Printer White Ink Control for Medium Color Concealment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printers, including those using direct-to-film (DTF) printing, face challenges in reducing production costs while maintaining robustness against washing and ensuring consistent color tone by effectively using white ink based on the color of the medium.
Innovation Solution
A printing system and method that calculates a concealment ratio of the medium based on color and white ink density data, adjusts the amount of white ink to be adhered by performing threshold determinations on image parameters, and controls the discharge of color and white ink to reduce white ink usage and unify color tones across different media types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed amount of white ink is applied to all media, then robustness against washing is ensured, but production cost increases due to excessive white ink usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of white ink application amount from a fixed value to a variable value determined by the concealment ratio calculation. The controller calculates the concealment ratio based on medium color data and adjusts the white ink discharge amount accordingly, allowing optimal ink usage while maintaining adequate coverage for washing robustness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different amounts of white ink to different regions or instances based on the specific color properties of each medium. By calculating the concealment ratio for each printing task, the system provides locally optimized white ink application rather than a uniform approach, reducing overall ink consumption while ensuring adequate coverage where needed.
2Manufacturing precision
If white ink is applied to conceal medium color, then consistent color tone is achieved, but the amount of white ink increases production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the white ink application parameter based on the calculated concealment ratio derived from medium color measurements. This parameter change enables precise control over white ink usage, achieving consistent color tones only when necessary while minimizing ink consumption for cost reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the color data of the medium is measured, the concealment ratio is calculated, and this information feeds back to control the white ink discharge amount. This closed-loop control ensures color tone consistency is achieved only to the extent necessary, avoiding excessive white ink application and associated costs.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If adequate white ink is applied to maintain washing robustness, then durability is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the white ink application parameter from a conservative fixed amount to an optimized variable amount based on concealment ratio calculations. This parameter optimization maintains sufficient white ink coverage for washing durability while reducing overall consumption, directly addressing the cost-durability trade-off.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by providing just enough white ink to achieve adequate washing robustness rather than excessive application. The concealment ratio calculation determines the minimum necessary white ink amount, avoiding over-application while maintaining sufficient durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing system includes a discharge device to discharge color ink and white ink to a medium, a controller to control the discharge device, and circuitry configured to obtain image data, color data of the medium, and density data of the white ink. In the printing system, the controller calculates a concealment ratio of the medium based on the color data of the medium and the density data of the white ink, calculates an amount of the white ink to be adhered to conceal the medium based on the calculated concealment ratio, reads at least one image parameter selected from an amount of the color ink to be adhered and the color data measurable by a colorimeter in the image data, performs a threshold determination for the read image parameter, and adjusts the amount of the white ink to be adhered based on a result of the threshold determination.