EP0719647A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ink-jet apparatus employing ink-jet head having a plurality of ink ejection heaters corresponding to each ink ejection opening
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-12-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-12-28
Abstract
Abstract In an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ink ejection opening, appropriate preliminary ejection is performed per each ejection amount mode set by heater to be used among a plurality of heaters. Depending upon set printing mode (step S9), printing is the performed one of large, medium and small ejection amount modes (steps S10, S12, S14). For example, after printing is performed for a predetermined amount by the small ejection amount mode (step S10), the preliminary ejection during printing, is performed in the medium ejection amount mode which is greater in ejection amount than the small ejection amount mode. By this, internal of preliminary ejection during printing can be set longer to prevent lowering of through put due to preliminary printing operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Jiro Moriyama
- 👤 Shigeyasu Nagoshi
- 👤 Hiroshi Tajika
- 👤 Fumihiro Gotoh
- 👤 Masao Kato
- 👤 Noribumi Koitabashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:17
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J19/00; B41J19/14; B41J19/142; B41J19/147; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/04528; B41J2/04533; B41J2/04551; B41J2/04563; B41J2/04573; B41J2/0458; B41J2/04588; B41J2/04591; B41J2/04593; B41J2/04598; B41J2/135; B41J2/14; B41J2/165; B41J2/16517; B41J2/1652; B41J2/16526; B41J2/21; B41J2/2121; B41J2/2128; B41J2/2132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head capable of ejecting an ink in variable of an ejection amount in a plurality of steps and performing printing by ejecting an ink from the ink-jet head toward a printing medium, characterized by comprising: printing means for performing printing operation in a predetermined ink ejection amount among the plurality of steps of ink ejection amounts in said ink-jet head; and preliminary ejection means for performing ink ejection not associated with printing, from said ink-jet head, at an ejection amount greater than said predetermined ink ejection amount among the plurality of steps of ink ejection amounts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to one ejection opening and performing printing by ejecting an ink to a printing medium utilizing the energy generated by the energy generating elements, characterized by comprising: printing means for performing printing operation in a plurality of ink ejection amount modes established by combination of an energy generating element to be used among the plurality of energy generating elements; and preliminary ejection means for performing ink ejection not associated with printing, from said ink-jet head used for printing operation, while said printing operation is performed in one of said plurality of ejection amount modes, the ink ejection by said preliminary means being performed in the ejection amount mode having ejection amount greater than or equal to the ejection amount of the ejection amount mode employed in said printing operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of energy generating elements are mutually differentiated the magnitude of the energy to be generated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of energy generating elements generates equal magnitude of energy to each other and said printing means differentiates the ejection amount modes by varying number of energy generating elements to be used.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, in printing operation of the ejection amount mode, in which not all of the plurality of energy generating elements are used, said preliminary ejection means performs ink ejection with employing one greater number of energy generating elements than that employed in said printing operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of energy generating elements corresponding to one ejection opening and performing printing by ejecting an ink to a printing medium utilizing the energy generated by the energy generating elements, characterized by comprising: printing means for performing printing operation in a plurality of ink ejection amount modes established by combination of an energy generating element to be used among the plurality of energy generating elements; and preliminary ejection executing means having preliminary ejection modes respectively corresponding to the plurality of ejection amount modes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said preliminary ejection executing means further has a preliminary ejection mode upon switching of the ejection amount modes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the energy generating element generates a thermal energy to generate bubble in the ink for ejecting the ink by generation of the bubble.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ejection opening and performing printing by ejecting an ink from said ink-jet head to a printing medium, characterized by comprising: driving means for applying respective pulses to the plurality of heaters for bubbling the ink for ejecting the ink through said one ejection opening, said driving means being capable of mutually shifting timings of bubbling at respective of said plurality of heaters on a basis of information relating to an ink temperature of said ink-jet head.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the plurality of heaters are heaters identical in position relative to one ejection opening, size and heating characteristics with respect to each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the plurality of heaters are heaters different in position relative to one ejection opening, size and heating characteristics with respect to each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
