Printer Temperature Control for Image Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for recording images using photocurable ink with light irradiation suffer from temperature fluctuations in the recording medium and support body, leading to inconsistent image quality due to varying ink fluidity and wet-spreading, especially between low and high print duties, resulting in potential defects in line widths.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with a temperature adjustment unit that measures and controls the temperature of the support unit and recording medium to maintain a reference temperature, ensuring uniform image quality across different print duties by adjusting the cooling or heating of the support unit based on real-time temperature measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If cooling means is used to prevent temperature increase during printing, then image quality consistency is improved, but printing efficiency deteriorates due to printing interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature of the transport drum is pre-adjusted to a predetermined temperature (45°C) before printing starts. This preliminary temperature adjustment ensures that the recording medium maintains optimal temperature conditions throughout printing, preventing the need for interruptions and maintaining both image quality consistency and printing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
A temperature detection unit continuously monitors the surface temperature of the recording medium during printing. When the temperature exceeds the upper limit (50°C), the control unit automatically activates the cooling means to cool the transport drum, and stops cooling when the temperature drops below the lower limit (40°C). This feedback control maintains temperature within the optimal range without requiring printing interruptions
2Temperature
If temperature management is performed by simply operating cooling fan when temperature exceeds threshold, then temperature control is achieved, but image quality differences occur between low and high print duties
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature detection unit continuously monitors the recording medium temperature, and the control unit adjusts cooling fan operation based on real-time temperature feedback. The fan operates when temperature exceeds 50°C and stops when it drops below 40°C, maintaining temperature within 40-50°C range regardless of print duty variations
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of the cooling fan based on temperature conditions and print duty. By controlling the fan speed and operation timing according to actual temperature measurements, the system maintains consistent temperature conditions for both low and high print duties, ensuring uniform image quality
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 solution ensures consistent image quality by maintaining the support unit and recording medium at a target temperature, reducing temperature differences and preventing defects in line widths, thereby achieving uniform image quality regardless of print duty.
Implementation Method 1
a light irradiation unit configured to, downstream of the discharge unit on a transport path of the recording medium, irradiate, with light, the photocurable ink discharged onto the recording medium to cure the photocurable ink
Implementation Method 2
a temperature adjustment unit configured to perform at least one of cooling or heating of the support unit
Data Source
AI summary
A printer control unit controls a fan, based on an acquired reference temperature and an output of a sensor, to cause a temperature of a platen drum or a temperature of a sheet supported by the platen drum to be the reference temperature. Specifically, at step S100, the printer control unit acquires a type of the printing medium to be used for printing, acquires the reference temperature at step S110, and at step S150, controls an operating state of the fan, based on the temperature of the platen drum output by the sensor, such that the temperature of the platen drum becomes the reference temperature acquired at step S110. As a result, a temperature increase of the platen drum becomes substantially saturated at the targeted reference temperature.