Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a container in which ink is accommodated, an ink supply hole which is formed in the container so as to be open in an outer surface of the container, a plurality of atmosphere communication holes which are formed in the container so as to be open in the outer surface of the container, and a strip member which is removable stuck to the outer surface of the container to seal the ink supply hole and the plurality of atmosphere communication holes. The ink supply hole is sealed by a longitudinally intermediate portion of the strip member, and at least one of the plurality of atmosphere communication holes is sealed by a portion of the strip member which extends from the longitudinally intermediate portion toward one of longitudinally opposite ends thereof while at least one of the plurality of atmosphere communication holes is sealed by a portion of the strip member which extends from the longitudinally intermediate portion toward the other of the longitudinally opposite ends.

Abstract: The table 200 represents that only small dots should be formed in the range Cd1 of relatively small tone values. In the range Cd2, the production rate of small dots gradually decreases, while the production rate of medium dots increases. In the range Cd3, the production rate of small dots and medium decreases, while the production rate of large dots increases. Consequently, small dots, medium dots, and large dots are intermingled, with the proportion of large dots increasing in association with higher tone values. According to the present invention, printing is able to be implemented while switching among dot apportionment tables depending on the object represented in one set of image data, and printing using small dots is able to be implemented efficiently in areas where low grainy appearance is required, namely areas corresponding to human faces.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removable image forming unit including at least a carriage having an ink jet head, and a recording medium conveyance member, and includes a gap adjustment mechanism including a carriage travel lever unit having first and second levers separably engaged with each other. The second lever includes an operation part for, in gearing with the first lever, causing the carriage to vertically travel so that a gap between the ink jet head and a sheet on the recording medium conveyance member is adjusted.

Abstract: A toner remain detecting method according to this invention including: detecting toner density; supplying a toner amount corresponding to predetermined toner density; detecting a toner remain amount every time toner supply is carried out; and displaying toner near-empty if the toner remain amount becomes equal to or less than a prescribed value; wherein the toner supply step includes calculating a toner supply amount on the basis of a predetermined toner density level and the toner remain amount detected at the toner remain amount detecting step and supplying toner of the amount calculated at the toner supply amount calculating step. With the toner remain detecting method according to this invention, the toner remain amount can be detected more accurately than in conventional techniques.

Abstract: A maintenance scheduling system for creating a maintenance schedule for an image forming apparatus includes an actual use acquiring unit configured to acquire actual use information of the image forming apparatus and actual use information of a consumable part, a failure probability distribution estimating unit configured to estimate failure probability distribution of the consumable part on the basis of history of actual use information of the consumable part, a counter proceeding degree acquiring unit configured to acquire a counter proceeding degree, which is a counter value per day, on the basis of history of actual use information of the image forming apparatus, and a maintenance scheduling unit configured to present next replacement timing and a consumable part to be replaced, on the basis of the failure probability distribution of each of the consumable parts and the counter proceeding degree.

Abstract: A method for controlling printing actions of a print head (1) comprising pumps (10) filled with ink (18), and actuators (16) for generating actuation pulses acting on the ink(18), comprises the step of determining a characteristic frequency of the pumps (10). As the characteristic frequency of the pumps (10) is directly related to the geometry of the pumps (10), the characteristic frequency can be used as an indicator of the state of the pumps (10) and the volume of the ink droplets emitted by the pumps (10). In case a slight change of the characteristic frequency is detected, the actuation pulse is adjusted in order to still meet the requirements regarding the volume of the ink droplets. In case a relatively large change of the characteristic frequency is detected, the printing action of the pump (10) concerned is stopped, and may be taken over by another pump (10).

Abstract: A printhead assembly includes an elongate casing. The casing defines a printhead channel extending there-along. A static pagewidth printhead is received within the printhead channel. The printhead includes an elongate fluid channel member defining a plurality of ducts for storing respective types of ink. The printhead further includes printhead tiles bearing respective printheads configured to eject ink supplied from the fluid channel member. The tiles are shaped to serially engage together so that adjacent printheads overlap along the length of the fluid channel member.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly is provided having a casing removably mounting at least one printhead module which has an elongate support member longitudinally supporting a plurality of printhead integrated circuits and a capping member capping one longitudinal end of the elongate support member. The support member has a plurality of longitudinally extending channels for carrying and delivering ink to inkjet nozzles of the printhead integrated circuits. The longitudinal ends of the elongate support member are configured differently and complementarily to one another. The capping member is configured to cap either of the longitudinal ends so as to seal the channels.

Abstract: An adjustment value applicable to the adjustment of a printing position is obtainable by reading a printing position adjustment pattern printed on a printing medium without requiring the manual operation by the operator. Furthermore, the printing position can be optimally adjusted by accurately scanning the printing position adjustment pattern. For this purpose, an optical sensor is located in the vicinity of the printing head, and the optical sensor is situated near a predetermined position side. The predetermined position side is a pinch roller side where a large restrictive force acts to the printing medium with the printing position adjustment pattern printed thereon.

Abstract: In an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid droplets, vibration is generated in a direction connecting two nozzles, of the nozzles, by the discharge operation performed at least one of the nozzles. In particular, when the printing frequency is in the vicinity of the secondary mode frequency (for example, 27.5 kHz) of the proper vibration of the ink-jet head, the crosstalk easily arises. The crosstalk is hardly caused when the ratio of the secondary mode frequency of the ink-jet head to the printing frequency is any one of a value of not more than 0.85, a value in a range of 1.25 to 1.96, and a value of not less than 4.59.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system is provided, which includes a first stage mounted with a mother glass including a plurality of substrates and a plurality of alignment keys, a head unit having at least one inkjet head, an alignment key position sensor for sensing positions of the alignment keys to generate a plurality of sensing signals respectively corresponding to the alignment keys, and a transporting unit controller for aligning a position of the head unit based on a current position of the head unit and positions determined by the corresponding sensing signals with respect to the corresponding alignment keys.

