Printer and a method of printing

A method of printing with a printer of the type comprising a scan axis arranged to receive at least one pen, each pen comprising an array of ink ejection elements, wherein the method comprises the steps:

• responsive to selection of a multi-pass print mode, causing a printing medium advance mechanism to incrementally advance the printing medium past the pens in a printing advance direction (PAD) between the printing of a first swath and a second swath so that a first group of ink ejection elements dispenses ink in a swath along respective rows on said printing medium with at least one other group of corresponding ink ejection elements dispensing ink along said rows in subsequent swaths;
• moving said at least one pen across said printing medium at a speed providing a pre-determined drop-to-drop interval, said at least one pen dispensing an ink with a relaxation time which is a function of the characteristics of said printing medium and the amount of ink being dispensed and said drop-to-drop interval being comparable to said relaxation time;
• and
• causing said first group of ink ejection elements to dispense proportionally more ink per swath than said other group(s) of ink ejection elements in subsequent swaths.

A printer comprising:

• a scan axis arranged to receive at least one pen, each pen comprising an array of ink ejection elements adapted to print a swath on a printing medium;
• and
• printer control circuitry, responsive to selection of a multi-pass print mode, to cause a printing medium advance mechanism to incrementally advance the printing medium between swaths;
• wherein said printer control circuitry is arranged to cause said ink ejection elements to dispense ink in a swath so that other ink ejection elements in subsequent swaths dispense ink onto rows on said printing medium having near homogeneous conditions of dryness.

A printer comprising:

• a scan axis arranged to receive at least one pen, each pen comprising an array of ink ejection elements adapted to print a swath on a printing medium;
• and
• printer control circuitry, responsive to selection of a multi-pass print mode, to cause a printing medium advance mechanism to incrementally advance the printing medium past the pens between swaths;
• said printer control circuitry being arranged to move said at least one pen across said printing medium at a speed providing a pre-determined drop-to-drop interval and wherein said scan axis is arranged to receive one of said at least one pen which dispenses an ink with a relaxation time being a function of at least the characteristics of said printing medium and the amount of ink being dispensed;
• and
• wherein said printer control circuitry controls the amount of ink being dispensed to ensure said relaxation time is greater than said drop-to-drop interval.