Patent ID: 7410239
Filing Date: 2008-08-12
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printing apparatus using a printing head, which comprises: a plurality of printing element arrays, in each of which a plurality of printing elements discharging a color agent on a printing medium are arranged at a predetermined pitch in a predetermined direction, provided in accordance with color agent types and amounts of color agent to be discharged, wherein the printing head is scanned in a direction differing from the predetermined direction to form an image on the printing medium, wherein the printing head has, for each of at least two types of color agents, first and second printing element arrays for discharging the same color agent in the same amount, the first and second printing element arrays being shifted relative to each other by half the predetermined pitch in the predetermined direction, and third and fourth printing element arrays for discharging the same color agent in the same amount smaller than that of the first and second printing element arrays, the third and fourth printing element arrays being shifted relative to each other by half the predetermined pitch in the predetermined direction, wherein the first and third printing element arrays are adjacent to each other in the scanning direction and shifted by an amount less than half the predetermined pitch in the predetermined direction, wherein the first and second printing element arrays and third and fourth printing element arrays for each of the at least two types of color agents are arranged at positions such that color orders are symmetrical in the scanning direction, respectively, and wherein the first printing element array for one of the at least two types of color agents is arranged so as to be closer to the first printing element array for the other of the at least two types of color agents than the second printing element array for the other type of color agent, and the first printing element array for the one of the at least two types of color agents, and the first printing element array for the other of the at least two types of color agents are arranged so as to be shifted relative to each other by half the predetermined pitch in the predetermined direction.