Abstract: A multiple-head inkjet printer is provided for producing adjacent images on a printing medium. The inkjet printer includes a carriage, a plurality of inkjet printhead axially movable along the carriage and spaced predetermined axial distances from one another, and a printhead driver assembly for simultaneously moving each of the printheads along the carriage while maintaining the spacing distances between adjacent printheads. Each inkjet printhead is controlled by a separate image driver circuit to allow each printhead the capability of independently printing a separate image on the printing medium. The carriage has a length sufficiently greater than the width of the printing medium to allow a single one of the printheads to print a single a large image extending completely across the printing medium. The inkjet printer finds particular application in a photographic micro lab.

Abstract: An inkjet printer nozzle plate having a non-wetting surface of uniform thickness and an orifice wall of tapered contour, and method of making the nozzle plate. In the method a metal masking layer is deposited on a glass substrate, the masking layer having an opening therethrough for passage of light only through the opening. Next, a negative photoresist layer is deposited on the masking layer, the negative photoresist layer being capable of photochemically reacting with the light. A light source passes light through the substrate, so that the light also passes only through the opening in the form of a tapered light cone. This tapered light cone will define the tapered contour of a nozzle plate orifice wall to be formed. The negative photoresist layer photochemically reacts with the light only in the light cone to define a light-exposed region of hardened negative photoresist.

Abstract: A method of printing a fluorescent image superimposed on a color image. An image source captures an image and converts the image to an image file that is transferred to a controller. The controller controls operation of a print head that prints a plurality of monochrome images forming a color image when the monochrome images are superimposed in registration one upon the other. In the case of a thermal dye printer, the plurality of monochrome images are formed by selective thermal transfer of dye from yellow, magenta and cyan dye color patches to a receiver. In the case of an inkjet printer, the plurality of monochrome images are formed by selective activation of ink channels containing cyan, magenta and yellow ink so as to eject cyan, magenta and yellow ink droplets onto the receiver. In the case of the thermal dye printer, the invention provides a dye carrier containing a phosphorous dye color patch.

Abstract: Method of providing an image on a receiver, so that the image has reduced graininess. The method comprises providing a print head having a plurality of segments. A first one of the segments is capable of applying a spreading agent onto the receiver at specified locations. The spreading agent disperses (i.e., migrates) only over a predetermined area of the receiver. The remaining segments are capable of applying ink to the receiver after the spreading agent is applied to the receiver. The ink overlays the spreading agent. As the ink overlays the spreading agent, the ink is dispersed therein by action of the spreading agent. In this manner, graininess, which otherwise appears in a conventionally generated ink jet image, is reduced while sharpness of the image is maintained.

Abstract: For an inkjet printhead (10) having at least one nozzle (24) with heater elements (28a, 28b) predisposed to direct the flow of ink drops (37) through the nozzle (24), a system and method of compensating for the effects of defects in the inkjet printhead (10) to permit compensation in the direction of ink drops (37) ejected from the nozzle (24). A thickness is then added to one or more heating elements (28a, 28b) of the inkjet printhead (10), such thickness calculated to compensate for the misdirection. The heater elements (28a, 28b) are immersed in a electroplating solution (42) and a voltage differential (40) applied to cause the electroplating solution (42) to form a electroplated coating (44) which acts to compensate for a misdirection of ink stream flow (36) out through at least one of the nozzles (24).

Abstract: A pump includes two opposing plates having a space there between to define a secondary fluid passage. A first aperture is formed through the first plate and a second aperture is formed in the second plate to define a primary fluid channel extending across the secondary fluid channel. A heater on the second plate moves primary fluid through the primary fluid channel due to the Marangoni type effect. A heater on the first plate causes a meniscus to enlarge to thereby form a drop of fluid ejected out of the primary fluid channel.

Abstract: A continuous ink jet print head is formed using a combination of traditional CMOS technology to form the various controlling electrical circuits on a silicon substrate having insulating layer(s) which provide electrical connections and a MEMS technology for forming, nozzle openings. A blocking structure is formed in the insulating layer(s) between a first ink channel formed in the silicon substrate and a second ink channel formed in the insulating layer(s). The blocking structure causes ink to flow around the blocking structure and thereby develop lateral flow components to the liquid entering the second channel so that, for droplets selected for printing, as the stream of droplets emanates from the bore of the nozzle, there is provided a reduced amount of heat needed for operating a heating element adjacent each nozzle opening.

Abstract: An inkjet printer, and method of assembling the printer, for printing an image on a first receiver of a first size and on a second receiver of a second size. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first receiver is fed in a first direction and the second receiver is fed in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The printer includes an ink jet print head movable in the first direction to print the image on the first receiver in one printing pass and movable to-and-fro in the first direction for printing the image on the second receiver in at least one printing swath. Thus, printing on differently sized receivers is obtained without reorienting the receivers or changing-out the print head to a different size print head.

Abstract: A print having attached audio data storage and method of providing same. A print, generated by an image processing apparatus, has an attached memory with recorded audio data related to the print, which memory allows contactless access to the data using an electromagnetic frequency signal. A transceiver communicates with a transponder that is attached to the print substrate and is integrally coupled to the memory. The transponder is capable of receiving a first electromagnetic frequency from the transceiver and deriving power and address information from the first frequency, then generating a second electromagnetic frequency in response, where the second electromagnetic frequency is characteristic of the recorded audio data stored in memory.

