Staggered Printhead Gap and Print Mask for Ink Fixer Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet printers face issues with cross-contamination and uneven application of fixer fluid and ink due to the overlapping paths of printheads, leading to potential hue-shifting and variations in ink-fixer-media interactions during the printing process.
Innovation Solution
A staggered configuration of printheads with a physical gap between the fixer fluid printhead and color ink printheads, along with a print mask to adjust the swath height and advance distance, ensures that the fixer fluid is applied uniformly and avoids cross-contamination, allowing for bidirectional printing without hue-shifting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If printheads are arranged in overlapping paths to cover the print medium, then printing coverage is improved, but cross-contamination between fixer fluid and ink occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The printhead assembly is segmented into separate fixer fluid printheads and color ink printheads with distinct nozzle arrays. This segmentation allows independent control and positioning of each printhead type, enabling the system to apply fixer fluid and ink in separate passes without cross-contamination, while still achieving complete coverage of the print medium through coordinated operation of multiple printheads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dimensional separation by positioning fixer fluid printheads and color ink printheads at different locations along the carriage axis (perpendicular to the print medium movement). This spatial arrangement in another dimension allows both printhead types to operate without overlapping paths, eliminating cross-contamination while maintaining comprehensive coverage through multi-pass printing.
2Productivity
If printheads traverse in overlapping paths, then printing efficiency is improved, but uneven application of fixer fluid and ink occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The printing process is segmented into separate passes: first pass applies fixer fluid using dedicated fixer printheads, subsequent passes apply color ink using color printheads. This segmentation eliminates interference between different fluids during application, ensuring uniform coverage of each layer without the unevenness caused by overlapping printhead paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixer fluid is applied in advance during the first pass before color ink is applied in subsequent passes. This preliminary action ensures that the print medium is pre-treated with uniform fixer fluid coverage, creating a consistent base for subsequent ink application and eliminating variations in ink-fixer-media interactions.
3Speed
If fixer fluid and ink are applied in overlapping paths, then printing speed is improved, but hue-shifting occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The printing process is divided into sequential passes with dedicated printheads for each fluid type. Fixer fluid is applied first, then color ink is applied in subsequent passes. This segmentation prevents simultaneous application that causes hue-shifting, while the automated multi-pass process maintains high printing speed through efficient carriage traversal.
Solution Approach 2:
The printing process uses periodic action with distinct passes: fixer fluid application pass followed by color ink application passes. This periodic separation ensures that each fluid is applied under optimal conditions without interference, maintaining color accuracy while achieving high throughput through rapid sequential passes.
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 staggered configuration and print mask adjustments ensure uniform fixer fluid application, reducing ink-fixer-media interaction variations and preventing cross-contamination, resulting in improved image quality and consistent color output.
Implementation Method 1
Fixer fluids can be used to pretreat the print medium, causing the subsequently applied colored ink droplets to precipitate quickly
Data Source
AI summary
A printing system includes first and second printheads spaced apart so as to define a gap between the first and second printheads. A controller is configured to the control printheads, including establishing a swath height based on the gap.