Printing apparatus and method of printing for intermittantly transporting a medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12350945-B2
Application number	US-202318188787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2023
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes a transport unit that intermittently transports a medium, a support portion that supports the medium, a head that performs printing by discharging a liquid onto the medium supported by the support portion during a period in which the transport of the medium by the transport unit is stopped, a carriage at which the head is mounted and that moves relative to the medium, and a control unit. The control unit starts the movement of the carriage before the transport of the medium by the transport unit is completed, and starts the discharge of the liquid by the head after the transport of the medium by the transport unit is completed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus comprising:
a transport unit configured to intermittently transport a medium;
a support portion configured to support the medium;
a head configured to perform printing by discharging a liquid onto the medium supported by the support portion, during a period in which the transport of the medium by the transport unit is stopped;
a carriage at which the head is mounted and that is configured to move in a transport direction of the medium; and
a control unit
configured to
start the movement of the carriage before the transport of the medium by the transport unit is completed and
start the discharge of the liquid by the head after the transport of the medium by the transport unit is completed,

wherein the control unit moves the carriage such that an image printed on the medium and the head do not overlap with each other above the support portion, when the support portion is viewed from a position facing the support portion.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit:
performs unidirectional printing on the medium by controlling the head and the carriage and
causes the head to discharge the liquid when the carriage moves on an outward path.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit:
performs unidirectional printing on the medium by controlling the head and the carriage and
causes the head to discharge the liquid when the carriage moves on a return path.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the head and the carriage are positioned above the support portion and
the transport unit:
transports the medium on the support portion in the transport direction and
transports a portion, of the medium, that passed over the support portion toward below the support portion.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the head:
is a line head configured to simultaneously discharge the liquid across an entire width of the medium and
performs the printing on a printing region in a single pass, the printing region being a region, of the medium, supported by the support portion.

6. A method of printing comprising:
starting movement of a carriage that is moving in a transport direction of a medium before transport of the medium by a transport unit is completed;
starting discharge of a liquid by a head mounted at the carriage after the transport of the medium by the transport unit is completed; and
moving the carriage such that an image printed on the medium and the head do not overlap with each other above a support portion, when the support portion is viewed from a position facing the support portion.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Imamura Atsushi

Classifications

• B41J19/142

  with a reciprocating print head printing in both directions across the paper width · CPC title

• B41J11/0085

  Using suction for maintaining printing material flat (on rotatable drums B41J13/226) · CPC title

• B41J15/08

  characterised by being applied to printers having transversely- moving carriages · CPC title

• B41J15/04

  Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles · CPC title

• B41J25/001 Primary

  Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface · CPC title