makes intelligent decisions about maintenance execution, improving user convenience while maintaining discharge performance when possible

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Quantity of substance

If the residual amount of liquid is calculated based on the number of discharge operations, then the liquid consumption is tracked, but the accuracy deteriorates when discharge faults occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid consumptionVSAvoidresidual amount accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from discharge fault detection to adjust liquid consumption tracking. When a discharge fault is detected, the system receives feedback that liquid was not actually discharged, and accordingly adjusts the residual amount calculation to reflect actual consumption rather than theoretical consumption based on operation count alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary detection of discharge faults before calculating liquid consumption. By detecting whether a discharge operation was successful in advance, the system can accurately track actual liquid consumption and adjust residual amount calculations accordingly, preventing inaccurate tracking

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3216612B1Liquid discharging apparatus, control method of liquid discharging apparatus, and device driver
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3216612B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3216612B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3216612B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle, a control circuit that controls a discharge operation of the liquid discharging head, a nozzle omission detection mechanism that detects a discharge fault of the nozzle, a maintenance mechanism that performs a maintenance operation, which ejects the liquid from the nozzle of the liquid discharging head, and a display device that displays a setting screen relating to the discharge operation of the liquid discharging head, in which the control circuit displays an operation mode selection screen for selecting a plurality of operation modes in which a situation in which a transition to the maintenance operation is performed in a case in which the discharge fault is detected, differs, on the display device, and executes the discharge operation of the liquid discharging head on the basis of the operation mode selected by a user using the operation mode selection screen.