Abstract: A printing apparatus of the invention has an ejection head for ejecting ink droplets to form dots on a printing medium. The printing apparatus is capable of printing a correction pattern on the printing medium with the ejection head, the correction pattern having a plurality of sub-patterns for correcting a misalignment between a position at which dots are formed during a forward pass through which the head is moved and a position at which dots are formed during a return pass through which the head is moved, and correcting the misalignment based on two or more sub-patterns that stand out in density among the plurality of sub-patterns.

Abstract: A method for adjustment of a printing apparatus, includes the steps of: (i) receiving an instruction from a user via a user interface; (ii) forming a plurality of patterns on a medium using an ink ejecting section that ejects ink onto the medium, each of the patterns being a pattern for adjusting a different object; (iii) detecting each of the patterns with a sensor; and (iv) adjusting each of the plurality of objects based on a result of detecting each of the patterns. With this adjustment method, if the image quality of the printed image has dropped, even a user who is not well versed in an inkjet printer's functionality can achieve an appropriate image quality improvement.

Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring an ejection velocity of a liquid droplet ejected from a nozzle orifice of a head device which is provided with a pressure chamber communicated with the nozzle orifice and an actuator which varies pressure of liquid contained in the pressure chamber, a driver generates a drive signal to drive the actuator to eject a liquid droplet from the nozzle orifice. A photo emitter emits a light beam so as to intersect a space through which the liquid droplet passes. A photo receiver receives the light beam which has been passed through the space. A calculator calculates an ejection velocity of the liquid droplet based on a timing at which the actuator is driven and a change in a photo-receiving state of the photo receiver.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to achieve a liquid ejection control method and the like that allows the amount of consumed liquid to be reduced. The liquid ejection control method controls the ejection of liquid, from nozzles for ejecting liquid, onto a medium that is fed in a predetermined feed direction, and has a step of detecting a portion of the medium that is positioned on an upstream side in said feed direction, and a step of not ejecting liquid from nozzles of a plurality of nozzles that are located on the upstream side in the feed direction based on the results of the detection.

Abstract: Ejection of a clear-ink nozzle is inspected with ease. When forming an ejection-test pattern for a clear ink, for example, the clear ink is ejected toward a medium from a clear-ink nozzle to form the ejection-test pattern, and a color ink is ejected toward a region in which the clear ink is to adhere from at least two color-ink nozzles to form the ejection-test pattern.

Abstract: Ejection testing of a clear ink ejecting section is carried out easily. A clear ink is ejected toward a medium from a clear ink ejecting section for ejecting clear ink, and a color ink is ejected to a region in which the clear ink is to be adhering from a color ink ejecting section for ejecting color ink. A test pattern used for testing ejection of the clear ink ejecting section is formed on the medium by the clear ink and the color ink.

Abstract: Ejection testing of a clear ink ejecting section is carried out easily. A first test pattern, which is used for testing ejection of a color ink ejecting section, is formed by ejecting a color ink onto a medium from the color ink ejecting section for ejecting color ink; and a second test pattern, which is used for testing ejection of a clear ink ejecting section, is formed by ejecting a clear ink from the clear ink ejecting section for ejecting clear ink to form a clear ink pattern on the medium, and ejecting a color ink from the color ink ejecting section to form a color ink pattern that overlaps the clear ink pattern. The resolution of the color ink pattern is different from the resolution of the first test pattern.

Abstract: In an apparatus for measuring a natural period of liquid in a pressure chamber formed in a head device which is provided with a nozzle orifice communicated with the pressure chamber and an actuator which varies pressure of the liquid contained in the pressure chamber, a driver generates a plurality of drive signals, each of which drives the actuator to eject a liquid droplet from the nozzle orifice under a condition different from the conditions established by the other drive signals. A light emitter emits a light beam so as to intersect a space through which the liquid droplet passes. A light receiver receives the light beam which has been passed through the space. A first calculator calculates an ejection velocity of the liquid droplet based on a timing at which the actuator is driven and a change in a photo-receiving state of the light receiver, with regard to every drive signal.

Abstract: A determining method and the like is achieved for determining more accurately whether or not ink has been ejected. A determining method for determining whether or not ink was ejected from a plurality of nozzles includes a step of printing a non-ejection print pattern, a step of obtaining an output value upon non-ejection that is output based on the light that has been emitted toward the non-ejection print pattern, a step of printing an all-ejection print pattern, a step of obtaining an output value upon ejection that is output based on the light emitted toward the all-ejection print pattern, a step of setting a threshold value between the output value upon non-ejection and the output value upon ejection, and a step of comparing the threshold value with an output value that is output from a light-receiving section based on the light that has been emitted toward the print patterns.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises feeding means, light-emitting means, and a light-receiving sensor, and is capable of detecting a change in an output value of the light-receiving sensor that is caused by the medium to be printed, which has been fed by the feeding means, blocking the light, which has been emitted by the light-emitting means, wherein, by moving the light-emitting means and the light-receiving sensor in a main scanning direction, the printing apparatus detects, at a plurality of positions, changes in the output value that are caused by an upper or lower edge of the medium to be printed blocking the light, and based on a result of the detection, the printing apparatus obtains a position, in the feeding direction, of either one of a left edge or a right edge of the upper or lower edge that is fed leading or trailing the other in the feeding direction.

