US 2006/0132527 A1 · Test card for ink jet printers and method of using same

Abstract

A card for testing print heads includes a first layer having a first height and longitudinal length and a second layer located on top of the first layer having a second height and longitudinal length smaller than the first length. Also, a method of determining ink drop velocity including providing such a card, and printing a line including a plurality of dots thereon. A first of the dots is located on the first layer and a second of the dots is located on the second layer. Finally, the method includes determining a first relative distance between the first and second of the dots along the print direction, determining a second relative distance between the top surfaces of the first and second layers, and calculating the ink drop velocity as follows: V*(RD1/RD2), wherein V is the print velocity, D1 is the first relative distance, and D2 is the second relative distance.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A card for use in testing an ink jet print head, comprising:

a first print medium layer having a first height and a first length along a longitudinal axis of said card;
and
a second print medium layer located on a top surface of said first print medium layer, said second print medium layer having a second height and a second length along said longitudinal axis of said card, said first length being greater than said second length.

A method of determining a velocity of a drop of ink ejected by an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles, comprising:

providing a card having a first print medium layer having a first height and a first length along a longitudinal axis of said card, and a second print medium layer having a second height and a second length along said longitudinal axis of said card, said first length being different than said second length;
printing a line on said card using said ink jet print head along said longitudinal axis during relative movement between said ink jet print head and said card in a print direction generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis at a print velocity, said line comprising a plurality of dots, each dot being produced by ink ejected from one of said nozzles, a first one of said dots being located on a top surface of said first print medium layer and a second one of said dots being located on a top surface of said second print medium layer, said first one of said dots resulting from said drop of ink;
determining a first relative distance between said first one of said dots and said second one of said dots along said print direction;
determining a second relative distance between the top surface of said first print medium layer and the top surface of said second print medium layer in a direction generally perpendicular to said print direction;
and
calculating said velocity of said drop of ink ejected by said ink jet print head based on said print velocity, said first relative distance and said second relative distance.

3 more elements

A method of adjusting operating parameters of an ink jet print head, comprising:

providing a card having a first print medium layer having a first height and a first length along a longitudinal axis of said card, and a second print medium layer having a second height and a second length along said longitudinal axis of said card, said first length being different than said second length;
printing a test pattern on said card using said ink jet print head;
scanning said test card to read said test pattern;
based on said scanned test pattern, calculating drop velocity for an ink drop ejected by said ink jet print head;
determining one or more adjustment parameters using said calculated drop velocity;
and
adjusting said operating parameters based on said adjustment parameters.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Test card for ink jet printers and method of using same

Life of this patent

Test card for ink jet printers and method of using same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20