JP5957868B2 - Image forming apparatus and program thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a program thereof.

  Conventionally, an ink jet recording method using white ink as a base is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for controlling the placement of white ink in accordance with the ground color of the print medium using an ink set for a color image including white ink used for the background processing of the print medium for forming an image. ing. As such a control method, an example is described in which white ink is applied to the entire surface of a region where an image can be formed to set the background color of the print medium to white. In that case, in order to prevent color mixing and bleeding between the white ink and other color inks, a certain time is required until the white ink dries after the white ink is applied, and then image formation is performed with other color inks. Control.

JP 2002-38063 A

  However, if you print white ink on the entire surface of the print medium, wait for the white ink to dry, and then color ink to overlap the white ink again, the inkjet printer head stops until the white ink is dry. Therefore, there is a problem that the user feels that the time from the start of printing to the completion is long.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a main object of the present invention to reduce the operation stop time of a head for drying a second ink when forming an image using the first ink after forming an image using the second ink. And

The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes:
An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a print medium in units of frames,
A head having a first nozzle for discharging the first ink and a second nozzle for discharging the second ink;
Conveying means for conveying the print medium in a predetermined direction;
An image formed by the first ink is formed in a first region of one frame of the print medium with a predetermined first pass number, and an image formed by the second ink is formed in a second region of the frame less than the first pass number. The head is controlled to form with a second number of passes, then the transport means is controlled to transport the print medium by the first area, and then the image with the first ink is transferred to the second area. Control means for controlling the head to form with a first number of passes;
It is equipped with.

  In this image forming apparatus, the first ink image is formed in the first area of one frame of the printing medium with a predetermined first pass number, and the second ink image is formed in the second area of the frame with the first pass number. The second number of passes is formed, and then the print medium is conveyed by the first region, and an image of the first ink is formed in the second region with the first number of passes. Thus, since the number of second passes for forming an image with the second ink in the second region is smaller than the number of first passes for forming an image with the first ink in the first region, the difference in the number of passes. It is possible to dry the second ink during printing using the above, and it is possible to reduce the operation stop time of the head for drying.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the difference between the time required for scanning with the first pass number and the time required for scanning with the second pass number may be sufficient time for the second region to dry. In this way, when the image by the first ink is printed over the image by the second ink, the second ink can be surely dried using the difference in the number of passes.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention may further include a unit that performs flushing every time a predetermined time that is not longer than a time sufficient for the second region to dry is elapsed. When the operation of the head is paused to dry the second ink, a predetermined time may elapse during the pause and the flushing may be executed. However, since the operation of the head is not paused in order to dry the second ink here, such flushing is not performed. Therefore, it is possible to save ink consumption due to flushing.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, one of the first ink and the second ink may be a special ink and the other may be a color ink or a black ink. Examples of the special ink include white, metallic, colorless and transparent, and a color (corporate color) that symbolizes an organization such as a company or an organization.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the first area and the second area may be obtained by dividing a frame by a line orthogonal to the transport direction.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the length of the first region in the predetermined direction is substantially the same as the length of the second region in the predetermined direction, and the length of the first region in the predetermined direction is The length may be half the scannable range of the head.

  The program of the present invention is a program for causing one or a plurality of computers to function as control means of the above-described image forming apparatus. This program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.) or from a computer via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or LAN). It may be distributed to another computer, or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer or each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, the same effects as those of the image forming apparatus described above can be obtained.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the printer 10. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the printer 10. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement of a plurality of heads 62 in the head unit 60. Explanatory drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of the several nozzle formed in the 1st head 62a. Explanatory drawing which shows the mode of printing. 6 is a flowchart of an overlap printing routine. Explanatory drawing of the procedure which produces frame data from the print job for overlap printing. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of images that are sequentially printed on the print medium. Explanatory drawing of the procedure which produces the frame data in other embodiment.