Abstract: A printing apparatus, a printing method, a computer program, and a computer system for decreasing ink consumption amount are provided. A printing apparatus comprises a print head being movable in a main scanning direction and printing medium feeding means for feeding a printing medium, and carries out printing on the printing medium by ejecting ink from the print head, wherein a skew of the printing medium is obtained by detecting, at a plurality of points, a leading edge that is fed first among the edges of the printing medium by the printing medium feeding means, and wherein a starting position, an ending position, or both of these for ejecting ink from the print head, which moves in the main scanning direction, is changed according to the skew that has been obtained.

Abstract: A recording start position is obtained effectively with high precision and in a short time.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises an ejection head for selectively ejecting ink droplets of a plurality of sizes to form dots on a printing medium. The printing apparatus is capable of printing a correction pattern on the printing medium, the correction pattern enabling correction of a misalignment between a position at which dots are formed during a forward pass through which the head is moved and a position at which dots are formed during a return pass through which the head is moved, and a spacing in a sub-scanning direction between dots that make up the correction pattern printed by ejecting ink droplets of a certain size from the ejection head is different from a spacing in the sub-scanning direction between dots that make up the correction pattern printed by ejecting ink droplets of a different size from the ejection head.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a carry roller for carrying a print sheet. The carry roller has virtual circumference segments that are obtained by virtually dividing a circumference of the carry roller into a plurality of segments in a direction in which the carry roller is rotated, and said printing apparatus is capable of printing a plurality of patterns for each of said virtual circumference segments, each of said patterns corresponding to a different correction amount, and setting a correction amount corresponding to one of the patterns to each said virtual circumference segment.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a technique for reducing the likelihood that cleaning will cause nozzle clogging. In periodic automatic cleaning of a printer that is not being used, the ejecting of ink droplets from each nozzle is tested prior to the cleaning to determine whether each nozzle is an operating nozzle capable of ejecting ink droplets or a non-operating nozzle incapable of ejecting ink droplets. The nozzles are only cleaned if non-operating nozzles are detected. The testing of the nozzles is also automatically carried out after cleaning.

Abstract: A liquid ejection method of ejecting liquid from a movable ejection head onto a medium comprises the steps of: detecting a position of an end of the medium; and changing, according to a feed amount of the medium fed after the position of the end of the medium has been detected, at least either a starting position or a terminating position for ejecting the liquid from the ejection head being moved.

Abstract: An ink-ejection-determining device capable of determining with high reliability whether ink has been ejected is to be realized. The device comprises a light emitter capable of emitting light, and a light receptor capable of receiving the light and outputting an output signal corresponding to an amount of the light. According to a change in the output signal caused by the light being blocked by ink ejected from an ink-ejecting portion, a determination is made of whether or not ink has been ejected. If it is determined that ink has not been ejected according to the change in the output signal, after conducting a correction of a gain of the light receptor according to the output signal of the light receptor in order to make the output signal of the light receptor suit the determination of ink ejection, the determination of whether or not ink has been ejected is made again.

Abstract: The laser sensor comprises: a laser source (1), a condenser lens (2) for converging the light from the laser source, and a pin hole plate (3) disposed adjacent to the condenser lens in the opposite side to the laser source, so that its pin hole (3a) is in the converging beam converged by the condenser lens. A light detecting portion is disposed at a converging portion of the light so as to face to the light beam passed the pin hole. The diameter of the pin hole is 0.4 to 0.7 mm. As a result, a small diameter beam having a constant diameter over a long section, which is longer than 100 mm, is obtained, so that the laser sensor can be used, irrespective to a small change of the detecting position. Further, the laser sensor allows to use a plastics lens as the condenser lens.

Abstract: The object is to provide a technique whereby a non-operating nozzle can be detected with higher accuracy. The present invention resides in a printer for printing images by ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles, wherein an optical path in which light from a light-emitting element 40a for emitting light is focused by a first focusing element 41, allowed to pass through a focusing aperture 43a that is substantially circular and smaller than the area illuminate by the light, and transmitted through the focusing aperture 43a to a light-receiving element 40b for receiving light is laid out according to a configuration in which an intersection is formed with the path described by the ink droplets ejected by the nozzles. The light-emitting element 40a is energized and caused to emit light.

Abstract: A printing apparatus of the invention has an ejection head for ejecting ink droplets to form dots on a printing medium. The printing apparatus is capable of printing a correction pattern on the printing medium with the ejection head, the correction pattern having a plurality of sub-patterns for correcting a misalignment between a position at which dots are formed during a forward pass through which the head is moved and a position at which dots are formed during a return pass through which the head is moved, and correcting the misalignment based on two or more sub-patterns that stand out in density among the plurality of sub-patterns.