1. A recording device comprising:
a recording unit that records on a recording medium;
a transportation unit that conveys and discharges from a discharge opening the recording medium recorded on by the recording unit;
a cutting unit that cuts the recording medium recorded on by the recording unit at a predetermined position on a transportation path of the transportation unit; and
a control unit that controls the recording unit and the cutting unit and the transportation unit to output a string of two or more forms, determines a final form of the two or more forms, and controls the transportation unit to convey the recording medium a specified length plus a preset additional transportation distance when the final form of the two or more forms is output,
wherein a form length of a form different from the final form in a transportation direction is the specified length, and a final form length of the final form in the transportation direction is longer than the specified length.
2. The recording device described in claim 1, wherein
the cutting unit is further configured to cut across the width of the recording medium, and wherein a portion of the width of the recording medium is left uncut.
3. The recording device described in claim 1, wherein
a recessed part is formed in a front portion of a case of the recording device, and the discharge opening is formed in the back of the recessed part.
4. A control method comprising:
outputting a string of two or more forms to record on a recording medium while conveying the recording medium a specified length for the forms;
cutting between adjacent forms of at least one pair of the two or more forms;
determining a final form of the two or more forms; and
when the final form of the two or more forms is output, conveying the final form the specified length plus a preset additional transportation distance; and
then cutting,
wherein a form length of a form different from the final form in a transportation direction is the specified length, and a final form length of the final form in the transportation direction is longer than the specified length.
5. The control method for a recording device described in claim 4, wherein
when cutting across the width of the recording medium, a portion of the width of the recording medium is left uncut.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for maintaining a plurality of ink jets used in a printing apparatus that forms a selected ink image on a print medium by relatively moving the plurality of ink jets and the print medium in a process direction while ink drops are ejected by the plurality of ink jets, the printing apparatus forming a selected ink image in response to selected image data specifying the deposition of ink dots at selected predetermined pixel locations on a plurality of image scanlines aligned with and extending in the process direction a predetermined image length on the print medium, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing purge image data that specifies the deposition of at least one ink dot on at least one predetermined pixel location on each of the plurality of image scanlines within the predetermined image length;
(b) storing the purge image data in a purge image memory accessible by the printing apparatus;
(c) receiving selected image data specifying a selected ink image;
(d) logically combining the purge image data and the selected image data to create print image data that specifies the deposition of ink dots at every predetermined pixel location based on the purge image data or the selected image data;
(e) printing the print image data on the print medium and
wherein the print medium has an average base optical density, the purge image data specifies a printed purge image of substantially uniformly distributed ink dots along and among the image scanlines, and the printed purge image has an average purge image optical density less than about 0.01 OD above the print medium average base optical density.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ink dots formed on the print media have an average diameter of less than about 50 microns.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ink drops have an average volume of less than about 12 picoLiters.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the print medium is a textile and the ink drops have an average volume of less than about 40 picoLiters.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ink jets comprises an ink jet printhead that is stationary during the printing of the print image data.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of ink jets includes at least one jet aligned with each image scanline.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein there is a minimum steady state drop purging frequency, fp, that is required to maintain a desired ink drop volume and velocity ejected from the plurality of ink jets, the print medium is moved the predetermined image length in a print time, Tp, the purge image data is constructed so that ink dots are specified for at least Np predetermined pixel locations on each of the plurality of image scanlines within the predetermined image length, wherein Np\u2267fpTp.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the purge image data is constructed by tiling a purge image matrix that specifies dot locations for at least 100 predetermined pixel locations along 100 image scanlines.
9. A method of claim 1 where the printing apparatus is a carriage printer where the printheads relatively move in a sub-scan direction traverse to the process direction so that each of the plurality of jets are aligned with a plurality of image scanlines while forming the selected ink image.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the print medium is in the form of a cut sheet mounted on a circulating surface for movement relative to the plurality of ink jets in the process direction and the predetermined image length is substantially equal to the length of the cut sheet in the process direction.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein each image scanline is traversed by a plurality of complementary jets during a plurality of process direction relative movements wherein the selected image data is masked so that for each image scanline, complementary predetermined pixel locations are assigned for ink dot deposition to complementary jets that traverse the image scanline, and the purge image data is constructed so that at least one ink dot is specified for at least one complementary predetermined pixel location assigned to each complementary jet for each image scanline.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the purge image data is constructed by tiling a purge image matrix that specifies dot locations for at least 100 predetermined pixel locations along 100 image scanlines.
