Recording Head Standby Potential Control for Uniform Dot Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording devices, such as inkjet and thermal head printers, suffer from variations in dot states like dot size due to manufacturing errors, nozzle position differences, and voltage inconsistencies, leading to unintended shading in images.
Innovation Solution
A recording head with multiple recording elements that receive operation signals comprising standby and driving signals, where the standby potential of these signals differs among elements, allowing for individual control to correct density variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple recording elements use the same standby potential, then the device complexity is low, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to dot size variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different standby potentials to different recording elements based on their individual characteristics. Each recording element receives a customized standby potential value that compensates for manufacturing variations, ensuring consistent dot formation across all elements without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (standby potential) of the recording elements to correct dot formation issues. By adjusting the standby potential value for each element, the system compensates for manufacturing tolerances and maintains uniform dot sizes across all recording elements.
2Manufacturing precision
If individual standby potentials are assigned to each recording element, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the standby potential control into individual manageable values for each recording element. Rather than controlling all elements uniformly, the system divides the control into element-specific parameters that can be independently adjusted and stored, simplifying the overall control architecture while achieving precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining and storing the appropriate standby potential for each recording element during initialization or calibration. This self-characterization process eliminates the need for complex manual adjustment mechanisms, allowing the system to compensate for manufacturing variations through automated parameter storage and retrieval.
3Ease of operation
If recording elements are divided into blocks with common standby potential, then ease of operation is high, but measurement precision deteriorates due to density spots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the simplicity of block-based control with the precision of individual element control by implementing a hierarchical approach. Recording elements are organized into blocks for efficient management, while each element within the block maintains its own customized standby potential value, achieving both ease of operation and density uniformity.
Data Source
AI summary
In a head body, a head controller inputs individual signals to multiple recording elements that form dots. The individual signals each include a non-waveform signal and a driving waveform signal. The non-waveform signal is input to the recording element during non-driving and the potential thereof is held at a standby potential. The driving waveform signal is input to the recording element during driving, and the potential thereof transitions from the standby potential to one or more displacement potentials. The standby potential of the non-waveform signal input to at least one of the multiple recording elements is different from the standby potential of the non-waveform signal input to at least another one of the multiple recording elements.