Movable Jetting State Detector for Nozzle Abnormality Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Line-type ink-jet printers face challenges in detecting nozzle jetting abnormalities, such as misfiring or deviation, which affect printing quality due to the complexity and cost of providing a nozzle check mechanism for each nozzle.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-droplet jetting apparatus with a movable jetting state detector that emits light orthogonally to the nozzle arrangement, allowing for simultaneous detection of jetting abnormalities across all nozzles, and a purge cap mechanism that covers only abnormal nozzles for targeted purging, reducing the need for additional moving parts and mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a nozzle check mechanism is provided for each nozzle, then jetting abnormality detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the detection functions for all nozzles into a single detector that moves along with the jetting head. Instead of having separate detectors for each nozzle, one detector sequentially checks multiple nozzles during the printing process, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The single detector is designed to serve multiple nozzles universally. By moving the detector along with the jetting head, it can detect jetting abnormalities from any nozzle in the array, making the detection system multi-functional rather than dedicated to a single nozzle.
2Reliability
If a purge cap is provided for each nozzle, then jetting abnormality recovery effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple purge cap functions into a single movable purge cap. This single purge cap sequentially serves multiple nozzles by moving along with the jetting head, enabling effective recovery of jetting abnormalities without requiring individual purge caps for each nozzle.
Solution Approach 2:
The purge cap is designed to be dynamic rather than static. It moves along with the jetting head to reach different nozzles that require purging, allowing the system to maintain high recovery effectiveness while avoiding the complexity of multiple fixed purge caps.
3Measurement precision
If separate detection and purging mechanisms are provided for each nozzle, then jetting abnormality handling precision is improved, but the number of moving parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the detection and purging mechanisms into integrated pairs that move together. The detector and purge cap are coupled such that they move along with the jetting head as a unified system, reducing the number of independent moving parts while maintaining precise handling of jetting abnormalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The detector and purge cap are pre-positioned and coupled to move together with the jetting head. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when a nozzle abnormality is detected, the corresponding purge cap is already in position or can quickly reach the required nozzle, maintaining handling precision without requiring additional moving parts.
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 solution simplifies the structure, reduces manufacturing costs, and efficiently identifies and recovers abnormal nozzles, preventing secondary jetting issues and improving printing quality by allowing for quick detection and purging of affected nozzles.
Implementation Method 1
a jetting state detector movable in a scanning direction; a light-emitting element provided on the movable body and emitting light in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the nozzles; a light-receiving element provided on the movable body and receiving the light emitted by the light-emitting element
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid-droplet jetting apparatus for jetting liquid droplet includes a first liquid-droplet jetting head having a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a predetermined direction; a movable body movable in the predetermined direction relative to the first liquid-droplet jetting head; a driving mechanism which drives the movable body in the predetermined direction; a position detector which detects a position of the movable body with respect to the predetermined direction; and a jetting state detector which is provided on the movable body to move in the predetermined direction integrally with the movable body and which detects a jetting state for each of the first nozzles. Accordingly, it is possible to detect jetting abnormality of a nozzle, among the nozzles, with a simple structure.