Printer Thermal Head Temperature Control for Print Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional printing devices face issues with thermal head overheating during printing, leading to potential damage, blurred prints, and uneven density when printing is suspended mid-job, as separating the thermal head and printing medium can cause gaps or shifts in the print, complicating device configuration.

Innovation Solution

A printing device and method that control the printer to suspend printing when the projected temperature is likely to reach a set threshold, allowing the thermal head to cool down without interrupting the print process, ensuring the thermal head does not exceed its operational temperature limit, thus maintaining print quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If printing is suspended in the middle to cool the thermal head, then the thermal head temperature is reduced, but the print quality deteriorates due to blurred or collapsed prints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal head temperatureVSAvoidprint quality

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The controller calculates the projected temperature before executing the print job and determines in advance whether printing should be restricted. This preliminary assessment prevents temperature-related print quality issues by proactively adjusting printing parameters based on predicted thermal conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of completely suspending printing to cool the thermal head, the invention applies partial action by restricting printing only to regions where the projected temperature would exceed the threshold. This allows non-printing regions to continue being processed while printing is suspended in overheated areas, maintaining overall productivity while preventing print quality deterioration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Temperature

If printing is suspended in the middle to cool the thermal head, then the thermal head temperature is reduced, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal head temperatureVSAvoidprinting efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller restricts printing only to specific regions where temperature would exceed the threshold while allowing printing to continue in other regions. This partial restriction approach prevents complete suspension of printing operations, thereby maintaining higher productivity compared to full suspension while still effectively managing thermal head temperature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

By allowing printing to continue in non-overheated regions while suspending only in problematic areas, the invention maintains continuous printing operations to the extent possible. This ensures that the printing process remains as continuous as feasible, minimizing interruptions and maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Temperature

If the thermal head and printing medium are separated to cool the thermal head, then the thermal head temperature is reduced, but gaps or shifts occur in the print

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal head temperatureVSAvoidprint alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The controller determines in advance which regions require printing suspension based on projected temperature calculations. By identifying problematic regions before printing begins, the system can selectively suspend printing only where necessary while maintaining thermal head contact with the printing medium in other regions, thus preventing alignment issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of separating the thermal head from the printing medium entirely, the invention applies partial action by maintaining contact in regions where printing continues while allowing separation only in regions where printing is suspended due to temperature concerns. This selective approach prevents gaps or shifts in the printed output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

Prevents thermal head damage and maintains print quality by allowing the printer to continue printing once the temperature drops below the threshold, avoiding blurred or collapsed prints and ensuring consistent density without complex device reconfigurations.

Implementation Method 1

a thermal head that heats the ink ribbon in accordance with a print pattern to print onto the printing medium

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The temperature of the thermal head rises along with printing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 3

lower the temperature of the thermal head by suspending the printing in the middle of printing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10744789B2Printing device, printing method, and nonvolatile computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2020.08.18 CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD

AI summary

A printing device, includes a printer that prints onto a printing medium that is conveyed along a reference direction by a conveyer; and a controller that controls the printer to print a print pattern onto the printing medium along the reference direction. The controller controls to forbid the printer to execute printing when a temperature of the printer is projected to become equal to or higher than a set temperature if the printer prints onto the printing medium using a printing length of the print pattern along the reference direction, the printing length being a length of at least a portion of the print pattern along the reference direction.