US5717448A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1997-01-15
•
Granted: 1998-02-10
•
Expires: 2017-01-15
Abstract
Abstract In the case that a size of each liquid droplet is enlarged to such an extent that liquid droplets each having a different color come in contact with each other on a printing medium before completion of penetration into the printing medium, e.g., when the number of liquid droplets nb required for forming a black pixel and the number of liquid droplets ny required for forming a yellow pixel are "7", a maximum number of liquid droplets capable of overlapping each other at a substantially same location is limitatively determined to assume a value smaller than the numeral "7", which that is a normally employed maximum numeral with respect to at least one ink color, e.g., yellow, whereby an image can be obtained without any deterioration of quality while preventing a malfunction of color-staining from arising along the boundary between adjacent ranges each having an ink color.
Inventors
- 👤 Genji Inada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:44
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/52; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/21; B41J2/2121; B41J2/2128; H04N1/40; H04N1/40025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
An ink jet printing apparatus for performing printing with an ink jet head adapted to eject liquid droplets therefrom by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets from said ink jet head to a substantially same location on a printing medium to form a dot, which corresponds to one pixel, comprising: judging means for judging whether or not a number of liquid droplets for forming dots located adjacent to each other on said printing medium is equal to or more than a predetermined number, said dots located adjacent to each other being formed with different kinds of inks; and suppressing means for suppressing a quantity of liquid droplets for forming at least one of said dots located adjacent to each other when said judging means determines that the number of liquid droplets required for forming said dots located adjacent to each other is equal to or more than the predetermined number.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
An ink jet printing apparatus for performing printing with an ink jet head adapted to eject liquid droplets therefrom by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets from said ink jet head to a substantially same location on a printing medium to form a dot, which corresponds to one pixel, comprising: judging means for judging whether or not a number of liquid droplets for forming dots located adjacent to each other on said printing medium is equal to or more than a predetermined number, said dots located adjacent to each other being formed with different kinds of inks; and suppressing means for suppressing a quantity of liquid droplets for forming at least one of said dots located adjacent to each other when said judging means determines that the number of liquid droplets required for forming said dots located adjacent to each other is equal to or more than the predetermined number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said judging means judges whether or not said number of liquid droplets is equal to or more than said predetermined number when said dots located adjacent to each other are formed with liquid droplets each having a different color tone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said suppressing means suppresses a number of liquid droplets required for forming at least one of said dots located adjacent to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said suppressing means selects any one from two kinds or more of preset maximum numbers of liquid droplets, said preset maximum numbers of liquid droplets being smaller than the number of liquid droplets required for forming each one of said dots located adjacent to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said ink jet head forms gas bubbles in liquid by utilizing thermal energy and then ejects liquid droplets therefrom as said gas bubbles grow.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said suppressing means suppresses an average quantity of liquid droplets that is a quotient obtained by dividing a total quantity of liquid droplets required for forming said dots by the number of liquid droplets to be ejected.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said suppressing means selects any one from two or more kinds of preset average quantities of liquid droplets, said preset average quantities of liquid droplets being smaller than the average quantity of liquid droplets required for forming said dots located adjacent to each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said ink jet head forms gas bubbles in liquid by utilizing thermal energy and then ejects liquid droplets therefrom as said gas bubbles grow.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said suppressing means suppresses a quantity of liquid droplets required for forming each of said dots located adjacent to each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said suppressing means suppresses a quantity of each of liquid droplets by changing a frequency of ejection of said liquid droplets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said suppressing means selects any one from two kinds or more of preset frequencies of ejection of said liquid droplets.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said two kinds or more of preset frequencies of ejection of said liquid droplets include at least one ejection frequency which is larger than a refill frequency for refilling nozzles of said ink jet head with liquid after ejecting a liquid droplet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said ink jet head forms gas bubbles in liquid by utilizing thermal energy and then ejects liquid droplets therefrom as said gas bubbles grow.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
149 words
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to a substantially same location on a printing medium to form a dot, which corresponds to one pixel, said method comprising the steps of: providing an ink jet head for ejecting said liquid droplets therefrom; detecting a number of liquid droplets forming each dot; judging based on a result of said detecting step, whether the number of liquid droplets forming dots located adjacent to each other is equal to or more than a predetermined number, said dots located adjacent to each other being formed with different kinds of inks; and suppressing a quantity of liquid droplets for forming at least one of said dots located adjacent to each other when the number of liquid droplets required for forming said dots located adjacent to each other is equal to or more than the predetermined number.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
149 words
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to a substantially same location on a printing medium to form a dot, which corresponds to one pixel, said method comprising the steps of: providing an ink jet head for ejecting said liquid droplets therefrom; detecting a number of liquid droplets forming each dot; judging based on a result of said detecting step, whether the number of liquid droplets forming dots located adjacent to each other is equal to or more than a predetermined number, said dots located adjacent to each other being formed with different kinds of inks; and suppressing a quantity of liquid droplets for forming at least one of said dots located adjacent to each other when the number of liquid droplets required for forming said dots located adjacent to each other is equal to or more than the predetermined number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to a substantially same location on a printing medium to form a dot, said method comprising the steps of: suppressing a quantity of liquid droplets required for forming dots along a boundary between adjacent zones, each zone having a different color tone; and forming the printing by ejecting the liquid droplets to form the dots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to a substantially same location on a printing medium to form a dot, said method comprising the steps of: suppressing a quantity of liquid droplets required for forming dots along a boundary between adjacent zones, each zone having a different color tone; and forming the printing by ejecting the liquid droplets to form the dots.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
96 words
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to a printing medium to form a dot, said method comprising the steps of: providing an ink jet head for ejecting said liquid droplets therefrom; and controlling liquid ejection at a frequency of ejecting said liquid droplets to be larger than a refill frequency of said ink jet head when said dot is formed with a plurality of ink droplets, the refill frequency being a frequency for refilling nozzles of said ink jet head with liquid after electing a liquid droplet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to a printing medium to form a dot, said method comprising the steps of: providing an ink jet head for ejecting said liquid droplets therefrom; and controlling liquid ejection at a frequency of ejecting said liquid droplets to be larger than a refill frequency of said ink jet head when said dot is formed with a plurality of ink droplets, the refill frequency being a frequency for refilling nozzles of said ink jet head with liquid after electing a liquid droplet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A printed medium which receives a liquid droplet and was printed by using the ink jet printing method claimed in any one of claims 14-16.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dots located adjacent to each other comprise two dots.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said dots located adjacent to each other comprise two dots.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 15, wherein each dot corresponds to one pixel.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
An ink jet printing method as claimed in claim 16, wherein each dot corresponds to one pixel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4178597A
Cited
JPS57160654A
Cited
US4595948A
Cited
JPS59207265A
Cited
US4503444A
Cited
JPS61290060A
Cited
US5124722A
Cited
JPS6353052A
Cited
US4855752A
Cited
JPH01114447A
Cited
US5111302A
Cited
EP0390473A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-09 | 2001-08-11 | 2002-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-09 | 2005-08-11 | 2006-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-02-09 | 2009-08-11 | 2010-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |