Abstract: A flexible ink bag in which ink consumed by a printer is stored is detachably mounted in the printer. A non-contact type memory IC is provided on the ink bag. A data communicator opposes to the memory IC to perform non-contact data communication. The memory IC stores data indicating an amount of ink remained therein. The ink bag is mounted such that the memory IC is substantially immovable with respect to the printer, regardless of the consumption of ink.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle plate formed with a plurality of nozzle orifices; a flow path forming plate, formed with a plurality of pressure chambers which communicate with the nozzle orifices respectively, a reservoir which stores liquid therein, and a plurality of liquid flow paths which communicate the pressure chambers with the reservoir respectively; an elastic plate, applying pressure to the liquid in the pressure chambers; and a plurality of driver elements, each pushing the elastic plate so as to vary a volume of each corresponding pressure chamber. The flow path forming plate is comprised of (110) orientation silicon single crystal. A liquid flow path wall partitioning adjacent liquid flow paths and a pressure chamber wall partitioning adjacent pressure chambers are formed continuously. A width of the liquid flow path wall is greater than that of the pressure chamber wall.

Abstract: In a module for monitoring the print quality of a dot printer (10), comprising a radiation source (41), a condenser lens system (43?) for forming an illuminated area (45) on a printing medium (13) and an imaging lens system (87,89) for imaging the illuminated area on a detector (49?), the detector comprises at least a linear array of detector elements and the imaging system is configured in such a way that both the illuminated area and a small portion thereof can be imaged. This allows detection of both the gray scale of a print line (35) and the size and colour of an individual dot. A dot printer provided with this modules gives an improved print quality.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing image material (2), which lies on top of a sheet carrier (1), in an inkjet printer. The inkjet printer comprises an inkjet print head (6), which only partially covers the image material (2). The image material (2) is printed during a temporally successive relative movement, occurring in the x and y directions, between the inkjet print head (6) and the sheet carrier (1).

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention forms an item specific pattern on a plain or holographic metallized film or hot stamp foil, including an embossed substrate with or without holograms. A piezoelectric ink jet printhead includes a plurality of ink jet channels and respective ink jets that receive an etchant-resistant mask material for ejecting etchant-resistant mask material through the respective ink jets onto a metallized surface of the metallized film or hot stamp foil. A controller individually and digitally controls the ejection of etchant-resistant mask material in a programmed manner for ink jet printing on the metallized surface a unique pattern of etchant or etchant-resistant mask. Etchant etches the metallized surface into an item specific pattern using subsequently applied etchant that exposes the metallized surface devoid of the etchant-resistant mask.

Abstract: By implementation of an optical scanner, the calibration of printheads of a printing mechanism may be performed in a relatively short period of time as compared to known techniques. In one respect, the time required to perform the calibration may be substantially reduced by virtue of the relatively wide field of view of the optical scanner. The relatively wide field of view generally enables for the scanning of test patterns to be performed with a relatively fewer number of scanning passes, thus reducing the time required to perform the scanning operations as well as the calibration operations. In addition, the scanning operations may yield relatively more accurate results as compared to known scanning operations. In one respect, optical scanners are capable of detecting smaller drops of ink on print media by virtue of their higher resolution capabilities.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead assembly includes a heater chip having a backside with at least one cavity. A substrate is associated with the backside of the heater chip. Adhesive is at least partially disposed within the at least one cavity. The adhesive adheres the backside of the heater chip to the substrate.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer, when image forming operation(s) is or are interrupted, if print coverage(s) at recording paper prior to such interruption(s) is or are not more than prescribed value(s), recording medium or media undergo normal transport when operation(s) resume so as to permit image forming operation(s) which was or were underway at recording paper to resume. If print coverage(s) exceed prescribed value(s), recording paper is forcibly discharged when operation(s) resume.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for improving pressure sensor shock robustness in fluid containment devices by providing a mechanical filter configured to prevent high-frequency pressure shocks from damaging the pressure sensor. One approach includes a body of elastomeric material disposed on an external surface of the sensor. Another approach is a porous plug in a fluid pathway leading to the sensor. Yet another approach is to provide a seal structure with a labyrinth fluid path.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge includes a housing having a chamber defined by a set of side walls, a lid, and a first surface. An outlet port is formed in the first surface for communicating ink from the chamber. An ink receiving member for holding the ink is received in the chamber and is held in compression between the side walls. A substantial portion of the surface of the ink receiving member is compressed, preferably more than ?of the total surface. The ink receiving member is held uncompressed between the lid and the first surface. A method of assembling an ink cartridge includes providing a housing and a porous ink storage element. The ink storage element is compressed by a set of side walls defining a chamber formed in the housing. The ink storage element is compressed within a range of about 0.5%-50%.

