Printing apparatus and printing method

摘要

The present invention forms a high-quality image by using a print head, in which a plurality of arrayed small heads, each having a plurality of print elements arranged in columns, are arranged so that at least two sets of print elements in adjoining small heads are aligned in a scan direction. The print head and a print medium are moved relative to each other in the scan direction crossing a direction of the print element columns. The print elements are divided into a plurality of drive blocks and activated the drive blocks on a time-division basis. The small heads each have the plurality of print elements arranged in columns, the number of print elements being equal to an integer times the number of time-division drive blocks. Drive timings with which to activate the paired print elements aligned in the scan direction are the same time-division drive timing.