Abstract: There is provided a liquid-feeding device with large liquid-capacity and a simplified structure and capable of stably holding liquid without leakage. An ink-feeding device includes an ink reservoir; an ink chamber; a valve displaced so that a closing member opens an open region by reduction in pressure due to reduction in the ink amount in the ink chamber; a fresh-air communicating hole for communicating with fresh air; and an air inlet tube capable of bringing air, when an amount of ink in the ink chamber is reduced, from the fresh-air communicating hole by the amount of air corresponding to the amount of the reduced ink, wherein a bore diameter of the lower end of the air inlet tube and a water head are determined so that the ink meniscus holding power P at the lower end of the air inlet tube and the water head pressure H corresponding to the height from the bottom surface of an ink ejection unit (nozzle surface) to the lower end of the air inlet tube satisfy the relationship P>H.

Abstract: A memory apparatus has a plurality of first electrodes and at least one second electrode separated by an electrolyte solution. Information may be recorded by causing an electrical current to flow between a selected of the first electrodes and the second electrode to deposit an electrochemically active material on one of the selected first or the second electrodes. A method for recording and reading information has steps of writing the information by causing a current to flow between a first and a second electrode through an electrolyte solution to cause an electrochemically active material to electrodeposit, and reading the information by sensing the deposited material with a sensor.

Abstract: A liquid drop discharging head includes a matrix array head that can reduce variations in a print density without reducing a recording speed. A liquid drop discharging device provided with this liquid drop discharging head can realize compatibility between recording an image at high speed and recording the high quality image. Ejectors are disposed alternately to form dots on a recording medium that are arranged in the order of alternating ejectors such as A, E, B, F, C, G, D, and H. The dots having a relatively large diameter and the dots having a relatively small diameter are mixedly disposed in a sub-scanning direction at predetermined pitches. Mixed arrangement of dots increases space frequency variations in a print density along the sub-scanning direction, thus, making it difficult for the human eye to sense the density variations, and ensuring a high uniformity in a recorded result.

Abstract: An integrated fluid ejection device includes a fluid ejection element; a fluid filter; and a feed trench between the filter and the fluid ejection element. The fluid ejection element, fluid filter, and feed trench are formed from a single substrate.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting device can print a high quality image having an increased number of gradations without having a complex head structure, and is suitable for use in a line head. The liquid ejecting device includes a head in which liquid ejecting portions including nozzles are arranged in parallel. A droplet can be deflected at the moment of ejection from the nozzle of each of liquid ejecting portion. By controlling at least two different liquid ejecting portions in adjacent positions to eject droplets, a pixel column or a pixel is formed.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-beam scanning optical system, which can reduce relative deviation of a writing position of each light-emitting portion due to focus deviation of a synchronization detection optical device, and an image forming apparatus using the same. In the multi-beam scanning optical system having the synchronization detection optical device including a light source device, an incident optical device, a deflection device, a scanning optical device and a slit, each element is set such that relative deviation of a writing position of each light beam due to deviation of a focus position within a main scanning cross section is reduced by a first light beam limiting element provided between the deflection device and the slit and a conditional expression is satisfied.

Abstract: To reduce the data processing load on a recording apparatus, an information processing apparatus and the recording apparatus cooperate to correct registration errors. The information processing apparatus divides a recording area of the recording apparatus into a plurality of partial areas and makes a first correction on a recording position of image data for each partial area; the correction is made for color data items and in pixels. The information processing apparatus generates image data that conforms to the corrected recording position, as well as setting information for controlling the recording apparatus to record the image data. The recording apparatus makes a second correction on the recording position of the image data in fractions of a pixel based on the setting information generated by the information processing apparatus and controls recording of the image data based on the corrected recording position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and method that can print a high-grade image without being affected by a variation in moving speed of a printing head. To accomplish this, an encoder is used which outputs a pulse each time a printing head and a printing medium are moved a specified amount relative to each other. Driving timings with which ink is ejected from the printing head are adjusted depending on the time interval between the pulses.

Abstract: A power control circuit is connected between a power source and an electronic controller in a device such as a printer and includes a latchable power delivery state for delivering power to an electronic controller of the device. Temporary closure of a switch latches the power control circuit in its power delivery state. The electronic controller subsequently detects temporary closure of the switch and responds with an output signal that unlatches the power control circuit into a power non-delivery state. The power control circuit may include an associated kick-start circuit portion for causing the power control circuit to latch into its power delivery state in response to initial application of power by the power source.

Abstract: This invention provides a low-cost printing apparatus and print control method capable of high-quality printing even in the use of a data buffer smaller in capacity than print data necessary for printing by one scanning of a printhead. According to this method, in printing using a small-capacity print buffer, print data is read out for each block of the print buffer divided into a plurality of blocks. Printing is done while the printhead is being scanned. As for printing using print data stored in the final block, printing is performed by one scanning of the printhead using print data stored in all blocks except the final block and print data obtained by sampling part of the print data stored in the final block. Further, printing is performed by the next scanning of the printhead using the remaining sampled data and print data newly stored in all the blocks except the final block.

