Abstract: A carriage moving device has a motor, and a carriage. The carriage moves in a first direction when the motor rotates forwardly, while the carriage moves in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction when the motor rotates reversely. The carriage moving device further includes a facing object having a plurality of reflection ratios at a plurality of positions in the scanning direction. A first sensor unit has a light emitting unit configured to emit light to the facing object and a light receiving unit configured to receive light reflected by the facing object. A second sensor unit is configured to output a second signal in response to movement of the carriage. The controller notifies an error of the second sensor unit in response to a condition where a changing amount of the first signal in the reversing step exceeds a threshold amount and the controller cannot obtain the second signal.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes: a printing unit including an inkjet head that ejects a red ink and an inkjet head that ejects a black ink having resolution twice that of the above-described inkjet head in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, respectively, this printing unit performing printing on a sheet by ejecting inks from the inkjet heads while transferring the sheet; and a controller that controls the printing unit. In a pixel at an edge of a line drawing formed by two color inks, the edge being in a landing deviation direction of a dot with the red ink relative to dots with the black ink, the controller increases the number of drops to the dots with black on the side of the landing deviation direction.

Abstract: Each of unit patterns includes: a first region which is recorded on a recording medium by liquid ejected from ejection openings of both first and second ejection opening arrays of ejection opening arrays; and at least one second region which is recorded on the recording medium by liquid ejected from the ejection openings of one of the first and the second ejection opening arrays, the first region is a region formed based on dot allocation with which an optical characteristic varies in accordance with intervals of dots formed by the impacted liquid in a fourth direction which is orthogonal to a first direction, and the at least one second region is a region formed based on dot allocation with which the optical characteristic varies in accordance with intervals of the dots formed by the impacted liquid in the first direction.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of circulating fluid in a fluid ejection device includes generating compressive and expansive fluid displacements of different durations from a first actuator located asymmetrically within a fluidic channel between a first fluid feedhole and a nozzle while generating no fluid displacements from a second actuator located asymmetrically within the channel between the nozzle and a second fluid feedhole.

Abstract: An ink jet recording device includes a conveying unit, carriage, motor, recording head, encoder, and controller. The controller is configured to perform: a recording control for controlling the recording head to eject ink while the carriage is moving; and a first movement control for setting a target stand-by position from which the carriage is configured to start moving in a particular direction and controlling the motor to move the carriage to and stop at the target stand-by position. Further, the controller is configured to control the carriage to move in the particular direction, when the carriage stops at a position upstream of the target stand-by position in the particular direction in the first movement control, from the upstream position at which the carriage has stopped, and to perform the recording control during a period of continuous movement of the carriage across the target stand-by position.

Abstract: A method of driving a liquid ejection head adapted to apply a voltage to the liquid ejection head to eject a liquid including a polymer is provided. The method includes raising the voltage from a first voltage to a second voltage; raising the voltage from the second voltage to a third voltage at a gradient larger than that in raising the voltage from the first to the second voltage, and then holding the voltage at the third voltage; dropping the voltage from the third voltage to a fourth voltage, and then holding the voltage at the fourth voltage; raising the voltage from the fourth voltage to a fifth voltage, and then holding the voltage at the fifth voltage; dropping the voltage from the fifth voltage to a sixth voltage, and then holding the voltage at the sixth voltage; and raising the voltage from the sixth voltage to a seventh voltage.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a liquid discharge head, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The controller changes a voltage waveform to be input to the ink discharge head, while a nozzle surface is facing a first gap. The temperature sensor measures a first actual temperature of the ink discharge head, while the nozzle surface is facing a second gap. The controller calculates, on the basis of the first actual temperature and a discharge history of ink discharged to a sheet located between the first gap and the second gap, a first estimated temperature of the ink discharge head corresponding to the time in which the nozzle surface is facing the first gap. The controller changes the voltage waveform on the basis of the first estimated temperature.

Abstract: Pattern information for identifying a pattern and color information for identifying a color are acquired. Image data corresponding to the acquired pattern information and color information is acquired from a storage unit configured to store at least two types of image data out of first to fourth image data. The first image data corresponds to first pattern information for identifying a first pattern and first color information for identifying a first color. The second image data corresponds to the first pattern information and second color information for identifying a second color. The third image data corresponds to second pattern information for identifying a second pattern and the first color information. The fourth image data corresponds to the second pattern information and the second color information. A colored pattern corresponding to the acquired image data is recorded onto a base material.

