JP2001341392A - Pattern and method for adjusting deviation imaging position - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pattern for adjusting deviation of an imaging position which has a high visibility and facilitates detecting the deviation when the deviation is adjusted. SOLUTION: A figure 60 printed by a BK head BK1 as a reference (reference pattern) is formed by an image of a circle of a line width of one dot and a diameter of approximately 4 mm. A figure pattern 62 printed by a head to be adjusted to the reference is formed by a circle of a line width of one dot and the equal diameter. Circles of the reference pattern 60 are arranged in two-dimensional matrix at equal intervals by a pitch of 5 mm. Coordinate values are allotted in X and Y two directions. Thereafter, circles of the figure pattern 62 are arranged to overlap with on the reference pattern 60 arranged in the two-dimensional matrix. At this time, each pattern is relatively shifted by a correction value in each coordinate value to the reference circle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming position shift adjusting pattern and an image forming position shift adjusting method.
In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming position shift adjustment pattern and an image forming position shift adjusting method for adjusting a print position between a plurality of print heads in a printer having a plurality of print heads such as an ink jet printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an ink jet printer, a carriage on which a print head is mounted is scanned in a reciprocating direction (hereinafter, referred to as a reciprocating scan).
(Referred to as scanning) while printing in the width direction of the recording paper, and alternately repeating the predetermined amount of conveyance of the recording paper in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction at the end of each scan, thereby printing on the recording paper. A mechanism for forming an image is widely used.

For example, an ink jet printer for forming a color image has a structure in which a plurality of print heads for each color such as black (BK), Sian (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) are mounted on a carriage. It has become.

In order to increase the printing speed, there is also a configuration in which a plurality of print heads of the same color are arranged in the recording paper feed direction, and a "configuration in which a plurality of print heads of each color are mounted on a carriage" has already been proposed by the present applicant. Have been. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-238072 discloses "a configuration in which detachable heads are arranged side by side in the paper feed direction to increase the print width of one scan of the carriage".

In such a configuration in which a plurality of print heads are mounted in a carriage, the positions of print dots ejected from print heads of each color to be printed on recording paper in order to form high-quality images are set high. It is necessary to control to precision.

However, the position accuracy of the nozzles in the print head is generally about several μm, whereas the relative nozzle position accuracy between the print heads is limited to the accuracy of manufacturing parts, the accuracy of assembling to a carriage, or the environment. Variations easily due to changes and aging of parts, from tens of μm to several hundred μm
May occur.

[0007] Unless any adjustment is made to the mechanical dimensional accuracy between the print heads, the print dot positions will appear uneven, that is, image shifts will occur, causing image quality deterioration.

Therefore, in order to adjust and control the print dot position, a plurality of test patterns for detecting the print position shift are actually printed in advance, and the print position shift is minimized from the obtained pattern group. There is known a method of selecting a certain optimum pattern and taking in information on a printing timing and a position of an ejection nozzle to be used as a correction value into a control unit of a printer. At this time, in selecting the optimum pattern, the printer control section automatically detects the pattern with the smallest print deviation visually, and inputs a symbol assigned to the pattern, or automatically corrects using an optical sensor or the like. There are methods for detecting and capturing values.

Particularly, in an ink jet printer of a type having a print head detachable from the carriage, the relative positional accuracy between the print heads is apt to vary, so that the adjustment is often made by the positional shift adjusting method using the print shift adjusting pattern. Among them, the method of visually selecting an optimal pattern without using a sensor or the like has an advantage that the cost of the apparatus itself can be suppressed.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the print shift adjustment pattern.

In FIG. 14, the printing timing is set relative to the vertical black lines bk1 to bk7 as a reference.
The magenta vertical lines m1 to m7 are printed in a stepwise manner. As shown in FIG. 14, the pattern bk3-m3 in which the amount of displacement between the two vertical lines is the minimum is the optimum pattern, and the symbol (3) assigned to the pattern is input, for example, from the keyboard of a personal computer, and the correction value The information is taken into the printer control unit. This is correction value information in the scan direction that is corrected by the print timing. Similarly, FIG. 15 is for obtaining a correction value in the recording paper feed direction, and the printing position deviation in this direction is adjusted by the ejection of ejected dots.