13. A method for maintaining a plurality of ink jets supplied with a plurality of inks of different types, used in a printing apparatus that forms a selected ink image on a print medium by relatively moving the plurality of ink jets and the print medium in a process direction while ink drops of the different types are ejected by the plurality of ink jets, the printing apparatus forming a selected ink image in response to selected image data specifying the deposition of ink dots of the different types at selected predetermined pixel locations on a plurality of image scanlines aligned with and extending in the process direction a predetermined image length on the print medium, the image scanlines further associated with one or more of the plurality of ink types, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing purge image data that specifies for each scanline, the deposition of at least one ink dot of each ink type associated with that scanline on at least one predetermined pixel location within the predetermined image length;
(b) storing the purge image data in a purge image memory accessible by the printing apparatus;
(c) receiving selected image data specifying a selected ink image;
(d) logically combining the purge image data and the selected image data to create print image data that specifies the deposition of ink dots at every predetermined pixel location based on the purge image data or the selected image data;
(e) printing the print image data on the print medium and wherein the print medium has an average base optical density, the purge image data specifies a printed purge image of substantially uniformly distributed ink dots along and among the image scanlines, and the printed purge image has an average purge image optical density less than about 0.01 OD above the print medium average base optical density.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the different types of inks are different colors of inks.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the different types of inks are inks having a same colorant in different percentage weight amounts.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the ink dots formed on the print media have an average diameter of less than about 50 microns.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the ink drops have an average volume of less than about 12 picoliters.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the print medium is a textile and the ink drops have an average volume of less than about 40 picoliters.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein the purge image data specifies the deposition of ink dots of each ink type associated with each image scanline on less than one-hundredth of the number of predetermined pixel locations on each image scanline.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein there is a minimum steady state drop purging frequency, fpc, that is required to maintain a desired ink drop volume and velocity ejected from the plurality of ink jets for each of the plurality of ink types, c, the print medium is moved the predetermined image length in a print time, Tp, the purge image data is constructed so that ink dots for each ink type c are specified for at least Npc predetermined pixel locations on each of the plurality of image scanlines within the predetermined image length, wherein Npc\u2267fpcTp.
21. The method of claim 13 wherein the purge image data is constructed by tiling a purge image matrix that specifies dot locations for at least 100 predetermined pixel locations along 100 image scanlines.
22. A method for maintaining a plurality of ink jets used in a printing apparatus that forms a selected ink image on a print medium by relatively moving the plurality of ink jets and the print medium in a process direction a predetermined image length in a print time Tp while ink drops are ejected by the plurality of ink jets, the printing apparatus forming a selected ink image in response to selected image data specifying the deposition of ink dots at selected predetermined pixel locations on a plurality of image scanlines aligned with and extending in the process direction a predetermined image length on the print medium, wherein there are a plurality, r, of minimum steady state drop purging frequencies, fpr, that are required to maintain a desired ink drop volume and velocity ejected from the plurality of ink jets based on a plurality, r, of conditions, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing a plurality, r, of purge image data sets, Ipr, so that ink dots are specified for at least Npr predetermined pixel locations on each of the plurality of image scanlines within the predetermined image length, wherein Npr\u2267fprTp;
(b) constructing a purge performance image data set that comprises portions of the plurality of purge image data sets, Ipr, and test image patterns sensitive to variations in ink drop ejection volume, velocity, or both;
(c) storing the plurality of purge image data sets, Ipr, and the purge performance image data set in a purge image memory accessible by the printing apparatus;
(d) printing the purge performance image data set to form a purge performance test image;
(e) determining from, at least, the purge performance test image a purge image data set, Ips, of the plurality of purge image data sets, Ipr, that maintains the desired ink drop volume and velocity;
(f) retrieving the purge image data set, Ips;
(g) receiving selected image data specifying a selected ink image;
(h) logically combining the purge image data set, Ips, and the selected image data to create print image data that specifies the deposition of ink dots at every predetermined pixel location based on the purge image data set, Ips, or the selected image data;
(i) printing the print image data on the print medium.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the printing apparatus further comprises an optical image sensor apparatus, and the determining step (e) further comprises optically sensing the purge performance test image.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein the printing apparatus further comprises a user interface, and the determining step (e) further comprises viewing the purge performance test image and entering user selection data via the user interface.