Abstract: A printer includes a recording unit and a scanner unit configured to open and close the top portion of the recording unit. The recording unit includes a flexible ink tube through which ink from an ink tank is supplied to the head unit, and a control unit that controls the head unit, according to a state of a press-down switch provided on the top portion of the recording unit, so as to perform recording on a medium when a pressed state of the switch is detected and not to perform the recording when an unpressed state of the switch is detected. The switch enters the pressed state when a gap that allows the ink tube to pass therethrough is formed between the recording unit and the scanner unit, the gap having a size that at least prevents an ink flow path in the ink tube from being blocked.

Abstract: An embodiment of this invention is directed to preventing a decrease in the number of media printable with ink in an ink tank owing to an increase in waste ink in aging processing, and an increase in aging processing time. According to the embodiment, aging processing is executed as follows in a printing apparatus in which a printhead including a plurality of nozzles and a nozzle array formed from these nozzles and discharge ink is reciprocally scanned in a direction different from the direction of the nozzle array, and an image is printed by forward printing and backward printing. The aging processing is performed by changing the count at which the aging processing is performed, between nozzles at the edge side portion of the nozzle array and nozzles at the center side portion of the nozzle array.

Abstract: A method of compensating for a defective inkjet in an inkjet printer has been developed. A controller identifies pixels in binary image data corresponding to the defective inkjet. The controller identifies alternative pixel locations for non-defective inkjets to print ink drops proximate to the locations of the defective pixels. When an overlap parameter value identified between ink drops in alternative pixel locations and other ink drops around the alternative pixel locations exceeds a predetermined value, the controller changes the alternative pixel location for at least one ink drop to reduce overlap and improve image quality.

Abstract: When a recording agent amount limiting process is carried out, a color reproduction range is narrowed, and therefore gradation properties of dark areas are deteriorated and information originally held by an image is sometimes undesirably lost. By obtaining (401) a colorant amount for each target pixel of input color image data, calculating (402) a colorant amount of a peripheral area of the target pixel, and correcting (400) a density range of the input color image data based on the colorant amount of the target pixel and the colorant amount of the peripheral area of the target pixel, amounts of recording agent are limited and reductions in image quality are prevented.

Abstract: In a method for printing a functional pattern using a printing apparatus, the printing apparatus applying a recording material on a substrate, the method includes determining a first part and a second part of the functional pattern, and controlling the printing apparatus such to apply a first amount of the recording material per unit area on the substrate to cover the first part and a second amount of the recording material per unit area on the substrate to cover the second part, wherein the first amount is larger than or equal to an amount sufficient to cover the substrate per unit area and the second amount is larger than the first amount. A printing apparatus includes a print head and a control unit. The control unit is configured to have the printing apparatus to execute the method for printing.

Abstract: A recording head control method prevents head coil burnout caused by heat output while suppressing a drop in printer throughput. A control method for a recording head 18 of a dot impact printer 100 that prints information on a recording medium S by driving the recording wires 9 of a recording head 18 that has a plurality of recording wires 9 while a carriage 19 that carries the recording head 18 traverses the recording medium S, each of the recording wires 9 being allocated to printing one dot line in the scanning direction of the carriage 19, the control method including steps of: during dot line printing, determining before printing if the number of previously defined specific dot patterns P1, P2 contained in the dot line to be printed is greater than or equal to a reference number N of 2 or more; and printing the dot line based on the result of the decision.

Abstract: Provided is an inkjet recording apparatus capable of recording a high quality image without limiting the kinds of ink or recording media, including an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles to eject ink droplets, wherein the ink droplets ejected from the plurality of the nozzles is charged by applying voltage between the inkjet head and the recording medium, and land on the recoding medium so as to record the image on the recording medium, wherein after a first ink droplet lands on the recording medium, a second ink droplet lands on the recording medium so as to overlap with the first ink droplet before discharging of the first ink droplet is completed.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes a first head unit and a second head unit, each of the head units including nozzles through which a liquid is discharged; a head drive section configured to drive the first head unit and the second head unit; a controller configured to control the head drive section to selectively execute a first drive mode in which both of the first head unit and the second head unit are driven and a second drive mode in which only the second head unit is driven; and a heating element configured to generate heat under a condition that the head drive section executes the first drive mode and the second drive mode. The second head unit is arranged at a position separated farther from the heating element than the first head unit.

