Print Head Drive Circuit for Reused Inkjet Nozzles
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is challenging to accurately assess and control the operation of reused print heads in liquid ejecting apparatuses, as the state of the ejecting portion, such as the degree of deterioration, cannot be easily visually confirmed, leading to inconsistent performance and reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
A print head drive circuit that reads and processes ejecting portion-related information, including cumulative printing surface count, elapsed day count, error information, maintenance history, and use history, before supplying the drive signal, allowing for informed control and optimization of the print head's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a print head is reused without reading ejecting portion-related information, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to inability to assess the degree of deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The drive circuit reads ejecting portion-related information (cumulative printing surface count, elapsed day count, error information, maintenance history) from the storage portion before supplying drive signals to the print head. This preliminary assessment of the print head's deterioration state enables appropriate driving control and refurbishment decisions, resolving the contradiction by establishing reliability through advance information gathering without requiring complex real-time monitoring systems
2Reliability
If ejecting portion-related information is read and processed before drive signal supply, then the reliability and performance control are improved, but the loss of time increases due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The ejecting portion-related information is read from the storage portion during initial setup or maintenance periods, before the print head is put into active printing operation. By performing this assessment in advance rather than during active printing, the system establishes performance baselines without causing time loss during productivity-critical printing operations
Solution Approach 2:
The storage portion within the print head automatically maintains ejecting portion-related information (cumulative printing surface count, elapsed day count, error information, maintenance history) without requiring external monitoring systems. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex external sensors and real-time data collection infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity while ensuring reliable performance assessment
3Productivity
If the print head drive circuit controls driving based on read information, then the service life is extended and productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive circuit uses feedback from the read ejecting portion-related information (cumulative printing surface count, elapsed day count, error information, maintenance history) to dynamically adjust driving parameters and determine when refurbishment is needed. This feedback mechanism extends print head service life by enabling proactive maintenance scheduling based on actual usage patterns rather than fixed intervals, improving productivity without requiring complex predictive analytics systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes driving parameters (such as drive signal amplitude, frequency, or duty cycle) based on the read information about the print head's deterioration state. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system optimizes performance for the current condition of the ejecting portion, extending service life and maintaining productivity while using simple parameter adjustment logic rather than complex control algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
A print head drive circuit drives a print head including an ejecting portion ejecting a liquid in response to a drive signal propagating through a drive signal line and a storage portion storing ejecting portion-related information changing in accordance with use of the ejecting portion, in which processing of reading the ejecting portion-related information changing in accordance with the use from the storage portion is performed before the drive signal for ejecting the liquid from the ejecting portion is supplied to the print head.