Abstract: A print control device includes: a drawing control unit that allows a plurality of print elements arrayed in a print head to draw a test image used for checking operation statuses of the print elements on a recording medium, classifies at least a part of the plurality of print elements into a plurality of partial arrays in each of which a constant number of print elements are successively arrayed, classifies the plurality of partial arrays into a plurality of patterns so that the numbers of print elements belonging to the partial arrays are combinations of numbers not having a common divisor other than 1, and allows the print elements disposed at corresponding positions in each of the plurality of patterns of partial arrays to sequentially draw lines on the recording medium in a predetermined direction of the recording medium so as to draw the test image.

Abstract: A print control apparatus includes: an operation state storing section that stores operation information relating to operation states of a plurality of printing elements arranged in a printing head; and a drawing controlling section that causes the plurality of printing elements to draw a test image for checking the operation states of the plurality of printing elements, wherein the test image includes a set of a predetermined number of lines that are drawn in parallel with one another in a predetermined direction, and the drawing controlling section causes a printing element placed in the vicinity of a printing element determined as a malfunction on the basis of the operation information, to draw a check line having a predetermined length and thickness in the test image.

Abstract: An image forming method including: forming a liquid receiving particle layer on an intermediate transfer member using a liquid receiving particle that is capable of receiving a recording liquid including a recording material; forming an image of the recording material on a surface of the liquid receiving particle layer by applying a liquid droplet of the recording liquid to the liquid receiving particle layer on the basis of image data and holding the recording material on the surface of the liquid receiving particle layer on the intermediate transfer member; applying a transfer auxiliary liquid in at least a portion of a formation range of the image; and transferring the liquid receiving particle layer to which the recording liquid is applied to a transfer receiving member from the intermediate transfer member, such that the image is interposed between the transfer receiving member and the liquid receiving particle layer is provided.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a curable solution layer forming device that forms a curable solution layer by supplying a curable solution to a recording member or an intermediate member, the curable solution including at least a curable material to be cured by an external stimulus, and a water-absorbing component; an ink applying device that applies an ink to the curable solution layer; a stimulus supplying device that supplies the stimulus for curing the curable solution layer, to the curable solution layer; and a water-absorption controlling component-contact device that brings a liquid, including a component that controls water-absorption by the water-absorbing component, into contact with the curable solution layer, before or after the ink is applied to the curable solution layer by the ink applying device.

Abstract: A recording device including an intermediate transfer unit; a supply unit that supplies ink receiving particles that receive an ink onto the intermediate transfer unit in the form of a layer; a particle density increasing unit that increases the particle density of the layer of the ink receiving particles supplied onto the intermediate transfer unit; an ink application unit that applies an ink to the layer of the ink receiving particles supplied onto the intermediate transfer unit; a transfer unit that transfers the layer of the ink receiving particles onto a recording medium; and a fixing unit that fixes the layer of the ink receiving particles transferred onto the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a supply unit that supplies liquid absorbing particles to receive a liquid; a transporting unit that transports the liquid absorbing particles supplied by the supply unit; and a ejecting unit that ejects liquid droplets to the liquid absorbing particles transported by the transporting unit, the ejecting unit having: an ink ejecting part that ejects ink; and a dampening solution ejecting part that ejects a dampening solution to dampen the liquid absorbing particles, the ink ejecting part being provided on an upstream side of the dampening solution ejecting part in an image forming direction.

Abstract: An image forming method including: forming a liquid receiving particle layer on an intermediate transfer member using a liquid receiving particle that is capable of receiving a recording liquid including a recording material; forming an image of the recording material on a surface of the liquid receiving particle layer by applying a liquid droplet of the recording liquid to the liquid receiving particle layer on the basis of image data and holding the recording material on the surface of the liquid receiving particle layer on the intermediate transfer member; applying a transfer auxiliary liquid in at least a portion of a formation range of the image; and transferring the liquid receiving particle layer to which the recording liquid is applied to a transfer receiving member from the intermediate transfer member, such that the image is interposed between the transfer receiving member and the liquid receiving particle layer is provided.

Abstract: A nozzle check pattern is formed by ejecting liquid droplets onto a recording medium from a nozzle row formed in a liquid droplet ejection head. The nozzle check pattern includes: a first pattern formed by assigning consecutive numbers in order to the nozzles in the nozzle row, dividing the nozzle row into plural first nozzle groups, and ejecting predetermined dots onto the recording medium in order from the nozzle with the smallest number to the nozzle with the largest number in each of the first nozzle groups; and a second pattern formed by dividing the nozzle row into second nozzle groups whose number is larger than that of the first nozzle groups and ejecting predetermined dots onto the recording medium in order from the nozzle with the smallest number to the nozzle with the largest number in each of the second nozzle groups.

Abstract: A print control apparatus includes: an operation state storing section that stores operation information relating to operation states of a plurality of printing elements arranged in a printing head; and a drawing controlling section that causes the plurality of printing elements to draw a test image for checking the operation states of the plurality of printing elements, wherein the test image includes a set of a predetermined number of lines that are drawn in parallel with one another in a predetermined direction, and the drawing controlling section causes a printing element placed in the vicinity of a printing element determined as a malfunction on the basis of the operation information, to draw a check line having a predetermined length and thickness in the test image.