Abstract: A device includes a drive portion for driving a pressure generating element and controlling a state of driving the element. The drive portion includes a first drive section for causing a first current to flow to drive the element, and a second drive section for causing a second current smaller than the first current to flow to drive the element. The state of driving the element includes a first state and a second state. The second drive section causes the second current to flow in a direction in which the element is switched from the first state to the second state at a timing that is faster by a predetermined time determined in advance with respect to a timing at which the first drive section causes the first current to flow for switching the state of driving the element from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record a first dot and a second dot having a diameter smaller than that of the first dot on a recording medium, and a scanning unit configured to move the recording unit in a scanning direction. A recording resolution of the second dot in the scanning direction is lower than a recording resolution of the first dot in the scanning direction.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an ejection unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced according to a driving signal, and a nozzle capable of ejecting the liquid; a driving signal supply unit that supplies the driving signal; a detection unit that detects change of an electromotive force of the piezoelectric element; a determination unit that determines an ejection state of the liquid in the ejection unit based on the detection result of the detection unit; and a decision unit that is capable of performing a first process of deciding a waveform of the driving signal for inspection such that the liquid is not ejected from the nozzle when the driving signal for inspection is supplied to the piezoelectric element and a second process of correcting the waveform decided in the first process and deciding the corrected waveform as a waveform of the driving signal for inspection.

Abstract: A control circuit is disposed in which an analog switch is built, an ON/OFF-timing of the analog switch can be controlled, and mask-patterns can be set, which mask-patterns are used for switching ON/OFF the analog switch can be selected by analog-switch-selection data, and a number of the mask-patterns which can be set can be selected. The circuit includes mask-pattern-setting units for setting one of the mask-patterns by one of switching control signals; and a selection unit for selecting a mode from modes including a first mode in which the number of mask-patterns is smaller and a second mode in which the number of mask-patterns is larger. When the first mode is selected by the selection unit, to one mask-pattern-setting unit which is not selected by the analog-switch-selection data, the same switching control signal that is supplied to another mask-pattern-setting unit which is selected by the analog-switch-selection data is supplied.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a print head, a nozzle position and a print control section. The print head includes a plurality of nozzles to eject ink. The nozzle position specifying section is configured to specify a position of a first nozzle of the plurality of nozzles that exhibits defective ejection of the ink. The print control section is configured to eject the ink from the plurality of nozzles based on image data. The print control section is configured to determine a density of second pixels, which are positioned adjacent to first pixels to be printed by the first nozzle that was specified, and a density of third pixels, which are positioned adjacent to the second pixels except the first pixels, based on the image data, and to correct to increase the density of the second pixels and to reduce the density of the third pixels.

Abstract: According to one example, there is provided a method of duplex printing. The method comprises printing recto pages and associated recto checkmarks on a first side of a web and printing verso pages and associated verso checkmarks on a second side of a web, the length of each successively printed recto and verso checkmark varying in accordance with a respective recto and verso checkmark length sequence, determining the length of successive printed verso and recto checkmarks and determining their sequence position in the appropriate checkmark length sequence, and determining whether a print error has occurred based on the determined recto and verso checkmark sequence positions.

Abstract: A printing apparatus prints by discharging inks from respective nozzle arrays, the printhead having a plurality of nozzle arrays including at least a first nozzle array, a second nozzle array, and a third nozzle array, and the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array being arrayed to be shifted in a nozzle arrayed direction. The printing apparatus controls the first and second nozzle arrays to discharge inks to form a plurality of first patterns. The printing apparatus controls the third nozzle array to discharge inks to form second patterns while changing a shift amount in a direction which intersects with the nozzle arrayed direction with respect to the plurality of first patterns. The printing apparatus calculates an adjustment value required to adjust relative printing positions between the first nozzle array and the third nozzle array in the intersecting direction using the first patterns and the second patterns.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprising, a printhead including an element array in which a plurality of printing elements are arrayed, scanning unit configured to reciprocally scan the printhead, driving unit configured to time-divisionally drive the printing elements, conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium, and setting unit configured to set a driving order, wherein the conveyance unit performs a first conveyance operation of conveying the printing medium by a conveyance amount which is an integer multiple of a width of the group of the time-divisional driving, and a second conveyance operation of conveying the printing medium by a conveyance amount which is not an integer multiple of the width of the group, and the setting unit sets the driving order in the time-divisional driving for each scan based on the conveyance amount by the conveyance unit.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus and printing control method are provided in which when a moving speed of a printing object is changed, a difference in writing start position is reduced and printing quality is improved. The apparatus includes an ink container, a nozzle connected to the container for ejecting ink, a charging electrode to charge the ejected ink, a deflecting electrode to deflect the charged ink, a gutter to collect ink not used for printing, a writing start timing control circuit to generate a first line clock signal, a printing width control circuit to generate a second line clock signal, and a control part. The control part controls print start timing based on the first clock signal, and when the printing object reaches the printing start timing, the control part performs a width adjustment of a character string of printing content based on the second clock signal.