  Next, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an ink jet type printer 10, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the printer 10, and FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the printer 10.

  The printer 10 is communicably connected to the personal computer PC, inputs a print job from the personal computer PC, and prints an image on a print medium S such as paper, cloth, or transparent film based on the print job. The printer 10 includes a controller 20 that executes various controls and outputs commands, and a unit group 30 that executes various processes while exchanging signals with the controller 20.

  The controller 20 includes a CPU 22 that controls the entire printer 10 and a unit control circuit 24 that controls each unit of the unit group 30. The CPU 22 executes various programs stored in the memory 28 based on detection signals input from various detectors provided in the unit group 30 and print jobs received from the personal computer PC via the interface unit 26. Each unit is controlled via the unit control circuit 24 while temporarily storing data in 28. The unit group 30 includes a transport unit 40 that transports the print medium S, a moving unit 50 that moves the head unit 60, a head unit 60 that drives the head 62 so that ink is ejected from the nozzles, and the like. 2 and 3, the transport unit 40 transports the roll-shaped print medium S from the upstream side in the transport direction along the X axis to the downstream side by the motor-driven upstream roller 42 and the downstream roller 44. Then, it is wound up by the winding mechanism 46. The print medium S is vacuum-sucked from the lower side of the platen 48 in a print region (also referred to as a frame) between the rollers 42 and 44. Thereby, the position of the printing medium S during printing is fixed. Here, the frame size is 36 inches wide and 18 inches long. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the moving unit 50 freely moves the head unit 60 in the transport direction of the print medium S and the width direction of the print medium S (the direction along the Y axis). The moving unit 50 moves the head unit 60 in the direction along the X axis by the X axis stage 52 and moves the head unit 60 together with the X axis stage 52 in the direction along the Y axis by the Y axis stage 54. As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 60 includes a total of 15 heads 62 having a plurality of nozzles, and ejects ink from the nozzles toward the print medium S by a drive signal from the controller 20. Each head 62 ejects ink by pressure using a piezo element.

  The head unit 60 will be described in more detail. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of the plurality of heads 62 in the head unit 60. In the drawing, the arrangement of the head 62 is shown as seen through the top surface of the printer 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the head unit 60 has 15 heads 62. The fifteen heads 62 are arranged in a zigzag manner along the Y axis. For convenience of explanation, the first head 62a, the second head 62b,..., The fourteenth head 62n, and the fifteenth head 62o are referred to from the upper end side to the lower end side of the Y axis. Therefore, the odd-numbered heads 62a, 62c, 62e,... Form a straight line so as to be parallel to the Y-axis, and the even-numbered heads 62b, 62d, 62f,. Make a straight line so that

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of a plurality of nozzles formed in the first head 62a. In the drawing, the nozzle arrangement is shown as seen through the top surface of the first head 62a. Further, the second head 62b to the fifteenth head 62o have the same configuration as the first head 62a. The first head 62a has a nozzle row of eight colors. Specifically, in order from the left side of FIG. 5, an Mk row for ejecting mat black ink, a Gr row for ejecting green ink, an Or row for ejecting orange ink, a Wh row for ejecting white ink, and a photo black ink are ejected. Pk column, Cy column that discharges cyan ink, Ma column that discharges magenta ink, and Ye column that discharges yellow ink. Each nozzle row has 180 nozzles. The 180 nozzles are arranged at a constant nozzle pitch (1/180 inch) along the Y axis. For convenience of description, the nozzles are sequentially referred to as # 1, # 2,. Looking at each nozzle row of the first head 62a and each nozzle row of the second head 62b, the Y coordinate position of each of the four nozzles on the lower end side of the Y axis of the first head 62a is Y of the second head 62b. It coincides with the Y coordinate position of each of the four nozzles on the upper end side of the shaft. Thus, two nozzles having the same Y coordinate position can form dots while interpolating each other. This relationship is the same between the α-th head and the (α + 1) -th head (α is an integer from 1 to 14).

