JP2010036354A - Adjusting method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily adjust the position of a nozzle train in an inkjet printer. <P>SOLUTION: An adjusting method includes: forming, on a medium moving relatively in the direction intersecting first and second nozzle trains, a first dot train in the direction of relative movement with discharging a liquid from the first nozzle train, and also forming, on the medium, a second dot train in the relative movement direction with discharging the liquid from the second nozzle train; measuring the relative position of the first and second dot trains; and adjusting the position of at least one of the first and second nozzle trains toward the relatively-moving direction based on the relative position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a relative position between nozzle rows.

  An ink jet printer that forms an image by ejecting ink onto a medium such as paper is used. Such a printer performs printing by ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzle rows included in the head while relatively moving the paper and the head. Therefore, an appropriate image cannot be obtained on the medium unless the relative positions of the plurality of nozzle rows in the head are appropriately adjusted.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a correction pattern for determining the amount of inclination of the nozzle row, and has a predetermined amount of width so that the degree of overlap can be easily observed.

Patent Document 2 discloses that an adjustment plate is provided with dial type adjusting means for adjusting the tilt of the head.
JP 2005-96368 A JP 2008-62534 A

  When grasping the position of the nozzle row by visually observing the pattern, there is a problem that it takes time to grasp the position of the nozzle row. Therefore, it is desirable that the adjustment pattern is captured by an input device such as a scanner so that the nozzle row position can be easily adjusted based on the captured image data.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to easily adjust the position of a nozzle row.

The main invention for achieving the above object is:
Forming a first dot row in the direction of relative movement by ejecting liquid from the first nozzle row with respect to a medium relatively moving in a direction intersecting the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row; and Forming a second dot row in the relative movement direction by discharging the liquid from the second nozzle row;
Obtaining a relative position of the first dot row and the second dot row;
Adjusting at least one position of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row with respect to the relative moving direction based on the relative position;
It is the adjustment method containing.

  Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

At least the following matters will become clear from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
Forming a first dot row in the direction of relative movement by ejecting liquid from the first nozzle row with respect to a medium relatively moving in a direction intersecting the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row; and Forming a second dot row in the relative movement direction by discharging the liquid from the second nozzle row;
Obtaining a relative position of the first dot row and the second dot row;
Adjusting at least one position of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row with respect to the relative moving direction based on the relative position;
Including adjustment method.
By doing in this way, the position of a nozzle row can be adjusted easily.

In this adjustment method, it is preferable that the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row are provided in one head in parallel. In addition, it is preferable that the adjustment of the position is performed by adjusting an angle of the head with respect to the relative movement direction. The first nozzle row and the second nozzle row may be provided in parallel to different heads. The position adjustment may be performed by moving at least one of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row in the relative movement direction.
By doing in this way, the relative position between nozzle rows can be adjusted easily.

By ejecting the first color liquid from the first nozzle row to the medium moving relative to the direction intersecting the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row, the first dot row is moved in the relative movement direction. Forming a second dot row in the relative moving direction by discharging a second color liquid from the second nozzle row,
Based on the first color and the secondary color of the second color generated by the overlap of the first dot row and the second dot row, the first dot row and the second dot row Finding the relative position;
Adjusting at least one position of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row with respect to the relative moving direction based on the relative position;
Including adjustment method.
In this adjustment method, it is preferable that the position is obtained based on the position where the secondary color is formed. In addition, it is preferable that a range of a color space is specified in advance as a range to be detected as the secondary color, and the relative position is obtained based on the position of the secondary color included in the range in the color space.
By doing in this way, the position of a nozzle row can be adjusted easily.

=== First Embodiment ===
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the internal configuration of the printer 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the outline of the printer 1. Hereinafter, the printer 1 will be described with reference to these drawings.

  The printer 1 includes a paper transport unit 20, a head unit 40, a detector group 50, a controller 60, an interface 61, and a drive signal generation circuit 70. The printer 1 receives print data from the computer 110 via the interface 61. Based on the received data, the controller 60 of the printer 1 controls each part (the paper transport unit 20, the head unit 40, and the drive signal generation circuit 70) of the printer 1 and prints an image on the paper S. The computer 110 is connected to the scanner 200. Then, an adjustment pattern to be described later can be read, and the acquired image data can be transferred to the computer 110.

