Transparent Droplet Discharge Pattern for Nozzle Clogging Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is difficult to visually observe patterns formed with transparent droplets, making it challenging to detect nozzle clogging or curved discharge from multiple nozzles, unlike patterns formed with color ink droplets.
Innovation Solution
An image formation apparatus is designed with a first discharge unit for color droplets and a second discharge unit for transparent droplets, where the second unit discharges transparent droplets in a specific pattern on a recording medium, allowing for improved visibility by forming rows of dots with successive nozzle shifts, enabling easier detection of discharge issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transparent droplets are used to form patterns, then the image formation apparatus can discharge transparent droplets, but the visibility of the formed patterns becomes poor making it difficult to detect nozzle clogging or curved discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by forming a color droplet pattern first, then forming transparent droplet patterns on top of it. The color pattern serves as a visible background that enhances the visibility of the transparent droplet patterns through contrast, making it easier to detect nozzle clogging or curved discharge issues with the transparent droplets.
Solution Approach 2:
The color droplet pattern acts as an intermediary element. It is discharged first and serves as a visible reference pattern that mediates the visibility of the subsequent transparent droplet patterns. This intermediary color pattern allows for easier detection of issues with the transparent droplets without requiring the transparent droplets themselves to be visually distinct.
2Ease of operation
If multiple transparent droplet patterns are discharged from multiple nozzles, then the discharge operation can be examined, but the visibility of patterns from multiple nozzles remains poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the examination process into two distinct stages: first discharging color droplets to form a visible reference pattern, then discharging transparent droplets from multiple nozzles on top of it. This segmentation allows the color pattern to serve as a stable background reference while the transparent droplet patterns from multiple nozzles are examined for proper discharge from each nozzle position.
Solution Approach 2:
The color droplet pattern provides a visible, contrasting background that enhances the visibility of transparent droplet patterns discharged from multiple nozzles. The color pattern acts as a reference that makes the transparent patterns more discernible, enabling easier examination of discharge operations from multiple nozzles.
Data Source
AI summary
An image formation apparatus includes a first discharge unit to form an image on a recording medium; and a second discharge unit including a nozzle line that discharges transparent droplets on the image formed on the recording medium. The second discharge unit moves in a first direction relative to the recording medium and the nozzle line has nozzles in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. After the image formation, the second discharge unit discharges the transparent droplets from the nozzles spaced at m−1 nozzle intervals to form a row of dots in the second direction, and repeats the forming while moving to form m rows in the first direction, such that the dots in the rows are formed at m−1 nozzle intervals and positions of the dots between n-th and n−1-th rows are displaced together by one nozzle in the second direction.