Abstract: A method of surface marking an article, especially a building product, is provided. One described method includes the steps of laser marking a first graphic design element on a surface of an article and ink-jet printing a second graphic design element in registry with the first graphic design element on the surface of the article to create a high quality overall graphic design. Also provided are articles made according to this method, and systems for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method and droplet selection device are provided for a continuous printer for selectively deflecting a droplet from a predetermined printing trajectory. In particular, a droplet selection device is provided for a continuous printer, comprising a droplet ejection system arranged to generate a continuous stream of droplets from a first fluid jetted out of an outlet channel; and a jet system arranged to generate a second jet for colliding the jet into the stream of droplets. The jet system comprises a deflector to selectively deflect the second jet into the continuous stream of droplets, so as to selectively deflect the droplets from a predefined printing trajectory.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device is described. In an example, the fluid ejection device includes a substrate having a chamber formed thereon to contain a fluid. A thin-film stack is formed on the substrate having a resistor formed under the chamber. A transistor is formed in the substrate and coupled to the resistor. A circuit is formed in the substrate coupled to a gate of the transistor to selectively cause the transistor either to supply a firing current to the resistor for ejecting the fluid from the chamber or to dissipate power to warm the device.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a signal modulation section that causes an original drive signal to be pulse-modulated to generate a modulation signal, a signal amplification section that amplifies the modulation signal to generate an amplification modulation signal, a coil that smooths the amplification modulation signal to generate a drive signal, a piezoelectric element that deforms when the drive signal is applied thereto, a cavity that expands or contracts due to a deformation of the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle that communicates with the cavity and ejects a liquid in accordance with an increase/decrease of a pressure inside the cavity. A core material of the coil is made of a Mn—Zn-based ferrite.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus includes a plurality of actuators discharge a liquid from a discharge port according to a driving signal input to an input terminal; a driving selector that outputs a drive switch control signal; a plurality of drive switches connect or disconnect the input terminal of the actuator and a driving signal source according to the drive switch control signal for the actuator, and allow the driving signal to pass therethrough and input the driving signal to the input terminal when the input terminal and the driving signal source are connected; a detection circuit that detects a voltage of the input terminal when being connected to the input terminal; and a plurality of detection switches connect or disconnect the input terminal of the actuator and the detection circuit, on the basis of the drive switch control signal or the driving signal passed through the drive switch.

Abstract: A recording head controlling apparatus includes: a restoration unit configured to restore a clock signal and an image signal from a serial signal in which the clock signal and the image signal are superimposed and store it in a storage unit; and a transmission control unit configured to receive a synchronization signal of a driving waveform to drive each piezoelectric element and transmit the image signal stored in the storage unit to a driving unit for driving the piezoelectric element at a timing corresponding to the synchronization signal.

Abstract: A nail print apparatus, including: a print head which performs printing on a nail of a finger or a nail of a toe; an unprinted region detecting unit which detects an unprinted region on which a nail design is not printed in the nail having a printed region on which the nail design is printed, the unprinted region being generated by growth of the nail after the nail design is printed; and a printing control unit which controls the print head to perform printing on the unprinted region.

Abstract: An element substrate capable of suppressing occurrence of electromagnetic noise upon driving printing elements on an element substrate with long wiring lengths, preventing an operation error, and printing a high-quality image is provided. In the element substrate, plural element substrates each including printing elements are arrayed in an arrayed direction of the printing elements. Each element substrate including a wiring for supplying a driving power to drive the printing elements, and a ground wiring from the printing elements is configured as follows. Each element substrate includes a delay circuit for delaying a heat enable signal to drive the printing elements and supplying it to each printing element, and a switchover circuit for switching over, in accordance with a control signal, a delay sequence when supplying the heat enable signal to each printing element.

