Abstract: A droplet-jetting device, which is usable for an ink-jet recording apparatus, comprises a pressure chamber disposed between a cavity plate and a pressure-generating section of a piezoelectric actuator. The pressure-generating section and the cavity plate are connected by a connecting section. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric actuator, the pressure-generating section is elongated to depress the bottom of the pressure chamber downwardly so that the volume of the pressure chamber is increased. The droplet-jetting device is realized, in which the area of arrangement of the pressure-generating section is decreased to suppress the electrostatic capacity and the pull-eject can be performed by applying the voltage only when the device is driven.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a thread transferring mechanism automatically hooking onto thread hooking sections a needle thread which extends from a thread supply and which is retained in a predetermined thread preparatory path while retaining the needle thread so that the needle thread can be turned over to a needle threading mechanism, and a control unit which controls a thread tension adjusting unit so that tension applied to the needle thread becomes a predetermined tension that correlates with a transfer position of the needle thread transferred by the thread transferring mechanism.

Abstract: An image scanning device is provided with first and second sensors for scanning first and second surfaces of a sheet. The first sensor reads a monochromatic image, and the second sensor reads a color image. The image scanning device is further provided with a plurality of image processing systems. A switching system is provided which connects the input terminal of a predetermined one of the image processing systems with the output terminal of the first sensor when the double-side scanning operation is performed. A signal output from one of output terminals of the second sensor other than the terminal connected to the predetermined image processing system is used as an image signal representing the image of the second surface of the sheet when the double-side scanning operation is performed.

Abstract: A communication device making a call origination in accordance with a predetermined operation is provided with a one-touch dial storage that stores telephone numbers in association with one-touch dial keys, a telephone directory data storage that stores telephone numbers which are not associated with one-touch dial keys, and a copying system that copies at least the telephone number stored in the one-touch dial storage into the telephone directory data storage.

Abstract: An inkjet head includes a flow path unit and a reservoir unit. The reservoir unit stores ink and includes an ink flow path, a reservoir flow path and an ink drop flow path. The reservoir flow path includes a main flow path formed with plural tributary communication ports, and plural tributary flow paths. A section area of the main flow path taken along a width direction of the reservoir unit is larger than each of section areas of the tributary flow paths taken along a direction perpendicular to a flow direction of ink. The ink drop flow path drops ink onto a substantially center of the main flow path as viewed in a plan view. The tributary communication ports are substantially equal to each other in an opening area.

Abstract: An optical scanner is disclosed which includes: a first scanning device having a first mirror portion in which a first reflective surface is formed, the first scanning device scanning in a first direction, light which impinges obliquely on the first reflective surface, by oscillatory rotation of the first mirror portion about a first oscillation axis; and a second scanning device having a second mirror portion in which a second reflective surface is formed so as to be generally in parallel to the first reflective surface in a non-active state of the optical scanner, the second scanning device scanning in a second direction intersecting with respect to the first direction, the light exiting the first reflective surface and then entering obliquely the second reflective surface, by oscillatory rotation of the second mirror portion about a second oscillation axis intersecting with respect to the first oscillation axis.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus configured as a multi-function device is provided. The multi-function device can have four ink tanks, which store black ink, cyan ink, yellow ink and magenta ink. The multi-function device may have greater than four sub-tanks, which can be held in a scanning carriage and configured to move with a recording head. By moving the scanning carriage, the positions of the ink tanks can be aligned with the positions of the sub-tanks. In this manner, the basic inks can be supplied from the ink tanks into basic ink sub-tanks, and predetermined combinations of basic inks can be supplied into the other sub-tanks to create mixed inks.

Abstract: An I/O device to be connected to a network, which is configured to input and/or output data, includes a self-address storing system configured to store the I/O device address, a receiving system configured to receive data whose destination is an address stored in the self-address storing system, the data being transmitted through the network, a displaying system configured to display at least one of a character string and a graphic form, and an informing execution system configured to execute an informing operation with changing a display state of the displaying system, in response to the receiving system receiving data for confirming the location of the I/O device.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a main body; a plurality of image forming units; a holding unit; and an engagement mechanism. Each of the plurality of image forming units has a developing portion. The holding unit holds the plurality of image forming units. The plurality of image forming units are aligned in the holding unit in a predetermined drawing direction. The holding unit is configured so as to be drawn out in the predetermined drawing direction from a storage position where the holding unit is stored in the main body. The holding unit sequentially reaches a plurality of different drawing positions while moving in the predetermined drawing direction. The plurality of image forming units are sequentially exposed to the outside while the holding unit sequentially reaches the plurality of drawing positions. The engagement mechanism is configured to engage the holding unit with the main body when the holding unit reaches each of the plurality of drawing positions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming unit; plural trays; a sheet feed unit that feeds a sheet held in one of the trays; a correspondence storing unit that stores correspondence between trays and kinds of sheets; a priority setting unit that sets priority to a designation of the tray or to a designation of the kind; a sheet feed control unit that feeds the sheet from one of the trays when the priority is given to the designation of the tray and the one of the trays is designated, and searches one of the trays that holds the sheet of the designated kind based on the correspondence to feed the sheet from the searched tray when the priority is given to the designation of the kind and the kind of the sheet is designated; and a setting change unit that changes a setting of the image forming unit correspondingly to the kind of sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus with color reproducibility is described. A printer including an ink jet recording apparatus according to one or more aspects of the invention has ink tanks for storing basic color inks and sub-tanks. The basic color inks can be supplied to basic color sub-tanks by a pressurizing pump. The basic color sub-tanks can be connected to mixed color sub-tanks. The sub-tanks can have open/closed switch valves for allowing the inflow of ink. In at least one aspect, the ink tanks and the basic color sub-tanks may be connected by connecting pipes.

