Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a housing, and a media support mounted to the housing for supporting at least one sheet of print media. A guide device couples the media support with the housing. The guide device defines a guide path having a proximal end and a distal end. The media support is configured to move along the guide path. The media support is moved in a direction from the proximal end toward the distal end when the media support is moved from a stowed position to an extended position. A pivot mechanism is located near the distal end of the guide path to facilitate a pivoting of the media support so as to be inclined in relation to the guide path when the media support is pivoted from the extended position to an operating position.

Abstract: A marking system includes at least one image applying component for applying a marking material to a substrate in forming an image on the substrate. The marking material includes a radiation sensitive material. An addressable irradiation device receives the marked substrate from the image applying component. The irradiation device provides an array of addressable irradiation elements which irradiate the marked substrate. At least some of the irradiation elements are selectively actuable. The irradiation device emits radiation within a range of wavelengths to which the radiation sensitive material is sensitive.

Abstract: A cradle unit for an inkjet printer comprising: a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and an ink supply; and a controller for controlling the operation of the printhead to facilitate printing; wherein, a plurality of terminals are located along the length of the body to contact corresponding terminals located along the length of the removable inkjet cartridge to enable electrical communication between the controller and the cartridge.

Abstract: A multi-beam image forming apparatus includes: first and second semiconductor laser arrays each having n laser elements; a multi-beam generation unit that generates 2n laser beams by synthesizing laser beams generated by the first and second semiconductor laser arrays; a beam detection unit that generates synchronous detection signals to obtain synchronous scanning of the respective laser beams; and a control unit. The beam detection unit includes first and second beam detection units disposed substantially at a same position in a main scanning direction and adjacently disposed in a sub-scanning direction. The n laser beams of the first and second semiconductor laser arrays are detected by the first and second beam detection unit, respectively. The control unit controls image formation start positions of the 2n laser beams on the basis of the synchronous detection signals output from the first and the second beam detection units.

Abstract: A printhead carriage including a body that is guided and driven for reciprocating movement in a printer, a mounting plate for a printhead assembly, and a suspension structure adjustably connecting the mounting plate to the body, the suspension structure having a framework of hinge plates having elastic hinges and at least one adjusting mechanism adapted to adjust the position of the mounting plate by elastically deflecting at least one of the hinges. An adjusting unit which provides for at least one degree of freedom of the mounting plate and includes two hinge plates that are connected to a common support point of the mounting plate and are oriented at right angles relative to one another, and the adjusting mechanism is adapted to push and/or pull one hinge plate in the longitudinal direction thereof, with the elastic deflection of at least one hinge of the other hinge plate.

Abstract: A shape or position of a shielding member is set corresponding to an image focusing property of each rod lens element to prevent an MTF from deteriorating, to provide a clear exposure image, and to prevent a defective image such as having a vertical streak or the like, from occurring on a printed image. To achieve the above, an exposure device used for an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type, comprises a lens array having a plurality of lens elements for condensing light from a light source onto a photosensitive drum; and a shielding member for shielding at least one portion of a peripheral portion with respect to a direction of an optical axis of each lens element from the light radiated from the light source, wherein the shielding member has a shape or a position set depending on an image focusing property with each lens element.

Abstract: In an image formation method of an image formation apparatus for correcting uneven image formation on the basis of vibration property information corresponding to an operation sequence in image formation, vibration property information corresponding to a plurality of operation sequences are stored in a storage device. The uneven image formation is corrected on the basis of vibration property information corresponding to an operation sequence selected from the storage device. Vibration property information generated by driving a movable member is measured when the selected operation sequence is being executed while correcting the uneven image formation. It is determined whether the measured vibration property information is similar to the vibration property information selected from the storage device. The vibration property information stored in the storage device is rewrite-controlled in accordance with the measurement result or the determination result.

Abstract: An inkjet printer including: (a) a recording head operable to eject an ink onto a recording medium so as to perform a recording operation on the recording medium; (b) an ink source unit provided to store the ink that is to be supplied to the recording head; and (c) an ink delivery unit provided to delivery the ink supplied from the ink source unit, to the recording head. The ink delivery unit has a delivery chamber which has a delivery chamber inlet and a delivery chamber outlet, such that the ink can be delivered through the delivery chamber inlet from the ink source unit, and such that the ink can be delivered through the delivery chamber outlet toward the recording head. The delivery chamber is defined by a wall held in substantially parallel with a horizontal plane, and is elongated in a direction parallel with the wall. The delivery chamber inlet and outlet of the delivery chamber are positioned in respective positions which are substantially diagonal relative to each other.

Abstract: An ink jet printer including a stationary frame; a tank supporter which is provided in the stationary frame and which supports at least one ink storing tank storing at least one sort of ink; a recording head which records an image on a recording medium by ejecting a droplet of the ink, and which has at least one ink flow inlet; at least one ink delivering tank which delivers the ink and has at least one ink flow outlet; at least one ink supply tube which is provided between the tank supporter and the ink delivering tank and through which the ink is supplied from the ink storing tank to the recording head via the ink delivering tank, wherein the delivering tank provides at least a portion of at least one ink delivering channel connecting between the ink supply tube and the recording head; a head holder which includes a main portion holding the recording head and the ink delivering tank, and which is movable relative to the stationary frame so that the recording head records the image on the recording medium; a

Abstract: Provided is an exposure head controller that controls, via pulse width modulation control, the emission quantity of each light emitting element in an exposure head having a light emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light emitting elements in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction orthogonal thereto, comprising: a data retention unit that retains dot gathering control data showing whether to emit each light emitting element at the starting point side, terminal point side or in the middle of an emission period corresponding to a 1 pixel pitch in the sub scanning direction, or to divide and emit each light emitting element at the starting point side and terminal point side, emission time data showing the emission time of each light emitting element, and skew data showing the skew quantity of each light emitting element a dot gathering operation circuit provided to each light emitting element and which operates the time in which the light emitting element is to be retained in

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with an ink jet head, a first support device, and a connecting device. The ink jet head is connected with an ink cartridge that stores ink, and the ink jet head discharges the ink supplied from the ink cartridge. The first support device is capable of supporting a plurality of spare ink cartridges that are aligned in a direction in which the ink is discharged. The connecting device disconnects the ink cartridge from the ink jet head, and connects one of the spare ink cartridges to the ink jet head. In the ink jet printer, the first support device is offset from the ink jet head within a plane that is perpendicular to the direction of ink discharge.

