Patent ID: 6206503
Filing Date: 2001-03-27
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An apparatus for selectively ejecting droplets from a plurality of nozzles, comprising:a first unit having a first monochrome section comprising a plurality of first monochrome nozzles and a first primary color section comprising a plurality of first primary color nozzles, the first monochrome nozzles and the first primary color nozzles being arranged in a first line;a second unit having a second monochrome section comprising a plurality of second monochrome nozzles and a second primary color section comprising a plurality of second primary color nozzles, the second monochrome nozzles and the second primary color nozzles being arranged in a second line; anda third unit having a third monochrome section comprising a plurality of third monochrome nozzles and a third primary color section comprising a plurality of third primary color nozzles, the third monochrome nozzles and the third primary color nozzles being arranged in a third line,wherein the first, second and third lines are parallel, wherein the first, second and third units are integrated such that the monochrome nozzles of the first, second and third monochrome sections form a first plurality of rows that are non-orthogonal to the first, second and third lines, and wherein the color nozzles of the first, second and third primary color sections form a second plurality of rows that are orthogonal to the first, second and third lines and wherein the monochrome nozzles of the first, second and third lines are each arranged with a predetermined nozzle pitch with respect to the nozzles in the same monochrome section and wherein the non-orthogonal rows are formed by displacing the monochrome nozzles of the second line in the direction of the second line by a distance equal to one third of the predetermined nozzle pitch and by displacing the monochrome nozzles of the third line in the direction of the third line by a distance equal to two thirds of the predetermined nozzle pitch to thereby provide three times a monochrome resolution of each of the first, second and third monochrome sections.