Printhead Drive Waveform Multiplexing for Shorter Nozzle Standby
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers experience long standby times of nozzles due to the sequential generation of driving pulses with different amplitudes, leading to inefficiencies in ink ejection.
Innovation Solution
A printing device that employs a time-division multiplexed signal to drive piezo elements, allowing for the separation of drive waveforms using a separator, reducing standby times by adjusting the amplitude of the drive waveform applied to the energy-applying element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If four driving pulses are sequentially generated during one period with only one pulse selected, then the printing device can form dots of desired sizes, but the standby time of the nozzle increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple drive waveforms (first and second drive waveforms with different amplitudes) into a single time-division multiplexed signal that is transmitted through one signal line. The separator divides this multiplexed signal into separate drive waveform signals, allowing the piezo element to receive appropriate drive signals without idle standby periods, thus reducing nozzle standby time while maintaining dot size precision.
2Device complexity
If multiple drive waveforms are applied through a single signal line, then the device complexity is reduced, but the signal separation and timing precision becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the time-division multiplexed signal into separate first and second drive waveform signals using a separator. The separator divides the multiplexed signal at specific time points to extract individual drive waveforms, enabling precise control of the piezo element while maintaining a simple single signal line configuration for data transmission.
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 solution effectively reduces nozzle standby times, ensuring precise ink ejection and maintaining targeted ejection amounts by optimizing the drive waveform application process.
Implementation Method 1
a nozzle configured to eject liquid by an energy generating element
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device comprises a nozzle configured to eject liquid by an energy generating element, and a signal generator configured to generate a time-division multiplexed signal where first data indicating a first drive waveform and second data indicating a second drive waveform are multiplexed transmittable through a single signal line. The time-division multiplexed signal included a first part and a second part of the first drive waveform, and a third part and a fourth part of the second drive waveform. The third part is arranged between the first part and the second part, and the second part is arranged between the third part and the fourth part. The printing device further comprises a separator configured to separate one of a first drive waveform signal indicating the first drive waveform and a second drive waveform signal indicating the second drive waveform from the time-division multiplexed signal.