An example using such a line pattern is disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,878,063. “A pattern in which lines shifted by (N + 1) steps are printed, and by selecting the most matching state, the printing deviation is reduced. To "correct"
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-264485 discloses that "after printing and adjusting with a low-resolution check pattern, printing and adjusting with high resolution are performed on the recording paper". On the other hand, as an example of a pattern in which graphics are superimposed, see JP-A-8-28652.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-65205 discloses "Easy inspection using a visual color misregistration inspection pattern having a predetermined contour of two or more colors." To know the amount of displacement according to the number of steps ".

[0013]

The printing position deviation adjusting method of printing the above-described printing deviation adjusting pattern and visually selecting an optimum pattern is characterized in that high image quality is easily obtained at low cost. However, on the other hand, the visibility is low due to the use of fine lines composed of fine dots, and it is not easy to detect the optimal pattern by visual inspection.
There is a problem. In particular, there is a problem that the higher the resolution is, the smaller the relative difference of the shift amount between the adjacent patterns to be compared individually in each pattern group is, and it is easy to get lost when selecting the only optimal pattern. .

Further, since a pattern indicating a shift in the carriage scanning direction is a vertical line, and a pattern indicating a shift in the recording paper direction is a separate group of patterns, and it is necessary to select an optimal pattern for each direction. It is necessary to select two patterns from two sets of patterns for one adjustment operation between print heads.

According to the present invention, in consideration of the above facts, when adjusting the image forming position shift, an image forming position shift adjusting pattern and an image position shifting adjusting method which have high visibility and which can easily detect the image forming position shift. For the purpose of providing.

[0016]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an image is formed on a two-dimensional figure pattern, and a first pattern serving as a reference for adjusting image forming position shift is provided. Relative to the first pattern,
And a second pattern formed by shifting the image in a stepwise manner and an image forming position shift adjustment pattern,
The shift amount between the first pattern and the second pattern indicates a correction value for performing image forming position shift adjustment, and at least one optimal pattern visually selected from the image forming position shift adjustment patterns. Indicates an optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the shift amount between the first pattern and the second pattern indicates a correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift. That is, the first
Is used as a correction value when an image is formed by shifting the pattern relative to and in a stepwise manner. Therefore,
If at least one optimal pattern is visually selected from the image forming positional deviation adjustment patterns, the selected optimal pattern indicates an optimal correction value for adjusting the image forming positional deviation.

Here, since the image of the second pattern is formed as a two-dimensional figure pattern by being shifted relative to the first pattern stepwise, the optimum pattern is selected when the optimum pattern is selected. Visibility increases. Further, by selecting the optimum pattern, an optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift can be obtained, so that the image forming position shift can be easily detected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the image formation position shift adjustment patterns are arranged in a matrix, and matrix coordinates corresponding to the optimum pattern arrangement position are set in the image formation position. It is characterized by indicating an optimal correction value in the direction of displacement.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1,
In the invention described in the above, the image forming position shift adjustment patterns are arranged in a matrix, and the matrix coordinates corresponding to the positions where the optimal patterns are arranged are arranged in a matrix by indicating the optimum correction value in the image forming position shift direction. The visibility is improved when the optimum pattern of the image forming position shift adjustment pattern is selected. Further, by setting the matrix coordinates to indicate the optimum correction value in the image forming position shift direction, it is possible to easily adjust the image forming position shift.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern is two-dimensionally painted. It is characterized in that it is a figure pattern of a shape or a figure pattern of an outline shape in which the outside is solid-filled.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the first aspect is provided.
Alternatively, in the invention according to claim 2, a two-dimensional graphic pattern in which at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern is solid-filled, or a white-out graphic pattern in which the outside is solid-filled, By doing so, the position of each pattern can be easily determined visually. Therefore, the relative displacement amount of each pattern can be easily determined, and visual detection of the optimal pattern becomes easy.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, one of the first pattern and the second pattern is provided with respect to the other. It is characterized by a small similar shape.

