Patent ID: 6530645
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B41J,G06K

Abstract:
A method of increasing the throughput of an ink jet printer, wherein:(1) the ink jet printer comprises an array of ink ejection nozzles arranged as a plurality of spaced apart sub-columns; (2) the ink jet printer deposits ink droplets onto a series of adjacent pixel columns as the array moves with respect to the series of adjacent pixel columns, (3) wherein the spaced apart sub-columns are sequentially actuated as the nozzle array passes over each one of pixel columns to deposit ink onto the pixel locations therein, (4) and wherein the throughput of the printer is limited by the time requited to actuate all of the sub-columns as the array passes over each one of the pixel columns; said method of increasing the printer throughput comprising: separating said sub-columns into two groups, a first group comprising selected ones of said spaced apart sub-columns, and a second group comprising the remaining sub-columns; and alternating ink droplet deposition between said first and second groups of sub-columns as said array moves in a multi-pass print mode such that alternating pixel columns are printed with alternating first and second groups of sub-columns, whereby only the first or second group of sub-columns, rather than all of the sub-columns, are required to be actuated over any individual pixel column so as to produce a complete image in which any pixel location may receive one or more ink droplets during the multi-pass print process.