Print System Drying Speed via Density Index Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wetting media with large quantities of aqueous ink can deform, swell, distort, or curl, leading to paper jams, poor print quality, and user dissatisfaction due to uneven print fluid distribution across the printing plane, which existing printers struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A print system that adjusts its operation based on print fluid density by varying the speed of media movement through the print path and drying process, using a processor to calculate density indices and adjust drying parameters dynamically, ensuring proper handling and drying of media across different regions of the printing plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the media is wetted with large quantities of aqueous ink, then the print quality and ink coverage are improved, but the media deforms, swells, distorts, or curls causing paper jams
Solution Approach 1:
The printing plane is divided into multiple regions, and the media path is segmented into different zones (first media path portion and second media path portion). Each region's ink density is calculated separately, and drying parameters are adjusted independently for each segment based on its specific ink load, preventing overall media deformation while maintaining high ink coverage where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different drying parameters are applied to different regions of the media based on local ink density. The first portion of the media path uses different drying conditions than the second portion, allowing each area to be dried according to its specific ink coverage requirements, thus preventing deformation in high-ink areas while maintaining efficiency in low-ink areas.
2Reliability
If the drying time is increased to prevent paper deformation, then the media handling reliability is improved, but the printing productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The drying parameters are made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously calculates ink density for different regions and adjusts drying parameters in real-time based on the actual ink distribution. This allows the drying process to be optimized for each specific print job, preventing media deformation only where and when needed, thereby maintaining high printing productivity overall.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes drying parameters (such as drying time, temperature, or airflow) based on calculated ink density values. By adjusting these parameters dynamically according to the actual ink load in different media regions, the system achieves reliable media handling without unnecessarily reducing printing speed across the entire media sheet.
3Device complexity
If uniform drying parameters are applied across the entire media, then the system complexity is reduced, but the print quality deteriorates due to over-drying or under-drying in different regions
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where ink density is calculated for different regions of the printing plane based on the actual print data. These density calculations feed back into the drying parameter adjustment process, allowing the system to automatically optimize drying conditions for each region. This feedback loop maintains print quality uniformity without requiring complex manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculation of ink density for different media regions before the drying process begins. Based on these pre-calculated density values, the optimal drying parameters are determined in advance for each region. This preliminary action allows the drying process to be precisely controlled without adding complexity during the actual drying operation.
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 approach prevents over-drying or under-drying, reducing paper deformation and jams, improving print quality and system performance by ensuring uniform drying and precise media handling based on print fluid distribution.
Implementation Method 1
calculating a first density index associated with a first portion of the image and a second density index associated with a second portion of the image
Implementation Method 2
adjusting a speed of the media feeder based on the first density index and the second density index
Implementation Method 3
move it to the print zone to print ink onto the paper, to a drying zone to dry the ink
Data Source
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AI summary
An example of a print system including a dryer to dry a sheet of paper. The print system includes a media feeder to feed the sheet of paper into the dryer and a controller to vary a speed of the media feeder. The print system includes a communication interface to receive data associated with an image to print on the sheet of paper and a processor. The processor is coupled to the controller and the communication interface. The processor is to determine a first density index for a first portion of the image and to determine a second density index for a second portion of the image. The processor is to adjust the speed of the media feeder via the controller based on the first density index and the second density index.