According to the invention of claim 4, according to claim 1,
The invention according to any one of claims 3 to 3, wherein
By making one of the pattern and the second pattern a similar shape smaller than the other, when the first pattern and the second pattern are overlapped, the relative positional deviation amount can be visually observed. And it is possible to easily determine the optimal pattern by visual observation.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the two-dimensional figure pattern is circular.

According to the invention described in claim 5, claim 1 is
In the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the two-dimensional figure pattern is made circular, so that the first pattern is obtained.
It is easy to visually determine the relative displacement of the second pattern with respect to the pattern regardless of the displacement direction.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the two-dimensional figure pattern is a polygon.

According to the invention of claim 6, according to claim 1,
In the invention according to any one of the fourth to fourth aspects, the two-dimensional figure pattern is a polygon, so that the second pattern with respect to the first pattern is similar to the invention according to the fifth aspect. It becomes easy to visually determine the relative displacement regardless of the direction of the displacement.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, an image is formed by shifting the first pattern serving as a reference formed in a predetermined shape relative to the first pattern in a relative and stepwise manner. A second pattern, wherein one of the first pattern and the second pattern has a solid two-dimensional figure shape, and the other has a line pattern, and the figure shape has the line shape. A plurality of image forming position shift adjustment patterns arranged with a certain blank area equal to or larger than the width of the pattern, wherein the amount of image forming position shift between the first pattern and the second pattern is used to adjust the image forming position shift. This is characterized in that at least one optimal pattern visually selected represents an optimal correction value for adjusting image forming position deviation.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the first aspect is provided.
Similarly to the above, the shift amount between the first pattern and the second pattern indicates a correction value for performing the image forming position shift adjustment. That is, the shift amount when forming an image relative to the first pattern in a stepwise manner is used as the correction value. Therefore, if at least one optimum pattern is visually selected from the image forming position shift adjustment patterns, the selected optimum pattern indicates the optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift.

Here, since the image is formed by shifting the second pattern relative to the first pattern in a stepwise manner, the visibility of the optimum pattern is improved when the optimum pattern is selected. Further, by selecting the optimum pattern, an optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift can be obtained, so that the image forming position shift can be easily detected.

According to the present invention, one of the first pattern and the second pattern has a solid two-dimensional figure shape, the other has a line pattern, and the figure shape has a shape. They are arranged with a certain blank area that is equal to or larger than the width of the line pattern. Here, if the line pattern is arranged so as to correspond to the blank area, the solid figure shape,
Since the image forming position shift adjustment pattern is arranged in the order of a fixed blank area and a line pattern, the relative shift of the second pattern with respect to the first pattern is visually confirmed by checking the position of the line pattern in the blank area. By doing so, it is possible to detect. That is, the optimum pattern can be determined from the position of the line pattern in the blank area. In addition, by doing so, the visibility at the time of determining the optimal pattern can be improved, and
This makes it easy to visually determine the optimum pattern.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming position shift adjusting pattern according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein a plurality of optimum patterns are visually observed from the image forming position shift pattern. And calculating the optimum correction value for the image forming position shift adjustment in at least one direction of the image forming direction and the direction orthogonal to the image forming direction based on the optimum pattern of the selection.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the image forming position shift adjusting pattern according to any one of the first to seventh aspects is formed, and the image forming position shift adjusting pattern is visually observed from the image forming position shift adjusting pattern. By selecting a plurality of optimum patterns, it is possible to calculate the optimum correction value for the image forming position shift adjustment in at least one of the image forming direction and the direction orthogonal to the image forming direction. For example, in an ink jet printer, any one of claims 1 to 7
Forming the image forming position shift adjustment pattern described in the paragraph and visually selecting the optimum pattern, the shift direction of the print head which is the image forming direction from the shift of the second pattern from the first pattern in the optimum pattern. The optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position deviation in at least one direction of the recording paper feed direction can be calculated. Since a plurality of optimal patterns can be selected, a higher-resolution correction value can be calculated even for the same image forming position shift adjustment pattern as compared to a single pattern.

