Abstract: A method is described of processing image data of pixels to be rendered. In the method, image data representing a pixel to be rendered is provided. Criteria or tests are established for processing the pixel in accordance with binary error diffusion or multibit error diffusion. In response to examination of the pixel in accordance with the criteria, a decision is made as to whether the pixel is to be rendered in accordance with binary error diffusion or multibit error diffusion. The pixel is then rendered in accordance with the decision.

Abstract: Spring nail (32, 34, 72, 96) for a sheet feeding device (10). The spring nail (32, 34, 72, 96) has a mounting end (36, 74) for attaching to the sheet feeding device (10) and a free end (38, 78) opposite the mounting end (36, 74), the free end (38, 78) being disposed to engage a top sheet (16) of a stack of sheets (14) to be fed and exert a resilient biasing force thereagainst to form a loop or bow in the top sheet (16) for separating the top sheet (16) from the stack (14) when the top sheet (16) is to be removed from the stack (14). The spring nails (32, 34, 72, 96) are preferably positioned for engaging the respective leading corners (28, 30) of the top sheet (16) and each has a spring arm portion (40, 80) between the mounting end (36, 74) and the free end (38, 78) having properties of a spring for resiliently biasing the free end (38, 78) against the top sheet (16).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording an image on an image recording medium employs an imaging member in pressure engagement with the medium. The imaging member may comprise a thermal printer in pressure engagement with the medium wherein a donor sheet is between the printhead and the recording medium. In response to sensing an operating parameter of a recording operation, such as pressure, temperature, recording medium type or donor medium type, the position and/or amount of pressure is adjusted.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead for printing an image on a printing medium is provided that includes a substrate having an interior and a nozzle face, a plurality of nozzles having outlets in the nozzle face, an electronically-operated droplet deflector disposed adjacent to each of the nozzle outlets, and feedthroughs for connecting the droplet deflector to power and image data circuits through the substrate interior. The feedthroughs include bores disposed through the substrate for accommodating conductors connected between the droplet deflectors and power and image data control circuits of the printer. The feedthroughs may take the form of bores either coated or filled with electrically-conductive material. The use of feedthroughs through the printhead substrate avoids the manufacture of an undesirably high density of connectors and conductors on the nozzle face and facilitates the manufacture of smooth and flat nozzle faces which are easily cleaned during the printing operation by wiping mechanisms.

Abstract: An ink cartridge has a cartridge housing having a front side wall, a back side wall opposite the front side wall, a pair of opposed left and right side walls separating the front and the back side walls, and a bottom wall, the walls defining an internal cavity within the housing. The front and back side walls each have an internal surface that is curved and there is a generally uniform internal cartridge cavity thickness spacing existing between corresponding points on the respective internal surfaces at a respective section through the cartridge. An ink bag is preferably located within the internal cavity and filled with liquid ink so that the ink bag makes contact with the front side wall, the back side wall and each of the pair of opposed left and right side walls and the bottom wall.

Abstract: Drop-on-demand ink jet printer capable of directional control of ink drop ejection and method of assembling the method. The method comprises a print head body having an ink ejection orifice adapted to poise an ink meniscus thereat about a center axis passing through the orifice. A deflector is coupled to the print head body and is adapted to be in communication with the poised meniscus for lowering surface tension of a region of the poised meniscus. The poised meniscus deflects away from the region of lower surface tension and away from the center axis to define a deflected meniscus, whereby an ink drop separated from the deflected meniscus travels at an angle with respect to the center axis, so that the ink drop can strike a receiver at any one of a plurality of predetermined locations on a print line.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pump [10] for pumping various primary fluids. A body is formed from silicon dies [102,104]. A primary fluid channel [110] is formed in the body and a primary fluid supply [122] is coupled to the primary fluid channel [110] to supply a primary fluid to the primary fluid channel [110]. A mechanism for introducing a secondary fluid to an interface region of the primary fluid channel [110] is formed in the body. An energy delivery device is formed in the body to deliver energy to an interface between region between the primary fluid and the secondary fluid to create a thermal gradient along the fluid interface. The thermal gradient results in a surface tension gradient along the interface. The primary fluid will move to compensate for the surface tension gradient. Various semiconductor fabrication processes can be used to form the elements on the body.

Abstract: A printer capable of forming an image on a receiver substrate according to type of receiver substrate, and a method of assembling the printer. An identifier containing identifier information is associated with each component of the receiver substrate which, for example, comprises paper and, optionally, laminate media. A sensor is disposed to read the identifier information so that an image forming operation can be adjusted based on identified receiver substrate components and media. For example transponder, serving as the identifier, is coupled to a memory device capable of storing information characteristic of media type. A transceiver, serving as the sensor, is disposed within the printer. The transceiver includes antennae disposed for polling an individual transponder attached to each media type. The transponder receives a first radio frequency field from the transceiver and, deriving power and address information from the first frequency, then generates a second radio frequency field in response.

Abstract: A droplet generator is provided that is particularly adapted for generating micro droplets of ink on demand in an inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles. The droplet generator includes a droplet separator formed from the combination of a droplet assistor and a droplet initiator. The droplet assistor is coupled to ink in each of the nozzles and functions to lower the amount of energy necessary for an ink droplet to form and separate from an ink meniscus extending across the nozzle outlet. The droplet assistor may be, for example, a heater or surfactant supply mechanism for lowering the surface tension of the ink meniscus. Alternatively, the droplet assistor may be a mechanical oscillator such as a piezoelectric transducer that generates oscillations in the ink sufficient to periodically form convex ink meniscus across the nozzle outlets, but insufficient to cause ink droplets to separate from the outlets.

Abstract: A self-cleaning ink jet printer with cleaning mechanism and method of cleaning the ink jet printer. The printer comprises a print head having a surface thereon surrounding a plurality of ink ejection orifices. The orifices are in communication with respective ones of a plurality of ink channels formed in the print head. A solvent delivering canopy is constructed from alternating stacked layers of polyimide and stainless steel sheets with internal geometries, one on top of each other, thus creating internal fluidic passageways. The canopy is connected to a manifold body and has a passageway alignable with the surface. Contaminant residing on the surface is entrained in the solvent when a wiper blade loosens contaminant from the surface. Per an applied vacuum, the canopy vacuums the solvent and entrained contaminant from the surface.

Abstract: A method for singulating a semiconductor silicon wafer (10) comprising a plurality of semiconductor dice (20) arranged along a multiplicity of intersecting streets (30). Initially, a layer of photoresist (15)is patterned on the backside of the wafer (10). The semiconductor silicon wafer (10) is then etched using dry etching methods. As such, slots (22) are etched through the silicon of the wafer (10) aligned to the streets (30) forming a perforation. Simultaneously, tethers (40) are formed between the slots (22) interconnecting the adjacent dice (20) in order to maintain the wafer (10) mechanically intact. Furthermore, a membrane comprising integrated circuitry on the silicon wafer (10) is formed. The dice (20) of the wafer (10) are then separated for various purposes along the perforations. This is accomplished by applying pressure, such as manual pressure, to the wafer (10) so as to sever the tethers (40) which interconnect the dice (20) at their region (50) of reduced dimension.

Abstract: An ink jet printer with wiper blade cleaning mechanism, and method of cleaning. A print head surface includes a plurality of ink ejection orifices. A solvent delivering wiper has a first passageway therethrough alignable with the surface. The first passageway delivers a liquid solvent to the surface to flush contaminant from the surface. The wiper also includes a plurality of wicking channels alignable with the surface and a second passageway in communication with the wicking channels. A vacuum pump is in communication with the second passageway for vacuuming the solvent and entrained contaminant from the surface, along the wicking channels and through the second passageway.

