JP2005081779A - Liquid ejection apparatus, liquid ejection adjustment method, program, and liquid ejection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately adjust the position where a liquid reaches the medium even when the liquid discharge speeds are different, thereby increasing the accuracy of the liquid reaching position.
A head provided to be relatively movable with respect to a medium includes a plurality of liquid ejection units, and an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position where the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection unit reaches the medium is formed The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid discharged from one liquid discharge portion of the liquid discharge portions when the head moves in one direction; When the head moves in the other direction, the one liquid ejection unit has a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejection unit having a different liquid ejection speed.
[Selection] FIG.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus that ejects liquid toward a medium, a liquid ejection adjustment method, a program, and a liquid ejection system.

  As a liquid ejecting apparatus, an ink jet printer that performs printing by ejecting ink onto various media such as a paper material, a cloth material, and a film material is known. This ink jet printer includes a head having nozzles for ejecting ink, and performs printing by ejecting ink onto the medium while moving the head relative to the medium. As the ink, for example, a nozzle that ejects ink of a plurality of colors such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) is provided, and color printing is performed by ejecting each color ink. It can be done.

  Some ink jet printers perform so-called “bidirectional printing” in which printing is performed in both the forward path and the backward path of the head in order to improve the printing speed. However, in this “bidirectional printing”, the misalignment that occurs from when ink is ejected until it reaches the medium occurs in the opposite direction between the forward path and the return path. There was a problem that the arrival position was greatly shifted.

Therefore, conventionally, the ink ejection timing in the forward path and the return path is adjusted so that the ink arrival positions in the forward path and the return path substantially coincide with each other (Patent Documents 1, 2, 3, and 4). 4). This adjustment is also called “Bi-d adjustment”. As the adjustment method, ink is ejected in both the forward path and the backward path to form predetermined patterns, and the formation positions of these predetermined patterns are compared with each other to adjust the timing of ejecting ink. It has become. By performing such adjustment, the quality of the printed image can be improved even in “bidirectional printing”.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-334055 JP 2000-318144 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-10088 JP 2001-18375 A

  However, such a conventional adjustment method has the following problems. That is, the predetermined pattern formed in the forward path and the backward path is formed by using the same nozzle. Therefore, if there are other nozzles having different ink ejection speeds depending on the ink property difference and the nozzle characteristics, For ink ejected from other nozzles, there has been a problem in that the ink arrival positions in the forward path and the backward path are not adjusted well. In particular, when the highlight portion of the printed image, that is, the image to be printed has gradation, the position of the dot formed by the ink in the lightly-contained portion such as human skin or the sky of the landscape included in the image. Therefore, the deviation of the ink arrival position may cause a significant deterioration in the image quality of the printed image.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to appropriately adjust the liquid medium arrival position in the forward path and the backward path when the liquid discharge speeds are different.

A main invention for achieving the object includes a head that is provided so as to be movable relative to a medium, and a liquid that is provided in the head and that discharges liquid toward the medium when the head moves. A discharge portion, and a position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge portion reaches the medium when the head moves in one direction, and the liquid discharge when the head moves in the other direction. In a printing apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position at which the liquid ejected from a part reaches the medium,
The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions when the head moves in the one direction, and the head The second liquid pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejecting unit having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting unit when moved in another direction. This is a liquid ejection device.

  Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately adjust the landing position on the medium even when the liquid ejection units having different liquid ejection speeds are provided.

=== Summary of disclosure ===
At least the following matters will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

A head provided movably relative to the medium, and a liquid ejection unit provided on the head and configured to eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. A position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moving in the direction, and the medium of the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in another direction. In a printing apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting the arrival position of
The adjustment pattern has at least two patterns respectively formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection sections having different liquid ejection speeds, and the head moves in the one direction in these patterns. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: a pattern formed when the head is moved; and a pattern formed when the head is moved in the other direction.

  In such an apparatus, even when liquid ejecting sections having different ejection speeds are provided, it is possible to appropriately adjust the position where the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting section reaches the medium.

  In such a liquid ejecting apparatus, one of the first pattern and the second pattern is ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the fastest liquid ejecting speed among the plurality of liquid ejecting sections. The other pattern may be formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the slowest liquid ejecting speed among the plurality of liquid ejecting sections. By forming both the first pattern and the second pattern in this way, the liquid arrival position can be adjusted more accurately.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus, any one of the first pattern and the second pattern may be the remaining liquid ejected by removing a predetermined liquid ejecting unit from the plurality of liquid ejecting units. The liquid is ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the fastest liquid ejecting speed, and the other pattern is ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the slowest liquid ejecting speed among the remaining liquid ejecting sections. It may be formed by a liquid.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus, any one of the first pattern and the second pattern may be the remaining liquid ejected by removing a predetermined liquid ejecting unit from the plurality of liquid ejecting units. The liquid is ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the fastest liquid ejecting speed, and the other pattern is ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the slowest liquid ejecting speed among the remaining liquid ejecting sections. It may be formed by a liquid. Adjustment is necessary by selecting the fastest and the slowest liquid ejection sections from the remaining liquid ejection sections excluding the predetermined liquid ejection section from the plurality of liquid ejection sections in this way. The liquid ejecting section without a gap can be excluded, and thereby, more accurate adjustment can be performed based on a small number of liquid ejecting sections.

  In such a liquid ejection device, a comparison pattern for comparing the liquid ejection speeds of the liquid ejection sections may be formed. If such a comparative pattern is formed, the liquid ejection speed of the liquid ejection section can be compared.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus, the comparison pattern may be formed by a pattern formed individually by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting unit. By forming such a pattern, it is possible to easily compare the liquid ejection speed of the liquid ejection section.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus, the liquid ejecting unit may include an ink ejecting unit that ejects ink as the liquid to print on the medium. Moreover, you may provide the 2 or more ink discharge part which discharges the ink of a respectively different color as said ink. Adjustment can be achieved in an ink jet printer or the like provided with an ink discharge section for discharging such ink.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus, the remaining liquid ejecting section includes an ink ejecting section that ejects ink that forms a highlight portion of an image formed on the medium by the ink ejecting section. Also good. By including the liquid ejecting section that ejects ink that forms such a highlight section in the remaining liquid ejecting sections, more accurate adjustment can be performed and the image quality of the formed image can be improved. Can do.

  In this liquid ejection apparatus, a plurality of the heads having a plurality of the liquid ejection units may be provided, and the adjustment pattern may be formed for each head. Even if a plurality of heads are provided in this way, adjustment can be easily achieved by forming an adjustment pattern for each head.

  In this liquid ejection apparatus, an adjustment pattern for adjusting the position of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection section of each head to the medium may be formed. By forming such an adjustment pattern, it is possible to correct the deviation of the liquid arrival position between the heads.

A head provided so as to be movable relative to a medium; and a plurality of liquid ejection units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. The position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in one direction, and the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. In the liquid ejection apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting the position to reach the medium,
The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions when the head moves in the one direction, and the head The second liquid pattern formed by the liquid ejected from the other liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting section when moved in another direction;
Either one of the first pattern and the second pattern is formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection section having the fastest liquid ejection speed among the plurality of liquid ejection sections, and the other pattern Is formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the slowest liquid ejection speed among the plurality of liquid ejecting sections,
Forming a comparison pattern for comparing the liquid ejection speed of the liquid ejection section,
The comparative pattern has a pattern formed individually by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection part,
The liquid ejection unit includes two or more ink ejection units that eject ink of different colors as the liquid to print on the medium,
The first pattern and the second pattern are formed of different colors of the ink;
The remaining liquid discharge portion includes an ink discharge portion that discharges ink that forms a highlight portion of an image formed on the medium by the ink discharge portion,
A plurality of the heads having a plurality of the ink discharge portions, the adjustment pattern is formed for each head,
A liquid ejection apparatus, comprising: an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position where the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection unit of each head reaches the medium.

When a head equipped with a liquid ejection unit that ejects liquid moves in one direction with respect to the medium, the position at which the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection unit reaches the medium, and the head with respect to the medium In the liquid discharge adjustment method for adjusting the position at which the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in another direction,
When the head moves in the one direction, the first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one of the liquid ejecting units and the head moves in the other direction And forming an adjustment pattern having a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from the other liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting section. And adjusting the arrival position by using the liquid discharge adjustment method.

When a head including a liquid discharge unit that discharges liquid moves in one direction with respect to the medium, the position at which the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium, and the head moves in the other direction. A method for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position at which the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection unit reaches the medium when moved,
As the adjustment pattern, when the head moves in the one direction, the first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions, and the head When moving in another direction, the one liquid ejecting unit forms a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejecting unit having a different liquid ejection speed. Forming a liquid discharge adjustment pattern.

A head provided so as to be movable relative to a medium; and a plurality of liquid ejection units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. The position at which the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in one direction, and the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. A program that is executed in a liquid ejection device that forms an adjustment pattern for adjusting the position to reach a medium,
As the adjustment pattern, when the head moves in the one direction, the first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions, and the head When moving in another direction, a step of forming a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from the other liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting section is executed. A program characterized by that.

In a liquid ejection system comprising a computer main body and a liquid ejection device connectable to the computer main body,
The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head provided to be movable relative to a medium, and a plurality of liquid ejecting units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. A position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when the head moves in one direction, and discharge from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. A liquid ejection apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position at which the liquid reaches the medium,
The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions when the head moves in the one direction, and the head When moving in another direction, the one liquid ejecting section includes a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed. Liquid discharge system.

