Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid applying apparatus which can inhibit a variation in application amount associated with the individual variability of a component of the apparatus. According to the present invention, a liquid holding space in which a liquid is held is formed between the applying member and the liquid holding member. When the applying member moves, the liquid attached to the applying member is fed out of the liquid holding space together with the applying member. The liquid is applied to a medium. The application amount of liquid applied to the applying medium varies depending on the individual variability of a component such as a liquid applying member. The variation in liquid application amount is adjusted by adjusting section for adjusting, the rotation speed of the liquid holding member or the flow speed of the liquid flowing through the liquid holding space.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device and an ink jet recording apparatus each capable of reducing deterioration in application quality due to an increase in the number of times of use of a roller, thereby improving durability. The present invention includes an application roller which applies liquid to an application medium, and a liquid retention member which retains the liquid in a liquid retention space formed by making the application roller be in contact with the retention member. With this structure, a pool of the liquid is formed, with rotation of the application roller, in an area upstream of a contact area, in a rotational direction, between the application member and the retention member at a side where a surface of the application member enters the contact area therebetween.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus using many types of inks to execute bidirectional printing, if ejection opening rows for yellow, magenta, and cyan inks are symmetrically arranged, ejection opening rows for a black ink are arranged adjacent to the most inside ejection opening rows for the yellow ink. Thus, a difference in color between forward scanning and backward scanning is determined by a difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink. In this case, a possible color drift attributed to bidirectional printing can be suppressed by selecting the inks so that the difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink is smaller than that between the black ink and the other color inks.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: In an image processing method, on the basis of input image data with respect to a target pixel, independent multi-level data (g0, g1) corresponding to respective plural species of dots which are different in at least one of a density and a diameter are generated, and then data (O0, O1) relating to an amount of generation of the dots with respect to the target pixel are generated on the basis of a relationship between the generated independent multi-level data (g0, g1) corresponding to the plural species of dots. The image processing method is effective in performing design having a high degree of flexibility in proper use of a relatively high power dot (high density dot or large dot) and a relatively low power dot (low density dot or small dot) and can realize obviation or alleviation of an occurrence of granulation or an apparent frame caused due to the relatively high power dot.

Abstract: For a serial color ink jet printing apparatus that forms an image using a symmetric printing head that ejects large dots and small dots, the configuration of a printing head is provided for suppressing, to the extent possible, a cyclic fluctuation in the main scanning direction. According to the present invention, individual nozzle arrays are arranged so that two nozzle arrays, i.e., a cyan nozzle array c1 and a magenta nozzle array m1, that are located nearer each other, form dots on adjacent scan lines. With this arrangement, a high quality image, having neither an uneven density nor an uneven color, can be formed when a printing head is inclined, or when a cyclic shift in printing positions occurs, depending on the position of the main scanning direction.

Abstract: For a liquid applying mechanism of an ink jet printing apparatus, a liquid to be used for application to a medium is prevented from evaporating and leaking from a liquid holding member. An applying roller and the liquid holding member contact with each other to hold the liquid and apply the held liquid to a printing medium by way of the applying roller. In this configuration, the surface of the applying roller has no irregularities. Thereby, the applying roller can contact the liquid holding member to form an adequate liquid-tight seal therebetween.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus using many types of inks to execute bidirectional printing, if ejection opening rows for yellow, magenta, and cyan inks are symmetrically arranged, ejection opening rows for a black ink are arranged adjacent to the most inside ejection opening rows for the yellow ink. Thus, a difference in color between forward scanning and backward scanning is determined by a difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink. In this case, a possible color drift attributed to bidirectional printing can be suppressed by selecting the inks so that the difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink is smaller than that between the black ink and the other color inks.

Abstract: A liquid applying apparatus can prevent an applying roller from being degraded while contacting with an application liquid for a long time. Specifically, once an applying operation has been completely executed on an applying medium, the apparatus stands by for 60 seconds while holding the application liquid in a liquid holding member. When an applying instruction is not given during this period, the apparatus performs an application liquid collecting operation of discharging the application liquid from the liquid holding member. Thus, upon determining that no applying operation has been performed for a certain period after one applying operation has finished, the apparatus collects the application liquid from the liquid holding member. This avoids immersing the applying roller in the application liquid for a long time. Therefore, the applying roller is prevented from being degraded by the application liquid.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus using many types of inks to execute bidirectional printing, if ejection opening rows for yellow, magenta, and cyan inks are symmetrically arranged, ejection opening rows for a black ink are arranged adjacent to the most inside ejection opening rows for the yellow ink. Thus, a difference in color between forward scanning and backward scanning is determined by a difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink. In this case, a possible color drift attributed to bidirectional printing can be suppressed by selecting the inks so that the difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink is smaller than that between the black ink and the other color inks.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device and an ink jet recording apparatus each capable of reducing deterioration in application quality due to an increase in the number of times of use of a roller, thereby improving durability. The present invention includes an application roller which applies liquid to an application medium, and a liquid retention member which retains the liquid in a liquid retention space formed by making the application roller be in contact with the retention member. With this structure, a pool of the liquid is formed, with rotation of the application roller, in an area upstream of a contact area, in a rotational direction, between the application member and the retention member at a side where a surface of the application member enters the contact area therebetween.

Abstract: A liquid application device capable of applying liquid to different size medium includes a transfer device for transferring the medium, a regulating member for regulating a transferring position of the transferred medium, and a liquid applicator including an application member for applying liquid to the medium transferred by the transfer means and a retention member for retaining the liquid in a liquid retention space which is formed by causing the retention member to abut on the application member. In addition, a storage device stores the liquid, a supply channel supplies the liquid in the storage device to the liquid retention space, a collection channel collects the liquid in the liquid retention space into the storage device, and a supply port is formed in the retention member and is connected to the supply channel. Also, a collection port is formed in the retention member and is connected to the collection channel, and a pump generates a flow of liquid in a liquid channel.

Abstract: A liquid application device includes a rotating unit for rotating an application member to apply liquid to a medium in contact with the application member, a liquid application unit including the application member, and a retention member for retaining liquid in a sealed liquid retention space formed to be in contact with the application member. The liquid application unit applies the liquid retained in the liquid retention space to the medium via the application member by rotating the application member. In addition, a control unit controls the rotating unit, wherein the control unit controls, after receiving information of instruction on applying liquid to the medium, the rotating unit to rotate, before the application member contacts the medium, the application member so that the rotating unit performs a preliminary rotation that forms a pool of the liquid in an area.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing multilevel image data including values of respective color components includes an adding unit configured to add quantization errors to the respective values of the color components of a target pixel, an output determination unit configured to perform quantization to determine output values of the respective color components of the target pixel based on a combination of the values of the respective color components to which the quantization errors are added, and an error calculation unit configured to calculate quantization errors of the respective color components of the target pixel based on the output values of the respective color components and the values of the respective color components to which the quantization errors are added.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus using many types of inks to execute bidirectional printing, when symmetrically arranged ejection opening rows for a cyan, magenta, and yellow inks are used in the print head, one-pass bidirectional printing is executed. On the other hand, if ejection opening rows for a black ink are used in addition to the above ejection opening rows, multi-pass printing is executed so that there are a number of dots formed with one application order for the black and other color inks and the same number of dots formed with another application order for the black and other color inks. This reduces the non-uniformity of the colors attributed to the difference in application order.

Abstract: A liquid application device and an inkjet recording apparatus are capable of reducing nonuniformity in application of liquid onto a recording medium, and thereby forming high-quality images on a steady basis. In the present invention, information indicating the lapse of time after the previous circulation operation is obtained. Subsequently, based on the obtained information indicating the lapse of time, a preliminary circulation sequence is determined. Finally, the preliminary circulation sequence is performed based on the determined preliminary circulation sequence.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus using many types of inks to execute bidirectional printing, if ejection opening rows for yellow, magenta, and cyan inks are symmetrically arranged, ejection opening rows for a black ink are arranged adjacent to the most inside ejection opening rows for the yellow ink. Thus, a difference in color between forward scanning and backward scanning is determined by a difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink. In this case, a possible color drift attributed to bidirectional printing can be suppressed by selecting the inks so that the difference in coloring between the black ink and the yellow ink is smaller than that between the black ink and the other color inks.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide a high quality halftone recording with a reduced grainy feeling without lowering the true resolving power. Provided is an apparatus for making a halftone recording by employing three or more types of color materials, each of which has at least one grade of concentration, wherein each type of the color materials having the lowest concentration provides, when recording on a recording medium having a first lightness, a recorded region having its own lightness, and wherein a difference between the first lightness and the lightness of the recorded region is not more than 35, the lightness being measured according to the definition of CIE 1976 psychological measurement lightness using a standard illuminating light D65 as a light source.