Abstract: Printer and method with an electromagnetic interference reducing optical data link for transmitting image forming data. The printer comprises a print head capable of being actuated to form the image on a receiver. A photodetector is connected to the print head for detecting image forming data carried by an infrared light beam. The photodetector also actuates the print head in response to the image forming data detected by the photodetector. Also provided is a light source in optical communication with the photodetector for emitting the light beam. The photodetector detects the image forming data as the light source emits the light beam and the print head is actuated as the photodetector detects the image forming data. The print head forms the image on the receiver in accordance with the image forming data as the print head is actuated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of generating rendered image data for use in reproducing an image with a series of patterns of halftone dots. In the method and apparatus an unrendered pixel value of a pixel to be rendered is compared with each of a series of threshold values in accordance with respective comparison criteria and a grey level for a rendered pixel of a halftone dot is generated by having certain threshold values define increasing grey level values of the rendered pixel upon meeting respective criteria and at least one threshold value of the series defines a decrease in grey level value of the rendered pixel for meeting a respective comparison criteria.

Abstract: An ink jet printer and method capable of forming a plurality of registration marks on a receiver and sensing the marks formed thereby. The method includes a print head for printing an image of predetermined length on the receiver. The receiver has an image area for receiving the image therein and a border area adjacent to the image area. A marker forms the plurality of registration marks in the border area, so that the marks extend the length of the image. In addition, a sensor is disposed in sensing relationship to the marks for sensing the marks. The invention provides a combination marker for marking a receiver and a sensor for sensing the marks so that each image line is in registration with other lines of the image. Also, use of the invention avoids need for costly precision motors to advance the receiver during printing of image lines.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for calibrating a grey level recording printhead having a plurality of recording elements. The method comprises measuring a parameter of each recording element, the parameter relating to a recording characteristic of the element, in response to measuring the parameter, defining a set of cells of clock periods having time boundaries to determine a set of K quantized clock periods; defining a subset of one or plural contiguous grey values within a set of J grey values recordable by the printhead for recalculation of a subset k of quantized clock periods wherein the number k of quantized clock periods is less than the number K, and recalculating at least some time period boundaries and clock periods for the grey levels j without changing the K total number of K clock periods.

Abstract: An electrostatographic recording apparatus and method includes a primary charger establishing a uniform primary electrostatic voltage level on an image recording member. A recorder imagewise modulates the electrostatic charge on the image recording member to form a latent electrostatic image. A development station develops the electrostatic image with toner. A controller controls the primary charger by periodically adjusting a signal to the primary charger in response to a signal related to charger efficiency. The charger efficiency is determined as the ratio of the charger's grid voltage to a voltage level established on the recording member. To calculate changes to the grid, voltage control patches are printed on the member and the densities used to determine changes to setpoint values for the charger.

Abstract: In an electrostatographic process and apparatus a replenishment device adds toner particles to a development station that includes a developer comprising a mixture of toner particles and carrier particles. A reference parameter that is used in control of aim point of toner concentration in the mixture is set to an initial value until about a midlife of the developer is reached. Once the midlife of the developer is reached there are provided programmed step adjustments in the reference value in accordance with further increases in life of the developer to thereby control replenishment of toner particles so that control of charge to mass of the toner particles in the mixture is provided to reduce a tendency of dusting by the toner particles of the mixture due to age of the developer.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus and method includes a plurality of printheads and a plurality of heat exchangers. Each of the heat exchangers is thermally coupled with a respective one of the printheads. A preferred heat exchanger is a heat pipe wherein a cooling medium is circulated through each heat pipe. A flexible thermal link connects each of the heat exchangers with another of the heat exchangers to facilitate flexibility in mounting of the heat exchangers relative to each other.

Abstract: A corona charger includes a housing; a corona wire; and a wire replenisher located in the housing, the wire replenisher includes (i) a reversible motor; (ii) a rotatable shaft driven by the motor; (iii) a supply spool supporting a length of the corona wire; (iv) a tension mechanism tensioning corona wire supplied by the supply spool; and (v) a take-up spool located on the shaft.

Abstract: In a non-impact recording apparatus that includes a plurality of recording elements, there is provided a source of first data signals representing for each of plural pixels density, size or percentage of coverage for recording. A first look-up table memory is responsive to the first data signals for adjusting the density, size or percentage coverage of each of the pixels with a gamma adjustment related to density development by the apparatus and generates multibit gamma adjusted second data signals. A second look-up table memory generates a third signal related to a characteristic of the recording elements such as for nonuniformity correction. A process look-up table memory is responsive to the gamma adjusted second data signals and the third signals for generating fourth multibit signals relating to exposure on-times for recording pixels by the recording elements. The use of the three look-up table memories results in substantial saving in memory requirements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for processing image information for identifying an image type of a current pixel for rendering the current pixel in accordance with a rendering operation suited for the identified type. Each current pixel is examined in accordance with first predetermined criteria. In response to this examination, for each of plural image types, there is generated a signal representing a probability related value that the current pixel is of that image type. Based on probability related values, the image type of the current pixel is determined. However, for some current pixels a first signal is generated representing a preliminary evaluation that the image type is indeterminate relative to assignment to one of plural respective image types. There is then provided an evaluation for the indeterminate current pixel in accordance with second predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A reproduction method and apparatus including a primary image forming member, and a substantially cylindrical intermediate image transfer member operatively associated with the primary image forming member whereby a marking particle image formed on the primary image forming member can be electrostatically transferred from the primary image forming member to the intermediate image transfer member (ITM). An endless web arrangement is provided in cooperative association with the ITM. The endless web arrangement includes an endless web and a plurality of support rollers about which the endless web is entrained. A transfer nip for transfer of an image to receiver member is defined between the ITM and the endless web. An electrical transfer field is provided for electrostatically transferring a marking particle image to a receiver member brought into intimate contact with the ITM in the nip.