=== Overview of Liquid Discharge Device ===
The outline of an embodiment of the liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention will be described below by taking an inkjet printer as an example. 1 to 4 show an example of an ink jet printer. 1-4 is a figure for demonstrating the outline | summary of one Embodiment of the inkjet printer 1. FIG. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an embodiment of the inkjet printer 1. FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the inkjet printer 1. FIG. 3 shows the transport section of the inkjet printer 1. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the inkjet printer 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the inkjet printer 1 has a structure for discharging a medium such as printing paper supplied from the back side from the front side, and an operation panel 2 and a paper discharge unit 3 are provided on the front side. The paper feeding unit 4 is provided on the back side. Various operation buttons 5 and display lamps 6 are provided on the operation panel 2. Further, the paper discharge unit 3 is provided with a paper discharge tray 7 that closes the paper discharge port when not in use. The paper feed unit 4 is provided with a paper feed tray 8 that holds cut paper (not shown). Note that the inkjet printer 1 may include a paper feed structure that can print not only on single-sheet-like printing paper such as cut paper but also on continuous media such as roll paper.

  Inside the ink jet printer 1, a carriage 41 is provided as shown in FIG. The carriage 41 is provided so as to be relatively movable along a predetermined direction (in this embodiment, the scanning direction in the drawing, which corresponds to “one direction” and “other direction” in the present invention). is there. Around the carriage 41, a carriage motor (hereinafter also referred to as a CR motor) 42, a pulley 44, a timing belt 45, and a guide rail 46 are provided. The carriage motor 42 is constituted by a DC motor or the like, and functions as a drive source for relatively moving the carriage 41 along the predetermined direction. The timing belt 45 is connected to the carriage motor 42 via the pulley 44, and a part of the timing belt 45 is connected to the carriage 41. The carriage 41 is relatively driven along the predetermined direction by the rotation of the carriage motor 42. Move to. The guide rail 46 guides the carriage 41 along the predetermined direction. In addition, around the carriage 41, a linear encoder 51 that detects the position of the carriage 41, a conveyance roller 17 </ b> A for conveying the medium S along a direction that intersects the moving direction of the carriage 41, and this conveyance A paper feed motor 15 that rotationally drives the roller 17A is provided.

  On the other hand, the carriage 41 is provided with an ink cartridge 48 that stores various inks, and a head 21 that performs printing on the medium S. The ink cartridge 48 contains, for example, each color ink such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K), and is detachable from a cartridge mounting portion provided on the carriage 41. It is installed. On the other hand, the head 21 performs printing by ejecting ink onto the medium S in this embodiment. For this purpose, the head 21 is provided with a number of nozzles for ejecting ink. The ink ejection mechanism of the head 21 will be described in detail later.

  In addition, a cleaning unit 30 for eliminating clogging of the nozzles of the head 21 is provided inside the ink jet printer 1. The cleaning unit 30 includes a pump device 31 and a capping device 35. The pump device 31 is a device that sucks out ink from the nozzles in order to eliminate clogging of the nozzles of the head 21, and is operated by a pump motor (not shown). On the other hand, the capping device 35 seals the nozzles of the head 21 when printing is not performed (for example, during standby) in order to prevent clogging of the nozzles of the head 21.

  Next, the configuration of the transport section (corresponding to the transport means of the present invention) of the inkjet printer 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the transport unit includes a paper insertion port 11A and a roll paper insertion port 11B, a paper feed motor (not shown), a paper feed roller 13, a platen 14, and a paper transport motor (hereinafter referred to as PF). (Also referred to as a motor) 15, a transport roller 17A, a paper discharge roller 17B, a free roller 18A, and a free roller 18B.

  The paper insertion slot 11A is where the paper S, which is a medium, is inserted. The paper feed motor (not shown) is a motor that transports the paper S inserted into the paper insertion slot 11A into the printer 1, and includes a pulse motor or the like. The paper feed roller 13 is a roller that automatically conveys the medium S inserted into the paper insertion slot 11A into the printer 1 in the direction of arrow A in the figure (the direction of arrow B in the case of roll paper). Driven by. The paper feed roller 13 has a substantially D-shaped cross section. Since the circumferential length of the circumferential portion of the feed roller 13 is set to be longer than the transport distance to the PF motor 15, the medium S can be transported to the PF motor 15 using this circumferential portion. The rotational driving force of the paper feed roller 13 and the frictional resistance of the separation pad (not shown) prevent a plurality of media S from being fed at a time.

  The platen 14 is a support unit that supports the paper S during printing. The PF motor 15 is a motor that feeds, for example, paper as the medium S in the paper conveyance direction, and is configured by a DC motor. The transport roller 17 </ b> A is a roller that feeds the paper S transported into the printer 1 by the paper feed roller 13 to a printable area, and is driven by the PF motor 15. The free roller 18A is provided at a position facing the transport roller 17A, and presses the paper S toward the transport roller 17A by sandwiching the paper S with the transport roller 17A.

  The paper discharge roller 17 </ b> B is a roller for discharging the printed paper S to the outside of the printer 1. The paper discharge roller 17B is driven by the PF motor 15 by a gear (not shown). The free roller 18B is provided at a position facing the paper discharge roller 17B, and presses the paper S toward the paper discharge roller 17B by sandwiching the paper S between the paper discharge roller 17B.

  Next, the system configuration of the inkjet printer 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the inkjet printer 1 includes a buffer memory 122, an image buffer 124, a system controller 126, a main memory 127, and an EEPROM 129. The buffer memory 122 receives and temporarily stores various data such as print data transmitted from the host computer 140. The image buffer 124 acquires the received print data from the buffer memory 122 and stores it. The main memory 127 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, and the like.

  On the other hand, the system controller 126 reads the control program from the main memory 127 and controls the entire printer 1 according to the control program. The system controller 126 of this embodiment includes a carriage motor control unit 128, a conveyance control unit 130, a head drive unit 132, a rotary encoder 134, and a linear encoder 51. The carriage motor control unit 128 drives and controls the rotation direction, rotation speed, torque, and the like of the carriage motor 42. Further, the head drive unit 132 performs drive control of the head 21. The conveyance control unit 130 controls various drive motors arranged in the conveyance system such as the paper conveyance motor 15 that rotationally drives the conveyance roller 17A.

  The print data sent from the host computer 140 is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 122. Necessary information is read from the print data stored here by the system controller 126. Based on the read information, the system controller 126 refers to the output from the linear encoder 51 and the rotary encoder 134 and controls the carriage motor control unit 128, the conveyance control unit 130, and the head drive unit 132 according to the control program. Control each one.

  The image buffer 124 stores print data of a plurality of color components received by the buffer memory 122. The head drive unit 132 acquires print data of each color component from the image buffer 124 according to a control signal from the system controller 126, and drives and controls the nozzles of each color provided in the head 21 based on this print data.

=== Linear encoder ===
Next, the linear encoder 51 will be described in detail. FIG. 5 schematically shows the configuration of the linear encoder 51 provided on the carriage 41.
The linear encoder 51 includes a light emitting diode 511, a collimator lens 512, and a detection processing unit 513. The detection processing unit 513 includes a plurality of (for example, four) photodiodes 514, a signal processing circuit 515, and, for example, two comparators 516A and 516B.

  When the voltage VCC is applied to both ends of the light emitting diode 511 via a resistor, light is emitted from the light emitting diode 511. This light is condensed into parallel light by the collimator lens 512 and passes through the linear encoder code plate 517. The linear encoder code plate 517 is provided with slits at predetermined intervals (for example, 1/180 inch (1 inch = 2.54 cm)).

  The parallel light that has passed through the linear encoder code plate 517 enters each photodiode 514 through a fixed slit (not shown) and is converted into an electrical signal. The electric signals output from the four photodiodes 514 are processed in the signal processing circuit 515, the signals output from the signal processing circuit 515 are compared in the comparators 516A and 516B, and the comparison result is output as a pulse. The pulses ENC-A and ENC-B output from the comparators 516A and 516B are the output of the linear encoder 51.

  6A and 6B are timing charts showing waveforms of two output signals of the linear encoder 51 when the carriage motor 42 is rotating forward and when it is rotating backward. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the phase of the pulse ENC-A and the pulse ENC-B differ by 90 degrees both when the carriage motor 42 is rotating forward and when it is rotating backward. When the carriage motor 42 is rotating forward, that is, when the carriage 41 is moving along the guide shaft 70, the pulse ENC-A is 90 degrees more than the pulse ENC-B, as shown in FIG. 6A. When the phase advances and the carriage motor 42 reverses, the phase of the pulse ENC-A is delayed by 90 degrees from the pulse ENC-B, as shown in FIG. 6B. One cycle T of the pulse ENC-A and the pulse ENC-B is equal to the time during which the carriage 41 moves through the slit interval of the linear encoder code plate 517.

