Hewlett-Packard Company

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Elizabeth Zapata

Mark E Young

Joseph Edward Scheffelin

David S Hunt

Alfred U Zepeda

Robert R Giles

Jon J Fong

Felix Ruiz

Christopher J Schultz

Max Stephen Gunther

Rosa Calatayud

Christopher J Shultz

David W Swanson

James E Clark

Kenneth J Courian

Eric Joseph Johnson

George T Kaplinsky

Erich E Coiner

Brian P Canfield

Tofigh Khodapanah

Jesus Garcia

Ronald D Stephens, Jr

Salvador Sanchez

Don Boutin

Ignacio Olazabal

Christian Barckhahn

Rick Becker

Doug Watson

Winthrop D Childers

Doron Shaked

Izhak Baharav

Antoni Gil Miquel

Joan Manuel Garcia

Ignacio De Olazabal

Pere Josep Canti

Maria Dinares

Santiago Garcia-Reyero

Robert Joseph Katon

A method of printing an image with an inkjet printer system, said system comprising a printhead arranged to print swaths of image content parallel to a first axis on a print medium, said swaths having a width in a second axis substantially perpendicular to said first axis, said method comprising the steps of: determining the length of said image in said second axis; and, resizing said image such that said resized length of said image in said second axis is substantially an integer multiple of said swath width.

Printer device and method

To decrease the total time required for feeding an inkjet printing medium to print an image, swath heights are reduced to values that depend on overall image height. A processor in the printer works out the swath height that just corresponds to an integral number of print-medium advances, over the total height of the image; and then prints the image using this swath height. This strategy optimizes throughput by minimizing the time occupied in advancing the print medium and in adjusting the print-medium position.

A printhead makes passes over a printing medium, each pass forming a swath of marks on the medium. In one aspect of the invention, between passes the medium steps by a nonzero distance that varies from step to step. In another aspect, swath edges are spaced away (ideally well away) from each other. In yet another aspect a printer has a reciprocating carriage&mdash;to carry a printhead for forming, in each certain multiple of a half-reciprocation, a swath of marks on the medium. Each head includes multiple printing elements, a number of combinations of groups of which are used to print each region of each swath; the invention increases the number of combinations used to print each region. In still another aspect, the step distance is random or randomized. Ideally these aspects are all used together. Preferably (1) step distance varies at every step&mdash;e.g. alternating between two values, such as a sixth and a half of swath height, for three-passes; (2) the number N of passes is odd, and the distance varies among values of form (2n&minus;1)/2N, n ranging from 1 through N; (3) banding with the method has twice the spatial frequency of banding with nonvarying step distance; (4) no two swath edges coincide, and the distance is random or randomized; (5) an installed algorithm for accommodating print-medium-advance-directionality error is adapted for step control; and (6) the certain multiple is one half or one full reciprocation, or two full reciprocations.

Banding reduction in incremental printing, by spacing-apart of swath edges and randomly selected print-medium advance

One invention aspect forms a mask and matrix of corresponding backups for values in the mask, checks when a mask value is not working, and replaces only that value with only a matching matrix entry. A second matrix of further backups is best formed. Another aspect forms a mask as a matrix of stacks of matching entries for mask positions; selects an entry for each position from the matching matrix stack; and prints using the selected entry at each position. Another aspect forms a mask as a matrix of stacks of matching entries for mask positions, and rotates each stack to select an entry for each position. Another aspect forms a mask and a matrix of stacks of backups; finds nonworking mask values and replaces such values with backups from a matching stack. Another aspect forms a seminal mask, tiles it to make a larger one with related properties, and injects noise to disrupt tiling-caused regularity and form a less-regular mask.

Automated and semiautomated printmask generation for incremental printing

A closed ink replenishment system for replenishing the supply of ink in negative pressure spring-bag reservoirs in a printer/plotter. A tube runs between each cartridge reservoir and an auxiliary reservoir mounted to the printer/plotter frame to form the closed ink system. As ink is depleted from the spring-bag reservoir during printing operation, the negative pressure in the cartridge increases, drawing ink through the tube from the auxiliary reservoir into the cartridge until the negative pressure decreases to an equilibrium point. As a result, the volume of ink within the spring-bag reservoir remains substantially constant so long as there is ink remaining within the auxiliary reservoir. This maintains the print quality. The auxiliary reservoir is a flat bag mounted on a spring-biased platform, which acts as a height regulating system. As ink is depleted from the auxiliary bag, the height of the platform and bag increases to maintain a constant pressure and elevation head at the spring-bag reservoir.

Continuous refill of spring bag reservoir in an ink-jet swath printer/plotter

An inkjet printing system having a replaceable set of ink-related components which are installed together and replaced together with a single ink delivery system for each different color of ink. The set includes an ink printhead with an inlet port, an ink supply module, and a printhead service module, each of which is manually mountable by a user onto an inkjet printer. The ink supply module contains enough ink to completely replenish an entire printhead reservoir several times before the expected useful life of the printhead has expired, at which time a user can replace the entire set of ink-related components for a particular color. Similarly, the printhead service module is designed for reliable performance for the expected useful life of the printhead. This system enables the entire ink delivery system to be replaced for different printing needs, such as replacing indoor dye-based inks with outdoor pigment based inks.

