Hewlett-packard Company

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Rory A Heim

David N Olsen

David Ridgway Otis, Jr

Steven T Castle

David Brian Olsen

Mark D Lund

Ronald Gregory Paul

The present disclosure relates to an inkjet printing system configured for receiving a replaceable ink container. The replaceable ink container has an ink extraction characteristic that varies with ink level in the replaceable ink container. The inkjet printing system includes an ink level determining device for determining ink level within the replaceable ink container. Also included is a control device for selecting a print mode based on ink extraction characteristics of the replaceable ink container.

Method and apparatus for compensating for ink container extraction characteristics

An inkjet printing system and method that enables printing to continue after an ink supply has been depleted without damaging the printhead associated with the depleted ink supply. The method detects whether less than a predetermined reserve amount of ink remains in a depleted ink supply and, if so, then ink drops will be ejected from that depleted ink supply only during servicing operations. Since ink drops from non-depleted ink supplies will still be ejected during both printing operations and servicing operations, printing can continue, though possibly with reduced image quality. This is particularly advantageous in printing systems that include fax capability, since fax messages that cannot be printed may be lost.

Reserving ink for printer servicing purposes

The present disclosure relates to a replaceable ink container for providing ink to an inkjet printing system. The inkjet printing system has a plurality of print modes with each print mode having an ink usage rate associated therewith. The replaceable ink container includes an information storage device containing print mode control information. The installation of the replaceable ink container into the inkjet printing system allows the print mode control information to be provided to the inkjet printing system. This print mode control information is used by the printing system for selecting a print mode from the plurality of print modes based on available ink within the replaceable ink container.

Method and apparatus for providing ink container extraction characteristics to a printing system

An inkjet printer uses a printhead that passes repeatedly across a print medium in individual swaths. The printhead has individual nozzles that are fired repeatedly during each printhead swath to apply an ink pattern to the print medium. Before any given swath, the printer analyzes factors that might require a reduction in print density. Anticipated printhead temperature is one factor that might require a reduction in print density. The printer monitors the print density and a printhead temperature during each printhead swath. It then uses these values to calculate, prior to each new swath, a maximum permissible print density. If a reduction in print density is indicated, the printer temporarily reduces the printhead velocity relative to the page.

Carriage velocity control to improve print quality and extend printhead life in ink-jet printer

The gauging method generally follows a drop count approach to ink level gauging while making more precise the relationship between the expelled-drop count and the weight of ink actually expelled, thereby to provide more accurate ink level gauging. The printhead temperature is monitored as each swath of an image is printed. Moreover, temperature variations that occur within each swath are noted so that the corresponding intra-swath variations in drop weight are factored into the calculation of a net ink drop weight that more closely approximates the drop weight actually ejected. The method also factors in the effect that printing frequency has on drop weight.

Ink level gauging in inkjet printing

An inkjet printer uses a printhead that passes repeatedly across a print medium in individual swaths. The printhead has individual nozzles that are fired repeatedly during each printhead swath to apply an ink pattern to the print medium. Before any given swath, the printer analyzes factors that might require a reduction in print density. Anticipated printhead temperature is one factor that might require a reduction in print density. The printer monitors the print density and peak printhead temperature during each printhead swath. It then uses these values to calculate, prior to each new swath, a maximum permissible print density. If a reduction in print density is required, the printer temporarily disables selected nozzles to produce a reduced-height swath rather than pausing between swaths or reducing the printhead velocity relative to the page.

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Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Rory A Heim