  Then, the rising edge and rising edge of each of the output pulses ENC-A and ENC-B of the linear encoder 51 are detected, the number of detected edges is counted, and the rotational position of the carriage motor 42 is based on the counted value. Is calculated. This count is incremented by "+1" when one edge is detected when the carriage motor 42 is rotating forward, and is "-1" when one edge is detected when rotating reversely. Is added. The period of each of the pulses ENC-A and ENC-B is the time from when one slit passes through the linear encoder 51 until the next slit passes through the linear encoder 517 of the linear encoder code plate 517. The pulse ENC-A and the pulse ENC-B are different in phase by 90 degrees. For this reason, the count value “1” corresponds to ¼ of the slit interval of the linear encoder code plate 517. Thus, if the count value is multiplied by ¼ of the slit interval, the amount of movement of the carriage motor 42 from the rotational position corresponding to the count value “0” can be obtained based on the multiplication value. At this time, the resolution of the linear encoder 51 is ¼ of the slit interval of the linear encoder code plate 517.

=== Head ===
FIG. 7 is a view showing an arrangement of ink nozzles provided on the lower surface of the head 21. On the lower surface of the head 21, as shown in the figure, nozzles comprising a plurality of nozzles # 1 to # 180 for each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). A column 211 is provided. The yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) nozzle arrays 211 correspond to the liquid ejection unit and the ink ejection unit of the present invention.

  The nozzles # 1 to # 180 of each nozzle row 211 are arranged linearly along the paper S conveyance direction. Each nozzle row 211 is arranged in parallel with a space between each other along the moving direction (scanning direction) of the head 21. Each nozzle # 1 to # 180 is provided with a piezo element (not shown) as a drive element for ejecting ink droplets.

  When a voltage having a predetermined time width is applied between the electrodes provided at both ends of the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element expands according to the voltage application time and deforms the side wall of the ink flow path. As a result, the volume of the ink flow path contracts according to the expansion and contraction of the piezo element, and the ink corresponding to the contraction is ejected from the nozzles # 1 to # 180 of each color as ink droplets.

  FIG. 8 shows the drive circuit 220 for each of the nozzles # 1 to # 180. As shown in the figure, the drive circuit 220 includes an original drive signal generator 221, a plurality of mask circuits 222, and a drive signal correction circuit 223. The original drive signal generator 221 generates an original signal ODRV that is used in common by the nozzles # 1 to # 180. This original signal ODRV has two pulses, a first pulse W1 and a second pulse W2, within the main scanning period for one pixel (within the time during which the carriage 41 crosses the interval of one pixel), as shown in the lower part of the figure. It is a signal containing. The original signal ODRV generated by the original drive signal generator 221 is output to each mask circuit 222.

  The mask circuit 222 is provided corresponding to a plurality of piezo elements that drive the nozzles # 1 to # 180 of the head 21, respectively. Each mask circuit 222 receives the original signal ODRV from the original signal generator 221 and the print signal PRT (i). The print signal PRT (i) is pixel data corresponding to a pixel, and is a binary signal having 2-bit information for one pixel. Each bit corresponds to the first pulse W1 and the second pulse W2, respectively. The mask circuit 222 is a gate for blocking or passing the original signal ODRV in accordance with the level of the print signal PRT (i). That is, when the print signal PRT (i) is at level “0”, the pulse of the original signal ODRV is cut off, while when the print signal PRT (i) is at level “1”, the corresponding pulse of the original signal ODRV is passed as it is. And output to the drive signal correction circuit 223 as the drive signal DRV.

  The drive signal correction circuit 223 performs correction by shifting the timing of the waveform of the drive signal DRV from the mask circuit 222. The timing shift of the waveform of the drive signal DRV to be corrected here is appropriately adjusted according to an instruction from the system controller 126 or the like. That is, the drive signal correction circuit 223 can shift the waveform of the drive signal DRV to a desired timing according to an instruction from the system controller 126 or the like. The drive signal DRV corrected by the drive signal correction circuit 223 is output toward the piezo elements of the nozzles # 1 to # 180. The piezo elements of the nozzles # 1 to # 180 are driven based on the drive signal DRV from the drive signal correction circuit 223 to discharge ink.

  FIG. 9 is a timing chart of the original signal ODRV, the print signal PRT (i), and the drive signal DRV (i) showing the operation of the drive signal generator. As shown in the figure, the original signal ODRV sequentially generates a first pulse W1 and a second pulse W2 in each pixel section T1, T2, T3, T4. The pixel section has the same meaning as the carriage movement section for one pixel.

  Here, when the print signal PRT (i) corresponds to the 2-bit pixel data “1, 0”, only the first pulse W1 is output in the first half of one pixel section. Thereby, a small ink droplet is ejected from the nozzle, and a small dot (small dot) is formed on the medium. When the print signal PRT (i) corresponds to the 2-bit pixel data “0, 1”, only the second pulse W2 is output in the second half of one pixel interval. As a result, medium-sized ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles, and medium-sized dots (medium dots) are formed on the medium. When the print signal PRT (i) corresponds to 2-bit pixel data “1, 1”, the first pulse W1 and the second pulse W2 are output in one pixel section. Thereby, a large size ink droplet is ejected from the nozzle, and a large size dot (large dot) is formed on the medium. As described above, the drive signal DRV (i) in one pixel section is shaped to have three different waveforms according to three different values of the print signal PRT (i), and based on these signals. The head 21 can form dots of three sizes and adjust the amount of ink ejected without a pixel section. Further, when the print signal PRT (i) corresponds to the 2-bit pixel data “0, 0” as in the pixel section T4, no ink droplet is ejected from the nozzle, and no dot is formed on the medium. become.

  In the inkjet printer 1 according to the present embodiment, such a drive circuit 220 for the nozzles # 1 to # 180 is provided for each nozzle row 211, that is, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black ( K) is provided separately for each color, and the piezo elements are individually driven for each nozzle # 1 to 180 of each nozzle row 211.

=== About printing operation ===
Next, the printing operation of the inkjet printer 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, “bidirectional printing” will be described as an example. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing procedure of the printing operation of the inkjet printer 1. Each process described below is executed by the system controller 126 reading a program stored in the main memory 127 or the EEPROM 129 and controlling each unit according to the program.

  Upon receiving print data from the host computer 140, the system controller 126 first performs a paper feed process to execute printing based on the print data (S102). The paper feed process is a process for supplying a medium to be printed, here, paper into the printer 1 and transporting it to a print start position (also referred to as a cue position). The system controller 126 rotates the paper feed roller 13 to send the paper to be printed to the transport roller 17A. The system controller 126 rotates the transport roller 17A to position the paper fed from the paper feed roller 13 at the print start position.

  Next, the system controller 126 executes a printing process for printing the medium by moving the carriage 41 relative to the medium. Here, first, forward printing is performed in which ink is ejected from the head while the carriage 41 is moved in one direction along the guide rail 46 (S104). The system controller 126 drives the carriage motor 32 to move the carriage 41 and drives the head based on the print data to eject ink. The ink ejected from the head 21 reaches the paper and is formed as dots.

  After printing is performed in this manner, next, a carrying process for carrying the medium by a predetermined amount is executed (S106). In this transport process, the system controller 126 drives the transport motor 15 to rotate the transport roller 17A and transports the paper by a predetermined amount relative to the head 21 in the transport direction. By this carrying process, the head 21 can print in an area different from the previously printed area.

  After carrying out the carrying process in this way, it is determined whether or not to discharge paper (S108). Here, if there is no other data to be printed on the paper being printed, a paper discharge process is executed (S116). On the other hand, if there is other data to be printed on the paper being printed, the return pass printing is executed without performing the paper discharge process (S110). In this backward printing, printing is performed by moving the carriage 41 along the guide rail 46 in the direction opposite to the previous forward printing (corresponding to the other direction of the present invention). Again, the system controller 126 drives the carriage motor 42 to rotate in the opposite direction to move the carriage 41 and drives the head 21 based on the print data to eject ink and perform printing.

  After performing the return pass printing, the carrying process is executed (S112), and then the paper discharge determination is performed (S114). Here, if there is other data to be printed on the paper being printed, the process returns to step S104 without performing the paper discharge process, and the forward printing is executed again (S104). On the other hand, if there is no other data to be printed on the paper being printed, a paper discharge process is executed (S116).

  After the paper discharge process is performed, next, a print end determination is performed to determine whether or not to end printing (S118). Here, based on the print data from the host computer 140, it is checked whether there is any paper to be printed next. If there is a sheet to be printed next, the process returns to step S102, the paper feed process is executed again, and printing is started. On the other hand, if there is no paper to be printed next, the printing process ends.

=== Correction of ink arrival position ===
In such “bidirectional printing”, when the carriage 41 is reciprocated along the guide rail 46 (scanning direction) and ink is ejected in both the forward path and the backward path, printing is performed in the forward path and the backward path. Deviation of the ink arrival position occurs. This deviation will be described in detail below.

  11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating adjustment of ink ejection timing in the forward path and the return path of the head 21. FIG. FIG. 11A shows the arrival paths in the forward path and the return path from when the ink is ejected from the head 21 to the medium S. FIG. 11B shows an example of an adjustment pattern 300 that has been conventionally formed to adjust the timing. Note that FIG. 11A is a diagram as viewed from the transport direction, where the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is the transport direction, and the left-right direction of the paper surface is the scanning direction. The head 21 and the paper S are arranged to face each other with a gap M therebetween.

  When ink droplets are ejected from the head 21 while the carriage 41 is moving, the ejected ink droplets move relative to the movement direction of the carriage 41 by inertia and move on the gap S to the sheet S. To reach. For this reason, a deviation occurs between the ink droplet ejection position R and the actual position S reaching the paper S.

