Hybrid ink jet printer
US5710582A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 20, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2/155
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ink jet printer is configured in a hybrid architecture wherein a full width printbar is combined with a partial width color scanning assembly to provide the capability of selectively printing in black only or, alternately, of producing color prints by operating the color scan assembly exclusively. The cost of the hybrid system, when compared to a full width color system using four full width printbars, is greatly reduced. Throughput time is reduced by providing the control circuitry for distinguishing between black only and color operation and selectively controlling the printer mode of operation. The hybrid architecture is particularly useful in a LAN system since it provides a mechanism for balancing the relative color versus black page decomposition speed limitations. Also, the hybrid architecture enables a relatively simple implementation of a checkerboarding technique to suppress banding in output prints.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.