Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor, a pretreatment liquid applier, an image former, a dryer, an image reader, and circuitry. The conveyor conveys a medium. The pretreatment liquid applier applies a pretreatment liquid onto the medium. The image former forms a specific image on the medium on which the pretreatment liquid has been applied. The dryer dries the pretreatment liquid before the image former forms the specific image. The image reader reads the specific image to acquire a read image. The circuitry determines an amount of the pretreatment liquid and a drying condition of the dryer based on the read image, controls the pretreatment liquid applier to apply the pretreatment liquid onto the medium for the amount of the pretreatment liquid determined based on the read image, and controls the dryer to dry the pretreatment liquid according to the drying condition determined based on the read image.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a color component divided data generation unit, a dot data generation processing unit, and a dot data segmentation processing unit. The color component divided data generation unit generates color component divided data from image data. The dot data generation processing unit applies a dot data generation mask to the color component divided data to generate dot data. The dot data segmentation processing unit applies a segmentation mask to the dot data to generate scan data. A width of the segmentation mask in a main scanning direction is different from a width of the dot data generation mask in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a color component divided data generation unit, a dot data generation processing unit, and a dot data segmentation processing unit. The color component divided data generation unit generates color component divided data from image data. The dot data generation processing unit applies a dot data generation mask to the color component divided data to generate dot data. The dot data segmentation processing unit applies a segmentation mask to the dot data to generate scan data. A width of the segmentation mask in a main scanning direction is different from a width of the dot data generation mask in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, a scanning device, a storage device, and circuitry. The liquid discharge head discharges liquid from a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium. The scanning device moves at least one of the recording medium and the liquid discharge head to perform scanning. The storage device stores a plurality of mask patterns to change a discharge amount and a discharge size of the liquid from the liquid discharge head. The circuitry acquires image data, creates dot data from the image data, and determines the discharge size of the liquid to be discharged from the liquid discharge head, based on the dot data and one of the plurality of mask patterns.

Abstract: An apparatus for discharging liquid includes at least three heads and control circuitry. The at least three heads are configured to discharge liquid and arranged at positions shifted in a second direction intersecting with a first direction. The control circuitry is configured to cause the at least three heads to scan in the first direction a number of times corresponding to an integral multiple of a number of the at least three heads to complete an image in a predetermined area.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, a scanning device, a storage device, and circuitry. The liquid discharge head discharges liquid from a plurality of nozzles onto a recording medium. The scanning device moves at least one of the recording medium and the liquid discharge head to perform scanning. The storage device stores a plurality of mask patterns to change a discharge amount and a discharge size of the liquid from the liquid discharge head. The circuitry acquires image data, creates dot data from the image data, and determines the discharge size of the liquid to be discharged from the liquid discharge head, based on the dot data and one of the plurality of mask patterns.

Abstract: An apparatus for discharging liquid includes at least three heads and control circuitry. The at least three heads are configured to discharge liquid and arranged at positions shifted in a second direction intersecting with a first direction. The control circuitry is configured to cause the at least three heads to scan in the first direction a number of times corresponding to an integral multiple of a number of the at least three heads to complete an image in a predetermined area.

Abstract: A liquid discharging unit includes a first color nozzle group that includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a second color nozzle group that is provided on upstream side in the sub scanning direction with respect to the first color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction; and at least one auxiliary nozzle group that is provided between the first color nozzle group and the second color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which holes for discharging liquids of colors different from the process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction. The nozzle groups are respectively arranged to be shifted from each other in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A liquid discharging unit includes a first color nozzle group that includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a second color nozzle group that is provided on upstream side in the sub scanning direction with respect to the first color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction; and at least one auxiliary nozzle group that is provided between the first color nozzle group and the second color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which holes for discharging liquids of colors different from the process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction. The nozzle groups are respectively arranged to be shifted from each other in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A liquid discharging unit includes a first color nozzle group that includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a second color nozzle group that is provided on upstream side in the sub scanning direction with respect to the first color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction; and at least one auxiliary nozzle group that is provided between the first color nozzle group and the second color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which holes for discharging liquids of colors different from the process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction, wherein the nozzle groups are respectively arranged to be shifted from each other in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A liquid discharging unit includes a first color nozzle group that includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a second color nozzle group that is provided on upstream side in the sub scanning direction with respect to the first color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction; and at least one auxiliary nozzle group that is provided between the first color nozzle group and the second color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which holes for discharging liquids of colors different from the process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction, wherein the nozzle groups are respectively arranged to be shifted from each other in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a droplet discharging head that includes nozzles; a light emitting unit that irradiates laser light emitted in a direction intersecting a discharging direction of a droplet discharged from each of the nozzles; a light-receiving unit that receives scattered light when the droplet is irradiated by the laser light and outputs a detection signal; and a droplet discharge detecting unit that detects a droplet discharging state of each of the nozzles based on the detection signal from the light-receiving unit. The light emitting unit emits the laser light such that intensity of the laser light gradually increases or decreases as the laser light travels farther, and the droplet discharge detecting unit selects nozzles so as to cause a variation in the detection signal depending on a droplet discharging state, and detects the droplet discharging state of the detection target nozzles based on the scattered light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording sheet by discharging ink droplets from nozzles provided in a print head on the recording sheet includes: a light emitting unit that generates detection light intersecting a discharge path of the ink droplets; a discharge signal output unit that outputs a discharge signal used to discharge the ink droplets from a detection target nozzle; a first light receiving unit that receives scattered light generated by irradiating the ink droplets with the detection light and outputs a first detection signal; a second light receiving unit that receives the detection light having passed through the discharge path of the ink droplets without irradiating the ink droplets and outputs a second detection signal; a determination unit that determines whether the detection target nozzle is a defective nozzle; and a correction unit that corrects a determination result of the determination unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a droplet discharging head that includes nozzles; a light emitting unit that irradiates laser light emitted in a direction intersecting a discharging direction of a droplet discharged from each of the nozzles; a light-receiving unit that receives scattered light when the droplet is irradiated by the laser light and outputs a detection signal; and a droplet discharge detecting unit that detects a droplet discharging state of each of the nozzles based on the detection signal from the light-receiving unit. The light emitting unit emits the laser light such that intensity of the laser light gradually increases or decreases as the laser light travels farther, and the droplet discharge detecting unit selects nozzles so as to cause a variation in the detection signal depending on a droplet discharging state, and detects the droplet discharging state of the detection target nozzles based on the scattered light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording sheet by discharging ink droplets from nozzles provided in a print head on the recording sheet includes: a light emitting unit that generates detection light intersecting a discharge path of the ink droplets; a discharge signal output unit that outputs a discharge signal used to discharge the ink droplets from a detection target nozzle; a first light receiving unit that receives scattered light generated by irradiating the ink droplets with the detection light and outputs a first detection signal; a second light receiving unit that receives the detection light having passed through the discharge path of the ink droplets without irradiating the ink droplets and outputs a second detection signal; a determination unit that determines whether the detection target nozzle is a defective nozzle; and a correction unit that corrects a determination result of the determination unit.