  In order for the ink droplet to reach the target position, it is necessary to eject the ink droplet before the target position. Similarly, in the return path, ink droplets are ejected while the carriage 41 is moving. Therefore, in order for the ink droplets to reach the target position, it is necessary to eject the ink droplets before the target position. However, since the movement direction of the carriage 41 is different between the forward path and the backward path, when the ink droplets reach the same target position, the ink droplets must be ejected at different positions on the forward path and the backward path.

  Therefore, in the inkjet printer 1 according to the present embodiment, ink is actually ejected from the head 21 to form vertical line patterns P01 and P02 in the forward path and the backward path as shown in FIG. The adjustment is made by shifting the ejection timing of the ink droplets so as to make the deviation amount X of the ink arrival position between them as small as possible. This adjustment is performed by the drive signal correction circuit 223 described above based on a preset adjustment value. The adjustment value is stored in an appropriate storage unit such as the main memory 127 provided in the printer 1 or is sent from the host computer 140 during printing. In the present embodiment, this adjustment is also referred to as “Bi-d adjustment”.

=== Conventional problems ===
By the way, in such an ink jet printer 1, the ink discharge speeds of all the nozzles are not necessarily constant due to the properties of the ink and the ability of each nozzle row, and there are cases where there are nozzles with different ink discharge speeds. In such a case, the conventional “Bi-d adjustment” method can adjust the ink arrival position for a certain nozzle, but the ink arrival position can be sufficiently adjusted for other nozzles. Can not.

  FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B, FIG. 13A, and FIG. 13B show the arrival status of ink when conventional “Bid adjustment” is performed when ink is ejected from two nozzle arrays with different ink ejection speeds. It is a thing. FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B show the ink discharge situation when the “Bi-d adjustment” is performed based on the nozzle row having a high ink discharge speed. 12A shows the ink reaching path from the head 21 to the medium S, and FIG. 12B shows the adjusted ink reaching position. FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B show the ink discharge situation when “Bi-d adjustment” is performed by a nozzle row having a low ink discharge speed. FIG. 13A shows the ink reaching path from the head 21 to the medium S, and FIG. 12B shows the adjusted ink reaching position.

When “Bi-d adjustment” is performed on the basis of a nozzle row having a high ink ejection speed, as shown in FIG. 12A, the ink ejected from the nozzle row having a high ejection speed is in both the forward path and the backward path. , The arrival position Q _H to the medium S can be made substantially coincident. However, for the nozzle row having a slower ink ejection speed than this nozzle row, it takes time to reach the medium S after the ink is ejected. Therefore, the ink ejection position R is faster than the nozzle row having a faster ejection speed. And the arrival position Q _{L of the} ink are large, so that the arrival position Q _L to the medium S does not coincide in the forward path and the return path, and is greatly deviated with an interval Y.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 12B, vertical line patterns PH1 and PH2 are formed in the forward path and the backward path by the nozzle row having a high ink discharge speed, and vertical lines are respectively formed in the forward path and the backward path by the nozzle row having a low ink discharge speed. When the vertical patterns PL1 and PL2 are formed, the vertical line patterns PH1 and PH2 formed by the nozzle rows having a high ink discharge speed are coincident in position, but the vertical lines formed by the nozzle rows having a low ink discharge speed are used. The positions of the linear patterns PL1 and PL2 are greatly shifted, and an interval Y is formed.

On the other hand, when “Bi-d adjustment” is performed based on a nozzle row having a low discharge speed, the ink discharged from the nozzle row having a low discharge speed is both in the forward pass and the return pass, as shown in FIG. 13A. , The arrival position Q _L to the medium S can be made substantially coincident. However, for the nozzle row having a higher ink ejection speed than the nozzle row, the time from the ejection from the nozzle until reaching the medium S is shorter, and therefore the ink ejection position R is lower than the nozzle row having a lower ejection speed. Therefore, the amount of deviation from the ink arrival position Q is small, and therefore, the ink reaches the medium before the movement direction of the carriage 41. As a result, the arrival position Q _H to the medium S does not match in the forward path and the backward path, and is greatly deviated with an interval Z therebetween.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 13B, vertical line patterns PH1 and PH2 are formed in the forward path and the backward path by the nozzle row having a high ink discharge speed, and vertical lines are respectively formed in the forward path and the backward path by the nozzle row having a low ink discharge speed. When the vertical patterns PL1 and PL2 are formed, the vertical line patterns PL1 and PL2 formed by the nozzle rows having a low ink discharge speed are aligned, but the vertical lines formed by the nozzle rows having a high ink discharge speed are used. The positions of the linear patterns PH1 and PH2 are greatly shifted, and an interval Z is formed.

  From the above, in the conventional “Bi-d adjustment” method, when there are nozzle rows having different ink discharge speeds, the nozzle row having the higher ink discharge speed or the nozzle row having the lower ink discharge speed is selected. Even if the “Bi-d adjustment” is performed as a reference, the ink arrival positions of other nozzle arrays having different ejection speeds cannot be sufficiently matched.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, in view of such circumstances, even when there are nozzle rows with different ink ejection speeds, the arrival position of the ink in the forward path and the backward path does not vary so much, and “Bid adjustment” is performed. Make it possible. The “Bi-d adjustment” of the present invention will be described in detail below.

=== “Bi-d Adjustment” in the Present Embodiment ===
<Overview>
14A and 14B show an embodiment of the “Bi-d adjustment” method in the present invention. FIG. 14A shows the ink reaching path from the head 21 to the medium S, and FIG. 14B shows the adjusted ink reaching position.

Here, instead of focusing on a specific ink ejection unit, that is, a nozzle row, and performing “Bi-d adjustment” based on the nozzle row, focusing on two nozzle rows with different ink ejection speeds, The arrival positions Q of the inks ejected from these two nozzle arrays are matched. That is, from one nozzle row, ink is ejected in the forward path, and from the other nozzle row, ink is ejected in the backward path, and ink arrival positions Q _H and Q _L from one nozzle array in the forward path, and the backward path Is adjusted so that the ink arrival positions Q _H and Q from the other nozzle row substantially coincide with each other. In the forward path and the backward path, ink may be ejected from either a nozzle array having a high ink ejection speed or a nozzle array having a slow ink ejection speed.

Figure 14B reaches the position of the ink from one nozzle row in the forward path Q _H, and Q _L, reaches the position of the ink from the other nozzle row in the backward Q _H, an adjustment so that the Q _L consistent with each other An example of the adjustment pattern for performing is shown. The position of the vertical line pattern PL1 formed by the nozzle row having a low discharge speed in the forward path substantially coincides with the position of the vertical line pattern PH2 formed by the nozzle line having a high discharge speed in the return path. The position of the vertical line pattern PH1 formed by the nozzle row having a low discharge speed substantially coincides with the position of the vertical line pattern PL2 formed by the nozzle line having a high discharge speed in the return path. In the nozzle row having a slow ejection speed and the nozzle row having a fast ejection speed, the ink arrival positions Q _H and Q _L in the forward path and the backward path are shifted by a distance W, but the distance between the forward path and the backward path of both nozzle arrays is The amount of deviation can be made as small as possible.

  Compared with the conventional “Bi-d adjustment” method in which adjustment is performed based on either one of the methods, variation due to a difference in ink ejection speed can be reduced, and adjustment can be performed very favorably. In particular, the image quality can be improved.

<When there are three or more types of nozzles with different discharge speeds>
When there are three or more types of nozzles with different ink ejection speeds, the aforementioned “Bi-d adjustment” is performed using the nozzle with the fastest ink ejection speed and the nozzle with the slowest ink ejection speed. Is preferred.

FIGS. 15A and 15B show ink arrival positions in the forward path and the backward path when there are three types of nozzle arrays with different ink ejection speeds. FIG. 15A shows the ink reaching path from the head 21 to the medium S, and FIG. 15B shows the ink reaching position in a plan view. When the nozzle arrays having different ejection speeds three types, ink discharge speed is discharged from the second nozzle row reaches the arrival position Q _M on the medium S. The arrival position Q _M has a reached position Q _H of the ink discharge speed is discharged from the fastest nozzle array, the ejection speed is between arrival position Q _L of the ink ejected from the slowest nozzle array.

  Vertical line patterns PM1 and PM2 formed by the ink ejected from the nozzle array in the forward path and the backward path have an interval H narrower than the interval W between the nozzle array having the fastest ejection speed and the slowest nozzle array. Compared with the nozzle row with the fastest speed and the slowest nozzle row, the arrival position of the ink in the forward path and the backward path becomes closer and more preferable.

From the above, in the “Bi-d adjustment” of the present embodiment, when there are three or more types of nozzle arrays having different ink ejection speeds, the nozzle array having the fastest ejection speed and the slowest ejection speed are provided. It is preferable to use the nozzle row for adjustment. For example, in the inkjet printer 1 according to this embodiment, the nozzle row with the fastest ink ejection speed is a cyan (C) nozzle row, and the nozzle row with the slowest ink ejection speed is a magenta (M) nozzle row. In this case, the nozzle rows of these cyan (C) and magenta (M) colors are used for adjustment.
In addition, even if there are three or more discharge units such as nozzle rows, when there are only two discharge units having different discharge speeds, it is preferable to select an appropriate discharge unit from each system and use it for adjustment.

