JP6436684B2 - Ink jet recording apparatus and recording position adjusting method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and a recording position adjustment method, and more particularly, to a recording position adjustment when recording is performed by reciprocating scanning of a recording head.

  As an example of this type of recording position adjustment, Patent Document 1 records a plurality of dot patterns having different relative recording timing shift amounts between forward scanning pattern recording and backward scanning pattern recording. Is described. Then, for example, based on the dot pattern having the highest density among the plurality of dot patterns, the recording position in the reciprocating scan is adjusted by controlling the relative recording timing between the reciprocating scans.

  As another form, Patent Document 2 similarly describes that a pattern is recorded in each of the forward and backward scans of the recording head and the recording position is adjusted based on the recorded pattern. In Patent Document 2, a recording position shift between the least significant dot in one area and the most significant dot in the other area, which occurs at the boundary between adjacent recording areas for each scan due to the tilt of the nozzle row, is described. The correction is made based on the pattern recorded by the reciprocating scanning. Then, the recording position deviation is corrected by shifting the recording timing of the nozzles in a part of the nozzle row in the scanning direction.

  Furthermore, Patent Document 3 similarly describes that a pattern is recorded in each of the forward and backward scans of the recording head and the recording position is adjusted based on the recorded pattern. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-260260, the inclination amount correction is performed for each of the forward recording and the backward recording based on the recorded pattern, and the landing position deviation in the main scanning direction and the head of the forward scanning recording and the backward scanning recording in the multipass recording are corrected. It is described that the occurrence of band unevenness due to the inclination of is suppressed.

JP 2000-37936 A JP-A-11-240143 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-23982

  However, when the recording position adjustment is performed based on the patterns recorded in the forward and backward directions described above, the influence of the satellite, which may be caused by ink ejection, on the recording position adjustment pattern is affected by the forward and backward of the recording head. May vary depending on the direction of the backward scan. That is, the satellite may fly in a direction inclined from a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. In this case, one of the forward and backward scanning speed components is added to the scanning direction component of the flying speed of the satellite, and the landing position of the satellite on the recording medium is compared with the landing position of the main droplet. May be significantly different. On the other hand, in the scanning in the direction opposite to the above scanning, the landing position of the satellite on the recording medium is not so far from the landing position of the main droplet. The dots formed by the satellites whose landing positions are relatively far away from each other make the recording position adjustment pattern inaccurate, for example, the measured density, and the pattern density corresponding to the recording position at that time is appropriate. It will be impossible to measure.

  The present invention provides an ink jet recording apparatus and a recording position adjusting method capable of reducing the influence of a satellite on a pattern even when a satellite is generated from a recording head when a pattern for recording position adjustment is recorded. For the purpose.

In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting ink are arranged, are formed so as to extend in the first direction on both sides of the ink chamber, and eject ink supplied from the ink chamber. A recording head having a nozzle row including the first row and the second row, moving means for moving the recording head in the forward direction and the backward direction along a second direction intersecting the first direction, and recording A transport unit that transports the medium in a transport direction that intersects the second direction, a forward scan that ejects ink from the nozzle row while moving the recording head in the forward direction by the moving unit, and a moving unit. Image recording means for recording an image on the recording medium by backward scanning for ejecting ink from the nozzle row while moving the recording head in the backward direction, During scanning, the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the first row and the satellite is larger than the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the second row and the satellite, and the backward scanning is performed. In some cases, the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the second row and the satellite is larger than the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the first row and the satellite. A test pattern used for controlling the recording head to adjust a recording position between a recording position by a part of the nozzle array of the recording head and a recording position by another part in the second direction. Pattern recording control means for recording on the recording medium; and adjustment means for adjusting the recording position based on an input relating to a recording result of the test pattern, The control means causes the test pattern to be recorded by using a part of the second row without using the first row in the forward scan, and the first row without using the second row in the backward scan. The test pattern is recorded using a part thereof.

