JPH10278245A - Ink-jet recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a density irregularity like streaks generated when interlace photographic printing is carried out, thereby improving image quality, by providing a means for generating a photographic print pattern for complementary printing of an overlap area and a flip-flop circuit for storing it. SOLUTION: Image data stored in an image memory 44 are sequentially read out and transmitted to head-driving parts 47y, 47m, 47c, 47b. Address data are sent to an address decoder 45, and a banding pattern is stored in a banding pattern storage part 46. Each head-driving part 47y, 47m, 47c, 47b temporarily stores photographic print data generated from the image data on the basis of the banding pattern data and sends to each head 6y, 6m, 6c, 6b. A CPU 40 outputs a driving control signal to a motor driver 48, thereby moving and scanning a carriage in a main scan direction and rotating a platen to transfer a paper by a predetermined amount.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus, and more particularly to an ink-jet recording apparatus for recording an image at a recording dot pitch smaller than a recording nozzle interval of a recording head by performing a plurality of main scans.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ink jet recording apparatuses are used not only for printers for outputting data from digital processing apparatuses such as computers, but also for facsimile machines and copiers. As such an ink jet recording apparatus, for example, a recording head having a recording nozzle array composed of a plurality of recording nozzles arranged in a sub-scanning direction is moved in a main scanning direction, and a recording medium (an ink droplet is deposited). A serial scan type recording apparatus that records an image by ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle row of a recording head to a recording medium in accordance with a recording signal while moving in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction, or a full main scanning An image is recorded by ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle array of the recording head to the recording medium according to a recording signal while moving the recording medium in the sub-scanning direction using a line type recording head having a length corresponding to the area. Line type recording devices are known.

In such an ink jet recording apparatus, when the recording nozzle interval (nozzle pitch) of the recording head is formed in accordance with the recording density and an image is recorded at the nozzle pitch, the recording density becomes high. Must be reduced in accordance with the above formula, but there is a limit in reducing the nozzle pitch, and there is a limit in increasing the recording density.

Therefore, in a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-56186, main scanning is performed k times between recording nozzle intervals D in the sub-scanning direction of the recording head. In this way, high-density images can be recorded by adopting an interlaced printing method in which an image is recorded at a recording dot pitch (pitch of recording dots on a medium) smaller than a recording nozzle interval.

Further, in order to eliminate a non-recordable area which occurs when recording is performed by the interlace printing method, as described in JP-A-7-242025, the recording element interval is set to k, and the number of recording elements is set. Is a positive integer greater than 2 where n and k are relatively prime and n> k is satisfied, and (n−1) × (k−1) is counted from the upper end of the recording area of the recording medium. If there is print data within the line, k times fine feed using n print elements and interlaced printing using n print elements are used in combination, and nxk lines from the lower end of the print area are used. If there is print data within the range, interlaced printing using n printing elements and k fine feed printing using (n + 1) or lower n printing elements are performed in combination. There is something like that.

[0006]

However, as described above, in the case of the interlace printing method in which an image is recorded at a recording dot pitch smaller than the recording nozzle interval by performing main scanning of the recording head k times, For example, the amount of movement (feed amount) of the recording medium in the sub-scanning direction changes depending on the accuracy of movement in the scanning direction, the thickness of the recording medium, the eccentricity of the platen, and the like. There is a problem that density unevenness occurs and image quality deteriorates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to reduce streak-like density unevenness that occurs when performing interlaced printing, thereby improving image quality.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention sets the number N of nozzles of a recording head to N = km + a + Nov (k> a ≧ 1,
a / k is a fixed fraction, m is an integer, m ≧ 1, Nov is the number of overlapping nozzles, and the nth time (n is an integer, n ≧ n)
The area to be printed during the main scanning in 1) and a part of the area to be printed during the (n + k) -th main scanning are overlapped, and this overlapped area is complemented by either the n-th or (n + k) -th printing. Means for performing interlaced printing in which the sub-scanning movement amount at this time is (m + a / k) × D, and generating a printing pattern for complementary printing of the overlapping area; And a flip-flop circuit for storing a photographing pattern.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the recording nozzle row has a plurality of rows in the main scanning direction for each color, and a mark for complementarily printing the overlapping area. A configuration is provided that includes a unit that generates a copy pattern for each color, and a flip-flop circuit for each color that stores the print pattern generated by this unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the inkjet recording apparatus of the first or second aspect,
The number of overlapping nozzles Nov to be overlapped in the overlapping area is changed according to the thickness of the recording medium.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a schematic view of a mechanism of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view showing an outline of a recording head, and FIG. FIG.