Abstract: For an inkjet printhead (10) having at least one nozzle (24) and a nozzle opening (26) in the nozzle (24), a disk (28) having an off-center aperture (38) about the disk axis (X, Y) positioned over the nozzle opening (26), a system and method of compensating for the effects of defects in the inkjet printhead (10) to alter the direction of ink drops (37) ejected from the nozzle (24). Initially, the printhead (10) is tested to determine the amount of compensation desired in the direction of ink (34) ejected from the nozzle opening (26). The method comprises the step of applying heat to at least one finger-like actuator (42), causing the thermal actuator (42) to deform semi-permanently. The method further comprises the step of sliding the disk (28) over the nozzle (24) so that the off-center aperture (38) traverses the nozzle opening (26) and causes the ink (34) ejected from the nozzle opening (26) to be deflected with regard to the desired amount of compensation.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for formatting bitmapped image data for printing. An image data bus section (120) has an image bus interface (122) adapted to be coupled to a computer bus to transmit the image data, a front end memory (124) coupled to the image bus interface (122) to receive the image data in an unformatted form, a back end memory (126) for receiving the image data in a formatted form, and a print interface device (1280 coupled to the back end memory (126) for transmitting print data based on the image data in a formatted form. A processor bus section (140) has an image processor (146) and a processor bus interface (1420 adapted to be coupled to the computer bus to communicate print processing instructions between the print processor (146) and the computer.

Abstract: An apparatus for donor colorant detection and donor pick sensing employs N light sources of distinct wavelengths paired with N photosensors. Measured light values for a donor are combined to form an N-dimensioned coordinate value which is then compared against N-dimensioned reference values to determine a color or donor picking condition. The decision algorithm uses a decision rule based on Maximum Likelihood Decoding methods, whereby an Euclidean distance is computed between the measured N-dimensioned coordinate value and each of a set of reference N-dimensioned coordinate values. The apparatus and method detect which donor color has been picked and also detects and identifies multi-pick and pick failure conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for drying a receiver media (30) in an ink jet printer. The apparatus generally comprises a means for creating a pressure differential between the upper surface (20) and the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30), wherein the pressure at the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) is lower than the pressure at the upper surface (20) of the receiver media (30). The pressure differential-creating means may include a vacuum pump (70) adapted to generate a vacuum at the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) or an air pump (130) adapted to pass air currents (140) across the lower surface (50) of the receiver media (30) to cause a “Bernoulli effect”.

Abstract: An ink cartridge incorporating a memory chip includes a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and plural side walls defining the exterior of the cartridge for enclosing a supply of ink. The bottom wall having an aperture formed therein to provide an opening through the exterior surface of the bottom wall. A pocket-like structure is formed within the bottom wall and/or on an inside surface of the bottom wall. A substrate including a memory chip is received in the pocket-like structure, the substrate including at least one electrical contact that faces the aperture so as to be accessible by a contact member external to the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted in a printer's cartridge receiving receptacle.

Abstract: An ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes an integrated circuit formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. The silicon substrate has one or more ink channels formed therein along the longitudinal direction of the nozzle array. An insulating layer or layers overlie the silicon substrate and has a series or an array of nozzle openings or bores formed therein along the length of the substrate and each nozzle opening communicates with an ink channel. The area comprising the nozzle openings forms a generally planar surface to facilitate maintenance of the printhead. A heater element is associated with each nozzle opening or bore for asymmetrically heating ink as ink passes through the nozzle opening or bore.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head is formed of a silicon substrate that includes integrated circuits formed therein for controlling operation of the print head. An insulating layer or layers overlies the silicon substrate includes conductors at various levels to provide conductive paths for transmitting control signals for controlling the print head. The insulating layer or layers also has a series or an array of nozzle openings or bores formed therein along the length of the substrate to provide a substantially planar surface to facilitate cleaning of the printhead. Each nozzle opening is formed as an elongated bore that extends through the insulating layer or layers to the silicon substrate. A heater element is formed adjacent each nozzle opening and in proximity to the planar surface to provide asymmetric heating of the ink stream as it leaves the nozzle opening.