Liquid Ejecting Apparatus Fault Recovery via Continuous Ink Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face significant challenges in recovering from ejection abnormalities caused by bubbles, foreign matter, or other issues, leading to reduced availability and effectiveness in inkjet printing processes.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a dual recovery mechanism comprising a wiping mechanism and a flushing mechanism, along with advanced control systems for detecting and managing ink ejection faults, allowing for continuous ink supply and pressure chamber management to address nozzle blockages and faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ejection abnormality countermeasures (wiping, flushing, cap suction) are implemented, then ejection faults can be addressed, but the availability factor of the liquid ejecting apparatus is greatly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by continuously supplying ink to the pressure chamber even during ejection fault recovery periods. This ensures that when the fault is resolved, the nozzle is ready to eject immediately without requiring additional preparation time, thus maintaining high availability while still enabling effective fault recovery through the dual mechanism of flushing and cap suction
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains continuity of useful action by implementing continuous ink supply to the pressure chamber throughout the recovery process. The ink circulation system operates continuously, ensuring that ink flow never stops even when ejection faults occur, allowing the system to maintain operational readiness and minimize downtime while recovering from abnormalities
2Manufacturing precision
If continuous ink supply and pressure chamber management are implemented, then printing quality is maintained during recovery, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a dual recovery mechanism where the same ink supply system and pressure chamber infrastructure serve multiple functions: normal ejection operation, flushing mode for bubble removal, and cap suction mode for foreign matter removal. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each recovery mode, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining printing quality
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus is provided with pressure generating units for pressure chambers one of which is provided for each of a plurality of nozzles and drives the pressure generating units corresponding to liquid ejection requests which request liquid ejection from the nozzles while achieving supplying of a liquid to the pressure chambers and collection of the liquid which has passed through the pressure chambers. Accordingly, the liquid is ejected from the nozzles. Meanwhile, an occurrence of a fault in the liquid ejection is determined using a vibration transition of a residual vibration which occurs in the liquid of the pressure chambers according to a pressure change accompanying driving of the pressure generating units, and driving of the pressure generating unit of an ejection fault pressure chamber in which it is determined that a fault occurs in the liquid ejection is stopped spanning at least a fixed stopping period.