  The procedure for printing on the print medium S using such a head unit 60 will be outlined below. 2 and 3, the controller 20 controls the transport unit 40 so that a new surface of the print medium S is supplied to the frame that is the printing area, and moves so that the head unit 60 comes to the initial position P1. The unit 50 is controlled. Then, the controller 20 controls the moving unit 50 so that the head unit 60 moves from the most upstream position on the X axis of the frame to the most downstream position, and at the same time, the head unit 60 discharges ink from the nozzles of the moving head 62. By controlling the above, dot rows arranged in the direction along the X axis are formed. This operation is referred to as one pass. After forming a dot row for one pass in this way, the controller 20 controls the moving unit 50 so that the head unit 60 moves to the lower end side by a quarter of the inter-nozzle distance along the Y axis. Thereafter, the controller 20 executes the next one pass again to form dots in the direction along the X axis, and then moves the head unit 60 to the lower end side along the Y axis by the same amount as before. In one pass at this time, the head unit 60 moves from the most downstream to the most upstream along the X axis. Then, when the operation of the number of passes determined according to the width direction of the frame is finished, the image is completed in the frame. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of printing. FIG. 6 illustrates a nozzle row in which five nozzles are arranged in a row along the Y axis for convenience of explanation. FIG. 6 shows a state in which dot rows in the direction along the X axis for a total of four passes from pass 1 to pass 4 are sequentially formed.

  By the way, in order to prevent nozzle clogging, the head unit 60 discards ink from each nozzle to the flushing area 70 when a predetermined flushing condition is satisfied. As shown in FIG. 2, the flushing region 70 is provided outside the frame. In this embodiment, the flushing condition is a time when a predetermined time (here, 8 seconds) elapses in a state where ink is not ejected from the head 62 in addition to the start of an odd number of passes. At the start of an odd number of passes, flushing is performed as follows. That is, the head unit 60 returns to the position of the same X coordinate as the initial position P1 every time even number of passes are completed, and from the left to the right along the X axis when the next odd number of passes starts. However, the ink is discarded from each nozzle at the timing when it passes through the front flushing region 70 that approaches the frame. On the other hand, when a predetermined time elapses without ink being ejected from the head 62, flushing is performed as follows. That is, the head unit 60 is moved so as to pass through the flushing area 70, and ink is discarded from each nozzle at the timing when it passes through the flushing area 70.

  Next, an operation of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, particularly an operation when printing a color on the background after printing white on the background will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an overlay printing routine, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a procedure for creating each frame data from a print job for overlay printing, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of images that are sequentially printed on the print medium S. It should be noted that printing the first printing area of the roll-shaped print medium S is printing the first frame, printing the second printing area is printing the second frame, and printing the third printing area. Printing is referred to as third frame printing.

  When the controller 20 acquires a print job for overprinting from the personal computer PC, the controller 20 executes the overprinting routine shown in FIG. An example of image data included in the print job is shown in FIG. This image data 80 is obtained by drawing an orange star pentagon 84 or star heptagon 86 on a white background 82.

  When the overlay printing routine is started, the controller 20 first acquires the frame size from the print job (step S100). Here, the frame size is 36 inches in the horizontal (direction along the X axis) and 18 inches in the vertical (direction along the Y axis).

Next, the controller 20 creates frame data for printing the first frame (step S102). The frame data is created by first dividing the long side of the frame into two equal parts, then creating the left and right halves of the frame data, and finally connecting the two. For example, if the print job includes the image data 80 in FIG. 8A, the image data 80 is used for color printing except for white background image data 80a and white as shown in FIG. 8B. This is divided into image data 80b. Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, the right half of the image data 80a for white background printing is set as the left half of the frame data, the blank data is set as the right half of the frame data, and the two frames are connected to each other. Let it be data F1.

