Printing system for selectively printing with dye-based ink and/or pigment-based ink

摘要

A printing system for selectively printing with dye-based and/or pigment-based inks depending upon factors including, but not limited to, the type of media, the nature of the print job, and the level of print quality desired. The printing system includes a print head with two (or more) pigment-based black pens, a dye-based black pen, and a plurality of color pens. In a preferred embodiment, the pens are arranged in the following sequence: KABCMY, K being a dye-based black ink dispenser, A and B being pigment-based black ink dispensers, C being a dye-based cyan ink dispenser, M being a dye-based magenta ink dispenser, and Y being a dye-based yellow ink dispenser. This print head arrangement allows the selective printing with dye-based and/or pigment-based inks functionality to be implemented for different types of print media without having to replace print heads and/or cartridges of the printing system. This print head arrangement also accommodates bi-directional printing and under/overprinting printer system features.