US 12,741,471 B2 · Method for aligning printing heads of a printing device and printing device

Abstract

A method for aligning printing heads (12) of a printing device is provided, the printing heads (12) being two-dimensional printing heads (12) comprising a plurality of nozzles (30). In one method step, an ink drop is dispensed at a plurality of nozzles (30) of every printing head (12) simultaneously to print an image, preferably at all nozzles (30) of every printing head (12). In another step, the printed image is captured by a camera (20) whose resolution may be smaller than the print resolution. The position and/or orientation of each of the printing heads (12) is determined based on the image captured by the camera (20) and the deviation of the position and/or orientation of each printing head (12) from a target position and/or orientation is determined. The position and/or the orientation of the printing heads (12) is adjusted based on the determined deviation. Moreover, a printing device (10) is provided.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for aligning printing heads of a printing device, the printing heads being two-dimensional printing heads comprising a plurality of nozzles, each printing head has nozzles arranged in columns and rows, wherein each column and row has at least two nozzles, the method comprising:

dispensing an ink drop at each of a plurality of nozzles arranged in the columns and rows of every printing head simultaneously to print a pattern of dots that reproduces a geometric pattern of the nozzles of the printing heads on a substrate,
capturing a printed image of the pattern by a camera,
determining a position and/or orientation of each of the printing heads based on the pattern of simultaneously dispensed ink drops in the image captured by the camera and determining a deviation of the position and/or orientation of each printing head from a target position and/or orientation, and
adjusting the position and/or the orientation of the printing heads based on the determined deviation.

1 more element

A printing device, in particular an ink jet printing device, comprising:

at least two printing heads, the printing heads being two-dimensional printing heads comprising a plurality of nozzles, wherein a position and/or orientation of the printing heads is adjustable, and wherein each printing head has nozzles arranged in columns and rows, wherein each column and row has at least two nozzles,
a camera configured to capture an image printed by the printing heads by simultaneously dispensing an ink drop onto a substrate from each of the nozzles arranged in the columns and rows of each of the at least two printing heads to print a pattern of dots that reproduces a geometric pattern of the nozzles of each of the at least two printing heads,
a control unit configured for processing the image captured by the camera and for determining a deviation of the position and/or orientation of the at least two printing heads from a target position based on the simultaneously dispensed ink drops in the image, and
an adjustment unit configured to adjust a position and/or orientation of the at least two printing heads based on a deviation determined by the control unit.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for aligning printing heads of a printing device and printing device

Life of this patent

Method for aligning printing heads of a printing device and printing device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18