  According to the above configuration, when a pattern for recording position adjustment is recorded, even if a satellite is generated from the recording head, it is possible to reduce the influence of the satellite on the pattern.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) And (b) is a figure explaining the arrangement | sequence of the nozzle row in the recording head shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the reflection sensor shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of the inkjet recording device shown in FIG. (A) And (b) is a figure explaining the influence which the satellite which generate | occur | produces with the ink discharge of a recording head exerts on the test pattern recorded by reciprocation scanning, (c) concerns on other embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a nozzle array of a recording head. 6 is a flowchart showing recording position adjustment processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the test pattern for recording position adjustment recorded by the process of FIG. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows the shift amount of the nozzle row uppermost part with respect to the nozzle row lowest part of each patch shown in FIG. 7, and the recording state of a patch. It is a figure which shows an example of the relative value of the detected reflected intensity for every some patch shown in FIG. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows the recording state of the patch when a satellite does not generate | occur | produce in the nozzle row used for pattern recording, and when it generate | occur | produces, respectively. 6 is a flowchart showing recording position adjustment processing according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the recording medium 104 is conveyed in the y direction in the drawing as the LF roller 105 rotates, and an image is recorded by the recording head 102 in the middle of the conveyance path. A platen 106 for supporting the recording medium 104 from below is provided at the recording position. The recording head 102 is mounted on a carriage 101, and the carriage 101 is guided and supported by a carriage shaft 107 so as to be movable in the x direction. At this time, the position of the recording head 102 in the x direction is managed by the timing belt 108. Under this configuration, an image is recorded in a stepwise manner on the recording medium 104 by alternately repeating the recording scanning in the x direction by the recording head 102 and the conveying operation of the recording medium 104 in the y direction. A reflection sensor 103 for detecting the reflection intensity of a test pattern, which will be described later, is provided on a side portion of the carriage 101 in the scanning direction.

  2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the arrangement of the nozzle rows in the recording head 102 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, the recording head 102 of this embodiment is provided with four head chips corresponding to four types (colors) of ink arranged side by side in the x direction. These four chips eject different inks: chip 1 ejects black ink, chip 2 ejects cyan ink, chip 3 ejects magenta ink, and chip 4 ejects yellow ink.

  FIG. 2B shows an arrangement of nozzles in each chip shown in FIG. In each chip, the nozzle rows of the A row and the B row are arranged in parallel in the x direction. Each of the A column and the B column is further composed of two columns, an even (even) column and an odd (odd) column. In both the Even and Odd rows, a predetermined number of nozzles are arranged in one row in the y direction at a pitch equivalent to 1200 dpi (dots / inch). The Even and Odd rows are half a pitch in the y direction. Are just offset from each other. In addition, the A row and the B row are arranged so as to be shifted from each other by ¼ pitch in the y direction. As described above, in the entire chip, adjacent nozzles in the y direction have an interval equivalent to 4800 dpi (= 1200 dpi × 4). Thus, by performing recording while scanning in the x direction using the recording head, it is possible to record dots at a density of 4800 dpi (= 1200 dpi × 4) in the y direction on the recording medium. The A column and the B column are not necessarily shifted in the y direction, and may be two columns having the same address in the y direction.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the reflection sensor 103 shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the reflection sensor 103 includes an LED 401 that projects light onto the recording medium 104 on the platen 106 and a photodiode 402 that receives the reflected light from the recording medium 104. In the present embodiment, the irradiation area of the irradiation light and the detection area on the light receiving side of the recording medium are adjusted to be a detection spot of about 10 mm × 10 mm. When detecting a patch in a test pattern recorded on a recording medium, the carriage 101 is positioned so that the detection spot is arranged in the patch. The light emitted from the LED 401 and reflected by the patch is received by the photodiode 402 and output as an electrical signal. A signal from the photodiode 402 is transmitted to the control unit of the recording apparatus via an amplification unit or an AD converter having a variable gain. The voltage level of the signal can be appropriately adjusted based on the reflection intensity of the recording medium.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 50 includes a CPU 51 that is a central processing unit, a ROM 52 that stores control programs and initial values of variables, and a RAM 53 that is used as a work area, and drives various mechanisms in the apparatus to drive the entire recording apparatus. To control. For example, the control unit 50 receives image data from a host device connected to the outside via the interface I / F 54 and develops the image data in the RAM 53 in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM 52. Thereafter, a recording operation is executed in accordance with the recording data expanded in the RAM 53. Specifically, the recording head 102 is driven via the head driver 55 in accordance with the recording data, and ink is ejected from each nozzle of the recording head 102. In addition, the carriage motor 59 is driven via the motor driver 58 to control the movement of the carriage 101. Further, the conveyance motor 57 is driven via the motor driver 56, and the LF roller 105 is rotated by an amount according to the instruction. As a result, the recording medium 104 before the start of recording can be set at a predetermined recording start position, and the recording medium 104 can be conveyed by a predetermined amount each time the recording scan is completed. In addition, the control unit 50 executes a recording position adjustment process according to an embodiment of the present invention, which will be described later with reference to FIG. At that time, the control unit 50 controls to record the pattern for recording position adjustment by the recording operation as described above, and controls to detect the pattern by the reflection sensor 103.

