Recording Head Positioning via Cut Faces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses with multiple recording heads face challenges in precise positioning and easy replacement due to complex adjustment mechanisms, high precision requirements, and increased costs, particularly when ejection failures occur, necessitating a more efficient method for aligning and mounting these heads.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a head support member with cut positioning faces on each recording head, allowing for precise alignment and mounting by contacting these faces with corresponding portions of the support member, ensuring uniform distances between positioning faces and nozzles, facilitating high-precision positioning and easy replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a head holder collectively holds multiple recording heads with adjustable positioning, then the position of multiple heads can be adjusted to achieve high-precision positioning, but head replacement must be performed in unit of the entire head holder, increasing complexity and reducing ease of replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the head holder into individual head mounting sections, each with independent positioning capability. Each recording head can be positioned and replaced independently rather than replacing the entire head holder assembly, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining positioning precision through individual adjustment mechanisms for each head.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow dynamic adjustment of each recording head's position. The head holder includes movable mounting sections with adjustment features that enable precise positioning of individual heads while facilitating easy replacement without affecting other heads, resolving the contradiction between precision and replaceability.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple recording heads are positioned with high precision to increase droplet placement accuracy, then image quality improves, but the positioning mechanism becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The head holder is segmented into independent mounting sections, each equipped with its own positioning features. This allows precise positioning of each recording head relative to the others without requiring a complex centralized positioning mechanism, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high relative positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Each recording head mounting section includes self-positioning features such as positioning pins, grooves, or reference surfaces that automatically align and position heads with high precision during installation. This self-service positioning mechanism eliminates the need for complex external positioning systems, reducing device complexity while ensuring accurate relative positioning.
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex position adjustment mechanism is used to position multiple recording heads, then positioning precision improves, but the mechanism increases cost and difficulty of application to multiple heads
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is divided into simple, standardized mounting sections distributed across the head holder. Each section uses basic positioning elements (pins, grooves, flat surfaces) that are inexpensive to manufacture. This segmented approach achieves cumulative positioning precision across multiple heads without requiring a single complex adjustment mechanism, thereby improving ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The head holder is pre-manufactured with integrated positioning features and reference surfaces built into the structure. Recording heads are designed with corresponding positioning elements that mate with these pre-formed features. This preliminary incorporation of positioning capabilities into the basic structure eliminates the need for complex post-assembly adjustment mechanisms, reducing manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of heads and a head support member. Each head has multiple nozzles arrayed in at least one row to eject liquid droplets. The support member has first and second positioning portions to position each head. Each head has a first positioning face to position each head in a nozzle array direction and a second positioning face to position each head in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle array direction. The first positioning face and the second positioning face are cut faces formed by cutting. Each of a first distance between the first positioning face and a first reference nozzle and a second distance between the second positioning face and a second reference nozzle is uniform between the heads. Each head is mounted to the support member with the first and second positioning faces contacting the first and second positioning portions, respectively.