Print Head Camera Imaging for Ink Contamination Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inkjet printer technologies struggle to detect ink contamination on components other than the gutter, such as charging electrodes and deflection electrodes, leading to potential printing failures.
Innovation Solution
A contamination detection device equipped with a camera that captures images from specific angles to detect ink contamination on a wider range of print head components, including a storage unit to store image data, a detection unit to compare images over time, and a prediction unit to forecast contamination growth and cleaning needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If laser light is used to detect contamination, then contamination at the gutter portion can be detected, but it is difficult to detect contamination of components other than the gutter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the laser-based optical detection system with a camera-based imaging system. The camera captures images of the print head interior, and image processing algorithms automatically detect contamination on various components including the gutter, charging electrodes, and deflection electrodes. This substitution enables wider detection coverage while maintaining detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera-based detection system serves multiple detection functions simultaneously. A single camera can detect contamination on the gutter, charging electrodes, and deflection electrodes by capturing comprehensive images of the print head interior. The system processes images to identify contamination across all these components, providing universal detection capability in one system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a camera captures images from multiple angles, then contamination on a wider range of components can be detected, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multi-angle imaging by positioning cameras at different spatial locations within the print head. One camera is positioned to capture images from the side in the ejection direction, and another camera captures images from the side in the direction the deflection electrodes face each other. This multi-dimensional imaging approach enables comprehensive contamination detection across all components without requiring complex mechanical scanning systems.
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
Enables automatic and wide-range detection of ink contamination, predicting potential printing failures, and facilitating timely cleaning to prevent such failures.
Implementation Method 1
a camera that captures images from a side in a direction in which the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A print head equipped with a contamination detection device detects ink contamination of a print head of a continuous-type inkjet printer and includes a print head that includes a nozzle that ejects ink droplets, charging electrodes that charge the ink droplets, deflection electrodes that deflect the charged ink droplets with an electric field, and a gutter that collects the ink droplets that are not used for printing, and a contamination detection device that includes a camera that images at least a part of a flight region where the ink droplets ejected from the nozzle fly from a side in a direction in which the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle or in a direction in which the deflection electrodes face each other, and an information processing unit that performs processing of image data captured by the camera.