<Investigation method of ink discharge speed>
When the ink discharge speed of each nozzle row is unknown, it is preferable to confirm the ink discharge speed by actually discharging the ink and comparing the ink discharge speed. The ink jet printer 1 according to the present embodiment has a function of forming a comparison pattern for comparing the ink ejection speed. FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of a comparative pattern formed in the inkjet printer 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the comparative pattern 320 is composed of a plurality of vertical line patterns PC1, PC2, PC3, and PC4 formed by ink ejected from each nozzle row. Each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4 is formed when the carriage 41 moves in the direction of arrow A in the figure, and the inks forming each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4 have the same timing. In this way, each nozzle row is discharged. In the vicinity of each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4 (here, below each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4), each pattern PC1, PC2, PC2 corresponds to each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4. Symbols “# 1” to “# 4” are added to specify which nozzle row the PC3 and PC4 are formed with ink ejected from.

  The faster the ink ejection speed, the more ink reaches the medium S before the carriage 41 moves, and the slower the ink ejection speed, the more the ink reaches the medium S earlier in the carriage 41 movement direction. For this reason, the nozzle row having the fastest ink ejection speed is a nozzle row in which the pattern PC3 corresponding to the code “# 3” is formed. Here, the nozzle row having the slowest ink ejection speed is the nozzle row in which the pattern PC2 corresponding to the reference numeral “# 2” is formed.

  From the above, when the ink discharge speed of each nozzle row is unknown, the ink discharge speed is the fastest when the ink is actually discharged and the above-described comparative pattern 320 is formed and investigated. It is possible to easily check the nozzle row and the slowest nozzle row.

  It should be noted that the results of the investigation on the nozzle row with the fastest ink ejection speed and the slowest nozzle row are input through the host computer 140 or the user interface of the inkjet printer 1 and the like in the main memory 127 or the like. It is stored in an appropriate storage unit and used when the inkjet printer 1 performs “Bi-d adjustment”.

  FIG. 17 shows another embodiment of the comparison pattern 320 according to this embodiment (reference numeral 322 in the figure). Here, as shown in the figure, the comparison pattern 320 is composed of a plurality of vertical line patterns PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4 formed by ink ejected from each nozzle row, and each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, and PC4 are formed by ejecting ink at the same timing when the carriage 41 moves in the direction of arrow B in the figure. Under each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4 is formed by ink ejected from which nozzle row corresponding to each pattern PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4. Symbols “# 1” to “# 4” are added to identify the pattern. However, in this comparison pattern 322, the pattern PC1 to which the code “# 1” is added is disposed above the other patterns PC2, PC3, PC4 as a reference pattern. By providing the reference pattern PC1 in this way, it is possible to easily compare the positional relationship between the patterns PC1, PC2, PC3, and PC4.

<Nozzles (discharge units) that can be excluded from adjustment targets>
The ink jet printer according to the present embodiment includes nozzle rows that eject four types of ink, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). It is originally preferable to perform “Bi-d adjustment” on the basis of the above and adjust the arrival position of the ink ejected from each nozzle row to the medium in the forward path and the backward path.

  However, among the inks used here, there are inks that do not significantly affect the image quality of the printed image even if the arrival positions in the forward path and the backward path are not adjusted. Such ink is excluded from the “Bi-d adjustment” target of this embodiment, and the “Bi-d adjustment” is performed among the remaining inks. Can be done and is effective.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, such ink is excluded from the adjustment target and “Bi-d adjustment” is performed. In this embodiment, the ink excluded from the adjustment target is yellow (Y) and black (K) ink columns. On the other hand, cyan (C) and magenta (M) are inks that need to be actively subjected to “Bi-d adjustment” as adjustment targets. The reason will be described in detail below.

(I) Reason for excluding yellow (Y) The reason for excluding yellow (Y) is that the ink of yellow (Y) does not stand out even if it adheres to the medium. That is, even if yellow (Y) ink is ejected from the yellow (Y) nozzle row toward the medium and adheres to the medium to form dots, the dots formed there are other colors, that is, cyan ( This is because it is much lighter and less clear than C) and magenta (M).

(Ii) Reason for actively incorporating cyan (C) and magenta (M) The reason for actively incorporating cyan (C) and magenta (M) is that these cyan (C) and magenta (M) This is because, in the printer 1 in the embodiment, the ink is often used as an ink for forming a highlight portion of a printed image. Here, the highlight portion is a portion having a low color density. That is, when an image to be printed has gradation, the image includes, for example, a low density portion such as human skin or a sky in a landscape, a so-called highlight portion to a high density portion, a so-called shadow portion, and the like. . These gradations are expressed by, for example, the area of dots occupying per unit area, so-called dot recording density, and the ink color that forms the dots. This is realized by printing while being distributed within the range.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 18, printing is performed with only small dots on the low density side, medium dots are formed toward the high density side, the number of small dots is reduced, and a gradation value 100 indicating density. In the% area, printing is performed with large dots formed by small dots and medium dots. Here, the gradation value indicating the density is, for example, a dot recording density of 100%, that is, O.D. D. Value (concentration: Optical Density) MAX value (set by each printer manufacturer) as a reference, the measured site was measured with a colorimeter. D. Indicated by value. Specifically, for example, an image having a dot recording density of 100% in a predetermined application software is output by a printer, and the output image is used as a colorimeter, for example, X-Rite 938 (trade name: manufactured by X-Rite). Measured using this O.D. D. The value is set as a reference value for a dot recording density of 100%. The measured site of the image was measured using X-Rite 938 (trade name), and the obtained O.D. D. A value obtained by comparing the value with the reference value is a gradation value of the measurement site.

  By the way, the highlight portion described above is an area having a gradation value of 35% or less in FIG. 18, and is an area printed only with small dots. In the case of a color image, this highlight portion uses light ink such as cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) in this embodiment. In addition, the ink colors used in the highlight portion include light cyan (LC) and light magenta (LM).

  Since the highlight portion formed in this way is formed by small dots as described above, if the dot formation position deviates even a little, the overall color harmony may be lost. When “bidirectional printing” is performed, if the ink arrival position is shifted, the image quality of the printed image may be greatly affected. With respect to the ink that forms such a highlight portion, it is possible to improve the image quality of the printed image by suppressing the deviation of the position where the ink reaches the medium in the forward path and the backward path.

(Iii) Reason for excluding black (K) As a reason for excluding black (K), as described above, black (K) ink is hardly used as an ink for forming a highlight portion of a printed image. This is because it is ink. In other words, by excluding ink that is rarely used in the highlight portion from the adjustment target, it is possible to perform highly accurate adjustment among the inks that require adjustment.

<Actual adjustment pattern>
FIG. 19 shows an embodiment of an adjustment pattern formed in the inkjet printer 1 according to this embodiment. This adjustment pattern 400 is a pattern formed to perform the “Bi-d adjustment” described above. This adjustment pattern 400 is a pattern formed for examining the optimal ejection timing of ink in the forward path and the backward path, and as shown in the figure, the upper pattern formed in the forward path when the carriage 41 moves. 402 and a lower pattern 404 formed in the return path. The upper pattern 402 and the lower pattern 404 respectively have patterns 406A and 406B formed by the nozzle row having the fastest ink discharge speed, and turns 408A and 408B formed by the nozzle row having the slowest ink discharge speed. doing. The patterns 406B and 408B formed on the lower pattern 404 are formed so as to be shifted stepwise along the movement direction of the carriage 41 with respect to the upper pattern 402. On the lower side of the lower pattern 402, codes “# 1” to “# 5” for identifying each set corresponding to each set of the patterns 406B and 408B formed so as to be shifted in stages. Is added.

  As described with reference to FIGS. 14A and 14B, if both the forward pass and the return pass are formed at the optimum ejection timing, the patterns 406A and 408A of the upper pattern and the patterns 406B and 408B of the lower pattern The formation positions of these coincide with each other. For this reason, in the adjustment pattern of this embodiment, the timing corresponding to the symbol “# 3” is the most appropriate ejection timing in the forward path and the backward path.

  FIG. 20 shows another embodiment of the adjustment pattern formed in the ink jet printer according to this embodiment. Unlike the adjustment pattern described with reference to FIG. 19, the adjustment pattern 410 is formed by a nozzle row having the fastest ink ejection speed in both the upper pattern 402 (forward path) and the lower pattern 404 (return path). One of the patterns 406A and 406B or the turns 408A and 408B formed by the nozzle row having the slowest ink ejection speed is omitted. Even if one of the patterns is omitted in this way, it is possible to sufficiently investigate the most appropriate ejection timing in the forward path and the backward path.

<Input adjustment results>
In this way, after selecting the optimum ejection timing in the forward path and the backward path, the result is input through the host computer 140 or the user interface of the inkjet printer 1 or the like. Here, a code “# 3” or the like is input. The storage computer 140 or the inkjet printer 1 stores the information input in this way in an appropriate storage unit such as the main memory 127 and uses it when the inkjet printer 1 executes printing.

=== Actual adjustment procedure ===
Next, an example of the processing procedure of “Bi-d adjustment” in the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the processing procedure.

