Patent ID: 8118401
Filing Date: 2012-02-21
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A printing apparatus that superposedly forms an image layer representing an image and a specific glossy layer that is different from the image layer on a printing medium, comprising: a first connection unit that can be connected to a basic color ink container containing three primary color inks of which combination is used for performing color representation; a second connection unit that can be connected to a specific color ink container containing a specific color ink other than the three primary color inks; a reception unit that receives a kind of print available ink; a print head where nozzle columns in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in a predetermined direction are arrayed in a direction intersecting an alignment direction of the nozzles in the nozzle columns, and at least one of specific color nozzle columns ejecting the specific color ink among the nozzle columns is disposed as an end-portion specific color nozzle column to at least one of end portions of the print head in the array direction of the nozzle columns; and a printing unit that performs printing by moving the print head relative to the printing medium and ejecting the three primary color inks and/or the specific color ink on the printing medium from the nozzle columns, wherein at least the connection unit that can supply the ink to the end-portion specific color nozzle column inside the second connection unit can be connected to a specific gloss agent container containing a specific gloss agent that is used to form the specific glossy layer instead of the specific color ink container, and wherein, when the specific gloss agent container is connected to the second connection unit and the reception unit receives the specific gloss agent as the available ink, the printing unit ejects the specific gloss agent from the end-portion specific color nozzle column to form the specific glossy layer.