As described above, by using the image forming position shift adjusting pattern according to any one of claims 1 to 7, when performing the image forming position shift adjustment, the visibility is high, and the image forming position shift is high. The displacement can be easily detected. Further, since the optimum correction value is calculated based on the optimum pattern visually selected, it is possible to easily adjust the image forming position shift.

[0036]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a printer 10 and a computer 12 are connected.
A processing device 42 including a PU and a memory; an auxiliary storage device 44 including a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive (FDD), a CD-ROM, and the like;
The processing device 42 and the auxiliary storage device 44 are connected to the respective peripheral device interfaces 46. Further, a CRT display 48, a keyboard 50 and a mouse 52 are connected to each peripheral device interface 46.

On the other hand, the printer 10
The printer control unit 14 includes a CP
U16, an EEPROM 18 as a correction value information memory,
ROM 20, RAM 22, print head drive (driver) 24, motor drive (driver) 26, switch sensor interface 28, and communication interface 3
0.

EEPROM 18, ROM 20, RAM 2
2. The print head drive unit 24, the motor drive unit 26, the switch sensor interface 28, and the communication interface 30 are connected to the CPU 16 respectively, and the communication interface 30 is connected to each peripheral device interface 46 of the computer 12.

The print head drive unit 24 is connected to a color head 32 as a color print head and a BK head 34 as a black print head. It is driven to perform printing.

The motor drive unit 26 is connected to a paper feed motor 36 for feeding paper and a carriage scan motor 38 for moving a print head in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction. Thereby, each motor is driven.

The various switch sensors 40 are connected to the switch sensor interface 28, and information input from the various switch sensors 40 is input to the CPU 16 via the switch sensor interface 28.

That is, when print information including a print instruction is transmitted to the printer 10 via each peripheral device interface 30 of the computer 12, the print information is transmitted to the printer 10 via the communication interface 30 of the printer 10.
To the printer control unit 1 based on the print information.
The printing is performed by the control of No. 4.
Printing is performed by controlling the color head 32, the BK head 34, the paper feed motor 36, and the carriage scan motor 38 by the printer control unit 14.

Next, the printer 1 used in this embodiment will be described.
The print head of No. 0 will be described. Note that the printer 10 according to the present embodiment will be described taking a printer having a resolution of 600 dpi as an example.

As shown in FIG. 2, the print head of the printer according to the present embodiment has a BK head 34 for black printing.
And a color head (Sian (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y)) 32 for color printing
BK head 34 and color head 3
2 are arranged side by side in the paper feeding direction Y. The BK head 34 includes BK heads BK1, BK2, and BK3 on which three black print elements are mounted.
The K heads BK1, BK2, and BK3 are arranged such that adjacent BK heads overlap by a certain width in the paper feeding direction Y and are separated by a certain distance in the carriage scanning direction X.

On the other hand, the color head 32 is composed of color heads C, M, and Y on which three print elements C, M, and Y are mounted.
Similar to the BK head 34, adjacent color heads overlap by a certain width in the paper feeding direction Y and are arranged at a certain distance in the carriage scanning direction X.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, three color heads BK1, BK2, BK for black are used.
The BK head 34 with the CMY 3 and the color head 32 with the CMY color heads C, M, and Y are configured to be detachable from the carriage 54. Note that 6
All the color heads may be configured to be detachable from the carriage.

In this embodiment, in the adjustment method using the print shift adjustment pattern, the reference BK head BK1
Therefore, adjustment among the five print heads BK heads BK2 and BK3 and color heads C, M and Y is performed. Each adjustment requires a correction value in the carriage scan direction and the paper feed direction. In addition, reciprocal printing superposition adjustment by the same head is also performed.

