WO2021096524A1

WO2021096524A1 - Hand-held printers

Info

Publication number: WO2021096524A1
Application number: PCT/US2019/061690
Authority: WO
Inventors: Xavier OLIVA VENTAYOL; Ezequiel Jordi RUFES BERNAD; Francisco Lopez Moral; Jose Luis VALERO NAVAZO; Lluis ABELLO ROSELLO; Rafael ULACIA PORTOLES
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2019-11-15
Filing date: 2019-11-15
Publication date: 2021-05-20

Abstract

In one example, a hand-held device is for printing to a substrate. The device comprises a body to be held by a user of the hand-held device. The body comprises a first opening to receive a first printhead and a second opening to receive a second printhead. The handheld device is to discharge printing fluid from the first and second printheads to print an image to the substrate. The first opening is offset from the second opening.

Description

HAND-HELD PRINTERS

BACKGROUND

[0001] Some example printing devices are to be held in the hand of a user and operated by the user while the user is holding the printing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0002] Examples will now be described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0003] Figure 1 is a simplified schematic of a perspective view of an example hand-held device;

[0004] Figure 2 is a simplified schematic of a bottom view of an example hand- held device;

[0005] Figure 3 is a flowchart of an example of a method;

[0006] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an example of a method;

[0007] Figure 5 is a simplified schematic of a bottom view of an example hand- held printer;

[0008] Figure 6 is a simplified schematic of a bottom view of an example hand- held printer;

[0009] Figure 7 is a simplified schematic of an example device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Some devices are able to print images, for example personalised images, onto substrates such as wearable garments (for example, t-shirts, etc.) to enable a user to print personalised content on items that they are intending to wear. Some devices achieve the personalised printing of an image to a substrate by heat-pressing a pre-cut substrate having the image printed thereon to a final substrate, or by printing to the substrate and post-processing the substrate. This may, in some examples, also be done manually (e.g. using ink and an applicator), e.g. by a user. [0011] For improved speed and flexibility, some examples devices are able to be held by a user to print an image to a substrate. Some examples herein relate to such hand-held devices. Such devices are capable of reliably printing an image to a substrate in a number of passes of the device across a substrate, such as a garment, for fast transfer of the image to the substrate. If the substrate comprises a garment is to be worn by a user, this may enable the fast customisation of a wearable garment.

[0012] The size, e.g. the height, of an image that such a hand-held printing device is able to produce in a single pass (the “swath” size) is limited by the length of the printhead die (or nozzle array) in the device. In these examples, a user, to print a large image, may have to do so in multiple passes. For example, a user may pass the device across a substrate to print a first, or upper, portion of an image and then the user may return the device to its starting position, but lower, and, in the same motion, print a lower portion of the image, below the upper portion of the image, in another pass of the device. In this way multiple passes, multiple advances of the device across a substrate, are needed to print one image by “stitching” the image together out of the image produced by each pass. In this way, horizontal bands are effectively merged together to form the final image. This media advance system may be very precise to achieve a good quality in the final image, as some images may be easier to print via merging sub-images together than others.

[0013] Some examples herein relate to a hand-held device comprising a plurality of openings, each opening to receive a printhead or cartridge, to increase the swath size of the device. According to some examples, multiple openings may be provided in a hand-held printer to increase the swath size of the image that the printer is capable of printing in a single pass. This enables a user to print larger images in a single pass thereby decreasing the time for a user to print an image to the substrate and therefore to personalise the substrate. For such devices, a larger (e.g. taller) image may be printed in a single pass and therefore without stitching the image together. The printheads, or cartridges, received in the openings may be monochromatic or colour cartridges.

[0014] Figure 1 shows an example hand-held device 100 for printing to a substrate (shown schematically at 102). The device 100 is to be held in the palm of a hand of a user and to be operated by a user while in the palm of the user’s hand. The device 100 comprises a device body 102 to be held by a user of the hand-held device 100. The body comprises a first opening 104 to receive a first printhead and a second opening 106 to receive a second printhead. The hand-held device 100 is to discharge printing fluid from the first and second printheads to print an image to the substrate 101 , for example while being held by a user.

