Printer Maintenance Unit Imaging for Automated Condition Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance of ejection heads in printers is hindered by ink adhesion and wear of maintenance units, requiring manual operator intervention for condition checks, which is inefficient and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A printer configuration that allows the maintenance unit to move between facing and separation positions relative to the ejection head, enabling an imaging part to capture the maintenance unit's condition without operator intervention, using an imaging range that overlaps with the maintenance unit's movement, and utilizing light wavelengths specific to the ink color for accurate imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual visual check by operator is used to determine maintenance unit condition, then operator can assess maintenance needs, but operational load of operator becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual visual inspection mechanism with an automated imaging system. An imaging part captures images of the maintenance unit, and a control part processes these images to automatically determine maintenance conditions, substituting the operator's mechanical visual assessment with an automated optical and computational system.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance unit's condition assessment is performed autonomously by the imaging part and control part without requiring operator intervention. The system serves itself by automatically capturing images, processing them, and determining maintenance needs, eliminating the burden on operators.
2Loss of information
If operator performs manual visual check of maintenance unit, then condition can be determined, but time is lost due to opening cover and manual inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging part captures images of the maintenance unit in advance, storing visual information about its condition. This preliminary action allows the control part to later determine maintenance needs without requiring the operator to physically inspect the unit, saving time during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual inspection process is replaced with an automated imaging and image processing system. The imaging part captures images, and the control part automatically analyzes them to determine maintenance conditions, eliminating the time-consuming manual process of opening covers and visually inspecting the maintenance unit.
3Extent of automation
If imaging part captures maintenance unit during movement, then automated condition assessment is achieved, but imaging range must overlap with maintenance unit movement path
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to capture images of the maintenance unit during its movement between the facing position and separation position. The imaging range is positioned to overlap with this movement path, allowing the imaging part to capture images at appropriate moments without requiring the system to stop or change its operational dynamics.
Data Source
AI summary
The maintenance unit is configured to be movable in the X direction, and moves between the facing position La facing the ejection head and the separation position Lb away from the ejection head in the X direction. Provided is the imaging part configured to image the imaging range Ri provided on the side of the separation position Lb relative to the facing position La in the X direction and the imaging part images at least part of the maintenance unit which overlaps the imaging range Ri to acquire the unit image I2. In other words, the unit image I2 representing the condition of the maintenance unit can be acquired by the imaging part.