EP0751476A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Serial printer and printing method
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
•
Filing: 1996-07-01
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2016-07-01
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a serial printer and a printing method using the serial printer. In the serial printer, assuming that the number of driven nozzles (5 1 - 5 n ) arranged in a secondary scanning direction (Y) on a print head (13) is n and a nozzle pitch is a k-dot pitch, k is set to an integer which is no greater than n and has no prime factors greater than one in common with n. Further, secondary scanning is performed at least once at each of the start of printing and the termination of printing using a paper feeding distance of an m-dot pitch. On the other hand, secondary scanning other than the at least once secondary scanning is performed using an interlaced printing paper feeding distance of an n-dot pitch. In this case, m is an integer which is less than n and has no prime factors greater than one in common with k. Preferably, m=k±j, wherein j is an integer no less than 1 and less than n.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo c/o Seiko Epson Corporation Saito
- 👤 Kenjiro C/O Seiko Epson Corporation Murakami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:13
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J29/00; B41J29/38; G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/10; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/111
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
A serial printer comprising: a print head (13) having N dot forming elements (5 1 - 5 n ) arranged in a secondary scanning direction, N being an integer; main scanning control means for operating said dot forming elements to print on a print medium while performing main scanning across the print medium using said print head; and secondary scanning control means for performing secondary scanning on the print medium after said main scanning, and characterised in that, given that a pitch of said dot forming elements is k times a dot pitch in print resolution and that k is an integer which is no greater than n and has no prime factors greater than one in common with n, n being an integer no greater than N and representing the number of the dot forming elements to be driven, said secondary scanning control means performs the secondary scanning at least once at each of the start of the printing and the termination of the printing using a first secondary scanning distance which is m times said dot pitch and performs the secondary scanning other than said at least once secondary scanning using a second secondary scanning distance which is n times said dot pitch, m being an integer which is less than n and has no prime factors greater than one in common with k.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
The serial printer according to claim 1, wherein, given that j is an integer no less than one and less than n, m has no prime factors greater than one in common with n and is selected to one of k-j and k+j.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The serial printer according to claim 2, wherein said one of k-j and k+j is selected so as to print lines through the secondary scanning using the first secondary scanning distance in an order which is consistent with a printing order of lines achieved through the secondary scanning using said second scanning distance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The serial printer according to any preceding claim, wherein said main scanning control means drives all the dot forming elements during the main scanning before or after the secondary scanning using said second secondary scanning distance, while said main scanning control means drives only those dot forming elements corresponding to lines which are unable to be printed during said main scanning before or after the secondary scanning using said second secondary scanning distance, during the other main scanning.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
The serial printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said main scanning control means drives all the dot forming elements during the main scanning before or after the secondary scanning using said second secondary scanning distance, while said main scanning control drives only those dot forming elements corresponding to lines which are unable to be printed thereby during the main scanning before or after the secondary scanning using said first secondary scanning distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
238 words
A printing method comprising the steps of: (A) arranging N dot forming elements (5 1 - 5 n ) in a secondary scanning direction (Y), N being an integer, a pitch of the dot forming elements being k times a dot pitch in print resolution; (B) performing a main scanning for moving the dot forming elements in a main scanning direction (x); (C) driving the dot forming elements for forming a number of dots at the step (B); characterised by further comprising the steps of; (D) performing a first secondary scanning for moving the dot forming elements in a secondary scanning direction at least once at each of the start of the printing and the termination of the printing, and using a first secondary scanning distance which is m times the dot pitch, m being an integer which is less than n and has no prime factors greater than one in common with k, wherein n is an integer no greater than N and represents the number of the dot forming elements to be driven, and k is an integer which is no greater than n and has no prime factors greater than one in common with n; and (E) performing a second secondary scanning for moving the dot forming elements in a secondary scanning direction and using a second secondary scanning distance which is n times the dot pitch; (F) repeating the steps (B), (C) and (E).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The printing method according to claim 6, wherein, given that j is an integer no less than one and less than n, m has no prime factors greater than one in common with n and is selected to be one of k-j and k+j.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The printing method according to claim 7, wherein the one of k-j and k+j is selected so as to print lines in step (D) in an order which is consistent with a printing order of lines achieved in the steps (B), (C) and (E).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The printing method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein all the dot forming elements are driven during the step (B) before or after the step (E), while only those dot forming elements corresponding to lines which are unable to be printed during the step (B) in which all the dot forming elements are driven, are driven during the other step (B).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The printing method according to claim 9, wherein said other step (B) is the step (B) before or after the step (D).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.