Abstract: A present invention reduces the generation of periodic uneven print density in the image in a main scanning direction. The present invention focuses attention on a fact that, when a printing head including a plurality of nozzle arrays for ejecting different inks is used to print an image and when the same pixel is printed by a combination of nozzle arrays in which an interval in the main scanning direction is relatively short, the displacement of ink impact positions is smaller when compared to a case where the same pixel is printed by a combination of nozzle arrays in which an interval in the main scanning direction is relatively long. Thus, a dot arrangement pattern allocated to the pixel data is selected so that the same pixel is printed by a combination of nozzle arrays in which an interval in the main scanning direction is relatively short.

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 inkjet recording apparatus, which are capable of supplying liquid to a liquid room with the power consumption and/or the noise which are reduced. A pump is driven to fill a liquid retention space S with an application liquid. When the filling has been completed, the pump is stopped. Subsequently, the application liquid is applied to an application medium which has been transferred. At this time, a count in a RAM is increased. Thereafter, the determination as to whether or not the application can be carried out is made on the basis of the count and the prescribed application-performable number of sheets stored in a ROM. If it is determined that the application cannot be carried out, the filling of the application liquid is performed. If it is determined that the application can be carried out, next application is performed.

Abstract: If print agents used are detected by an optical sensor at different sensitivities, the present invention enables the easy setting of adjustment values for print positions resulting from these print agents. To accomplish this object, for example, the present invention substitutes and sets adjustment values for print positions resulting from cyan, light cyan, or black ink, corresponding to a high detection sensitivity, for adjustment values for print positions resulting from a light magenta, yellow, or magenta ink, corresponding to a low detection sensitivity.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus applicable for two-side recording, which permits reliable reduction of smears caused by contact of the recording medium or secondary smears staining the following recording media by the ink adhering in the conveyance path, and obtaining high-quality images. After performing recording on the surface of the recording medium by the recording head for discharging ink, the recording medium is reversed for recording on the back thereof. For each of unit regions obtained by dividing the region corresponding to the surface of the recording medium, information about the quantity of ink to be applied to these unit regions is acquired, and the length of the operation downtime corresponding to the period of time from the end of the operation relating to recording on the surface of the recording medium up to the operation start relating to recording on the back of the recording medium is determined based on the acquired information.

Abstract: A rolled copper foil, according to the present invention, obtained after a final cold rolling step but before recrystallization annealing includes a group of crystal grains which exhibits four-fold symmetry in results obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pole figure measurement with respect to a rolled surface. In the XRD pole figure measurement, at least four peaks of a {220}Cu plane diffraction of a copper crystal due to the group of crystal grains exhibiting the four-fold symmetry, which is obtained during ? axis scanning with an ? angle set to 45°, appear at intervals of 90°±5° along the ? angle.

Abstract: According to the present invention, if an image is printed on both sides of a printing medium, the possibility of rubbing ink off from the printing medium is minimized to inhibit contamination of the printing medium and the interior of the printing apparatus, while maintaining the print grade of the image. Thus, if a double side print mode is executed in which an image is printed on both sides of the printing medium, then, for a particular image part, a ratio of an amount of black pigment ink used to an amount of black dye ink used is set so as to limit the amount of black pigment ink used and to compensate for a decrease in print density with the limited amount of the black pigment ink used.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing method and ink jet printing apparatus capable of outputting a smooth monochrome photograph with indistinctive beading and conveying unevenness even in monochrome black mode for printing an image by using achromatic color inks. For this object, if it is determined that printing is carried out in the monochrome black mode, different mask patterns, such as mutually-exclusive mask patterns or mask patterns having a logical product result that shows a state where low-frequency components are less than high-frequency components, are set for two or more kinds of achromatic color inks. Use of such mask patterns suppresses the generation of grains of achromatic color inks, increases dispersibility of the grains, and also makes positions where conveying unevenness appear indistinctive.

Abstract: An adjustment value applicable to the adjustment of a printing position is obtainable by reading a printing position adjustment pattern printed on a printing medium without requiring the manual operation by the operator. Furthermore, the printing position can be optimally adjusted by accurately scanning the printing position adjustment pattern. For this purpose, an optical sensor is located in the vicinity of the printing head, and the optical sensor is situated near a predetermined position side. The predetermined position side is a pinch roller side where a large restrictive force acts to the printing medium with the printing position adjustment pattern printed thereon.

Abstract: If print agents used are detected by an optical sensor at different sensitivities, the present invention enables the easy setting of adjustment values for print positions resulting from these print agents. To accomplish this object, for example, the present invention substitutes and sets adjustment values for print positions resulting from cyan, light cyan, or black ink, corresponding to a high detection sensitivity, for adjustment values for print positions resulting from a light magenta, yellow, or magenta ink, corresponding to a low detection sensitivity.

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: The present invention aims to obtain preferable correction values to correct the conveying error of a conveying roller in accordance with the size of a printing medium, even when the conveying error caused by the eccentricity of the roller varies from a point to another in the longitudinal direction of a roller, depending on the amount and the state of eccentricity of the roller. To achieve this object, correction values are acquired using the whole part of or only a part of plural test patterns formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. The correction values thus acquired correspond to the respective zones where the test patterns are formed.

Abstract: The sequence of the acquisition of a correction value of a conveying error depending on the eccentricity of the conveying roller (correction value for eccentricity) and the acquisition of a correction value of a conveying error depending on the outer diameter of the roller (correction value for outer diameter) is considered to acquire a precise correction value for outer diameter. A test pattern to acquire the correction values for eccentricity and for outer diameter is formed with an area exceeds the area corresponding to an integer multiple of the circumferential length of the roller. The correction value for eccentricity and that for outer diameter are acquired in this sequence. The fluctuation in the conveying error is reduced by the application of the correction value for eccentricity, and the influence of the excess area is made smaller before the correction value for outer diameter is acquired by averaging the conveying errors.

Abstract: While a conveying error of a roller depends on the eccentricity of the roller, the amount and the state of the eccentricity sometimes makes the roller have different conveying errors from one point in the longitudinal direction of the roller to another. There is provided a construction for obtaining a correction value that is suitable for the correction of the conveying error even in such a case as described above. To this end, plural test patterns are formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. Then, a suitable correction value for correcting the conveying error that depends on the eccentricity of the roller is obtained on the basis of these test patterns.

Abstract: Performed is conveying-error correction in accordance with the kind and the number of rollers that are actually involved in the conveying of a printing medium. Each of the rollers that are potentially involved in the conveying of the printing medium has a unique amount of eccentricity, and may affect the quality of image to be printed in a peculiar manner. To address this problem, a surface of the printing medium is divided into areas according to the number and the combination of the rollers that are actually involved in the conveying. A pattern each is printed for each of the areas thus formed while the pattern enables the detection of the conveying error. A correction value to correct the conveying error is calculated using each of the patterns. The correction values thus obtained are reflected in the conveying of the printing medium.

Abstract: Provided are a printing apparatus and a conveying-error controlling method capable of printing a high-quality image by correction reflecting the conveying amount of a printing medium. A provided inkjet printing apparatus prints images by printing scans for actual printing and by conveying the printing medium with a roller orthogonally to the printing-scan direction. In each printing scan, the printing medium is scanned with a print head having an array of nozzles from which the ink is ejected. The print head moving direction differs from the arranging direction of the nozzles in the array. The apparatus includes a conveying controller to control the conveying of the printing medium on the basis of a correction value used to correct a conveying error of the roller. The conveying controller changes the correction value to be applied in accordance with the conveying amount of the printing medium between two scans with the print head.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing method and ink jet printing apparatus capable of outputting a smooth monochrome photograph with indistinctive beading and conveying unevenness even in monochrome black mode for printing an image by using achromatic color inks. For this object, if it is determined that printing is carried out in the monochrome black mode, different mask patterns, such as mutually-exclusive mask patterns or mask patterns having a logical product result that shows a state where low-frequency components are less than high-frequency components, are set for two or more kinds of achromatic color inks. Use of such mask patterns suppresses the generation of grains of achromatic color inks, increases dispersibility of the grains, and also makes positions where conveying unevenness appear indistinctive.

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: If print agents used are detected by an optical sensor at different sensitivities, the present invention enables the easy setting of adjustment values for print positions resulting from these print agents. To accomplish this object, for example, the present invention substitutes and sets adjustment values for print positions resulting from cyan, light cyan, or black ink, corresponding to a high detection sensitivity, for adjustment values for print positions resulting from a light magenta, yellow, or magenta ink, corresponding to a low detection sensitivity.

Abstract: In a print head having arrays of large nozzles and small nozzles with different ink ejection volumes that are connected to a common ink chamber, the preliminary ejection operation is performed 29,000 times first on only the large nozzles at an ejection frequency of 10 kHz to discharge viscous or mixed color ink from ink chambers. After the preliminary ejection operation of the large nozzles is finished, only the small nozzles are made to perform the preliminary ejection operation 2,000 times at an ejection frequency of 10 kHz. Reducing the number of preliminary ejections from the small nozzles in this manner can minimize the generation of stray mist. Further, by performing the preliminary ejection operation on the large nozzles first, it is possible to discharge enough viscous ink from the ink chamber.