Printing Device Ink Overlap Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing devices that use electromagnetic wave hardened inks often suffer from image quality deterioration due to the methods of overlapping these inks, resulting in issues such as ink omission and poor image fidelity.
Innovation Solution
A printing device with multiple heads and irradiation sections that control the ejection and irradiation of different electromagnetic wave hardened inks, ensuring a contact angle greater than 90 degrees between overlapping inks to prevent ink omission and improve image quality, along with a system that includes preliminary and main irradiation sections for temporary and complete hardening of inks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If electromagnetic wave hardened inks are overlapped sequentially during printing, then complete color coverage is achieved, but image quality deteriorates due to ink omission and poor fidelity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary irradiation before main irradiation to partially harden the first ink, creating a stable base that prevents subsequent ink from spreading or omitting. This preliminary action ensures that when the second ink is overlaid, the first ink remains in its intended position, thereby maintaining image quality while achieving complete color coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the ink through controlled irradiation parameters. By adjusting the irradiation intensity and timing (preliminary vs. main irradiation), the ink transitions from a liquid state that can spread to a hardened state that maintains precise positioning. This parameter control prevents ink omission while ensuring full coverage.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple inks are ejected and overlapped to form complete images, then color fidelity improves, but ink spreading causes image quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
Preliminary irradiation is applied to the first ink before the second ink is ejected, creating a hardened barrier that defines clear boundaries. This prevents the second ink from spreading into the first ink's area, maintaining sharp color transitions and precise image boundaries while achieving complete color fidelity.
Solution Approach 2:
The preliminary irradiation creates a hardened layer that actively prevents the harmful spreading of subsequent inks. This anti-action counteracts the natural tendency of liquid inks to merge and spread, preserving the intended color boundaries and image sharpness.
3Reliability
If inks are hardened by electromagnetic wave irradiation, then image stability improves, but sequential irradiation causes ink omission
Solution Approach 1:
The preliminary irradiation partially hardens the first ink, creating a stable base that prevents subsequent ink from spreading or omitting. This staged hardening approach ensures complete ink presence while achieving the stability needed for high-quality images.
Solution Approach 2:
The irradiation process is segmented into multiple stages: preliminary irradiation of the first ink, then main irradiation after the second ink is applied. This segmentation allows each ink layer to be properly positioned and hardened without causing omission, ensuring complete ink presence and image stability.
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 suppresses image quality deterioration by ensuring the end portions of overlapping inks are inwardly positioned, reducing the likelihood of ink omission and enhancing the stability of the image, even under vibrations or movements.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of irradiation sections configured to respectively correspond to the plurality of heads and to respectively irradiate electromagnetic waves to the different electromagnetic wave hardened inks ejected from the plurality of heads
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device includes heads that eject electromagnetic wave hardened inks toward a medium and irradiation sections respectively corresponding to the heads. The irradiation sections irradiate the electromagnetic wave hardened inks. A controller controls the heads and the irradiation sections. The controller, when printing, sequentially performs a method that includes the following operations. One head ejects a first ink in a first ejecting operation. An irradiation section corresponding to the head irradiates first electromagnetic ink in a first irradiation operation. A different head ejects another ink toward a pixel on the medium such that the other ink overlaps the first ink, in a second ejecting operation. An irradiation section corresponding to the other head irradiates the other ink in a second irradiation operation. The controller performs the operations such that a contact angle of the other ink relative to the first ink is greater than 90 degrees.