Inkjet Printer Meandering Correction via Periodic Width Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inkjet printers face challenges in correcting meandering of fabric during printing due to static friction resistance between fabric and intermediate rollers, leading to wrinkles, especially when feeding fabrics with high stretch properties.

Innovation Solution

A medium feed device that controls the width movement section based on detection results during a predetermined control effective time, ensuring meandering correction without wrinkles, by determining the optimal control time for each type of recording medium using a control table.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the width movement section is driven to correct meandering during intermittent feeding stop, then meandering correction is improved, but static friction resistance causes the recording medium on the downstream side to be hard to move, resulting in wrinkles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeandering correction precisionVSAvoidwrinkles in recording medium
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control section drives the width movement section before the intermittent feeding stop to correct meandering in advance. By performing the correction action before the stop occurs, the recording medium is positioned correctly before static friction prevents further movement, thereby avoiding wrinkles while achieving meandering correction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control section drives the width movement section periodically during the intermittent feeding cycles, specifically activating it during the feed period when kinetic friction allows movement, and stopping it during the stop period when static friction would cause wrinkles. This periodic on/off action synchronizes with the intermittent feeding rhythm to correct meandering without causing wrinkles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Manufacturing precision

If the width movement section is driven continuously to correct meandering, then meandering correction amount is increased, but the recording medium on the upstream side moves excessively, causing wrinkles near the intermediate roller

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeandering correction amountVSAvoidwrinkles near intermediate roller
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control section drives the width movement section periodically, activating it only during the intermittent feeding period when the recording medium is moving and deactivating it during the stop period. This periodic action ensures correction is applied when the medium can move freely without excessive displacement that would cause wrinkles near the intermediate roller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The control section dynamically adjusts the driving state of the width movement section based on the operational state of the intermittent feeding mechanism. By making the width movement section's operation conditional and dynamic rather than continuous or fixed, the system adapts to the changing friction conditions and medium tension, preventing over-correction wrinkles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-generated harmful factors

If the width movement section is not driven during stop feeding, then wrinkles are avoided, but meandering correction is insufficient for fabrics with high stretch properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewrinkles in recording mediumVSAvoidmeandering correction sufficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control section drives the width movement section periodically during the intermittent feeding cycles, specifically activating it during the feed period when kinetic friction allows movement. This periodic activation provides sufficient correction for high stretch fabrics during the movement phase while avoiding wrinkles during the stop phase when static friction would cause problems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The control section changes the operational parameters of the width movement section based on the fabric type and feeding state. For fabrics with high stretch properties, the control section increases the correction amount during the feed period when movement is possible, while stopping correction during the stop period to avoid wrinkles, thereby adapting the correction parameters to match the material characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 effectively corrects meandering without causing wrinkles, allowing for smooth printing by adjusting the control time according to the fabric type, ensuring sufficient correction and preventing over-correction or under-correction.

Implementation Method 1

a detection section which detects a meandering position of the recording medium in a width direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical detection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

since static friction resistance acts between the fabric and the intermediate roller when stopping feeding of the intermittent feeding

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2703325B1Medium feed device, method for controlling medium feed device, and recording device
Publication Date: 2019.10.16 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP2703325B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2703325B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2703325B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The advantage of the invention is to provide a medium feed device and the like for intermittently feeding a recording medium (3) in which meandering can be securely corrected without the occurrence of wrinkles in the recording medium (3). The medium feed device has a meandering detection sensor (48)which detects position displacement of a recording medium in a width direction, and a control section (7) which controls driving of a width movement unit based on detection results by the meandering detection sensor (48). The control section stops driving of the width movement unit when stopping feeding of the intermittent feeding.