  The paper transport unit 20 is for transporting a medium (for example, the paper S) in a predetermined direction (hereinafter referred to as a transport direction). The paper transport unit 20 includes a paper feed roller (not shown), a transport motor (not shown), an upstream transport roller 23A, a downstream transport roller 23B, and a belt 24. The paper feed roller is a roller for feeding the paper S inserted into the paper insertion slot into the printer. When a conveyance motor (not shown) rotates, the upstream conveyance roller 23A and the downstream conveyance roller 23B rotate, and the belt 24 rotates. The paper S fed by the paper feed roller 21 is conveyed by the belt 24 to a printable area (area facing the head). As the belt 24 transports the paper S, the paper S moves in the transport direction with respect to the head unit 40. The paper S that has passed through the printable area is discharged to the outside by the belt 24. The sheet S being conveyed is electrostatically attracted or vacuum attracted to the belt 24.

  The head unit 40 is for ejecting ink droplets onto the paper S. The head unit 40 forms dots on the paper S by ejecting ink droplets onto the paper S being conveyed, and prints an image on the paper S. The printer 1 in the present embodiment is a line printer, and the head unit 40 has a head having nozzle rows arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction. The configuration of the head unit 40 will be described in detail later.

  The situation inside the printer 1 is monitored by a detector group 50. The detector group 50 outputs the detection result to the controller 60. Then, the controller 60 controls each unit based on the detection result.

  The controller 60 is a control unit for controlling the printer 1. The controller 60 is connected to the interface unit 61 in the printer 1 and can communicate with the computer 110. The controller 60 has a function of performing arithmetic processing for controlling the entire printer. A memory for storing programs and data is also included. And each part is controlled according to the program stored in memory.

  The drive signal generation circuit 70 is a circuit that generates a drive signal applied to the piezo elements in the head in order to eject ink droplets from the nozzles. The drive signal generation circuit 70 outputs a drive signal to the head unit 40 based on the waveform data output from the controller 60.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the heads 41 of the head unit 40 in the first embodiment. The head unit 40 includes one head 41. The figure shows a state when viewed from the top of the printer 1. Originally, the nozzle row of the head 41 cannot be seen because it is blocked by each part above the nozzle. However, for ease of understanding, the state of the nozzle row when viewed from above is shown here. In addition, it is assumed that each head shown in the following description shows the state of the nozzle row when referred to from above.

  The head 41 is formed from four nozzle rows. Each nozzle row is a nozzle row in which nozzles are arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction (paper width direction). One nozzle row is for ejecting ink of one ink color. The head 41 can discharge four colors of ink.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the head 41 in the first embodiment. One nozzle row of the head 41 includes N nozzles. The nozzle numbers of nozzles # 1 to #N are given in order from the end in the paper width direction. In the head 41, the most upstream nozzle row is a yellow ink nozzle row NY for discharging yellow ink, and the second upstream nozzle row is a magenta ink nozzle row NM for discharging magenta ink. . The third upstream nozzle row is a thought ink nozzle row NC for discharging cyan ink, and the fourth upstream nozzle row is a black ink nozzle row NK for discharging black ink K. . The nozzle pitch (distance between nozzles) in each nozzle row of this embodiment is 180 dpi. However, a nozzle having a shorter nozzle pitch may be employed. In the head 41, nozzles having the same nozzle number in each nozzle row are arranged so as to coincide with each other in the direction of the nozzle row.

  Further, the head 41 is provided with an angle adjustment dial 411 that can adjust the angle of the head 41 with respect to the head unit 40. Then, by rotating the angle adjustment dial 411, the angle of the nozzle row of the head 41 with respect to the transport direction of the paper S can be adjusted.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the first adjustment pattern PTN1 formed by the head 41. FIG. The figure shows the first adjustment pattern PTN1 when the nozzle rows are appropriately adjusted so as to line up in the direction intersecting the transport direction. By the way, in the present embodiment, the head 41 is provided with four nozzle rows, and each nozzle row has N nozzles. Here, for ease of understanding, description will be made with the number of nozzles being 16 per nozzle row and the number of nozzles being reduced.

