Printing apparatus and print controlling method

In conveying a print medium before and after a stop-unstable region in a printing apparatus, an image quality is improved while restricting a reduction of a throughput. Specifically a conveying amount is made smaller than a first conveying amount in a usual region. Thereby, the first conveying amount is maximized and the printing in the image region can be complemented by four times of scans after the conveyance of the conveying amount is completed.

Printing apparatus and printhead temperature management method

A printing apparatus in which a printhead and a print medium intermittently move relatively to each other, and the printhead performs printing on the print medium during the relative movement. The temperature of the printhead is detected, the detected temperature is compared with a predetermined threshold value, and start of new relative movement accompanied by printing is controlled in correspondence with the result of comparison. The threshold value is set in correspondence with information regarding the number of pixels for which the printhead can perform printing during one relative movement. By this arrangement, reduction of output speed can be suppressed as much as possible, and inconveniences due to temperature rise of the printhead can be prevented.

Ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method

There is provided an ink jet printing apparatus that suppresses density unevenness caused by a difference in print time resulting from printing based on a bidirectional multi-pass printing system. With a relatively small print medium width, the time difference unevenness does not occur even in 2 pass printing. Accordingly, the 2 pass printing is selected. With a relatively large print medium width, selection of the 2 pass printing may make the density unevenness significant. Accordingly, the density unevenness is suppressed by selecting 8 pass printing. That is, in the 8 pass printing, the same area is scanned eight times, which is four times as frequent as the twice in the 2 pass printing. This reduces the size of each area having different densities, while increasing a cycle frequency at which a high and low densities are alternately repeated. As a result, the time difference unevenness is not perceived easily.

Ink jet printing apparatus

When there are two kinds of caps that protect nozzle faces of print heads—a protective cap with no suction mechanism and a suction cap with a suction mechanism—and if a time during which the print heads are left idle is within a predetermined time (more than T4 and less than T3), the print head protected by the protective cap performs 5,000 idle ejections during the idle ejection operation executed prior to initiating a printing operation The print head protected by the suction cap performs 100 idle ejections during the idle ejection operation. By setting larger the number of idle ejections for print heads protected by the protective caps, it is possible to keep any print heads in good condition at all times whether they are protected by the suction caps or protective caps.

Ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method

There is provided an ink jet printing apparatus that suppresses density unevenness caused by a difference in print time resulting from printing based on a bidirectional multi-pass printing system. With a relatively small print medium width, the time difference unevenness does not occur even in 2 pass printing. Accordingly, the 2 pass printing is selected. With a relatively large print medium width, selection of the 2 pass printing may make the density unevenness significant. Accordingly, the density unevenness is suppressed by selecting 8 pass printing. That is, in the 8 pass printing, the same area is scanned eight times, which is four times as frequent as the twice in the 2 pass printing. This reduces the size of each area having different densities, while increasing a cycle frequency at which a high and low densities are alternately repeated. As a result, the time difference unevenness is not perceived easily.

PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINT CONTROLLING METHOD

In conveying a print medium before and after a stop-unstable region in a printing apparatus, an image quality is improved while restricting a reduction of a throughput. Specifically a conveying amount is made smaller than a first conveying amount in a usual region. Thereby, the first conveying amount is maximized and the printing in the image region can be complemented by four times of scans after the conveyance of the conveying amount is completed.

Ink jet printing apparatus

When there are two kinds of caps that protect nozzle faces of print heads-a protective cap with no suction mechanism and a suction cap with a suction mechanism-and if a time during which the print heads are left idle is within a predetermined time, each print head protected by the protective cap performs 5,000 idle ejections during the idle ejection operation executed prior to initiating a printing operation. Each print head protected by the suction cap performs 100 idle ejections during the idle ejection operation. By setting the number of idle ejections for print heads protected by the protective caps to be greater, it is possible to keep all the print heads in good condition at all times whether they are protected by the suction caps or protective caps.

IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an image processing method that can perform an accurate calibration corresponding to an ink receiving characteristic of a printing medium. The present invention obtains information regarding an ink amount that can be applied to a unit area of a printing medium. Then, the present invention determines, based on the information obtained, a combination of a plurality of ink application amounts corresponding to a plurality of first patches for adjusting ink application amounts corresponding to the respective gradation levels of an image to be printed on the printing medium.