An ejection amount controlling method in an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink ejecting portion having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ejection opening and ejecting ink from said ink ejecting portion to a printing medium, said method characterized by comprising the step of: adjusting an ink ejection amount by mutually shifting bubbling timing at respective of the plurality of heaters upon application of respective pulses to the plurality of heaters for causing bubbling of ink to eject ink through the ink ejection opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
92 words
An ejection amount stabilizing method in an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink ejecting portion having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ejection opening and ejecting ink from said ink ejecting portion to a printing medium, said method characterized by comprising the step of: stabilizing an ink ejection amount by mutually shifting bubbling timing at respective of the plurality of heaters upon application of respective pulses to the plurality of heaters for causing bubbling of ink to eject ink through the ink ejection opening so as to adjust the ink ejection amount.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
128 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ejection opening, and ejecting ink from said ink-jet head to a printing medium, characterized by comprising: head driving means for applying a preceding pulse which does not cause ejection and a subsequent pulse following said preceding pulse to generate a bubble for ejecting the ink; ejection amount mode setting means for setting an ejection amount mode by selecting heater to be applied the subsequent pulse among said plurality of heaters; and pre-pulse control means for controlling application of the preceding pulse through said head driving means in respective ejection amount modes set by said ejection amount mode setting means, on a basis of information relating to an ink temperature of said ink-jet head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head arranged first and second heaters corresponding to one ejection openings and ejecting an ink droplet of a selected one of a plurality of ejection amounts by generating bubble by driving said first and second heaters in combination, characterized by comprising: driving means for driving said first and second heaters with a pre-heat pulse in advance of driving with a main heating pulse.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said driving means has an ejection amount mode established by driving said first heater, an ejection amount mode established by driving said second heater, and an ejection amount mode established by driving both of said first and second heaters.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said driving means performs control of the pre-heat pulse at least on a basis of a temperature information of the ink-jet head and/or temperature calculated value of the ink-jet head.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that said driving means varies setting of the heaters driven by the pre-heat pulse and/or pre-heat control mode depending upon the ejection amount mode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that said driving-means performs at least pre-heating by the heater driving for main heating.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that said driving mans performs pre-heating with the heater other than the heater driven for main heating.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the control of the pre-heat pulse by said driving means is to vary a pulse width of the pre-heat-pulse.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the control of the pre-heat pulse by said driving means is to vary a period between said the pre-heat pulse and the main heat pulse.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that said driving means varies a control mode of pre-heating depending upon the ejection amount mode.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that said driving means switches the heater to be driven by the pre-heat pulse depending upon the head temperature information of the ink jet head.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that said driving means drives different heaters with the pre-heat pulse and the main heat pulse, respectively.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
65 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head arranged a plurality of mutually different heaters corresponding to one ejection opening and ejecting ink droplet of a plurality of mutually different ejection amounts by driving the plurality of heaters in combination to generate a bubble, characterized by comprising: a table used for driving the heaters in the combination corresponding to respective combinations of said plurality of heaters.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that said table includes a table used for driving two or more of said plurality of heaters.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 27 characterized in that said table is switched depending upon the temperature information of said ink-jet head.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
94 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head arranged a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ejection opening and ejecting an ink from the ink-jet head to a printing medium, characterized by comprising: setting means for setting presence or absence in heater driving irrespective of ejection data for respective of the plurality of heaters; and ejection data setting means for establishing correspondence between ejection data and the ejection openings to perform ink ejection on a basis of said ejection data, depending upon combination of presence or absence of driven heaters set by said setting means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 29, characterized in that a density of printing is set by setting by said setting means and correspondence established by said ejection data setting means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 29, characterized in that ejecting position between a plurality of ink-jet heads is adjusted by setting by said setting means and correspondence established by said ejection data setting means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 29 characterized in that an ink amount to be ejected for one pixel is set by setting by said setting means and correspondence established by said ejection data setting means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
