Method for operating a printer having vertically offset printheads
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsMary Ellen Ellison Biddle, James Daniel Weeks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for operating a printer having vertically offset printheads each having an array of nozzles. A method step includes printing in a first mode which enables a larger number or all of the nozzles of the printheads. Another step includes printing in a second mode which enables only nozzles defining a common print region for the printheads. In one example, the first and second modes occur in different raster lines of the same sheet of print medium. In another example, the first and second modes occur in different print jobs.
Claims20
A method for operating a printer having vertically offset first and second printheads, wherein the first printhead has a first array of nozzles, wherein the second printhead has a second array of nozzles, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- a) printing in a first mode which enables a number “M” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the first array and which enables a number “N” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the second array;
- and
- b) printing in a second mode which enables only a number “m” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the first array and which enables only a number “n” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the second array, wherein “M” is greater than “m”, “N” is greater than “n”, and the “m” and “n” vertically consecutive nozzles define a common print region.
A method for operating a printer having vertically offset first and second printheads, wherein the first printhead has a first array of nozzles printing a first color, wherein the second printhead has a second array of nozzles printing a second color different from the first color, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- a) advancing the print medium a first distance to a next raster line to be printed in a first mode;
- b) printing in the first mode which enables a number “M” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the first array and which enables a number “N” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the second array;
- c) advancing the print medium a second distance to a next raster line to be printed in a second mode, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance;
- and
- d) printing in the second mode which enables only a number “m” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the first array and which enables only a number “n” of vertically consecutive nozzles in the second array, wherein “M” is greater than “m”, “N” is greater than “n”, “M” equals “N”, “m” equals “n”, and the “m” and “n” vertically consecutive nozzles define a common print region.
A method for operating a printer having vertically offset first and second printheads, wherein the first printhead has a first array of nozzles, wherein the second printhead has a second array of nozzles, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- a) printing a first raster line which enables all of the nozzles in one of first and second arrays when the first raster line does not require printing by the other of the first and second arrays;
- and
- b) printing a second raster line which enables only common-print-region ones of the nozzles in the first and second arrays when the second raster line requires printing by both the first and second arrays.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.