Abstract: A computer program product includes computer readable instructions that cause a computer to execute a wireless connection setting process. The computer includes a communication interface configured to communicate with at least one device. The wireless connection setting process includes recognizing a state of the at least one device through the communication interface, displaying an input screen image sequentially for each of at least one setting item of wireless connection settings, configuring the wireless connection settings for the at least one device based upon the input, and controlling whether to display the input screen image by judging whether the input is required to be received for each of the at least one setting item based upon the state of the recognized at least one device. Said configuring includes determining the setting item for which the input is not judged required to be received.

Abstract: A blocking disk formed with a notched part is disposed between a density sensor and a belt. The exposure/blocking of the density sensor relative to the belt is switched by rotating the blocking disk. In one example, a disk-supporting axel gear is formed on a disk-supporting axel that is the axis of rotation of the blocking disk, where the disk-driving gear is supported on a sensor frame so as to be able to rotate and so as to mesh with this disk-supporting axel gear. In one example, the disk-driving gear is connected to a driving force transmission mechanism for rotationally driving a belt-driving roller, where, when the belt-driving roller is driven rotationally, the blocking disk is constantly rotated by a disk-driving gear.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head, an ink channel supplying the recording head with ink and a valve body controlling the supply of ink to the recording head in the ink channel. The ink channel has a valve accommodation room and a valve opening formed in a wall surface located at one end of the valve accommodation room. In an ordinary state the valve body is urged to be in contact with the wall surface and to close the valve opening. In that state, a first area of the valve body, on which a pressure in a direction of opening the valve body from the valve opening acts, is smaller than a second area of the valve body, which is on an opposite side to the first area and on which a pressure within the valve accommodation room acts.

Abstract: A computer program product includes computer readable instructions that cause a computer to execute a wireless connection setting process. The computer includes a communication interface configured to communicate with at least one device. The wireless connection setting process includes recognizing a state of the at least one device through the communication interface, displaying an input screen image sequentially for each of at least one setting item of wireless connection settings, configuring the wireless connection settings for the at least one device based upon the input, and controlling whether to display the input screen image by judging whether the input is required to be received for each of the at least one setting item based upon the state of the recognized at least one device. Said configuring includes determining the setting item for which the input is not judged required to be received.

Abstract: To provide a recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium having a flat image recording surface, the recording apparatus including: a rotary driving device which rotationally drives the recording medium; and an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink onto the image recording surface of the recording medium, wherein each of the nozzles has an output port, and the ejection ports of the plurality of nozzles are arranged such that the distance between the ejection ports of the plurality of nozzles and the image recording surface becomes shorter toward an outer side from the rotational center of the recording medium. Accordingly, when ejecting two or more types of inks having different volumes onto a rotating recording medium, the distance between landing positions of droplets of these inks is substantially constant regardless of the positions in the recording medium.

Abstract: A cap member for covering a plurality of nozzle arrays disposed in a nozzle plate of a liquid ejecting head includes a first lip, at least one second lip, and a main body. The first lip has an annular shape and is configured to abut against the nozzle plate to enclose the plurality of nozzle arrays. At least one second lip has an annular shape, is disposed within the annular first lip, and is configured to abut against the nozzle plate to enclose at least one of the plurality of nozzle arrays separately from the first lip. The first lip and the at least one second lip are disposed on the main body. The main body is configured to cooperate with the first lip and the at least one second lip to make sealing contact with the nozzle plate.

Abstract: An image-recording device includes a conveying portion, a carriage, a recording head, a sensor, and an edge-detecting portion. The carriage reciprocates along a scanning direction. The recording head is supported on the carriage. The sensor is supported on the carriage at a position shifted from the recording head in the scanning direction and upstream of the recording head in the conveying direction, the sensor being capable of detecting presence of the recording medium. The edge-detecting portion controls the sensor to detect at least one of a leading edge and a trailing edge of a recording medium.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus including: (A) an ink-jet head which includes: a channel unit having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of pressure chambers that respectively communicate with the plurality of nozzles; and an actuator unit which is disposed on the channel unit and to which drive signals are applied, thereby changing a volume of the plurality of pressure chambers; (B) a driver IC which is disposed on the ink-jet head and which includes: a drive-signal generating portion for generating the drive signals and applying the generated drive signals to the actuator unit; and a temperature sensor for detecting an environmental temperature of the actuator unit; and (C) a control device arranged to execute a low-temperature-condition control by controlling the drive-signal generating portion to generate the drive signals so as to change the volume of the plurality of pressure chambers, where the environmental temperature detected by the temperature sensor is not higher than a prescribed first temperat

Abstract: A feeding device including: (a) a feed mechanism including a motor driven with supply of a power thereto, and a feeder operated by the motor for feeding an object; (b) a power supply controller for supplying the power to the motor until an actual operating position of the feeder coincides with a power-supply-stop operating position located before a target operating position of the feeder, and to stop the supply of the power to the motor when the actual operating position coincides with the power-supply-stop operating position, for causing the actual operating position to eventually coincide with the target operating position owing to an inertia of the feed mechanism; and (c) a power-supply-stop operating-position determiner for determining the power-supply-stop operating position, for reducing a positioning error of the object in presence of a torque fluctuation of the feed mechanism, based on the target operating position and a cyclic variation of an operating velocity of the feeder that is caused by the tor