What is climed is:
1. A printing apparatus using a print head for ejecting a print liquid onto a print medium to form an image on the print medium, the printing apparatus comprising:
a drive control means to drive one or more of a plurality of drive sources in a first drive mode or a second drive mode selectively, wherein the plurality of drive sources are adapted to cause a plurality of driven portions in the printing apparatus to perform predetermined operations and the second drive mode makes a driving of the drive sources quieter than in the first mode; and
a mode switching means to switch between the first drive mode and the second drive mode.
2. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of driven portions include, for the purpose of performing the printing, a supplying means for introducing the print medium into the printing apparatus and a scanning means for scanning the print head relative to the print medium, and the supplying means and the scanning means are each provided with one of the drive sources.
3. A printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the scanning means has, for the purpose of performing the printing, a means for main-scanning the print head relative to the print medium and a means for sub-scanning the print medium after each main scan, and the main-scanning means and the sub-scanning means are each provided with one of the drive sources.
4. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of the driven portions further include a performance maintaining means for maintaining a performance of the print head in applying the print liquid and the performance maintaining means is provided with one of the drive sources.
5. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when performing the driving in the first drive mode, the drive control means uses a plurality of drive control data associated with a series of drive controls.
6. A printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when performing the driving in the second drive mode, the drive control means selects drive control data that achieves a quiet driving from the plurality of drive control data used in the first drive mode and sets the selected drive control data.
7. A printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drive control means performs the selection and setting so that drive speeds of the drive sources at each stage of a series of drive controls in the second drive mode are equal to or less than drive speeds of the drive sources at each stage of a series of drive controls in the first drive mode.
8. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of preset print modes are provided according to a plurality of ways in which the printing using the print head is performed, and the plurality of print modes are each provided with the first drive mode.
9. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving of the drive sources in the second drive mode is not varied among the plurality of different print modes.
10. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print head is an ink jet print head that ejects ink as the print liquid.
11. A printing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the ink jet print head has heating elements that generate a thermal energy to eject ink by causing a film boiling in the ink.
12. A method of controlling a printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus uses a print head for ejecting a print liquid onto a print medium to form an image on the print medium, the method comprising:
a drive control step of driving one or more of a plurality of drive sources in a first drive mode or a second drive mode, wherein the plurality of drive sources are adapted to cause a plurality of driven portions in the printing apparatus to perform predetermined operations and the second drive mode makes a driving of the drive sources quieter than in the first mode; and
a mode switching step of switching between the first drive mode and the second drive mode.
13. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of driven portions include, for the purpose of performing the printing, a supplying means for introducing the print medium into the printing apparatus and a scanning means for scanning the print head relative to the print medium, and the supplying means and the scanning means are each provided with one of the drive sources.
14. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the scanning means has, for the purpose of performing the printing, a means for main-scanning the print head relative to the print medium and a means for sub-scanning the print medium after each main scan, and the main-scanning means and the sub-scanning means are each provided with one of the drive sources.
15. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of the driven portions further include a performance maintaining means for maintaining a performance of the print head in applying the print liquid and the performance maintaining means is provided with one of the drive sources.
16. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when performing the driving in the first drive mode, the drive control step uses a plurality of drive control data associated with a series of drive controls.
17. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when performing the driving in the second drive mode, the drive control step selects drive control data that achieves a quiet driving from the plurality of drive control data used in the first drive mode and sets the selected drive control data.
18. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the drive control step performs the selection and setting so that drive speeds of the drive sources at each stage of a series of drive controls in the second drive mode are equal to or less than drive speeds of the drive sources at each stage of a series of drive controls in the first drive mode.
19. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of preset print modes are provided according to a plurality of ways in which the printing using the print head is performed, and the plurality of print modes are each provided with the first drive mode.
20. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the driving of the drive sources in the second drive mode is not varied among the plurality of different print modes.
21. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the print head is an ink jet print head that ejects ink as the print liquid.
22. A method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the ink jet print head has heating elements that generate a thermal energy to eject ink by causing a film boiling in the ink.
23. A printing system comprising:
a printing apparatus using a print head for ejecting a print liquid onto a print medium to form an image on the print medium; and
an image supply device for supplying image data to the printing apparatus so that the printing apparatus can perform printing according to the image data supplied;
wherein the printing apparatus includes:
a drive control means to drive one or more of a plurality of drive sources in a first drive mode or a second drive mode, wherein the plurality of drive sources are adapted to cause a plurality of driven portions in the printing apparatus to perform predetermined operations and the second drive mode makes a driving of the drive sources quieter than in the first mode; and
a mode switching means to switch between the first drive mode and the second drive mode.
24. A control program for instructing a computer to execute the printing apparatus control method claimed in claim 12.
25. A storage medium for storing a control program, the control program instructing a computer to execute the printing apparatus control method claimed in claim 12.
