Sheet Position Adjustment in Inkjet Recording Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Inkjet recording apparatuses face issues with wasted paper regions and image displacement when conveying continuous sheets, leading to a decline in image quality due to sheet position misalignment during reverse conveyance.

Innovation Solution

A recording apparatus with a meander correcting portion that adjusts the sheet's width-direction position using rollers and sensors to correct meandering and optimize sheet alignment, reducing wasted paper regions and maintaining image quality by ensuring precise positioning during both forward and reverse conveyance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If the recording medium is conveyed in the opposite direction to reduce wasted paper region, then the wasted paper region is reduced, but the position of the recording medium in the width direction becomes displaced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewasted paper regionVSAvoidsheet position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A detection sensor detects the actual position of the sheet during reverse conveyance, and the control unit adjusts the conveying distance based on this feedback to compensate for position displacement, thereby maintaining both waste reduction and positioning accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The conveying distance is dynamically adjusted based on detected position parameters. The system changes the conveying distance parameter from a fixed value to a variable value that compensates for sheet displacement, resolving the contradiction between waste reduction and position accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the sheet position is adjusted during reverse conveyance, then the image quality is maintained, but the complexity of the device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage position accuracyVSAvoidposition adjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces complex mechanical position adjustment mechanisms with a control-based approach that uses detection sensors and computational adjustment of conveying distance, achieving position accuracy through control rather than mechanical means

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the existing conveyance mechanism to perform position correction by adjusting conveying distance, rather than introducing separate adjustment mechanisms. The conveyance system serves dual purposes: primary transport and position correction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4454891A1Recording apparatus and sheet position adjustment method of recording apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 CANON KK
  • EP4454891A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4454891A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4454891A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A recording apparatus, including: a recording portion; a conveying portion that conveys the sheet, while imparting tension to the sheet, in a forward direction and a backward direction; a position detecting portion that detects a position of the sheet in a width direction of the sheet; a position adjustment portion that adjusts a position of the sheet in the width direction; and a control portion that executes a position adjustment operation in which, after conveying the sheet in the backward direction following a recording operation by the recording portion, the sheet is conveyed by the conveying portion in the forward direction while adjusting the position of the sheet in the width direction using the position adjustment portion. A conveying distance of the sheet in the backward direction in the position adjustment operation is determined on the basis of a detection result by the position detecting portion.