Color mixing inspection method, color mixing inspection apparatus and print apparatus

Abstract

To provide a color mixing inspection method, a color mixing inspection apparatus and a print apparatus capable of carrying out a color mixing inspection at low cost for the inspection with high detection ability. To that end, an evaluation pattern is irradiated with light having a color complementary to color mixed into the evaluation pattern to emphasize the color mixing and measure lightness, thereby determining the presence of color mixing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A color mixing inspection method for inspecting an evaluation pattern printed by a first color as a reference for the presence of color mixing of a second color other than said first color, comprising:
 a providing step for providing a print head having a first ejection port array which ejects ink of the first color and a second ejection port array which is adjacent to the first ejection port array and which ejects ink of the second color; 
 a forming step for forming an evaluation pattern by ejecting the ink of the first color from the first ejection port array; 
 an irradiation step for irradiating said evaluation pattern with light having a third color complementary to said second color in which color mixing is supposed to be generated; 
 a lightness measurement step for measuring lightness of said evaluation pattern which is irradiated with said light, wherein: 
 it is provided with a determination step for determining the presence of color mixing by comparing the lightness measured at the lightness measurement step with a predetermined threshold value; 
 a second evaluation pattern forming step for forming a second evaluation pattern by ejecting the ink of the second color from the second ejection port array; and 
 a second irradiation step for irradiating said second evaluation pattern with light having a fourth color complementary to said first color in which color mixing is supposed to be generated. 
 
     
     
       2. The color mixing inspection method according to  claim 1 , wherein said evaluation pattern is printed by a print head capable of ejecting at least first ink of said first color and second ink of said second color. 
     
     
       3. The color mixing inspection method according to  claim 2 , wherein said first ink and said second ink are supplied through a first ink supplying path and a second ink supplying path adjacent to each other, the ink supplying paths provided in said print head. 
     
     
       4. The color mixing inspection method according to  claim 1 , wherein the measurement of lightness in said lightness measurement step is carried out using a picked-up image of said evaluation pattern so as to count the number of pixels in said image determined to be below said threshold value. 
     
     
       5. A color mixing inspection apparatus, wherein the color mixing inspection method according to  claim 1  is used. 
     
     
       6. A print apparatus, wherein the color mixing inspection method according to  claim 1  is used. 
     
     
       7. A color mixing inspection method comprising:
 a providing step for providing a print head having a first ejection port array which ejects ink of a first color and a second ejection port array which is adjacent to the first ejection port array and which ejects ink of a second color, 
 a forming step for forming an evaluation pattern by ejecting the ink of the first color from the first ejection port array, 
 a selecting step for selecting light of a third color with which the evaluation pattern is to be irradiated, the third color being complementary to the second color, 
 a measuring step for measuring lightness of said evaluation pattern by irradiating the evaluation pattern with said light of the third color; 
 a forming step for forming a second evaluation pattern by ejecting the ink of the second color from the second ejection port array; 
 a selecting step for selecting light of a fourth color complementary to the first color; and 
 a measuring step for measuring lightness of said second evaluation pattern by irradiating the second evaluation pattern with said light of the fourth color.