Redundant full width array thermal ink jet printing for improved reliability

Claim 2

A thermal ink jet printer operates in a first mode or a second mode comprising: primary printing means for printing ink drops of a first color; and secondary printing means for printing ink drops of at least said first color, said secondary printing means selectively printing according to said first mode or said second mode, wherein said secondary printing means in said first mode operates simultaneously with said primary printing means to supplement said primary printing means, and wherein if said primary printing means fails, said secondary printing means in said second mode prints ink drops of said first color in place of said primary printing means.

Claim 3

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said primary printing means and said secondary printing means comprise full width printheads.

Claim 4

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said primary printing means comprises at least two full width printheads, each of said at least two full width printheads being separately connected to a distinct ink supply.

Claim 5

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 1, further comprising a valve means for switching said secondary printing means between said first mode and said second mode, said valve means being disposed along a connection between at least one ink supply and said secondary printing means.

Claim 6

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said primary printing means comprises four full width printheads, each of said four full width printheads being separately connected to an ink supply of a different color.

Claim 7

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein said secondary printing means comprises one of said four full width printheads, said one of said four full width printheads adapted to be reconfigured to print ink of a color corresponding to a failed printhead.

Claim 8

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 6, wherein said one of said four full width printheads is automatically reconfigured.

Claim 9

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein said secondary printing means comprises a fifth full width printhead, said fifth full width printhead being disposed adjacent said four full width printheads.

Claim 10

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein said secondary printing means comprises a movable partial page width printhead adjacent said four full width printheads that can be aligned with a nonfunctioning ink jet of one of said four full width printheads.

Claim 11

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 9, further comprising a track disposed parallel to said four full width printheads, said partial pagewidth printhead being movably disposed with said track.

Claim 12

The thermal ink jet printer according to claim 8, wherein said fifth full width printhead and one of said four full width printheads are connected to an ink supply of a first color, whereby said secondary printhead prints ink of said first color in said first mode.

Claim 13

The thermal ink jet printer of claim 11, wherein ink of said first color is black ink.

Claim 14

A thermal ink jet printer comprising: a plurality of primary full width printheads, each of said primary full width printheads being separately connected to an ink supply of a different color; a secondary full width printhead positioned adjacent said primary full width printhead that prints in a first mode or a second mode, wherein said secondary full width printhead in said first mode operates simultaneously with said primary full width printheads to supplement printing of said primary full width printheads; and means for detecting printhead failure of one of said primary full width printheads, wherein if said means for detecting printhead failure senses a failed primary full width printhead, said secondary full width printhead operates in said second mode by printing in place of said failed primary full width printhead.

Claim 15

A thermal ink jet printer comprising: a plurality of primary full width printheads, each of said primary full width printheads being separately connected to an ink supply of a different color; a secondary full width printhead positioned adjacent said primary full width printhead that prints in a first mode or a second mode, wherein said secondary full width printhead in said first mode operates simultaneously with said primary full width printheads to supplement printing of said primary full width printheads; and means for detecting printhead failure of one of said primary full width printheads, wherein if said means for detecting printhead failure senses a failed primary full width printhead, said secondary full width printhead operates in said second mode by printing in place of said failed primary full width printhead.

Claim 16

The thermal ink jet printer of claim 13, wherein said secondary full width printhead in said second mode is connected to said ink supply of said failed primary full width printhead.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 14, wherein said primary printing means and said secondary printing means comprise full width printheads.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of connecting and said step of disconnecting said secondary printing means comprises the step of switching a valve.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 17, further comprising detecting a failure of said primary printing means, and wherein said printing in the second mode includes connecting said secondary printing means to an ink supply of said first color.