Abstract: A dot data generating method uses a first inkjet recording device and a second inkjet recording device, in which a first image is printed using the first inkjet recording device based on first dot data which determines formation or non-formation of dots, and second dot data is generated to print a second image based on the second dot data using the second inkjet recording device in which a speed of a relative movement of the inkjet head and a recording medium when printing an image is small compared to the first inkjet recording device. The dot data generating method includes generating the second dot data by converting the first dot data such that data of each dot in which formation of a dot is determined is converted to form a plurality of dots at predetermined intervals between the dots in a relative movement direction in place of the each dot.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a signal modulation section that causes an original drive signal to be pulse-modulated to generate a modulation signal, a signal amplification section that amplifies the modulation signal to generate an amplification modulation signal, a coil that smooths the amplification modulation signal to generate a drive signal, a piezoelectric element that deforms when the drive signal is applied thereto, a cavity that expands or contracts due to a deformation of the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle that communicates with the cavity and ejects a liquid in accordance with an increase/decrease of a pressure inside the cavity. The coil is a ferrite core-type coil, and a core gap is provided to be equal to or wider than 1.1 mm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing apparatus that forms a color image and a background image on a medium by repeating a dot formation operation of causing ink to be discharged from a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array moving in a moving direction so as to form the color dot and the background dot on the medium and a transport operation of transporting the medium in a transport direction, wherein a pixel in which the background dot is formed on the color dot and a pixel in which the color dot is formed on the background dot are mixed so as to form an area where the color image and the background image overlap.

Abstract: A printing device that forms a background by a first ink and images on the background by a second ink includes a head having first and second nozzle lines that eject, respectively, the first and second inks. The inks are ejected as the head moves, with respect to a medium, in a main scanning direction intersecting the first and second nozzle lines. A transport section transports the medium in a sub-scanning direction along the first and second nozzle lines. In an ejecting operation, the first and second inks are ejected in the relative movement in the main scanning direction and the relative transportation in the sub-scanning direction is performed. In the sub-scanning direction, first and second nozzle line used areas are set where the first and second inks, respectively, are ejected from the first and second nozzle lines. A nozzle unused area is defined therebetween.

Abstract: To reduce noise during paper conveyance while ensuring printing efficiency of an inkjet printer, a printing device is equipped with a control unit for moving a recording head back and forth in the scan direction according to the rotation of a carriage motor, a conveyance unit for extracting and feeding paper, conveying the paper in the sub scan direction to match the movement of the recording head to print the fed paper, and ejecting the printed paper according to the rotation of a conveyance motor, a paper reversal unit for coordinating with the rotation of the rotation means of the conveyance motor to reverse the front and back of the paper, and a printing control unit for controlling spraying of the ink from the recording head, as well as controlling the carriage motor and the conveyance motor.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including: an original drive signal generation unit which generates an original drive signal; a signal modulation unit which modulates the original drive signal to generate a modulation signal; a first signal amplifying unit which amplifies the modulation signal to generate a first amplified modulation signal; a second signal amplifying unit which amplifies the modulation signal to generate a second amplified modulation signal; an amplification control unit which controls operations of the first signal amplifying unit and the second signal amplifying unit; a signal conversion unit which converts the first amplified modulation signal and the second amplified modulation signal into a drive signal; a plurality of piezoelectric elements which is deformed by the drive signal; a plurality of cavities which expands or contracts in accordance with the deformation of the plurality of piezoelectric elements; a plurality of nozzles which communicates with each of cavities

Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises a piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric layer formed of a complex oxide having a perovskite structure including bismuth, iron, barium, and titanium, and a pair of electrodes placing the piezoelectric layer therebetween. The piezoelectric element is driven with a first drive mode and a second drive mode. In the first drive mode, the piezoelectric element is driven at a first speed, and is held to a first voltage V1 in a first hold process during a first time defined based on a natural period Tc. In the second drive mode, the piezoelectric element is driven at a higher speed than the first speed, and is held to the first voltage V1 in the first hold process during a second time shorter than the first time, and an intermediate voltage Vm is set to be equal to or lower than a voltage corresponding to the coercive electric field Ec.

