Print Element Substrate Drive Signal Selection for Current Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inkjet printing apparatuses face fluctuations in power supply voltage and degradation in printing accuracy due to large currents during simultaneous driving of heat generation resistors, leading to biased drive current distribution between enable signals.
Innovation Solution
A print element substrate with a shift register, data analyzing unit, and drive signal selection unit that analyzes print data to evenly distribute the number of heat generation resistors driven by different enable signals, ensuring equal current values and reducing power fluctuations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple heat generation resistors are driven simultaneously to improve printing speed and productivity, then printing efficiency is improved, but large current occurs in power source line causing voltage fluctuations and degradation in printing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the plurality of heat generation resistors into multiple groups, where each group is driven by a different enable signal with different timing. This segmentation allows the total driving load to be distributed across time, preventing simultaneous activation of all resistors and thereby reducing peak current in the power source line while maintaining overall printing productivity.
2Reliability
If print elements are divided into first and second groups driven by different enable signals to reduce current, then power supply voltage stability is improved, but the content of print data may cause biased drive current distribution toward one group
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a data analyzing unit that analyzes the print data before driving the heat generation resistors. Based on this analysis, a drive signal selection unit selects which enable signal to use, ensuring that the drive current is evenly distributed between the first and second groups of print elements. This feedback mechanism prevents biased current distribution while maintaining power supply voltage stability.
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
Prevents power supply voltage fluctuations and maintains printing accuracy by evenly distributing the drive current between enable signals, reducing design costs and improving printing performance.
Implementation Method 1
an inkjet printing method that uses thermal energy to discharge ink from a plurality of discharge ports. A print element substrate included in the printing apparatus is provided with, for example, a plurality of heat generation resistors
Data Source
AI summary
A print element substrate, comprising a plurality of functional elements, a plurality of driving elements configured to drive the plurality of functional elements based upon one of a plurality of drive signals, a shift register configured to store functional data indicating whether or not to drive the functional element, a data analyzing unit configured to analyze the functional data input into the shift register, and a drive signal selection unit configured to select one of the plurality of drive signals in response to an analysis result from the data analyzing unit.