Liquid Ejection System Sub Tank Refill Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid ejection systems with multiple sub tanks and main tanks face complexity in switching and refilling, leading to inefficiencies and user burden, as frequent refilling and tank replacement can cause prolonged downtime and damage to printing devices.
Innovation Solution
A control unit manages the switching between supply-side and refill-side sub tanks, optimizing refilling based on conditions such as suppliable time and refill time to minimize switching complexity and promote timely main tank replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sub tanks are provided for each color to ensure continuous liquid supply, then the reliability of liquid supply is improved, but the device complexity and control complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid supply system is segmented into multiple sub-tanks (first sub-tank and second sub-tank) for each color, allowing independent operation and refilling of each sub-tank while maintaining continuous supply to the head through parallel connection
Solution Approach 2:
The main tank serves multiple functions: it can refill both the first and second sub-tanks, and can be replaced as a complete unit. The system allows universal refilling operations across different color channels through the same main tank interface
2Productivity
If frequent refilling of sub tanks is performed to maintain liquid supply, then the productivity is improved, but the loss of time and device damage risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit predicts future liquid levels in sub-tanks based on current consumption rates and refilling speeds, allowing refilling operations to be initiated in advance before the liquid level becomes critically low, thus preventing interruptions in printing
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors liquid levels in sub-tanks and main tanks, and the control unit adjusts refilling operations dynamically based on real-time feedback from level sensors and predicted consumption patterns, optimizing the timing and duration of refilling operations
3Ease of operation
If multiple main tanks are provided for different colors to enable refilling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of time and user burden increase due to frequent replacements
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sub-tanks for the same color are merged into a single refilling operation through the main tank, allowing simultaneous or sequential refilling of multiple sub-tanks without requiring separate main tanks for each sub-tank
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-monitoring and self-scheduling of refilling operations, where the control unit automatically determines when and which sub-tanks need refilling based on liquid level sensors and predicted consumption, reducing the need for user intervention in tank management
Data Source
AI summary
The control unit, when a first condition in which a minimum value of a suppliable time that is a time it takes for an amount of liquid contained in each supply-side sub tank to reach an amount corresponding to a switching preparation time necessary for switching between the refill-side sub tank and the supply-side sub tank is less than or equal to a maximum value of a full refill refilling time that is a period from when refill processing for performing refilling of the liquid from the main tank is started in each of the plurality of refill-side sub tanks until a state is achieved in which the refill-side sub tank is fully re-filled with liquid and can supply the liquid is satisfied, the refill processing is performed on the plurality of refill-side sub tanks.