Recording Head Height Detection Using a Turnable Arm Sensor
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recording apparatuses face challenges in reducing size and detection time for medium height, as detection members protrude and manual adjustments are necessary, affecting efficiency and compactness.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus with a detection unit featuring a turnable arm part and displacement sensor that detects contact and non-contact with the medium, allowing for rapid and accurate height detection through primary and secondary detection methods, enabling compact design and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the detection member is disposed outside the scanning range of the ink-jet head to avoid interference, then the detection function is ensured, but the apparatus size increases due to protruding components
Solution Approach 1:
The detection member is moved from a lateral position (outside scanning range) to a vertical position (below the medium supporting surface). By changing the spatial dimension from horizontal to vertical arrangement, the detection member can function without protruding horizontally, thus reducing apparatus width while maintaining detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The detection member is positioned within the vertical space below the medium supporting surface, utilizing the unused vertical dimension. This nesting approach allows the detection function to be integrated into the existing apparatus footprint without requiring additional horizontal space
2Device complexity
If manual adjustment of the table height is required for detection, then the detection mechanism is simple, but the detection time increases due to manual operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs detection by moving the medium supporting surface toward the ink-jet head until contact is detected, eliminating the need for manual table height adjustment. The apparatus serves itself by autonomously completing the detection process
Solution Approach 2:
The detection process is made continuous and automatic through programmed movement of the medium supporting surface. Instead of manual intermittent adjustment, the system continuously moves the surface until detection occurs, reducing total detection time
3Measurement precision
If repeated detection operations are performed to improve detection accuracy, then the measurement precision increases, but the detection time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces repeated mechanical detection operations with a single accurate detection event by using the ink-jet head's own contact as the detection trigger. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple repeated measurements while maintaining high accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary positioning and preparation before the actual detection moment, ensuring that when contact occurs, the measurement is already optimally positioned for accurate single-shot detection, eliminating the need for repeated operations
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 solution enables rapid and accurate medium height detection, facilitating a compact apparatus design and reducing detection time while maintaining high-quality recording performance.
Implementation Method 1
the displacement detection unit detects contact and non-contact of the contact part and the medium based on a turn of the arm part
Data Source
AI summary
A recording apparatus including a medium supporting part, a recording unit, a movement unit, a height detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit causes the height detection unit to perform the primary detection and the secondary detection, in the primary detection, the displacement detection unit detects the contact and the non-contact with the medium while moving the contact part in a first direction such that when the contact is detected, a movement in the first direction is interrupted, and that the movement in the first direction is restarted after the medium supporting part is separated from the movement unit by a first distance, and in the secondary detection, the displacement detection unit detects the contact and the non-contact with the medium while moving the contact part in a second direction opposite to the first direction such that when the contact is detected.