In this ink jet recording apparatus, a carriage 5 is moved in a main scanning direction (indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 2) by a guide rod 3 and a guide plate 4 which are laid between left and right side plates 1 and 2 (see FIG. 2).
Direction), a recording head 6 composed of an inkjet head is mounted on the lower surface side of the carriage 5 with the ink droplet ejection direction facing downward, and the recording head 6 is mounted on the upper surface side of the carriage 5 for each color. An ink tank (ink cartridge) 7 for supplying ink is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 3, the recording head 6 has a head 6y having a recording nozzle row 8y composed of a plurality of recording nozzles 8 for discharging yellow (Y) ink, and discharges magenta (M) ink. Four heads, a head 6m having a nozzle row 8m, a head 6c having a recording nozzle row 8c for discharging cyan (C) ink, and a head 6b having a nozzle row 8b for discharging black (Bk) ink, The carriage 5 is arranged such that the recording nozzles 8 of each of the recording nozzle rows 8y, 8m, 8c, 8b are arranged in the sub-scanning direction.
Are arranged in the main scanning direction. The ink cartridge 7 also includes four independent ink cartridges each containing ink of each color.

Here, each of the heads 6y, 6m, 6c, 6b
As shown in FIG. 4, a nozzle forming member 12 having a plurality of recording nozzles 8 formed on a front surface of a liquid chamber forming member 11 forming a liquid chamber 10 is provided. By applying pressure to the ink in the liquid chamber 10 by the energy generating means, the ink in the liquid chamber 10 is supplied from the recording nozzle 8 of the nozzle forming member 12 to the ink droplet 1.
3 and fly and land as dots on a recording medium (hereinafter referred to as “paper”). At this time, a desired image can be printed by selectively driving the energy generating means for applying pressure to each liquid chamber 10.

Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the carriage 5
The carriage 5, that is, the recording head, is connected to a timing belt 18 stretched between a driving pulley 16 and a driven pulley 17, which are rotated by a main scanning motor 15 composed of a stepping motor, and controls the driving of the main scanning motor 15. 6 is moved in the main scanning direction.

On the other hand, a platen roller (hereinafter simply referred to as "platen") 21 for transporting the sheet 20 in the sub-scanning direction (the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 2), and the sheet 20 is disposed by being pressed against the peripheral surface of the platen 21. The paper feed rollers 22 and 23 and the pinch roller 24 for defining the paper feed angle, the guide plate 25 facing the recording head 6, the paper discharge roller 26 downstream of the recording head 6 in the paper transport direction, and the paper discharge roller 26 And a paper pressing spur roller 27 which is pressed and abutted.

The rotation of the sub-scanning motor 28, which is a stepping motor, is transmitted to the platen 21 via the gears 29 to 31 and the platen gear 32, and the platen 21 is driven to rotate.
0 is sent between the recording head 6 and the guide plate 25 via the platen 21, the paper feed rollers 22 and 23, and the paper pressing roller 24, and the paper 20 is moved to the platen gear 32 while the paper 20 is moved in the sub-scanning direction by the platen 21. Meshing gear 34
The paper 20 is ejected by the paper ejection roller 26 and the paper holding spur roller 27 which are rotated through the sheet (the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 2).
To send out.

In the printing apparatus thus configured, the paper 20 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction while moving and scanning the printing head 6 (carriage 5) in the main scanning direction, and the heads 6y, 6m, 6m, 6m, 6c, 6b nozzles 8, 8 ...
, A desired color image (including a black image) is recorded on the paper 20 by discharging ink droplets of a desired color.

In this recording apparatus, a reliability maintenance / recovery mechanism (subsystem) 35 for the recording head 6 is provided on the right side of the main scanning area of the carriage 5 so that the host 5 is in a print standby state. When the print data is not transferred for a predetermined period of time, or at a predetermined time interval, a reliability maintenance / recovery operation such as removal of stains on the nozzle surface and nozzles of the recording head 6 is performed.