METHOD FOR DETERMINING COLOR CORRECTION PARAMETER FOR RECORDING APPARATUS

From a cost and productivity perspective, the recording and color-measurement of a test pattern to determine whether it is necessary to execute calibration places a heavy burden on a user. The present invention determines the need for processing to generate a color correction parameter without recording a test pattern. More specifically, the present invention determines whether it is necessary to execute color correction parameter generation processing based on an increase in a dot count since color correction parameter generation processing was previously executed, or a change in a ejection rate. 1. A method for generation of a color correction parameter for a recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium using a recording head that includes a plurality of ejection ports , the method comprising:inputting information instructing determination of whether it is necessary to execute color correction parameter generation processing;acquiring information about a number of ink droplets that have been ejected from the plurality of ejection ports of the recording head during a period from previous execution of generation processing until the information instructing determination is input; anddetermining whether it is necessary to execute the generation processing based on the acquired information about the number of ink droplets.2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:determining a threshold based on a sum of the number of ink droplets by acquiring the sum of the number of ink droplets when executing the previous generation processing,wherein it is determined whether to execute the generation processing based on the threshold and a number corresponding to the information.3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the sum of the number of ink droplets is the number of ink droplets ejected during a period from when the recording head was set in the recording apparatus until the information instructing the determination is input.4. The ...

INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD

This invention has a plurality of print heads, each including a first and second nozzle arrays. The different print heads are arranged so as to include an overlap area. The difference in distribution rate between the plurality of nozzle arrays for the same color is set to be larger when the number of ejections in the overlap portion is equal to or larger than the threshold than when the number of ejections in the overlap portion is smaller than the threshold. The print data for the same color is distributed among the plurality of nozzle arrays for the same color so that the number of pixels with the same ink overlap sequence as that in the non-overlap areas is larger than the number of pixels with an overlap sequence different from that in the non-overlap areas when the number of ejections is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold.

Printing apparatus and printhead temperature management method

A printing apparatus in which a printhead and a print medium intermittently move relatively to each other, and the printhead performs printing on the print medium during the relative movement. The temperature of the printhead is detected, the detected temperature is compared with a predetermined threshold value, and start of new relative movement accompanied by printing is controlled in correspondence with the result of comparison. The threshold value is set in correspondence with information regarding the number of pixels for which the printhead can perform printing during one relative movement. By this arrangement, reduction of output speed can be suppressed as much as possible, and inconveniences due to temperature rise of the printhead can be prevented.

Inkjet recording apparatus and recovery control after interruption of its recording operation

An inkjet recording apparatus has a structure in which, when a recording-interruption operation of a recording head such as discharge-recovery processing is performed during an image-forming operation, a recording downtime is measured, and the recording head is heated in accordance with the length of a recording downtime so as to prevent occurrence of differences in optical densities and colors of an image before and after the recording-interruption operation.

Liquid ejecting apparatus, wiping method of liquid ejecting head, and printing apparatus

An apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head capable of ejecting liquid from a plurality of ejection ports by driving a plurality of ejection energy generation elements corresponding to the plurality of ejection portions. The apparatus includes a wiping mechanism capable of wiping an ejection port face in which a plurality of ejection ports is arranged in the liquid ejecting head. The ink ejection from the plurality of ejection ports is performed in a manner of a plurality of divisions. A time interval from a last wiping to a next wiping is adjusted according to an interval of the ejection energy generating elements corresponding to an adjacent ejection port.

INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK JET PRINTING METHOD

An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method are provided which can perform ink ejection performance recovery operations on a print head at optimal timings while at the same time reducing a volume of ink discarded by the recovery operations. Thirty days after a previous recovery operation, a suction-based recovery operation is performed on the print head prior to the printing operation that forms an image on a print medium. The recovery operation is performed under the condition that a temperature increase of the print head caused by a preliminary ejection of the print head is not more than a predetermined value.

Ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method

An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method are provided which can perform ink ejection performance recovery operations on a print head at optimal timings while at the same time reducing a volume of ink discarded by the recovery operations. Thirty days after a previous recovery operation, a suction-based recovery operation is performed on the print head prior to the printing operation that forms an image on a print medium. The recovery operation is performed under the condition that a temperature increase of the print head caused by a preliminary ejection of the print head is not more than a predetermined value.

Inkjet recording apparatus and recovery control after interruption of its recording operation

An inkjet recording apparatus has a structure in which, when a recording-interruption operation of a recording head such as discharge-recovery processing is performed during an image-forming operation, a recording downtime is measured, and the recording head is heated in accordance with the length of a recording downtime so as to prevent occurrence of differences in optical densities and colors of an image before and after the recording-interruption operation.

LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, WIPING METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTING HEAD, AND PRINTING APPARATUS

An apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head capable of ejecting liquid from a plurality of ejection ports by driving a plurality of ejection energy generation elements corresponding to the plurality of ejection portions. The apparatus includes a wiping mechanism capable of wiping an ejection port face in which a plurality of ejection ports is arranged in the liquid ejecting head. The ink ejection from the plurality of ejection ports is performed in a manner of a plurality of divisions. A time interval from a last wiping to a next wiping is adjusted according to an interval of the ejection energy generating elements corresponding to an adjacent ejection port.

Inkjet recording apparatus and recovery control after interruption of its recording operation

An inkjet recording apparatus has a structure in which, when a recording-interruption operation of a recording head such as discharge-recovery processing is performed during an image-forming operation, a recording downtime is measured, and the recording head is heated in accordance with the length of a recording downtime so as to prevent occurrence of differences in optical densities and colors of an image before and after the recording-interruption operation.

Inkjet recording apparatus and recovery control after interruption of its recording operation

An inkjet recording apparatus has a structure in which, when a recording-interruption operation of a recording head such as discharge-recovery processing is performed during an image-forming operation, a recording downtime is measured, and the recording head is heated in accordance with the length of a recording downtime so as to prevent occurrence of differences in optical densities and colors of an image before and after the recording-interruption operation.

Method for determining color correction parameter for recording apparatus

From a cost and productivity perspective, the recording and color-measurement of a test pattern to determine whether it is necessary to execute calibration places a heavy burden on a user. The present invention determines the need for processing to generate a color correction parameter without recording a test pattern. More specifically, the present invention determines whether it is necessary to execute color correction parameter generation processing based on an increase in a dot count since color correction parameter generation processing was previously executed, or a change in a ejection rate.

Input control system of document processor

(57)【要約】本公報は電子出願前の出願データであるた め要約のデータは記録されません。

Patent JPH0429074B2

インクジェット記録装置およびインクジェット記録方法

【課題】インクジェット記録装置において、インクの浸透性が低いもしくは無い記録媒体に記録を行う場合でも、生産性の低下を抑制する記録モードを設定することを可能とする。 【解決手段】インクを吐出するための記録ヘッドを記録媒体に対して走査し当該記録媒体に記録を行うインクジェット記録装置は、所定領域の記録を完成させるための記録ヘッドの走査回数をモード要素として含む、複数の異なる記録モードそれぞれの前記所定領域の記録を完成するのに要する時間を取得する時間取得部と、複数の記録モードそれぞれで、記録媒体のインク吸収特性を判断するためのテストパターンを記録するテストパターン記録部と、取得した時間およびインク吸収特性の判断情報に基づいて、記録モードを設定する設定部と、を具える。 【選択図】図８

記録装置

【課題】色ずれ補正を備えた記録装置において、正常でない読み取り値によって補正を行うと、色ずれが発生する。正常でない読み取り値によって正常に補正できずに発生する色ずれを、色ずれ補正用の1次元LUTから判定し、判定結果をユーザーに通知し再調整を促すことで、色ずれの発生を抑制する。【解決手段】色ずれ補正用の１次元ＬＵＴの変化量を閾値と比較し、正常な読み取り値に基づく補正となっているかどうか判定するとともに、ユーザーに通知する。【選択図】図１１

インクジェット記録装置およびキャリブレーション方法

【課題】記録媒体のインク受容特性に対応した高精度なキャリブレーションを行うことが可能なインクジェット記録装置を提供する。 【解決手段】記録媒体のインク受容特性を判定するための判定パターンを記録媒体に形成する。判定パターンに基づいて判定された記録媒体のインク受容特性に対応するキャリブレーション調整パターンを選択し、それを前記記録媒体上に記録する。 【選択図】図６

インクジェット記録装置

【課題】 使用するインク色の記録ノズル列間距離が大きい箇所では、走査中のヘッド姿勢変動の影響が大きく、着弾精度の劣化に起因する濃度ムラが発生してしまう。 【解決手段】 記録に用いるインクの組み合わせが異なる複数のモードの中から１つのモードが選択された場合、記録ノズル列間の距離を最小化するように記録ノズル列を用いて記録を行うことで、走査中のヘッド姿勢変動の影響を小さくし、着弾精度の劣化に起因する濃度ムラを抑制する。 【選択図】 図５

