Thermal Transfer Printer Ribbon Control for Nonprinting Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
In thermal transfer printers, the ink ribbon is excessively delivered due to inertia during supply stop and resumption times, leading to inefficiencies in ink ribbon consumption during nonprinting regions.
Innovation Solution
A printer device with a control unit that separates the thermal head from the platen roller at the start of a nonprinting region, decelerates the ink ribbon, moves it in the opposite direction, and then accelerates it back to the supply speed at the end of the nonprinting region, ensuring the ink ribbon positions are the same at the start and end, thus reducing unnecessary consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the ink ribbon supply is stopped during nonprinting regions to save consumption, then ink ribbon consumption is reduced, but the moment of inertia causes excessive delivery distance during supply stop and resumption
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary deceleration of the ink ribbon before the nonprinting region starts and preliminary acceleration before the nonprinting region ends. This preliminary action ensures that the ink ribbon is already at the correct speed and position when entering and exiting the nonprinting region, preventing excessive delivery distance caused by moment of inertia during supply stop and resumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically changes the supply speed parameter of the ink ribbon based on the printing status. During nonprinting regions, the supply speed is reduced to a lower speed, while during printing regions, the supply speed is increased to match the medium conveying speed. This parameter change allows the system to balance ink ribbon consumption with precise position control.
2Reliability
If the thermal head is separated from the medium in nonprinting regions to prevent printing errors, then printing accuracy is improved, but the ink ribbon continues to be delivered due to inertia
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary deceleration of the ink ribbon before the nonprinting region starts. This preliminary action ensures that when the thermal head is separated from the medium, the ink ribbon has already been slowed down sufficiently to minimize delivery distance during the separation period, thereby reducing ink ribbon consumption while maintaining printing accuracy.
3Productivity
If the ink ribbon is accelerated quickly to supply speed at the end of nonprinting region to maintain productivity, then printing speed is maintained, but the moment of inertia causes excessive delivery distance
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary acceleration of the ink ribbon before the nonprinting region ends. This preliminary action ensures that the ink ribbon reaches the target supply speed gradually and accurately, rather than being accelerated quickly which would cause excessive delivery distance due to moment of inertia. This maintains both productivity and position control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically adjusts the acceleration rate parameter of the ink ribbon based on the proximity to the nonprinting region end. As the ink ribbon approaches the end of the nonprinting region, the acceleration rate is increased to ensure the ink ribbon reaches the target supply speed in a controlled manner, balancing productivity with precise position control.
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 method efficiently reduces ink ribbon usage in nonprinting regions by minimizing delivery during deceleration and acceleration phases, optimizing ribbon consumption and preventing errors.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal head disposed to face the platen roller via the medium and the ink ribbon and configured to transfer ink of the ink ribbon to the medium to perform printing
Implementation Method 2
since the moment of inertia occurs at a supply stop time and a supply resumption time of the ink ribbon, the ink ribbon is excessively delivered by a distance obtained by adding up a distance until the ink ribbon stops and a distance until the ink ribbon is accelerated to the supply speed
Data Source
AI summary
A printer device in an embodiment includes a conveying unit including a platen roller configured to convey a medium, a supply unit configured to supply an ink ribbon at supply speed corresponding to conveying speed of the medium, a thermal head configured to transfer ink of the ink ribbon to the medium to perform printing, a moving unit configured to move a disposition position of the thermal head, and a control unit configured to control the supply unit and the moving unit and perform a ribbon save operation for, in a start position of a nonprinting region, separating the thermal head from the platen roller and starting deceleration of the ink ribbon and, according to an end position of the nonprinting region, accelerating the ink ribbon to the supply speed and bringing the thermal head close to the platen roller.