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Alignment of differently sized printheads in a printer

  • US 5,971,524 A
  • Filed: 06/08/1998
  • Issued: 10/26/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A mixed resolution printer comprising:

  • a frame for holding a medium for being printed upon in a print zone;

    a carriage supported on said frame and movable across said print zone during a scan;

    a first printhead mounted on said carriage and including a first array of nozzles for printing a swath of black ink, said first printhead having a first print resolution and a first width parallel to a direction of movement of said medium through said print zone, said first printhead having a top edge facing opposite said direction of movement of said medium and a bottom edge facing said direction of movement of said medium, said first array of nozzles being disposed between said top and bottom edges;

    a second printhead mounted on said carriage parallel to said first printhead, said second printhead including a second array of nozzles for printing a swath of color ink, said second printhead having a second print resolution lower than said first print resolution and a second width shorter than said first width, said second printhead having a top edge facing opposite said direction of movement of said medium and a bottom edge facing said direction of movement of said medium, said second array of nozzles being disposed between said top and bottom edges,a third printhead mounted on said carriage and disposed between said first and second printheads, said third printhead being identical to said second printhead for printing a swath of a second color ink,wherein an edge of said second printhead and an edge of said third printhead are substantially aligned with an edge of said first printhead, such that a maximum print swath created by said first printhead at least partially overlaps a maximum print swath created by said second and third printheads during a single scan of said carriage across said medium.

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