Printing System Ink Usage-Based Maintenance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printing devices face issues with deteriorating printing quality due to low frequency of use, where unused ink can adhere and coagulate, leading to ejection failures and nozzle clogging, especially when the ink usage is below a certain threshold.
Innovation Solution
A printing system that includes a printing device with a remaining amount detector, maintenance unit, and notifying unit, connected to a server device via a network, which selects between maintenance operations and notification based on the detected ink usage over a predetermined time period, ensuring adequate ink usage and preventing quality deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the printing device is used infrequently to conserve print material, then the amount of print material consumed is reduced, but the printing quality deteriorates due to adhesion and coagulation of unused print material
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance unit performs maintenance operations (such as circulating print material or cleaning the printing unit) before print material adhesion and coagulation severely degrade printing quality. This preliminary maintenance action prevents the deterioration of printing quality while allowing infrequent use of the printing device, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing print material consumption and maintaining printing quality.
2Reliability
If maintenance is performed frequently to maintain printing quality, then the printing quality is preserved, but the amount of print material consumed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives information about the type and frequency of printing from the information processing device, and based on this feedback, determines the appropriate maintenance timing and type. This feedback mechanism allows the system to perform maintenance only when necessary to maintain printing quality, avoiding excessive maintenance that would waste print material, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining printing quality and reducing print material consumption.
3Ease of operation
If the system automatically performs maintenance using remaining print material, then user intervention is reduced and printing quality is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance unit utilizes the existing print material supply system and printing mechanisms to perform maintenance operations, rather than requiring a completely separate maintenance system. The printing unit serves dual purposes: both normal printing operations and maintenance operations (such as circulating print material through the system). This multi-functionality reduces device complexity while enabling automatic maintenance that maintains printing quality and reduces user intervention.
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 system effectively suppresses printing quality deterioration by performing maintenance or notifications when ink usage is low, using sufficient ink for maintenance without user intervention, and predicting ink needs for future maintenance, ensuring continuous printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
a remaining amount detector configured to detect a remaining amount of the print material stored in the storage body
Data Source
AI summary
A printing device includes a printing unit configured to use ink stored in an ink cartridge to perform printing on a medium, a remaining amount detector configured to detect a remaining amount of the ink stored in the ink cartridge, a maintenance unit configured to perform maintenance on the printing unit, and a display unit configured to perform predetermined notification regarding either replacement of the ink cartridge or refilling of the ink cartridge with the ink. Either the printing device or a server device includes a selector configured to select either the maintenance to be performed or the predetermined notification based on the remaining amount of the ink when an amount of the ink used for a predetermined time period is equal to or smaller than a defined amount based on information on the amount of the ink used.