Adaptive ink flushing of a printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926542-B2
Application number	US-202016840707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2020
Priority date	Jun 26, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for adaptive ink flushing of a printer. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes an adaptive ink flushing controller configured to obtain nozzle firing data for a nozzle of a printhead, to analyze the nozzle firing data to determine an inactive firing span of the nozzle, and, in response to determining that the inactive firing span of the nozzle exceeds a threshold, to transmit a firing instruction for ejecting ink.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an adaptive ink flushing controller configured to obtain nozzle firing data for a plurality of nozzles of a printhead, to analyze the nozzle firing data to determine an inactive firing span of each of the plurality of nozzles, and, in response to determining that the inactive firing span of one of the plurality of nozzles exceeds a corresponding threshold, to transmit a firing instruction to the one of the plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink,
wherein the adaptive ink flushing controller is configured to set the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles different than corresponding thresholds for adjacent ones of the plurality of nozzles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the adaptive ink flushing controller is configured to determine the inactive firing span of each of the plurality of the nozzles by counting between nozzle firings of the plurality of nozzles according to the nozzle firing data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the adaptive ink flushing controller is configured to determine the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on an index of the column number corresponding to the one of the plurality of nozzles.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the adaptive ink flushing controller is configured to determine the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on a randomly distributed value of an average reset value of the one of the plurality of nozzles.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the adaptive ink flushing controller is configured to determine the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on a size of one or more drops specified by corresponding nozzle firing data of the plurality of nozzles.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the adaptive ink flushing controller is configured to receive an instruction to output a line flush in a page margin for a print job, and to decrease an instructed amount of ink of the line flush to be ejected by the plurality of nozzles for the line flush based on the inactive firing span of the plurality of nozzles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the corresponding threshold is based on an ink type.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an inkjet printer configured to receive and process the nozzle firing data.

9. A method comprising:
obtaining nozzle firing data for a plurality of nozzles of a printhead;
analyzing the nozzle firing data to determine an inactive firing span of each of the plurality of nozzles;
in response to determining that the inactive firing span of one of the plurality of nozzles exceeds a corresponding threshold, transmitting a firing instruction to the one of the plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink; and
setting the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles different than corresponding thresholds for adjacent ones of the plurality of nozzles.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
determining the inactive firing span of each of the plurality of the nozzles by counting between nozzle firings of the plurality of nozzles according to the nozzle firing data.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
determining the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on an index of the column number corresponding to the one of the plurality of nozzles.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
determining the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on a randomly distributed value of an average reset value of the one of the plurality of nozzles.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
determining the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on a size of one or more drops specified by corresponding nozzle firing data of the plurality of nozzles.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
receiving an instruction to output a line flush in a page margin for a print j ob; and
decreasing an instructed amount of ink of the line flush to be ejected by the plurality of nozzles for the line flush based on the inactive firing span of the plurality of nozzles.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method comprising:
obtaining nozzle firing data for a plurality of nozzles of a printhead;
analyzing the nozzle firing data to determine an inactive firing span of each of the plurality of nozzles;
in response to determining that the inactive firing span of one of the plurality of nozzles exceeds a corresponding threshold, transmitting a firing instruction to the one of the plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink; and
setting the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles different than corresponding thresholds for adjacent ones of the plurality of nozzles.

16. The medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:
determining the inactive firing span of each of the plurality of the nozzles by counting between nozzle firings of the plurality of nozzles according to the nozzle firing data.

17. The medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:
determining the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on an index of the column number corresponding to the one of the plurality of nozzles.

18. The medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:
determining the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on a randomly distributed value of an average reset value of the one of the plurality of nozzles.

19. The medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:
determining the corresponding threshold for the one of the plurality of nozzles based on a size of one or more drops specified by corresponding nozzle firing data of the plurality of nozzles.

20. The medium of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:
receiving an instruction to output a line flush in a page margin for a print j ob; and
decreasing an instructed amount of ink of the line flush to be ejected by the plurality of nozzles for the line flush based on the inactive firing span of the plurality of nozzles.

Assignees

• Ferreri Vincent William
• Kailey Walter F
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ferreri Vincent William
• Kailey Walter F

Classifications

• B41J2002/16573

  Cleaning process logic, e.g. for determining type or order of cleaning processes · CPC title

• B41J2/16526 Primary

  by applying pressure only · CPC title

• B41J2/16579

  Detection means therefor, e.g. for nozzle clogging · CPC title

• B41J2/16585

  for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads · CPC title

• B41J2002/1657

  Cleaning of only nozzles or print head parts being selected · CPC title