Printer Conveyance Error Detection via Preliminary Gear Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printer technologies face challenges in accurately determining sheet conveyance errors due to roller structure, particularly due to backlash in the power transmission mechanism, which complicates the identification of errors such as roller eccentricity and outer shape issues.
Innovation Solution
A printer system that includes a first and second roller, a motor, and a head with nozzles to print test patterns by alternately forming and conveying the sheet, allowing for the suppression of power transmission mechanism play and enabling high-accuracy detection of conveyance errors by forming an image involving slight distance conveyance followed by non-slight distance conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple gears are used in the power transmission mechanism to convey the sheet, then the sheet can be conveyed from the motor to the rollers, but backlash between adjacent gears causes conveyance error that masks roller structure errors
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by performing a preliminary conveyance operation before the actual measurement. The sheet is conveyed by a predetermined distance (first conveyance) to preliminarily activate the power transmission mechanism, eliminating backlash. Then a second conveyance is performed for measurement. This preliminary action ensures that when measurement occurs, the gears are already engaged without play, allowing accurate detection of roller structure errors.
2Measurement precision
If minute-distance conveyance is repeatedly performed to form test patterns, then conveyance error can be determined, but play in the power transmission mechanism occurs at the initial stage making error detection inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs a preliminary conveyance operation (first conveyance by predetermined distance) before performing the minute-distance conveyance for test pattern formation. This preliminary action activates the power transmission mechanism and eliminates backlash beforehand, ensuring that subsequent minute conveyances occur without gear play, thus enabling accurate conveyance error measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyance process is segmented into distinct phases: (1) preliminary conveyance by predetermined distance to activate the mechanism, (2) subsequent minute-distance conveyances for test pattern formation. This segmentation separates the backlash-elimination function from the measurement function, ensuring measurement accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If the sheet is conveyed by a predetermined distance before forming a pattern image, then play in the power transmission mechanism is suppressed, but additional conveyance time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs a preliminary conveyance operation before the actual test pattern formation to eliminate backlash in the power transmission mechanism. This additional initial conveyance step ensures accurate subsequent measurements by ensuring the gears are properly engaged without play, thereby improving measurement precision despite the time cost.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes a first roller, a second roller, a motor and a head. The printer includes a controller configured to control the head and the motor to print a first pattern comprising a plurality of first pattern elements on the sheet by alternately repeating, ejecting a liquid droplet to print one of the first pattern elements on the sheet and conveying a sheet in a conveyance direction by a first distance. The controller is configured to, after printing the first pattern on the sheet, control the motor to convey the sheet in the conveyance direction by a second distance and control the head to eject the liquid droplet to print a second pattern on the sheet without conveying the sheet, a respective first pattern element and a corresponding second pattern element being disposed at a same location in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction.