Color Type Patents (Class 347/43)
  • Patent number: 7758156
    Abstract: An image forming method using a black ink containing a pigment, a black ink containing a dye, and a reactive color ink capable of unstabilizing the dispersion state of the pigment in the black ink, wherein the method includes one of the steps of, on at least part of a region to which the black ink is to be applied, applying the reactive color ink, the black ink, and the black ink in that order so as to overlap, thereby applying these inks to a recording medium; and applying the black ink, the black ink, and the reactive color ink in that order so as to overlap, thereby applying these inks to a recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takuhara, Hiroshi Tomioka, Minako Kawabe, Satomi Yanagimachi, Yuuki Nishino
  • Patent number: 7748826
    Abstract: A printing head, having symmetrically-arranged ejection openings, can suppress deterioration in image quality as caused by manufacturing errors or problems in mounting accuracy thereof. Specifically, in the case the printing head inclines, for example, by 0.5 degrees at a line connecting corresponding ejection openings of ejection opening arrays relative to the scanning direction, deviations occur in the dots formed through one of the ejection opening arrays with reference to the dots formed through another ejection opening array. However, the deviations can be minimized by arranging adjacently small-ejection opening arrays for cyan and magenta with a spacing reduced between those ejection opening arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinori Misumi
  • Patent number: 7748837
    Abstract: A method for ink jet printing with light-curing ink, which includes the steps of printing a first ink dot of a color, irradiating the first ink dot with light, printing a second ink dot with the same color and which at least partially overlaps with the first ink dot, and irradiating the second ink dot with light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: OCÉ-Technologies B.V.
    Inventor: Martinus A. Kremers
  • Patent number: 7744185
    Abstract: A process for coloring substrates, using the application of liquid colorants, in which the assignment of color is done on a pixel-by-pixel basis, and corresponding products. Relatively large areas of a substrate may be given the appearance of being uniformly colored by successively replicating or tiling a group of individually colored pixels comprising a repeating unit (i.e., a superpixel) across the substrate surface. The repeating unit is constructed in such a way that if a colorant application error develops, causing one or more pixels within the repeating unit to be colored incorrectly or incompletely, the overall arrangement of the pixels within the repeating unit will render such error less visually apparent when viewed on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Jonathan C. McCay, Lisa Bailey, Richard Stoyles, Lou Herring Webster, John K. Gurr
  • Publication number: 20100149258
    Abstract: The present invention relates to measures for preventing end deviation that may occur during high-duty printing such as one-pass printing, and in particular, to measures for preventing density unevenness (white stripes) in the case of ink with a low lightness such as black ink. According to the present invention, the amount of black ink ejected through the corresponding ejection ports is set to be larger than that of color ink ejected through the corresponding ejection ports. Two black ink ejection chips each having at least one black ink ejection port row are arranged on the respective sides of a color ink ejection chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Michinari Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7735964
    Abstract: Heretofore there has been a case where a monochromatic image having a sufficient power of expression cannot be printed because of a narrow selection range of saturation. According to the present invention, in a predetermined print head, there is adopted a construction wherein the gradation characteristic of a color region capable of being color-reproduced is enhanced while narrowing the color region with use of a cyan color ink of a low saturation, a magenta color ink of a low saturation, a yellow color ink of a high saturation, and a black color ink, and color reproduction is performed. The color tone of the printed monochromatic image can be adjusted minutely with respect to the color components of cyan and magenta. On the other hand, the color region capable of being color-reproduced is wide substantially in the direction of yellow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure a sufficient selection range of saturation and print a monochromatic image of a high image quality having a sufficient power of expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazumichi Shimada
  • Publication number: 20100141707
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes plural heads that are arranged in a main scanning direction, the heads including plural nozzle arrays that are arranged in the main scanning direction and configured to discharge droplets of recording liquids in at least three different colors including a yellow recording liquid. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge the yellow recording liquid are separately arranged in at least two of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a first recording liquid of the recording liquids in a first color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a second recording liquid of the recording liquids in a second color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki NAKANO, Shigetoshi Hosaka, Takashi Kimura, Yoshihisa Ohta, Toshihito Kamei, Masakazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7731332
    Abstract: The ejection head comprises: n (where n is an integer not less than 2) pieces of ejection aperture groups arranged in a sub-scanning direction, each of the groups including ejection aperture rows arranged at prescribed intervals in a main scanning direction, each of the ejection aperture rows including a plurality of ejection apertures aligned in an oblique direction with a prescribed angle ? (where 0°<?<90°) with respect to the main scanning direction, wherein: the ejection aperture groups are arranged in such a manner that phases of the ejection aperture groups disposed adjacently in the sub-scanning direction are varied in the main scanning direction so that, in projected ejection aperture rows that are obtained by projecting the ejection apertures of each of the ejection aperture groups to dispose the ejection apertures in the main scanning direction, one of the ejection apertures in one of the groups arranged adjacently in the sub-scanning direction is located between the adjacent ejection aperture
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Hisamitsu Hori
  • Patent number: 7731905
    Abstract: An apparatus produces a probe carrier by discharging plural kinds of liquids respectively containing plural kinds of probes capable of specifically bonding to a target substance on a carrier. The apparatus includes a liquid discharge device, a positioning device for determining a position between the liquid discharge device and the carrier, and moving the carrier in the scanning direction, an application information detector to detect application information of discharged liquids, and a defective spot detector to detect defective spots where the liquids are not applied. Also included are a discharge data forming device for forming data on the defective spots, a processor for counting a number of redrawings, and a secondary scanning direction driver for relatively moving the carrier in a secondary scanning direction. In the apparatus, redrawing is performed according to discharge data, and when the number of redrawings exceeds a prescribed number, a message of abnormality is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 7726763
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method can enable high quality printing, without causing uneven thickness in a conveying direction, using a printing head having a plurality of ejection port arrays. To this end, the printing is performed by making distribution ratios of printing in each ejection port array in the printing head different from one another according to gradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Ochiai, Hitoshi Tsuboi, Satoshi Wada
  • Patent number: 7726768
    Abstract: A dark color (for example, cyan) ink dot formed by preliminary ejection can be made less noticeable, and the influence on the printing quality can be reduced, even in a case where the dark color ink is preliminarily ejected onto a light color (for example, yellow) image area. For this purpose, in a case where the dark color ink is preliminarily ejected onto the image area of high lightness, the amount of the ink applied for printing the area is reduced. For example, in a case where a cyan ink is preliminarily ejected onto an area to be formed of yellow dots, a piece of data for forming the yellow dot in the preliminary ejection position is deleted. This reduces an overlapping area of the yellow area and the ink dot formed by the preliminary ejection, and thus makes the ink dot formed by the preliminary ejection less noticeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Tsuchii
  • Patent number: 7724397
    Abstract: A method for compensating for induced artifacts on an image to be printed includes processing the image to be printed. An image region of the image susceptible to at least one artifact is identified. An imaging process is modified to reduce an effect of the at least one artifact on the image region. The image is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Je-Ho Lee, Jay S. Gondek, Morgan T. Schramm
  • Patent number: 7717532
    Abstract: An imaging system that forms an image on a receiving medium including a fluid ejector that ejects fluid onto the receiving medium and a controller that controls the fluid ejector to eject the fluid to include a non-white and non-clear fluid or one of at least white and clear W fluid on each pixel on the receiving medium. A substantially single layer of fluid is ejected onto the receiving medium. A method for forming an image on a receiving medium includes ejecting a fluid onto the receiving medium, and controlling the ejection of the fluid to include a non-white and non-clear fluid or one of at least white and clear fluid for each pixel on the receiving medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Kroon, Meng Yao, Augustus J. Rogers, IV
  • Patent number: 7712860
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method are provided which are capable of minimizing image impairments caused by a bias of satellite positions even when an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional multi-pass printing is performed. To this end, in an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional printing, a mask pattern, in which print permitted pixels and print non-permitted pixels are arranged such a way that a percentage of pixels in which predetermined two inks are permitted to be printed by scans in different directions is higher than a percentage of pixels in which the predetermined two inks are permitted to be printed by scans in the same directions, is used. This increases the probability of satellites of the two types of the inks printed in the same pixels being printed on both sides of main dots, thus allowing a uniform image to be produced even by an odd-numbered-pass bidirectional printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Edamura, Kiichiro Takahashi, Minoru Teshigawara, Akiko Maru, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takatoshi Nakano, Hiroshi Taira
  • Patent number: 7712858
    Abstract: In relation to a superimposed image obtained by superimposing second image data on first image data in which respective pixels are arranged in a staggered pattern, an image forming apparatus discriminates a region where the second image data is superimposed from a region where the second image data is not superimposed. When forming an image in a region determined as the region where the second image data is not superimposed in the superimposed image, the printing mechanism is controlled based on a first control pattern. When forming an image in a region determined as the region where the second image data is superimposed in the superimposed image, the printing mechanism is controlled based on a second control pattern different from the first control pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Morimoto, Takeo Miki
  • Publication number: 20100110141
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead having a plurality of color channels extending longitudinally along a length of the printhead. Each color channel comprises at least one row of nozzles and each nozzle in a same color channel ejects the same colored ink. The printhead has a plurality of printhead modules and the number of color channels is equal to the number of printhead modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Brian Robert Brown, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7708379
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for driving printing elements of a printer head in an image forming apparatus. The method includes calculating a number of driving groups among multiple driving groups in which at least a first predetermined number of printing elements are driven for each print line. The method calculates a number of print lines wherein the calculated number of driving groups are not less than a second predetermined number. The number of driving groups are increased if the calculated print lines is not less than a third predetermined number. Thus, it is possible to print with less power without a reduction in print quality or speed by controlling the driving of the printer head. In addition, the overall size of the image forming apparatus can be reduced by using low-power power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Wook Jeong
  • Patent number: 7708368
    Abstract: The method for evaluating color mixing between dots of two different colors discharged onto a recording medium, the method comprises the steps of: outputting a color mixing evaluation print having a color mixing evaluation patch formed on a recording medium by dots of two different colors in such a manner that at least a portion of the dots are adjacent or overlapping; measuring a density of the color mixing evaluation patch of the outputted color mixing evaluation print; and evaluating color mixing of the dots of two colors, according to density profiles for the dots of two colors forming the color mixing evaluation patch, as obtained by the density measuring step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kachi
  • Patent number: 7708365
    Abstract: A liquid-discharge recording head includes large nozzles for discharging large liquid drops and medium and small nozzles for discharging medium and small liquid drops that are smaller than the large liquid drops. The large nozzles are arranged on one side of an ink-supply opening and the medium and small nozzles are arranged on the other side of the ink-supply opening. The number of large nozzles is greater than the number of medium and small nozzles, and the liquid-discharge recording head performs high-speed printing using the large nozzles, high-speed photo printing using the medium and small nozzles, and high-quality photo printing using the small nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamanaka, Tomoyuki Inoue, Torachika Osada, Michinari Mizutani, Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7703887
    Abstract: A head unit includes first to fourth droplet ejection heads. The first and second droplet ejection heads are arranged along a first direction parallel to nozzle arrays so that the nozzles constitute a first consecutive long nozzle array when viewed from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Also, the nozzles of the third and fourth droplet ejection heads constitute a second consecutive long nozzle array. In the first to fourth droplet ejection heads the nozzle arrays are arranged side by side in the second direction and the first nozzle array is shifted with a half pitch in the first direction with respect to the second nozzle array when viewed from the second direction. The nozzles of the first and second droplet ejection heads are arranged so as not to overlap with the nozzles of the third and fourth droplet ejection heads when viewed from the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomomi Kawase
  • Patent number: 7695115
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a plurality of liquid ejecting heads, each of the liquid ejecting heads including: a liquid introduction pressure adjusting member which is connected to a liquid passage member communicating with a liquid storing member for storing the liquid, the liquid introduction pressure adjusting member being supplied with a liquid from the liquid passage member and introducing the liquid to a side of a pressure chamber; a nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzle holes are arrayed in a line, the nozzle holes ejecting, as liquid droplets by an operation of a pressure generating unit, the liquid introduced from the liquid introduction pressure adjusting member to the pressure chamber; and a driving board for relaying a driving signal to the pressure generating unit and which has a wire connection portion on a sidewall of the liquid ejection head, the wire connecting portion connecting to a wire member for supplying the driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Fujio Akahane
  • Patent number: 7690763
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes plural heads that are arranged in a main scanning direction, the heads including plural nozzle arrays that are arranged in the main scanning direction and configured to discharge droplets of recording liquids in at least three different colors including a yellow recording liquid. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge the yellow recording liquid are separately arranged in at least two of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a first recording liquid of the recording liquids in a first color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads. At least two of the nozzle arrays that are configured to discharge a second recording liquid of the recording liquids in a second color other than yellow are arranged together in one of the heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Nakano, Shigetoshi Hosaka, Takashi Kimura, Yoshihisa Ohta, Toshihito Kamei, Masakazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7690749
    Abstract: The method for evaluating bleeding into a recording medium of ink discharged onto the recording medium, the method comprises the steps of: outputting a bleeding evaluation print including a plurality of bleeding evaluation patches created by recording lines of a prescribed length of ink colors, at a prescribed width, and varying at least one of a recording speed at which recording data is recorded onto the recording medium, a volume of ink discharged, and a fixing energy which fixes the discharged ink onto the recording medium, as a parameter, between a plurality of different levels; measuring density of each of the bleeding evaluation patches in the outputted bleeding evaluation print; and evaluating the bleeding of the ink into the recording medium according to a density measurement result on the bleeding evaluation patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kachi
  • Patent number: 7693595
    Abstract: Provided is a volume element printing system for printing a three-dimensional object. The system includes a first printhead group having a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate, and at least one second printhead group having a plurality of second printheads downstream from the first group. The second printhead group is configured to print a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer, said second printheads being reconfigurable as backup printheads for the first printheads in case of failure. The system also includes an object insertion device configured to insert an object into a cavity defined by the voxel layers, and a conveyor configured to convey the substrate past the printhead groups. Also included is a control system configured to control and monitor the printhead groups, the object insertion device and the conveyor, and dynamically to reconfigure the second printheads if failure of a first printhead is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7689314
    Abstract: The invention provides for a volume element (voxel) printing system for printing a three-dimensional object. The system includes a first printhead group having a plurality of first printheads configured to print a first voxel layer on a substrate, and at least one second printhead group having a plurality of second printheads downstream from the first group. The second group is configured to print a subsequent voxel layer on at least part of the first layer. The system also includes an object insertion device configured to insert objects into voids in the voxel layers, and a conveyor to operatively convey the substrate past the printhead groups. Also included is a control system to control and monitor the printhead groups, the object insertion device and the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7681986
    Abstract: Embodiments of an ink jet printing system include a motion stage adapted to move a substrate having a display object in a printing direction and a first printing assembly mounted over the motion stage including a set of print heads aligned and arranged consecutively in the printing direction such that the display object moves under the print heads sequentially. Embodiments of a method of ink jet printing include moving a substrate under the print heads of printing assembly sequentially in a printing direction, activating alternate ink jetting channels within each print head of the first printing assembly, activating corresponding channels within adjacent print heads in the first printing assembly alternately, and depositing ink in alternating sub-pixels within one or more pixels on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bassam Shamoun, John M. White, Quanyuan Shang, Shinichi Kurita
  • Patent number: 7681975
    Abstract: A printing device that prints an image by forming a dot formation pattern on a printing medium in accordance with image data of a printing object using a printing head that includes a plurality of nozzles each being capable of forming dots to the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Arazaki
  • Patent number: 7682013
    Abstract: The inkjet recording apparatus has a color ink recording head to jet color ink toward a recording medium; an invisible ink recording head to jet invisible ink toward the recording medium; and a light irradiating device to irradiate light toward the recording medium to cure the ink. A control section causes the color ink to be jetted then the light irradiating device irradiates the color ink, thereafter the invisible ink is jetted, and finally the light irradiating device irradiates the invisible ink after a lapse of a certain time from the invisible ink jetting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihide Hoshino
  • Patent number: 7673958
    Abstract: A method for forming an image with at least one linear array of imaging elements. Defective ones of the imaging elements associated with a particular color are detected. A first defective imaging element compensation operation is performed for portions of the image data that are associated with a first predetermined number or fewer adjacent defective imaging elements. A different second defective imaging element compensation operation is performed for portions of the image data that are associated a second predetermined number or more adjacent defective imaging elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Tod Heiles, Wayne Michael Richard, David W. Kinkley
  • Patent number: 7673988
    Abstract: A micro-fluid jetting device and a method of ejecting fluid mixtures onto a substrate. The micro-fluid jetting device includes a housing containing a logic circuit and fluid reservoirs for at least two different fluids. A micro-fluid ejection head is attached to a first end of the housing. The ejection head is in electrical communication with the logic circuit and the fluid reservoirs. At least two channel members are provided for directing fluid from the reservoirs to a plurality of fluid ejection nozzles in a nozzle plate member. The ejection nozzles for each of the at least two different fluids are arranged in the nozzle plate member so that adjacent ejection nozzles are in flow communication with different fluids. A power source in electrical connection with the micro-fluid ejection head is provided in the housing for activating the micro-fluid ejection head for jetting the fluids therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Christopher Hart
  • Publication number: 20100053267
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus that superposedly forms an image layer representing an image and a specific glossy layer that is different from the image layer on a printing medium, including: a first connection unit that can be connected to a basic color ink container containing three primary color inks of which combination is used for performing color representation; a second connection unit that can be connected to a specific color ink container containing a specific color ink other than the three primary color inks; a reception unit that receives a kind of print available ink; a print head where nozzle columns in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in a predetermined direction are arrayed in a direction intersecting an alignment direction of the nozzles in the nozzle columns, and at least one of specific color nozzle columns ejecting the specific color ink among the nozzle columns is disposed as an end-portion specific color nozzle column to at least one of end portions of the print head in the arra
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshida Seishin
  • Patent number: 7669964
    Abstract: An ink supply unit is provided for supplying ink to a printhead in a printer. An elongate manifold defines a plurality of sets of ink passages and further defines a recess in which the printhead can be received so that the ink passages are in fluid communication with respective ink inlets of the printhead. An ink supply includes an elongate housing encasing a partitioning unit to define a plurality of ink chambers which can each contain a respective type of ink. The ink supply is engageable with the manifold so that ink from the ink chambers can be provided to respective sets of ink passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7672029
    Abstract: In printing using a plurality of chromatic color inks of different lightness interchangeable with one another in color reproduction, ink consumption is reduced while preserving the quality of the printed result. On the basis of first color data represented in terms of density of a first reference color, second color data represented in terms of density of a plurality of second reference colors is generated. The plurality of second reference colors are the ink colors. They include two same hue reference colors of different lightness interchangeable with one another when reproducing a certain color. The lookup table holds the first color data and the second color data associated with one another. For a set of densities of a plurality of second reference colors representing achromatic color of higher lightness than the reference lightness, density of the same hue reference color having lower lightness is 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Murayama
  • Patent number: 7672015
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing method including: (A) converting a tone value indicating a tone of a certain color to a first light tone value indicating a tone of a light color using a predetermined number of tones, and a first dark tone value indicating a tone of a dark color using a predetermined number of tones; (B) converting the first light tone value to a second light tone value indicating a tone of the light color with a smaller number of tones than the predetermined number of tones, based on a table for the light color; (C) converting the first dark tone value to a second tone value indicating a tone of the dark color with a smaller number of tones than the predetermined number of tones, based on a table for the dark color other than the table for the light color; (D) ejecting a light ink based on the second light tone value to form a light dot in the light ink on a medium, ejecting a dark ink based on the second dark tone value to form a dark dot in the dark ink on the medium, and expressi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Yoshiko Hoshiyama, Hirokazu Nunokawa
  • Publication number: 20100033533
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: OSAMU IWASAKI, KIICHIRO TAKAHASHI, HITOSHI NISHIKORI, NAOJI OTSUKA, MINORU TESHIGAWARA, TETSUYA EDAMURA, YOSHINORI NAKAGAWA, SATOSHI SEKI
  • Patent number: 7658460
    Abstract: High-density image printing can be achieved by using ink jet print heads capable of ejecting ink. A plurality of same color print heads capable of ejecting the same color ink are controlled according to the same print data. Drive timings for the same color print heads are so set that the dots printed by these same color print heads overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventor: Akio Aoki
  • Patent number: 7654662
    Abstract: An ink jet printing method and apparatus are provided which, even when an ink containing a colorant with a coagulating property is applied to a glossy print medium; enable to keep the glossiness of the print medium from being degraded. For this purpose, when forming an image on a glossy print medium, a coagulation inhibiting liquid for inhibiting a coagulation of ink is applied to at least a part of an area on the print medium where the ink is applied. This suppresses the coagulation of ink on the print medium surface and assures a quick spreading and soaking of ink. As a result, the surface of the glossy print medium can be kept smooth, retaining its glossiness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Nakazawa, Takuei Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7651195
    Abstract: A color inkjet recording apparatus includes a multi-nozzle inkjet recording head which ejects a process liquid to a recording medium, and a plurality of multi-nozzle inkjet recording heads which eject inks of respective colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuro Sekiya
  • Patent number: 7645020
    Abstract: A printing device adapted to print upon a printing media. The printing device has a printing media inserter, a media path, and a plurality of printheads, positioned serially in the media path. Each of the printheads is adapted to print upon the printing media moving along the media path. The printing media inserter transfers the printing media to a printing media buffer or into the media path. A piece of the printing media traveling along the media path is sequentially printed upon by each of the printheads. The plurality of printheads are controlled to combine print from the plurality of printheads on the piece of printing media and form a resultant combined print image with a resolution different than at least one print of at least one of the plurality of printheads on the piece of printing media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: NEOPOST Technologies
    Inventor: James M. Mattern
  • Patent number: 7641310
    Abstract: Lattice point data of each lattice point on W-C line in a color separation table reproducing primary color C is determined so that C ink monotonically increases from W point to C point. Also, particular color G for toning is used to monotonically increase from the halfway of W point to C point and lattice point data is determined so that the basic color C ink and the particular color G ink are mixed at C point. In a case where the reflection characteristics is made such that the basic color C ink thus produces the coloring closer to a blue color, the particular color G ink having high chroma and many portions overlapped in the zone of the C ink and the green color is used at a high density portion of the device primary color C. This realizes control of the hue shift and the high chroma both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Okinori Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7641309
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Teshigawara, Naoji Otsuka, Kiichiro Takahashi, Osamu Iwasaki, Tetsuya Edamura, Yoshinori Nakagawa, Satoshi Seki, Naomi Oshio
  • Publication number: 20090315944
    Abstract: The present invention reduces image deterioration such as density nonuniformity when recording is performed using a recording head having two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined achromatic ink, for example, gray ink. For this purpose, the distance between two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined achromatic ink is larger than the distance between two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined chromatic ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiko Maru, Kiichiro Takahashi, Tetsuya Edamura, Minoru Teshigawara, Takatoshi Nakano, Hiroshi Taira
