HP INCFollow

Abstract

The procedure herein disclosed allows the printer to automatically detect with high precision the

point where a non‐rigid moving element (for example, the wiper such as a rubber wipe or a web

wipe subsystem) starts interfering with the nozzle plate as to ensure that the force applied during

the wiping routines stays at the optimal value, avoiding disturbances coming from:

‐ The geometric tolerances of the machine and subsystems. These tolerances cause that the

machines have different distances between the wiper subsystems and the nozzle plate in

each particular machine and wiper.

‐ The geometric tolerances of the consumable. Bare rubber wipes are frequently replaced due

to wear and every consumable has some deviation in their datum‐to‐rubber‐tip distance.

‐ The wear of the rubber part. Vertical position of the tip changes with use (specially in the

bare rubber wipers), so it is important to position the wiper taking this change into account.

The above‐mentioned high precision is necessary to avoid image quality problems that can come

from excessive wiping force (streakiness or ink drops) or from insufficient wiping force (crusting).

The procedure compares the free movement of the motor that is responsible for the vertical

positioning of the wiper with its movement when the carriage is positioned above. An algorithm

compares read position, voltage input and its derivative for the two cases (with several repetitions

for each case), filters the data and is able to predict with high accuracy where the beginning of the

interference between the wiper and the nozzle plate is taking place.

This procedure will be applied at the beginning of the life of each consumable and automatically

throughout its use in the machine, with some regularity.

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Creative Commons License
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