  In the ink jet recording apparatus described above, recording position adjustment by scanning in the forward direction and backward direction of the recording head will be described below. Before describing the recording position adjustment according to the embodiment of the present invention, the influence of satellites generated along with ink ejection on a test pattern recorded by reciprocating scanning will be described.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the influence of satellites generated as ink is ejected from the recording head on a test pattern recorded by reciprocating scanning.

  FIG. 5A shows the structure of the Odd and Even rows and the ink ejection direction that constitute each of the A and B rows of the nozzles of the recording head described above with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, heaters 502 for generating thermal energy used for ejection are provided in the liquid paths corresponding to the nozzles 501 (ejection ports) of the odd and even rows, respectively. Ink is supplied to each liquid path on the heater 502 through an ink supply port 503 common to the nozzles in the odd and even rows. For each nozzle 501 in the Odd row and the Even row, there is a wall in a direction opposite to the direction in which ink is supplied with respect to the heater in the liquid path in which the heater is provided.

  In this nozzle structure, in each of the nozzles 501 in the odd and even rows, satellites (return droplets) may occur in addition to the main droplets that contribute to dot formation on the recording medium. Then, the main droplets and satellites may be discharged while being inclined toward the wall side with respect to the direction perpendicular to the heater 502. In particular, the satellite tends to have a large inclination. In this case, the directions in which the satellites tilt and fly in the odd and even rows are opposite to each other. Such inclination in the ejection direction or flight direction is, for example, the positional relationship between the heater and the nozzle for mitigating the impact (cavitation) applied to the heater due to the defoaming of bubbles generated in the ink during ejection. Caused by

  FIG. 5B shows the landing positions of the main droplet and the satellite on the recording medium due to the ink ejection accompanying the scanning of the recording head when the above-described satellite inclination occurs. As shown in the figure, when the recording head 102 moves in either the forward or backward scanning direction, the main droplets and satellites have velocity components in their ejection (flight) directions shown in FIG. Landing at a position determined by the velocity component in the scanning direction of the recording head. Specifically, in the scanning direction shown in FIG. 5B, the distance between the main droplets from the Even row nozzles and satellites is far greater than the distance between the main droplets from the Odd row nozzles and satellites. To land. When the recording head 102 scans in the direction opposite to the direction shown in FIG. 5B, conversely, the distance between the main droplet and the satellite from the nozzle in the Odd row is the distance between the main droplet and the satellite in the Even row. It becomes larger than the distance between the main droplet from the nozzle and the satellite.

  As described above, there are a plurality of nozzle arrays in which the flying direction of the satellites in the one recording head has scanning direction components opposite to each other, and the distance between the landing positions of the main droplet and the satellite is relatively large in one scanning. In this case, the recording position adjustment pattern is inaccurate. In other words, the dots formed by satellites whose landing positions are relatively far apart make the recording position adjustment pattern, for example, the measured density inaccurate, and as a result, a pattern that matches the recording position at that time. The concentration cannot be measured properly.

  Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the test pattern is recorded by the nozzle array having the least influence of the satellite in each of the forward and backward scans when the recording position adjustment pattern is recorded. That is, in each of the forward and backward scans, the test pattern is recorded by the nozzle row having the smaller sum of the scanning direction component of the satellite flying speed and the scanning speed component.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a recording position adjustment process according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows a process for adjusting a recording position deviation caused by the inclination of the recording head when recording is performed by forward and backward scanning. ing.

