Printer Thermal Printhead Motor Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal printers face issues with power interruptions due to overload protection circuits, leading to adverse effects on printing control and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A printer system that includes a thermal printhead and a motor for paper conveyance, with a power supply that pauses and resumes power to the motor after exceeding a power threshold, allowing for controlled power management to prevent unexpected power stops and maintain printing accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protection circuit is added to the power supply to prevent overload, then power supply safety is improved, but unexpected power interruptions occur that adversely affect printing control and accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit proactively stops the motor before the protection circuit interrupts power, based on predictive determination of upcoming high-power thermal head operation. This preliminary action prevents unexpected power interruptions and maintains printing accuracy by ensuring the motor is already stopped when power is cut.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the operation state of the thermal head and motor, and uses this feedback to determine when to stop the motor. By continuously tracking power consumption patterns and operational states, the system can predict when power interruption will occur and take preventive action.
2Manufacturing precision
If the motor is stopped before power interruption, then printing control accuracy is improved, but the complexity of power management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit itself performs the determination and control of motor stopping based on its own monitoring of thermal head operation states. The system uses its existing control capabilities to manage the additional complexity, eliminating the need for separate complex power management hardware or external control systems.
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 system ensures smooth printing control and high accuracy by temporarily pausing power to the motor before the protection circuit intervenes, preventing adverse effects from power interruptions and maintaining continuous printing.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal printhead with resistive heating elements
Data Source
AI summary
A printer in one example includes a thermal printhead with resistive heating elements. A motor is provided in the printer for conveying paper to the thermal printhead. A power supply is provided to supply power to the thermal printhead and the motor. A processor is configured to cause the supply of power to the motor to be paused after the supply of power to the thermal printhead exceeds a power threshold value and then to resume the supply of power to the motor after a predetermined period of time elapses after the pause of the supply of power to the motor.