EP0433556A2
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EP
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Process and apparatus for multi-color ink jet printing
Assignee: HP Inc
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Filing: 1990-08-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-08-30
Abstract
Abstract A process for multi-color ink jet printing and a color pen (10) and nozzle plate (12) for use therewith wherein nozzles are provided in adjacent spaced apart and vertically offset columns (30, 32, 34, 36) in the nozzle plate (12). Each column (30, 32, 34, 36) of nozzles (C, M, Y, K) is dedicated to a particular color of ink to be printed, and these columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of nozzles are passed in multiple, back and forth passes across a print medium during an ink jet printing process. Using this process, the rate of ink deposition per printhead (10) pass across a print media will be minimized, and this enhances color uniformity and absorption by the print media, particularly in applications requiring large amounts of solid color area fill.
Inventors
- 👤 William B. Weiser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:15
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A process for ink jet color printing which includes the steps of: a. printing dot rows (58, 60) of ink across a predefined area of media to be printed, and b. completing a dot row scan (Figures 3A - 3D and 4A - 4D) of said predefined area without printing in excess of two dot rows either simultaneously or successively across said predefined area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process defined in claim 1 which includes providing an ink jet nozzle plate (12) having a plurality of color-dedicated columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of nozzles (C, M, Y, K) therein, with each nozzle column being vertically offset with respect to each adjacent column by a distance (D) equal to the width dimension of one dot row.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for color ink jet printing which includes ejecting ink to print a plurality of dot rows from a plurality of vertically offset color-dedicated nozzle columns (30, 32, 34, 36) in a nozzle plate (12) which defines one dimension of a first color printed area, and then moving said nozzle plate (12) relative to print media by a predetermined distance, and printing a second area of media adjacent to said first area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process defined in claim 3 which includes offsetting each nozzle column with respect to each adjacent column by an amount equal to a width dimension (D) of one of said dot rows.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
108 words
A process for scanning and printing a predefined area of print media with an ink jet printhead (10), which includes the steps of: a. arranging color-dedicated nozzles in a printhead nozzle plate (12) in adjacent columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of nozzles (C, M, Y, K) which are offset along a length dimension of said nozzle plate by the width (D) of one row of dots to be printed horizontally across said predefined area, and b. selectively firing said nozzles (C, M, Y, K) to thereby print a plurality of dot rows without depositing in excess of two adjacent dot rows (58, 60) either simultaneously or in succession.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
139 words
A multi-color ink jet printing process which comprises the steps of: a. providing ink ejection nozzles (C, M, Y, K) in adjacent spaced apart columns (30, 32, 34, 36) for receiving, respectively, different colors of ink in each column, b. offsetting said nozzles vertically in each column (30, 32, 34, 36) by a predetermined distance (D), c. moving said columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of nozzles a predetermined number of passes with respect to an adjacent print medium, and d. firing a percentage of the nozzles in each column (30, 32, 34, 36) in a sequence that deposits a maximum of two adjacent dot rows (58, 60) either simultaneously or in succession, whereby the printed areas of ink drying on the printed media and defining a boundary between adjacent dot rows is limited to two dot rows (58, 60).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process defined in claim 6 which further includes firing nozzles (C, M, Y, K) in each of said columns (30, 32, 34, 36) in a predetermined spaced vertical sequence therein.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for multi-color ink jet printing which comprises: a. providing adjacent columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of ink ejection nozzles (C, M, Y, K) for each color, respectively, of a plurality of colors to be printed, b. moving said ink ejection nozzles relative to an adjacent print medium (Figures 3A -3D and 4A -4D), and c. firing only a predetermined percentage of nozzles (C, M, Y, K) within each column (30, 32, 34, 36) on each successive pass of said nozzles across a horizontal dimension of a print scan area until all nozzles required for firing have been fired upon completion of all passes necessary to print a desired color image on said scan area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
An ink jet pen (10) for use in multi-color ink jet printers, including: a. a nozzle plate having spaced apart columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of nozzles (C, M, Y, K) therein, with nozzles in each column being offset vertically with respect to nozzles in each adjacent column by a predetermined distance (D), and b. means (20, 22, 24, 26) fluidically coupled to each of said columns (30, 32, 34, 36) for supplying each column of nozzles with a separate color of ink.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
The pen defined in claim 9 which further includes: a. a support housing (18) having fluidically isolated ink storage compartments (20, 22, 24, 26) therein, and b. a thin film resistor substrate member (16) disposed between said support housing (18) and said nozzle plate (12) for providing firing energy to said nozzle columns (30, 32, 34, and 36) and propelling ink from said ink storage compartments (20, 22, 24, 26) to said nozzle columns (30, 32, 34, 36) respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The pen defined in claim 10 wherein said pen includes ink storage compartments (20, 22, 24, 26) of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink coupled, respectively, to vertically offset dedicated ink ejection nozzle columns (30, 32, 34, 36) of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black arranged along a length dimension of said nozzle plate (12).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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