Inkjet Printer Heating Control for Power Peak Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing apparatuses experience high instantaneous maximum power consumption due to the concurrent operation of printheads and heating units, even when only necessary rollers are heated, leading to inefficient energy usage.
Innovation Solution
The printing apparatus and control method exclusively control the operation of printheads and heating units, turning off heating when printheads are in use and vice versa, to minimize simultaneous power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If printheads and heating units operate concurrently, then printing and drying functions are performed simultaneously, but instantaneous maximum power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic alternation between printhead operation and heating unit operation. The control unit switches between these two functions in time intervals, ensuring that they do not operate simultaneously. This periodic action reduces peak power consumption while maintaining overall productivity through continuous cyclic operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control of the drying process by adjusting the operation timing of heating units based on real-time printing status. The control unit dynamically switches heating units on and off in coordination with printhead operation, creating a flexible temporal arrangement that optimizes power consumption while ensuring adequate drying time.
2Productivity
If multiple rollers are heated simultaneously, then drying efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heating function into multiple independent heating units, each capable of being controlled separately. This segmentation allows the system to activate only the necessary heating units at any given time, rather than heating all rollers simultaneously. The control unit manages these segmented heating units to achieve adequate drying while minimizing total power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial heating action by activating only the minimum necessary heating units required for effective drying, rather than all available heating units. The control unit determines the optimal subset of heating units to operate based on current printing conditions, implementing partial action that balances drying efficiency with power consumption reduction.
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 approach effectively reduces instantaneous maximum power consumption by ensuring that heating and printhead operations are exclusive, thereby optimizing energy usage during printing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a halogen lamp to heat a roller for holding a conveyance belt which conveys a print medium, and dries, by heating, ink discharged to the print medium by the heated roller
Implementation Method 2
a thermal fixing unit for heating a roller
Data Source
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AI summary
A printing apparatus including a conveyance means for conveying a print medium fed from a feeding apparatus, a detection means for detecting the fed print medium, a printhead, provided on a downstream of the detection means with respect to a conveyance direction of the print medium, for printing an image by discharging ink to the conveyed print medium, and a heating means, provided on a downstream of the printhead with respect to the conveyance direction, for heating the print medium on which the image is printed, exclusively controls to stop (S60) driving of the heating means if it is determined, based on a timing of detecting the print medium, that the print medium is at a print position, and to drive (S90) the heating means if it is determined that the print medium is not at the print position.