Abstract: A method of disabling operation of a disposable print module that has an ink reservoir and a plurality of ink ejection nozzles including unused nozzles, and that serves to be mounted on a base of a postage meter, the method including the following steps: forming, in a prior step, a residual ink level counter using a determined first group of the unused nozzles; determining the volume of ink consumed; destroying one of the unused nozzles of the residual ink level counter every time the print module is mounted on a different postage meter base; destroying one of the unused nozzles of ink consumed exceeds a predetermined ink level; and disabling operation of the print module when all of the unused nozzles of the residual ink level counter have been destroyed.

Abstract: A printer is provided having at least one printhead module having at least two printhead integrated circuits which have nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media, a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the at least two printhead integrated circuits, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the at least two printhead integrated circuits, drive electronics incorporating at least one controller for controlling the printing operation of at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits via the electrical connector, and a casing in which the printhead module and the drive electronics are removably mounted. The printhead module is removable from the casing upon removal of the drive electronics.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid drop discharging device including: a liquid drop discharging head that discharges liquid drops onto a recording sheet; a discharged region computing section that, on the basis of inputted image data, computes a size of a region where liquid drops are to be discharged on the recording sheet by the liquid drop discharging head; a margin proportion computing section that, on the basis of the computed size of the discharged region and a size of the recording sheet, computes a proportion of a margin of the recording sheet; and a determination section that, when the computed proportion of the margin is less than a predetermined margin proportion, determines that sheet curling will occur at the recording sheet on which an image is recorded by liquid drop discharging of the liquid drop discharging head.

Abstract: A droplet jetting apparatus includes an actuator becoming deformed by a voltage application; an elastic body adhered to the actuator and becoming deformed in response to a deformation of the actuator; an ink chamber filled with ink, jetting a droplet of the ink in response to a deformation of the elastic body; a voltage information acquirer acquiring a voltage information of the actuator; and a sense/decider sensing at least any of an abnormality in the ink chamber, a failure of the actuator, and a defective adhesion between the actuator and the elastic body based on the voltage information, and deciding whether or not the ink is being jetted normally.

Abstract: A multi-chamber ink cartridge for an ink-jet printer, the ink cartridge including a printhead to eject ink droplets on a printing medium; a unitary body comprising: first, second and third ink chambers formed by “T”-shaped vertical walls in the unitary body, and first, second, and third ink channels respectively connected to a lower portion of each of the ink chambers to supply ink to the printhead; and a flexible printed circuit to apply an electrical signal to nozzles of the printhead; wherein the first chamber is disposed perpendicular to the second chamber and the third chamber, and the printhead is disposed on a lower portion of the unitary body which corresponds to the second and third chambers.

Abstract: The liquid droplet ejection apparatus comprises: a plurality of ejection ports which eject droplets to form dots on a recording medium to form an image on the recording medium; and a droplet ejection control device which, if a time interval during which one of the ejection ports does not eject any droplet exceeds a prescribed time period, and if an effect on the image, when a dot that is to be formed by a droplet ejected from the one of the ejection ports after the prescribed time period has elapsed is a defective dot, exceeds a tolerance limit, then causes the one of the ejection ports to perform an additional ejection of a droplet to form a corrected dot, in such a manner that the droplet is correctly ejected to form the dot of which the effect on the image would exceed the tolerance limit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inkjet printer for printing on goods, wherein said printer comprises a computer for controlling the operation process, at least one replaceable tank in the shape of a bottle filled with a previously known quantity of a liquid, an intermediate container arranged in the printer and filled with the liquid from the tank as well as a device also arranged in the printer for detecting the quantity of liquid drawn from the tank. The invention is characterized in that the tank includes an identification element comprising a coded piece of information related to the liquid it contains. The identification elements is inputted into the computer when a new tank is mounted, while said computer comprises a verification program for checking the inputted identification element and for authorizing normal operation of the inkjet printer only when one at least selected verification criterion is correct, such as the use-by date.

Abstract: An inkjet recording method including the steps of: ejecting an ink having viscosity from 5 to 20 mPa·s from a nozzle of an inkjet head toward a recording medium; forming a main droplet and at least one satellite out of the ink; controlling a drive voltage of the inkjet head to make conditions that a velocity of the main droplet is at least 5 m/s at a point 1 mm away from a surface of the nozzle, and that a distance between the main droplet at the point 1 mm away from the nozzle surface and a satellite at the end of the at least one satellite is at most 500 ?m; and recording an image of the ink on the recording medium.

Abstract: An ink box detection system and method thereof are provided for detecting an ink box installed in an ink jet apparatus. The ink box has an identification circuit to generate a reference voltage. The detection system includes a voltage divider resistance with a power supply, a connector for connecting the identification circuit of the ink box and the voltage divider resistance with the power supply, a voltage supplier, a voltage detector connected to the connector and the voltage supplier, and a controller connected to the voltage supplier and the voltage detector. The voltage supplier provides an adjustable voltage that is adjusted by an adjustable digital signal from the controller. The voltage detector includes a single comparator for comparing the adjustable voltage with the reference voltage. When the adjustable voltage is the same as the reference voltage, a detection signal is outputted to the controller to identify the ink box.