Printer Media Edge Sensing for Print Position Drift Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printers often experience errors due to slippage of print media, leading to incorrect print positions and material waste, as the diameter of the media roll decreases during a print job, causing print position drift and inaccurate printing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a print position compensation mechanism that uses sensors and processors to determine edge positions and generate print operations based on edge positions and timestamps to adjust print positions, utilizing a sensor to determine print positions and timestamps, and generate print position compensation based on timestamps, and timestamps to adjust print operations, which compensates for print position drift by calculating edge position distances and timestamp differentials during media movement phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If print media is conveyed through a printer, then printing operations can be performed, but print position drift occurs as the media roll diameter decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting edges and calculating compensation values before printing operations begin. Edge detection is performed on the print media, and print position compensation is calculated in advance based on the detected edge positions and timestamps, allowing the system to pre-adjust for anticipated print position drift throughout the print job.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring edge positions during media conveyance using sensors and timestamps. The detected edge positions are fed back to the control system, which calculates print position compensation based on the difference between expected and actual positions, then applies this compensation to correct subsequent printing operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If print position compensation is calculated using edge detection, then print accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical measurement and adjustment mechanisms with optical/electronic edge detection sensors and computational algorithms. Instead of using mechanical devices to physically measure and adjust print positions, the system uses sensors to detect edge positions and computationally calculates compensation values, simplifying the physical hardware while maintaining high precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If edge detection and timestamp recording are performed continuously, then print position drift is compensated, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs edge detection and timestamp recording at periodic intervals rather than continuously. Edge detection is performed at specific events such as when edges pass the sensor during media conveyance, and compensation calculations are updated at discrete points in the print job, reducing energy consumption while maintaining adequate print position accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosure provide for improved print position compensation, for example to improve accuracy of print job(s) performed by a printer. The print position compensation enables an offset of the time until printing occurs on a print media to account for changes and/or erroneous movement in a print media, such as due to slippage and/or other results of a force applied to the print media. Particular embodiments determine data values derived both for an output phase and a retraction phase of the printer's operation. Various embodiments generate a print position compensation based on sensor-based edge position distances determined during each of a media output phase and a media retraction phase. Alternatively or additionally various embodiments generate a print position compensation based on sensor-based media movement phase timestamp differentials determined during each of a media output phase and a media retraction phase.