Patent ID: 6520623
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: B41J,D06P,G06K

Abstract:
A printing apparatus for printing an image using a printing head having a plurality of printing elements disposed in an array, comprising:main scanning means for performing a main scan of the printing head in a forward scanning direction relative to a printing medium; printing head driving means for driving said printing elements of said printing head, during the main scan of said printing head by said main scanning means, to form an image on the printing medium, and for printing with printing elements of the plurality of printing elements excluding at least one printing element disposed on at least one end of the array of said plurality of printing elements; auxiliary scanning means for performing auxiliary scanning of said printing head in an auxiliary scanning direction different than the direction of main scanning relative to said printing medium; and printing control means for performing complementary printing by another printing element of the plurality of printing elements at a printing region of said printing medium corresponding to an abnormal printing element of said plurality of printing elements which cannot perform printing in the forward scanning direction such that said printing head and said printing medium are relatively shifted by said auxiliary scanning means by a shifting distance of at least a pitch between said printing elements of said printing head, wherein the shifting distance by said auxiliary scanning means varies, the shifting distance being determined in accordance with a position of the abnormal printing element of the plurality of printing elements and wherein after a shifting, said printing control means performs complementary printing by using a printing element of the plurality of printing elements, which corresponds to the printing region corresponding to an abnormal printing element before the shifting.