Next, an example of a print shift adjustment pattern corresponding to the image forming position shift adjustment pattern of the present invention will be described. (Pattern Example 1) FIG. 4A shows the shape of a figure pattern used for a print misalignment adjustment pattern. Here, FIG. 4A shows a figure (reference pattern) 60 to be printed by the reference BK head BK1 having a line width of 1 dot.
A figure pattern 62 printed by a head to be adjusted with respect to a reference is shown as a circle having a diameter of about 4 mm, a circle having a line width of 1 dot and an equal diameter, and an optimum pattern 64 when both are superimposed is shown. ing.

FIG. 4B shows an example of a basic print misregistration adjustment pattern using the above graphic pattern. The configuration and arrangement of the pattern group are such that circles of the reference pattern 60 are arranged at equal intervals in a two-dimensional matrix at a pitch of 5 mm, and coordinate values are assigned in both X and Y directions. Here, the scanning direction is X, the paper feeding direction is Y, and X1 to X5, Y1
To Y5.

Next, the reference pattern 60 in which the circles of the graphic pattern 62 are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix as described above.
It is arranged so as to overlap on top. However, each pattern is shifted relative to the reference circle by the correction value in each coordinate value.

For example, the amount of shift in the scan direction X can be determined in the order of -2, -1,...
Reference units such as 0, +1 and +2 are displaced step by step. Here, the reference unit is about 40 for one resolution pitch.
μm. Similarly, in the paper feeding direction Y, the Y3 line is arranged with a correction value of “0” and sequentially shifted from Y1 in a stepwise manner.

Although FIG. 4B has been described as an array of 5 rows and 5 columns for the sake of explanation, the maximum deviation amount expected from the manufacturing accuracy of the head and the like in the scanning direction ±
It is estimated that there are 7 resolution pitches and the paper feeding direction ± 5 resolution pitches, and the actual number of arrays is 11 rows and 15 columns.

The print misregistration adjustment pattern configured as described above is effective for detecting the misregistration between the black and color heads because the black ink covers the color ink when the print dots overlap, and is effective for detecting the misregistration between the black and color heads. Is detected as the optimal pattern.

Here, an example is shown in which XY coordinate values are written outside the pattern group and read. However, coordinate values are added to each of the combined graphic patterns, or numbers are assigned to individual patterns instead of the coordinate values. You may do so. Further, the line width of the graphic pattern may be several dots. (Pattern Example 2) Next, Pattern Example 2 will be described. Pattern example 2 is a modification of pattern example 1 and is similar to that of FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), the figure pattern 68 printed by the head to be adjusted has a circular shape smaller than the reference pattern 66 by several dots. In this example,
The figure pattern 68 printed shifted is the reference pattern 6
The line width printed by the reference BK head BK1 is increased to about 1 mm so as not to protrude to the outside of 6. In this pattern group, the optimum pattern 70 is detected as a double circle of concentric circles,
By setting the thickness to about μm, the difference between adjacent patterns near the optimum pattern becomes more conspicuous.

This print misregistration adjustment pattern has the same level of visibility for both different color and same color adjustments as compared to the pattern example 1 shown in FIG. 4, and all adjustments are represented by patterns of the same shape. it can. (Pattern Example 3) On the other hand, the pattern example 3 shown in FIGS.
It is. The pattern example 3 has a solid-filled shape other than the gap between the patterns in the pattern example 2 (a pattern in which a reference pattern 72 of a white rectangular figure and a graphic pattern 74 of a solid circular figure are overlapped). . In this group of patterns, the optimal pattern 76 is detected as a white circle formed in a blank area of a gap between the patterns. Other than the optimal pattern, it becomes a crescent shape having directionality according to the shift amount, and the entire pattern group is visually recognized so as to indicate the direction of the optimal pattern, so that the detection of the optimal pattern is further facilitated.
In addition, the solid coating here is enough that the solid coated portion can be recognized as having a substantially constant density so that a blank area is conspicuous when visually judged, and so-called half-printing is performed every few dots. It may be a tone.

