US 6,273,548 B1Granted

Method and circuit for controlling nozzle heads in inkjet printers, in particular nozzle heads of piezoelectric device type

AssigneeTally Computerdrucker GmbH

InventorsManfred Grüner, Berthold Löw

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Abstract

A circuit for controlling nozzle heads in inkjet printers includes a first plurality of nozzles disposed in a row forming an angle relative to a horizontal and to a line direction, respectively, wherein the nozzles of the first plurality of nozzles exhibit a defined distance from each other, and wherein the nozzles of the first plurality of nozzles are to be shot off without a time delay, and a second plurality of nozzles disposed in the row forming the angle relative to the horizontal and to the line direction, respectively, and electronically distinguished from the first plurality of nozzles, wherein the nozzles of the second plurality of nozzles exhibit a defined distance from each other, and wherein the nozzles of the second group of nozzles are disposed interleaved relative to the first plurality of nozzles.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A circuit for controlling nozzle heads in inkjet printers comprising:

a first plurality of nozzles disposed in a row forming an angle relative to a horizontal and to a line direction, respectively, wherein the nozzles of the first plurality of nozzles exhibit a defined distance from each other, and wherein the nozzles of the first plurality of nozzles are to be shot off without a time delay;
a second plurality of nozzles disposed in a row forming an angle relative to a horizontal and to a line direction, respectively, and electronically distinguished from the first plurality of nozzles, wherein the nozzles of the second plurality of nozzles exhibit a defined distance from each other, and wherein the nozzles of the second group of nozzles are disposed interleaved relative to the first plurality of nozzles, and wherein the nozzles of the second plurality of nozzles are to be shot off with a time delay of a fraction of a pixel distance;
a third plurality of nozzles disposed in a row forming an angle relative to a horizontal and to a line direction, respectively, and electronically distinguished from the first plurality of nozzles and from the second plurality of nozzles, wherein the nozzles of the third plurality of nozzles exhibit a defined distance from each other, and wherein the nozzles of the third group of nozzles are disposed interleaved relative to the first plurality of nozzles and relative to the second plurality of nozzles, and wherein the nozzles of the third plurality of nozzles are to be shot off with a time delay of a multiple of said fraction of the pixel distance;
a digital signal processor connected to the first plurality of nozzles, to the second plurality of nozzles and to the third plurality of nozzles for controlling the first plurality of nozzles, the second plurality of nozzles, and the third plurality of nozzles;
a data processing unit connected to the digital signal processor for switching the digital signal processor;
a unit for generating a print cycle connected to the data processing unit for delivering print data to the data processing unit, wherein the data processing unit processes print data as an image of a print line.

3 more elements

A circuit for controlling nozzle heads in inkjet printers comprising:

nozzle heads of piezo construction, with physically closely spaced nozzles having a distance from nozzle center to nozzle center of from about 0.08 to 0.15 millimeters,
wherein the nozzles are disposed in a row forming an angle relative to a horizontal or, respectively, to a line direction, respectively, wherein an inclined nozzle row is electronically subdivided into groups (A, B, C), wherein furthermore in each case the nozzles belonging to a group (A or B or C) jump over the nozzles of a other group (A or B or C), such that the nozzles exhibit a physical distance within an electronically controllable group (A, B, C), and wherein in addition the nozzles of the first group (A) can be shot off without a time delay, the nozzles of the second group (B) can be shot off with a time delay by a fraction of a pixel, and the nozzles of the third group (C) can be shot off with a time delay by a multiple of this fraction of a pixel,
a data processing unit (11) connected to the nozzles disposed in the row (1) and having an intermediate positioning and switching of a digital signal processor (DSP) for a control of the nozzle heads (10a, 10b), wherein the data processing unit (11) processes print data as an image of a print line (12), and
a unit (13) for generating a print cycle connected to the data processing unit (11).

1 more element

A method for controlling nozzle heads in inkjet printers comprising the steps of:

disposing nozzles at a defined distance from each other in a row;
disposing the row at an angle relative to a horizontal or, respectively, to a line direction;
subdividing the nozzles disposed in the row into a first plurality of nozzles, a second plurality of nozzles, and a third plurality of nozzles such that the nozzles of the third group of nozzles are disposed interleaved relative to the first plurality of nozzles and relative to the second plurality of nozzles;
connecting a digital signal processor to the first plurality of nozzles, to the second plurality of nozzles, and to the third plurality of nozzles for controlling the first plurality of nozzles, the second plurality of nozzles, and the third plurality of nozzles;
connecting a data processing unit to the digital signal processor for switching the digital signal processor;
connecting a unit for generating a print cycle to the data processing unit for delivering print data to the data processing unit, wherein the data processing unit processes the print data as an image of a print line;
electronically distinguishing the first plurality of nozzles, the second plurality of nozzles, and the third plurality of nozzles;
shooting off the nozzles of the second plurality of nozzles with a time delay of a fraction of a pixel distance;
shooting off the nozzles of the third plurality of nozzles with a time delay of a multiple of said fraction of the pixel distance.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.