Printer Head Cleaning Control via Carriage Speed Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses face issues with ejection errors due to paper jams, leading to unnecessary cleaning and increased ink consumption, as they lack effective detection mechanisms for nozzle functionality and capping states, resulting in wasteful cleaning operations and prolonged standby times.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a detecting unit that identifies paper jams based on carriage speed reduction, a cleaning control unit that performs targeted cleaning only when necessary, and a capping unit that caps the printing head when not in use, minimizing unnecessary cleaning and ink usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning is evenly performed after a paper jam occurs, then ejection errors are prevented, but ink consumption increases and standby time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of cleaning timing from immediate post-jam cleaning to delayed cleaning after carriage return. The control unit determines that cleaning should be performed only after the carriage has returned to its initial position, transforming the cleaning operation from a mandatory post-jam procedure to a conditional operation based on carriage position parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the carriage return to its initial position before cleaning is performed. This preliminary movement ensures that the cleaning operation occurs at a predetermined safe position, preventing contact between the recording medium and the liquid ejecting head during the cleaning process.
2Reliability
If cleaning is evenly performed after a paper jam occurs, then ejection errors are prevented, but standby time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of cleaning timing from immediate post-jam cleaning to delayed cleaning after carriage return. The control unit determines that cleaning should be performed only after the carriage has returned to its initial position, transforming the cleaning operation from a mandatory post-jam procedure to a conditional operation based on carriage position parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the carriage return to its initial position before cleaning is performed. This preliminary movement ensures that the cleaning operation occurs at a predetermined safe position, preventing contact between the recording medium and the liquid ejecting head during the cleaning process.
3Reliability
If cleaning is performed without detecting nozzle functionality, then ejection errors are prevented, but unnecessary cleaning operations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of cleaning timing from immediate post-jam cleaning to delayed cleaning after carriage return. The control unit determines that cleaning should be performed only after the carriage has returned to its initial position, transforming the cleaning operation from a mandatory post-jam procedure to a conditional operation based on carriage position parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
When a paper jam is detected, in the case where the cause of the paper jam is a CR motor error in which the speed of the carriage is decreased by as much as a load when the paper jam occurs and becomes equal to or less than a set speed, when there is an instruction to continue printing, cleaning is performed on a printing head. In this case, it is determined whether the paper position is particularly in a one-side supporting range in which the paper is supported by only one pair of transporting roller pairs provided in each of an upstream side and a downstream side of a transporting direction of the paper with interposing of a moving path of the printing head. Then, it is preferable that cleaning be performed as long as the paper position is in the one-side supporting range.