Liquid droplet ejecting method and liquid droplet ejecting apparatus

A liquid droplet ejecting method comprising:

• transporting a printing medium in a transport direction;
• scanning a first nozzle column and a second nozzle column in a scanning direction which intersects the transport direction, each of the first and second nozzle columns including a plurality of nozzles which selectively eject liquid droplets, the first and second nozzle columns being located at different positions along the transport direction;
• an ejecting mode during which liquid droplets are ejected from the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column;
• and
• a non-ejecting mode during which liquid droplets are not ejected from at least one of the first nozzle column or the second nozzle column,
• wherein when the non-ejecting mode is designated to be executed two consecutive times in a first period, a timing of the ejecting mode is altered from being executed directly adjacent to the first period to a modified timing wherein the non-ejecting mode and the ejecting mode are alternatively executed within the first period.

A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising:

• a transport unit which moves a printing medium in a transport direction;
• a first nozzle column which includes a plurality of nozzles which align in the transport direction, and eject liquid droplets;
• a second nozzle column which aligns on the upstream side of the first nozzle column in the transport direction, and includes a plurality of nozzles which align in the transport direction, and eject liquid droplets;
• and
• a scanning movement unit which moves the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column in a scanning direction which intersects the transport direction in a scanning manner,
• wherein an image configured of a raster which is completed using liquid droplet ejecting operations of n times is formed, by alternately repeating a transport operation in which the printing medium is moved in the transport direction, and a liquid droplet ejecting operation in which liquid droplets are ejected onto the printing medium while causing the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column to be moved in a scanning manner, and
• wherein, in the liquid droplet ejecting operation after the liquid droplet ejecting operation in which the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column are used in the liquid droplet ejecting operation of one time, the number of times m, in which the liquid droplet ejecting operation in which the second nozzle column is not used is continuous, is less than 0.5n.

A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus comprising:

• a transport unit which moves a printing medium in a transport direction;
• a first nozzle column and a second nozzle column which are located at different positions along the transport direction, each of the first and second nozzle columns including a plurality of nozzles which selectively eject liquid droplets;
• a scanning movement unit which moves the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column in a scanning direction which intersects the transport direction;
• and
• a control unit which is configured to control ejecting and non-ejecting of liquid droplets from the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column,
• wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column to eject liquid droplets along with a movement of the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column in one direction along the scanning direction using the scanning movement unit,
• the control unit is configured to cause the plurality of nozzles of at least one of the first nozzle column and the second nozzle column to be in an ejecting state in which liquid droplets are elected and in a non-ejecting state in which liquid droplets are not ejected, and
• when the non-ejecting state is designated to be executed two consecutive times in a first period, a timing of the ejecting state is altered from being executed directly adjacent to the first period to a modified timing wherein the non-ejecting state and the ejecting state are alternatively executed within the first period.