Abstract: A recording medium on which a test image testing an operation to a plurality of liquid droplet ejecting elements arrayed in a liquid droplet ejecting head is drawn, the test image comprising a straight line set having a predetermined number of straight lines which are evenly spaced from each other, and being drawn parallel to each other in a predetermined direction, each of the straight lines having start points and end points which are disposed thereon, and the test image having ratio of width of each of the straight lines to interval between the straight lines adjacent to each other, the ratio satisfying the following formula (1): 0.15<the width of each of the straight lines/the interval between the straight lines<0.90 .

Abstract: A print control device includes: a drawing control unit that allows a plurality of print elements arrayed in a print head to draw a test image used for checking operation statuses of the print elements on a recording medium, classifies at least a part of the plurality of print elements into a plurality of partial arrays in each of which a constant number of print elements are successively arrayed, classifies the plurality of partial arrays into a plurality of patterns so that the numbers of print elements belonging to the partial arrays are combinations of numbers not having a common divisor other than 1, and allows the print elements disposed at corresponding positions in each of the plurality of patterns of partial arrays to sequentially draw lines on the recording medium in a predetermined direction of the recording medium so as to draw the test image.

Abstract: A recording device including an intermediate transfer unit; a supply unit that supplies ink receiving particles that receive an ink onto the intermediate transfer unit in the form of a layer; a particle density increasing unit that increases the particle density of the layer of the ink receiving particles supplied onto the intermediate transfer unit; an ink application unit that applies an ink to the layer of the ink receiving particles supplied onto the intermediate transfer unit; a transfer unit that transfers the layer of the ink receiving particles onto a recording medium; and a fixing unit that fixes the layer of the ink receiving particles transferred onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A nozzle check pattern is formed by ejecting liquid droplets onto a recording medium from a nozzle row formed in a liquid droplet ejection head. The nozzle check pattern includes: a first pattern formed by assigning consecutive numbers in order to the nozzles in the nozzle row, dividing the nozzle row into plural first nozzle groups, and ejecting predetermined dots onto the recording medium in order from the nozzle with the smallest number to the nozzle with the largest number in each of the first nozzle groups; and a second pattern formed by dividing the nozzle row into second nozzle groups whose number is larger than that of the first nozzle groups and ejecting predetermined dots onto the recording medium in order from the nozzle with the smallest number to the nozzle with the largest number in each of the second nozzle groups.

Abstract: A method of driving an inkjet recording head designed to eject an ink droplet (67) via an ink nozzle (62) communicated to a pressure chamber filled with ink by generating a pressure wave in the pressure chamber by applying a driving voltage to a piezoelectric actuator of the inkjet recording head. The driving voltage waveform has a voltage rise portion (11) for contracting a volume of the pressure chamber (61) and a voltage fall portion (12) for expanding the volume of the pressure chamber. A rise time t1 of the voltage rise portion (11) and a voltage fall time t2 of the voltage fall portion 12 are set smaller than an inherent vibration period Ta of the piezoelectric actuator. An ink droplet having a smaller diameter can be produced, thereby improving the printing precision.

Abstract: In the ink jet printer, a pressure generation chamber 11 is expanded in a stepped manner, which enables a high speed discharge of a very small ink droplet. Prior to the ink discharge, the pressure generation chamber is contracted so as to enable a high-accuracy gradation printing with a wide range of ink droplet size. A control unit 20 generates: a first contraction signal for contracting the pressure generation chamber 11 without discharging any ink droplet 17; a first expansion signal for expanding the pressure generation chamber 11 to discharge the ink droplet 17; and a second expansion signal to further expand the pressure generation chamber 11 so as to break off an ink column discharged from a nozzle 12 and pull an unnecessary portion of the ink back into the nozzle 12.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board wherein printed circuit boards are laminated by accurate in positional alignment. A first supporting means for supporting a first printed circuit board is provided on a lower table 11 and second supporting means for supporting a second printed circuit board P2 is provided thereover. One end of the lower table is supported by a first movement means equipped with an XY table mechanism and another end thereof is supported by a Y table mechanism and second movement means for enabling an X-directional free sliding movement. The positions of respective marks m and n on the printed circuit boards are imaged by imaging means. The printed circuit boards are relatively moved by the movement means and the positional error thereof is corrected based on image processing. The first and second printed circuit boards are then secured together.

Abstract: In order to enable the determination of a center precisely and automatically, a reference mark on a printed circuit board is image-recognized to determine tone transition points, thereby to determine an interim center and diameter of the mark by a four-points searching method. Next, a preset minute value .alpha. is added to the interim mark diameter to determine a standard circle diameter, thereby to set a standard circle having the interim center as its center. Then, image processing is performed in that standard circle and the mark is separated into a plurality of sections. The center of the mark is detected by determining the center of the section of the tone indicating the mark. Machining operations such as the perforations are carried out on the basis of the detected center.

Abstract: A method for perforating a printed circuit board on two perforating position identifying patterns using two perforating devices which have respective coordinate systems, wherein the two patterns are imaged by TV cameras. The pattern positions are detected by an image processing device with image signals. An inter-pattern spacing is calculated based on the detected values of the pattern positions, using an arithmetic circuit. An error between an inter-perforating-hole spacing and an inter-pattern spacing is calculated. Perforating positions are calculated from the patterns by the arithmetic circuit. A perforating control circuit controls the two perforating members to perforate at the printed circuit board at the same time.