記録装置

【課題】予備吐出によって発生する記録ヘッドに向かって巻き上がる気流を抑制し、記録ヘッドへのインクミストの付着を抑制する。 【解決手段】複数のインクの吐出口を有する記録ヘッドと、予備吐出によるインクを受容する予備吐出インク受け８ａとを備え、予備吐出インク受け８ａは、記録ヘッドから第１の距離だけ離れて吐出されたインクを受ける第１の受け面５０１Ａを有する第１のインク受け部５０１と、記録ヘッドから第１の距離より短い第２の距離だけ離れて吐出されたインクを受ける第２の受け面５００Ａを有する第２のインク受け部５００とを有する。 【選択図】図６

画像処理装置および画像処理方法

【課題】記録材によらず、高精度なキャリブレーションを行なうことができる。 【解決手段】記録媒体にインクを付与して記録を行なうための記録データの濃度を補正するキャリブレーションを行なう画像処理装置であって、所定波長域の光を発する光源を用いた光学センサを用いて、前記記録媒体に記録された階調パターンの濃度を測定する測定手段と、前記階調パターンの濃度がインクの打ち込み量にかかわらず同じになる階調パターンで測定された濃度のデータと階調値に基づいて、前記階調パターンの各パターンの濃度データを補正濃度データに変換する濃度変換手段と、記憶メモリに格納された目標濃度データを読み込む読み込み手段と、を備え、前記補正濃度データと前記目標濃度データとに基づいて前記記録データを補正する。 【選択図】図８

インクジェット記録装置、インクジェット記録方法

【課題】 記録ヘッドからインクを吐出したときに発生するサテライトやインクミストによる画像品質の低下を低減させる。 【解決手段】 記録ヘッドのフェース面とプラテンとの間に風送り機構において発生させた風を送り、サテライトやインクミストを記録領域外に移動させる。 【選択図】 図３

インクジェット記録装置

【課題】インクジェット記録装置の予備吐出受け部に帯状などのインク受け部材を用いる構成において、帯状インク受け部材のインクミスト低減などの効果を確実に発揮する。 【解決手段】帯状のインク受け面部材４０２の形状を、吐出口列の延在方向における一定の間隔の領域が、インクが着弾すべき位置を中心として、主走査方向に沿った左方向および右方向に交互にずれた形状とする。例えば、インク吐出速度の低下などによって予備吐出領域がずれても、インク受け面部材の一方にずれた領域に予備吐出インクを着弾させる領域が確保することができる。すなわち、着弾位置がずれても、一部の吐出口から吐出されるインクやそのサテライトをインク受け面部材の一方にずれた領域で受けることができる。これにより、帯状受け面部材による効果を維持したまま、一定量のミスト低減が可能となる。 【選択図】図４

インクジェット記録装置及びキャリブレーション方法

【課題】蛍光のような副次的な光を発生するインクを用いる場合であっても、可視光領域において正常なキャリブレーションを行い、安定した色再現性を実現することが可能なインクジェット記録装置を提供する。 【解決手段】インクの蛍光情報に応じて光学センサが検出した実測濃度を補正し、視覚に準じた濃度特性に基づいて色ずれ補正用のテーブルを作成する。このようなキャリブレーション処理により、視覚的に安定した色再現を実現することが可能となる。 【選択図】図８

インクジェット記録装置及びその制御方法並びにプログラム

【課題】 大判インクジェット記録装置において、マルチパス記録方式により画像を記録する場合の記録時間差に起因して発生する時間差ムラを抑制する。 【解決手段】 ＣＰＵは１バンド分の画像データをバンドメモリに書き込む（ステップＳ４０１）。ＣＰＵは、バンドメモリから１バンド分の全ての画像データを読み出す（ステップＳ４０２）。ＣＰＵは、読み出した画像データの記録幅を判定して、記録幅判定テーブルを元に濃度差が発生するかどうかの判断を行う（ステップＳ４０３）。濃度差が発生しない場合には、マルチパス記録方式の記録パス数として偶数パスを設定する（ステップＳ４０４）。濃度差が発生すると判断した場合には、記録パス数として偶数パス数に＋１だけ追加した奇数パスを設定する（ステップＳ４１４）。ＣＰＵ２０１は、決定した記録パス数に従って、マルチパス記録を行うための間引き処理を行う（ステップＳ４０５）。 【選択図】 図１０