  Next, the controller 20 performs a halftone (HT) process for the frame data of the first frame (step S104). The HT process is a process of converting to a gradation value that can be expressed by the printer 10 in accordance with the gradation value for each color. In the present embodiment, the gradation values that can be expressed by the printer 10 are four values: small dots, medium dots, large dots, and no dots. In the present embodiment, the HT process is performed using a known dither method. Also, HT data is created so that one frame is printed in eight passes, white is printed in the first to sixth passes, and colors other than white are printed in the first to eighth passes.

  Next, the controller 20 creates frame data for printing the second frame (step S106). For example, as shown in FIG. 8D, the left half of the image data 80a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the right half of the image data 80b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F2 of the second frame is obtained.

  Next, the controller 20 executes the HT process for the frame data of the second frame (step S108). Here, HT processing is performed so that one frame is printed in eight passes, white is printed in the first pass to the sixth pass, and colors other than white are printed in the first pass to the eighth pass. Do.

  Next, the controller 20 creates frame data for printing the third frame (step S110). For example, as shown in FIG. 8E, the right half of the image data 80a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the left half of the image data 80b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting, the frame data F3 of the third frame is obtained.

  Next, the controller 20 executes the HT process for the frame data of the third frame (step S112). Again, HT processing is performed so that one frame is printed in eight passes, white is printed in the first through sixth passes, and colors other than white are printed in the first through eighth passes.

Next, the controller 20 prints the HT data of the first frame (step S114). As a result, in the first frame, a white background is printed on the left half, and nothing is printed on the right half. An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. The frame is equally divided into two by a line orthogonal to the conveying direction. In the present embodiment, the time required for one-pass printing is 4 seconds.

  Next, the controller 20 pauses printing for a time required for the white ink to dry (8 seconds in the present embodiment) (step S116), and then drives the transport unit 40 to perform the horizontal direction of one frame. The print medium S is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side along the X axis by half the length, that is, 18 inches (step S118). A white background is printed on the right half of the print medium S appearing in the frame after conveyance, but nothing is printed on the left half (clearing). An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG.

Next, the controller 20 prints the HT data of the second frame (step S120). As a result, a white background is printed in the left half of the frame, and a right half of the image data for color printing is printed on the white background in an overlapping manner on the right half. An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. The frame is equally divided into two by a line orthogonal to the conveying direction. Here, the printing of the image data for color printing in the right half ends from the first pass to the eighth pass, but the printing of the left half white background ends from the first pass to the sixth pass. For this reason, there is a time margin for two passes from the end of printing of the white background to the end of printing of the image data for color printing. In this embodiment, since the time required for printing one pass is 4 seconds, the time for two passes is 8 seconds. Also, the time required for the white ink to dry is 8 seconds. For this reason, the drying of the white background formed by the white ink is completed using the time for these two passes. Subsequently, the controller 20 drives the transport unit 40 to transport the print medium S from the upstream side to the downstream side along the X axis by half of the lateral length of one frame, that is, 18 inches (step S122). A white background is printed on the right half of the print medium S appearing in the frame after conveyance, but nothing is printed on the left half (clearing). An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG.

Next, the controller 20 prints frame data of the third frame (step S124). As a result, a white background is printed on the left half of the frame, and a left half of the image data for color printing is printed on the white half so as to overlap the right half. An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. The frame is equally divided into two by a line orthogonal to the conveying direction. Again, since there is a margin of time for two passes from the end of printing of the white background to the end of printing of the image data for color printing, the white background formed with white ink has a time of two passes. Drying is completed using Subsequently, the controller 20 drives the transport unit 40 to transport the print medium S from the upstream side to the downstream side along the X axis by a half of one frame, that is, 18 inches (step S126). A white background is printed on the right half of the print medium S appearing in the frame after conveyance, but nothing is printed on the left half (clearing). An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9F, an image (see FIG. 8A) included in the print job is printed on the right outer side of the frame of the print medium S.

