Inkjet Head Preliminary Ejection Pattern for Image Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
In ink-jet recording apparatuses, the use of a constant preliminary ejecting pattern can lead to image quality degradation in high image quality modes due to flushing dots formed during preliminary ejection, preventing the achievement of desired image quality.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting apparatus that selects between low and high image quality modes by adjusting the ratio of dot areas where both image and flushing dots are formed, with a higher ratio in high image quality mode to minimize the visibility of flushing dots and maintain image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the same preliminary ejection pattern is used for all image quality modes, then the ejection performance recovery is consistent, but the image quality degrades in high image quality mode due to visible flushing dots
Solution Approach 1:
The preliminary ejection pattern is made dynamic by adjusting the ratio of flushing dot areas relative to image dot areas based on the selected image quality mode. In high image quality mode, the pattern is modified to increase overlap between flushing dots and image dots, making the flushing dots less visible and thereby maintaining image quality while still recovering ejection performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The parameters of the preliminary ejection pattern are changed according to the image quality mode. Specifically, the ratio of flushing dot areas to image dot areas is adjusted: in high image quality mode, the pattern uses a higher ratio of overlapping dots to reduce visibility of flushing dots, while in low image quality mode, a different ratio is used. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between ejection performance recovery and image quality.
2Reliability
If flushing dots are formed during preliminary ejection, then ejection performance is recovered, but the visibility of flushing dots degrades image quality in high image quality mode
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful effect of visible flushing dots is converted into a benefit by strategically positioning flushing dots to overlap with image dots in high image quality mode. The flushing dots, which would normally be visible and degrade image quality, are instead placed where they blend with the image dots, making them less visible and thereby converting the harmful visibility into a beneficial masking effect that preserves image quality while maintaining ejection performance recovery.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a plurality of liquid ejecting heads configured to eject liquids of a plurality of colors respectively from a plurality of ejection nozzles; an image data storage device configured to store image data with respect to an image to be recorded on a recording medium; a mode receiving device which receives one image quality mode from at least two image quality modes including a low image quality mode and a high image quality mode, as an image quality mode with respect to an image quality of the image; a control device configured to control the plurality of ejecting heads and generate a plurality of preliminary ejection data related to preliminary ejections for recovering ejection performances of the plurality of liquid ejecting heads for the plurality of liquid ejecting heads respectively.