Ink-jet printer

Claim 2

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; and a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein the nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles, ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials elected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 3

An ink-jet printer in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a carriage for holding said first and second nozzle groups and for moving said first and second nozzle groups according to a recording motion.

Claim 4

An ink-jet printer in accordance with claim 2, further comprising an adjusting mechanism on said carriage for holding said first and second nozzle groups and for permitting an adjustment of a position of said first and second nozzle groups in said second direction.

Claim 5

An ink-jet printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein each nozzle of said first nozzle group has a size different from that of each nozzle of said second nozzle group.

Claim 6

An ink-jet printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group are arranged adjacent to each other and wherein said first nozzles are grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles are grouped adjacent to each other.

Claim 7

An ink-jet printer in accordance with claim 1, wherein a size of each of said second nozzles is larger than a size of each of said first nozzles.

Claim 8

A print head for use in an ink-jet printer, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles for ejecting first ink droplets; and a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles for ejecting second ink droplets, said second ink droplets being larger than said first ink droplets; wherein said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group are arranged substantially along a single, common line, said first nozzles being grouped thereon adjacent to each other, and wherein said first and second nozzle groups are arranged adjacent to each other; and wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 9

A print head for use in an ink-jet printer, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles for ejecting first ink droplets; and a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles for ejecting second ink droplets, said second ink droplets being larger than said first ink droplets; wherein said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group are arranged substantially along a single, common line, said first nozzles being grouped thereon adjacent to each other, and wherein said first and second nozzle groups are arranged adjacent to each other; and wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 10

An print head in accordance with claim 7, wherein a size of said second nozzles is larger than a size of said first nozzles.

Claim 11

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein said nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction, said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group being arranged adjacent to each other with said first nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other; and a device for moving said recording medium in said second direction relative to said print head so that as said recording sheet is moved in said second direction, an ink droplet can be ejected from a nozzle of said second nozzle group and an ink droplet can be ejected from a nozzle of said first nozzle group in sequence such that the sequentially ejected ink droplets are deposited onto said recording medium in substantially identical positions to form superimposed ink droplets, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplet ejected from a nozzle of said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplet ejected from a nozzle of said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 12

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein said nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction, said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group being arranged adjacent to each other with said first nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other; and a device for moving said recording medium in said second direction relative to said print head so that as said recording sheet is moved in said second direction, an ink droplet can be ejected from a nozzle of said second nozzle group and an ink droplet can be ejected from a nozzle of said first nozzle group in sequence such that the sequentially ejected ink droplets are deposited onto said recording medium in substantially identical positions to form superimposed ink droplets, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplet ejected from a nozzle of said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplet ejected from a nozzle of said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 13

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein the nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction; said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group being arranged adjacent to each other with said first nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other; a device for moving said recording medium in said second direction relative to said print head; wherein said first nozzle group has an identical number of nozzles as said second nozzle group, a spacing between each of said first nozzles being substantially identical to a spacing between each of said second nozzles; and wherein when said print head is moved in said first direction at least two times said device for moving said recording medium moves said recording medium between movements of said print head at said at least two times such that as said print head moves in said first direction for a first time ink droplets can be ejected from nozzles of said second nozzle group, and as said print head moves in said first direction for a second time ink droplets can be ejected from nozzles of said first nozzle group, so that each ink droplet ejected from a first nozzle is deposited onto said recording medium in a substantially identical position as a respective one of said ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles so that a plurality of superimposed ink droplets are thereby formed, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 14

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein the nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction; said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group being arranged adjacent to each other with said first nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other; a device for moving said recording medium in said second direction relative to said print head; wherein said first nozzle group has an identical number of nozzles as said second nozzle group, a spacing between each of said first nozzles being substantially identical to a spacing between each of said second nozzles; and wherein when said print head is moved in said first direction at least two times said device for moving said recording medium moves said recording medium between movements of said print head at said at least two times such that as said print head moves in said first direction for a first time ink droplets can be ejected from nozzles of said second nozzle group, and as said print head moves in said first direction for a second time ink droplets can be ejected from nozzles of said first nozzle group, so that each ink droplet ejected from a first nozzle is deposited onto said recording medium in a substantially identical position as a respective one of said ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles so that a plurality of superimposed ink droplets are thereby formed, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising said ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 15

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein said nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction; said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group being arranged adjacent to each other with said first nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other; and a speed of movement of said recording medium in said second direction relative to said print head is set based on an ink characteristic so that for sequentially ejected ink droplets, a first ink droplet of said sequentially ejected ink droplets is deposited onto said recording medium and fully dries prior to a second ink droplet of said sequentially ejected ink droplets being ejected, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets elected from said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.

Claim 16

An ink-jet printer having a print head which moves in a first direction as it ejects ink droplets through a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium to reproduce an image on said recording medium, comprising: a first nozzle group which includes a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a second direction which is perpendicular to said first direction; a second nozzle group which includes a plurality of second nozzles arranged along said second direction, said second nozzles ejecting ink droplets having a size larger than a size of ink droplets ejected from said first nozzles; wherein said nozzles of said first and second nozzle groups are arranged substantially along a single, common line that extends along said second direction; said plurality of first nozzles of said first nozzle group and said plurality of second nozzles of said second nozzle group being arranged adjacent to each other with said first nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other and said second nozzles being grouped adjacent to each other; and a speed of movement of said recording medium in said second direction relative to said print head is set based on an ink characteristic so that for sequentially ejected ink droplets, a first ink droplet of said sequentially ejected ink droplets is deposited onto said recording medium and fully dries prior to a second ink droplet of said sequentially ejected ink droplets being ejected, wherein a physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets ejected from said second nozzles is different than said physical property of an ink material comprising ink droplets elected from said first nozzles, the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being substantially the same color, said physical property of the ink materials ejected from said first and second nozzles being selected from the group consisting of viscosity and surface tension.