  Thereafter, the controller 20 increments the value n of the copy counter by 1 (step S128). The copy counter is provided in a predetermined area of the memory 28, and n is set to an initial value of zero when this routine is started. Then, it is determined whether or not n matches the designated copy count specified in the print job (step S130), and if not, steps S120 to S126 are executed again. As a result, the image included in the print job is printed again on the print medium S (see FIGS. 9C to 9F). That is, the image included in the print job is printed on the print medium S by the number of designated copy times. On the other hand, if the value of the copy counter matches the designated copy count specified in the print job in step S130, this routine ends.

  For example, if the designated number of copies is 100, the head unit 60 is paused to dry the white ink at the first copy, but the white background formed by the white ink at the second and subsequent copies is Since the drying is performed using the time from the end of white background printing to the end of color printing, the head unit 60 does not pause. In addition, flushing is executed at the end of drying of the white ink after the first copy is completed (after 8 seconds), but the flushing is executed because the head unit 60 is not paused at the second and subsequent copies. Not. On the other hand, when a white background is printed in the printing area, the printing medium S is not transported and the white ink is dried, and then the color ink is printed over the white background (referred to as a comparative form), the designated number of copies is If it is 100 times, the head unit 60 will pause every time. In addition, flushing is performed every time the drying of the white ink is completed. The total printing time is (white 6 passes (= 24 seconds) + drying 8 seconds + color 8 passes (= 32 seconds)) × 100 = 6400 seconds in the comparative embodiment, whereas in this embodiment, the total printing time is as follows. , The first white 6 passes (= 24 seconds) + drying 8 seconds = 32 seconds, which is 6432 seconds.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The head 62 included in the head unit 60 of the present embodiment corresponds to the head of the present invention, the transport unit 40 corresponds to the transport unit, and the controller 20 corresponds to the control unit. Further, color inks (matte black ink, green ink, orange ink, photo black ink, cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink) excluding white ink correspond to the first ink, and the white ink corresponds to the second ink. Furthermore, the operation of the control means of the present invention corresponds to the operation of the controller 20 of the present embodiment for forming the images of FIGS. 9C to 9E. Specifically, the controller 20 forms a color image in six passes on the right half (first region) of one frame and forms a white background in eight passes on the left half (second region) (FIG. 9 (c). )reference). Thereafter, the print medium S is transported by half of the frame along the transport direction (see FIG. 9D), and then a color image is formed on the white background that was the left half region before transport (FIG. 9E). reference).

  According to the present embodiment described in detail above, since the number of passes for forming a white background is smaller than the number of passes for forming a color image, the white ink is dried during printing using the difference in the number of passes. It is possible to reduce the operation stop time of the head for drying. In addition, the user assumes that the actual total printing time is equivalent or slightly longer than the comparative form in which the head unit is paused each time a white background is formed to dry the newly formed white ink. However, since the printing is performed without the head unit being stopped, it does not feel that the printing time is psychologically long.

  In addition, since the time corresponding to the difference in the number of passes is set to a time (8 seconds) sufficient for drying the newly formed white ink, the newly formed white background is surely dried. can do.

  Further, since the flushing is performed every time necessary for drying the newly formed white background, the head is used to dry the newly formed white background as in the comparative example in printing after the second frame. However, in this embodiment, since the head unit does not pause to dry the newly formed white background, such flushing is performed. There is nothing to do. Therefore, it is possible to save ink consumption due to flushing.

