Printing system with oscillating pagewide printhead

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9493019-B2
Application number	US-201113157616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2011
Priority date	Jun 10, 2011
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

An image printing device and method of printing may include an image medium advancing device to advance an image medium in a first direction, an oscillating printhead to oscillate or move along a second direction defined by an angle not normal to the first direction, and a plurality of ink nozzles associated with the printhead to apply ink to the image medium.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image printing device, comprising:
an image medium advancing device to advance an image medium in a first direction under a pagewide printhead; and
printhead oscillating device to oscillate the pagewide printhead;
wherein the pagewide printhead has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first direction across the image medium; and
the printhead oscillating device, to maintain the longitudinal axis of the printhead perpendicular to the first direction across the image medium while oscillating the printhead linearly, back-and-forth in a straight line, along a second direction, the second direction at an angle not normal to the first direction; and
a plurality of ink nozzles associated with the pagewide printhead to apply ink to the image medium.

2. The image printing device of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of dies, each die associated with the pagewide printhead and each die comprising a plurality of the ink nozzles.

3. An image printing device, comprising:
an image medium advancing device to advance an image medium in a first direction under a pagewide printhead;
wherein the pagewide printhead is configured to oscillate, back-and-forth, linearly in a straight line along a second direction, the second direction at an angle not normal to the first direction, the pagewide printhead having a longitudinal axis that remains perpendicular to the first direction during oscillation; and
a plurality of ink nozzles associated with the pagewide printhead to apply ink to the image medium.

4. An image printing device as in claim 3 , in which the direction of oscillation can be changed between printing pages.

5. An image printing device as in claim 4 , in which the direction of oscillation changes within a printing page.

6. An image printing device as in claim 4 , in which the oscillation speed varies depending upon a speed of an image medium.

7. An image printing device as in claim 4 , in Which adjacent ink nozzles print to points that are linear in the first direction.

8. An image printing device as in claim 3 , in which the oscillation of the printhead is linear oscillation.

9. An image printing device as in claim 4 , in which the direction of oscillation can be changed between printing pages.

10. An image printing device as in claim 5 , in which the direction of oscillation changes within a printing page.

11. An image printing device as in claim 4 , in which the oscillation speed varies depending upon a speed of an image medium.

12. An image printing device as in claim 4 , in which adjacent ink nozzles print to points that are linear in the first direction.

13. An image printing device as in claim 1 , in which the direction of oscillation is changed between printing pages.

14. An image printing device as in claim 13 , in which the direction of oscillation is changed within a printing page.

15. An image printing device as in claim 1 , in which the oscillation speed varies depending upon a speed of an image medium.

16. An image printing device as in claim 1 , in which adjacent ink nozzles print to points that are linear in the first direction.

17. An image printing device as in claim 1 , in which the linear oscillation of the printhead changes in at least one of: speed, second direction, and frequency.

18. An image printing device as in claim 1 , in which the second direction is at an oblique angle with respect to an axis of the printhead.

19. An image printing device as in claim 1 , in which the second direction is adjusted based on a speed at which the image medium is advanced with respect to the printhead.

20. An image printing device, comprising:
an image medium advancing device to advance an image medium in a first direction under a pagewide printhead; and
printhead oscillating device to oscillate the pagewide printhead;
wherein the pagewide printhead has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first direction across the image medium; and
the printhead oscillating device to maintain the longitudinal axis of the printhead perpendicular to the first direction across the image medium while oscillating the printhead linearly, back-and-forth in a straight line, along a second direction, the second direction at an angle not normal to the first direction; and
wherein the second direction is adjusted based on a speed at which the image medium is advanced with respect to the image printing device.

21. An image printing device as in claim 1 , wherein the second direction varies between successive sheets of image media, the second direction is not parallel to a longest axis of the printhead, an oscillation speed varies depending on a speed of the image medium, a pair of adjacent ink nozzles each produce markings on the image medium that are in line in a direction of travel of the image medium, and the printhead oscillates parallel to a surface of the print medium.

Assignees

• Kersey Kevin T
• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Kersey Kevin T

Classifications

• B41J25/001 Primary

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

• B41J2/01

  Ink jet · CPC title

• B41J25/006 Primary

  for oscillating, e.g. page-width print heads provided with counter-balancing means or shock absorbers · CPC title