  • Publication number: 20090309910
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus comprises a moving unit that moves by receiving a moving force, and a plurality of nozzle rows for ejecting liquid onto a medium, wherein each of the nozzle rows is adjusted in its position on the moving unit, taking a nozzle row that is arranged on a side close to a line of action of the moving force as a reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toyohiko MITSUZAWA
  • Patent number: 7631955
    Abstract: The colors used for forming an image are limited in advance to a predetermined number of color patterns called representative colors; on the host side the image data received is divided into blocks, for each of which a representative color is determined in a representative color code conversion unit; the representative colors and their associated representative color codes are transmitted to the printer side; and on the printer side the representative color codes are converted into dot patterns in a pattern conversion unit for each pass before being output. The above procedure allows a series of processing—resolution conversion, masking/UCR processing, output ?-correction and binarization processing—to be realized with a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7625066
    Abstract: A mixing apparatus including a plurality of nozzle groups each formed of nozzles for ejecting the same fluid arranged in group, the nozzles being provided with openings for ejecting fluid, to cause the plurality of nozzle groups to separately eject a plurality of fluids to mix the fluids in areas on the extending lines of the nozzles, wherein the openings of the nozzles forming the nozzle groups are arranged along annular loci and the plurality of nozzle groups are arranged coaxially to each other, a plurality of supplying channels for supplying the plurality of fluids to the nozzle groups corresponding to the plurality of nozzle groups are annular in cross section in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which fluid supplied to the supplying channels flows and arranged coaxially to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Teshima, Kazumichi Nakahama, Yukio Hanyu
  • Patent number: 7625065
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet print head that allows for a fast printing of high-density, high-quality images without increasing cost and size of the print head. To this end, the ink jet print head has orifices for ejecting ink of a first volume and orifices for ejecting ink of a second volume, the second volume being smaller than the first volume. Further, the number of orifices for first-volume ink per unit length is greater than the number of orifices for second-volume ink per unit length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidehiko Kanda, Toshiyuki Chikuma, Jiro Moriyama
  • Patent number: 7621621
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Iwasaki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Hitoshi Nishikori, Naoji Otsuka, Minoru Teshigawara, Tetsuya Edamura, Yoshinori Nakagawa, Satoshi Seki
  • Patent number: 7621611
    Abstract: A liquid delivery device includes a first nozzle row that has a plurality of nozzles in a predetermined direction and delivers a first liquid. A second nozzle row has a plurality of nozzles in the predetermined direction and delivers a second liquid having a concentration different from that of the first liquid. A controller forms first dots on a medium at predetermined intervals by delivering the first liquid from the plural nozzles of the first nozzle row without using a part of the nozzles of the first nozzle row, and forms second dots on the medium at the predetermined intervals by delivering the second liquid from the plural nozzles of the second nozzle row without using a part of the nozzles of the second nozzle row such that each of the second dots is located between the first dots in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 7618113
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus. Each of a plurality of first nozzle rows includes a plurality of nozzles disposed in a predetermined direction that discharge cyan or magenta liquid. Each of a plurality of second nozzle rows includes a plurality of nozzles disposed in the predetermined direction that discharge yellow liquid. The number of second nozzle rows is smaller than the number of first nozzle rows. The first nozzle rows form cyan or magenta dots at pixels on a medium. The second nozzle rows form yellow dots at pixels whose number is smaller than the number of pixels at which the first dots are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Fukasawa, Tsuneo Kasai, Hirokazu Kasahara
  • Patent number: 7618112
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record a first dot and a second dot having a diameter smaller than that of the first dot on a recording medium, and a scanning unit configured to move the recording unit in a scanning direction. A recording resolution of the second dot in the scanning direction is lower than a recording resolution of the first dot in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Edamura, Kiichiro Takahashi, Minoru Teshigawara, Akiko Maru, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takatoshi Nakano