Printing apparatus and printing method

A printing apparatus that uses a printing head, in which a plurality of printing elements are arranged, to perform printing to a printing medium, said apparatus comprising:

• scanning means for scanning the printing head over the printing medium in a direction different form a direction in which the plurality of printing elements are arranged;
• conveying means for conveying the printing medium between successive scans by said scanning means, said conveying means using a conveying table in which one of a plurality of conveying amounts including at least a first or second amount that is not an integer-multiple of an interval between the printing elements arranged in the arrangement direction is defined for each scanning, to refer to the conveying amount corresponding to each scanning for conveying the printing medium;
• and
• switching means for switching the conveying table to be used,
• wherein said switching means does not switch the conveying table when the conveying amount, which is not the integer-multiple of the interval and is defined for the scan closest to an execution of the switching among the scans before said switching, is the first or second conveying amount, and the conveying amount, which is not the integer-multiple of the interval and is defined for the scan closest to an execution of the switching among the scans after said switching is the same as the first or second conveying amount before the switching.

A printing method that scans a printing head, in which a plurality of printing elements are arranged, relatively to the printing medium in a direction different form a direction in which the plurality of printing elements are arranged, to perform printing to the printing medium by means of the printing head, said method comprising the steps of:

• conveying the printing medium for using a conveying table in which one of a plurality of conveying amounts including at least a first or second amount that is not an integer-multiple of an interval between the printing elements arranged in the arrangement direction is defined for each scanning, to refer to the conveying amount corresponding to each scanning to conveying the printing medium;
• and
• switching the conveying table to be used,
• wherein said switching step controls the switching of conveying table so that the conveying amount, which is not the integer-multiple of the interval and is defined for the scan closest to an execution of the switching among the scans before said switching, is not the same as the conveying amount, which is not the integer-multiple of the interval and is defined for the scan closest to an execution of the switching among the scans after said switching.

A printing method that scans a printing head, in which a plurality of printing elements are arranged, relatively to the printing medium in a direction different form a direction in which the plurality of printing elements are arranged, to perform printing to the printing medium by means of the printing head, said method comprising the steps of;

• conveying the printing medium for using a conveying table in which one of a plurality of conveying amounts including at least a first or second amount that is not an integer-multiple of an interval between the printing elements arranged in the arrangement direction is defined for each scanning, to refer to the conveying amount corresponding to each scanning to conveying the printing medium;
• and
• switching the conveying table to be used,
• wherein said switching step does not switch the conveying table when the conveying amount, which is not the integer-multiple of the interval and is defined for the scan closest to an execution of the switching among the scans before said switching, is the first or second conveying amount, and the conveying amount, which is not the integer-multiple of the interval and is defined for the scan closest to an execution of the switching among the scans after said switching is the same as the first or second conveying amount before the switching.