Method and system for measuring drop-volume in ink-jet printers

U.S. Patent Number: 5387976

Abstract: This invention involves to a method for measuring drop-volume in an ink-jet printhead. A series of print samples comprised of multiple drops of ink are printed on a recording media. The number of ink drops per sample is reduced for subsequent print samples to produce a series of print samples with varying amounts of ink content. The samples include a solid character to help contrast the increasingly ink depleted regions. The series is visually or optically analyzed to detect changes in optical density among the individual print samples. From these changes, the drop-volume for an ink-jet printhead can be determined. A printing system for automatically self-analyzing and self-correcting for drop-volume is also described.

Inventors: Lesniak; Christopher M. (Vancouver, WA)

Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (Palo Alto, CA)

Application Number: 08/144,988

Issued: 1995-02-07

Expired: 2007-02-07

Classes: 356/627 ; 347/100; 347/19

Field of search: 356/379,380,394,445,446,447,448 347/19,6,14,81,100,107 106/2D,2R 101/45 400/56,126 73/149,861.41

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