The pattern example 3 is also effective as a pattern for detecting a shift in reciprocal printing performed by the same head. Note that the reciprocating printing deviation is adjusted by the printing timing in the scanning direction, and does not need to be adjusted in the paper feeding direction, so that the pattern group includes only one line.

By using the above-mentioned pattern examples 1 and 3 in combination, it becomes easy to detect the optimum pattern. For example, by using the pattern example 1 for different colors and the pattern example 3 for the same colors, it is possible to configure a print misalignment adjustment pattern required for a printer. FIG. 7 shows an example of this arrangement. The other five matrix patterns of five heads with respect to BK1 and the six reciprocal printing misalignment pattern groups (one row each) of six heads are arranged. By selecting an optimal pattern from each pattern group and inputting a symbol added to the pattern on the computer 12, correction values (scan direction and paper feed direction) for adjusting the positional deviation of the other five heads with respect to BK1 And the correction value of the reciprocal printing deviation for each of the six heads can be obtained.

In this embodiment, a circular graphic pattern is used as an example of a pattern. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect can be obtained by a graphic pattern composed of polygons. For example, FIGS. 8 and 9 show a figure pattern formed of a square, and FIG. 10 shows an example of a figure pattern formed of an octagon. As described above, the same effects can be obtained by using the polygonal graphic patterns shown in FIGS.

As another embodiment, there is a configuration in which one of the two patterns is a line pattern. FIGS. 11 and 12 show a print misregistration adjustment pattern composed of a square solid block shape pattern and a line pattern. An optimal pattern is a line pattern printed in the center of a blank area formed by a gap between blocks, and is detected as a "line not interfering with a block" having a minute blank area on the left and right (or up and down) of the line pattern. You. In order to ensure the effect of improving the visibility, it is preferable that the left and right (or upper and lower) minute blank areas in the optimum pattern be about 100 μm. In this case, the space between the blocks to be printed is defined as “line width + 4 resolution pitch ( About 170 μ) ”. In this case, for each positional deviation adjustment between print heads, a pattern group for detecting a deviation in the scanning direction (see FIG. 11) and a pattern group for detecting a deviation in the paper feeding direction (see FIG. 12). ) Must be selected for each.

Next, the selection of the optimum pattern will be described.

For example, in FIG. 11, when (6) is an optimal pattern having no error with a displacement of 0 μm, it is substantially visually detected as a “line that does not interfere with a block” having a minute blank area on the left and right of the line pattern. The patterns performed are (5), (6), and (7). At this time, the adjacent patterns (5), (6) and (7) are compared with each other,
(6) where the left and right blank areas are equal may be selected, or all (5), (6) and (7) may be selected.

That is, in the case of numerical input from the keyboard 50, "6" may be input, or "5, 6, 7" or "5-7" may be input. Further, when input is performed by operating the mouse 52 on the CRT display 48 of the computer 12, a plurality of selection buttons may be clicked or a plurality of selections may be performed by an icon drag operation.

Based on the information thus input, the computer 12 calculates the only optimal pattern, and outputs information on the optimal correction value to the printer control unit 14. In this case, for the information input of "5, 6, 7", the median "6" is calculated and selected on the computer side.

Further, when detecting and selecting the optimum pattern from the group of patterns arranged in a matrix as described above, a plurality of selections can be made, and the selection can be made in a two-dimensional area in both the carriage scan and paper feed directions. it can. In the multiple selection, since a correction value in the middle between patterns shifted stepwise can be expressed in calculation, it is possible to obtain a correction value with a resolution of 1200 dpi, for example, by a printing position shift adjustment pattern with a resolution of 600 dpi. For example, FIG.
In such a case as shown in FIG.
3, 32, 33 ". Therefore, “22, 23, 3
The optimal correction value may be calculated from “2, 33”, whereby a high-resolution correction value can be obtained.

