Alignment of ink dots in an inkjet printer
US6367903B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K2215/006
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A misalignment compensation technique for a dot printer is disclosed. This technique first supplies printing instructions to a printhead for energizing printing elements in various groups (primitives) to print a pattern on a medium. The printed pattern is then detected by optical sensors in the printer. Based on the detection, a position offset error for each primitive is determined. These errors are used to generate a separate time correction for each of the primitives such that, when the printer is used normally, the time period for printing a dot will be advanced or delayed for each primitive so as to align the dots printed by the primitives. In another embodiment, alignment data taken by a manufacturing line sensor is stored in a memory on the print cartridge. After the print cartridge is installed in the printer, a second optical test completes the data needed to create timing correction values.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.