Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a nozzle array of plural nozzles capable of discharging ink. The inkjet recording apparatus performs a scanning/recording operation for forming an image on a recording medium by shifting the recording head in a main scanning direction. The inkjet recording apparatus repeatedly perform the scanning/recording operation and a recording medium conveying operation. The inkjet recording apparatus sets a recording position correction amount for each section of the nozzle array based on information relating to the inclination, so that a recording position correction amount in a forward scanning operation is different from a recording position correction amount in a backward scanning operation.

Abstract: In an image printing apparatus for printing an image by combining dots of a plurality of sizes, a banding problem attributable to variations in conveying operation, and a temperature rise of a print head with an increase of the number of ejections are solved with a relatively simple configuration. To this end, a combination of dots of a plurality of sizes is assigned to each of pixels expressed at a plurality level of density. In this assignment, a dot larger than a pitch of an image resolution is preferentially allocated to a pixel having a density level higher than that to which one dot smaller than the pitch of the image resolution is allocated.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to realize multi-pass print control which requires a short processing time by a simple arrangement. To this end, a printer according to this invention attains multi-grayscale print control by changing the number of dots to be printed on each pixel to overlap each other in multi-pass print control that prints the pixel in a plurality of scans. In this case, index patterns, each of which designates which of scans is to be used to print in accordance with the density level of a pixel, are prepared for respective pixel values. If a plurality of patterns are prepared for each pixel value, a pattern is randomly selected from them. An image is printed in accordance with a print pattern defined by the selected pattern.

Abstract: When paper dirt that could not be removed completely by the wiping gets trapped in the recessed portions formed in the ejection port face, the paper dirt may interfere with ejection ports, giving rise to a possibility of image impairments. To deal with this problem, the ejection ports and the recessed portions in the print head are shifted from each other so that their positions are not aligned in the wiping direction.

Abstract: To provide an ink jet printing apparatus and ink jet printing method capable of printing at high speed and high image quality in accordance with the distance between the head and the paper. In performing a first print mode for printing to a unit region of the print medium by making the print head scan N times (N: positive integer), and executing a second print mode for printing to the unit region of the print medium by making the print head scan M times (M: positive integer, M>N), the distance between the print head and the print medium (distance between the head and the paper) in the first print mode is made shorter than that in the second print mode.

Abstract: Provided are an ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which are capable of printing high-quality images by performing printing scanning in a forward direction and in an opposite direction without needing complicated control of a transfer amount of a printing medium nor causing throughput degradation. Inks are ejected from odd-numbered nozzles in scanning in the forward direction and are ejected from even-numbered nozzles in scanning in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The order of the arrangement of ejection opening arrays of two types of ink overlapping in reciprocating scan is decided as follows. An ejection order is decided so that the case where the fixing areas of a main droplet and a satellite are different (dot area is increased) in the forward and backward scan first occurs. By this configuration, the area of the dot and the portion in which different colors are generated due to the difference in the overlapping order in the reciprocating scan can be reduced, compared with the case where the arrangement order is opposite to the above-described case. As a result, a difference in color between areas for which printing is completed by the reciprocating scanning is reduced and thus color unevenness of a printed image can be reduced.

Abstract: When completing an image in a predetermined area by an odd or even number of bidirectional printing scans, this invention makes it possible to suppress lines of image defects and density variations and thereby print a high-quality image at high speed. In completing an image by an odd number of bidirectional printing scans, the print data for small ink droplets and large ink droplets are thinned using the first and second thinning pattern. The first and second thinning pattern thin the print data for small ink droplets and large ink droplets so that a difference between the total print ratio of all forward printing scans of the odd number of scans and the total print ratio of all backward printing scans of the odd number of scans when the first thinning pattern is used differs from that when the second thinning pattern is used.

Abstract: To achieve high-quality printing by controlling an ink-traveling direction by an electrostatic force so that the ink can be accurately applied on a printing medium, the ink ejected to areas outside edges of the printing medium is prevented from being attracted to the end portions in margin-less printing. This configuration includes: a platen, made of a conductive material, positioned immediately below the printing medium; an absorber positioned at a side of the edge; and a mesh conductive member disposed on the absorber. A first voltage is applied to the platen, causing polarization in the printing medium, and a second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied to the conductive member. Thereby, ink ejected outside the edges in the margin-less printing, travels straight-forwardly toward the conductive member without being attracted to the end portions, and is absorbed into the absorber via the conductive member.

