Claims
- 1. A method for adjusting a focus of a multichannel printhead for an imaging processing apparatus comprising the steps of:establishing a home focus position; moving said printhead in a first direction a predetermined number of coarse steps; printing a series of first test patches on a medium at each of said coarse steps; determining a coarse focus position by checking a coarse density of each of said first test patches and selecting said coarse focus position corresponding to said first test patch having a highest coarse density; moving said printhead to said coarse focus position; moving said printhead in a second direction a predetermined number of fine steps; printing a series of second test patches on said medium at each of said fine steps; and determining a fine focus position by checking a fine density of each of said second test patches and selecting said fine focus position corresponding to said second test patch having a highest fine density.
- 2. A method as in claim 1, wherein a stepper motor moves said printhead.
- 3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said fine focus position is stored in a memory.
- 4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said fine focus position is stored in said memory indexed to characteristics of said medium.
- 5. A method as in claim 1, wherein an optimum angle of said printhead is determined by:establishing a home angular position; moving said printhead in a first rotational direction a predetermined number of coarse rotational steps; printing a series of third test patches on said medium at each of said coarse rotational steps; determining a coarse angular position by checking a coarse rotational density of each of said third test patches and selecting said coarse angular position corresponding to a third test patch having a highest coarse rotational density; moving said printhead to said coarse angular position; moving said printhead in a second rotational direction a predetermined number of fine rotational steps; printing a series of fourth test patches on said medium at each of said fine rotational steps; and determining a fine focus angular position by checking a fine rotational density of each of said fourth test patches and selecting said fine angular position corresponding to said fourth test patch having a highest fine rotational density.
- 6. A method as in claim 5, wherein a stepper motor moves said printhead.
- 7. A method as in claim 5, wherein said fine angular position is stored in a memory.
- 8. A method as in claim 7, wherein said fine angular position is stored in said memory indexed to characteristics of said medium.
- 9. A method for adjusting a focus of a multichannel printhead for an imaging processing apparatus comprising the steps of:establishing a home focus position; moving said printhead a p redetermined number of coarse steps; printing a series of first test patches on a medium at each of said coarse steps; determining a coarse focus position by checking a coarse density of each of said first test patches and selecting said coarse focus position corresponding to said first test patch having a highest coarse density; moving said printhead to said coarse focus position; moving said printhead a predetermined number of fine steps; printing a series of second test patches on said medium at each of said fine steps; and determining a fine focus position by checking a fine density of each of said second test patches and selecting said fine focus position corresponding to said second test patch having a highest fine density.
- 10. A method as in claim 9, wherein an optimum angle of said printhead is determined by:establishing a home angular position; moving said printhead a predetermined number of coarse rotational steps; printing a series of third test patches on said medium at each of said coarse rotational steps; determining a coarse angular position by checking a coarse rotational density of each of said third test patches and selecting said coarse angular position corresponding to a third test patch having a highest coarse rotational density; moving said printhead to said coarse angular position; moving said printhead a predetermined number of fine rotational steps; printing a series of fourth test patches on said medium at each of said fine rotational steps; and determining a fine focus angular position by checking a fine rotational density of each of said fourth test patches and selecting said fine angular position corresponding to said fourth test patch having a highest fine rotational density.
- 11. A method for adjusting a focus of a multichannel printhead for an imaging processing apparatus comprising the steps of:establishing a home angular position; moving said printhead a predetermined number of coarse rotational steps; printing a series of first test patches on a medium at each of said coarse rotational steps; determining a coarse angular position by checking a coarse rotational density of each of said first test patches and selecting said coarse angular position corresponding to a first test patch having a highest coarse rotational density; moving said printhead to said coarse angular position; moving said printhead a predetermined number of fine rotational steps; printing a series of second test patches on said medium at each of said fine rotational steps; and determining a fine focus angular position by checking a fine rotational density of each of said second test patches and selecting said fine angular position corresponding to said test patch having a highest fine rotational density.
- 12. A method for adjusting a focus of a multichannel printhead for an imaging processing apparatus comprising the steps of:establishing a home angular position; moving said printhead in a first rotational direction a predetermined number of coarse rotational steps; printing a series of third test patches on said medium at each of said coarse rotational steps; determining a coarse angular position by checking a coarse rotational density of each of said third test patches and selecting said coarse angular position corresponding to a third test patch having a highest coarse rotational density; moving said printhead to said coarse angular position; moving said printhead in a second rotational direction a predetermined number of fine rotational steps; printing a series of fourth test patches on said medium at each of said fine rotational steps; and determining a fine focus angular position by checking a fine rotational density of each of said fourth test patches and selecting said fine angular position corresponding to said fourth test patch having a highest fine rotational density.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The following commonly assigned patent applications are relevant to this application.
Ser. No. 08/861,119, filed May 21, 1997, titled An Image Processor Having Magnetically Attached Printhead, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,713.
Ser. No. 09/143,002 filed Aug. 28, 1998, titled A Magnetic Arrangement For Printhead Positioning In An Image Processing Apparatus, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,119.
Ser. No. 09/143,007, filed Aug. 28, 1998 titled Method And Apparatus To Provide A Loading Force For Printhead Adjustment Using Magnets, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,911.
US Referenced Citations (15)