[0015] The first opening 104 is offset from the second opening 106 in a printing direction of the hand-held device (e.g. in the movement direction of the device 100 when the device 100 is moved to print an image to the substrate 101). The first and second openings 104 and 106 are therefore disposed in a staggered arrangement in the printer body 102. In other words, the first and second openings 104, 106 comprise staggered openings. As will be explained later, the offset nature of the first 104 and second 106 openings may mean that, when first and second printheads are disposed in the openings, the printhead dies will be offset which may enable a larger image to be printed to the substrate 101. For example, and as will be explained below, the “swath" size of the hand-held device 100 may be increased and may be equal to the length of the printhead dies of the first and second printheads, minus the overlap. In some examples, the openings are offset so as to produce a swath size of approximately 4.25 inches (10.795 cm), or greater than 4.25 inches. As shown in Figure 1 , the first and second openings 104, and 106 may be additionally offset in the direction perpendicular to the printing direction, but in other examples (e.g. as shown in Figure 8) the openings may not be offset in the perpendicular direction.

[0016] Figure 2 shows an example hand-held device 200, which may comprise the hand-held device 100 of Figure 1. As for the example device 100 shown in Figure 1 , the device 200 is to be held in the palm of a hand of a user and is to be operated by a user while in the palm of the user’s hand. The device 200 comprises a device body 202 to be held by a user of the hand-held device 200. The body comprises a first opening 204 to receive a first printhead and a second opening 206 to receive a second printhead. The hand-held device 200 is to discharge printing fluid from the first and second printheads to print an image to the substrate, for example while being held by a user. The first opening 204 is offset from the second opening 206. In the example shown in Figure 2, a first printhead 208 is disposed in the first opening 204 and a second printhead 210 is disposed in the second opening 206. Each one of the first and second printheads comprises a printhead die, labelled 214 and 216 respectively. The printhead die 214 of the first printhead 208 overlaps with the printhead die 216 of the second printhead 212.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the two openings 204, 206 are offset from one another in the printing direction, labelled M in Figure 2. In other words, the two openings 204, 206 may be disposed in a staggered arrangement in the device 200. This creates an overlap 01 between the two openings, e.g. an overlap in the direction perpendicular to the pint direction M.. As shown in Figure 2, the printing direction M may also be referred to as the direction of movement of the device 200, being is the direction in which a user may move the device 200 (e.g. while the user holds the device) to print an image to the substrate. The overlap 01 may be a minimum amount for nozzle arrays of first and second printheads, when disposed in the first and second respective openings, to print a continuous image, as will be described below .The two openings 204 and 206 in the Figure 2 example are offset in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement M of the device 200, although in other examples the direction of movement may be otherwise oriented. There is a distance x between the first and second openings 204, 206 in the direction of movement. In some examples the distance x is to be at a minimum valve. In one example the distance x is less than 5mm. In another example the distance is less than 2.5mm. In yet another example the distance x is less than 1mm. .In yet another example the distance x may be approximately the diameter of one, two, or three nozzles. In another example the distance is less than 15% of the length of the opening (e.g. the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the print direction). In another example the distance is less than 10% of the length of the opening. In yet another example, the distance is less than 5%. In another example the distance x is less than 15% of the length 11 (to be described below) of a nozzle array of a print cartridge to be disposed in the first, or second, opening. In another example the distance x is less than 10% of the length 11. In yet another example the distance x is less than 5% of the length

11.

[0018] The device 200 comprises a first printhead 208 disposed in the first opening 204 and a second printhead 210 disposed in the second opening 206. The first printhead 208 comprises a first printhead die 214 and the second printhead 210 comprises a second printhead die 216. Each die 214, 216 comprises a respective array of nozzles to selectively discharge ink to print an image to a substrate, e.g. according to image generation instructions describing the image to be printed. As shown in Figure 2, the offset between the two openings 204, 206 produces an offset between the two printheads 208, 210, and an offset between the two printhead dies 214, 216. There is therefore an associated overlap amount 02 between the two printhead dies 214, 216.

