Abstract: To provide a small-sized recovering apparatus for recovering the ink ejecting ports forming plane of an ink jet head, an ink absorbing member disposed inward of a cap comes near to the ink ejecting ports forming plane of the ink jet head with a predetermined distance to face to it. Subsequently, large ink droplets or water droplets adhering to the ink ejecting ports forming plane of the ink jet head are absorbed in the absorbing member. Thereafter, the ink ejecting ports forming plane is cleanly wiped by a wiping member, whereby there does not arise a malfunction that ink droplets or water droplets are scattered away from the ink ejecting ports forming plane of the ink jet head. Since a trough serving as recovering means is located adjacent to each head, a distance of relative displacement between the recovering means and the ink jet head can be reduced, resulting in the whole recovering apparatus being designed and constructed with small dimensions.

Abstract: A printer having an ink container, an ink jet head, and an ink storage container for temporarily storing ink to be supplied from the ink container to the ink-jet head, the ink storage container having a closable air communicating portion communicating with ambient air. A first ink path connects the ink container to the ink storage container, defines a flow of ink from the ink container to the ink storage container, and is provided with a one-way flow restricting member for permitting only a flow of ink in a direction of discharge from the ink container. A second ink path connects the ink storage container to the ink container and defines a flow of ink for returning an excess amount of ink over a predetermined liquid amount in the ink storage container to the ink container. An opening/closing member opens and closes the air communicating portion to ambient air.

Abstract: Printers selectively connected to a computer terminal device is identified. By controlling the printer using a dedicated correction data, a quality of the printing image is improved. As an identification data of the printer connected to the computer terminal device, a printer ID is checked. By reading the correction data corresponding to the printer ID, the head shading process is performed for the printer connected to the computer terminal device using the correction data.

Abstract: A label printer performs recording on a roll label comprising a number of label sheets bonded in succession on a release sheet. The printer utilizes an ink jet method to attain a smaller size and to print information accurately. The printer comprises a conveyance section for conveying the label roll to an ink jet print head, an ink supply section for supplying ink to the head, and a recovery unit for making the head performance stable. A conveyance surface of the label roll is made substantially horizontal, with the ink jet print head and the recovery unit disposed above the surface and the ink supply section disposed underneath the surface.

Abstract: A printing medium feeding apparatus comprises a conveying belt, on which a roll-shaped printing medium is placed with the lower surface of the roll being in contact therewith to unwind the outer periphery of the roll. With the arrangement, setup of the roll to the feeding apparatus is completed easily by only placing the roll onto the conveying belt, as compared with a construction in which the center of a roll is rotatably supported. It is also possible to omit or simplify a transmission mechanism such as a train of reduction gears that is necessary for the case of central driving. Further, it is also possible to feed a constant amount of length at a constant drive speed irrespective of radius of the roll.

Abstract: An image processing system in which a computer image is halftoned by halftoning a current pixel using error diffusion, with a halftoned output value of the current pixel being determined using errors derived from substantially all previously halftoned pixels of the image. Output error values are determined for each pixel, and are acted upon by an error diffusion mask of geometrically reducing values. In certain instances, previously halftoned pixels are divided into two or more groups to obtain a desired contribution from previously halftoned pixels.

Abstract: A printer requires no print buffer in a printer engine, and can efficiently use an image memory for bit-mapping print data into a print image. An enable signal for designating transfer of data for one page from a formatter to the engine is output in response to a request signal from the engine for requesting transmission of print data for one line. When a clock signal for requesting transfer of print data is output from the engine to the formatter in response to this enable signal, print image data is transferred from the formatter to the engine in synchronism with the clock signal and further transferred to a printhead to print an image. As to the nozzles, on the right and left ends of the printhead, which are not used for a print operation, a right margin area and a nozzle area used for a print operation are set in a data transfer circuit.

Abstract: This invention not only separates printing and barcode checking as independent processes but also simplifies printer processing to allow to print a large number of barcodes at high speed and to satisfactorily check barcodes. For this purpose, when a print control circuit unit (501) receives print information including a barcode, information associated with barcode checking is transmitted to a barcode checker unit (601) prior to printing. Upon actually printing an image including a barcode, when the printed barcode is conveyed to the position of a reader (603) in the barcode checker unit (601), an RD.sub.-- TRG signal is output to check the printed barcode. Upon reception of this signal, the barcode checker unit (601) reads the printed barcode a plurality of number of times at different positions, and when the normal reading ratio is low, it outputs an error signal to the print control circuit unit (501).