55 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 29, which further comprises data generating means for generating interpolating ejection data on a basis of the ejection data and wherein said ejection data setting means establishes correspondence of the interpolating ejection data to the ejection openings other than the ejection openings for which correspondence has been established.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
47 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that the ink amount to be ejected for one pixel is determined by setting of the ejection amount of respective of ejection openings for which the correspondence have been established by the combination of said driven heaters.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
79 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 33, which further comprises a feeding amount setting means for setting relative shifting magnitude between said ink-jet head and said printing medium depending upon combination of presence and absence of driven heater set by said setting means, and wherein printing is performed for a given range on the printing medium by scanning of said ink-jet head for the times determined by said relative shifting magnitude set by said feeding amount setting means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 34, characterized in that said ejection timing is varied depending upon the ejection amount set with respect to the corresponded ejection opening.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
86 words
An ink-jet apparatus for performing printing employing an ink-jet head having ejection openings which can sequentially differentiate a size of ink droplet among a plurality of sizes per in each scanning cycle or per every scanning cycles, characterized by comprising: means for driving said ink-jet head with relatively shifting said ink-jet head relative to said printing medium so that a plurality of different sizes of ink droplets are ejected so as to-form a plurality of different sizes of dots which are complementary disposed to each other.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 37, characterized in that said plurality of sizes of ink droplets are formed by combination of a plurality of heaters in said ink-jet head.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
An ink-jet apparatus as claimed in claim 37, characterized in that combination of said plurality of heaters is differentiated depending upon a kind of the printing medium to be used.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
53 words
An ink-jet apparatus for performing printing employing an ink-jet head having ejection openings which can sequentially differentiate a size of ink droplet among a plurality of sizes per in each scanning cycle or per every scanning cycles, characterized in that ejection timing of is differentiated depending upon the size of the ink droplet.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
77 words
An ink-jet apparatus having an ink-jet head capable of ejecting mutually different two sized of ink droplets and capable of reciprocal printing, characterized by comprising: first mode executing means for performing printing with a large ink droplet in one of forward and reverse printing directions; second mode executing means for performing printing with a small ink droplet in the other of the forward and reverse printing directions; and switching means for switching said first and second modes.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
45 words
An ink-jet apparatus having an ink-jet head capable of ejecting mutually different two sizes of ink droplets, characterized by comprising: means for varying ejection timing of the ink drop let depending upon the size of the ink droplet or combination of heaters to be driven.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
56 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head, in which a plurality of ejection openings are arranged in a form of array, and performing printing of a density of 1/N with ejection opening group of 1/N (N ≥ 2) of ejection opening array, characterized by comprising: printing executing means for executing ejection mode depending upon the density.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
62 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing ink ejecting portion having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ejection opening and ejecting ink from the ink ejecting portion to a printing medium, characterized by comprising: driving means for driving the plurality of heaters with varying combination of the heaters to be driven and/or varying driving energy to be applied to the heaters to be driven.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
95 words
An ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head capable of ejecting an ink in variable of an ejection amount in a plurality of steps and performing printing by ejecting an ink from the ink-jet head toward a printing medium, characterized by comprising: preliminary ejection means for performing preliminary ejection operation with a large ejection amount and preliminary ejection operation with a small ejection amount; and preliminary ejection interval setting means for setting an interval between preliminary ejection operations with the small ejection amount shorter than an interval between preliminary ejection operations with the large ejection amount.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
81 words
A method for performing a preliminary ejection not associated with printing from an ink-jet head capable of ejecting an ink in variable of an ejection amount in a plurality of steps, characterized by comprising the steps of: performing preliminary ejection operation with a large ejection amount; performing preliminary ejection operation with a small ejection amount; and setting an interval between preliminary ejection operations with the small ejection amount shorter than an interval between preliminary ejection operations with the large ejection amount.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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