Nozzle Firing Time Adjustment for Inkjet Printers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printers face issues with location errors and print quality due to misplaced ink drops, resulting in scan axis directionality errors and less desirable print quality, particularly in high-resolution printing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a staggered pen layout and full dot row compensation, where nozzles are physically displaced and firing times adjusted to ensure accurate ink placement across the medium, combined with a method to delay the firing of specific nozzles to correct scan axis directionality errors, enhancing print resolution and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If nozzles are fired simultaneously, then printing speed is maintained, but scan axis directionality errors occur causing misplaced ink drops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the nozzle firing process into multiple time slots, dividing the simultaneous firing into sequential pulses. Each nozzle or group of nozzles is fired at different times within a single dot row, allowing precise control over ink placement while maintaining overall printing throughput through efficient time management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic firing time adjustment where the controller varies the firing time of individual nozzles based on their position and required precision. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize ink placement accuracy for each specific nozzle while maintaining overall printing speed through adaptive timing.
2Manufacturing precision
If firing times of multiple nozzles are adjusted to correct SAD errors, then print resolution and accuracy improve, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the controller receives information about nozzle position, dot row location, and required precision, then adjusts firing times accordingly. This feedback loop enables automatic compensation for scan axis directionality errors without requiring complex manual intervention or system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the timing parameter of nozzle firing dynamically based on position and error correction requirements. By adjusting firing time as a variable parameter rather than using fixed simultaneous firing, the system achieves high resolution while managing control complexity through parameter-based adjustment rather than structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer comprising a printhead comprising a number of non-staggered nozzles and a processor communicatively coupled to the printhead, in which the processor executes computer usable program code to adjust the firing time of a number of nozzles within a group of nozzles by a portion of a full dot row. A method comprising, with a processor, adjusting the firing time of a number of nozzles within a group of nozzles of a printhead by a portion of a full dot row by delaying the firing of a subset of those nozzles by a full dot row, in which the nozzles of the printhead are not staggered.