  In the inkjet printer 1 according to the present embodiment, first, the ink ejection speed of each nozzle row provided in the head 21 is checked (S202). Here, comparison patterns 320 and 322 having patterns for each nozzle row as shown in FIG. 16 or FIG. 17 are formed. Based on the formed comparison patterns 320 and 322, the nozzle row having the fastest ink ejection speed and the nozzle row having the slowest ink ejection speed are selected by visual observation or the like, and these two nozzle rows are coded. Is selected and input to the printer 1 (S204). The printer 1 stores information about the input two nozzle rows in a memory or the like.

  Next, the inkjet printer 1 forms adjustment patterns 400 and 410 as shown in FIG. 19 or 20 based on the input information (S206). Here, in each of the forward path and the backward path, the patterns 406A and 406B formed by the ink ejected from the nozzle row having the fastest ink ejection speed and the ink ejected from the nozzle row having the slowest ink ejection speed are formed. Patterns 408A and 408B are formed.

  Based on the adjustment patterns 400 and 410 formed in this way, an optimal timing pattern is selected by visual observation or the like. Then, a code or the like (“# 3” or the like) corresponding to the selected pattern is input and set in the printer 1 (S208). The printer 1 stores information regarding the inputted optimum timing in the main memory 127 or the like.

  In this way, the “Bid adjustment” is completed. Thereafter, printing is performed by ejecting ink in the forward path and the backward path based on the inputted optimum timing (S210).

=== Summary 1 ===
As described above, in such an ink jet printer, even for nozzle rows with different ink ejection speeds, the arrival position of the ink ejected from each nozzle row in the forward path and the backward path to the medium can be kept within a predetermined range. As a result, Bi-d adjustment with little variation can be performed, so that there is not much variation in the ink arrival position even in bidirectional printing, and the image quality of the printed image can be improved.

=== For other inkjet printers ===
Next, the case of a large-sized inkjet printer having a plurality of heads will be described as an example of the liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the large-sized inkjet printer 600, FIG. 23 shows the state of the head 636 provided on the carriage 628 of the printer 600, and FIG. The arrangement of the head 636 provided at 628 is shown in detail.

  The ink jet printer 600 is a printer that can print on a large medium such as a JIS standard A row 0 sheet paper or a large roll paper. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. A roll paper T is provided. In addition, the printer 20 includes, as inks, cyan ink (C), light cyan ink (light cyan ink, LC), magenta ink (M), light magenta ink (light magenta ink, LM), and yellow ink ( Y) and six inks of black ink (K) are provided.

  The ink jet printer 600 mainly includes a printing unit 603 that prints on the roll paper T, and a paper transport unit 605 for transporting the roll paper T. The printing unit 603 and the paper transport unit 605 will be described in detail.

――― (1) Printing Department ―――
The printing unit 603 includes a plurality of heads 636, a carriage 628 that integrally holds the heads 636 (636 a, 636 b, 636 c, 636 d, 636 e, 636 f, 636 g, 636 h), A traction belt 632 for reciprocating in a direction (hereinafter also referred to as a main scanning direction or a left-right direction) substantially orthogonal to a conveyance direction (hereinafter also referred to as a sub-scanning direction), and a carriage for rotationally driving the traction belt 632 A motor (hereinafter also simply referred to as a CR motor) 630, a pair of upper and lower guide rails 634 and 635 for guiding the carriage 628 along the main scanning direction, and a current position of the carriage 628 in the main scanning direction And a linear encoder 617.

The carriage 628 has upper and lower ends supported by the guide rails 634 and 635. Thereby, the carriage 628 is provided to be movable along the main scanning direction. A traction belt 632 is connected to the carriage 628.
The traction belt 632 is stretched between pulleys 644 and 645 disposed at both ends of the platen 626. Of the two pulleys 644 and 645, a carriage motor 630 is connected to the pulley 644, and the traction belt 632 is rotated between the pulleys 644 and 645 by driving the carriage motor 630. The carriage 628 is moved along the main scanning direction by the rotation of the pulling belt 632.
The guide rail 634 is provided with a linear encoder code plate 619. The linear encoder code plate 619 is used for detecting the position of the carriage 628 by the linear encoder 617.

――― (2) Paper transport section ―――
The paper transport unit 605 includes a roll paper holding unit 633 that rotatably holds the roll paper T below the lower guide rail 635 and a roll paper transport that transports the roll paper T above the upper guide rail 634. And a platen 626 along which the roll paper T conveyed between the roll paper holding unit 633 and the roll paper conveyance unit 637 is disposed.

  The platen 626 has a plane extending over the entire width of the roll paper T to be conveyed, and this plane is provided in parallel with the carriage 628. The platen 626 is opposed to the surface of the head 636 assembled to the carriage 628 with an equal interval across the entire surface.

  The roll paper holding unit 633 includes a holder 627 that holds the roll paper T rotatably. The holder 627 has a shaft body 627a that serves as a rotation shaft in a state where the roll paper T is held, and guide disks for suppressing the skew of the roll paper T to be supplied are provided at both ends of the shaft body 627a. 627b is provided.

  The roll paper transport unit 637 rotates a map roller 624 for transporting the roll paper T, a sandwiching roller 624 a that is disposed to face the roll roller T 624 and sandwiches the roll paper T between the roll roller T 624, and the map roller 624. And a transport motor 631 for moving. A drive gear 640 is provided on the shaft of the transport motor 631, and a relay gear 641 that meshes with the drive gear 640 is provided on the shaft of the smap roller 624. The power of the transport motor 631 is transmitted via the drive gear 640 and the relay gear 641. It is transmitted to the map roller 624. In other words, the roll paper T held by the holder 627 is sandwiched between the map roller 624 and the sandwiching roller 624a, and the roll paper T is transported along the platen 626 by the transport motor 631.

=== Configuration of the head ===
The configuration of the head 636 (636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636e, 636f, 636g, 636h) will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 23, the head 636 has a plurality of nozzles n arranged in a straight line along the sub-scanning direction, and has six nozzle rows N in this embodiment. Here, the nozzle row N includes a black nozzle row Nk, a cyan nozzle row Nc, a light cyan nozzle row Nlc, a magenta nozzle row Nm, a light magenta nozzle row Nlm, and a yellow nozzle row Ny.

  The black nozzle row Nk has 180 nozzles n1 to n180, and each nozzle n is provided with a piezo element (not shown) as a driving element for driving each nozzle n to eject ink droplets. Yes. The nozzles n1,..., N180 of the black nozzle row Nk are arranged at a constant nozzle pitch k · D along the sub-scanning direction. Here, D is a dot pitch in the sub-scanning direction, and k is an integer of 1 or more. Here, the nozzle pitch k is 4. However, the nozzle pitch k can be set to an arbitrary integer. The dot pitch D in the sub-scanning direction is equal to the pitch of the main scanning line (raster line).

  The same applies to the cyan nozzle row Nc, the light cyan nozzle row Nlc, the magenta nozzle row Nm, the light magenta nozzle row Nlm, and the yellow nozzle row Ny. That is, each nozzle row N has 180 nozzles n1 to n180, and is arranged at a constant nozzle pitch k · D along the sub-scanning direction.

  At the time of printing, the roll paper T is intermittently transported by a predetermined transport amount by the printing paper transport unit 605, and the carriage 628 moves in the main scanning direction between the intermittent transports, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles n. Is discharged. However, when printing by an interlace method for printing a natural image or the like depending on the printing method, not all nozzles n are always used, and only some of the nozzles n may be used. is there.

  The carriage 628 is provided with eight such heads 636. FIG. 24 is a plan layout view of the head 636 on the carriage 628. In this figure, the carriage 628 is viewed from the back side, that is, from the platen 626 side, and right and left are reversed from FIG. As shown in the figure, the heads 636 are provided in two rows on the left and right. Heads 636a, 636c, 636e, and 636g are provided in the right column, and heads 636b, 636d, 636f, and 636h are provided in the left column. The heads 636 in each column are linearly arranged at a predetermined pitch 2L0 (= 2 (H + k · D)) along the sub-scanning direction. That is, the heads 636 in each row are arranged with an interval corresponding to one head 636. Here, the H0 indicates the total length of the nozzle row N as shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, the heads 636 in each row are arranged at a predetermined pitch Wh along the main scanning direction. Also, in the sub-scanning direction, the heads 636b, 636d, 636f, and 636h in the left column are shifted downward by a predetermined pitch L0 with respect to the heads 636a, 636c, 636e, and 636g in the right column. Yes. That is, the heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636e, 636f, 636g, and 636h are arranged in a staggered manner on the left and right on the carriage 628 plane. More specifically, the heads 636 in the other row are arranged so as to fill the gaps between the heads 636 in one row, so that the heads 636 in each row complement each other, and each head 636 The nozzle rows are connected to each other to form one head. As a result, a large print image can be printed smoothly in a short time.

=== Adjustment procedure ===
In the inkjet printer 600 having such a plurality of heads 636, the “Bi-d adjustment” is performed according to the following procedure. FIG. 25 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a “Bi-d adjustment” processing procedure in the inkjet printer 600.

<Adjustment by head>
Here, first, “Bi-d adjustment” is performed on each head 636 as described above (S302). That is, the nozzles Nk, Nc, Nlc, Nm, Nlm, and Ny provided in each head are formed with the comparison patterns 320 and 322 as shown in FIG. 16 or FIG. Examine the row and the slowest nozzle row. Then, the adjustment patterns 400 and 410 as shown in FIG. 19 or FIG. 20 are formed by using the nozzle row with the fastest ink ejection speed and the slowest nozzle row found by this investigation. Based on the adjustment patterns 400 and 410, the ink arrival position in the forward path and the ink arrival position in the backward path are adjusted. Such adjustment work is performed for each head 636.