Furthermore, since the print area (frame) is equally divided into two by a line orthogonal to the transport direction, the print area is divided into three or more areas, or the print area is divided into areas with different intervals. In comparison, printing control is simplified.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the embodiment described above, a white background is formed with white ink and then a color image is formed on the white background. However, when the print medium S is a transparent film or the like, the color image is formed after the color image is formed. A white background may be formed on the top. Specifically, the above-described image data 80 (see FIG. 10A) is reversed left and right to become image data 90 (see FIG. 10B), and the image data 90 is as shown in FIG. 10C. It is divided into image data 90a for white background printing and image data 90b for color printing excluding white. Then, as shown in FIG. 10 (d), the right half of the image data 90a for white background printing is set as the left half of the frame data, the blank data is set as the right half of the frame data, and the two frames are connected to each other. Let it be data F1. As shown in FIG. 10E, the left half of the image data 90a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the right half of the image data 90b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F2 of the second frame is obtained. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10F, the right half of the image data 90a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the left half of the image data 90b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F3 of the third frame is obtained. Using the frame data F1 to F3 thus created, steps S114 to S130 of the overlap printing routine are executed to print the image data 90 on the transparent film for the designated number of copies. However, here, the color image is printed in the first pass to the eighth pass, and the white image is printed in the third pass to the eighth pass. Since the white background is not printed during the printing time of the first pass and the second pass of the color image, the color image that is going to be printed with the white background overlaid using the printing time for the two passes (color image printed last time) Is dried. If the image data 90 printed on the transparent film is viewed from the side opposite to the printing surface, the left and right determination is made and the image data 80 is obtained.

  In the embodiment described above, a white background is formed with white ink and then a color image is formed on the white background. However, instead of white ink, other special inks such as metallic and colorless and transparent, organizations such as companies and organizations, etc. A color that symbolizes (corporate color) may be adopted. Further, a gray scale image may be employed instead of the color image.

  In the above-described embodiment, the controller 20 of the ink jet printer 10 executes the overprinting routine, but the printer driver of the personal computer PC may execute the overprinting routine. In this case, after creating the HT data, the printer driver may rearrange the HT data in the order of data to be transferred to the printer 10 and transfer the rearranged print data to the printer 10. Even in this case, the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  In the above-described embodiment, the head 62 adopts a method in which a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element and pressurize the ink. However, a voltage is applied to the heating resistor (for example, a heater). A method of applying pressure to the ink by bubbles generated by heating the ink by application may be employed.

10 printer, 20 controller, 24 unit control circuit, 26 interface unit, 28 memory, 30 unit group, 40 transport unit, 42 upstream roller, 44 downstream roller, 46 take-up mechanism, 48 platen, 50 moving unit, 52 X Axis stage, 54 Y-axis stage, 60 head unit, 62, 62a to 62o head, 80 image data, 80a image data for white background printing, 80b image data for color printing, 82 white background, 84 star pentagon, 86 star Heptagon, 90 image data, 90a image data for white background printing, 90b image data for color printing, F1-F3 frame data, PC personal computer, S print medium

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a print medium in units of frames,
A head having a first nozzle for discharging the first ink and a second nozzle for discharging the second ink;
A moving unit that scans by moving the head;
Conveying means for conveying the print medium in a predetermined direction;
An image formed by the first ink is formed in a first region of one frame of the print medium with a predetermined first pass number, and an image formed by the second ink is formed in a second region of the frame less than the first pass number. The head and the moving unit are controlled to form with a second number of passes, and then the transport means is controlled to transport the print medium by the first area, and then the first ink is transferred to the second area. Control means for controlling the head and the moving unit so as to form an image by the first pass number;
An image forming apparatus. The difference between the time required for scanning with the first number of passes and the time required for scanning with the second number of passes is a time sufficient for the second region to dry.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. Means for performing flushing each time a predetermined time equal to or shorter than a time sufficient for the second region to dry is further provided;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. One of the first ink and the second ink is a special ink, and the other is a color ink or a black ink.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The first area and the second area are obtained by dividing a frame along a line orthogonal to the transport direction.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The length of the first region in the predetermined direction is substantially the same as the length of the second region in the predetermined direction;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a length of the first region in the predetermined direction is half of a scannable range of the head.   A program for causing one or a plurality of computers to function as control means of the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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