Printer Die Temperature Uniformity via Warming Map Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal inkjet printheads experience temperature variations across the die, leading to inconsistent drop characteristics, resulting in print quality issues such as light area banding, die boundary banding, and hue shift, due to heat distribution disparities.
Innovation Solution
A warming map is implemented to identify and supply warming pulses to drop generators across the printer die, ensuring uniform temperature distribution by targeting areas with lower temperatures, thereby enhancing drop weight and velocity consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If heating elements are distributed across the TIJ die, then printing capability is provided, but temperature distribution becomes non-uniform causing light area banding and hue shift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing a warming map that identifies specific drop generators requiring warming pulses based on their local temperature conditions. Different regions of the die receive differential warming treatment, with greater warming applied to cooler regions (such as end regions) and less or no warming to already warm regions, thereby achieving uniform temperature distribution across the entire die.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of heating elements by implementing a warming map that varies the warming pulse application across different drop generators. The system modifies heating parameters dynamically, applying warming pulses selectively to specific regions based on temperature measurements, thereby transforming the uniform heating approach into a non-uniform, region-specific heating strategy to compensate for heat sink effects.
2Temperature
If heating elements are concentrated in certain areas, then those areas maintain higher temperature, but other areas become too cool resulting in inconsistent drop characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by measuring the temperature of individual drop generators and using this information to determine whether warming pulses should be applied. The system continuously monitors temperature conditions and adjusts warming pulse application accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains consistent drop characteristics by compensating for temperature variations in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by warming up drop generators before they are fully operational or before printing begins. The warming map identifies which drop generators need preliminary warming treatment to reach optimal operating temperature, ensuring that all regions of the die are properly conditioned before actual printing occurs, thereby preventing temperature-related print defects.
3Area of stationary object
If end regions of the die are used for drop generation, then printing coverage is maximized, but these regions act as heat sinks causing lower temperature and poor print quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by recognizing that end regions of the die have different thermal characteristics compared to central regions. The warming map specifically targets end region drop generators with increased warming pulses to compensate for their heat sink behavior, allowing these regions to function effectively for printing while maintaining appropriate temperature levels for quality output.
4Temperature
If uniform heating is applied across the entire die, then all areas receive equal temperature, but this wastes energy on areas that already maintain sufficient temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates unnecessary uniform heating by implementing location-specific warming strategies. The warming map identifies which drop generators actually require warming treatment and applies warming pulses only to those specific locations, rather than uniformly heating the entire die. This localized approach maintains temperature uniformity across the die while significantly reducing energy consumption by avoiding redundant heating of already adequate regions.
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
The solution achieves uniform drop sizes and improved print quality by maintaining consistent temperature across the printer die, reducing variations in drop weight and velocity, and minimizing print defects like light area banding and hue shift.
Implementation Method 1
passing electrical current through a heating element, which generates heat and vaporizes a small portion of the printing fluid within a firing chamber
Implementation Method 2
generates heat and vaporizes a small portion of the printing fluid within a firing chamber. The rapidly expanding vapor bubble forces a small amount of printing fluid to drop out of the nozzle
Implementation Method 3
The rapidly expanding vapor bubble forces a small amount of printing fluid to drop out of the nozzle
Implementation Method 4
heat from the heating elements as well as the physical configuration and thermal characteristics of the TIJ die affect the temperature of the TIJ die
Implementation Method 5
the areas, e.g., ends, of the TIJ die that do not contain heating elements often act as heat sinks and thus pull heat from locations in the TIJ die containing heating elements
Data Source
AI summary
According to an example, in a method for enhancing temperature distribution uniformity across a printer die, in which the printer die includes a plurality of drop generators arranged in a plurality of columns, a warming map that identifies the drop generators of the plurality of drop generators that are to be supplied with warming pulses to enhance temperature distribution uniformity across the printer die may be accessed. The warming map may identify a non-uniform distribution of the drop generators across a column of the plurality of columns. In addition, the warming map may be implemented to supply the drop generators identified in the warming map as the drop generators that are to receive the warming pulses.