As described above, in the present embodiment,
By performing the print shift adjustment using the graphic patterns as in the pattern examples 1 to 3, the visibility of each position shift pattern can be improved, and the number of pattern groups to be selected can be reduced. Therefore, it is easy to visually detect and determine the optimal pattern, and it is possible to reduce the work of adjusting the printing position deviation.

[0067]

As described above, according to the present invention, a first pattern serving as a reference is formed, and a second pattern is formed relative to the first pattern in a stepwise manner. Thus, an image forming position shift adjustment pattern is formed. Then, by making the at least one selected optimum pattern indicate the optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift, the visibility is high when performing the image forming position shift adjustment, and the image forming position shift is detected. Can be provided.

Further, by calculating the optimum correction value using the image forming position shift adjustment pattern, when performing the image forming position shift adjustment, the visibility is high and the image forming position shift can be easily detected. Thus, there is an effect that it is possible to provide an image position shift adjusting method capable of easily adjusting the image forming position shift.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control system of a printer and a schematic configuration of a computer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a print head of the printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a print head in a carriage.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a pattern example 1 (circular figure) of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a pattern example 2 (a circular similar figure) of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a pattern example 3 of the image forming position shift adjustment pattern (open-cut figure and circular solid-filled figure).

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an arrangement example of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example (square) of another image forming position shift adjustment pattern.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another example of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern (white figure and square solid figure).

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern (white figure and polygonal solid figure).

FIG. 11 shows another example of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern (a square solid block shape pattern and a line pattern).
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a carriage direction.

FIG. 12 shows an example of another image forming position shift adjustment pattern (square solid block shape pattern and line pattern).
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a paper feed direction.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating selection of an optimum pattern.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a conventional example of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern in a scanning direction.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a conventional example of an image forming position shift adjustment pattern in the paper feed direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Printer 14 Printer control unit 60, 66, 72 Reference pattern 62, 68, 74 Graphic pattern 64, 70, 76 Optimal pattern

Claims (8)

[Claims] An image is formed in a two-dimensional figure pattern, and the image is formed by shifting the first pattern, which is a reference for adjusting the image forming position shift, relative to the first pattern in a stepwise manner. An image forming position shift adjustment pattern comprising: a corrected pattern for adjusting the image forming position shift, the amount of shift between the first pattern and the second pattern; An image forming position shift adjustment pattern, wherein at least one optimal pattern visually selected from the image forming position shift adjustment patterns indicates an optimum correction value for adjusting the image forming position shift. 2. The image forming position shift adjustment pattern is arranged in a matrix, and matrix coordinates corresponding to the position of the optimum pattern indicate an optimum correction value in the image forming position shift direction. 2. The image forming position shift adjustment pattern according to 1. 3. A two-dimensional graphic pattern in which at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern is solid-filled, or an outline graphic pattern in which the outside is solid-filled. The image forming position deviation adjustment pattern according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the first pattern and the second pattern has a similar shape smaller than the other. Image forming position shift adjustment pattern. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional figure pattern is circular.
The image forming position shift adjustment pattern described in the paragraph. 6. The image forming position shift adjustment pattern according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional figure pattern is a polygon. 7. A first pattern serving as a reference image formed in a predetermined shape, and a second pattern formed by shifting the image relative to the first pattern in a stepwise manner. One of the first pattern and the second pattern has a solid two-dimensional graphic shape, and the other has a line pattern, and the graphic shape has a width equal to or larger than the width of the line pattern. A plurality of image forming position shift adjustment patterns arranged with a blank area, wherein the amount of image forming position shift between the first pattern and the second pattern indicates a correction value for performing image forming position shift adjustment. Wherein at least one optimal pattern selected by visual observation indicates an optimal correction value for adjusting an image forming position shift. 8. An image forming position shift adjustment pattern according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of optimal patterns are visually selected from the image forming position shift pattern, and An image forming position shift adjusting method, comprising calculating an optimum correction value for adjusting an image forming position shift in at least one of an image forming direction and a direction orthogonal to the image forming direction based on an optimum pattern.