25. An ink jet printing apparatus for printing a selected ink image on a print medium in the form of ink dots deposited at selected predetermined pixel locations along a plurality of image scanlines aligned with and extending a predetermined image length in a process direction comprising:
(a) an ink jet printhead having a plurality of ink jets supplied with the ink;
(b) apparatus adapted to relatively move the print medium and the ink jet printhead in the process direction while ink drops are ejected by the ink jet printhead;
(c) a memory adapted to store purge image data that specifies the deposition of at least one ink dot on at least one predetermined pixel location on each of the plurality of image scanlines within the predetermined image length; and
(d) a controller adapted to receive selected image data specifying the selected image, to retrieve the purge image data, to logically combine the selected image data and the purge image data forming print image data that specifies the deposition of ink dots at every predetermined pixel location based on the purge image data or the selected image data and to output the print image data to the ink jet printhead; thereby causing the selected ink image to be formed on the print medium and the plurality of ink jets to be maintained according to the method of claim 1.
26. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the ink jet printhead is stationary during the printing of the print image data.
27. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the print medium is a textile.
28. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality of ink jets includes at least one jet aligned with each image scanline.
29. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the image scanlines are located in only a portion of the print medium area along a direction perpendicular to the process direction and the selected ink image is printed on only a portion of the print medium area perpendicular to the process direction.
30. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25, further comprising apparatus adapted to position the ink jet printhead at different locations along a direction perpendicular to the process direction.
31. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the print medium is in the form of a cut sheet and the apparatus adapted to relatively move print medium and the ink jet printhead comprises a circulating surface moving in the process direction on which is mounted the cut sheet and the predetermined image length is substantially equal to the length of the cut sheet in the process direction.
32. The ink jet printing apparatus of claim 25 wherein the controller is further adapted to retrieve and decompress purge image data stored in compressed form.
33. A method for maintaining a plurality of ink jets used in a printing apparatus that forms a selected ink image on a print medium by relatively moving the plurality of ink jets and the print medium in a process direction while ink drops are ejected by the plurality of ink jets, the printing apparatus forming a selected ink image in response to selected image data specifying the deposition of ink dots at selected predetermined pixel locations on a plurality of image scanlines aligned with and extending in the process direction a predetermined image length on the print medium, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing purge image data that specifies the deposition of at least one ink dot on at least one predetermined pixel location on each of the plurality of image scanlines within the predetermined image length;
(b) storing the purge image data in a purge image memory accessible by the printing apparatus;
(c) receiving selected image data specifying a selected ink image;
(d) logically combining the purge image data and the selected image data to create print image data that specifies the deposition of ink dots at every predetermined pixel location based on the purge image data or the selected image data;
(e) printing the print image data on the print medium and wherein the purge image data specifies a printed purge image that exhibits substantially blue noise spatial frequency characteristics.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the print medium has an average base optical density and the purge image data specifies a printed purge image that has an average purge image optical density less than about 0.01 OD above the print medium average base optical density.
35. A method for maintaining a plurality of ink jets supplied with a plurality of inks of different types, used in a printing apparatus that forms a selected ink image on a print medium by relatively moving the plurality of ink jets and the print medium in a process direction while ink drops of the different types are ejected by the plurality of ink jets, the printing apparatus forming a selected ink image in response to selected image data specifying the deposition of ink dots of the different types at selected predetermined pixel locations on a plurality of image scanlines aligned with and extending in the process direction a predetermined image length on the print medium, the image scanlines further associated with one or more of the plurality of ink types, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) constructing purge image data that specifies for each scanline, the deposition of at least one ink dot of each ink type associated with that scanline on at least one predetermined pixel location within the predetermined image length;
(b) storing the purge image data in a purge image memory accessible by the printing apparatus;
(c) receiving selected image data specifying a selected ink image;
(d) logically combining the purge image data and the selected image data to create print image data that specifies the deposition of ink dots at every predetermined pixel location based on the purge image data or the selected image data;
(e) printing the print image data on the print medium and wherein the purge image data specifies a printed purge image that exhibits substantially blue noise spatial frequency characteristics.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the print medium has an average base optical density and the purge image data specifies a printed purge image that has an average purge image optical density less than about 0.01 OD above the print medium average base optical density.