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US 8,573,763 B2Granted
Multi level printing device and method
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsDror Eldar, Dave Shmuel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of printing an image onto a substrate in a plurality of passes is presented. The method comprises the steps of separating the image into image portions, and printing each image portion in at least two layers. At least one printing pass prints the different layers to different image portions.
Claims17
A method of printing an image onto a substrate in a plurality of passes using a curable ink, the method comprising
- dividing the image into at least first and second adjacent image portions that combine to form the image, the first image portion having a first width and the second image portion having a second width, and
- printing each of the image portions from multiple layers of ink deposited in multiple passes over the image portion, wherein the printing comprises:
- printing a pass of ink comprising depositing a first layer of ink onto the substrate corresponding to the first image portion at a first drop level value;
- printing a first subsequent pass of ink comprising depositing a second layer of ink from a printhead arrangement onto the first layer of ink deposited on the substrate corresponding to the first image portion at a second ink drop level value and depositing a first layer of ink onto the substrate corresponding to the second image portion at the first drop level, such that the first subsequent pass comprises respective ink drop levels for different image portions;
- adjusting the position of the substrate relative to the printhead arrangement by a distance substantially equal to the first width;
- and
- printing a second subsequent pass of ink comprising depositing a second layer of ink onto the first layer of ink deposited on the substrate corresponding to the second image portion at the second ink drop level value.
4 more elements
Apparatus for printing an image portion on a substrate using a curable ink, the apparatus comprising
- a processor that performs operations comprising dividing the image into at least first and second adjacent image portions that combine to form the image, the first image portion having a first width and the second image portion having a second width, and
- a print head arrangement that performs operations comprising printing each of the image portions from multiple layers of ink deposited in multiple passes over the image portion, wherein the printing comprises:
- depositing a first layer of ink onto the substrate corresponding to the first image portion at a first drop level value;
- depositing a second layer of ink onto the first layer of ink deposited on the substrate corresponding to the first image portion at a second ink drop level value and to deposit a second layer of ink onto the substrate corresponding to the second image portion at the first drop level, such that ink is deposited at respective ink drop levels for different image portions;
- adjusting the print head position relative to the substrate by a distance substantially equal to the first width;
- and
- depositing a second layer of ink onto the first layer of ink deposited on the substrate corresponding to the second image portion at the second ink drop level value.
4 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:
- dividing an image into at least first and second adjacent image portions that combine to form the image, the first image portion having a first width and the second image portion having a second width, and
- printing each of the image portions from multiple layers of ink deposited in multiple passes over the image portion, wherein the printing comprises
- printing a pass of ink comprising depositing a first layer of ink from a printhead arrangement onto a substrate corresponding to the first image portion at a first drop level value;
- printing a first subsequent pass of ink comprising depositing a second layer of ink onto the first layer of ink deposited on the substrate corresponding to the first image portion at a second ink drop level value and depositing a first layer of ink onto the substrate corresponding to the second image portion at the first drop level, such that the first subsequent pass comprises respective ink drop levels for different image portions;
- adjusting the position of the substrate relative to the printhead arrangement by a distance substantially equal to the first width;
- and
- printing a second subsequent pass of ink comprising depositing a second layer of ink onto the first layer of ink deposited onto the substrate corresponding to the second image portion at the second ink drop level value.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.