# US 7,611,216 B2 · Method and system for correcting print image distortion due to irregular print image space topography > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,611,216 B2 - Document ID: US7611216B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/188,022 - Filed: 2005-07-22 - Published: 2007-01-25 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-22 - Assignees: Pitney Bowes Inc. - Inventors: John W. Sussmeier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7611216B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/0458: {controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles} - B41J 2/04505: {aiming at correcting alignment} - B41J 2/04556: {detecting distance to paper} - B41J 2/04573: {Timing; Delays} - B41J 2/17596: {Ink pumps, ink valves} - B41J 3/28: for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes {, envelopes, e.g. flat-bed ink-jet printers} - B41J 29/393: Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} - G07B 17/00508: {Printing or attaching on mailpieces (printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00)} - G07B 2017/00532: {Inkjet} - G07B 2017/00556: {Ensuring quality of print} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - G07B: TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS ## Abstract A method and system are disclosed for ejecting ink drops from a plurality of ink jet nozzles in order to print on an envelope in a mail piece production process. The envelope has been stuffed and is therefore not flat, especially near the edges. Mail piece composition data is obtained and stored for the mail piece, and based upon that composition data a nozzle delay pattern is determined. For each ink jet nozzle, ink is ejected in accordance with the delay pattern so as to contact a point of the envelope's surface at the same time as drops from other ink jet nozzles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for ejecting ink drops from a plurality of ink jet nozzles in order to print on an envelope in a mail piece production process, each nozzle displaced in a first direction relative to a mobile surface of the envelope, and the plurality of nozzles being positioned substantially transverse to the direction of movement of said surface, wherein said surface is at least partially non-planar, comprising the steps of: transporting the mail piece past the plurality of nozzles: storing mail piece composition data for the mail piece; determining a nozzle delay pattern as a function of the composition data; and for each ink jet nozzle of said plurality of ink jet nozzles, ejecting a drop of ink in accordance with the delay pattern so as to contact a point of said surface at the same time as drops from other of said plurality of ink jet nozzles contact said surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the delay pattern is for delaying the ejection of ink from at least one nozzle of said plurality of ink jet nozzles, based upon an actual or estimated displacement of said nozzle in said first direction between said nozzle and the point of said surface, wherein an ink drop ejection velocity, Vdrop, of each ink jet nozzle is substantially equal, and wherein the delaying of the ejection of ink from one of a pair of said nozzles is defined by dZ/Vdrop with dZ being the difference in the displacements of said pair of said nozzles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nozzle delay pattern is one of a plurality of prearranged nozzle delay patterns. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the nozzle delay pattern is at least partly determined by a curvature of the envelope calculated in response to the composition data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the composition data includes at least one of the following data types: shape of the mail piece, size of the envelope, envelope material, number of pages inside the envelope, and thickness of pages inside the envelope. ### Claim 6 A system for ejecting ink drops from a plurality of ink jet nozzles in order to print on an envelope in a mail piece production process, each nozzle displaced in a first direction relative to a mobile surface of the envelope, and the plurality of nozzles being positioned substantially transverse to the direction of movement of said surface, wherein said surface is at least partially non-planar, comprising: a transport for moving the mail piece past the plurality of nozzles; a storage device for storing mail piece composition data obtained for the mail piece; a processing unit for determining a nozzle delay pattern as a function of the composition data; and a timing device, for timing ejection of a drop of ink from each ink jet nozzle of said plurality of ink jet nozzles, in accordance with the delay pattern, so as to contact a point of said surface at the same time as drops from other of said plurality of ink jet nozzles contact said surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the delay pattern is for delaying the ejection of ink from at least one nozzle of said plurality of ink jet nozzles, based upon an actual or estimated displacement of said nozzle in said first direction between said nozzle and the point of said surface, wherein an ink drop ejection velocity, Vdrop, of each ink jet nozzle is substantially equal, and wherein the delaying of the ejection of ink from one of a pair of said nozzles is defined by dZ/Vdrop with dZ being the difference in the displacements of said pair of said nozzles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the nozzle delay pattern is one of a plurality of prearranged nozzle delay patterns. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the nozzle delay pattern is at least partly arranged in response to the composition data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the composition data includes at least one of the following data types: shape of the mail piece, size of the envelope, envelope material, number of pages inside the envelope, and thickness of pages inside the envelope.