Inkjet recording apparatus, test image forming method, and computer-readable medium

An inkjet recording apparatus comprising:

• a head having a plurality of nozzles which eject an ink onto a recording medium;
• a conveyance device which conveys the recording medium;
• a droplet ejection control device which controls ink ejection of the head;
• a test image forming device that forms a test image on the recording medium by causing the ink to be ejected from every n (where n is a natural number equal to 2 or higher) nozzles in an X direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and causing the ink to be ejected so as to form vertical lines forming n columns which shift by one nozzle in the X direction and each extend continuously in terms of a Y direction parallel to the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed;
• and
• a reading device which is provided on a conveyance path of the recording medium, reads in a test image on the recording medium and has an image reading structure covering a length corresponding to full width of the recording medium in a breadthways direction which is perpendicular to the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed,
• wherein in the test image, an arrangement pitch in the X direction of the vertical lines is equal to or exceeding a reading pitch in the X direction of the reading device, an arrangement pitch in the Y direction of the vertical lines is twice or more than twice a reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device, and an interval corresponding to variation in a conveyance of the recording medium is provided between the vertical lines in such a manner that a length in the Y direction of each of the vertical lines is less than the reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device.

A test image forming method for an inkjet recording apparatus which ejects an ink onto a recording medium from a plurality of nozzles provided in a head while conveying the recording medium, and which comprises a reading device which reads in an image formed on the recording medium, the test image forming method comprising the step of:

• controlling ink ejection of the head so as to form a test image on the recording medium by causing the ink to be ejected from every n (where n is a natural number equal to 2 or higher) nozzles in an X direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and causing the ink to be ejected so as to form vertical lines forming n columns which shift by one nozzle in the X direction and each extend continuously in terms of a Y direction parallel to the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, in such a manner that, in the test image, an arrangement pitch in the X direction of the vertical lines is equal to or exceeding a reading pitch in the X direction of the reading device, an arrangement pitch in the Y direction of the vertical lines is N times a reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device (where N is a natural number), and an interval corresponding to variation in a conveyance of the recording medium is provided between the vertical lines in such a manner that a length in the Y direction of each of the vertical lines is less than the reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device.

A test image forming method for an inkjet recording apparatus which ejects an ink onto a recording medium from a plurality of nozzles provided in a head while conveying the recording medium, and which comprises a reading device which reads in an image formed on the recording medium, the test image forming method comprising the step of:

• controlling ink ejection of the head so as to form a test image on the recording medium by causing the ink to be ejected from every n (where n is a natural number equal to 2 or higher) nozzles in an X direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and causing the ink to be ejected so as to form vertical lines forming n columns which shift by one nozzle in the X direction and each extend continuously in terms of a Y direction parallel to the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, in such a manner that, in the test image, an arrangement pitch in the X direction of the vertical lines is equal to or exceeding a reading pitch in the X direction of the reading device, an arrangement pitch in the Y direction of the vertical lines is twice or more than twice a reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device, and an interval corresponding to variation in a conveyance of the recording medium is provided between the vertical lines in such a manner that a length in the Y direction of each of the vertical lines is less than the reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device.

A computer-readable medium storing instructions to cause a computer to execute at least a test image forming method for an inkjet recording apparatus which ejects an ink onto a recording medium from a plurality of nozzles provided in a head while conveying the recording medium, and which comprises a reading device which reads in an image formed on the recording medium, the test image forming method comprising the step of:

• controlling ink ejection of the head so as to form the test image on the recording medium by causing the ink to be ejected from every n (where n is a natural number equal to 2 or higher) nozzles in an X direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and causing the ink to be ejected so as to form vertical lines forming n columns which each extend continuously in terms of a Y direction parallel to the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed and shift by one nozzle in the X direction, in such a manner that, in the test image, an arrangement pitch in the X direction of the vertical lines is equal to or exceeding a reading pitch in the X direction of the reading device, an arrangement pitch in the Y direction of the vertical lines is N times a reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device (where N is a natural number), and an interval corresponding to variation in a conveyance of the recording medium is provided between the vertical lines in such a manner that a length in the Y direction of each of the vertical lines is less than the reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device.

A computer-readable medium storing instructions to cause a computer to execute at least a test image forming method for an inkjet recording apparatus which ejects an ink onto a recording medium from a plurality of nozzles provided in a head while conveying the recording medium, and which comprises a reading device which reads in an image formed on the recording medium, the test image forming method comprising the step of:

• controlling ink ejection of the head so as to form the test image on the recording medium by causing the ink to be ejected from every n (where n is a natural number equal to 2 or higher) nozzles in an X direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and causing the ink to be ejected so as to form vertical lines forming n columns which each extend continuously in terms of a Y direction parallel to the direction in which the recording medium is conveyed and shift by one nozzle in the X direction, in such a manner that, in the test image, an arrangement pitch in the X direction of the vertical lines is equal to or exceeding a reading pitch in the X direction of the reading device, an arrangement pitch in the Y direction of the vertical lines is twice or more than twice a reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device, and an interval corresponding to variation in a conveyance of the recording medium is provided between the vertical lines in such a manner that a length in the Y direction of each of the vertical lines is less than the reading pitch in the Y direction of the reading device.