[0019] The overlap 01 between the openings 204, 206 may be to produce the overlap 02 between the dies 214, 216, and the overlap 02 may be to enable the printing dies 214, 216 to be aligned with one another, for example for overlap calibration of the dies 214, 216 so that they can work in association with one another to print a single image, for example by disabling a set of nozzles (e.g. per colour trench) in one of the first and second printheads 210, 212 that overlaps with a set of nozzles in another of the first and second printheads 210, 212. In one example the overlap may be zero nozzles in which case the bottom nozzle of one die and the top nozzle of the next die are part of the same nozzle array (of two printhead dies). For example the top nozzle of die 216 may be substantially continuous with the bottom nozzle of die 214, with reference to the Figure 2 example. Therefore, the hand-held device 200 may be able to achieve a greater swath size than some other devices and, accordingly, may be able to print a bigger image (or, for example, an image having a greater height) in a single pass of the device 200. The swath size S may be defined (with reference to the configuration shown in Figure 2) as the distance from the top of the topmost nozzle array 214 to the bottom of the bottommost nozzle array 216. The nozzle array 214 of the first printhead 210 may have a length 11 (its dimension in the perpendicular direction to the movement direction M) and the nozzle array 216 of the second printhead 212 may have a length I2 (its dimension in the perpendicular direction to the movement direction M) and the swath size S may be defined as the sum of the lengths 11 and I2 minus the overlap amount 02. Therefore, in designing the device 200 the overlap amount 02 may be kept at a minimum. In some examples the overlap amount 02 may be a single nozzle, or zero nozzles. In some examples the swath size may be approximately 4’24” inches. In some examples the swath size may be greater than 4’25" inches. In some examples however, the first and second openings may be offset in a direction parallel to the direction of movement M and/or offset in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement M.

[0020] The hand-held device 200 may comprise a control button 250, a sensor 240 (e.g. a movement tracking sensor) and two guiding wheels 230, 231 (although two are depicted in Figure 2 in other examples the device 200 may comprise one guiding wheel, or in other examples two, three, or four guiding wheels). The control button 250 is to control and/or actuate the selective discharge of printing fluid (e.g. ink) from the printhead dies 214, 216 of the printheads 210, 212. The guiding wheels 230, 231 may facilitate the ease of advancement of the device 200 across a substrate. The sensor 240 is to control the selective discharge of printing fluid from the first and second printheads 210, 212. For example, a control unit of the hand-held device 200 (to be described later) may be in communication with the sensor 240 to control the selective discharge of printing fluid from the printing fluid dies 214, 216 depending on the position of the dies 214, 216 relative to the substrate as sensed by the sensor 240. In some examples, the sensor may therefore comprise an optical sensor. [0021] In some examples the device 100 and/or the device 200 may be connectable to a remote source of power (e.g. electricity) and/or printing fluid (such a reservoir).

[0022] In some examples the device 100 or 200 may comprise a plurality of openings may be provided at the same orientation each opening for receipt of a cartridge containing printing fluid of a different colour. For example, the device may comprise three openings having no offset in direction perpendicular to the movement direction M, but offset in the movement direction M, each opening being for receipt of a respective C, Y, M colour cartridge to, in this way, print a colour image in a single pass of the printer. This will be described with reference to Figure 8.

[0023] Figure 3 shows an example method 300, which may be a computer- implemented method, and which comprises a method of manufacturing a hand-held printer. The hand-held printer manufactured according to the method 300 may be the hand-held device 100 or the hand-held device 200 as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, or the hand-held printers 500-800 to be described with reference to Figure 5-8, respectively.

[0024] The method 300 comprises, at block 302, providing a printer body to be held by a user. Block 302 may comprise manufacturing the printer body, e.g. by injection moulding or additive manufacturing.

[0025] The method 300 comprises, at block 304, providing first and second openings in the printer body, each opening being for receipt of a printhead, such that the first and second openings are offset from one another in the printer body in the printing direction, or in the direction of movement of the hand-held printer to perform a print job. Blocks 302 and 304 may be performed concurrently in which case the method 300 may comprise manufacturing the printer body with the two offset openings therein, for example by injection moulding. Block 304 may comprise providing the openings such that the openings are offset in the direction perpendicular to the printing direction. Block 304 may comprise providing the openings such that the openings overlap in the direction perpendicular to the printing direction.

