Method and system for improving printer performance

• US 20050243139A1
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Giere, Matthew D., Bruinsma, Paul J., Harp, Michael, Mott, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,204,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/60
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0458 controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04588 using a specific waveform
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04596 Non-ejecting pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04598 Pre-pulse

Abstract

A system and a method for improving printing performance are provided. One method of improving printing performance performing a first print operation utilizing a printhead comprising a plurality of resistors by ejecting ink from a plurality of chambers each associated with at least one of at least some of the plurality of resistors, selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resistors at an energy level insufficient to eject ink from the plurality of chambers, and performing a second print operation utilizing the printhead.

Claims

1. A method for printing an image comprising:

performing a first print operation utilizing a printhead comprising a plurality of resistors by ejecting ink from a plurality of chambers each associated with at least one of at least some of the plurality of resistors;

selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resistors at an energy level insufficient to eject ink from the plurality of chambers; and

performing a second print operation utilizing the printhead by ejecting ink from at least some of the plurality of chambers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resistors comprises providing at least one pulse at a first frequency to each of at least some of the plurality of resistors.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pulse has a duration and another pulse to eject ink from one of the at least some resistors, the another pulse having another duration, and wherein the duration is less than the another duration.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the duration is at most 0.7 times the another duration.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first frequency is in a range of between approximately 5 kHz and approximately 36 kHz.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the first frequency is greater than approximately 1 kHz.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a third print operation utilizing at least some of the plurality of resistors and then selectively energizing one or more of the plurality of resistors at the energy level insufficient to eject ink.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first, second, and third operations comprise printing a different print swath.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resistors at the energy level insufficient to eject ink comprises energizing all of the plurality of resistors at the energy level.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein to eject ink from the chambers each of the at least some of the plurality of resistors that causes ink ejection is provided with energy at a first energy level and wherein the energy level insufficient to eject ink from the plurality of chambers is at most 0.7 times the first energy level.

11. A method of ejecting ink from a fluid ejection device including a plurality of resistors, each of the resistors including a resistor that heats ink to eject ink from the resistors, comprising:

ejecting ink using at least some of the resistors, wherein in order to eject ink each of the at least some resistors are energized at approximately a first energy level;

selectively energizing the at least some of the resistors at approximately a second energy level which is less than the first energy level; and

ejecting ink using one or more of the resistors, wherein in order to eject ink each of the one or more resistors are energized at approximately the first energy level.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein ejecting ink from one or more resistors occurs after selectively energizing the at least some of the resistors at approximately the second energy level.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resistors comprises providing a plurality of pulses at a first frequency.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first frequency is greater than approximately 1 kHz.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first frequency is in a range of between approximately 5 kHz and approximately 36 kHz.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the pulse has a duration and another pulse to eject ink from one of the at least some resistors, the another pulse has another duration, and wherein the duration is less than the another duration.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the duration is at most 0.7 times the another duration.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising ejecting ink from one or more of the resistors and then selectively energizing the at least some of the resistors at approximately the second energy level.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising ejecting ink from at least one of the at least some of the plurality of resistors while selectively energizing the at least some of the plurality of resistors at the energy level insufficient to eject ink.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the second energy level is at most 0.7 times the first energy level.

21. A fluid printer comprising:

a printhead including a plurality of resistors that when energized at a first energy level cause ink to be ejected from a corresponding chamber; and

a controller coupled with the plurality of resistors, the controller selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resist at an energy level that is less than the first energy level.

22. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 21 wherein the controller provides at least one pulse to each of the at least some of the plurality of resistors in order to selectively energize the at least some of the plurality of resistors.

23. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 21 wherein at least one pulse comprises providing a pulse at a first frequency.

24. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 23 wherein the first frequency is in a range of between approximately 5 kHz and approximately 36 kHz.

25. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 23 wherein the first frequency is greater than approximately 1 kHz.

26. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 21 wherein the pulse has a duration and another pulse to eject ink from one of the at least some resistors, the another pulse has another duration, and wherein the duration is less than the another duration.

27. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 26 wherein the duration is at most 0.7 times the another duration.

28. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 21 wherein the energy level that is less than the first energy level is at most 0.7 times the first energy level.

29. A fluid ejection assembly comprising:

a fluid ejection device including a plurality of resistors that when energized at a first energy level cause ink to be ejected from a related chamber; and

means for selectively energizing at least some of the plurality of resistors at an energy level that is less than the first energy level.

30. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 29 wherein means for selectively energizing further comprises providing at least one pulse to each of the at least some of the plurality of resistors in order to selectively energize the at least some of the plurality of resistors.

31. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 30 wherein at least one pulse comprises providing a pulse at a first frequency.

32. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 31 wherein the first frequency is at least approximately 1 kHz.

33. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 31 wherein the first frequency is in a range of between approximately 5 kHz and approximately 36 kHz.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein the pulse has a duration and another pulse to eject ink at the first energy level, the another pulse has another duration, and wherein the duration is less than the another duration.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the duration is at most 0.7 times the another duration.

36. The fluid ejection assembly of claim 29 wherein the energy level that is less than the first energy level is at most 0.7 times the first energy level.