<Adjustment between heads>
After the heads 636 are individually adjusted (“Bi-d adjustment”) in this way, the heads 636 are then adjusted to each other. Adjustment between the heads 636 is performed so that the arrival positions of the inks ejected from the heads 636 coincide with each other in the forward path and the backward path. An outline of the adjustment method will be described.

  First, in each head 636, ink is ejected from the nozzle row with the fastest ink ejection speed and the slowest nozzle row, and two vertical line patterns 702A and 702B as shown in FIG. 26 are obtained. The per-head pattern 700 is formed (S304). In addition, the wavy line C shown in the drawing indicates the center lines of the two vertical line patterns 702A and 702B of the head-specific patterns 700, respectively.

<Selection of reference head>
After the head-specific pattern 700 is formed for each head 636 in this way, adjustment is performed so that the center lines C of the patterns for each head coincide with each other (S306). Here, first, a reference head is determined from the plurality of heads 636. In this embodiment, a head with the least vibration during the movement of the carriage 628 is selected as the reference head. A method for selecting the head 628 with the least vibration will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 24, the carriage 628 is pulled by the pulling belt 632 and moves in the main scanning direction. Therefore, if the reference head is close to the line of action of the pulling force F of the pulling belt 632 that is the moving force of the carriage 628, the influence of the vibration that the reference head receives when the carriage 628 moves is small. That is, in the sub-scanning direction, it is desirable that the action line G on which the traction force F acts and the head close to the engaging portions 628a and 628b be the reference head. In the present embodiment, among the eight heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636e, 636f, 636g, and 636h, the heads 636d and 636e have the action line G of the traction force F and the engaging portions 628a and 628b than the other heads. Close to. Therefore, the heads 636d and 636e are preferable as the reference head.

<Head adjustment method>
After determining the reference head in this way, the ink arrival positions of the other heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636f, 636g, and 636h are then determined based on the reference head (referred to as head 636e in this embodiment). Adjust. Here, from the center line C of each head 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636e, 636f, 636g, 636h obtained from the head-specific pattern 700 shown in FIG. 26, other heads 636a, 636b, other than the reference head 636e, Adjustment is performed so that the center line C of 636c, 636d, 636f, 636g, and 636h is aligned with the center line of the reference head 636e. Here, the center line C of each of the heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636f, 636g, and 636h is calculated based on the center line C of the reference head 636e (S308). Based on the calculation result, an appropriate ink ejection timing is set for each of the heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636f, 636g, and 636h.

  FIG. 27 shows a state of the head-specific pattern after adjustment. Center lines C of heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636f, 636g, and 636h other than the reference head 636e are aligned with the center line of the reference head 636e.

<Input adjustment results>
With respect to appropriate ink ejection timings of the respective heads 636a, 636b, 636c, 636d, 636e, 636f, 636g, and 636h obtained by such adjustment, a user interface of the host computer connected to the inkjet printer 600 or the inkjet printer 600 is used. And so on (S310). The host computer or the inkjet printer 600 stores the information input in this way in an appropriate storage unit such as a main and uses the information when the inkjet printer 600 executes printing.

=== Summary 2 ===
From the above, even in the ink jet printer 600 having such a plurality of heads, “Bi-d adjustment” is individually performed for each head, and one reference head is selected between the heads. With reference to the reference head, the ink arrival position between each head is obtained by aligning the center line C between the two patterns respectively formed for each head by the nozzle row having the fastest ink ejection speed and the slowest nozzle row. Can be easily adjusted.

=== Configuration of Liquid Discharge System etc. ===
Next, as an example of the liquid ejection system according to the present invention, here, a liquid ejection system including the inkjet printer 1 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 will be described as an example.

  FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram showing an external configuration of the liquid ejection system. The liquid ejection system 1000 includes a computer main body 1102, a display device 1104, a printer 1106, an input device 1108, and a reading device 1110. In this embodiment, the computer main body 1102 is housed in a mini-tower type housing, but is not limited thereto. The display device 1104 is generally a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), a plasma display, a liquid crystal display device, or the like, but is not limited thereto. As the printer 1106, the printer described above is used. In this embodiment, the input device 1108 is a keyboard 1108A and a mouse 1108B, but is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the reading device 1110 uses a flexible disk drive device 1110A and a CD-ROM drive device 1110B. However, the reading device 1110 is not limited to this. For example, an MO (Magnet Optical) disk drive device or a DVD (Digital Versatile) is used. Disk) etc. may be used.

  FIG. 29 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the liquid ejection system shown in FIG. An internal memory 1202 such as a RAM and an external memory such as a hard disk drive unit 1204 are further provided in a housing in which the computer main body 1102 is housed.

  The computer program for controlling the operation of the printer 1 can be downloaded to a computer 1000 or the like connected to the printer 1106 via a communication line such as the Internet, and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. It can also be distributed. As the recording medium, for example, various recording media such as a flexible disk FD, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk MO, a hard disk, and a memory can be used. Note that information stored in such a storage medium can be read by various reading devices 1110.

  In the above description, the printer 1106 is connected to the computer main body 1102, the display device 1104, the input device 1108, and the reading device 1110 to configure the computer system. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Absent. For example, the computer system may include a computer main body 1102 and a printer 1106, and the computer system may not include any of the display device 1104, the input device 1108, and the reading device 1110. Further, for example, the printer 1106 may have a part of each function or mechanism of the computer main body 1102, the display device 1104, the input device 1108, and the reading device 1110. As an example, the printer 1106 includes an image processing unit that performs image processing, a display unit that performs various displays, a recording medium attachment / detachment unit for attaching / detaching a recording medium that records image data captured by a digital camera or the like. It is good also as a structure to have.

  The liquid ejection system thus realized is a system that is superior to conventional systems as a whole system.

=== Other Embodiments ===
The liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink jet printer according to the present invention has been described based on one embodiment. However, the above embodiment is for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is limited. It is not for interpretation. The present invention can be changed or improved without departing from the gist thereof, and needless to say, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. In particular, even the embodiments described below are included in the liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention.

In the present embodiment, part or all of the configuration realized by hardware may be replaced by software, and conversely, part of the configuration realized by software may be replaced by hardware.
In addition to the printing paper, the substrate to be printed may be a cloth or a film.
In addition, a part of the processing performed on the liquid ejection apparatus side may be performed on the host side, and a dedicated processing apparatus is interposed between the liquid ejection apparatus and the host, and processing is performed on this processing apparatus. Some may be performed.

<About liquid ejection device>
In the above-described embodiment, the ink jet printer has been described as an example of the liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to such an ink jet printer. For example, color filter manufacturing apparatus, dyeing apparatus, fine processing apparatus, semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, surface processing apparatus, three-dimensional modeling apparatus, liquid vaporization apparatus, organic EL manufacturing apparatus (particularly polymer EL manufacturing apparatus), display manufacturing apparatus, film formation The same technology as that of the present embodiment may be applied to various recording devices to which inkjet technology is applied, such as a device and a DNA chip manufacturing device. These methods and manufacturing methods are also within the scope of application. Even if this technology is applied to such a field, the liquid can be directly ejected (directly drawn) toward the object. You can go down.

<About liquid>
In the above-described embodiment, ink is ejected as a liquid. However, the liquid ejecting apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to such an ink, and other liquids such as metal materials and organic materials (for example, Polymer materials), magnetic materials, conductive materials, wiring materials, film forming materials, electronic ink, various processing liquids, and gene solutions may be discharged instead of ink.

<About ink>
The ink used may be a pigment ink or a dye ink.
Regarding the ink color, in addition to the above-mentioned yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K), light cyan (LC), and light magenta (LM), other colors of ink are used. Also good. For example, inks of various colors such as dark yellow (DY), photo black, red, violet, blue, and green may be used.

<About the liquid ejection part>
In the above-described embodiment, the liquid ejection unit of the present invention is configured as the nozzle row 211, Nk, Nc, Nlc, Nm, Nlm, and Ny. However, the present invention is not limited to such a case. As long as liquid such as ink is ejected, any type of ejection unit may be used.

<Discharge mechanism of liquid discharge part>
In the above-described embodiment, the liquid is discharged using the piezoelectric element, but the method of discharging the liquid is not limited to this. For example, other methods such as a method of generating bubbles in the nozzle by heat may be used.

<Regarding adjustment pattern>
The adjustment pattern of the present invention is not limited to the patterns as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, but may be other types of patterns.

<Pattern for comparison>
The comparative pattern of the present invention is not limited to the pattern as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, and may be another type of pattern.

<About media>
As for the media, the above-mentioned paper includes plain paper, matte paper, cut paper, glossy paper, roll paper, paper, photographic paper, roll type photographic paper, etc. In addition to these, films such as OHP film and glossy film It may be a material, a cloth material, a metal plate material, or the like. That is, any medium can be used as long as it can be an ink ejection target.

