Tektronix, Inc.

Jeffery J Clark

Gregory P Thornton

Bo Lewendal

Brian G Crosby

Ernest I Esplin

Jeffrey J Anderson

Raul Krivoy

Mike C Gordon

Terry A Smith

Patrick E Welborn

Christopher D Shaver

A computer printer having a frame contained within a housing, a media transport and printing mechanism attached to the frame within the housing is provided with at least one debris shield positioned above the printing mechanism to protect it from falling debris. The at least one debris shield may be positioned below an air flow path generated by printer ventilation, and the printer may employ a transfer surface on which an image is generated prior to transfer to a media sheet, and above which the debris shield is positioned.

Ink jet printer

A computer printer having a frame contained within a housing, a media transport and printing mechanism attached to the frame within the housing is provided with at least one debris shield positioned above the printing mechanism to protect it from falling debris. The at least one debris shield may be positioned below an air flow path generated by printer ventilation, and the printer may employ a transfer surface on which an image is generated prior to transfer to a media sheet, and above which the debris shield is positioned. Stripper fingers strip the media sheet from the transfer surface and webs between the stripper fingers form an air flow barrier to prevent debris transmission through gaps between the fingers.

Ink jet printer having webs between stripper fingers

A method of printing an image onto a substrate includes the steps of determining a difference in intended color intensity between a first pixel and a second pixel; adjusting the intended color intensity of the second pixel based on the determined difference; and depositing a colorant onto the substrate at the first pixel and at the second pixel at the adjusted intended intensity, so as to enhance the appearance of the image on the substrate. The current system has particular utility in enhancing the appearance of fine images such as one pixel wide, vertical and diagonal lines in a printing system which utilizes printhead heating elements that are larger in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction.

System for adjusting color intensity of neighboring pixels

A method of printing an image onto a substrate includes the steps of determining a difference in intended color intensity between a first pixel and a second pixel; adjusting the intended color intensity of the first pixel based on the determined difference; and depositing a colorant onto the substrate at the first pixel at the adjusted intended intensity, so as to enhance the appearance of the image on the substrate. The current system has particular utility in enhancing the appearance of fine images such as one pixel wide, vertical and diagonal lines in a printing system which utilizes printhead heating elements that are larger in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction.

A system for printing an image onto a substrate includes a print controller that determines a difference in intended color intensity between a first pixel and a second pixel; adjusts the intended color intensity of the first pixel based on the determined difference; and deposits a colorant onto the substrate at the first pixel at the adjusted intended intensity, so as to enhance the appearance of the image on the substrate. The current system has particular utility in enhancing the appearance of fine images such as one pixel wide, vertical and diagonal lines in a printing system which utilizes printhead heating elements that are larger in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction.

A system and method of printing an image on a substrate based on an input of detailed image intensity information for each of discrete pixel areas of the substrate, includes or performs steps of processing the detailed image intensity information into less detailed image intensity information; dithering the less detailed image intensity information to approximate the intensity resolution of the detailed image intensity information; and printing the dithered, less detailed, image intensity information onto the substrate. The system will use less memory space than a comparable system which prints directly from the detailed image intensity information, will minimize patterning effects, and will correct for artifacts which might otherwise be printed.

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Tigard, OR, United States of America

Jeffery J Clark