Print Control Device Platen Gap Adjustment for Paper Swelling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print control devices fail to effectively prevent the recording head and paper from contacting each other, especially when printing large areas, as the paper swells due to ejected ink, leading to deformation and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A print control device that adjusts the distance between the recording head and the medium by increasing the platen gap and optimizing the margin amount, allowing for borderless printing and adjusting the ejection amount of liquid per unit area to prevent head-medium contact, while offering user-selectable print modes to optimize print quality and prevent unexpected results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the distance between the recording head and paper is increased to prevent contact, then the head and paper can be prevented from contacting each other, but the paper still swells significantly by ejected ink causing deformation and potential contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the platen gap before printing begins. The control unit sets a larger platen gap in advance based on the detected paper orientation, which prevents the paper from swelling into contact with the recording head during the printing process, thereby resolving the contradiction between preventing contact and allowing sufficient ejection distance
2Reliability
If the platen gap is increased to prevent paper swelling, then head-paper contact is prevented, but printing precision and image quality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the platen gap adjustable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically changes the platen gap based on the detected paper orientation (horizontal or vertical), allowing the system to optimize the gap size for each printing scenario. This dynamic adjustment maintains printing precision while preventing head-paper contact, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing precision
3Reliability
If the margin amount is enlarged to prevent head-paper contact, then the head and paper can be prevented from contacting each other, but the printable area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the margin treatment based on paper orientation. When horizontal paper is detected, a larger margin is set to prevent swelling contact. When vertical paper is detected, a smaller margin is used since swelling is less likely to cause contact. This localized quality adjustment prevents head-paper contact while minimizing the impact on printable area, resolving the contradiction between reliability and area
Data Source
AI summary
The object of the invention is to effectively prevent a medium from swelling due to ejected liquid, and prevent a head and the medium from contacting each other. When “strong rubbing prevention” is selected in the “rubbing prevention settings”, the margin amount of the paper P is enlarged and printing is conducted. Therefore, by enlarging the margin amount, the paper can be prevented from swelling due to ejected ink, and the paper and the printing head can be more reliably prevented from contacting each other (paper rubbing).