Printing Apparatus Fixation Control via Reflected Light Intensity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing technologies face challenges in automatically setting the fixation temperature for latex ink on various printing media, especially third-party media, due to the need for manual adjustments and the inability to handle unknown media types effectively.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus equipped with an optical sensor system that measures reflected light intensity to automatically determine the fixation temperature and time by printing a patch and detecting changes in specular reflected light intensity, allowing for adaptive setting of the fixing condition regardless of the printing medium type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual adjustment of fixation temperature is used for different printing media, then the fixing condition can be optimized for each medium, but the operation complexity and user burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The printing apparatus automatically detects the printing medium type and determines the optimal fixation temperature without user intervention. The control unit performs medium type detection and automatically sets the fixation condition, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring manual user configuration for each medium type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically adjusts the fixation temperature parameter based on the detected printing medium type. By changing the temperature parameter dynamically according to the medium characteristics, the system achieves optimized fixation quality for different media without requiring manual parameter setting by the user.
2Reliability
If fixation temperature is increased to ensure proper ink fixation, then the ink fixation quality improves, but the printing medium may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines the appropriate fixation temperature based on the detected printing medium type, adjusting the temperature parameter to an optimal level that ensures proper ink fixation while remaining below the damage threshold for that specific medium. This dynamic parameter adjustment prevents both under-fixation and medium damage.
3Ease of operation
If automatic detection of printing medium type is implemented, then manual adjustments are eliminated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical adjustment operations with an automated detection and control system. The control unit automatically detects the printing medium type and determines the fixation temperature, substituting the mechanical manual adjustment process with an automated electronic control system that simplifies user operation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If fixed parameters are used for comparison with measurement data, then the measurement process is simple, but unknown printing media cannot be handled
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the printing medium type before the actual printing process. By detecting the medium type in advance and storing this information, the system prepares the appropriate fixation parameters beforehand, enabling accurate and adaptive fixation for any medium type including unknown ones.
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 reduces the workload for users by enabling automatic setting of the fixing condition, ensuring proper ink fixation on diverse media without manual adjustments, and preventing damage to the printing medium.
Implementation Method 1
a specular reflected light intensity of the printed patch is measured with the optical sensor
Implementation Method 2
fixes the latex ink by vaporizing water content and melting and curing a latex with a heater
Implementation Method 3
melting and curing a latex with a heater
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A printing apparatus (100) includes: a printing unit (102) configured to print an image on a printing medium (105); a conveying unit (513) configured to convey the printing medium on which the image is printed in a conveyance direction; a fixing unit (108) configured to fix the image onto the printing medium by heating the printing medium on which the image is printed and that is conveyed by the conveying unit; a measuring unit (201) configured to measure a reflected light intensity of the image on the printing medium; and a control unit (501) configured to set a fixing condition to be used for the printing medium based on a change in the reflected light intensity measured by the measuring unit in a fixing process of the image.