Next, an outline of a control section of the ink jet recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The control unit includes a microcomputer (hereinafter, referred to as a “CPU”) 40 that controls the entire recording apparatus, a ROM 41 storing necessary fixed information, a RAM 42 used as a working memory, and the like, Input / output (I / O) port 4 for sending and receiving data to and from
3, an image memory 44 for storing image data sent from the printer controller side, an address decoder 45 for decoding address data from the CPU 40, and a complementary printing pattern (hereinafter, referred to as "FF") comprising a flip-flop (FF) circuit. A banding pattern storage section 46 for storing a “banding pattern”) and each of the heads 6y,
Head drive unit 4 for driving and controlling 6m, 6c, 6b
7y, 47m, 47c, 47b, a motor driver 48 for driving the main scanning motor 15 and the sub-scanning motor 28, and the like.

The control unit sequentially reads out the image data stored in the image memory 44 and
y, 47m, 47c, and 47b. The address data is sent to the address decoder 45, and the banding pattern is stored in the banding pattern storage unit 46. Then, each head driving unit 47y, 47m, 47
Reference numerals c and 47b temporarily store the print data generated based on the image data based on the banding pattern data in an internal buffer, and transfer the print data to each of the heads 6y, 6m, 6c and 6b when a required amount of print data is accumulated. Send out. On the other hand, CPU4
Numeral 0 outputs a drive control signal to the motor driver 48 to move and scan the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction and rotate the platen 21 to convey the sheet 20 by a predetermined amount.

Next, the operation of the ink jet recording apparatus thus configured will be described with reference to FIGS. First, an example of the interlace printing method will be described with reference to FIG. In the drawing, a black circle “●” representing a recording nozzle indicates a recording nozzle to be used, and a white circle “○” indicates a recording nozzle not to be used. Is represented.

In the interlace printing method shown in FIG. 1, the recording nozzle interval of the recording head is D, and (m + a / k) ×
D (m is an integer, m ≧ 1, a / k is a fractional number, k is an integer, k ≧ 2), and the main scanning is performed k times with an equal line feed (sub-scanning movement amount) to obtain D / k. This is a method of recording an image at a recording dot pitch of. Here, k = 3, a = 1,
Assuming that m = 42 and the number of nozzles N = 127, the first main scanning is performed using all the recording nozzles to perform the first printing, and then the paper is moved by (m + 1 / k) × D in the sub-scanning direction. The first line feed sent to this position, the second main scan is performed at this position, the second printing is performed, and the second line feed for feeding the same amount of paper in the sub-scanning direction is performed. Performs the third main scan to perform the third printing, and then performs the third line feed to feed the paper by the same amount in the sub-scanning direction, and thereafter performs the above-described first to third printing. The same operation is repeated.

In the case of this interlace printing method,
In the figure, the interval b1 between the position of the lower end recording nozzle of the first printing and the position of the upper end recording nozzle of the fourth printing is the position of the lower recording nozzle of the second printing and the upper end recording nozzle of the fifth printing. Since the distance b2 from the position is separated, the position B1,
The density unevenness generated in B2 does not overlap, and the density unevenness is dispersed, so that a high-quality image can be recorded.

Next, the problem of the interlace printing method and the interlace printing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. First, referring to FIG.
The number of recording nozzles N of the recording head is determined by recording nozzles n1 to n10.
, The constants m = 3, k = 3, the recording nozzle interval (interval between recording nozzles) is D, and the movement amount in the sub-scanning direction is (m + 1 / k) × D.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3A, printing is performed using the recording nozzles n7 to n10 during the first main scan, and the recording head and the sheet are relatively moved by (m + 1 / k) × D. That is, in this example, the sheet 5 is moved (m + 1) in the sub-scanning direction.
/ K) × D, and then prints using the recording nozzles n4 to n10 during the second main scan. Similarly, after moving the paper by (m + 1 / k) × D in the sub-scanning direction, 3 At the time of the first main scan, printing is performed using all the recording nozzles n1 to n10.
Is used to perform printing by the fourth and subsequent main scans.

