Dynamic Fuser Temperature Control for Toner Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Printers face challenges in balancing fuser temperature and printing speed to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions while maintaining print quality and throughput, as higher temperatures increase VOCs but are needed for faster printing speeds.
Innovation Solution
A toner coverage determination system that strategically samples pixels in an image to determine maximum toner coverage values, allowing for dynamic adjustment of fuser temperature based on image content, reducing VOC emissions and power consumption without impacting print quality or throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fuser temperature is increased to maintain print speed and quality, then printing speed and print quality are maintained, but VOC emissions and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining toner coverage for different regions of the media and applying different fuser temperatures to different regions. High toner coverage regions receive higher temperatures while low coverage regions receive lower temperatures, optimizing both print quality and VOC reduction locally across the printed surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by dynamically adjusting fuser temperature based on real-time toner coverage analysis of the image data. The system continuously monitors toner distribution and adapts temperature settings during the printing process, transitioning from static to dynamic temperature control to minimize VOC emissions while maintaining print quality.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If fuser temperature is reduced to decrease VOC emissions, then VOC emissions and power consumption are reduced, but printing speed and print quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different temperature levels to different regions based on local toner coverage requirements. Regions with low toner coverage use reduced temperatures for VOC reduction, while regions requiring higher temperatures for proper fusion maintain print speed and quality, thus resolving the contradiction locally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the printing process into toner coverage analysis, region classification, and differential temperature application. By dividing the media surface into regions with different toner coverage characteristics, the system can apply optimized temperatures to each segment, maintaining overall print quality while reducing total VOC emissions.
3Reliability
If uniform high fuser temperature is applied to ensure adequate toner fusion, then print quality is maintained, but energy consumption increases and VOC emissions rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures reliable toner fusion by applying temperature locally matched to toner coverage requirements. Each region receives the minimum necessary temperature for adequate fusion, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption in low-coverage areas while maintaining print quality in high-coverage areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter dynamically based on toner coverage analysis. By adjusting temperature from uniform high values to variable values matched to local toner density, the system maintains fusion quality where needed while reducing energy consumption overall.
Data Source
AI summary
A toner coverage determination system and method are described. The toner coverage determination system may include a memory storing a module comprising machine readable instructions to receive an input image, and generate a grid including a plurality of points corresponding to pixels to be sampled on the input image. The machine readable instructions may further sample the pixels corresponding to the plurality of points, evaluate pixel intensity values for the sampled pixels, and determine a toner coverage value based on the evaluated pixel intensity values.