  When the recording position adjustment process is started (step S501), the control unit 50 controls to record a test pattern for correcting a recording position shift caused by the inclination of the recording head on the recording medium in step S502. That is, as described below, the control unit 50 records a test pattern using the nozzle row corresponding to the flight direction and speed described with reference to FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the test pattern for recording position adjustment. The test pattern of the present embodiment is composed of a plurality of patches (patch 1 to patch 13; only some patches are shown in the figure). In each patch, dots recorded by a predetermined number of nozzles at the bottom of the nozzle row are indicated by white circles, and dots recorded by a predetermined number of nozzles at the top of the nozzle row are indicated by black circles. Then, for example, in the forward scan, each patch is recorded with white circle dots, that is, the nozzle at the bottom of the nozzle row, and with the backward scan, each patch is recorded with black circle dots, that is, the nozzle at the top of the nozzle row. Record.

  In the present embodiment, the satellites described in FIGS. 5A and 5B are used when the recording is performed in the backward scanning with the nozzles in the even row and when the recording is performed in the forward scanning with the nozzles in the odd row. An example of a recording head in which the landing position is closer to the main droplet will be described. That is, when this recording head is used, the test pattern shown in FIG. 7 is recorded by the nozzle at the bottom of the nozzle row of the odd row in the forward scan test pattern recording, and the nozzle row of the even row in the backward scanning test pattern recording. Record with the top nozzle. As a result, when satellites are generated, it is possible to reduce the influence of dots formed thereby on the tension and pattern, and as a result, an appropriate test pattern corresponding to the recording position shift at that time can be recorded. Can do.

  Each patch shown in FIG. 7 records a pattern in which four dots and a blank area for four dots are periodically repeated in the x direction with a predetermined number of nozzles at the bottom of the nozzle array, and the same pattern is formed on this pattern. Is recorded by a predetermined number of nozzles at the top of the nozzle row. At this time, the recording position at the bottom of the nozzle row with respect to the recording position at the top of the nozzle row in the x direction is changed stepwise for each patch. The size of each patch is designed in consideration of the detection spot. The y direction is about the same as the spot, and the x direction width has a certain width so that it can be detected and averaged a plurality of times.

  FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing the shift amount of the uppermost nozzle row with respect to the lowermost nozzle row of each patch shown in FIG. 7 and the recording state of the patches. In FIG. 8A, the shift amount is the shift amount on the data in the x direction of the recording position at the top of the nozzle with respect to the recording position at the bottom of the nozzle, and is represented by the number of pixels of 4800 dpi here. A test pattern as shown in FIG. 7 is obtained by recording each patch with such a shift amount which is varied stepwise. Then, the difference in dot coverage with respect to the recording medium as shown in FIG. 7 appears as a density difference as shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 8B, it can be seen that the patch whose print position at the top of the nozzle row is closest to the print position at the bottom of the nozzle row is the patch 7. Thus, in the present embodiment, an appropriate adjustment value is acquired by reflecting the difference in the shift amount on the covering area.

  Referring again to FIG. 6, when a test pattern composed of a plurality of patches as shown in FIG. 7 and FIGS. 8A and 8B is recorded in step S502, the control unit 50 causes the reflection sensor to be reflected in step S503. 103 is used to detect the reflection intensity of each patch.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relative value of the detected reflection intensity for each of the plurality of patches illustrated in FIG. 7 and the like. In FIG. 9, a solid line indicates a case where no satellite is generated in the nozzle row used for pattern recording, and a broken line indicates a case where a satellite is generated in the nozzle row used for pattern recording. When satellites are generated, as described above, the reflection intensity of the pattern measured by the influence of dots formed by the satellites decreases.

  FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams respectively showing a patch recording state when no satellite is generated in the nozzle row used for pattern recording and when the satellite is generated. This shows a state where the recording positions of the nozzles at the bottom of the row and the nozzles at the top of the nozzle row are properly matched.

