Patent ID: 6755496
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink jet printing apparatus comprising:print means having a plurality of ejection outlet arrays, each having a plurality of ejection outlets, arranged in a predetermined direction, for ejecting ink; scanning means for moving said print means relative to the print medium in a main scan direction, which is different from the predetermined direction, during a printing operation; feeding means for feeding the print medium relative to said print means in a direction which is different from the main scan direction, wherein an image is formed on the print medium while repeating a scanning operation of said scanning means and a feeding operation by said feeding means, and wherein one of said ejection outlet arrays extends over a wider range than another one of said ejection outlet arrays in the predetermined direction; information obtaining means for obtaining image information corresponding to at least one of said ejection outlet arrays with respect to a predetermined area of image data to be printed in a prior scan, which predetermined area corresponds to a portion adjacent to a region to be printed in a later scan; and selecting means for selecting a portion in said at least one of ejection outlet arrays to effect printing for the image data in the predetermined area, on the basis of the information obtained by said information obtaining means about image formations, wherein said selecting means is effective to select use or non-use of opposite end portions of a range to be used for recording by said at least one of ejection outlet arrays, on the basis of the information obtained by said information obtaining means.