Apparatus and method for obtaining color plane alignment in a single pass color printer
US6008826A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 18, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 18, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/0161
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for controlling color plane image alignment in a multi-color, single pass laser printer achieves such alignment by imprinting of alignment marks directly on a belt which carries and/or drives media sheets past plural developer modules in a process direction. A pair of sensors are positioned adjacent the belt to enable a sensing of the alignment marks. A controller causes each of a plurality of developers to print a set of alignment marks on the belt, each set including plural marks that are positioned transverse to a print process direction. The controller, in response to the sensors' detecting the printed marks on the belt, determines times at which the marks pass beneath the sensors and, from such determined times, derives variations from expected sense times of the marks of each set. Thereafter, the controller adjusts data feed from color plane sub-images to one or more laser scanners in such a manner as to reduce color plane image misalignments.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.