  As shown in FIG. 10 (a), when no satellite is generated, the pattern recorded by the nozzle at the bottom of the nozzle row and the pattern recorded by the nozzle at the top of the nozzle row almost completely overlap each other, so The white background of the recording medium is exposed in the recording area. On the other hand, when satellites are generated, as shown in FIG. 10B, the pattern recorded by the nozzles at the bottom of the nozzle row and the pattern recorded by the nozzles at the top of the nozzle row are almost identical to each other. Although overlapped, satellites land on the non-recording area of 4 dots, and the dots are formed to cover the white area. As a result, the white area is reduced and the reflection intensity detected by the reflection sensor is relatively low as compared to the patch (FIG. 10A) when no satellite is generated. Such satellite dots also appear in other patches, reducing the white area and lowering the reflection intensity. As a result, the difference between the reflection intensity when the main drops are completely overlapped and the reflection intensity when the main drops are displaced is smaller than when no satellite is generated, The change in the reflection intensity for each patch is small in the entire patch. That is, a profile with a large amplitude (a) as shown by a solid line in FIG. 9 becomes a profile with a small amplitude (b) as shown by a broken line. As a result, it is difficult to detect the patch with the most suitable recording position, and therefore, it may not be possible to perform appropriate recording position adjustment.

  Referring to FIG. 6 again, in step S504, the patch number at which the reflection intensity peaks and the adjustment value of the nozzle inclination amount previously associated with the patch number are calculated and set. Specifically, the maximum value is selected from the reflection intensities corresponding to each patch shown in FIG. 9, and an approximate curve is obtained from the shift amount and reflection intensity data of the five patches centered on this. Then, the adjustment value of the nozzle inclination amount is determined by obtaining in advance the relationship between the shift amount corresponding to the maximum value of the approximate curve thus obtained and the nozzle inclination amount. Depending on the test pattern to be recorded, for example, a form in which the minimum value of the reflection intensity of the test pattern is specified may be used, or the maximum value or the minimum value of the density may be obtained. Based on this adjustment value, the control unit 50 adjusts the recording position by adjusting the ejection timing of ink from the nozzles of the recording head in recording an actual image. Specifically, with respect to the x direction, adjustment of ejection timing is performed by shifting recording data regarding necessary nozzles.

  According to the embodiment described above, the test pattern for correcting the nozzle tilt amount is recorded by the nozzle row having less influence of the satellite in each of the forward scanning and the backward scanning. As a result, even when the recording head in which the main droplet and the satellite behave as described with reference to FIG. 5 is mounted, it is possible to appropriately correct the inclination amount of the nozzle row.

(Second Embodiment)
Also in the second embodiment of the present invention, the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is used as in the first embodiment described above. However, in this embodiment, the adjustment value of the recording position is obtained by visually checking the test pattern without using the reflection sensor 103.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing recording position adjustment processing according to the second embodiment of the present invention. When the adjustment sequence is started (step S1501), the control unit 50 records a test pattern for adjusting the nozzle tilt amount on the recording medium (step S1502). The configuration of the test pattern is the same as in the first embodiment.

  Next, in step S1503, the control unit 50 receives confirmation information from the user. The user visually confirms the same test pattern as in FIGS. 7 and 8A and 8B, selects the brightest patch from the test patterns, and inputs the upper part via the input unit of the recording apparatus. . Then, the control unit 50 calculates an adjustment value based on the recorded test pattern (step S1504).

  According to the present embodiment described above, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained without providing a reflection sensor.

(Other embodiments)
The above-described embodiment relates to a mode in which the nozzle row that is less affected by the satellite is switched between the Odd row and the Even row in the structure shown in FIG. 5A according to the scanning direction of the print head. Application is not limited to this form. For example, as shown in FIG. 5C, odd nozzles (1, 3, 5, 7th) and even nozzles (2, 4, 6, 8th) are alternately arranged to form one nozzle row. The recording head may be formed. In this form, for example, when the relationship between the main droplets discharged from each of the Odd nozzle and the Even nozzle and the satellite thereof is the same as that in the above-described embodiment, the test pattern is recorded according to the scanning direction. Of the odd-numbered nozzles and even-numbered nozzles, nozzles that are less affected by satellites are switched and used. Also, in the case where the relationship between the main droplets ejected from the first to fourth nozzle groups and the fifth to eighth nozzle groups in FIG. 5C and their satellites is the same as in the above-described embodiment. In addition, nozzle switching at the time of test pattern recording may be performed as in the above-described embodiment. Further, the present invention is not limited to a mode in which a test pattern is recorded by forward and backward scanning. For example, when a characteristic of a nozzle row is a characteristic in which the distance between the main droplet and the satellite is relatively large in one scanning direction, information on the characteristic is acquired and the nozzle row is used to obtain the one scanning direction. The test pattern may be recorded by scanning in the opposite direction.

