US 10,960,681 B2 · Autocorrection for uneven print pressure on print media

Abstract

A printer may be used to print on print media, such as labels, where the print media, as fed through the print, spans substantially less than the full width of the printhead and platen. This may result in uneven print pressure across the print media during the print process. The uneven print pressure, in turn, may result in an uneven print density on the print media, which causes poor print quality. A system and method is employed with identifies the uneven print pressure, and compensates for the uneven print pressure to ensure consistent print density and good print quality. Along segments of the printhead which apply a below average pressure to the print media, the printhead is configured to apply a proportionately higher density of an appropriate contrast-inducing element, such as ink or heat. Along segments of the printhead which apply an above average pressure to the print media, the printhead is configured to apply a proportionately lower density of an appropriate contrast-inducing element, such as ink or heat.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for printing, comprising:

obtaining a width of a media that is between a thermal printhead of a thermal printer and a platen of the thermal printer;
determining, based on the width of the media, a variation of a pressure of the thermal printhead across the width of the media during the printing;
and
during printing, setting a heat generated at the thermal printhead, based on the determined variation of the pressure, to compensate for the variation of the pressure of the thermal printhead across the width of the media, wherein setting the heat generated at the thermal printhead to compensate for the variation of the pressure comprises:
applying a first heat at a first heating element of the thermal printhead based on a determined first pressure on the media, wherein the first heat is greater than a standard heat and the determined first pressure is lower than a standard pressure;
and
applying a second heat at a second heating element of the thermal printhead based on a determined second pressure on the media, wherein the second heat is lower than the standard heat and the determined second pressure is higher than the standard pressure.

4 more elements

A printer comprising:

a thermal printhead;
a platen;
a memory storing executable instructions thereon;
and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
obtain a value of a width of a media between the thermal printhead and the platen;
determine, based on the width of the media, an amount of variation of a pressure of the thermal printhead across the width of the media during printing;
and
set, during printing, a heat generated at the thermal printhead, based on the determined variation of the pressure, to compensate for the amount of variation of the applied pressure of the thermal printhead across the width of the media, wherein to set the heat generated at the thermal printhead to compensate for the amount of variation of the applied pressure, the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:
apply a first heat at a first heating element of the thermal printhead based on a determined first pressure on the media, wherein the first heat is greater than a standard heat and the determined first pressure is lower than a standard pressure;
and
apply a second heat at a second heating element of the thermal printhead based on a determined second pressure on the media, wherein the second heat is lower than the standard heat and the determined second pressure is higher than the standard pressure.

9 more elements

A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable non-transitory memory medium having program code instructions stored thereon, the program code instructions, when executed by an apparatus comprising at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

identify a media between a thermal printhead and a platen,
obtain a value of a width of the media;
determine, based on the width of the media, an amount of variation of a pressure of the thermal printhead across the width of the media during the printing;
and
set, during the printing, a heat generated at the thermal printhead, based on the determined variation of the pressure, to compensate for the amount of variation of the applied pressure of the thermal printhead across the width of the media, wherein to set the heat generated at the thermal printhead to compensate for the amount of variation of the pressure, the program code instructions, when executed by the apparatus, further causes the apparatus to:
apply a first heat at a first heating element of the thermal printhead based on a determined first pressure on the media, wherein the first heat is greater than a standard heat and the determined first pressure is lower than a standard pressure;
and
apply a second heat at a second heating element of the thermal printhead based on a determined second pressure on the media, wherein the second heat is lower than the standard heat and the determined second pressure is higher than the standard pressure.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Autocorrection for uneven print pressure on print media

Life of this patent

Autocorrection for uneven print pressure on print media

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17