US 12,070,957 B2
Printing apparatus, printing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
Keisuke Nishihara, Nagoya (JP); and Akira Minami, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/305,329.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-073046 (JP), filed on Apr. 27, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0347660 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 2/355 (2006.01); B41J 2/325 (2006.01); B41J 2/35 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/355 (2013.01) [B41J 2/325 (2013.01); B41J 2/35 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing apparatus comprising:
a thermal head having a plurality of heat-generating elements aligned in a line form;
a conveyor configured to convey a print medium in a conveying direction orthogonal to a serial direction in which the plurality of heat-generating elements are aligned in the thermal head, the printing apparatus being configured to form print dots on the print medium conveyed by the conveyor;
a processor configured to:
generate a signal pattern for causing the plurality of heat-generating elements to selectively generate heat based on image data; and
control an application of energy to the heat-generating elements according to the signal pattern, for each printing cycle that is repeated continuously,
wherein the print medium comprises at least:
a first color development layer configured to develop a first color due to energy applied from the heat-generating elements; and
a second color development layer having a color development characteristic different from that of the first color development layer and configured to develop a second color due to energy applied from the heat-generating elements,
wherein the signal pattern is configured by a pattern in which application information of indicating a period for applying energy to the heat-generating elements and non-application information of indicating a period not for applying energy to the heat-generating elements are combined,
wherein the processor is configured to generate the signal pattern by a combination of:
a first signal pattern that is used in a case of causing the first color development layer singly to develop a color to form a print dot of the first color;
a second signal pattern that is used in a case of causing the second color development layer singly to develop a color to form a print dot of the second color; and
a third signal pattern that is used in a case of causing each of the first color development layer and the second color development layer to develop each color to form a print dot of a mixed color of the first color and the second color, and
wherein the third signal pattern is configured based on a logical sum of the first signal pattern and the second signal pattern, and is a pattern for applying a smaller amount of energy to the heat-generating elements than an amount of energy to be applied to the heat-generating elements according to a pattern configured by a mere logical sum of the first signal pattern and the second signal pattern.