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 diffuser assembly for a welding torch; said diffuser assembly comprising:
a diffuser body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite said first end, said diffuser body having a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end;
an interior chamber positioned between said first end and said second end, where said interior chamber is open at said first end to permit a flow of a gas into said interior chamber from said first end and where said interior chamber is defined by a wall portion of said diffuser body;
a plurality of openings in said wall portion of said interior chamber where said plurality of openings pass through said wall portion to permit said flow of said gas to exit said interior chamber through said plurality of openings; and
a diffuser insert positioned within said interior chamber, where said diffuser insert seats within said interior chamber and where said diffuser insert is exposed to an outside of said diffuser body through said plurality of openings;
wherein said diffuser insert has an insert bore which passes through said diffuser insert and is co-axial with said longitudinal axis of said diffuser body; and
wherein said diffuser insert has at least one flow feature on a sidewall of said diffuser insert which manipulates said flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas from said interior chamber to said plurality of said openings.
2. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser insert is removable from said diffuser body.
3. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said insert bore has a chamfered opening on an upstream end of said insert bore.
4. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of said openings are evenly distributed radially on said wall portion.
5. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser insert has a plurality of said features on said sidewall manipulate said flow of said gas.
6. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one feature is positioned along a longitudinal length of said diffuser insert to coincide with a longitudinal position of said openings.
7. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one feature is a protrusion from said sidewall.
8. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser insert has a contact tip contact surface on a downstream end of said diffuser insert, where said diffuser insert is positioned within said diffuser body such that said contact tip contact surface contacts with a contact tip when assembled into a welding torch.
9. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser insert comprises an axially extending feature which contacts an inner surface of said interior chamber, where said axially extending feature further affects a flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas to said plurality of said openings.
10. The diffuser assembly of claim 5, wherein said plurality of features are arranged symmetrically around a periphery of said sidewall of said diffuser insert.
11. The diffuser assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser insert is exposed along an entire length of said openings, in a longitudinal direction of said diffuser body.
12. A diffuser assembly for a welding torch; said diffuser assembly comprising:
a diffuser body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite said first end, said diffuser body having a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end;
an interior chamber positioned between said first end and said second end, where said interior chamber is open at said first end to permit a flow of a gas into said interior chamber from said first end, where said interior chamber is open at said second end to permit insert of a contact tip, and where said diffuser body has a wall portion between said first and second ends;
a plurality of openings in said wall portion which are symmetrically distributed, where said plurality of openings pass through said wall portion to permit said flow of said gas to exit said diffuser body through said plurality of openings; and
a diffuser insert positioned within said interior chamber, where said diffuser insert seats within said interior chamber and where said diffuser insert is exposed to an outside of said diffuser body through said plurality of openings, where said diffuser insert is exposed along an entire length of said openings, in a longitudinal direction of said diffuser body;
wherein said diffuser insert has an insert bore which passes through said diffuser insert and is co-axial with said longitudinal axis of said diffuser body;
wherein said diffuser insert has a plurality of flow features on a sidewall of said diffuser insert which manipulate said flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas from said interior chamber to said plurality of said openings, and
wherein said diffuser insert is removable and secured in a press-fit relationship with said diffuser body.
13. The diffuser assembly of claim 12, wherein said insert bore has a chamfered opening on an upstream end of said insert bore.
14. The diffuser assembly of claim 12, wherein said plurality of features are positioned along a longitudinal length of said diffuser insert to coincide with a longitudinal position of said openings.
15. The diffuser assembly of claim 12, wherein said plurality of features are protrusions from said sidewall.
16. The diffuser assembly of claim 12, wherein said diffuser insert has a contact tip contact surface on a downstream end of said diffuser insert, where said diffuser insert is positioned within said diffuser body such that said contact tip contact surface contacts with a contact tip when assembled into a welding torch.
17. The diffuser assembly of claim 12, wherein said diffuser insert comprises an axially extending feature which contacts an inner surface of said interior chamber, where said axially extending feature further affects a flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas to said plurality of said openings.
18. A diffuser assembly for a welding torch; said diffuser assembly comprising:
a diffuser body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite said first end, said diffuser body having a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end;
an interior chamber positioned between said first end and said second end, where said interior chamber is open at said first end to permit a flow of a gas into said interior chamber from said first end, where said interior chamber is open at said second end to permit insert of a contact tip, and where said diffuser body has a wall portion between said first and second ends;
a plurality of openings in said wall portion which are symmetrically distributed, where said plurality of openings pass through said wall portion to permit said flow of said gas to exit said diffuser body through said plurality of openings; and
a diffuser insert positioned within said interior chamber, where said diffuser insert seats within said interior chamber and where said diffuser insert is exposed to an outside of said diffuser body through said plurality of openings, where said diffuser insert is exposed along an entire length of said openings, in a longitudinal direction of said diffuser body;
wherein said diffuser insert has an insert bore which passes through said diffuser insert and is co-axial with said longitudinal axis of said diffuser body;
wherein an outer surface of said diffuser insert has an axially extending feature to provide said flow of said gas to said plurality of said openings, and wherein said diffuser insert is removable and secured in a press-fit relationship with said diffuser body.
19. The diffuser assembly of claim 18, wherein said diffuser insert further comprises a plurality of flow features on said outer surface said diffuser insert which directs said flow of said gas in said interior chamber to said axially extending feature.