Abstract: A liquid ejection inspecting apparatus includes: (A) a sensing section; (B) a detection section; and (C) a determination section. The sensing section is arranged in a state of non-contact with a liquid ejection nozzle for ejecting a liquid. The sensing section has a sensing surface arranged in a direction in which the liquid is ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle. The detection section is for detecting an induced current generated in the sensing section due to the liquid which has been ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle and charged electrically. The determination section is for determining whether or not ejection of the liquid from the liquid ejection nozzle is being normally performed, based on the induced current detected by the detection section.

Abstract: A one-molding frame of an image forming apparatus includes a feeding part to feed sheets of paper one by one, a printing unit with a printing module provided along a paper feeding passage to form an image on the paper fed from the feeding module, and an ejecting unit with an ejecting module to eject and stack the paper after the printing unit forms the image on the paper. The printing module includes an array type inkjet head with a nozzle unit having a length corresponding to a width of the paper, and the printing unit includes at least one aligning mark to align the inkjet head. The one-molding frame improves an alignment precision between the one-molding frame and the inkjet head and a head gap precision between the inkjet head and the paper. Further, a manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus can be reduced by employing the one-molding frame.

Abstract: A supply cartridge for containing a supply of imaging substance includes a cartridge body, and a light pipe attached to the cartridge body. The light pipe has a light output, and a light input for receiving light from an external light source.

Abstract: An inkjet printer including a plurality of inkjet heads for recording a one or more colors on a document, a determining part for determining whether a first test-jetting operation is required to be executed by one of the plural inkjet heads designated to record a predetermined color on the document, and a recording control part for instructing the designated inkjet head to execute the first test-jetting operation prior to recording the predetermined color when the determining part determines that the first test-jetting operation is required to be executed by the designated inkjet head.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a liquid ejection apparatus including a head unit is provided. The head unit is movable on an object at least in two-dimensional directions. The head unit includes an ejecting portion and a radiating portion. The ejecting portion ejects droplets onto the object. The radiating portion radiates a laser beam onto the droplet received by the object. A controller adjusts the position of the ejecting portion and the position of the radiating portion in correspondence with a movement direction of the head unit. Thus, productivity is improved by efficiently drying and baking ejected liquid droplets.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a first set of N memory elements each storing a fire enable value, each of the N memory elements configured to be updated. The fluid ejection device further includes N fluid ejecting elements, each fluid ejecting element corresponding to a different one of the N memory elements and configured to receive the fire enable value from the corresponding memory element, wherein the fluid ejecting element is enabled to eject a fluid when the fire enable value is an enabling value.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a first set of N memory elements each storing a fire enable value, each of the N memory elements configured to be updated. The fluid ejection device further includes N fluid ejecting elements, each fluid ejecting element corresponding to a different one of the N memory elements and configured to receive the fire enable value from the corresponding memory element, wherein the fluid ejecting element is enabled to eject a fluid when the fire enable value is an enabling value.

Abstract: The liquid ejection apparatus comprises: an ejection head which has an ejection element, the ejection element including an ejection aperture through which a droplet of liquid is ejected onto an ejection receiving medium, a pressure chamber which is connected to the ejection aperture and accommodates the liquid to be ejected from the ejection aperture, and a pressurizing device which applies an ejection pressure to the liquid accommodated in the pressure chamber; a drive signal application device which applies to the pressurizing device a meniscus vibration drive signal for suppressing increase in viscosity of the liquid in vicinity of the ejection aperture by causing a meniscus surface of the liquid to vibrate and to eject no droplet from the ejection aperture; a pressure determination device which determines pressure in the pressure chamber when the meniscus surface is vibrated by the meniscus vibration drive signal; and a judgment device which judges an abnormal state of the ejection element from pressure i

Abstract: An inkjet printer whose ink discharge characteristics will rarely change even when used for a long period of time is developed. The inkjet printer has a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric actuator forming a wall of the pressure chamber and a controller for applying voltage to the piezoelectric actuator. The controller applies a predetermined voltage in general, and the piezoelectric actuator is usually deformed to project toward the pressure chamber. Ink discharge signal comprises an advanced voltage change from the predetermined voltage to zero and a subsequent change from zero to the predetermined voltage. The characteristics of the piezoelectric actuator will change if the piezoelectric actuator is continuously deformed during ink non-discharge period. The controller applies an additional signal including an advanced change from the predetermined voltage to a lower voltage and a subsequent change from the lower voltage to the predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A print start position is set to an appropriate position, and the time required for printing is shortened. A printing apparatus, which forms a row of dots from a print start position in a scanning direction to print on a medium to be printed, is provided with a sensor that is capable of detecting an edge, in the scanning direction, of the medium to be printed. The printing apparatus stores the result of detecting the edge of another medium to be printed, and, when printing on the medium to be printed, it reads out the stored detection result and determines the print start position based on that detection result.

