Claims
- 1. A method of printing an image onto a printing medium (370) using a printing system having an elongate printhead (10) having an array of marking elements (A, B, C, A, B, C) comprising at least one group (G) of marking elements (A, B, C), the marking elements forming at least one row, the direction of the row forming a longitudinal axis of the printhead, the printhead being driven in a fast scan direction (F) to print in one pass, marks on the printing medium along one swath of print, and the printing medium and the printhead being movable relative to each other in a slow scan direction (S) to print further swaths, and the printing system being such that two adjacent marking elements of a group (G) are firable with a time difference T but are not firable simultaneously without causing a printing defect, wherein is the printhead is operated such that adjacent marking elements of one group (G) are firable, at instants of time separated by the time T to form a series of parallel lines of print at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the printhead and also at a non-zero angle with respect to the fast scan direction, which series of parallel lines do not form a complete part of the image, and repeating printing passes in the fast scan direction (F) to print at intermediate positions between the parallel lines to print a complete part of the image.
- 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the marking elements (A, B, C) of one group (G) are not staggered with respect to each other and form at least one row of marking elements, printhead being driven at a velocity proportional to the number of passes divided by the time T and by the resolution of the image to be printed.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, the method including delaying printing data representing the image supplied to some of the marking elements with respect to the printing data supplied to other marking elements.
- 4. A method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising shifting the printing medium with respect to the printhead between printing passes.
- 5. A method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of driving the printhead at a first velocity to print at a first resolution and then driving the printhead at another different velocity to print at a second different resolution.
- 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the marking elements (A, B, C) of one group (G) are staggered with respect to each other over a stagger distance (D1) in the fast scan direction (F) to form a plurality of rows of marking elements, the printhead being intended to be driven with a reference velocity (Vref), the method including operating the printhead at an operating velocity (V) which is different from the reference velocity (Vref).
- 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the printhead is adapted to print, when driven with the reference velocity (Vref), images with a reference resolution (X), there being φ marking elements in a group (G), the ratio of the operating velocity (V) to the reference velocity (Vref) being defined by RV, wherein RV is not equal to 1, the method including operating the printhead such that the image to be printed has a resolution Y given by
- 8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the printhead has φ marking elements in a group (G), the ratio of the operating velocity (V) of the printhead (10) to the reference velocity (Vref) being defined by RV, wherein RV is not equal to 1, the method including repeating printing passes a number of times given by
- 9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the operating velocity of driving the printhead is faster than the reference velocity.
- 10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the operating velocity of driving the printhead is slower than the reference velocity.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
02100468.4 |
May 2002 |
EP |
|
Parent Case Info
[0001] The application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/382,363 filed May 22, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60382363 |
May 2002 |
US |