Liquid Discharging Apparatus Flexible Determination Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharging apparatuses, such as ink jet printers, face challenges in detecting abnormal discharges due to ink thickening, air bubbles, and physical failures, leading to delayed detection and reduced image quality, as current technologies are limited in their ability to flexibly determine the state of discharge across multiple units during varying usage conditions.
Innovation Solution
A liquid discharging apparatus equipped with multiple discharging units, a drive unit, and a determining unit that can perform state determination in various modes, allowing for flexible selection of target units and drive units based on determination time and mode, enabling prompt detection of abnormal discharges across all or a subset of units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If determination of discharge state is performed on all discharging units, then detection accuracy is improved, but determination time increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The determination process is segmented into different modes: a first determination mode that checks all discharging units for comprehensive detection, and a second determination mode that checks only specific discharging units for rapid detection. The control unit selectively applies each mode based on the operational context, thereby balancing detection accuracy with determination time.
Solution Approach 2:
The determination system dynamically adjusts its operation by switching between different determination modes based on the status of use. When time is critical or specific units are suspected, the second mode is used; when comprehensive detection is needed, the first mode is applied. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between thoroughness and speed.
2Reliability
If determination is performed frequently across all units, then abnormal discharge detection is improved, but system complexity and operational burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of always performing full determination on all discharging units, the system applies partial determination (second determination mode) that focuses only on specific units when appropriate. This reduces the operational burden and system complexity while maintaining reliable detection through targeted checks based on status of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit automatically selects the appropriate determination mode based on the status of use without requiring manual intervention or complex external control. The system serves itself by intelligently deciding when to perform comprehensive checks versus rapid checks, simplifying the overall system operation.
3Device complexity
If single determination mode is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different usage statuses is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The determination system is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both a first determination mode for comprehensive detection and a second determination mode for rapid detection. This universal design allows the system to adapt to different usage statuses and requirements, achieving flexibility while maintaining reasonable simplicity through unified control logic.
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 allows for flexible and timely detection of abnormal discharges, preventing image quality degradation by enabling determination across all units during printing, power mode transitions, and recovery processes, thus ensuring high-quality image formation.
Implementation Method 1
a residual vibration detecting unit that detects residual vibration occurring in the discharging unit when the discharging unit is driven by the drive unit
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a recording head that includes M numbers of the discharging units; a drive unit that drives the discharging unit; a residual vibration detecting unit that detects residual vibration occurring in the discharging unit; and a determining unit that determines a state of discharge of the liquid in the discharging unit on the basis of a detection result. The determining unit is capable of performing the determination in two or more determination modes, and determines at least one of one or a plurality of target discharging units that is to be a target of the determination during a determination time period, and a drive discharging unit that the drive unit is to drive so as to determine the state of discharge of the liquid in the target discharging unit from the M numbers of discharging units depending on the determination mode.