  In the figure, a first area A1, a second area A2, and a third area A3 in the first adjustment pattern PTN1 are shown. Such a first adjustment pattern PTN1 is formed by ejecting ink droplets from the head 41 while the sheet S is moved in the transport direction. Here, the first adjustment pattern PTN1 is formed by ejecting ink from the yellow ink nozzle row NY and the cyan ink nozzle row NC of the nozzle rows of the head 41. At this time, ink is ejected from odd-numbered nozzles in the yellow ink nozzle row NY, and ink is ejected from even-numbered nozzles in the cyan ink nozzle row NC.

  First, a pattern of the first area A1 is formed in the cyan dot row by the cyan ink nozzle row NC. Thereafter, four more dots are formed and ink is ejected from the yellow ink nozzle row NY. Then, after a region in which the cyan dot row by the cyan ink nozzle row NC and the yellow dot row by the yellow ink nozzle row NY are aligned is formed, a pattern of the second region A2 including the yellow dot row is formed. Thereafter, four more dots are formed and ink is ejected from the cyan ink nozzle array NC. Then, after a region where the yellow dot row and the cyan dot row are arranged is formed, a pattern of the third region A3 including the cyan dot row is formed.

  FIG. 6A is a diagram for explaining how the dot rows are arranged when the head 41 is tilted counterclockwise with respect to the transport direction. In the figure, a head 41 at an ideal position in which nozzle rows are appropriately arranged in a direction crossing the transport direction, and a head 41 when tilted counterclockwise with respect to the transport direction are shown. . Further, the arrangement of cyan dot rows and yellow dot rows formed when tilted counterclockwise with respect to the transport direction is shown.

  Each dot row shown here is shown so that the cyan dot row in the first area A is moved in the paper transport direction and overlaps the yellow dot row in the second area A2 for easy understanding. Yes. The positions of both dot rows in the paper width direction are easily compared. As shown in the figure, when the head 41 is tilted counterclockwise, the cyan dot row and the yellow dot row are not arranged at equal intervals in the direction intersecting the transport direction.

  FIG. 6B is a diagram for explaining how the dot rows are arranged when the head 41 is tilted clockwise with respect to the transport direction. In the figure, a head 41 at an ideal position in which nozzle rows are appropriately arranged in a direction intersecting the transport direction and a head 41 when tilted clockwise with respect to the transport direction are shown. Further, the arrangement of cyan dot rows and yellow dot rows formed when tilted clockwise with respect to the transport direction is shown.

  Each of the dot rows shown here is also shown so that the cyan dot row in the first area A is moved in the paper transport direction and overlaps the yellow dot row in the second area A2 for easy understanding. Yes. As shown in the figure, even when the head 41 is tilted clockwise, the cyan dot row and the yellow dot row are not arranged at equal intervals in the direction intersecting the transport direction.

  As described above, when the head 41 in which the nozzle rows are provided in parallel is inclined with respect to the transport direction and provided in the printer 1, the relative positions of the dot rows of the first adjustment pattern PTN1 are shifted in the paper width direction. Therefore, by obtaining the relationship between the relative position of the dot row at this time and the angle adjustment amount of the head 41 by the angle adjustment dial 411 in advance, the angle of the head 41 is appropriately set based on the first adjustment pattern PTN1. Can be adjusted. Below, the adjustment method in 1st Embodiment is demonstrated.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the adjustment method according to the first embodiment.
First, the printer 1 prints the first adjustment pattern PTN1 on the paper S (S102). Next, the first adjustment pattern PTN1 is read by the scanner 200 (S104), and the first adjustment pattern PTN1 is transferred to the computer 110 as image data.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the inclination correction. When the first adjustment pattern PTN1 is read, the computer 110 detects the first ruled line region L1 and the second ruled line region L2, which are ruled line regions formed by the nozzle # 1 of the cyan ink nozzle row NC. Then, based on the ruled lines formed by the dot lines in the first ruled line area L1 and the second ruled line area L2, inclination correction is performed so that the angle of each dot line in the image data is horizontal (S106). The reason why the inclination correction is performed in this manner is to enable the image data of the first area A1 and the second area A2 to be appropriately cut out in the next step.

