WO2000068020A1 - Systeme d'impression a jet d'encre - Google Patents

Systeme d'impression a jet d'encre Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2000068020A1
WO2000068020A1 PCT/GB2000/001719 GB0001719W WO0068020A1 WO 2000068020 A1 WO2000068020 A1 WO 2000068020A1 GB 0001719 W GB0001719 W GB 0001719W WO 0068020 A1 WO0068020 A1 WO 0068020A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
printhead
nozzles
substrate
printing system
inkjet printing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2000/001719
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Richard William Eve
Stephen George Tunnicliffe-Wilson
Original Assignee
Cambridge Consultants Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cambridge Consultants Limited filed Critical Cambridge Consultants Limited
Publication of WO2000068020A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000068020A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/485—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by the process of building-up characters or image elements applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking processes
    • B41J2/505—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by the process of building-up characters or image elements applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking processes from an assembly of identical printing elements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01—Ink jet
    • B41J2/135—Nozzles
    • B41J2/145—Arrangement thereof

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to inkjet printing systems.
  • Examples of the present invention relate to inkjet printing using printheads composed of a number of print nozzles in a fixed array.
  • Examples of the invention are directed to printing at high speed and with high image quality.
  • Some known drop on demand inkjet printheads are unable to fire adjacent nozzles at the same time, these are referred to as multiphase printheads. This can make it difficult to print a straight line across a substrate. Two solutions are commonly used to solve this problem.
  • the nozzles are staggered according to their phase, so that for a three phase printhead there are three rows of nozzles.
  • the amount of stagger is chosen such that a straight line is printed by firing the phases in the correct sequence (as shown in figure 1).
  • an inkjet printing system comprising at least one inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles for the emission of ink and arranged such that relative motion between the printhead and a substrate causes lines of dots of ink to be deposited on the substrate wherein the printhead is mounted such that at least two of the plurality of nozzles are used to print each line of dots of ink.
  • the print quality can be improved, for example where one of the nozzles is not working correctly.
  • Faster printing may also be obtained by arranging for more than one nozzle to print each line.
  • the printhead is angled so that groups of adjacent nozzles on each printhead are substantially aligned with an axis of relative movement between the printhead and substrate.
  • a smaller array pitch can be obtained for the same nozzle pitch.
  • aligning the nozzles in the direction of printing more than one nozzle can be used for printing each line.
  • the system comprises at least one printhead which is positioned at a slant with respect to a print direction such that more than one nozzle lies on each of a plurality of columns.
  • This feature is of particular importance and is provided independently.
  • an aspect of the invention provides an inkjet printing system comprising at least one printhead which is positioned at a slant with respect to a print direction such that more than one nozzle lies on each of a plurality of columns.
  • the invention also provides an inkjet printing system for printing dots of ink on a substrate, the system comprising: a printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles; means for effecting relative movement between the printhead and the substrate in a printing direction; wherein the printhead is mounted so that at least two of the plurality of nozzles are substantially in line with the print direction.
  • the printhead is mounted so that a plurality of groups of at least two nozzles are each substantially in line with the print direction. In preferred embodiments, all of the nozzles are in groups substantially in line with the print direction.
  • the nozzles of the printhead are cyclically staggered.
  • the printhead can be arranged at a slant with the nozzles arranged in columns parallel to the print direction.
  • the printhead is slanted with respect to the print direction, preferably at an angle of less than ⁇ 90 degrees to the print direction.
  • the printhead is mounted relative to the print direction such that a square array of dots can be printed by the printhead.
  • the printing of the required image can be made simpler.
  • the system comprises a plurality of printheads, wherein each printhead is mounted at substantially the same angle to the print direction. Where the printhead is mounted at an angle to the print direction, the width of the substrate printed by a single pass of the printhead will be reduced compared with the arrangement where the printhead is perpendicular to the print direction. By arranging several printheads adjacent to each other, the width of the printed area can be increased.
  • An aspect of the present invention provides a high speed, high quality inkjet printing system comprising at least one inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles for the emission of ink and arranged such that controlled relative motion between the printhead and a substrate causes lines of dots of ink to be deposited on the substrate wherein the printhead is mounted such that at least two of the plurality of nozzles are used to print each line of dots of ink.
  • the printhead is angled so that groups of adjacent nozzles on each printhead are substantially aligned with an axis of relative movement between printhead and substrate.