[0026] Figure 4 shows an example method 400, which may be a computer- implemented method, and which comprises a method of manufacturing a hand-held printer, and which may comprise the method 300. The hand-held printer manufactured according to the method 300 may be the hand-held device 100 or the hand-held device 200 as described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, or the hand-held printer 500-800 to be described with reference to Figures 5-8, respectively.

[0027] Block 402 of the method 400 comprises providing a printer body, for example as described above in relation to block 302 of the method 300. Block 404 of the method 400 comprises providing first and second offset openings in the body, for example as described above in relation to block 304 of the method 300.

[0028] The method 400 comprises, at block 406, providing a first printhead in the first opening, the first printhead comprising a first printhead die and providing a second printhead in the second opening, the second printhead comprising a second printhead die. Due to the offset nature of the first and second openings, providing, at block 406, first and second printhead dies in the respective openings may necessarily produce an overlap between the first and second printhead dies. In other words, the hand-held printer produced by the blocks 402-406 of the method 400 results in a hand-held printer comprising two printhead dies that are offset from one another. As will be described with reference to Figure 8, block 406 may comprise providing a first printhead comprising printing fluid of a first colour in the first opening and providing a second printhead comprising printing fluid of a second colour in the second opening. In this way, the method 400 may be to manufacture a hand-held printer able to print a colour image in a single pass.

[0029] Figure 5 shows a hand-held printer 500 comprising a plurality of openings 502a-e (the example device 500 of Figure 5 is shown having 5 such openings but any number of openings greater than one could be used according to some examples), each opening being to receive a printing fluid cartridge (not shown in Figure 5), wherein the openings 502a-e are disposed in a staggered arrangement in the hand-held printer 500. As shown in Figure 5, the openings are each offset from one another in the direction of movement (printing direction) and the perpendicular direction (to the direction of movement). The printer 500 also comprises an actuator, shown schematically at 550, depicted as a user-pressable button in this example, to cause printing fluid to be ejected from a plurality of printing fluid cartridges, when a plurality of printing fluid cartridges are each received in a respective opening 502a-e.

[0030] The staggered arrangement of the plurality of openings 502a-e results in an overlap between consecutive openings. For example, there is a first overlap Oab between first and second openings 502a, 502b, there is a second overlap Obc between second and third openings 502b, 502c, there is a third overlap Ocd between third and fourth openings 502c, 502d, and there is a fourth overlap Ode between fourth and fifth openings 502d, 502e. In some examples the openings 502a-e are of substantially the same size, but in other examples they may be a different size. In some examples, the overlap amounts Oab, Obc, Ocd, and Ode may be substantially the same but in other examples they may be different. The overlaps Oab, be, etc. between consecutive openings may be to produce overlapping consecutive printing fluid cartridges, when a printing fluid cartridge is received in a respective opening.

[0031] As for the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2, the hand-held printer 500 defines a movement direction M being the direction that the hand-held printer 500 is intended to be moved to perform a printing operation. The openings 502a-e in this example are offset in a direction that is perpendicular to the movement direction M, although in other examples the movement direction M may be otherwise oriented.

[0032] Figure 6 shows a hand-held printer 600 comprising a plurality of openings 602a-e (although five are shown any number of openings greater than one may be used in some examples), and which may comprise the hand-held printer 500 shown in Figure 5. The openings 602a-e are disposed in a staggered arrangement in the hand-held printer 600 which defines an offset between consecutive (or adjacent) openings (e.g. the overlaps Oab, Obc, etc. as defined in Figure 5) but for simplicity these will not be labelled, although it will be understood that they are present in the hand-held printer 600. The printer 600 also comprises an actuator 650 to cause printing fluid to be ejected from a plurality of printing fluid cartridges.

[0033] In the example of Figure 6, a respective fluid cartridge 603a-e is received, or disposed in, a respective opening 602a-e and each fluid cartridge 603a-e comprises a respective nozzle array 604a-e. As Figure 6 shows, the overlap between consecutive openings produces an associated overlap between consecutive printing fluid cartridges 603a-e, and therefore an overlap between consecutive nozzle arrays 604a-e. In other words, the plurality of openings 602a-e are staggered so that a nozzle in a nozzle array of a given printing fluid cartridge disposed in a given opening overlaps with a nozzle in a nozzle array of a printing fluid cartridge disposed in a consecutive opening. There is an overlap 012 between the first and second nozzle arrays 604a, b, an overlap 023 between second and third nozzle arrays 604b, c, an overlap 034 between third and fourth nozzle arrays 604c, d, and an overlap 045 between fourth and fifth nozzle arrays 604d,e.