By doing so, the recording nozzle interval D
In this case, it is possible to perform recording at a recording dot pitch of D / k using a recording head of this type. In this case, all of the movement accuracy in the sub-scanning direction, the thickness control of the paper as the recording medium, the eccentric quality of the platen, etc. Assuming that the conditions are satisfied, FIG.
As shown in (1), an ideal printed dot pattern without density unevenness can be obtained.

However, in practice, it is difficult to adjust all the conditions such as the accuracy of movement in the sub-scanning direction, the thickness control of the recording medium, and the eccentricity of the platen.
An error occurs in the amount of movement in the sub-scanning direction. That is, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7A, when the amount of movement in the sub-scanning direction (paper feed amount) is larger than the design value by an error ΔL with the same settings as shown in FIG. The pattern is as shown in FIG. 2B, and density unevenness occurs in the entire pattern.

Among the density unevenness, visually noticeable is a streak-like low-density area (so-called “white”) generated at the joint of the ends of the recording nozzle row at the time of the n-th and (n + k) -th main scans. Streaks "). The reason why this white stripe occurs is that the recording nozzle n1 is shifted from the normal position by (ΔL × k) at the (n + k) -th main scanning in FIG.

Therefore, in the present invention, the number N of recording nozzles is represented by N = km + a + Nov (k> a ≧ 1, a / k is a fixed fraction, m is an integer, m ≧ 1, and Nov is the number of overlapping nozzles). The area to be printed during the n-th (n is an integer, n ≧ 1) main scanning and a part of the area to be printed during the (n + k) -th main scanning are overlapped, and this overlapped area is referred to as the n-th and ( Complementary printing is performed in any of the (n + k) times, and the sub-scanning movement amount at this time is (m + a / k) × D.

For example, as shown in FIG.
3, m = 2, a = 1, overlap nozzle number Nov =
3, the number of recording nozzles of the recording head N = km + a + N
By setting ov = (3 · 2 + 1 + 3) = 10 and setting the moving amount in the sub-scanning direction to (m + a / k) × D = (2 +＋ １) × D, the mark is printed at the n-th time, for example, at the first main scanning. The area to be photographed and the (n + k) th time, for example, (1 + 3) =
A part of the area to be printed at the time of the fourth main scan is overlapped.
That is, the area to be printed by the print nozzles n8 to n10 during the first main scan and the print nozzles n1 to n during the fourth main scan
A part of the area to be printed by 3 is overlapped. In this case, the number of recording nozzles in the overlapping area is three as shown by a black circle “●” in FIG.

Thus, the dots printed by the recording nozzles n8 to n10 during the first (n-th) main scan and the recording nozzles n1 to n3 during the fourth {(n + k) -th) main scan.
The dots to be printed in part overlap in the sub-scanning direction as shown in FIG. 9B, so that the dots in this overlapping area are complemented by either the first main scanning or the fourth main scanning. And print it. It should be noted that the dots indicated by broken lines in FIG. 3B are only indicated by broken lines for the sake of explanation in order to clarify the dots in the overlapping area.

Here, complementary printing at the time of the nth and (n + k) th main scans of the overlapping area will be described with reference to FIG. Complementary printing of the overlapping area is, as shown in FIG.
At the time of the first (first) main scan, the dot indicated by a black circle “●” in each dot of the overlapping area is printed, and at the time of the (n + k) th (fourth) main scanning, the white circle “ One of the dots in the overlapping area is printed at the nth and (n + k) times, such as printing the dot indicated by “ド ッ ト”, and the entire overlapping area is printed at the nth and (n + k) times. The dots are printed (whether or not dots are actually formed depends on the recording signal). FIG. 11 shows an example in which the overlap area is set to 5 dots.

Next, generation of a banding pattern by the control unit and printing control based on the pattern will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 12 shows that the banding pattern storage section 46 stores one dot (one bit).
It is a circuit diagram shown about. The output of the address decoder 45 and the CPU
AND of strobe signal and select signal from
(Logical product), an AND circuit A1, a flip-flop circuit FFa that receives a clock signal from the CPU 40 as a clock input, and inputs an output of the AND circuit A1, and outputs a logical product of an output to the flip-flop circuit FFa and a write signal from the CPU 40. An AND circuit A2 to be taken and an output of the AND circuit A2 as a clock input, a data signal from the CPU 40 being inputted, and holding by an output of an AND circuit A3 which takes a logical product of a select signal and a strobe signal from the head drive unit 47. And a flip-flop circuit FFb for storing a 1-bit banding pattern that outputs the contents of the data.

