Method for operating a printer to compensate for incorrectly operating nozzles
View Patent ↗A method for operating an inkjet printer configured to print an array of rows and columns of dots includes monitoring for incorrectly printed columns. The operation of correctly operating nozzles neighbouring incorrectly operating nozzles associated with the incorrectly printed columns is modified in a compensatory manner. The step of modifying the operation of correctly operating nozzles includes increasing the duration on heating current pulses delivered to the correctly operating nozzles.
1. A method for operating an inkjet printer configured to print an array of rows and columns of dots, the method comprising the steps of:
monitoring for incorrectly printed columns; and
increasing the duration of a signal delivered to correctly operating nozzles neighbouring incorrectly operating nozzles associated with the incorrectly printed columns.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , in which said incorrectly operating nozzles and said correctly operating nozzles are supplied with and print ink of the same color.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nozzles comprise thermal inkjet actuators, and the duration of the signal controls the duration of a heating pulse applied to the actuators of the correctly operating nozzles.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printer is of a piezo-electric ink ejection type.
5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printer is of a light emitting printing type and wherein the signal duration modulates the intensity of light falling on a corresponding portion of an imaging drum of the printer.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the duration of the signal controls a dot print size of the correctly operating nozzles.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the dot print size of said correctly operating nozzles is increased by 50% of normal operational size.