  In addition, information regarding the flying direction and speed of the satellite is stored in advance in the memory of the recording head, and the control unit 50 reads out the information from the recording head mounted on the recording apparatus and discharges each nozzle indicated by the information. You may make it perform nozzle switching at the time of test pattern recording according to the relationship between a main droplet and a satellite.

50 control unit 51 CPU
102 Recording head 103 Reflection sensor

Claims (7)

A plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting ink are arranged, and are formed so as to extend in the first direction on both sides of the ink chamber, and a first row and a second row for ejecting ink supplied from the ink chamber A recording head having a nozzle row including:
Moving means for moving the recording head in a forward direction and a backward direction along a second direction intersecting the first direction;
Transport means for transporting the recording medium in a transport direction intersecting the second direction;
Forward scanning in which ink is ejected from the nozzle array while moving the recording head in the forward direction by the moving means, and ink is ejected from the nozzle array while moving the recording head in the backward direction by the moving means. Image recording means for recording an image on the recording medium by reverse scanning;
With
During the forward scan, the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the first row and the satellite is larger than the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the second row and the satellite, In the backward scan, the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the second row and the satellite is larger than the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the first row and the satellite. Because
A test pattern used for adjusting the recording position between the recording position by a part of the nozzle array of the recording head and the recording position by another part in the second direction by controlling the recording head is recorded. Pattern recording control means for recording on a medium;
Adjusting means for adjusting the recording position based on an input relating to a recording result of the test pattern;
Further comprising
The pattern recording control unit records the test pattern using a part of the second column without using the first column in the forward scan, and does not use the second column in the backward scan. An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the test pattern is recorded using a part of one row . Wherein the nozzles in the first row and the second column, the ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that are arranged offset from each other in the first direction. The adjusting means uses a reflective sensor to measure the reflection intensity of patches in the test pattern, based on the measured results, the ink-jet recording according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that adjusting the recording position apparatus. The adjusting means measures the reflection intensity of a plurality of patches recorded using different reflection amounts of the recording positions of the nozzles in the first row and the nozzles in the second row in the test pattern using a reflection sensor. and, when the measured reflection intensity to record a patch with the maximum value or the minimum value, based on the shift amount between the recording position of the first row of nozzles the recording position and the second row of nozzles, the The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a recording position is adjusted. The adjustment means is configured to determine a gap between the recording position of the nozzles in the first row and the recording position of the nozzles in the second row when the specified patch is recorded based on information specifying the patch input from the user. on the basis on the shift amount of the recording position of the nozzle, the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that adjusting the recording position. The pattern recording control means includes: ink ejected from the upstream nozzle in the transport direction in the second row during the forward scan; and the downstream nozzle in the transport direction in the first row during the backward scan. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the test pattern is recorded with ink ejected from an ink jet.   A plurality of nozzles capable of ejecting ink are arranged, and are formed so as to extend in the first direction on both sides of the ink chamber, and a first row and a second row for ejecting ink supplied from the ink chamber Preparing a recording head having a nozzle row including:
  A moving step of moving the recording head in a forward direction and a backward direction along a second direction intersecting the first direction;
  A transport step of transporting the recording medium in a transport direction intersecting the second direction;
  Forward scanning in which ink is ejected from the nozzle row while moving the recording head in the forward direction by the moving step, and ink is ejected from the nozzle row while moving the recording head in the backward direction by the moving step. An image recording step of recording an image on the recording medium by backward scanning, wherein the distance between the main droplets of ink ejected from the first row and the satellite during the forward scanning is the second row. Is larger than the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the satellite and the satellite, and the distance between the main droplet of ink ejected from the second row and the satellite during the backward scanning is from the first row. An image recording process that is greater than the distance between the main drop of ink to be ejected and the satellite;
  A test pattern used for adjusting the recording position between the recording position by a part of the nozzle array of the recording head and the recording position by another part in the second direction by controlling the recording head is recorded. A pattern recording control step for recording on a medium, wherein the test pattern is recorded using a part of the second column without using the first column in the forward scan, and the second column is recorded in the backward scan. A pattern recording control step of recording the test pattern using a part of the first row without using;
  An adjustment step of adjusting the recording position based on an input relating to a recording result of the test pattern;
  A recording position adjusting method.

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