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EP0714776A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ink-jet printing apparatus

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-11-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-11-30
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Abstract

Abstract An ink-jet printing apparatus is capable of restricting recovering operation for a printing head (6) into necessary minimum times for preventing defect to be caused upon printing, limit waste ink amount and avoid possibility of damaging the printing head (6). Thus, the apparatus divides nozzles having nozzle number of 1 to 512 into 8 nozzle blocks. With respect to each nozzle block, number of ink ejection data in the corresponding image data is integrated. When the integrated value becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the recovering operation is taken place for the printing head (6).

Inventors

  • 👤 Mineo c/o Canon K.K. Kaneko

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 15:43
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/165; G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/10; G06K15/102; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0082; G06K2215/0085

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 102 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus performing printing by ejecting ink from a printing head on the basis of ink ejection data in an image data, characterized by comprising: a printing head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the ink; recovering means for maintaining said printing head in good condition; counting means dividing said plurality of nozzles into a plurality of nozzle groups for counting the number of said ink ejection data in said image data for a predetermined printing amount per each nozzle group; and control means for operating said recovering means depending upon the result of counting by said counting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 55 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said control means operates said recovering means when an integrated number of the ink ejection data as counted by said counting means becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined number, and in conjunction therewith clears said integrated value of said counting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of said nozzle groups includes nozzles overlapping with adjacent nozzle group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said recovering means includes a wiper for scraping an ejection opening forming surface of the recording head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said recovering means includes a pump for discharging the ink from said printing head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said printing apparatus is a serial scan type ink-jet printing apparatus, and said predetermined printing amount corresponds to one line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 32 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said printing apparatus is a serial scan type ink-jet printing apparatus, and said predetermined printing amount corresponds to one line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said printing head is divided into a plurality of nozzle groups for respective color inks and into a plurality of nozzle groups with respect to said black ink.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said plurality of nozzle groups for the black ink includes nozzles overlapping with adjacent nozzle group.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 63 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said counting means includes a plurality of counters respectively corresponding to said plurality of nozzle groups and means for distributing the printing data to respectively corresponding plurality of counters, and said counter generates an overflow signal when said number of ink ejection data in said printing data reaches a predetermined number.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 54 words
An ink-jet printing apparatus or method or a device or method for controlling an ink-jet head or heads wherein operation of recovery means for cleaning or unblocking nozzles of the ink-jet head is controlled in accordance with the ink ejection data for each of a group of nozzles of the ink-jet head or heads.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH0564890A Cited

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