Marginless Inkjet Printing with Dynamic Suction Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In marginless inkjet printing, skewing of sheets during conveyance leads to increased ink wastage and ink mist adhesion on the reverse side, causing unnecessary ink consumption and smearing.
Innovation Solution
The method involves obtaining sheet inclination information and adjusting the inkjet printing process to discard ink outside the sheet at the leading end, using a printhead that ejects ink based on this information, and reducing suction force at the trailing end to minimize ink mist adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If marginless printing is performed without considering sheet skewing, then printing coverage is maximized, but ink is discarded to the outside of the sheet increasing unnecessary ink consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of sheet inclination before the printing process begins. By detecting the skewing state in advance and adjusting the printing position accordingly, the system prevents ink from being discarded outside the sheet while maintaining marginless printing coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the printing position parameters based on the detected sheet inclination angle. By dynamically adjusting where ink is ejected relative to the sheet position, the system adapts to skewing conditions and prevents unnecessary ink waste while maintaining full coverage.
2Manufacturing precision
If a suction platen is used for sheet conveyance, then sheet positioning is improved, but ink mist is sucked into the gap between sheet and suction unit causing adhesion to the reverse side
Solution Approach 1:
The suction force is not uniformly applied across the entire sheet. Instead, the suction strength is varied locally - stronger at the leading end for positioning and weaker at the trailing end to prevent ink mist adhesion. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction between positioning precision and ink mist prevention.
3Stability of the object's composition
If suction force is maintained at trailing end during printing, then sheet conveyance stability is improved, but ink mist adheres to reverse of sheet causing smearing
Solution Approach 1:
The suction platen is divided into multiple regions with different suction characteristics - a first suction region at the leading end and a second suction region at the trailing end. The leading end maintains stronger suction for stability, while the trailing end uses weaker suction to prevent ink mist adhesion, thus resolving the contradiction through spatial segmentation.
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 unnecessary ink consumption and ink mist adhesion on the sheet and printing apparatus, ensuring accurate marginless printing even with sheet skewing.
Implementation Method 1
a sheet is sucked by a suction platen
Implementation Method 2
a printhead which ejects ink
Data Source
AI summary
Marginless printing is performed by using a printhead which ejects ink. Information on an inclination of a sheet to be conveyed is obtained, and in performing the marginless printing at a leading end of the sheet, an image region with respect to which ink is discarded to an outside of the sheet is set based on the obtained information. Further, a platen which supports the sheet by sucking in a manner facing the printhead which ejects the ink is provided and control is performed such that in performing printing sequentially from the leading end to a trailing end of the sheet, suction force of the platen is decreased upon approach of a portion to be printed to the trailing end of the sheet.