US 20040095420A1
(19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0095420 A1 Ikemoto et al.
(43) Pub. Date:
(54) PRINTER AND PRINTER HEAD (76)
Inventors:
(30)
Yuichiro Ikemoto, KanagaWa (JP);
Foreign Application Priority Data
Jun. 5, 2001
Kazuyasu Takenaka, KanagaWa (JP);
May 20, 2004
Jul. 25, 2000
(JP) . . . . . . .
. . . .. P2001-169000
(JP) .................................. .. P2000-229050
Makoto Ando, Tokyo (JP); Shinichi Publication Classi?cation
Horii, KanagaWa (JP) (51)
Int. Cl? .................................................... .. B41J 2/145
Correspondence Address:
(52)
US. Cl. .............................................................. ..347/40
SONNENSCHEIN NATH & ROSENTHAL LLP P.O. BOX 061080
(57)
ABSTRACT
WACKER DRIVE STATION, SEARS TOWER
CHICAGO, IL 60606-1080 (US)
(21) Appl. No.:
10/614,571
(22) Filed:
Jul. 7, 2003
The present invention relates to a printer and printer head, and more particularly, to an ink-jet rnethod printer for
preventing quality deterioration of the print result caused by head chips having irregular characteristics. In the present invention, as viewed from the direction of feeding a print object, the noZZles 31 allocated to the head chip 25 are placed so as to partly overlap the adjacent head
Related US. Application Data (63)
chips 25. Furthermore, as many noZZles as necessary for a plurality of head chips are formed on one noZZle plate, on
Continuation of application No. 09/910,617, ?led on Jul. 20, 2001.
Which head chips are placed to form a printer head.
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PAPER FEED
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Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 1 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
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Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 2 0f 20
FIG. 2
US 2004/0095420 A1
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 3 0f 20
FIG. 3
US 2004/0095420 A1
Patent Application Publication
DIHONPLKET FIG. 4
May 20, 2004 Sheet 4 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
Patent Application Publication
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May 20, 2004 Sheet 6 0f 20
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Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 7 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
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Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 8 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 13 RANGE COVERED OVERLAPPED ONLY BY
l4PART
HEAD CHIP B
0
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:pooooppo PAPER FEED DIRECTION
RANGE COVERED ONLY BY HEAD. CHIP A
Patent Application Publication May 20, 2004 Sheet 9 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
NOZZLE
FIG. 14
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NOZZLE
FIG. 15 III @25
NOZZLE
FIG. 16
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NOZZLE
FIG.
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Patent Application Publication May 20, 2004 Sheet100f20
US 2004/0095420 A1
NOZZLE HEAD CHIP
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FIG. 18
ARRAY
+0 0%. s 0%. 0 0:0 0 a '1'\HEAD CHIP
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ARRAY
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ARRAY
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HEAD CHIP
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FIG. 20
CHIP {:00 of. 0-0:‘. 0 '5' WHEAD ARRAY
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 11 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 21 RANGE COVERED ONLY BY
OVERLAPPED PART
‘ V
v
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v
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RANGE COVERED " ONLY BY HEAD CHIP A
v
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HEAD CHIP B
A
v>
v
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PAPER FEED
DIRECTION
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 12 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 22 OVERLAPPED ‘
PART
RANGE COVERED ONLY BY HEAD CHIP B
RANGE COVERED ONLY BY HEAD CHIP A
§¢§§§§§§4 §§§§§§§§< §§§§§§§§4
.......“w
PAPER FEED DIRECTION
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 13 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 23 RANGE COVERED ONLY BY
OVERLAPPED
'IEART
HEAD CHIP B
ONLY BY HEAD CHIP A v
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PAPER FEED DIRECTION
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 14 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 24 OVERLAPPED
RANGE COVERED ()NLY BY HEAD CHIP B
RANGE COVERED ONLY BY HEAD CHIPA
000000000
7 v v v v v v v w v.7 v.¢:¢:v.v 3:$:¢:$:¢:$:$:$:¢:
§§§§§§§§0§§§§§§§0§0......
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HANG E COVERED ONLY BY HEAD CHIP A ..."..' '.......
o o 0 0 o o o o
PAPER FEED . DIRECTION
Patent Application Publication May 20, 2004 Sheet 17 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 27
IS ORIGINAL IMAGE CHARACTER DATA?
SP8 FOR OVERLAPPED PART, PRINT IMAGE BY
ANOTHER PROCESSING
SP8 SCAN LINES OF ORIGINAL IMAGE TO BE PRINTED
I,
SP4
EXTRACT AREA IN OVERLAPPED PART
I
SP5
SEARCH THE CENTER OF WHITE AREA IN OVERLAPPED PART
V SP6 DECIDE NOZZLE PATTERN TO USE
@sw
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 18 0f 20
US 2004/0095420 A1
FIG. 28
g?l?gEBYCOvERED gXFE-IBLAPPED SQHYGEBYCOVERED HEAD CHIP A HEAD CHIP B §§§§§§§§0§ O
.00.00.0p.9
.0.Q0 o o 0
o, 0 0.o
PAPER FEED
DIRECTION
FIG. 29 1A
~
A
B
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18
PRINT RESULT PAPER
Patent Application Publication
May 20, 2004 Sheet 19 0f 20
30A
FIG. 30
30C
? 30B
30D
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30A
30C
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30A
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30C
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FIG. 33
30D
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FIG. 31
FIG. 32
US 2004/0095420 A1
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30D
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