The head driving section 47 has an AND circuit A4 for performing a logical AND operation between the output of the flip-flop circuit FFb and the image data from the image memory 44, and the AND circuit A4.
And a buffer B for temporarily storing the output of No. 4.

Therefore, referring to FIG.
By outputting the address data from 40 to the address decoder 45, the address decoder 45 outputs a decode signal obtained by decoding the address data. The AND of the decoded signal, the strobe signal from the CPU 40, and the select signal is calculated by the AND circuit A1.

At this time, the output of the AND circuit A1 becomes "0".
If, the flip-flop circuit FFa of the banding pattern storage unit 46 does not change. In contrast, AN
If the output of the D circuit A1 is "1", this becomes the input of the flip-flop circuit FFa of the banding pattern storage section 46, and the edge of the clock signal from the CPU 40 (the output from the flip-flop circuit FFa at the rising edge or the falling edge). A signal is output.

The flip-flop circuit FFa
Of the output signal of the CPU 40 and the write signal output from the CPU 40
D (logical product) is taken by the AND circuit A2, and if the output of the AND circuit A2 is "0", there is no change and the AND circuit A
If the output of 2 is "1", this is used as the clock input of the flip-flop circuit FFb, so that the data signal output from the CPU 40 is written into the flip-flop circuit FFb.

In this manner, 1-bit (1 dot) banding pattern data is generated and held in the flip-flop circuit FFb. Similarly, banding pattern data is generated and stored (held) on a bit basis in a plurality of flip-flop circuits (not shown) for storing the banding pattern data.

After a predetermined amount of banding pattern is stored in each flip-flop circuit FFb of the banding pattern storage unit 46, the head driving unit 47 (head driving unit 4)
7y, 47m, 47c, or 47b) to the banding pattern storage unit 46, the output of the AND circuit A3 becomes "1", and the flip-flop of the banding pattern storage unit 46 is supplied. The banding pattern data held in the flip-flop circuit FFb is sent to the head drive unit 47.

The head driving section 47 stores the image data received from the image memory 44 and the banding pattern storage section 4.
AND circuit A4 takes the logical product of the banding pattern data received from 6 and accumulates the result in an internal buffer B. After a required amount of data can be accumulated in the internal buffer B, the head is driven and controlled to print on a sheet. Copy.

As described above, the banding pattern can be easily formed by providing the means for generating the printing pattern for complementary printing of the overlapping area and the flip-flop circuit for storing the printing pattern generated by this means. Can be generated and output.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the banding pattern storage units 46y and 46 store the banding pattern data for each color in the control unit corresponding to the head for each color.
m, 46c and 46b. A decoded signal obtained by decoding address data from the CPU 40, CP
The strobe signal, select signal, and the like output from U40 are stored in banding pattern storage units 46y and 46 for each head.
m, 46c, and 46b, and output to each of the head driving units 47y,
47m, 47c, and 47b output a select signal and a strobe signal to the corresponding banding pattern storage units 46y, 46m, 46c, and 46b, respectively, and read banding pattern data.

As described above, the provision of the printing pattern generating means for complementarily printing the overlapping area for each color and the flip-flop circuit for storing the printing pattern generated by this means can be simplified. A banding pattern for each color can be generated and output.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment includes means for inputting the type of paper to be used on the operation unit 49, for example, means such as a switch, a key, or a menu selection method.
The paper type input from the operation unit 49 is stored and held in the RAM 42, and the number of dots in the overlapping area is changed according to the paper type.

That is, as shown in FIG. 16, when printing is performed on the surface of the paper 20 by the recording head 6 while the paper 20 is transported in a state in which the paper 20 is in close contact with the platen 21, the movement amount of the surface of the paper 20 depends on the thickness of the paper 20 Changes, especially cardboard and OHP
When a film is used, the diameter of the platen becomes the same as the thickness thereof, and the amount of movement in the sub-scanning direction is larger than that of plain paper.