Abstract: According to the present invention, if an image is printed on both sides of a printing medium, the possibility of rubbing ink off from the printing medium is minimized to inhibit contamination of the printing medium and the interior of the printing apparatus, while maintaining the print grade of the image. Thus, if a double side print mode is executed in which an image is printed on both sides of the printing medium, then, for a particular image part, a ratio of an amount of black pigment ink used to an amount of black dye ink used is set so as to limit the amount of black pigment ink used and to compensate for a decrease in print density with the limited amount of the black pigment ink used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating for a defective nozzle in an inkjet image forming apparatus are provided, in which a defective nozzle of a nozzle unit is detected, ejecting statuses of nozzles of the nozzle unit are checked which eject ink at a compensation position on a printing medium corresponding to the defective nozzle and nozzles of the nozzle unit which eject ink at positions adjacent to the compensation position when the defective nozzle is detected, and at least three pieces of image data to be printed at the compensation position and the adjacent positions are swapped and printed according to the ejecting statuses of the nozzle. Accordingly, the image data are swapped for each other in order to be printed or divided and then printed. Thus, image quality degradation such as a visible white line can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a movable head provided with a plurality of nozzles for ejecting a liquid; a carry unit for carrying a medium in a predetermined carrying direction; and a sensor for detecting an edge of the medium, the liquid ejecting apparatus controlling ejection of the liquid from the plurality of nozzles in accordance with a result of the detection of the sensor. In this liquid ejecting apparatus, the position, in the carrying direction, of the sensor is at the same position of or on an upstream side of a nozzle located most upstream in the carrying direction, of among the plurality of nozzles. In this way, it is possible to arrange the sensor for detecting the edge of the paper at the most suitable position, and to suppress waste of ink that is ejected from the nozzles.

Abstract: An ink jet printer 20 of the present invention can carry out a head check on whether or not ink is normally ejected from nozzles 23, by having a voltage detection circuit 54 detect electrical change resulting from ejecting of charged ink droplets onto an ink receiving area 52. When instructed to do borderfree printing, the ink jet printer 20 has a voltage application circuit 50 to charge ink in the print head 24, and ejects ink onto an area within the ink receiving area 52 where a recording sheet S is present and an area where a recording sheet is not present. The ink jet printer 20 also carries a print head 24 and determines a front edge of the recording sheet S based on a position where a voltage detection circuit no longer detects voltage. Thus, the ink jet printer 20 determines a front edge, side edges, and rear edge of the recording sheet S by directly using ink.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided having at least one printhead module of at least two inkjet printhead integrated circuits, a casing in which the at least one printhead module is removably mounted, and a printer body arranged to removably receive the casing. The printhead module has a first side which is slidably received in a longitudinally extending groove of the casing and a second side which is clamped to the casing by a clamp mounted to the casing. The clamp is configured to constrain movement of the printhead module relative to the casing, and therefore the printer body, across the longitudinal direction of the casing and in the direction of ink ejection from the printed integrated circuits, and to allow movement of the printhead module along the longitudinal direction of the casing.

Abstract: Provided is a temperature detection method capable of more accurately acquiring an environmental temperature and more accurately correcting temperature detection of a printhead. In a printing apparatus to which this method is applied, a previous printing time when the printhead has performed a printing operation is stored in a nonvolatile memory. The current time is acquired using a timer which always performs a time counting operation by power supply from an auxiliary power supply capable of supplying power independently of a main power supply that supplies power for performing the printing operation by the printing apparatus. A time elapsed after the previous printing time is calculated on the basis of the current time and previous printing time. The elapsed time and a predetermined time are compared. The temperature is measured using a sensor arranged in at least one of the printing apparatus and the printhead in accordance with the comparison result.

Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided having at least one printhead module, at least one controller and a casing in which the printhead module and controller are removably mounted. The module is a unitary arrangement of a support member, at least two print nozzle integrated circuits, at least two fluid distribution members each mounting the print nozzle integrated circuits to the support member, and respective electrical connectors. The controller is configured to process print data and to communicate the processed print data to microprocessing circuitry of at least one of the print nozzle integrated circuits via the respective electrical connector so as to control the printing operation of the print nozzle integrated circuit(s) to print the processed print data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printing method that repeats in alternation a carrying operation of carrying a medium in a carrying direction, and a formation operation of forming an image on the medium by ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles that are aligned in the carrying direction and that move in a movement direction.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes: an input unit to input image data; a conversion unit to convert the image data to conversion data on a plurality of colors for forming an image on a recording medium; and an image forming unit to form an image of the conversion data on a recording medium using a plurality of colors of coloring materials. The image is formed on the recording medium by the image forming unit using at least three types of black coloring materials having transparency and density different to one another in accordance with the conversion data on a black color upon conversion to the conversion data on plural colors.

Abstract: A liquid ejection inspecting apparatus includes (A) a sensing section, (B) a detection circuit, (C) a determination section, and (D) a substrate. The sensing section is arranged in a state of non-contact with a liquid ejection nozzle for ejecting a liquid. The detection circuit is for detecting an induced current generated in the sensing section due to the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle and charged electrically. The determination section is for determining whether or not the liquid is ejected from the liquid ejection nozzle normally, based on the induced current detected by the detection circuit. The substrate is provided with the sensing section and a circuit component that constitutes the detection circuit. The sensing section is provided on one surface of the substrate. The circuit component that constitutes the detection circuit is provided on the other surface of the substrate.