EP0679518A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Print head, especially for use in a serial printer
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1995-03-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-03-02
Abstract
Abstract In an ink jet printer, a print head includes (N+1) nozzles arrayed in the paper feed direction. The distance between the adjacent nozzles is K times as long as the dot line pitch P. N and K are each an integer larger than 2, and mutually prime. The quantity of ink droplet discharged from each nozzle is adjusted such as to form on a print medium (111), dots each having a diameter at least 1.4 times as large as the dot line pitch (l). An interlaced print as a combination of several print paths made by the N successive upper nozzles of the print head and a paper feed of N print line pitches is used for the print on the major part (AB) of the print medium (111). A minute-feed print as a combination of several print paths made by the N successive upper or lower nozzles of the print head and a paper feed of one print line pitch (l) is used for the print on the upper (AH) and lower (AF) end areas of the print medium that for which perfect printing by interlaced printing cannot be obtained. With the combination of interlaced printing and minute-feed printing, a perfect print is made on the entire surface of the print medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira C/O Seiko Epson Corporation Takagi
- 👤 Hiroaki C/O Seiko Epson Corporation Tojo
- 👤 Shoichi C/O Seiko Epson Corporation Hiraide
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:27
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/485; B41J2/505; B41J2/5056; B41J11/00; B41J11/36; B41J11/42; B41J11/425; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2121; B41J2/2128; G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/10; G06K15/102; G06K15/105
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A print head (l, l0l) for carrying out a print on a print medium (lll) by alternately carrying out a main scan and a sub scan, comprising: N dot forming elements mounted in said print head (l, l0l) and arrayed in a direction of the sub-scan (N is an integer larger than 2), a distance between adjacent ones of said dot forming elements being K times as long as a dot line pitch (K is an integer and K and N are mutually prime), a distance of the sub-scan being adjusted to be N times as long as the dot line pitch; wherein said dot forming elements are arranged so as to form on said print medium (111), dots each having a diameter at least l.4 times as large as the dot line pitch.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A print head for carrying out a print on a print medium (lll) by alternately carrying out a main scan and a sub scan especially according to claim l, comprising: (N+l) dot forming elements mounted in said print head (l, l0l) and arrayed in a direction of the sub-scan, a distance between adjacent ones of said dot forming elements being K times as long as a dot line pitch, N and K being mutually prime and each An integer larger than 2, and N > K; hybrid print control means for controlling the main scan, the sub-scan, and the operation of said dot forming elements, such as to selectively carry out one of a minute-feed print mode and an interlaced print mode, said hybrid print control means selecting the interlaced print for a body area (AB) of said print medium on which a perfect print by the interlaced print mode can be performed, and selecting the minute-feed print for a head area (AH) and a foot area (AF) of said print medium on which a perfect print by the interlaced print cannot be performed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The print head according to claim 2, wherein when the minute-feed print is carried out to print the head area (AH), and the interlaced print is carried out to print the body area (AB), said hybrid print control means uses N successive dot forming elements of said (N+1) dot forming elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The print head according to claim 2 or 3, wherein when the minute-feed print is carried out to print the foot area (AF), said hybrid print control means uses at least N successive lower dot forming elements of said (N+l) dot forming elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
The print head according to any of claims 2 to 4, further comprising standard print control means for controlling the main scan, the sub-scan, and operation of the dot forming elements, so as to selectively carry out one of a step feed print and the minute-feed print, wherein a position of an upper print end controlled by said hybrid print control means is coincident with a position of an upper print end controlled by said standard print control means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
The printer head according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein said hybrid print control means comprises first means for detecting whether or not print data is present in the head area (AH) and the foot area (AF) of said print medium, and second means operating such that when said first means detects that no print data is present in at least one of the head area (AH) and the foot area (AF), said second means omits the minute-feed print in the area having no print data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The print head according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein said hybrid print control means includes third means for printing all lines in the head area and the foot area by the minute-feed print, and fourth means for printing all lines within the body area by the interlaced print.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
The print head according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein said hybrid print control means includes fifth means for printing, by the interlaced print, not only all lines in the body area (AB) but also lines in the head area (AH) and the foot area (AF) that can be printed by the interlaced print, and sixth means for printing only lines in the head area (AH) and the foot area (AF) that cannot be printed by the interlaced print, by the minute-feed print.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The print head according to any of claims 2 to 8, further comprising seventh means operating such that when one of the minute-feed print and the interlaced print is carried out, said seventh means generates NULL data for some of said dot forming elements located at lines that can be printed by both the minute-feed print and the interlaced print.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The print head according to claim 9, wherein said seventh means generates the NULL data only when the minute-feed print is carried out.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The print head according to any of claims 2 to 10, wherein said dot forming elements are arranged so as to form on said Print medium, dots each having a diameter at least 1.4 times as large as the dot line pitch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
Use of the print head according to any one of the preceding claims in a serial printer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The use of the print head according to claim 12, characterized in that the serial printer is an inkjet printer, a thermal printer, or a dot impact printer.
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