Patent ID: 6688727
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A method for printing on a printing medium by depositing drops of ink to form dots on the printing medium while executing a main scan by use of a nozzle group comprising N (where N is an integer of 2 or greater) nozzles for ejecting drops of ink which are arrayed at a nozzle pitch D equivalent to a main scan line pitch D; and by executing sub-scans between the main scans in a sub-scan direction that intersects with a direction of the main scan, the method comprising the step of:reproducing first and second dot recording areas in which dots are to be formed, and a blank area inserted between the first and second dot recording areas in the sub-scan direction, wherein the step of reproducing includes the steps of: (a) performing a unit scan operation which comprises a single main scan for forming dots on main scan lines of the first dot recording area, while executing an inter-band sub-scan according to a predetermined feed amount SSb between the respective unit scan operations; and (b) after completing the forming of dots in the first dot recording area, carrying out a positioning sub-scan feed to obtain a relative position at which a position of an upper end nozzle of the N nozzles coincides with a position of an upper end main scan line of the second dot recording area in the sub-scan direction.