Heating Control Unit for Recording Head Temperature Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in downsizing due to high maximum current consumption, and methods like Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-259279 restrict the target temperature of the recording head, making it difficult to heat the recording head to a high temperature efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a heating control unit that divides the heating process into first and second heating controls, using the electric accumulation unit to maintain a middle target temperature and then increasing the temperature to a higher target temperature using higher power consumption, ensuring the accumulated electricity amount is sufficient for the second heating phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heating is conducted continuously to reach high target temperature, then temperature reach is improved, but electric power consumption exceeds the capability of the external power supply
Solution Approach 1:
The electric accumulation unit accumulates electric power in advance from the external power supply before the heating operation. This preliminary accumulation of energy allows the heating element to reach high temperatures without requiring the external power supply to continuously provide high power, thus resolving the contradiction between temperature reach and power consumption capability.
2Quantity of substance
If the motor stands by to charge the electric accumulation unit, then electric charge is supplemented, but the recording head temperature decreases during stand-by time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating to raise the recording head temperature before the motor stands by for charging. This ensures that even though temperature decreases during the stand-by period, the head starts from a higher temperature baseline and can reach the target temperature more efficiently after charging completes.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating control unit dynamically adjusts the heating operation based on the charging status. During the charging period, heating is maintained at an appropriate level to prevent excessive temperature drop, and after charging completes, heating intensity is increased to reach the target temperature, thus balancing temperature maintenance with charge accumulation.
3Reliability
If the power supply unit is designed for maximum current value, then motor operation reliability is improved, but the power supply unit size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electric accumulation unit accumulates electric power in advance during periods when the motor is not operating or operating at low power. This allows the power supply unit to be designed for lower maximum current capacity while still supporting high-power operations, as the energy is pre-stored rather than requiring continuous high-power supply capability.
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 approach allows the recording head to be heated to a higher temperature than previously achievable, effectively overcoming the limitations of existing methods by maintaining sufficient electricity for the second heating phase, thus improving temperature reach and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element for heating the recording head to heat ink in the recording head
Data Source
AI summary
Heating is conducted sequentially by dividing a heating operation into first heating control and second heating control consuming higher electric power than that in the first heating control.