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EP0936069A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ink-jet head driving device

Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corp
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Filing: 1999-02-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-02-10
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Abstract

Abstract In an ink-jet head driving device, data of a shift register is latched by a latch circuit (3). The data latched by the latch circuit is input to energization signal selection circuits (5). At this time, each selection circuit receives 1-bit data for operating a corresponding ink chamber (46), and 2-bit data for operating adjacent ink chambers (46) as reference data. Each selection circuit selects one from energization signals (TP1 to TP8) using the 3-bit data, and supplies the selected energization signal to a corresponding head driver, thereby generating a drive waveform for driving the ink chamber (46).

Inventors

  • 👤 Jun Takamura
  • 👤 Noboru Nitta
  • 👤 Shunichi Ono

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 10:37
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/015; B41J2/04; B41J2/045; B41J2/04501; B41J2/04525; B41J2/04541; B41J2/04543; B41J2/0458; B41J2/04581

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 154 words
An ink-jet head driving device for an ink-jet head (HD) having a line of ink chambers, characterized by comprising: a reception unit (2, 3; 12, 13; 21, 13; 30, 33; 33, 34) for receiving dot data corresponding to each ink chamber (46) of the print head (HD); a decoding unit (32) for selectively decoding (j+k)-bit data made up of received j-bit dot data (j ≧ 1) of a target ink chamber (46) end k-bit dot data (k ≧ 1) of neighboring ink chambers (46); an input unit (TP1-TP8; TP1-TP16; TP1-TP3) for inputting a plurality of energization signals; and a selection unit (31) for selecting one energization signal from the plurality of energization signals; wherein the selection unit (31) is arranged to determine an energization signal to be selected based on a decoding result of the decoding and to drive the target ink chamber (46) with a waveform obtained by the energization signal selected thereby.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 38 words
A driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the k-bit dot data of the neighboring ink chamber (46) is j-bit data representing a logical sum of two adjacent ink chambers (46) which can be simultaneously driven.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
A driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the k-bit dot data of the neighboring ink chamber (46) is flag data representing that data for printing is present in one of two adjacent ink chambers (46) that can be simultaneously driven.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
A driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that the k-bit dot data of the neighboring ink chamber (46) is flag data representing that dot data for printing is present in both two adjacent ink chambers (46) that can be simultaneously driven.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
A driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that a neighboring ink chamber (46) to be referred by said selection unit (31) for each ink chamber (46) is changeable in reception operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 98 words
A driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that said reception unit is arranged to receive a maximum of n-bit dot data, and has a reception path change unit (11, 26) for changing a dot data reception path depending on the number m of bits when dot data of m (< n) bits is to be received, thereby causing dot data of an ink chamber (46) and dot data of a neighboring ink chamber (46) to be input to said reception unit (2, 3; 12, 13; 21, 13; 30, 33; 33, 34) for said ink chamber (46).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 90 words
A driving device according to claim 6, characterized in that said reception unit includes multiple n-bit parallel shift registers (SF1 - SFk) for receiving a maximum of n-bit parallel dot data, and said reception path change unit comprises a conversion unit (11) for serial/parallel-converting serial dot data of m (1 ≦ m ≦ n) bits every m bits, and a transfer unit (11) for transferring the parallel dot data converted by said conversion unit (11) to said multiple n-bit parallel shift registers (SF1 - SFk) in units of m bits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 60 words
A driving device according to claim 7, characterized in that when printing of one line completes, and said multiple n-bit parallel shift registers newly receive parallel dot data for printing of next one line, dummy data is added to the serial dot data so as not to leave previous dot data in said n-bit parallel shift registers (SF1 - SFk).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 95 words
A driving device according to claim 6, characterized in that said reception unit includes multiple n-bit shift registers (FS1 - FSk) for receiving a maximum of n-bit serial dot data, and said reception path change unit includes a transfer unit (26) for, when the number of bits of dot data to be received is given by m (1 ≦ m ≦ n ) bits, shifting m-bit serial dot data, then shifting the serial dot data to an output stage within an own shift register, and transferring the serial dot data to a next shift register.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 56 words
A driving device according to claim 9, characterized in that when printing of one line completes, and said multiple shift registers newly receive serial dot data for printing of next one line, dummy data is added to the serial dot data so as not to leave previous dot data in said shift registers (FS1 - FSk).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 74 words
A driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that said print head (HD) is constituted not to simultaneously eject ink from adjacent ink chambers (46), and when each ink chamber (46) is driven by selecting one from a plurality of energization signals in a group of ink chambers (46) which can simultaneously eject ink, refers to dot data of an ink chamber (46) neighboring to the target ink chamber (46) in the group.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPS63280332A Cited

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