# US 11,897,272 B2 · Liquid ejection device, program and ejection control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,272 B2 - Document ID: US11897272B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/294,831 - Filed: 2019-11-28 - Published: 2022-01-20 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-30 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Yosuke Saito; Atsushi Hada; Yuki Tsuchiya; Daisuke Mezaki - Inventors: Yosuke Saito; Atsushi Hada; Yuki Tsuchiya; Daisuke Mezaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897272B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/0021: {using irradiation} - B41J 25/006: {for oscillating, e.g. page-width print heads provided with counter-balancing means or shock absorbers} - B41J 2/01: Ink jet - B41J 2/2114: {Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids (B41J2/211 takes precedence)} - B41J 2/2117: {Ejecting white liquids} - B41J 11/00212: {Controlling the irradiation means, e.g. image-based controlling of the irradiation zone or control of the duration or intensity of the irradiation} - B41J 11/00214: {using UV radiation} - B41M 7/0081: {using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams} - C09D 11/101: Inks specially adapted for printing processes involving curing by wave energy or particle radiation, e.g. with UV-curing following the printing - C09D 11/30: Inkjet printing inks - B41J 11/0085: {Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226)} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) ## Abstract A liquid ejection device includes: a move control unit configured to move any one of a first element and a second element in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main-scanning direction, the first element including a plurality of ejectors to eject active energy ray curable liquid and an active energy ray irradiator, the second element including an object to which the liquid is ejected; and a control unit configured to perform control to cause a first ejector to eject a first ejection amount of liquid, cure the first ejection amount of liquid, cause a second ejector to eject a second ejection amount of liquid onto the cured first ejection amount of liquid, and cure the second ejection amount of liquid. The first ejection amount and the second ejection amount are different from each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid ejection device comprising: a plurality of ejectors configured to eject active energy ray curable liquid; an active energy ray irradiator configured to emit an active energy ray to the liquid ejected by the plurality of ejectors; a move control unit configured to move any one of a first element and a second element in a main-scanning direction, and move any one of the first element and the second element in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main-scanning direction, the first element including the plurality of ejectors and the active energy ray irradiator, the second element including an object to which the liquid is ejected; and a control unit configured to perform control to cause a first ejector of the plurality of ejectors to eject a first ejection amount of liquid, cure the first ejection amount of liquid, cause a second ejector of the plurality of ejectors to eject a second ejection amount of liquid onto the cured first ejection amount of liquid, and cure the second ejection amount of liquid, wherein the first ejection amount and the second ejection amount are different from each other, and the second ejector is different from the first ejector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to make an ejection amount of liquid to be ejected from the second ejector larger than an ejection amount of liquid to be ejected from the first ejector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to make an ejection amount of liquid to be ejected from the second ejector smaller than an ejection amount of liquid to be ejected from the first ejector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to make a probability with which nozzles corresponding to areas around both ends of the first ejector and the second ejector are used, larger than a probability with which nozzles corresponding to the other area are used. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control an ejection amount of liquid using blue noise characteristics of a mask generation pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The liquid ejection device according to claim 2, wherein the liquid comprises clear ink containing no colorant, and the active energy ray irradiator is configured to make an amount of active energy ray to be emitted from the active energy ray irradiator to the clear ink ejected from the first ejector, smaller than an amount of active energy ray to be emitted from the active energy ray irradiator to ink containing a colorant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The liquid ejection device according to claim 3, wherein the liquid comprises clear ink containing no colorant, and the active energy ray irradiator is configured to make an amount of active energy ray to be emitted from the active energy ray irradiator to the clear ink ejected from the second ejector, smaller than an amount of active energy ray to be emitted from the active energy ray irradiator to ink containing a colorant. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the active energy ray irradiator is divided into a plurality of blocks, is capable of being turned on partially, and is configured to be turned off at a center part of the plurality of blocks in the sub-scanning direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the active energy ray irradiator is divided into a plurality of blocks, is capable of being turned on partially, and is configured to be turned off at a front part to a center part of the plurality of blocks in the sub-scanning direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the active energy ray irradiator is divided into a plurality of blocks, is capable of being turned on partially, and is configured to be turned off at a center part to a back part of the plurality of blocks in the sub-scanning direction. ### Claim 11 A program for causing a computer configured to control a liquid ejection device including a plurality of ejectors configured to eject active energy ray curable liquid, and an active energy ray irradiator configured to emit an active energy ray to the liquid ejected by the plurality of ejectors, to function as: a move control unit configured to move any one of a first element and a second element in a main-scanning direction, and move any one of the first element and the second element in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main-scanning direction, the first element including the plurality of ejectors and the active energy ray irradiator, the second element including an object to which the liquid is ejected; and a control unit configured to perform control to cause a first ejector of the plurality of ejectors to eject a first ejection amount of liquid, cure the first ejection amount of liquid, cause a second ejector of the plurality of ejectors to eject a second ejection amount of liquid onto the cured first ejection amount of liquid, and cure the second ejection amount of liquid, wherein the first ejection amount and the second ejection amount are different from each other, and the second ejector is different from the first ejector. ### Claim 12 An ejection control method for a liquid ejection device including a plurality of ejectors configured to eject active energy ray curable liquid, and an active energy ray irradiator configured to emit an active energy ray to the liquid that is ejected by the plurality of ejectors, the method comprising: move control including moving any one of a first element and a second element in a main-scanning direction, and moving any one of the first element and the second element in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main-scanning direction, the first element including the plurality of ejectors and the active energy ray irradiator, the second element including an object to which the liquid is ejected; and performing control to cause a first ejector of the plurality of ejectors to eject a first ejection amount of liquid, cure the first ejection amount of liquid, cause a second ejector of the plurality of ejectors to eject a second ejection amount of liquid onto the cured first ejection amount of liquid, and cure the second ejection amount of liquid, wherein the first ejection amount and the second ejection amount are different from each other, and the second ejector is different from the first ejector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein an amount of energy of the active energy ray for curing the liquid is based on a liquid ejection amount such that smaller amounts of the liquid are cured with smaller amounts of energy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The liquid ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid comprises clear ink containing no colorant, the first ejector comprises plurality of nozzles configured to eject the clear ink, the second ejector comprises plurality of nozzles configured to eject the clear ink, and a position of the first ejector in the sub-scanning direction is different from a position of the second ejector in the sub-scanning direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The liquid ejection device according to claim 14, wherein a position of the first ejector in the main-scanning direction is different from a position of the second ejector in the main-scanning direction.