Abstract: An ink supply structure for supplying ink flowing out from an ink cartridge including an ink supply port via an ink transporting tube to a recording portion, including: an ink cartridge base having; a cartridge connecting portion which makes the ink flowing out from the ink cartridge, when the cartridge connecting portion connects to the ink supply port upon loading of the ink cartridge on the ink cartridge base; an ink flow path which connects to the cartridge connecting portion; and a tube connecting portion connected to the ink transporting tube, wherein the ink cartridge base is configured by a base main body and a supplemental member fitted in the base main body, and wherein the ink flow path is formed on joint faces between the base main body and the supplemental member.

Abstract: A method of filling an ink cartridge which has (i) an ink supplying portion, (ii) an air introducing portion, (ii) a first valve member disposed in the ink supplying portion and biased in a biased direction that causes the first valve member to be placed in its closed position, and (iv) a second valve member disposed in the air introducing portion and biased in a biased direction that causes the second valve member to be placed in its closed position. The method including: (a) moving each of the first and second valve members in the opposite direction away from the closed position; and (b) supplying the ink into the ink cartridge through one of the air introducing portion and the ink supplying portion, while discharging the air out of the ink cartridge through the other of the air introducing portion and the ink supplying portion. Also disclosed are a cartridge filler, a jig and an ink supply system.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting unit is disclosed wherein plural liquid droplet ejecting sub-units are provided which are arrayed in a direction substantially perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording medium. Further, plural valves are provided which connect the respective liquid droplet ejecting sub-units and a liquid feed path. The valves comprise a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a floating member. The floating member is larger in radius than the inlet port and smaller in radius than the outlet port and has a lower specific gravity that the liquid. Thus, the floating member is floated in the liquid in the valve body and capable of closing the inlet port. An image forming apparatus using such a liquid droplet ejecting unit is also disclosed.

Abstract: An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The printer has a mounting arrangement for the ink cartridge. The mounting arrangement includes at least one ink supply connector. The ink cartridge includes a vented housing. At least one ink container is mounted in the housing. The ink containers are collapsible. A complementary ink supply connector is mounted on the, or each respective ink container and is connectable to the, or each respective ink supply connector when the ink cartridge is mounted on the inkjet printer.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising: a replaceable pagewidth printhead with an array of nozzles and printhead contacts for transmitting power and print data to the nozzles; and, corresponding contacts for supplying the power and print data to the printhead contacts; and, a cover member for movement between open and closed positions; wherein, in the open position, the printhead can be installed or removed, and the cover member is in the closed position during printing; such that, the printhead contacts and the corresponding contacts are moved into engagement when the cover member is moved to the closed position, and the printhead contacts and the corresponding contacts disengage when the cover member is moved to the open position.

Abstract: An inkjet printer head includes: (a) a head unit having a plurality of ink inlets and operable to eject an ink which is supplied through the ink inlets from an ink source, for performing a recording operation; (b) an ink channel held in communication with the ink source; (c) a plurality of branch channels held in communication with the ink inlets; and (d) a rollable body movably disposed at a fork at which the ink channel is divided into the branch channels.

Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid pack having a flexible pouch holding the liquid, a container body containing the liquid pack, an expandable-and-contractile stirring chamber formed in the container body, and a pressurized fluid supply passage for supplying a pressurized fluid into the stirring chamber. At least a part of the stirring chamber is formed of a low-rigidity member. A pressurized fluid is supplied through the pressurized fluid supply passage into the stirring chamber to press and deform the low-rigidity member by the pressure of the pressurized fluid. The deformed low-rigidity member presses and deforms the flexible pouch of the liquid pack. The liquid container prevents the uneven distribution of ingredient concentration in the liquid contained in the liquid container without complicating and enlarging a liquid-consuming apparatus.

Abstract: An image recording method of recording an image onto an image recording surface by dot patterns by scanning a recording head having recording element units arranged in a direction intersecting a scanning direction, the recording element units having a light source and an optical system which receives light from the light source, forms light beams which are arranged two-dimensionally, and focuses the light beams on the image recording surface. The method includes: measuring displacement amounts of positions of light beam spots on the image recording surface generated due to a change in optical magnification of the optical system; changing a light-emitting timing at a time of start of scanning in the scanning direction, on the basis of a displacement amount in the scanning direction; and changing a resolution in the direction intersecting the scanning direction, on the basis of a displacement amount in the direction intersecting the scanning direction.

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with a carriage, a pair of ink cartridges, an ink jet head, an ink tank, and an ink replenishment device. The pair of ink cartridges stores ink of same color. The carriage alternately supports each the ink cartridge. The ink jet head is supported by the carriage. The ink jet head discharges ink supplied from the ink cartridge currently being supported by the carriage. The ink tank stores the ink of the predetermined color. The ink replenishment device replenishes the ink cartridge currently not being supported by the carriage with the ink from the ink tank.