In one example, the overlap amounts 012. 045, may be the same, however in other examples they may be different. The overlaps 012, 023, etc. between consecutive cartridges 603a, b, 603b, c, etc. may be to enable the nozzle arrays 604a, b, 604b, c, etc. to be aligned with one another, for example as part of an overlap calibration operation for the cartridges 603a, b, 603b, c, etc. to work in association with one another to print a single image, for example by disabling a set of nozzles in a nozzle array that overlaps with another printhead.

[0034] The hand-held printer 600 also comprises a sensor 640 to control the release of printing fluid (e.g. ink) from the printing fluid cartridges 603a-e, e.g. from the nozzles of the nozzle arrays 604a-e thereof.

[0035] The swath size S of the hand-held printer 600 is proportional to the number of printing fluid cartridges held therein and therefore is proportional to the number of openings for receipt of a printing fluid cartridge. As shown in Figure 6, the swath size S may be defined as the distance from an uppermost nozzle of an uppermost nozzle array (array 604a, in the configuration shown in Figure 6) and a lowermost nozzle of a lowermost nozzle array (array 604e ). The swath size S may be defined as the sum of the lengths of each nozzle array I1 , ..., I5, minus the overlap amounts between consecutive nozzle arrays, O12 , ..., O45. The hand-held printer 600 shown in Figure 6 may be able to achieve a greater swath size, and therefore be able to print a larger image in a single pass of the printer 600. In some examples, the staggered nature of the plurality of openings is to produce a swath size of approximately 4’25” inches, or greater than 4’25" inches. In other words, in some examples the swath size S is approximately 4’25" inches, or greater than 4’25" inches.

[0036] In some examples a plurality of openings may be provided at the same orientation each opening for receipt of a cartridge containing printing fluid of a different colour. For example, the device may comprise three openings having no offset in direction perpendicular to the movement direction M, but offset in the movement direction M, each opening being for receipt of a respective C, Y, M colour cartridge to, in this way, print a colour image in a single pass of the printer. This will be described with reference to Figure 8.

[0037] In some examples the device 500 and/or the device 600 may be connectable to a remote source of power (e.g. electricity) and/or printing fluid (such a reservoir).

[0038] Figure 7 shows an example hand-held device 700 which may comprise the device 100 or 200 of the examples shown above in Figures 1 and 2, respectively, or the printer 500 or 600 of the examples shown above in Figures 5 and 6, respectively. The device 700 comprises a control button, or actuator, 750, the user manipulation of which controls the selective discharge of printing fluid, in a printing fluid discharge direction F, from a first and second printhead, or cartridge, 702, 704 (e.g. via a printhead die or nozzle array thereof). The cartridges 702, 704 are staggered, or offset, in the manner above as described with reference to the devices and printers 100, 200, 500, 600. To print an image to a substrate (not shown) the device 700 is moved in the direction M while the user presses the button 750 to control the selective discharge of printing fluid in the direction F towards a substrate. Wheels 730, 731 facilitate the east of movement of the device 700 across the substrate in the direction M.

[0039] The device 700 comprises a control unit, or circuitry, 711. The control unit 711 compromises a number of modules or units 721-716 which will now be described.

