Sub-carriage Guide for Inkjet Head Positioning Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In inkjet recording apparatuses, the landing accuracy of liquid discharged from nozzles is critical for image quality, but existing configurations face challenges in maintaining precise positioning and alignment of the liquid discharge head, leading to potential vibration and displacement issues, especially with heavier head masses, which degrade image quality.
Innovation Solution
The liquid discharge device incorporates a sub-carriage system with a second reference shaft and through holes that allow vertical movement while restricting movement in the sub-scanning direction, combined with adjustment screws for precise inclination and height adjustments, to stabilize the head holder and enhance positional accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the liquid discharge head mass is increased to improve printing capability, then the printing performance is improved, but the positioning accuracy and alignment of the liquid discharge head deteriorates due to vibration and displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple independent components: a carriage that moves in the main scanning direction, a sub-carriage that holds the liquid discharge head, and separate guide structures. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the carriage for movement and the sub-carriage with guide for positioning stability, resolving the contradiction between handling heavy heads and maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
A sub-carriage is introduced as an intermediary component between the carriage and the liquid discharge head. The sub-carriage includes a sub-reference shaft and guide structure that acts as a mediator to maintain positioning accuracy. This intermediary structure isolates the heavy head mass from the moving carriage, preventing vibration transmission while maintaining printing capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If the liquid discharge head is positioned with high accuracy to improve image quality, then the image quality is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional positioning and adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The reference shaft serves multiple functions: it guides the carriage movement in the main scanning direction, supports the sub-carriage, and provides a reference for positioning the liquid discharge head. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate positioning mechanisms, achieving high positioning accuracy without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system uses a hierarchical structure with the carriage moving in the main scanning direction (one dimension) and the sub-carriage with adjuster providing inclination adjustment (another dimension). This dimensional separation allows independent optimization of movement and positioning without requiring complex mechanisms in a single dimension.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the sub-carriage is made movable in the vertical direction to allow adjustment, then the adaptability is improved, but the positioning stability deteriorates due to potential movement in the sub-scanning direction
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure provides different constraints in different directions: it allows vertical movement (for adjustment and adaptation) while restricting movement in the sub-scanning direction (for stability). This directional differentiation of mechanical properties resolves the contradiction between adaptability and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure changes the mechanical parameters of the sub-carriage support system by providing selective自由度 - allowing movement along the vertical axis while constraining movement along the sub-scanning axis. This parameter-based control enables both adjustment capability and positioning stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge head to discharge a liquid, a head holder to hold the liquid discharge head, a sub-carriage to hold the head holder, a carriage to hold the sub-carriage and move in a main scanning direction, an adjuster supported by the sub-carriage, and a guide to guide the sub-carriage to be movable in a vertical direction. The carriage includes a reference shaft extending in the main scanning direction, the reference shaft supports the sub-carriage via the adjuster and positions the sub-carriage in the vertical direction, the adjuster adjusts an inclination of the sub-carriage with respect to the reference shaft, the sub-carriage includes a sub-reference shaft extending in parallel with the reference shaft, and the guide allows the sub-reference shaft to move in the vertical direction while restricting a movement of the sub-reference shaft in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction.