Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording head having a recording element row in which multiple recording elements are disposed, with recording elements at dispersed positions in the recording element rows as blocks; a scanning unit configured to scan the recording head in a main scanning direction; a time-division driving unit configured to drive the recording elements in increments of blocks; a storing unit configured to store recording data; an obtaining unit configured to obtain information relating to the inclination of the recording element row relative to the main scanning direction; and a changing unit operable to change, in increments of individual recording elements, the storage position in the main scanning direction of recording data stored in the storing unit that is to be provided to recording elements of a group, which is configured of consecutive recording elements in each block in the recording element row, based on the obtained information.

Abstract: Illuminating light is two-dimensionally scanned without changing the ability to focus the illuminating light on a specimen. Provided is a microscope apparatus including a spatial light modulator that modulates the wavefront of illuminating light; a scanner that two-dimensionally scans the illuminating light by pivoting two mirrors; a relay optical system that relays an image in the scanner to a pupil position of an objective optical system; and a beam-shift mechanism that moves rays of the illuminating light between the modulator and the objective optical system in response to pivoting of the mirrors. The beam-shift mechanism moves the rays such that the image at the pupil position, when assuming that the mirrors are stationary, is moved in the direction opposite to the direction in which the image relayed to the pupil position by the relay optical system, when assuming that the mirrors are pivoted with the rays fixed, is moved.

Abstract: A process of detecting a defective recording element and a process of correcting the defective recording element are performed with appropriate processing loads. When the detection process and the correction processes are performed with small loads, for example, at a time of recording, a resolution used for reading an inspection pattern is set lower than that set in a case where the processes can be performed with small loads, for example, at down time before recording. The reading resolution to be set may be determined by an apparatus in accordance with a processing load or may be arbitrarily determined by a user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a printing position adjusting method capable of performing dot adjustment value acquisition processing that can accommodate diversified user needs of recent years, and a printing system capable of achieving the adjusting method. The printing position adjusting method according to the present invention provides a plurality of types of dot adjustment value acquisition processing capable of acquiring an adjustment value for matching printing positions, and enables selection of a single appropriate dot adjustment value acquisition processing type among the plurality of types of dot adjustment value acquisition processing according to the type of the print medium to be used. Consequently, a user will be able to suitably execute dot adjustment value acquisition processing with high accuracy in correspondence with the desired high level of quality.

Abstract: A wavefront measurement apparatus includes a light source that emits a light beam; a light splitting unit that splits the light beam emitted from the light source into an object light beam and a reference light beam; an objective lens that converges the object light beam at a predetermined position of a test object; a light combining unit that superimposes the object light beam returning from the test object and the reference light beam; a light deflecting unit that guides the object light beam returning from the test object towards the light combining unit; an imaging unit that captures an image of an interference pattern formed by combined wavefronts; and a light quantity adjusting filter that adjusts a light quantity, and that is arranged in a optical path between the light deflecting unit and the light combining unit that allows only the transmission of the object light beam from the test object.

Abstract: According to the present invention, each printing head includes chips wherein a plurality of nozzles are prepared. The density of dots formed by ejecting ink from the nozzles is detected for each chip, and when a density difference between the chips is smaller than a predetermined value, print data are corrected, and the number of dots is adjusted so as to reduce the density difference. When the density difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, first, a drive pulse for the nozzles is modulated and the volume of ink to be ejected for one dot is adjusted so as to reduce the density difference. Thereafter, the print data is corrected, and the number of dots to be formed is controlled so as to reduce the density difference.

Abstract: A printing apparatus conducts inspection associated with printing by changing a relative positional relationship between a line print head and a sheet feeding position for a sheet in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet is fed, forming an image on the sheet using the line print head a plurality of times, and reading the formed images using a reading unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a full-line printhead in which a plurality of chips, on each of which a plurality of nozzle arrays are juxtaposed, are arranged in the nozzle arrayed direction, and which prints by the entire width of a printing medium using a plurality of nozzles arranged on the plurality of chips. The printing apparatus discharges ink from a predetermined number of successive nozzles on each nozzle array of each chip toward a printing medium during conveyance, thereby forming a plurality of first patterns corresponding to at least one nozzle array of each chip on the printing medium in the nozzle arrayed direction, reads the plurality of first patterns from the printing medium during conveyance using a sensor, calculates the shift amount of an ink attached position based on the plurality of read first patterns and corrects the attached position of ink based on the shift amount.

Abstract: To provide an inkjet printing apparatus that suppresses occurrence of image deterioration, such as a texture, a moire, and a streak in a printing result. In order for this to be achieved, a level is set up to a overlapping portion of a chip of a print head depending on dot impact accuracy, and a print data distribution rate of each chip in the overlapping portion is determined according to the level.

Abstract: A method of drawing on a workpiece by ejecting functional liquid thereon while relatively scanning the workpiece and an ejection head is provided. The method comprises the steps of: a first scanning for drawing in a plurality of first areas along a scanning direction; and a second scanning for drawing in a second area between the plurality of first areas drawn in by the first scanning.

Abstract: When an image is recorded using a multichip recording head including a plurality of chips each having a plurality of nozzle arrays, a change in image density can occur due to a registration error between chips in an overlapping part where two chips are connected. To suppress the change in image density, input image data is distributed to two chips such that there are dots overlapping each other between the two chips in the overlapping part.

Abstract: When distributing image data of a plurality of planes to a first chip and a second chip that constitute the same overlapped portion of a connected head, a distribution method is changed for at least a part of the plurality of planes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively high frequency overlap in an intersecting direction that intersects an array direction of nozzles is smaller than the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively low frequency overlap in the intersecting direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein overlapping portions of the recording heads for two different colors are separated from each other with a distance therebetween in an array direction of nozzles.

Abstract: After a first scan in a forward direction, conveying corresponding to one nozzle block is performed, and then in a second scan in a backward direction, printing of a “printing area 1,” which is a unit area, is completed. Then after completion of printing of the unit area, conveying corresponding to 14 nozzle blocks is performed. Then by reciprocal third and fourth scans, printing of a “printing area 2” is completed in a likewise manner. Subsequently, two scans in a reciprocal manner are performed in a likewise manner to perform printing of each unit area. In any unit area, printing time intervals between scans are such that, at a same position in a scan direction, the time interval is the same. Consequently, differences in density between unit areas that are adjacent in a conveying direction of a printing medium, that is, between-band unevenness becomes more difficult to recognize.

Abstract: In a line-head type inkjet printing apparatus that ejects a plurality of types of inks, an inkjet printing apparatus is provided in which the change of its ejection properties different depending on the type of ink is prevented from occurring. The line-head type printing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that counts the ejection number of liquid from each of print heads in each of a plurality of print heads. Furthermore, the printing apparatus compares the ejection number of liquid from each of the print heads counted by the acquisition unit with a threshold value set for each of the print heads. The printing apparatus includes a change unit that can move a holder in the main scanning direction when the counted ejection number of liquid exceeds the threshold value set for the print head.

Abstract: A first humidified gas is supplied through a first supply port to a sheet. A second humidified gas is supplied to a space where nozzles of an inkjet recording head are exposed through a second supply port located at a position closer to the recording heads than the first supply port, to increase atmosphere humidity in the space. The sheet portion having a moisture content increased by the humidification in advance is advanced into the space having the increased atmosphere humidity, to record on the sheet using the inkjet recording head. An amount of humidification with the first humidified gas is set according to at least one recording condition.

Abstract: After a first scan in a forward direction, conveying corresponding to one nozzle block is performed, and then in a second scan in a backward direction, printing of a “printing area 1,” which is a unit area, is completed. Then after completion of printing of the unit area, conveying corresponding to 14 nozzle blocks is performed. Then by reciprocal third and fourth scans, printing of a “printing area 2” is completed in a likewise manner. Subsequently, two scans in a reciprocal manner are performed in a likewise manner to perform printing of each unit area. In any unit area, printing time intervals between scans are such that, at a same position in a scan direction, the time interval is the same. Consequently, differences in density between unit areas that are adjacent in a conveying direction of a printing medium, that is, between-band unevenness becomes more difficult to recognize.

Abstract: A waiting time Ts is decided on the basis of ink type information and ink feed amount information, referring to waiting time table A (Step 6). Along with this, a dried printing paper is carried to and stopped in a waiting area 9 (Step 7), a time period T is measured after stopping, and measurement processing in the next step is delayed until the time period T reaches the waiting time Ts. Then, when the time period T reaches the waiting time Ts, a measuring instrument 10 is used to measure a density of a patch printed on the printing paper (Steps 8 and 9).

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a drying unit to dry a printing medium on which an image was printed using an inkjet head; a humidification unit to humidify the printing medium that was dried by the drying unit so that the moisture content of the printing medium becomes the equilibrium state in the ambient environment; a colorimetric unit to perform colorimetry on the printing medium that was humidified by the humidification unit; and a calibration unit to calibrate printing properties on the basis of the result of colorimetry by the colorimetric unit.