Although they are depicted remote from one another in Figure 7 any units may be combined with one another in some examples, for example one unit may take the place of units 721 and 722 and perform the same function etc. A connectivity module 721 , for example a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connection or a port, e.g. for a portable storage device such as a USB, SIM card or SD card, etc. The connectivity module 721 may be to connected, e.g. wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, with another module, which may be remote from the device 700, for example to receive image generation instructions according to which an image is to be printed to the substrate. In another example, when the module 721 comprises a port such as a USB port, the instructions may be received from a remote storage device (e.g. a USB) connected to the device by the module 721. The control unit 711 also comprises a database 722 to store image generations instructions, for example received at the module 721 , and according to which an image may be printed to the substrate. A control module 723 and an electronics module 725 is to control the firing of nozzles in the printer cartridges 702, 704 and to control the printing fluid (e.g. ink) regulated thereto. For example, the electronics module 725 may comprise a connection to an electrical contact of the first and second cartridge 702, 704, respectively. A battery 724 which may comprise a portable and/or removable batter, or which may comprise a port to be connected to a source of mains power, is provided for supplying power to the printer 700. Therefore, in some examples the device 700 may be powered by a central dock station which may also supply the device 700 with a supply of printing fluid and/or power (e.g. electricity). A sensor 726, which may comprise an optical sensor or accelerometer etc. is to sense the position of the device 700 relative to the substrate to control the selective discharge of fluid from the cartridges to print the image according got the instructions. [0040] For example, in use, the user manipulates (e.g. presses) the button 750 which, controls the control unit 711 to control the modules thereof to cause an image to be printed to the substrate as the device 700 is moved across a substrate in the direction M. More specifically, pressing the button 750 causes the module 723 and/or electronics 725 to supply power (e.g. from the battery module 724) to control the selective discharge of printing fluid from the cartridges 702, 704 in the firing direction F at a location/at a rate based on feedback from the sensor 726 to print an image according to image generation instructions received at the module 721 and/or stored in the database 722. In other words, to cause the individual nozzles of a cartridge 702, 704 to discharge fluid in an amount, and at a rate, that is dependent upon the position of the device 700, as determined by the sensor 726, to cause the image to be printed to the substrate.

[0041] Figure 8 shows an example hand-held device 800 which may comprise the device 100, 200, or 700 of the examples shown above in Figures 1 , 2, and 7 respectively, or the printer 500 or 600 of the examples shown above in Figures 5 and 6, respectively. The device 800 comprises a control button, or actuator, 850, the user manipulation of which controls the selective discharge of printing fluid, in a printing fluid discharge direction, from a first, second, and third printheads, or cartridges, 810, 812, 814 (e.g. via a printhead die or nozzle array thereof).

[0042] The device 800 comprises first, second, and third openings 802, 806, 808 each of which are offset from one another in the print direction, but not in the direction perpendicular to the print direction. Each opening is in receipt of a respective cartridge, 816, 818, 820 each having a respective nozzle array 816, 818, 820. In this example each of the cartridges 816, 818, 820 holds a coloured printing fluid. For example, cartridge 815 may comprise cyan printing fluid, cartridge 818 may comprise magenta printing fluid and cartridge 820 may comprise yellow printing fluid. In this way, the device 800 is able to, in a single pass of the device, print a colour image.

[0043] It will be appreciated that, in some examples, the device 800 may comprise a row of cyan cartridge in the row being offset from another (e.g. as depicted in Figure 7), and similarly for magenta and yellow cartridges, etc. In such examples a device may comprise three rows, each row having a plurality of offset openings for receipt of cartridges of the same colour. In such examples a colour image having a large swath size may be printed in a single pass of the device.

[0044] Examples herein allow a larger image to be printed in a single pass of a hand-held printer. In turn, this enables a user to start personalising a garment (e.g. a T- shirt) by printing directly to manufactured garments in one pass. This obviates the need to stitch an image together by a number of print passes which, in turn, minimises the steps for a user to take to produce a personalised garment. The devices presented herein are also portable and flexible in that they can be moved freely over the surface of a substrate to print at an image, and at a time, according to the preferences of a user.

[0045] Examples in the present disclosure can be provided as methods, systems or machine readable instructions, such as any combination of software, hardware, firmware or the like. Such machine readable instructions may be included on a computer readable storage medium (including but is not limited to disc storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) having computer readable program codes therein or thereon.

[0046] The present disclosure is described with reference to flow charts and/or block diagrams of the method, devices and systems according to examples of the present disclosure. Although the flow diagrams described above show a specific order of execution, the order of execution may differ from that which is depicted. Blocks described in relation to one flow chart may be combined with those of another flow chart. It shall be understood that each flow and/or block in the flow charts and/or block diagrams, as well as combinations of the flows and/or diagrams in the flow charts and/or block diagrams can be realized by machine readable instructions.