  Next, only the image data of the first area A1 and the second area A2 shown in the figure are cut out from the image on which the inclination correction has been performed (S108). When the image data of the first area A1 and the second area A2 are cut out, next, the absolute position of the dot row in the first area A1 and the absolute position of the dot row in the second area A2 are obtained (S110).

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining how to obtain the absolute position of a dot row. In the figure, a cyan dot row and a yellow dot row are shown. In the figure, Y coordinates are provided in the direction intersecting the dot rows. The computer 110 obtains a gradation value at the Y coordinate of each cyan dot row based on the image data whose inclination has been corrected. Then, the centroid of the gradation value of each cyan dot row in the Y coordinate is obtained, and the position of this centroid is set as the Y coordinate of the cyan dot row. Here, since eight dot rows are formed, Y coordinates C1 to C8 of eight cyan dot rows are obtained. Similarly, the Y coordinates Y1 to Y8 of the eight yellow dot rows are obtained based on the image data whose inclination has been corrected.

  In this way, when the Y coordinate of each cyan dot row and the Y coordinate of each yellow dot row are obtained, the relative position of the yellow dot row with respect to the cyan dot row is then obtained. Then, the obtained relative position is compared with the ideal relative position (S112). Here, the ideal relative position is formed when each nozzle row of the head 41 is appropriately arranged in a direction intersecting the paper conveyance direction (when arranged at an angle of 90 degrees in the conveyance direction). This is the relative position of the yellow dot row with respect to the cyan dot row. In the present embodiment, the ideal relative position has the same value as the nozzle pitch.

  Calculation of the relative position of the yellow dot row with respect to the cyan dot row is performed by obtaining the difference Ri of the Y coordinates of adjacent dot rows. This can be obtained by Ri = Yi−Ci. Here, since each has eight dot rows, eight Y-coordinate differences R1 to R8 are obtained. Next, an average value Ra of R1 to R8 is obtained. The average value Ra is a relative position of the yellow dot row with respect to the cyan dot row.

  Next, the relative position Ra of the yellow dot row with respect to the cyan dot row is compared with the ideal relative position R. This comparison is performed by obtaining a comparison value e which is the difference between the relative position Ra of the yellow dot row and the ideal relative position R with respect to the cyan dot row.

  Next, an instruction value Dθ of the angle adjustment dial is obtained based on the comparison value e (S114). In the computer 110, an inclination amount a of the head 41 for correcting the inclination of the head 41 with respect to the comparison value e is obtained and stored in advance. Therefore, the head inclination amount a is obtained from the obtained comparison value e. Then, based on the obtained inclination amount a, an instruction value Dθ of the angle adjustment dial is obtained (S114).

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the instruction value Dθ of the angle adjustment dial 411 and the tilt amount of the head 41. Such a relationship is obtained by measuring the head tilt amount while rotating the angle adjustment dial 411, and is obtained in advance and stored in the computer 110. Then, by rotating the angle adjustment dial 411 by the instruction value Dθ with respect to the inclination amount a obtained based on such a relationship, the inclination of the head 41 with respect to the transport direction can be adjusted appropriately. Here, the relationship between the instruction value Dθ of the angle adjustment dial 411 and the tilt amount is expressed by a linear expression, but may be expressed by a curve.

  Next, the angle adjustment dial 411 is rotated by the obtained instruction value Dθ to adjust the tilt of the head 41 (S116). In this way, the angle of the head 41 can be adjusted based on the relative positions of the dot rows formed by the two nozzle rows.

  Here, the position of the nozzle row is adjusted based on the pattern formed by the yellow ink nozzle row NY and the cyan ink nozzle row NY, but may be performed by a combination of different nozzle rows.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a head unit 40 including a plurality of heads. The head unit 40 in this figure includes six heads from a first head 41-1 to a sixth head 41-6. Among these heads, the odd-numbered heads are arranged on the upstream side with respect to the even-numbered heads. The odd-numbered heads and the even-numbered heads are alternately arranged in the paper width direction. Thus, even when the head unit 40 is composed of a plurality of heads, the tilt of each head can be adjusted by applying the adjustment method described above to each head.

