Patent ID: 8636331
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printer which performs printing by discharging, to a medium, inks of a plurality of colors including an ink of a first color which has a smallest color difference from a color of the medium and an ink of a second color which is different from the first color, the printer comprising: an ink-jet head which is formed with a plurality of nozzles including a plurality of first nozzles through which the ink of the first color is discharged and a plurality of second nozzles through which the ink of the second color is discharged; and a control unit which controls operation of the ink-jet head, the control unit including a judgment pattern printing control section which controls the ink-jet head while printing a first judgment pattern which indicates whether or not ink discharge malfunction arises in the first nozzles, the judgment pattern printing control section controlling the ink-jet head to discharge ink droplets of the second color from the second nozzles to an area of the medium, and then to discharge ink droplets of the first color from the first nozzles toward the entire area on which the ink droplets of the second color are landed to print the first judgment pattern on the area, so that the ink droplets of the first color land on and entirely covet the entire area on the medium, on which the ink droplets of the second color have been landed and dried on the medium; wherein the judgment pattern printing control section controls the ink-jet head so that the ink droplets of the first color, which have volumes larger than those of the ink droplets of the second color discharged from the second nozzles, are discharged from the first nozzles, while the first judgment pattern is printed.