Piezoelectric Inkjet Nozzle Residual Vibration Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printing apparatuses often experience degraded image quality due to abnormal ink discharge from nozzles, leading to wasteful consumption of media, as existing technologies fail to detect and address nozzle issues promptly, especially for frequently used inks like black ink.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with piezoelectric elements and cavities that generate and detect residual vibration signals to determine the discharge state of nozzles, setting a higher frequency of detection for critical inks like black ink to early detect abnormal discharges and prevent image quality degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If discharge state inspection is performed on all nozzles at every inspection instance, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the nozzle inspection into segments by color type. Different color nozzles (black, cyan, magenta, yellow) are inspected at different frequencies and priorities. Black nozzles are inspected most frequently, while other colors are inspected less frequently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining detection precision for critical nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different inspection qualities and frequencies to different nozzle locations and color types. Critical nozzles (particularly black nozzles that discharge frequently used ink) receive higher inspection priority and more frequent checks, while less critical nozzles receive lower priority inspection, optimizing resource allocation.
2Reliability
If discharge state inspection frequency is increased, then reliability is improved, but loss of time and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary discharge state inspections on critical nozzles (particularly black nozzles) at higher frequencies before actual printing operations. This preliminary action ensures that critical nozzles are monitored more closely, improving reliability for frequently used ink colors while reducing overall inspection time by not applying the same frequency to all nozzles.
3Productivity
If continuous printing is performed without frequent inspection, then productivity is improved, but image quality degrades due to undetected abnormal discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial inspection action by inspecting only critical nozzles (particularly black nozzles) at higher frequencies while allowing continuous printing operations to proceed. This partial inspection approach maintains productivity by not stopping for comprehensive inspections, while still detecting abnormal discharges in critical nozzles that would significantly impact print quality.
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
The solution enables early detection of abnormal discharges in critical nozzles, allowing for timely counteractions and reducing the duration of degraded image quality, thus minimizing media wastage and maintaining print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a first piezoelectric element; a first cavity that is filled with a first liquid, the pressure inside the first cavity being increased or decreased by displacement of the first piezoelectric element
Implementation Method 2
causes a first residual vibration signal to occur in the first piezoelectric element in response to an increase or a decrease in the pressure inside the first cavity due to application of the drive signal to the first piezoelectric element
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a first piezoelectric element; a first cavity; a first nozzle; a second piezoelectric element; a second cavity; a second nozzle; a drive signal generating unit that generates a drive signal; a residual vibration detecting unit that detects the first residual vibration signal and the second residual vibration signal; a discharge state determining unit that determines the state of discharge from the first nozzle from the first residual vibration signal and determines the state of discharge from the second nozzle from the second residual vibration signal; and a setting unit that sets the frequency of detection of the first residual vibration signal to be higher than the frequency of detection of the second residual vibration signal.