Abstract: A print head is provided with at least ink-pressurizing cells, heating elements, and ink-ejection nozzles. In addition, the print head includes substrate members which form side surfaces and one end surface of the ink-pressurizing cells, and which are provided with the heating elements; a nozzle-formed member which forms the other end surface of the ink-pressurizing cells, and in which the ink-ejection nozzles, which individually correspond to the ink-pressurizing cells, are formed; and a head frame which supports the nozzle-formed member.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet actuator for use in an inkjet printer assembly includes heat conduction means arranged to realize a predetermined negative pressure profile to facilitate droplet formation. In a preferred embodiment the heat conduction means comprises a thin layer of very high thermally conductive material such as Aluminium located in the middle of a non-heat conductive passive bend layer. The overall cool-down speed of the actuator, and hence the speed with which the passive bend layer returns to its quiescent position can be controlled by controlling the proximity of the heat conductive layer to the actuator's heater during fabrication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaged article comprising a substrate having a primed surface layer. The primed surface layer is comprised of a base polymer having a solubility parameter, molecular weight (Mw) and glass transition temperature within a specified range. The presence of the primer improves the overall image quality by improving at least one property including ink uptake, dot gain, color density and/or ink adhesion. Preferred primer compositions are soluble at least in part in the ink composition resulting in an increase in ink layer thickness that further improves the durability and/or day/night color balance. A variety of substrates may be primed including various sheeting for traffic control signage and commercial graphic films for advertising and promotional displays.

Abstract: An air folder adjuster (10) includes an air supply (12) and air supply tubing (14) connected to air supply (12) at end (16). The opposite end (18) of air supply tubing (14) is connected to one or more air nozzles (20). In a printing press utilized for folding documents such as books, air folder adjuster (10) is positioned so that air nozzles (20) direct compressed air from air supply (12) downward onto the head (26) of document (24) on either side of chopper arm (34) during the folding process thus ensuring that the document (24) lies flat, square, and untouched during the folding process and thereby allowing the elimination of chopper brushes altogether.

Abstract: An ink cartridge of an inkjet printer is formed by an ink box, and an ink box cover. A connection portion thereof is formed with a tilt stepped surface. A top of the ink box cover is formed with a liquid filling hole and an air inlet. The liquid filling hole is at the same side of the output port of the ink box and the air inlet is at an opposite side of the output port. A plurality of posts are installed in the ink box cover. Thereby, after the ink box is melted-connected to the ink box cover, the posts extrudes the filling material therein to form an air flow path. Thereby, the ink in the ink box is supplemented from the farmost end so as to avoid that ink in one side is exhausted, while the ink in another side can not supplement to the output port.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus is provided with a recording head to conduct recording by jetting an ink onto a recording medium having an ink receiving layer containing thermoplastic in particles on a surface thereof and a pigment ink solvent absorbing layer adjoining to an inner side of the ink receiving layer; a heating and pressing device to heat and press the recording medium so as to make the ink receiving layer of the recording medium to be transparent; a conveyor to convey the recording medium to the recording head and further to the heating and pressing device; and a temperature controller to control a heating temperature by the heating and pressing device within a range of T0±&Dgr;T° C., where T0 is 50 to 150° C. and &Dgr;T is not larger than 10° C.

Abstract: An ink jet print head is provided and includes a top body portion, an intermediate body portion having an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of ink channels disposed in a common plane along the upper side, each of said channels having at least one orifice for projecting ink towards a substrate, the, upper side of the intermediate body portion located adjacent the top body portion, a main body portion located adjacent the lower side of the intermediate body portion; and an ink heater made of a thermistor material, the ink heater having a substantially planar configuration and is located between the lower side of the intermediate body portion and the main body portion, and extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the channels and adjacent thereto. In the preferred embodiment, the ink heater is designed to compensate for an ink jet print head having certain channels which dissipate heat at a higher rate than other ink channels.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes the steps of inputting a set of driving pulses to a heater element so that the heater element is repeatedly activated by the driving pulses, repeatedly generating a bubble in ink in an ink path in accordance with repeated activation of the heater element, and separately jetting ink droplets from an ink jetting orifice due to the bubble repeatedly generated in the ink, a number of the ink droplets being equal to a number of the driving pulses input as a set to the heater element, the ink droplets jetted from the ink jetting orifice forming a single dot on a recording medium, wherein a time interval at which the driving pulses are input to the heater element is equal to or greater than 4T, T being a time period from a time at which the inputting of the pulses to the heater element starts to a time at which the bubble reaches a maximum size, and each ink droplet is a slender pillar so that a length of each ink droplet is at least three times as great as a diameter thereof.

Abstract: A method and system for calibrating a device having a first fluid source that ejects a first drop quantity and a second fluid source that ejects a second drop quantity by, for example, printing a pattern having a first portion and a second portion; obtaining a relationship between the first drop quantity and the second drop quantity from the pattern; and adjusting data used to determine quantities of fluid to eject from the first or second fluid sources based on the relationship between the first and second drop quantities. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a calibration apparatus and system.

Abstract: In an ink droplet ejecting method and apparatus, by merely adding one pulse after a driving waveform for a main ejection of ink, without changing the driving voltage, it is possible to obtain an ink droplet of a desired volume and also possible to minimize the decrease of the ink droplet speed. The pulse width Wa of a jet pulse signal A is set equal to time T required for one-way propagation through an ink chamber of a pressure wave which is generated in the ink chamber, while the pulse width Wb of an additional pulse signal B is set at 0.2T to 0.6T, and a time difference between a fall timing of the jet pulse signal A and a rise timing of the additional pulse signal B is set at 0.3T to 0.7T, whereby an ink droplet being ejected is reduced in size and only one drive voltage is sufficient. Thus, the cost can be reduced, and a decrease of the ink droplet speed is prevented.