=== Second Embodiment ===
In the first embodiment described above, the head inclination is adjusted when nozzle rows of different colors are provided in the same head. In the second embodiment shown below, an adjustment method when nozzle rows of different colors are provided in different heads and one head is displaced with respect to the other head in the paper width direction will be described. explain.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the heads of the head unit 40 in the second embodiment. The head unit 40 includes a first head 42 and a second head 43. The second head 43 is disposed on the upstream side of the first head 42. Each head has two nozzle rows. Each nozzle row is a nozzle row in which nozzles are arranged in a direction crossing the transport direction. The four nozzle rows of the first head 42 and the second head 43 can eject inks of four types of color onto the paper S moving in the transport direction.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the head in the second embodiment. In the figure, a first head 42 and a second head 43 in the head unit 40 are shown. Each nozzle row in each head includes N nozzles. The nozzle numbers of nozzles # 1 to #N are assigned in order from the end in the paper width direction. In the two heads, the most upstream nozzle row is a yellow ink nozzle row NY for discharging yellow ink, and the second upstream nozzle row is a magenta ink nozzle row NM for discharging magenta ink. is there. The third upstream nozzle row is a cyan ink nozzle row NC for discharging cyan ink, and the fourth upstream nozzle row is a black ink nozzle row NB for discharging black ink. In this embodiment, the nozzle pitch of each nozzle row is 180 dpi. However, a nozzle having a shorter nozzle pitch may be employed. The nozzles having the same nozzle number in each nozzle row are ideally arranged so as to coincide with each other in the direction of the nozzle row.

  The second head 43 is provided with a translation adjustment dial 421 that can move the position of the second head 43 in the head unit 40 in the paper width direction (nozzle row direction). Then, by rotating the translation adjustment dial 421, the position of the nozzle row in the paper width direction of the paper of the second head 43 can be adjusted.

  FIG. 14A is a diagram (No. 1) for explaining how the dot rows are arranged when the second head 43 is arranged so as to be shifted in the nozzle row direction. The figure shows the first head 42 and the second head 43 when the second head 43 has been displaced in the direction of smaller nozzle numbers. Further, cyan dot rows and yellow dot rows in the first adjustment pattern PTN1 formed at this time are shown. Again, the cyan dot row is shown translated to the position where the yellow dot row is formed so that the positions of both dot rows in the paper width direction can be easily compared. The arrangement of the dot rows in this figure is almost the same as that in FIG. 6A described above.

  FIG. 14B is a diagram (No. 2) for explaining how the dot rows are arranged when the second head 43 is arranged so as to be shifted in the nozzle row direction. The figure shows the first head 42 and the second head 43 when the second head 43 has been displaced in the direction in which the nozzle number is large. Further, cyan dot rows and yellow dot rows in the first adjustment pattern PTN1 formed at this time are shown. Again, the cyan dot row is shown translated to the position where the yellow dot row is formed so that the positions of both dot rows in the paper width direction can be easily compared. The arrangement of the dot rows in this figure is almost the same as that in FIG. 6B described above.

  As described above, even when the second head 43 is arranged in the nozzle row direction in the head configuration as in the second embodiment, the head 41 is inclined and arranged in the first embodiment. A similar dot row shift occurs. At this time, the position of the second head 43 can be adjusted using the adjustment method of the first embodiment. Therefore, the adjustment method in the second embodiment is substantially the same as the adjustment method shown in the first embodiment.

  The difference from the first embodiment is the calculation of the instruction value DY in step S114. In the second embodiment, the computer 110 stores in advance a movement amount ΔY of the second head 43 for correcting the positional deviation of the second head 43 with respect to the comparison value e. Therefore, the movement amount ΔY of the second head 43 is obtained from the obtained comparison value e. Then, the instruction value DY of the translation adjustment dial 412 is obtained based on the obtained movement amount ΔY.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the instruction value DY of the translation adjustment dial 412 and the movement amount ΔY of the second head 43. Such a relationship is obtained in advance by measuring the amount of movement of the second head 43 while rotating the translation adjustment dial 412, and is stored in the computer 110. Then, by rotating the translation adjustment dial 412 by the instruction value DY obtained based on such a relationship, the position of the second head 43 is appropriately corrected, and the deviation of the second head 43 in the paper width direction is adjusted. Be able to. Here, the relationship between the instruction value DY of the translation adjustment dial 412 and the movement amount ΔY of the second head 43 is expressed by a linear expression, but may be expressed by a curve.

