Printing apparatus and preliminary discharge control method
US7011386B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 14, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 17, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2002/17569
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A printing apparatus and a preliminary discharge control method are capable of efficient preliminary discharge control even in a case where a time interval to assure normal printing is equal or nearly equal to the period of one print scanning of an inkjet printhead. In the method, in an inkjet printhead which performs printing by discharging ink from plural print elements while being reciprocate-scanned by a carriage, the number of ink dischargings from each of the plural print elements is counted during print scanning by reciprocate scanning. It is determined whether or not the counted number of ink dischargings from each of the plural print elements is equal to or greater than a predetermined number at predetermined intervals. In accordance with the result of determination, a printable period is updated, and the updated printable period is compared with time necessary for the next print scanning upon completion of one print scanning by reciprocate scanning. Then, in accordance with the result of comparison, preliminary discharge is performed from the inkjet printhead.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.