  • the present invention provides a high speed, high quality inkjet printing system comprising at least one printhead which is positioned at a slant with respect to a print direction such that more than one nozzle lies on each of a plurality of printed columns, whereby pixel frequency is increased.
  • each column of the printed image is produced by more than one nozzle, failure of particular nozzles does not result in a complete missing column, but only in a lighter than normal column. Similarly, nozzle to nozzle differences are averaged out, with the result that a printed image will appear less 'stripy' than if each column were printed by a single nozzle.
  • the printheads used are multiphase drop on demand printheads.
  • Embodiments of the present invention seek to provide a more compact mounting arrangement where multiple heads are required. Multiple head applications include those with a high rate of print area coverage and/or several colours.
  • the invention further provides an inkjet printing system for printing dots of ink on a substrate, the system comprising: a printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles; a control device for effecting relative movement between the printhead and the substrate in a printing direction; wherein the printhead is mounted so that at least two of the plurality of nozzles are substantially in line with the print direction.
  • an inkjet printer comprising an inkjet printing system as described above.
  • a printhead mounting device for an inkjet printer as described above, the mounting device being adapted for mounting the printhead so that at least two nozzles of the printhead are substantially in line with the printing direction.
  • a method of printing a substrate using an inkjet printer including the steps of: mounting a printhead in the printer, the printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles; effecting relative movement between the printhead and the substrate in a printing direction; printing a line of dots in the printing direction; wherein at least two nozzles of the printhead are used to print the line of dots.
  • a method of printing a substrate using an inkjet printer including the steps of: mounting a printhead in the printer, the printhead comprising a plurality of nozzles, wherein the printhead is mounted such that at least two of the plurality of nozzles are substantially in line with the print direction; and effecting relative movement between the printhead and the substrate in the print direction.
  • the method includes mounting the printhead so that the printhead is slanted with respect to the print direction.
  • the method comprises a step of mounting a plurality of printheads in the printer, wherein the printheads are mounted substantially parallel to each other.
  • the invention also provides a method of printing using an inkjet printing system or a printer as described above and a printed substrate printed by an inkjet printing system or a printer described above or by a method of printing as described above.
  • the invention also provides a method substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, and apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
  • the invention also provides a computer program and a computer program product for carrying out any of the methods described herein, and a computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for carrying out any of the methods described herein.
  • Apparatus features may be applied to the method features and vice versa.
  • Features of one aspect to the invention may be applied to features of another aspect of the invention.
  • Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a conventional arrangement for printing using a three phase printhead with staggered nozzles.
  • Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing a first example showing a printhead slanted to the direction of printing.
  • Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a second example using a printhead configuration that enables wider printing widths using two or more angled heads.
  • a printhead is slanted relative to printing substrate movement so that more than one nozzle addresses each desired column of printed dots ('pixels').
  • Figure 2 shows an example for a three phase printhead (1), and indicates the relationship between nozzle pitch along the array (p) and nozzle stagger from the array line (s).
  • pixel frequency is a factor of three higher than in a conventional printing arrangement. This increased pixel frequency can be used to improve the printing speed, or the resolution, or a combination of both.
  • pixel frequency is increased as it is effectively the sum of frequencies of each nozzle addressing the column.
  • Figure 2 shows the three nozzles (3) of one cycle lining up precisely along a column of printed dots. In general this will result in a non-square printing matrix if nozzle stagger has not been designed with this arrangement in mind. In this case, it is convenient to choose a head angle which gives an exactly square print matrix, the resulting errors in dot placement from nozzles not exactly in line are so small as to be of no consequence.
  • Figure 3 shows an example which allows wider images to be obtained by stitching together more than one printhead (1).
  • the stitch lines between printheads are shown at (4).
  • the examples show a high speed, high quality inkjet printing system in which at least one monolithic printhead is used to produce interleaved, high speed, high- resolution printing, using cyclically staggered nozzles.
  • the described embodiments are for a three phase printhead with a nozzle stagger cycle of three.
  • examples of the invention can be applied to any printhead where there is a cyclical stagger of the nozzles.
  • the invention applies particularly to multiphase inkjet printing heads, but can also apply to other inkjet printheads.