  Next, the translation adjustment dial 412 is rotated by the obtained instruction value DY to adjust the position of the second head 43 (S116). By doing in this way, the position of the second head 43 in the nozzle row direction can be appropriately adjusted based on the relative position of the dot row formed by the two nozzle rows.

=== Third Embodiment ===
FIG. 16 is a flowchart for explaining an adjustment method in the third embodiment. First, the second adjustment pattern PTN2 is printed first (S202).

  FIG. 17 is a diagram for describing the second adjustment pattern PTN2. In the figure, cyan dot rows and yellow dot rows formed on the paper S are shown. Here, it is assumed that ink is ejected from a nozzle row having the same head configuration as the head unit 40 in the second embodiment and the second adjustment pattern PTN2 is printed. At this time, ink is ejected from the odd-numbered nozzles from the cyan ink nozzle row NC, and ink is ejected from the even-numbered nozzles from the yellow ink nozzle row NY, and the second adjustment pattern PTN2 is printed.

  Note that the second adjustment pattern PTN2 shown in the figure is formed so that the cyan dot row and the yellow dot row partially overlap because the second head 43 is arranged slightly shifted in the nozzle row direction. Yes. In the third embodiment, when the second head 43 is arranged so as to be shifted, the dot rows are formed so as to overlap in this way.

  Next, the second adjustment pattern PTN2 is read by the scanner 200 (S204), and the read image data is transferred to the computer 110. Then, tilt correction is performed so that the angle of each dot row in the image data is horizontal (S206). The method of tilt correction is the same as the method shown in the first embodiment.

Next, the secondary color is detected in the image data on which the inclination correction has been performed (S208). The secondary color is a secondary color generated by overlapping the cyan dot row and the yellow dot row. When detected, a range of colors to be detected as secondary colors is defined in advance as a range in a predetermined color space. In the present embodiment, the RGB color space is used as the color space, and the secondary color range to be detected is defined as the RGB region. In the present embodiment, the color space is described as RGB, but the color space is not limited to this. As the color space, an L ^* a ^* b ^* color space, a CMYK color space, and other color spaces may be used.

  FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining an RGB region detected as a secondary color. In the figure, a sphere that defines a predetermined range in the RGB color space is indicated by a broken line. In this way, a predetermined range in the RGB color space is defined in advance, and a secondary color for detecting a color included in this range is set.

  In this way, the secondary color included in the predefined RGB region is detected in the second adjustment pattern PTN2. In FIG. 16, a region surrounded by a broken line is a region detected as a secondary color.

  Next, the instruction value DY is calculated based on the area detected as the secondary color (S210). For this purpose, the width W in the Y direction (nozzle row direction) of these regions is measured. Here, since there are regions surrounded by eight broken lines, eight widths W1 to W8 are measured. Then, an average value Wa of the width Wi is obtained.

  In the present embodiment, the movement amount ΔY of the second head 43 for correcting the position of the second head 43 with respect to the average value Wa of the width Wi is obtained in advance and stored in the computer 110. Therefore, the movement amount ΔY of the second head 43 is obtained from the obtained average value Wa of the widths. Then, using the relationship between the instruction value DY of the translation adjustment dial 412 and the movement amount ΔY of the second head 43 shown in FIG. 15, the instruction value DY of the translation adjustment dial 412 is obtained. The translation adjustment dial 412 is rotated by the instruction value DY obtained in such a relationship, and the position of the second head 43 is adjusted (S212). In this way, the position of the second head 43 in the nozzle row direction can be appropriately adjusted based on the relative positions of the two dot rows.

  Here, the position of the second head 43 is moved using the configuration of the head unit 40 in the second embodiment. However, the head configuration of the head unit 40 in the first embodiment is used to move the head 41. The tilt can be adjusted. In this case, in the computer 110, the inclination amount a of the head 41 with respect to the average value Wa of the width Wi is obtained and stored in advance. Then, the instruction value Dθ is obtained using the relationship between the instruction value Dθ of the angle adjustment dial 411 and the tilt amount a of the head 41 as shown in FIG.