Abstract: A platen device for holding a workpiece in an ink-jet printer operable to perform a printing operation on a printing surface of the workpiece, said platen device being movable into a printing area in which a printing head is operated to deliver an ink onto said printing surface for thereby forming an image on said printing surface, the platen device including a platen arranged to permit the workpiece to be placed on the platen such that a printing portion of the workpiece having the printing surface is in direct contact with a surface of the platen, and a space-defining structure partially defining an accommodating space which is provided below the platen to accommodate non-printing portions of the workpiece which extend from the printing portion outwardly of the platen.

Abstract: A fluid ejector assembly includes a container that stores a fluid to be ejected, a heat sink attached to the container, and a die module bonded to the heat sink. The heat sink is molded from a polymer that has at least one thermally conductive filler material mixed into the polymer. The heat sink is shaped to dissipate heat. The fluid ejector assembly is manufactured by mixing the at least one thermally conductive filler material with the polymer, molding the heat sink using the polymer and thermally-conductive filler material mixture, and attaching the heat sink to a die module and, optionally, to a fluid-containing container.

Abstract: During a printing operation, a recording device is switched from a normal mode to a refresh ejection mode so as to temporarily increase an ejection frequency. A refresh ink droplet ejected in the refresh ejection mode is deflected to impinge on an ink collector. Recording ink droplets ejected in the refresh ejection mode are deflected and impinge on a recording sheet at positions that are shifted by gradually smaller distances.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of printing an image onto a medium uses a system having an elongate printhead with an array of marking elements including at least one distinctive group. The marking elements form at least one row, the direction of which forms a longitudinal axis of the printhead. The printhead is driven in a fast scan direction to print marks on the medium along a swath, and the medium and the printhead are movable relative to each other in a slow scan direction to print further swaths. The system is such that two adjacent marking elements of a group are operable with a time difference but are not operable simultaneously without causing defects. The printhead operates to print parallel lines at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the printhead. Printing passes are repeated in the fast scan direction to print at intermediate positions between the parallel lines to print the complete image.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus having a cleaning station that is structurally integrated with a droplet deflector is provided. The apparatus includes an ink droplet forming mechanism formed from a printhead having at least one nozzle for ejecting a stream of ink droplets of different volumes, a pneumatic droplet deflector for producing a flow of gas that transversely impinges the droplet stream of the printhead in order to separate ink droplets of different volumes from one another. The droplet deflector includes a pressurized gas source, which may be an air blower, and a plenum for conducting the gas flow generated by the gas source. The cleaning station is formed at least in part from the plenum of the droplet deflector, and provides a flow of both a liquid cleaning fluid and a flow of gas to periodically clean the printhead of the ink droplet forming mechanism.

Abstract: A method for detecting a print fluid includes printing the print fluid from a printing device onto an indicating medium; and producing a visible contrast between a printed area of the indicating medium and a non-printed area of the indicating medium that is formed by a reaction of the indicating medium to the print fluid.

Abstract: A piezo-electric inkjet printing system includes an array of transducers. The array includes at least a first transducer and a second transducer. The first transducer is coupled to a first foot, and elongates in response to a first stimulus, causing ink to eject from a first ink chamber. The second transducer is coupled to a second foot, and elongates in response to a second stimulus, causing ink to eject from a second ink chamber. The first transducer is mechanically isolated from the second transducer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique that prevents a shift of a driving waveform due to accumulation of errors in a process of generating the driving waveform to drive driving elements on a print head. The technique of the present invention successively sums up a plurality of gradient data at a preset calculation period to give a result of summation and carries out digital-to-analog (D-A) conversion with regard to only specific upper columns in the result of summation in synchronism with the preset calculation period, so as to generate a driving waveform. Each gradient data represents a local gradient of the driving waveform and is stored in a memory. In the process of generating the driving waveform, the technique of the present invention corrects the result of summation to a preset value under a predetermined condition. One preferable embodiment clears specific lower bits in the result of summation in synchronism with a floor signal.

Abstract: This invention provides a printhead capable of decreasing the ON resistance value without increasing the heater board size in order to downsize the heater board, an image printing apparatus using the printhead, and a control method therefor. In the printhead, heater resistors are series-connected to normal MOS transistors in each group on a heat board. The pitch of the heater resistors and the pitch of the normal MOS transistors are designed equal to each other in order to shorten the connection line. One high-breakdown-voltage MOS transistor is arranged in each group, and the pitch is designed to a length corresponding to the product of the pitch of the heater resistors and the number x of heater resistors. The high-breakdown-voltage MOS transistor has a higher ON resistance value per unit area than that of the normal MOS transistor. However, the area of the high-breakdown-voltage MOS transistor is larger by x times than that of the normal MOS transistor.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and printing method capable of stably printing an image with high accuracy by avoiding effects of a dimensional error and printing characteristics specific to a printing head and a mounting error of the printing head. For this purpose, a printing condition detector is mounted on a carriage moving in a primary scanning direction, and a printing head is mounted replaceably on the carriage. An image printed on a printing medium by the printing head is detected by the printing condition detector, and the printing head is controlled according to the detection result.