Landscapes

  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Particle Formation And Scattering Control In Inkjet Printers (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système d'impression à jet d'encre comprenant au moins une tête d'impression (1) à jet d'encre, laquelle tête d'impression est pourvue d'une multitude de buses (3) servant au jet de l'encre. Ces buses (3) sont disposées de telle sorte que le mouvement relatif commandé entre la tête d'impression et le substrat entraîne le dépôt de lignes de tâches d'encre sur ledit substrat. La tête d'impression (1) est montée de telle sorte qu'au moins deux des buses (3) soient utilisées pour imprimer chaque ligne de tâches d'encre. Les exemples mentionnés dans la présente invention décrivent les dispositions de la tête d'impression grâce auxquelles la vitesse et la qualité d'impression peuvent être améliorées.
PCT/GB2000/001719 1999-05-05 2000-05-05 Systeme d'impression a jet d'encre WO2000068020A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9910311.1A GB9910311D0 (en) 1999-05-05 1999-05-05 High speed, high quality inkjet printing system
GB9910311.1 1999-05-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000068020A1 true WO2000068020A1 (fr) 2000-11-16

Family

ID=10852788

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2000/001719 WO2000068020A1 (fr) 1999-05-05 2000-05-05 Systeme d'impression a jet d'encre

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB9910311D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2000068020A1 (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3446226A1 (de) * 1984-12-19 1986-06-19 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Matrixdrucker mit einem auf einem bewegbaren traeger angeordneten druckkopf
JPS61293867A (ja) * 1985-06-21 1986-12-24 Hitachi Ltd プリンタ
WO1995007185A1 (fr) * 1993-09-09 1995-03-16 Xaar Limited Appareil de depot de gouttelettes
US5559539A (en) * 1993-10-12 1996-09-24 Dataproducts Corporation Ink jet recording apparatus having self aligning print head cleaning system and method of operating the print head cleaning system
EP0891869A1 (fr) * 1997-07-15 1999-01-20 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tête d'enregistrement d'information
EP0921009A1 (fr) * 1997-12-04 1999-06-09 Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co. Dispositif compensateur de tolérance dans une tête d'impression à jet d'encre

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3446226A1 (de) * 1984-12-19 1986-06-19 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Matrixdrucker mit einem auf einem bewegbaren traeger angeordneten druckkopf
JPS61293867A (ja) * 1985-06-21 1986-12-24 Hitachi Ltd プリンタ
WO1995007185A1 (fr) * 1993-09-09 1995-03-16 Xaar Limited Appareil de depot de gouttelettes
US5559539A (en) * 1993-10-12 1996-09-24 Dataproducts Corporation Ink jet recording apparatus having self aligning print head cleaning system and method of operating the print head cleaning system
EP0891869A1 (fr) * 1997-07-15 1999-01-20 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tête d'enregistrement d'information
EP0921009A1 (fr) * 1997-12-04 1999-06-09 Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co. Dispositif compensateur de tolérance dans une tête d'impression à jet d'encre

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 011, no. 160 (M - 592) 23 May 1987 (1987-05-23) *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9910311D0 (en) 1999-06-30

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