=== Other Embodiments ===
In the above-described embodiment, the printer 1 has been described as an example. However, the printer 1 is not limited to this, but is not limited to this. It can also be embodied in a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or ejects a fluid. For example, color filter manufacturing apparatus, dyeing apparatus, fine processing apparatus, semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, surface processing apparatus, three-dimensional modeling machine, gas vaporizer, organic EL manufacturing apparatus (especially polymer EL manufacturing apparatus), display manufacturing apparatus, film formation You may apply the technique similar to the above-mentioned embodiment to the various apparatuses which applied inkjet technology, such as an apparatus and a DNA chip manufacturing apparatus. These methods and manufacturing methods are also within the scope of application.

  The above-described embodiments are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and it is needless to say that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

2 is a block diagram for explaining an internal configuration of the printer 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining an outline of the printer 1. It is a figure explaining arrangement | positioning of the head 41 of the head unit 40 in 1st Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the head 41 in 1st Embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a first adjustment pattern PTN1 formed by a head 41. FIG. 6A is a diagram for explaining how the dot rows are arranged when the head 41 is tilted counterclockwise with respect to the transport direction, and FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating how the head 41 is rotated clockwise with respect to the transport direction. It is a figure for demonstrating how to arrange each dot row when it inclined. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the adjustment method in 1st Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating inclination correction. It is a figure for demonstrating how to obtain | require the absolute position of a dot row. It is a figure which shows the relationship between instruction value D (theta) of the angle adjustment dial 411, and the inclination amount of the head 41 which should be corrected. It is a figure for demonstrating the head unit 40 which consists of a some head. It is a figure explaining arrangement | positioning of each head of the head unit 40 in 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the head in 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 14A is a diagram (No. 1) for explaining how the dot rows are arranged when the second head 43 is arranged so as to be shifted in the nozzle row direction, and FIG. 14B is a diagram illustrating how the second head 43 is arranged in the nozzle row. It is FIG. (2) for demonstrating how to arrange each dot row when it has shifted | deviated and arrange | positioned about the direction. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a translation adjustment dial 412 and a movement amount ΔY of the second head 43. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the adjustment method in 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the 2nd adjustment pattern PTN2. It is a figure for demonstrating the RGB area | region detected as a secondary color.

Explanation of symbols

1 printer,
20 paper transport mechanism, 21 paper feed roller,
23A upstream conveying roller, 23B downstream conveying roller, 24 belt,
40 head units, 41 heads, 42 first head, 43 second head,
411 Angle adjustment dial, 412 Translation adjustment dial,
50 detector groups, 60 controllers, 61 interfaces,
70 drive signal generation circuit,
110 computers, 200 scanners,
PTN1 first adjustment pattern, PTN2 second adjustment pattern, S paper

Claims (8)

Forming a first dot row in the direction of relative movement by ejecting liquid from the first nozzle row with respect to a medium relatively moving in a direction intersecting the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row; and Forming a second dot row in the relative movement direction by discharging the liquid from the second nozzle row;
Obtaining a relative position of the first dot row and the second dot row;
Adjusting at least one position of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row with respect to the relative moving direction based on the relative position;
Including adjustment method.   The adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row are provided in one head in parallel.   The adjustment method according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment of the position is performed by adjusting an angle of the head with respect to the relative movement direction.   The adjustment method according to claim 1, wherein the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row are provided in parallel to different heads.   The adjustment method according to claim 4, wherein the position adjustment is performed by moving at least one of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row in the relative movement direction. By ejecting the first color liquid from the first nozzle row to the medium moving relative to the direction intersecting the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row, the first dot row is moved in the relative movement direction. Forming a second dot row in the relative moving direction by discharging a second color liquid from the second nozzle row,
Based on the first color and the secondary color of the second color generated by the overlap of the first dot row and the second dot row, the first dot row and the second dot row Finding the relative position;
Adjusting at least one position of the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row with respect to the relative moving direction based on the relative position;
Including adjustment method.   The adjustment method according to claim 6, wherein the relative position is obtained based on a position where the secondary color is formed.   The range of a color space is designated in advance as a range to be detected as the secondary color, and the relative position is obtained based on the position of the secondary color included in the range in the color space. Adjustment method.

Images