UV Curing Timing for Uniform Liquid Deposit Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid ejecting apparatuses face issues with non-uniform thickness of liquid deposits due to overlapping dot groups, where ends tend to be thicker than the midsection, leading to banding and reduced image quality.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus adjusts the timing and intensity of ultraviolet light exposure during the curing process, ensuring that the ends of dot groups are exposed to ultraviolet light later than the midsection, allowing for longer curing time and uniform thickness by modifying the arrangement of UV-light-emitting elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If dot groups are formed in plurality in the transporting direction, then productivity is improved, but the thickness of liquid deposits becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by exposing the midsection of dot groups to ultraviolet light before the ends are exposed. This timing sequence allows the midsection to cure first, establishing a baseline thickness, while the ends are exposed later to prevent excessive thickness accumulation from overlapping dot groups. This sequential curing approach enables high-speed dot group formation while maintaining thickness uniformity.
2Productivity
If the end of dot group is overlapped by more dot groups, then productivity is improved, but the thickness at the end becomes larger than at the midsection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by exposing the midsection of dot groups to ultraviolet light before the ends are exposed. This timing sequence allows the midsection to cure first, establishing a baseline thickness, while the ends are exposed later to prevent excessive thickness accumulation from overlapping dot groups. This sequential curing approach enables high-speed dot group formation while maintaining thickness uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the curing timing between different regions of the dot group. The midsection receives ultraviolet exposure at an earlier timing, while the ends receive exposure at a later timing. This localized temporal differentiation ensures that each region cures under appropriate conditions, preventing the ends from becoming excessively thick while maintaining overall thickness uniformity.
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 ensures uniform thickness of the liquid deposits, reducing banding and enhancing image quality by maintaining consistent thickness across the dot group.
Implementation Method 1
a light-emitting portion that emits ultraviolet light... causing the light-emitting portion to emit the ultraviolet light toward each dot group to cure the dot group
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an array of nozzles and a light-emitting portion that emits ultraviolet light. A control portion alternately and repetitively transports a medium in a transporting direction relative to the nozzles. The control portion forms a dot group in the transporting direction on the medium by ejecting a liquid toward the medium from the nozzles. The control portion also performs a light-emitting operation every time the control portion forms a dot group. The light-emitting operation is performed by causing the light-emitting portion to emit the ultraviolet light toward the dot group to cure the dot group. During the light-emitting operation, at least one of two ends of the dot group in the transporting direction is exposed to the ultraviolet light at a time later than the time at which a midsection of the dot group in the transporting direction is exposed to the ultraviolet light.