Thermal Head Division Printing for Ribbon Sticking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional printers using thermal heads often experience ink ribbon breakage due to rapid temperature changes, which can cause the ribbon to stick to the thermal head, and existing preheating methods do not adequately address these issues.

Innovation Solution

A printer control scheme that divides heating elements into subgroups and activates them in a time-divided manner during a control period to prevent excessive heat buildup and sticking, while reverting to non-division printing in a normal period to maintain efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the thermal head is preliminarily heated (preheating) to prevent ink ribbon breakage, then the reliability of printing operation is improved, but the temperature control complexity increases and may cause sticking phenomenon

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting operation reliabilityVSAvoidtemperature control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating elements are divided into multiple subgroups that are activated in a time-divided manner during the control period. This segmentation allows the thermal head to be heated progressively rather than all at once, preventing excessive temperature rise and sticking while still achieving reliable printing operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic action by alternating between control period (with division printing) and normal period (with non-division printing). During the control period, heating elements are activated in time-divided subgroups; during the normal period, all heating elements are activated at once. This periodic switching maintains reliability while managing temperature control complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Productivity

If all heating elements are activated at once (non-division printing) to maintain printing efficiency, then the productivity is improved, but the temperature change rate increases causing ink ribbon sticking and breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting efficiencyVSAvoidink ribbon integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by adaptively switching between division printing and non-division printing based on the printing phase. During the control period (initial phase), division printing is used to prevent sticking. During the normal period (steady-state phase), non-division printing is used to maximize efficiency. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control period serves as a preliminary action phase where division printing is applied before the main printing operation. This preliminary controlled heating prevents sticking to occur in the first place, allowing subsequent high-speed non-division printing to proceed without ribbon breakage issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If division printing is used for all print lines to prevent sticking, then the reliability is improved, but the printing time increases reducing productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting operation reliabilityVSAvoidprinting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses periodic action by implementing division printing only during the control period (initial print lines) and switching to non-division printing during the normal period (subsequent print lines). This time-limited application of division printing maintains reliability during the critical initial phase while minimizing the time penalty, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

This approach effectively prevents ink ribbon breakage and sticking by managing thermal head temperature fluctuations, ensuring reliable printing operations and extending the life of the ink ribbon.

Implementation Method 1

printing on the printing medium by using heat from the heating elements (which generate heat when current is passed therethrough)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

the thermal head is preliminarily heated prior to printing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10414169B2Printer, printing system, method of printing control, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2019.09.17 CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD

AI summary

A printer includes a processor and a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements to print an image having a plurality of print lines on a printing medium on the basis of printing data, wherein in an initial control period, for any printing data, the processor causes the thermal head to perform a division printing for each of the print lines that are to be printed in the control period, the division printing being such that for each print line to be printed, the plurality of heating elements are divided into a plurality of subgroups and the respective subgroups of the heating elements are activated in a time-divided manner, and wherein in a normal period after the control period, the processor causes the thermal head performs a non-division printing for at least some of the print lines that are to be printed in the normal period.