[0047] The machine readable instructions may, for example, be executed by a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, an embedded processor or processors of other programmable data processing devices to realize the functions described in the description and diagrams. In particular, a processor or processing apparatus may execute the machine readable instructions. Thus functional modules of the apparatus and devices may be implemented by a processor executing machine readable instructions stored in a memory, or a processor operating in accordance with instructions embedded in logic circuitry. The term ‘processor’ is to be interpreted broadly to include a CPU, processing unit, ASIC, logic unit, or programmable gate array etc. The methods and functional modules may all be performed by a single processor or divided amongst several processors.

[0048] Such machine readable instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage that can guide the computer or other programmable data processing devices to operate in a specific mode.

[0049] Such machine readable instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing devices, so that the computer or other programmable data processing devices perform a series of operations to produce computer-implemented processing, thus the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable devices realize functions specified by flow(s) in the flow charts and/or block(s) in the block diagrams.

[0050] Further, the teachings herein may be implemented in the form of a computer software product, the computer software product being stored in a storage medium and comprising a plurality of instructions for making a computer device implement the methods recited in the examples of the present disclosure.

[0051] While the method, apparatus and related aspects have been described with reference to certain examples, various modifications, changes, omissions, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. It is intended, therefore, that the method, apparatus and related aspects be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. It should be noted that the above-mentioned examples illustrate rather than limit what is described herein, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

[0052] The word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of elements other than those listed in a claim, “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality, and a single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several units recited in the claims.

[0053] The features of any dependent claim may be combined with the features of any of the independent claims or other dependent claims.

Claims

1. A hand-held device for printing to a substrate, the device comprising: a body to be held by a user of the hand-held device, wherein the body comprises a first opening to receive a first printhead and a second opening to receive a second printhead, the hand-held device being to discharge printing fluid from the first and second printheads to print an image to the substrate, wherein the first opening is offset from the second opening in the printing direction of the hand-held device.

2. A hand-held device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings are offset in a direction perpendicular to the printing direction.

3. A hand-held device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings overlap in the printing direction.

4. A hand-held device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second openings overlap in the direction perpendicular to the printing direction.

5. A hand-held device according to claim 1 comprising a first printhead disposed in the first opening and a second printhead disposed in the second opening, wherein each one of the first and second printheads comprises a printhead die, and wherein the printhead die of the first printhead overlaps with the printhead die of the second printhead.

6. A hand-held device according to claim 1 further comprising a control button to actuate the selective discharge of printing fluid from the first and second printheads.

7. A hand-held device according to claim 1 further comprising a movement tracking sensor to control the selective discharge of printing fluid from the first and second printheads.

8. A method of manufacturing a hand-held printer, the method comprising: providing a printer body to be held be a user; providing first and second openings in the body, each opening being for receipt of a printhead, such that the first and second openings are offset from one another in the body in the direction of movement of the hand-held printer to perform a print job.

9. A method according to claim 8, the method comprising: providing a first printhead in the first opening, the first printhead comprising a first printhead die; and providing a second printhead in the second opening, the second printhead comprising a second printhead die, such that the first printhead die overlaps with the second printhead die.

10. A hand-held printer comprising: a plurality of openings, each opening being to receive a printing fluid cartridge, disposed in a staggered arrangement in the hand-held printer; and an actuator to cause printing fluid to be ejected from the printing fluid cartridges.

11. A hand-held printer according to claim 10, wherein consecutive openings in the plurality are offset in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the handheld printer when performing a printing operation.

12. A hand-held printer according to claim 10, wherein each opening is to receive a printing fluid cartridge comprising a nozzle array and wherein the plurality of openings are staggered such that a nozzle in a nozzle array of a printing fluid cartridge disposed in a given opening overlaps with a nozzle in a nozzle array of a printing fluid cartridge disposed in a consecutive opening.

13. A hand-held printer according to claim 10, wherein the openings overlap one another by the same amount.

14. A hand-held printer according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor to control the release of printing fluid from the printing fluid cartridges.

15. A hand-held printer according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of printing fluid cartridges, each printing fluid cartridge being disposed in a respective one of the plurality of openings, and each printing fluid cartridge comprising a respective array of printing fluid nozzles, each nozzle in the array being to eject printing fluid therefrom, wherein the nozzle arrays of consecutive printing fluid cartridges overlap.