Abstract: A recording apparatus, performing recording by time-division driving of multiple recording elements on a recording head in increments of blocks, includes: a storing unit storing recording data; an obtaining unit obtaining information relating to inclination of the recording elements in the main scanning direction; a changing unit changing, in increments of recording elements, the main scanning direction storage position of recording data stored in the storing unit to be provided to recording elements of a group, configured of consecutive recording elements in each block of the recording elements, based on the obtained information; and a determining unit determining the driving order of the recording elements subjected to time-division driving in increments of the blocks, for each of the scans; wherein recording is performed based on recording data with the main scanning direction storage position having been changed by the changing unit, and the driving order determined by the determining unit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus scans a recording head in a main scanning direction to perform time-division driving for a plurality of blocks of recording elements to perform recording. The recording apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain information regarding inclination of the recording element array with respect to a main scanning direction, a first changing unit configured to change, in units of recording elements, based on the obtained information, storage positions of recording data items that are stored in a storage unit and that are assigned to recording elements in each of groups, each of the groups including recording elements belonging to the blocks in the recording element array which are consecutive, and a second changing unit configured to change, in units of groups, based on the obtained information, the storage positions of the recording data items in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having a plurality of interfaces capable of communicating with external devices performs recording based on recording data input through any one of the plurality of interfaces. The recording apparatus determines which interface is used for receiving the recording data from the plurality of interfaces, and performs conversion processing on the recording data by increasing the amount of data in accordance with the determination result of which interface is used for receiving the recording data. The conversion processing changes depending on whether or not the interface used for receiving the recording data is an interface having a relatively high transfer rate (high speed interface).

Abstract: To achieve high-quality printing by controlling an ink-travelling direction by an electrostatic force so that the ink can be accurately applied on a printing medium, the ink is landed on a desired position of the printing medium effectively without disturbing the ink ejection, independent of a difference in the thickness of the printing medium. An electric field between a printing head and the printing medium is generated by applying a voltage to a platen of conductive material positioned immediately below the printing medium. At this point, the voltage applied to the platen is adjusted so that the electric field of a preferable intensity can be generated on a face of the printing head where ejection openings are formed irrespective of the thickness of the printing medium.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink supplied from an ink tank and a plurality of heating elements. The ink jet recording apparatus further includes a detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of ink in the ink tank, and a preliminary discharge unit configured to discharge ink from the discharge ports, unrelated to recording, by applying energy to the heating elements for recovering the recording head. The ink jet recording apparatus performs control so that when the remaining amount of ink detected is less than a predesignated remaining amount of ink, energy applied to the heating elements per unit time by the preliminary discharge unit is smaller as compared with energy applied to the heating elements per unit time when the remaining amount of ink is more than or equal to the predesignated remaining amount of ink.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus which is capable of estimate an amount of remaining ink with high accuracy by using ejection of ink from a printing head while restraining a consumption of ink during the estimation of the remaining ink amount, and also provides a method for estimating an amount of ink. An amount of ink ejected per unit time during the ink ejection for estimation of the remaining ink amount is set to be larger than an amount of ink ejected per unit time during printing.

Abstract: This invention reduces an unprinted stripe occurred by edge deviation of a printhead. An inkjet printing apparatus according to this invention can execute a first printing mode in which an image is printed by scanning the printhead in a first region on the printing medium N times and scanning the printhead in a second region adjacent to the first region (N+1) times, and a second mode in which an image is printed by scanning the printhead in the first region M times and scanning the printhead in the second region (M+1) times. The width, in the conveyance direction of the printing medium, of the second region printed in the second printing mode is narrower than the width, in the conveyance direction of the printing medium, of the second region printed in the first printing mode.

Abstract: A recording device drives a recording head mounted on a carriage while main-scanning by moving the carriage in a direction generally orthogonal to the sheet-feeding direction of a sheet. The recording device drives a first nozzle of the recording head at an upstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a first dot pattern while scanning the carriage and drives a second nozzle at a downstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a second dot pattern. The recording device feeds a region where the first dot pattern is recorded to a position facing the second nozzle. The second dot pattern is recorded in a region where the first dot pattern is not recorded.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus which performs printing by scanning a printhead having printing elements arrayed in a predetermined direction on a printing medium in a direction crossing to the array direction on the basis of information transmitted from a host apparatus, stores print data transmitted from the host apparatus, and has a buffer smaller in capacity than a print data amount printed on the printing medium by one scanning of the printhead, the buffer is divided into a plurality of blocks corresponding to rectangular regions printed by scanning. The use order of the blocks is so managed as to circularly store print data in the blocks along with the progress of printing. When print data representing non-driving of the printing elements successively exist in a predetermined amount, the predetermined amount of print data is represented by specific control data without storing the predetermined amount of print data in the blocks.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a printing apparatus and printhead temperature retaining control method capable of suppressing power consumption, and reducing degradation in image quality. To achieve the object, a printing apparatus for printing an image on a printing medium by discharging ink, executes the following processes. A first temperature adjustment process is executed to adjust the printhead temperature to a first adjustment temperature during the non-printing period in which preparation for printing the image is executed by discharging ink from the orifices. Additionally, a second temperature adjustment process is executed to adjust the printhead temperature to a second adjustment temperature during a printing period in which the image is printed on the printing medium by discharging ink from the orifices. The process is executed while providing a quiescent period without printhead temperature adjustment between the first and second temperature adjustment processes.