Printing with multiple print heads
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorToyohiko Mitsuzawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Controlling ejection of ink drops with a less number of temperature sensors than the number of print heads. [Solution] The present invention is an printing apparatus for printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium. The printing apparatus comprises N print heads, M temperature sensors, and an ejection controller. M temperature sensors are allocated in the printing apparatus. An ejection controller is configured to control the ejection of he ink drops from at least part of the N print heads in response to an output of the M temperature sensors. The integer M is smaller than the integer N.
Claims26
A printing apparatus for printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium, the printing apparatus comprising:
- N print heads having a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting at least one color of same ink, N being an integer of at least two;
- M temperature sensors allocated in the printing apparatus, M being an integer of at least one;
- and
- an ejection controller configured to control the ejection of the ink drops from at least part of the N print heads in response to an output of the M temperature sensors, wherein
- the integer M is smaller than the integer N.
The printing apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein
- the nozzle array has a plurality of ejection drive elements for ejecting ink drops from the plurality of nozzles;
- and
- the ejection controller comprises:
- an original drive signal generator configured to generate an original drive signal for driving the ejection drive elements;
- and
- an original drive waveform generator configured to generate an original drive waveform which is a waveform of the original drive signal, wherein
- the original drive waveform generator determines the original drive waveform to be supplied to at least part of the N print heads, in response to the output of the M temperature sensors.
A method of printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing N print heads having a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting at least one color of same ink, N being an integer of at least two, and M temperature sensors allocated in the printing apparatus, M being an integer of at least one;
- and
- (b) controlling the ejection of the ink drops from at least part of the N print heads in response to an output of the M temperature sensors, wherein
- the integer M is smaller than the integer N.
A printing apparatus for printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium, the printing apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of print heads having a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting at least one color of same ink;
- a plurality of temperature sensors allocated in the printing apparatus;
- and
- an ejection controller configured to control the ejection of the ink drops from at least part of the plurality of print heads in response to an output of the plurality of temperature sensors in order to compensate for a variation in ejection of the ink drops due to a temperature variation of the plurality of print heads, wherein
- the plurality of print heads are located at a plurality of positions of different elevations in an operation of the printing apparatus;
- and
- a print head having a relatively high ink ejection speed in the case of ejecting an ink drop of a same weight at a same temperature is located at a relatively high position.
A method of printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of print heads having a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting at least one color of same ink and a plurality of temperature sensors;
- and
- (b)controlling the ejection of the ink drops from at least part of the plurality of print heads in response to an output of the plurality of temperature sensors in order to compensate for a variation in ejection of the ink drops due to a temperature variation of the plurality of print heads, wherein
- the step (a) includes the step of locating the plurality of print heads at a plurality of positions of different elevations in an operation of the printing apparatus;
- the locating step includes the step of locating a print head having a relatively high ink ejection speed in the case of ejecting an ink drop of a same weight at a same temperature, at a relatively high position.
A printing apparatus for printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium, the printing apparatus comprising:
- N print heads having a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting at least one color of same ink, N being an integer of at least two;
- and
- M temperature sensors allocated in the printing apparatus, M being an integer of at least one, wherein
- the integer M is smaller than the integer N;
- and
- the printing apparatus is configured to stop the ejection of ink drops from the N print heads, when output of at least part of the M temperature sensors exceeds a specific value representing a preset temperature.
A method of printing by ejecting ink drops onto a print medium, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing N print heads having a nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting at least one color of same ink, N being an integer of at least two, and M temperature sensors, M being an integer of at least one;
- and
- (b) stopping the printing in response to an output of the M temperature sensors when the output of at least part of the M temperature sensors exceeds a specific value representing a preset temperature, wherein
- the integer M is smaller than the integer N.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.