Claims
- 1. A method performed by a color printer comprising the steps of:
- scanning a carriage across a print zone of a medium to be printed upon, said carriage supporting a first printhead, a second printhead, a third printhead, and a fourth printhead in a side-by-side relationship for composite printing by said first printhead, said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead on the medium in said print zone; and
- supplying energizing signals to said first printhead, said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead as said carriage is scanning and said medium is held stationary so that said first printhead prints a maximum print swath having a top and a bottom and said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead each print maximum print swaths, each maximum print swath having a top and a bottom, wherein said maximum print swath printed by said first printhead at least partially overlaps said maximum print swaths printed by said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead during scanning of said carriage across said medium,
- said first printhead printing black ink and having a first print resolution, a first width parallel to a direction of movement of said medium through said print zone, a top edge facing opposite said direction of movement of said medium, and a bottom edge facing said direction of movement of said medium,
- said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead printing color inks and having a second print resolution lower than said first print resolution, a second width shorter than said first width, a top edge facing opposite said direction of movement of said medium, and a bottom edge facing said direction of movement of said medium, wherein said step of supplying energizing signals causes said top and bottom of each of said maximum print swaths created by said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead to be offset from said top and bottom of said maximum print swath created by said first printhead.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first printhead has a center and each of said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead has a center substantially aligned with said center of said first printhead.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead print ink including color components selected from a group consisting of cyan, magenta, and yellow.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead are located in a single print cartridge.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second printhead, said third printhead, and said fourth printhead are each located in a separate print cartridge.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 08/145,261, filed Oct. 29, 1993, entitled MIXED RESOLUTION PRINTING FOR COLOR AND MONOCHROME PRINTERS, by Donald G. Harris, et al.
This application also relates to the copending applications Ser. No. 08/056,556, filed Apr. 30, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,746, entitled DATUM FORMATION FOR IMPROVED ALIGNMENT OF MULTIPLE NOZZLE MEMBERS IN A PRINTER, by Jeffrey A. Thoman, et al., and Ser. No. 07/958,833, filed Oct. 8, 1992, entitled PRINTHEAD WITH REDUCED INTERCONNECTIONS TO A PRINTER, by Michael B. Saunders, et al., both owned by the assignee of this application and incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3412531 A |
Oct 1985 |
JPX |
61-104856 |
May 1986 |
JPX |
1-216852 |
Aug 1989 |
JPX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
145261 |
Oct 1993 |
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