Inkjet multifunction device having a nozzle malfunction repair function and a method for maintaining the same

A method for repairing malfunctioning nozzles in an inkjet multifunction device, comprising steps of:

• printing a predetermined test pattern on paper;
• scanning the printed test pattern;
• determining if there is a malfunctioning nozzle based on the scanned test pattern;
• purging only ones of said plurality of nozzles that are deemed to be malfunctioning;
• and
• displaying on a display that said inkjet multifunction device is properly functioning if no nozzles are deemed to be malfunctioning.

An method for correcting an ink jet printhead, comprising the steps of:

• setting a counter to zero;
• printing a test pattern using said ink jet printhead having a plurality of nozzles by ejecting ink of a color through each one of said plurality of nozzles;
• scanning said test pattern by a scanner;
• determining whether there is a malfunctioning nozzle in said ink jet printhead from said scanned test pattern;
• displaying that said inkjet printhead has no malfunctioning nozzles when no malfunctioning nozzles are present;
• determining whether said counter is less than a predetermined value if a malfunctioning nozzle is present;
• displaying a message that a malfunctioning nozzle remains present when said counter equals said predetermined value;
• purging only ones of said plurality of nozzles that are malfunctioning when said counter is less than said predetermined value and when there is a malfunctioning nozzle in said ink jet printhead;
• incrementing said counter by one when there is a malfunctioning nozzle present;
• and
• repeating said method by printing a new test pattern when there is one malfunctioning nozzle present.

An apparatus for correcting malfunctioning nozzles in an inkjet printhead, comprising:

• a printhead having a plurality of nozzles;
• a sheet of recording medium having a reference point, wherein said sheet of recording medium has a test pattern printed onto it by said plurality of nozzles, a reference image for each nozzle in said test pattern being a certain, precise distance and direction from said reference point;
• a scanner for scanning a test pattern printed by said printhead vis a vis said reference point;
• a control unit attached to said printhead and said scanner, said control unit determining precise location of a reference image for each nozzle in said test pattern and determining the presence of a malfunctioning nozzle and conducting purging operations on only those ones of said plurality of nozzles that are deemed to be malfunctioning based on data received from said scanner;
• a counter for keeping tract of the number of test patterns printed and the number of purging operations performed, the value of said counter being initially set to zero and being incremented by one each time a purging operation is performed, the value of said counter being compared to a predetermined value to determine when to abort said purging operations and convey to a user that said printhead must be replaced;
• and
• a display unit displaying the result of said correction of said ones of said plurality of malfunctioning nozzles to a user upon completion of said testing and purging operations.

A method for correcting for malfunctioning nozzles in a printhead, comprising the steps of:

• printing a first test pattern on a sheet of recording medium using said printhead, said first test pattern being located a precise distance and direction from a first reference point on said sheet of recording medium;
• scanning said test pattern;
• determining, from precise reference positions on said sheet of recording medium whether each one of a plurality of nozzles from said printhead produces an image exceeding a predetermined threshold for the color of ink being used;
• purging only those nozzles that failed to produce an image at a precise location on said sheet of recording medium exceeding a threshold brightness for the color of ink used if a malfunctioning nozzle is present;
• displaying a result of said determining step when no malfunctioning nozzles are present;
• printing a second test pattern, said second test pattern being located a precise distance and direction from a second reference point on said sheet of recording medium, scanning said second test pattern, and determining which nozzles are still malfunctioning;
• determining, from precise reference positions on said sheet of recording medium whether each one of a plurality of nozzles from said printhead produces an image exceeding a predetermined threshold for the color of ink being used;
• performing a second purge on only those nozzles deemed to still be malfunctioning;
• displaying a result of said determining step when no malfunctioning nozzles are present;
• printing a third test pattern, said third test pattern being located a precise distance and direction from a third reference point on said sheet of recording medium, scanning said test pattern, and determining which nozzles are still malfunctioning;
• determining, from precise reference positions on said sheet of recording medium whether each one of a plurality of nozzles from said printhead produces an image exceeding a predetermined threshold for the color of ink being used;
• performing a third purge on only those nozzles deemed to still be malfunctioning;
• displaying a result of said determining step when no malfunctioning nozzles are present;
• printing a fourth test pattern, said fourth test pattern being located a precise distance and direction from a fourth reference point on said sheet of recording medium scanning said fourth test pattern, and determining which nozzles are still malfunctioning;
• determining, from precise reference positions on said sheet of recording medium whether each one of a plurality of nozzles from said printhead produces an image exceeding a predetermined threshold for the color of ink being used;
• performing a fourth purge on only those nozzles deemed to still be malfunctioning;
• displaying a result of said determining step when no malfunctioning nozzles are present;
• printing a fifth test pattern, said fifth test pattern being located a precise distance and direction from a fifth reference point on said sheet of recording medium, scanning said fifth test pattern, and determining which nozzles are still malfunctioning;
• determining, from precise reference positions on said sheet of recording medium whether each one of a plurality of nozzles from said printhead produces an image exceeding a predetermined threshold for the color of ink being used;
• and
• displaying a result that said printhead must be replaced if a malfunctioning nozzle still exists and displaying a result that said printhead has been corrected if no malfunctioning nozzles remain after said fourth purge.

An inkjet multifunction device having repair capability for malfunctioning nozzles, said device comprises:

• a printing unit equipped with a plurality of nozzles, said printing unit printing a predetermined test pattern on paper;
• a scanner scanning the test pattern printed on the paper;
• and
• a control unit identifying ones of said plurality of nozzles deemed to be malfunctioning based on the test pattern and the scanning, the control unit performing a first, single purge operation upon identification of a malfunctioning nozzle in an attempt to repair said ones of said plurality of nozzles deemed to be malfunctioning, said control unit causing said printing unit to print said predetermined test pattern a second time and causing said scanner to scan said second printed test pattern to determine whether or not there is a continued presence a malfunctioning nozzle after said first, single purge, the control unit performing a second, single purge only when a malfunctioning nozzle is found to be present after the first purge.

A method for repairing malfunctioning nozzles in an inkjet multifunction device, said method comprising the steps of:

• printing a predetermined test pattern on paper;
• scanning the printed test pattern;
• determining whether or not there is a malfunctioning nozzle based on the scanned test pattern;
• and
• performing a first single purge operation only when a malfunctioning nozzle is present;
• printing said predetermined test pattern on paper a second time;
• scanning said second test pattern;
• determining whether or not there is a malfunctioning nozzle after said first purge based on the scanning of the second test pattern;
• and
• performing a second single purge operation only when a nozzle is still malfunctioning after said first purge operation.