Multiple head ink drop graphic generator

Claim 1

Apparatus of the type described comprising: a. means for continuous line-by-line scanning of a graphic representation and transmitting an analog signal related to the density of the area scanned, b. means for converting said analog signals to digital signals, c. means for storing said digital signals serially line by line in sections comprising equal numbers of lines of graphic information, d. means for parallel retrieval from said sections of the graphic information stored therein, said retrieval information being in the form of bytes comprising bits from corresponding locations within said sections whereby the bits in one byte represent binary graphic information at corresponding points in non adjacent evenly spaced lines across a reproduction of aid graphic representation, and corresponding bits in successive bytes represent binary graphic information at adjacent points along one of said lines across said reproduction, e. a plurality of drop generators corresponding in number to the number of bits in each of said bytes, f. a receiving member, g. means for moving said drop generators relative to said receiving member in a first direction at a rate corresponding to the retrieval rate of said bytes and in a second direction at a slower rate corresponding to the rate of retrieval of entire lines of graphic information, and h. means for projecting streams of drops simultaneously from each of said drop generators toward said receiving member and selectively catching drops from each of said streams in response to the character of the bits in each of said retrieved bytes whereby said drop generators print progressively widening bands which meet to define a composite reproduction of said graphic representation.

Claim 6

A method of reproducing a graphic representation comprising the steps of: a. scanning a master image in two coordinate directions and creating a matrix of information bits representative of image density and coordinate location for every resolution element within said image, b. storing said matrix of information bits for retrieval in a plurality of parallel information streams; the simultaneous output of said parallel information streams representing binary image information at equally spaced observation points along a line parallel to one of said coordinate directions and the serial output of each of said streams corresponding to movement of said observation point in a direction parallel to the other of said coordinate directions followed by incremental lateral shifting and continued parallel movement, c simultaneously generating said plurality of parallel information steams in response to outputs from a master clock, b. generating a plurality of streams of drops of coating material of uniform size and spacing in synchronism with the generation streams, e. repeatedly moving a receiving member past said stream of drops at a speed related to the drop generation rate and in a direction corresponding to the second of said coordinate directions, f. moving the receiving member in a direction corresponding to the first of said coordinate directions and with progressive movement corresponding to aforesaid incremental lateral shifting of said information streams, g. applying the serial output of each of said information streams to charge control apparatus for a different one of said streams stream and for each position within each of said information streams charging a drop to a level corresponding to the binary state of the information stream, h. deflecting and catching all drops carrying a charge corresponding to one binary information state and printing with all drops carrying a charge corresponding to the other binary information state thereby creating a set of parallel printed image bands of progressively increasing width, and l. continuing the progressive movement of the receiving member in said first direction until said parallel printed image bands become contiguous and collectively recreate said image.

Claim 7

A method of reproducing a graphic representation comprising the steps of: a. scanning a master image in two coordinate directions and creating a matrix of information bits representative of image density and coordinate location for every resolution element within said image, b. storing said matrix of information bits for retrieval in a plurality of parallel information streams; the simultaneous output of said parallel information streams representing binary image information at equally spaced observation points along a line parallel to one of said coordinate directions and the serial output of each of said streams corresponding to movement of said observation point in a direction parallel to the other of said coordinate directions followed by incremental lateral shifting and continued parallel movement, c simultaneously generating said plurality of parallel information steams in response to outputs from a master clock, b. generating a plurality of streams of drops of coating material of uniform size and spacing in synchronism with the generation streams, e. repeatedly moving a receiving member past said stream of drops at a speed related to the drop generation rate and in a direction corresponding to the second of said coordinate directions, f. moving the receiving member in a direction corresponding to the first of said coordinate directions and with progressive movement corresponding to aforesaid incremental lateral shifting of said information streams, g. applying the serial output of each of said information streams to charge control apparatus for a different one of said streams stream and for each position within each of said information streams charging a drop to a level corresponding to the binary state of the information stream, h. deflecting and catching all drops carrying a charge corresponding to one binary information state and printing with all drops carrying a charge corresponding to the other binary information state thereby creating a set of parallel printed image bands of progressively increasing width, and l. continuing the progressive movement of the receiving member in said first direction until said parallel printed image bands become contiguous and collectively recreate said image.