Large Format Printer Cable Configuration for Signal Overshooting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large format printers experience overshooting of drive signals due to mutual induction, leading to potential overvoltage and damage to the print head, which affects printing precision and quality, especially when using long cables with different waveform drive signals.
Innovation Solution
A configuration where the cable consists of overlapping first and second cables with specific wire arrangements, where the first and second wires are adjacent to a reference voltage wire, and electrically connected in the print head, to moderate the magnetic field influence and reduce overshooting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a long cable is used to connect the control circuit to the print head in large format printers, then the printing coverage area is improved, but the cable inductance and impedance increase causing drive signal overshooting
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is divided into two separate cables (first cable and second cable) that are disposed in parallel. Each cable carries the same drive signals, but with opposite polarity assignments (COMA/COMB in first cable, BOM/BMC in second cable). This segmentation allows the magnetic fields generated by the drive signals to cancel each other out, reducing mutual induction and overshooting while maintaining the ability to cover large printing areas through long cable runs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric wiring configuration where the first and second cables have inverted signal assignments. Specifically, the drive signals COMA and COMB are assigned to different wire pairs in each cable, creating an asymmetric but complementary arrangement that enables magnetic field cancellation. This asymmetric design is key to reducing the harmful inductive effects in long cables while maintaining signal integrity for large format printing.
2Manufacturing precision
If drive signals with different waveforms are used to control the print head, then printing precision is improved, but mutual induction between same-type drive signals causes overshooting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful mutual induction effect into a beneficial cancellation effect. By arranging two cables with opposite polarity assignments and disposing them in parallel, the magnetic fields generated by same-type drive signals (COMA in first cable and BOM in second cable) induce opposite polarities in each other, causing the overshooting to cancel out. This transforms the harmful inductive coupling into a useful noise-cancellation mechanism that enables high-precision printing with complex drive waveforms.
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 configuration effectively reduces overshooting and prevents overvoltage, ensuring stable printing quality and preventing damage to the print head even with long cables, allowing for high-frequency drive signals to be used without compromising print quality.
Implementation Method 1
mutual induction occurs between the drive signals which are propagated on the wires originating from the inductance which floats on the long wires inside the cable. Therefore, in a case in which the printing apparatuses which are disclosed in JP-A-2014-133358 and JP-A-2002-19106 are applied to a large format printer, comparatively large overshooting which originates in the mutual induction or the like of the drive signals occurs easily
Data Source
AI summary
In a large format printer, a print head which includes a plurality of drive elements is provided with a head drive circuit which applies a voltage which is based on a first drive signal, a second drive signal, and a reference voltage signal which are input from a control circuit via a cable to the drive element. In a first flat cable and a second flat cable which configure the cable and which are in an overlapping state, a first wire which propagates a first drive signal is adjacent to a third wire which propagates a reference voltage signal, a second wire which propagates a second drive signal is adjacent to a third wire, and, in an overlapping direction, the first wire faces the third wire and the second wire faces the third wire.