Inkjet printing with replaceable set of ink-related components (printhead/service module/ink supply) for each color of ink

A replaceable ink supply module which provides replenishment of an inkjet printhead includes a collapsible bag, an enclosure box, a connective tube, and an on/off valve. These four components are incorporated into a composite sealed system which remains intact during shipment, storage, installation and operation. The collapsible bag is placed inside of the protective enclosure box and has an end-connect outlet permanently attached to one end of the connective tube. The other end of the connective tube carries a permanently attached on/off valve designed for periodic engagement with an inlet valve of an inkjet printhead.

Replaceable ink supply module (bag/box/tube/valve) for replenishment of on-carriage inkjet printhead

An inkjet printing system having a replaceable set of ink-related components which are installed together and replaced together as a single ink delivery system for each different color of ink. The set includes an ink printhead cartridge with an inlet port, an ink supply module, and a printhead service module, each of which is manually mountable by a user onto an inkjet printer. The ink supply module contains enough ink to completely replenish an entire printhead reservoir several times before the expected useful life of the printhead cartridge has expired, at which time a user can replace the entire set of ink-related components for a particular color. Similarly, the printhead service module is designed for reliable performance for the expected useful life of the printhead cartridge. This system enables the entire ink delivery system to be replaced for different printing needs, such as replacing indoor dye-based inks with outdoor pigment based inks.

Inkjet printing with replaceable set of ink-related components

A printing system which provides active control of the vertical position of an off-carriage ink supply. The system includes an ink-jet print cartridge having an ink reservoir for holding a supply of liquid ink, and an ink replenishment port. A carriage holds the print cartridge, and a carriage scanning apparatus drives the carriage along a carriage scan axis. The system further includes an off-carriage ink supply which is connectable via a fluid path to the ink replenishment port of the cartridge. An elevator apparatus actively raises or lowers the off-carriage ink supply in response to drive commands to position the off-carriage ink supply at a plurality of different elevations relative to a vertical position of the print cartridge to supply ink to the ink replenishment port via the fluid path. The fluid path can be established intermittently, and disconnected during printing operations, or continuously established even during printing operations.

Active control of vertical position of an off-carriage ink supply

An inkjet printing system provides an automated mechanism for the connection/disconnection of an ink supply valve to inkjet printheads without having to remove the printheads from a carriage. The automated mechanism includes a bracket for holding a plurality of ink supply valves in a passive first position displaced from a corresponding number of inlet ports on inkjet printheads mounted in the carriage which moves back and forth across a print zone. During normal printing operations there is no connection between the ink supply valves and the inkjet printheads. When it becomes necessary to replenish ink in the printheads from a supplemental ink container connected to the ink supply valve, the carriage comes to a rest position away from the print zone, and a motor causes the bracket to move toward the carriage so that an ink supply valve can directly engage an inlet port on the inkjet printhead. In an exemplary embodiment, an ink cartridge having a reservoir capacity of about 40 cc. can receive about 15 cc. of ink from the supplemental ink container through the ink supply valve during a relatively short time period of approximately two minutes. Since the bracket moves all the ink supply valves as a group, all of the printheads are replenished at the same time, even through only one printhead may have reached a threshold level which triggered the replenishment procedure.

Printer apparatus for periodic automated connection of ink supply valves

Replaceable ink supply module (bag/box/tube/valve) for replenishment of

An inkjet printing system with an automated ink replenishment station for replenishing printhead ink reservoirs mounted in a carriage from removable off-carriage ink supply containers. The system includes a printer frame and a scanning carriage mounted on the frame for traversing back and forth along a scan axis through a print zone. At least one printhead is mounted on the carriage, and has a sealed printhead ink reservoir and a normally closed inlet valve in fluid communication with the printhead ink reservoir for receiving ink. The ink replenishment station is located on the frame at one end of the scan axis, and includes an ink supply. A normally closed supply valve is provided at the ink replenishment station in communication with the ink supply capable of periodic connection to said inlet valve. With the carriage positioned at the replenishment station, an automated motorized mechanism moves the supply valve into engagement with the inlet valve to provide a fluid path for ink to flow from the ink supply to the printhead ink reservoir without manual intervention.

Periodic ink replenishment station with removable off-carriage ink

An inkjet print cartridge is described which incorporates an ink recharge port and recharge valve as part of the handle for the print cartridge. The handle is located to be easily accessible when the print cartridge is installed in a carriage within a printer. The handle provides protection for the recharge valve structure, and the valve structure does not interfere with the insertion of the print cartridge into existing carriages.

Printer having a removable print cartridge with handle incorporating an

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Barcelona, Spain

Elizabeth Zapata