For this reason, for example, when special paper or plain paper having a thickness of less than 0.5 mm is used as shown in Table 1, the number of dots in the overlapping area is set to 3 dots, and thick paper or an OHP film having a thickness of 0.5 mm or more is used. In the case of using, the number of dots in the overlapping area is changed to 4 dots in the overlapping area, for example, and the number of dots in the overlapping area is varied according to the thickness of the paper. Can be formed.

[0048]

[Table 1]

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17, by inputting the paper type (type) to the operation unit 49, the paper type data is fetched from the operation unit 49 and R
Temporarily stock in AM42. Then, a table (for example, a table as shown in Table 1) indicating the relationship between the paper type and the banding width (the number of dots in the overlapping area) is stored in advance in the ROM 41, and the banding width corresponding to the input paper type is stored. Set the head drive units 47y, 47
m, 47c and 47b.

Thereafter, a banding pattern is generated and stored in the banding pattern storage section 46 in the same manner as described above, and the head drive sections 47y, 47m, 47c, 47b are generated.
Outputs a select signal or a strobe signal according to the data of the set banding width when outputting a select signal or a strobe signal for reading a banding pattern.

[0051]

As described above, according to the ink jet recording apparatus of the first aspect, the number N of nozzles of the recording head
Is set to N = km + a + Nov, an area to be printed at the time of the n-th main scanning and a part of an area to be printed at the time of the (n + k) -th main scanning are overlapped, and this overlapped area is set to the n-th and (n + k)
Complementary printing is performed in one of the times, interlaced printing is performed with the sub-scanning movement amount of (m + a / k) × D, and a printing pattern for complementary printing of the overlapping area is generated. Means, and a flip-flop circuit for storing the imprint pattern generated by this means.
The image quality is improved, and a complementary printing pattern of the overlapping area can be easily generated.

According to the ink jet recording apparatus of claim 2, in the ink jet recording apparatus of claim 1,
Means for generating a printing pattern for each color when a plurality of printing nozzle rows are provided in the main scanning direction for each color and complementing the overlapping area, and for each color for storing the printing pattern generated by this means. Since the flip-flop circuit is provided, the image quality is improved, and the complementary printing pattern of the overlapping area can be easily generated.

According to the ink jet recording apparatus of the third aspect, in the ink jet recording apparatus of the first or second aspect, the number Nov of the overlapping nozzles to be overlapped in the overlapping area is changed according to the thickness of the recording medium. Therefore, a high-quality image can be obtained regardless of the type of the recording medium.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a mechanism of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view schematically showing a recording head.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory sectional view of the recording head.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control unit of the recording apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of interlaced printing for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is another explanatory diagram for explaining interlaced printing.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which an error has occurred in the interlaced printing of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which an error has occurred in interlaced printing according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining complementary printing of an overlapping area;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of complementary printing of an overlapping area;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the printing operation of the overlapping area;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

5 carriage, 6 recording head, 15 main scanning motor, 20 paper, 21 platen, 28 sub-scanning motor, 44 image memory, 45 address decoder, 46
... Banding pattern storage unit.

Claims (3)

[Claims] A recording head having a plurality of recording nozzle arrays arranged in a sub-scanning direction; and a means for moving a recording medium in the sub-scanning direction. When the interval is D, the interval between the recording nozzle intervals D is k times (k is an integer and k ≧ 2).
In an ink jet recording apparatus for recording an image by interlaced printing in main scanning, the recording apparatus sets the number N of nozzles of the recording head to N = km + a + Nov (k> a).
≧ 1, a / k is a fixed fraction, m is an integer, m ≧ 1, Nov
Is the number of overlapping nozzles), and an area to be printed during the n-th (n is an integer, n ≧ 1) main scanning and a part of the area to be printed during the (n + k) -th main scanning are overlapped. The area is complemented and printed by either the nth or (n + k) th time, and the sub-scanning movement amount at this time is (m + a / k)
XD interlaced printing, means for generating a printing pattern when the overlapping area is complementarily printed, and a flip-flop circuit for storing the printing pattern generated by this means. Characteristic inkjet recording device. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording nozzle row has a plurality of rows in the main scanning direction for each color, and a printing pattern for complementarily printing the overlapping area is provided for each color. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: means for generating; and a flip-flop circuit for each color for storing the printing pattern generated by the means. 3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number Nov of overlapping nozzles to be overlapped in the overlapping area is changed according to the thickness of the recording medium.