Printer Nozzle Synchronization for Ink Mixing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printers face issues with dot granularity and color reproduction when forming a white background image, as inks do not mix properly over time, leading to an unsatisfactory tone and limited color reproduction region.

Innovation Solution

A printing device with multiple nozzle rows that eject background and color inks, where nozzles overlap in the transporting direction, and a moving section that synchronizes the movement of these nozzle rows to ensure simultaneous ink ejection, allowing for effective toning of the background image and improved color reproduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If white ink is landed first and colored ink is landed after a predetermined amount of time, then the inks do not mix, but dot granularity of the background image becomes poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedot granularityVSAvoidtime delay between ink ejections

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzle rows are divided into upstream and downstream sides, with each side having both background color nozzles and color nozzles. This segmentation allows different ink ejection timings and patterns for background and color images, resolving the contradiction between ink mixing and time delay by enabling simultaneous ejection from corresponding upstream nozzles while maintaining sequential processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Background color nozzles and color nozzles are merged into the same nozzle rows with overlapping positions in the transporting direction. This merging enables both types of inks to be ejected simultaneously onto the medium, achieving proper mixing while maintaining precise dot granularity control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If colored ink is landed after white ink with time delay, then ink mixing is avoided, but color reproduction region becomes limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor reproduction regionVSAvoidtime delay between ink ejections

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically controls the timing and positioning of different nozzle rows based on the image type (background or color). By making the nozzle operation dynamic rather than static, the system can achieve both immediate ink mixing for color reproduction and controlled timing for different image types, expanding the color reproduction region without being constrained by fixed time delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the timing parameter of ink ejection by making background color nozzles and color nozzles operate simultaneously during their overlapping pass. This parameter change from sequential to simultaneous ejection enables wider color reproduction while maintaining proper ink mixing, resolving the contradiction between color reproduction region and time delay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple nozzle rows are used with simultaneous movement, then ink mixing is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink mixing qualityVSAvoidnumber of nozzle rows and movement control

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each nozzle row is designed to serve multiple functions: background color nozzles eject background image ink, while color nozzles in the same row eject color image ink. The upstream and downstream nozzle rows work together to handle both background and color images in a unified system, reducing overall complexity compared to separate systems for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adds the dimension of simultaneous movement in the intersecting direction to the traditional single-pass printing system. By utilizing both transporting direction and intersecting movement direction, the system achieves superior ink mixing quality through multiple overlapping ink ejections without proportionally increasing complexity, as the movement control is integrated into a unified coordinate system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8506033B2Printing device and printing method

Publication Date: 2013.08.13 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A printer includes a moving section that moves an upstream background color nozzles and an upstream color nozzles in either an outward direction or a returning direction from among intersecting directions that intersect the transporting direction, and moves a downstream background color nozzles and a downstream color nozzles in either the outward direction or the returning direction, and a controlling section that makes the upstream background color nozzles and the upstream color nozzles form a background image, and makes at least the downstream color nozzles form a color image, wherein when the background image is formed, regarding the movement of the upstream background color nozzles and the upstream color nozzles in either the outward direction or the returning direction, the upstream background color nozzles and the upstream color nozzles are made to eject the respective inks thereof to tone the background image.