Abstract: A droplet discharging method includes: forming a plurality of dots on a first region of a medium, on a second region which is positioned in a ?Y direction from the first region, and on a third region which is positioned in the ?Y direction from the second region. The dots are formed on the first region by using a first head and a second head to cause a second head use ratio to be constant, the dots are formed on the second region by using the first head and the second head so as to cause the second head use ratio to be increased from a value less than a first set value to a value greater than a second set value greater than the first set value in the ?Y direction, and the dots are formed on the third region by using the second head.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an operational amplifier to drive a print nozzle. A continuous time capacitive network can be employed as feedback by the operational amplifier. A reset control can be provided to adjust startup voltages in the continuous time capacitive network.

Abstract: A print apparatus that is configured to cause a print head provided with nozzles and a printing substrate to move relatively, eject an ink from the nozzles, and record dots onto the printing substrate includes a print control unit. The print control unit is configured to perform a control for ejecting the ink from the nozzles, and the print control unit modifies a proportion at which dots are formed adjacent to one another depending on an ejected amount of ink.

Abstract: A droplet discharging method includes: forming a plurality of dots on a first region of a medium, on a second region which is positioned in a ?Y direction from the first region, and on a third region which is positioned in the ?Y direction from the second region. The dots are formed on the first region by using a first head, the dots are formed on the second region by using the first head and a second head so that a second head use ratio is increased from a value less than a first set value to a value greater than a second set value greater than the first set value in the ?Y direction, and the dots are formed on the third region by using the first head and the second head to cause the second head use ratio to be constant.

Abstract: Techniques related to color analysis are disclosed herein. In an example, substrate locations on a printed pattern are selected based on a set of measurements related to substrate-height. Further, color of the printed pattern is determined at the selected locations.

Abstract: A minute vibration driving signal is configured to include a first signal section which generates a plurality of minute vibration driving pulses, and a second signal section which maintains potential to a constant level without generating the minute vibration driving pulse, and can select a first mode in which duration of the second signal section is set to T2 which is longer than duration T1 of the first signal section, and a second mode in which duration of the second signal section is set to T4 which is longer than T2.

Abstract: A printer for inkjet printing on a flexible substrate. It has a print-head for printing on the flexible substrate in a printing area, and a transport and tensioning mechanism for transporting the flexible substrate in a feed direction relative to the printing area and applying tension to it. The tension applied to the flexible substrate causes a substrate elongation. The printer is arranged to measure the substrate elongation caused by the tension applied to the flexible substrate and compensate for the substrate elongation by at least one of modifying the defined transport of the flexible substrate, and translating the print-head relative to the printing area.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a reading unit including a light emitting element for emitting light to a record medium, and a light receiving element for receiving reflected light; a print data storing unit storing print data of a uniform pattern which has a color different from a color of the test pattern and is provided in an area including the test pattern, a pattern forming unit printing the test pattern on the uniform pattern after the uniform pattern is printed, a relatively moving unit moving the record medium or the reading unit relatively at a constant speed, a first detection data obtaining unit obtaining first detection data received as the reflection light while the light moves and impinges on the test pattern, and a position detecting unit providing a calculation for determining a position of a line of the test pattern to detect the test pattern.

Abstract: A printing system for printing a repeated pattern of esthetical and/or informative character on a substrate including a plurality of parallel webs is provided. The printing system comprises at least two overlapping non-impact printer units, each of which having a lateral elongation defining a maximum printing width, and a controller connected to each one of the printer units and configured to set an actual printing width extending between a start position and an end position of the lateral elongation, wherein the controller is configured to determine the actual printing width by receiving the lateral position of a non-printed area defined by the interface between two adjacent webs of the substrate and located laterally somewhere in the overlap between two printer units, such that the end position of a first printer unit and the start position of an overlapping printer unit is located within the non-printed area.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate that carries thereon a plurality of ejection energy generating elements arranged in rows to generate energy necessary for ejecting liquid and an ejection port plate that is laid on the substrate and has a plurality of ejection ports formed therein and arranged vis-a-vis the respective ejection energy generating elements. The ejection port plate has a groove, or an oblong recess, formed on the surface thereof where the plurality of ejection ports are formed such that the groove surrounds the region where the ejection ports are formed and has a corrugated inner lateral surface and a flat outer lateral surface arranged oppositely relative to the inner lateral surface.