The perspective view of an inkjet printer. The internal block diagram of an inkjet printer. Sectional drawing which shows the conveyance part of an inkjet printer. The block block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of an inkjet printer. Explanatory drawing of a linear encoder. The timing chart which showed the output waveform of the linear encoder. The top view which shows the nozzle of a head. The circuit diagram which shows one Embodiment of a nozzle drive circuit. 4 is a timing chart of an original signal ODRV, a print signal PRT (i), and a drive signal DRV (i) showing operations of the drive signal generator. 10 is a flowchart of print processing. FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating ink arrival paths in the forward path and the return path, and FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating an example of a pattern for adjusting ink ejection timings in the forward path and the return path. FIG. 12A is a diagram illustrating an ink arrival path when adjusted based on a nozzle row having a high ejection speed, and FIG. 12B is a diagram illustrating a pattern formed in that case. FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating an ink arrival path when adjusted based on a nozzle row having a low ejection speed, and FIG. 13B is a diagram illustrating a pattern formed in that case. FIG. 14A shows an ink reaching path in an embodiment of the adjustment method of the present invention, and FIG. 14B is a diagram showing an embodiment of a pattern formed in that case. FIG. 15A is a diagram illustrating an ink reaching path when there are three types of nozzle arrays having different ink ejection speeds, and FIG. 15B is a diagram illustrating a pattern formed in that case. The figure which showed one Embodiment of the pattern for a comparison of this invention. The figure which showed other embodiment of the pattern for a comparison of this invention. The figure explaining the dot which comprises a printing image. The figure which showed one Embodiment of the pattern for adjustment of this invention. The figure which showed other embodiment of the pattern for adjustment of this invention. The flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence of the adjustment method of this invention. The perspective view which showed the external appearance of the other inkjet printer. The figure of the head provided in the carriage. The figure which shows arrangement | positioning of a head. The flowchart which shows an adjustment procedure. Explanatory drawing for demonstrating the adjustment method between heads. Explanatory drawing for demonstrating the ink arrival position after adjustment. The external appearance block diagram of a liquid discharge system. The block diagram which shows the structure of a liquid discharge system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Inkjet printer, 2 operation panel, 3 paper discharge unit, 4 paper supply unit,
5 operation buttons, 6 indicator lamps, 7 paper discharge tray, 8 paper feed tray,
11A paper insertion slot, 11B roll paper insertion slot,
13 paper feed roller, 14 platen, 15 paper transport motor (PF motor),
17A transport roller, 17B paper discharge roller, 18A / 18B free roller,
21 heads, 211 nozzle rows, 22 head drivers,
30 cleaning unit, 31 pump device, 35 capping device,
41 Carriage, 42 Carriage motor (CR motor), 44 Pulley,
45 Timing belt, 46 Guide rail,
48 ink cartridges, 51 linear encoder,
122 buffer memory, 124 image buffer,
126 system controller, 127 main memory,
128 Carriage motor control unit, 129 EEPROM,
130 transport control unit, 132 head drive unit,
134 Rotary encoder, 136 Linear encoder,
140 host computer,
220 drive circuit, 221 original drive signal generator, 222 mask circuit,
223 drive signal correction circuit,
300 patterns,
320 Comparison pattern, 322 Comparison pattern 400 Adjustment pattern, 402 Upper pattern, 404 Lower pattern,
406A, 406B, 408A, 408B pattern,
410 adjustment pattern,
511 light-emitting diode, 512 collimator lens, 513 detection processing unit,
514 photodiode, 515 signal processing circuit,
516A comparator, 516B comparator 517 linear encoder code plate,
600 Inkjet Printer 603 Printing Section, 605 Printing Paper Conveying Section, 617 Linear Encoder,
619 Code plate for linear encoder,
624 Smapura,
626 platen, 627 holder, 627a shaft,
627b guide disk, 628 carriage,
628a engaging portion, 628b engaging portion,
629 pinching rollers, 630 carriage motor,
631 conveying motor, 632 pulling belt, 633 roll paper holding unit,
634 upper guide rail, 635 lower guide rail,
636 printing head, 637 roll paper transport unit, 640 drive gear,
641 relay gear, 644 pulley, 645 pulley,
700 patterns, 702A vertical line patterns, 702B vertical line patterns,
1000 liquid ejection system, 1102 computer main body,
1104 display device, 1106 printer, 1108 input device,
1108A keyboard, 1108B mouse, 1110 reader,
1110A flexible disk drive device,
1110B CD-ROM drive device, 1202 internal memory,
1204 hard disk drive unit,
C Center line,
P01 pattern, P02 pattern, PH1 pattern, PH2 pattern,
PL1 pattern, PL2 pattern Q, Q _H , Q _L , Q _M arrival position, R discharge position,
S medium (paper), T roll paper

Claims (16)

A head provided so as to be movable relative to a medium; and a plurality of liquid ejection units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. The position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in one direction, and the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. In the liquid ejection apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting the position to reach the medium,
The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions when the head moves in the one direction, and the head The second liquid pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejecting unit having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting unit when moved in another direction. Liquid ejecting device.   Either one of the first pattern and the second pattern is formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection section having the fastest liquid ejection speed among the plurality of liquid ejection sections, and the other pattern 2. The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejection apparatus is formed of a liquid ejected from a liquid ejection section having the slowest liquid ejection speed among the plurality of liquid ejection sections.   One of the first pattern and the second pattern has the highest liquid discharge speed among the remaining liquid discharge units obtained by removing a predetermined liquid discharge unit from the plurality of liquid discharge units. It is formed by the liquid discharged from the fast liquid discharge section, and the other pattern is formed by the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge section having the slowest liquid discharge speed among the remaining liquid discharge sections. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1.   The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a comparison pattern for comparing the ejection speeds of the liquid of the liquid ejection section is formed.   The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the comparison pattern includes a pattern formed individually by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection unit.   The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejecting section includes an ink ejecting section that ejects ink as the liquid to perform printing on the medium.   The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising two or more ink ejecting units that eject inks of different colors as the ink.   The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are formed of the inks having different colors.   9. The remaining liquid discharge portion includes an ink discharge portion that discharges ink that forms a highlight portion of an image formed on the medium by the ink discharge portion. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1.   The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the heads having a plurality of the liquid ejecting units are provided, and the adjustment pattern is formed for each of the heads.   The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position where the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection unit of each head reaches the medium is formed. A head provided so as to be movable relative to a medium; and a plurality of liquid ejection units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. The position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in one direction, and the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. In the liquid ejection apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting the position to reach the medium,
The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions when the head moves in the one direction, and the head The second liquid pattern formed by the liquid ejected from the other liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting section when moved in another direction;
Either one of the first pattern and the second pattern is formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection section having the fastest liquid ejection speed among the plurality of liquid ejection sections, and the other pattern Is formed by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting section having the slowest liquid ejection speed among the plurality of liquid ejecting sections,
Forming a comparison pattern for comparing the liquid ejection speed of the liquid ejection section,
The comparative pattern has a pattern formed individually by the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection part,
The liquid ejection unit includes two or more ink ejection units that eject ink of different colors as the liquid to print on the medium,
The first pattern and the second pattern are formed of different colors of the ink;
The remaining liquid discharge portion includes an ink discharge portion that discharges ink that forms a highlight portion of an image formed on the medium by the ink discharge portion,
A plurality of the heads having a plurality of the ink discharge portions, the adjustment pattern is formed for each head,
A liquid ejection apparatus, comprising: an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position where the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection unit of each head reaches the medium. When a head equipped with a liquid ejection unit that ejects liquid moves in one direction with respect to the medium, the position at which the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection unit reaches the medium, and the head with respect to the medium In the liquid discharge adjustment method for adjusting the position at which the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in another direction,
When the head moves in the one direction, the first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one of the liquid ejecting units and the head moves in the other direction And forming an adjustment pattern having a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from the other liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting section. And adjusting the arrival position by using the liquid discharge adjustment method. When a head including a liquid discharge unit that discharges liquid moves in one direction with respect to the medium, the position at which the liquid discharged by the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium, and the head moves in the other direction. A method for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position at which the liquid ejected by the liquid ejection unit reaches the medium when moved,
As the adjustment pattern, when the head moves in the one direction, the first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions, and the head When moving in another direction, the one liquid ejecting unit forms a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejecting unit having a different liquid ejection speed. Forming a liquid discharge adjustment pattern. A head provided so as to be movable relative to a medium; and a plurality of liquid ejection units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. The position at which the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when moved in one direction, and the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. A program that is executed in a liquid ejection device that forms an adjustment pattern for adjusting the position to reach a medium,
As the adjustment pattern, when the head moves in the one direction, the first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions, and the head When moving in another direction, a step of forming a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from the other liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed from the one liquid ejecting section is executed. A program characterized by that. In a liquid ejection system comprising a computer main body and a liquid ejection device connectable to the computer main body,
The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head provided to be movable relative to a medium, and a plurality of liquid ejecting units that are provided on the head and eject liquid toward the medium when the head moves. A position where the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge unit reaches the medium when the head moves in one direction, and discharge from the liquid discharge unit when the head moves in the other direction. A liquid ejection apparatus for forming an adjustment pattern for adjusting a position at which the liquid reaches the medium,
The adjustment pattern includes a first pattern formed by the liquid ejected from one liquid ejection portion of the liquid ejection portions when the head moves in the one direction, and the head When moving in another direction, the one liquid ejecting section includes a second pattern formed by the liquid ejected from another liquid ejecting section having a different liquid ejection speed. Liquid discharge system.

Images