Nozzle Arrays for Fluid Ejection Registration Error Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid ejection devices face challenges in compensating for periodic registration errors caused by imperfections in drive system elements, such as pulley eccentricity or runout, which result in unintended displacement of printed dots on a substrate.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves setting the pitch of nozzle arrays equal to the substrate advance distance corresponding to one or multiple complete turns of the rotating body, ensuring that dots are printed with minimal registration error by aligning the nozzle arrays with the substrate advance distance, thereby compensating for periodic errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional drive systems are used with standard nozzle array pitch, then device complexity is reduced, but registration precision deteriorates due to periodic errors from pulley eccentricity and runout
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the nozzle array pitch parameter to match the substrate advance distance corresponding to complete turns of the rotating body. This parameter adjustment compensates for periodic drive errors by ensuring that dots printed by successive nozzle arrays align correctly on the substrate, transforming the pitch from a standard value to a compensated value that accounts for drive system imperfections.
2Reliability
If nozzle arrays are arranged with standard pitch, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to cumulative registration errors across multiple nozzle arrays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary compensation by pre-calculating and setting the nozzle array pitch to account for drive system errors before printing begins. The pitch is determined based on the substrate advance distance over complete rotations of the drive system, establishing a compensation scheme in advance that eliminates the need for real-time error correction during operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If substrate advance distance does not match nozzle array pitch, then productivity is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to dot displacement and registration errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes periodic action by aligning the nozzle array pitch with the substrate advance distance corresponding to complete turns of the rotating body. This creates a periodic compensation pattern where errors that would normally accumulate continuously instead reset periodically with each complete rotation, allowing high-speed printing while maintaining precision through the periodic alignment of dots from successive nozzle arrays.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid ejection device includes first and second nozzles arranged at a pitch. The pitch for example is based on a substrate advance distance associated with a complete turn of a rotating body for advancing a substrate or a substrate advance distance associated with a period of a periodic error function.