Abstract: A printer includes a full-line type printhead which can correct variations in the ink discharge amounts from the respective nozzles, and density unevenness of a printed image due to variations in the operations of many driving circuits in the printhead and changes in the internal temperature or a temperature gradient of the printhead, and can obtain a high-quality printed image without density unevenness in consideration of the print conditions and changes in operation environmental temperature. A pre-heating operation is performed by selecting an optimal pre-pulse signal for each nozzle of the printhead on the basis of information stored in an EEPROM of the printhead and pre-pulse selection data associated with each nozzle of the printhead. A heat signal is also generated to obtain a main pulse suitable for each IC of a printhead corresponding to an ink of each color. In addition, the internal temperature of the printhead or printing density information from the printhead is monitored.

Abstract: In a color printer, in order to perform a high-speed print operation and ensure a refresh operation and the like of an image memory, print images which correspond to a plurality of printheads, and are bitmapped and stored in a bitmap RAM in units of colors are consecutively read out and DMA-transferred by 16 bits at a time when a read operation is designated. After this DMA operation, the refresh operation of the bitmap RAM or access to the RAM is permitted. The printer includes the same number of latch circuits as that of printheads (e.g., four). Each latch circuit stores a data transfer start address (TOPA) and a data transfer end address (ENDA) in the bitmap RAM. With this arrangement, image data can be efficiently read out. If the capacity of the bitmap RAM is small, an upper address bit in the bitmap RAM is shifted to switch discontinuous addresses to continuous addresses on the bitmap memory side.

Abstract: An ink leaking from an atmosphere communication hole of a waste ink container is guided to an end portion of the waste ink container. Electrodes are provided for shutting off an ink guide path. By this, the ink leaking through the atmosphere communication hole is inherently guided into the end portion of the container to come into contact with both of the electrodes. By contacting of the ink, a resistance value between the electrodes is varied to permit detection of ink leakage based on the variation of the resistance value. As a result, ink leakage from a waste ink container employed in an ink-jet printer or so forth can be certainly detected. Also, sealing ability of the waste ink container can be enhanced.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is capable of freely selecting a plurality of sheet feeding units each having a different controlling method. It is discriminated as to which one among plural kinds of sheet feeding units is fitted, and printing and a motor for a sheet feeding-unit are controlled based on the result of the discrimination from an output from a sensor disposed on the sheet feeding unit. Especially, in the case that a roll shaped paper feeding unit is fitted, it is judged that a printing medium reaches the position where printing can be started when a TOF sensor detects black color, and in the case that a cut sheet feeding unit is fitted, it is judged that the recording medium reaches the position where printing can be started when the TOF sensor detects white color.

Abstract: A sheet bundle folding apparatus causes a bundle of sheets to be rolled into a pair of fold rollers thereby folding the bundle of sheets. The apparatus is provided with a drive source for rotating the pair of fold rollers in a normal direction to roll in the bundle of sheets and in a reverse direction to return the rolled-in bundle of sheets.

Abstract: A print medium conveying unit for conveying a print medium to a plurality of printing positions with a plurality of print heads disposed along a conveyance direction of the print medium includes rotary members provided over the print face of the print medium between print heads. The rotary members suppress displacement from the print face of the print medium.

Abstract: In a printer employing an ink-jet system, for appropriately managing loading and unloading of an ink cartridge and waste ink and for obtaining appropriate ink supply system for an ink-jet head, an ink storage chamber and a waste ink storage chamber of the ink cartridge is formed integrally. Most part of the waste ink storage chamber is filled with an absorbing member. Also, at a portion where a supply needle is pierced and removed at the front end face of the cartridge, an ink absorbing member is provided. Also, among two stage structure of the waste ink storage chamber, a portion where the absorbing member is not present is defined by a partitioning wall to detect the ink exuded from the absorbing member and stored in the portion beyond the partitioning wall is detected by a detection electrode. On the other hand, when the ink is forcedly supplied from the ink strage chamber to the ink-jet head by driving the tube pump in clockwise direction, the ink supply is performed via a buffer tank.

Abstract: A sheet post-treatment apparatus with a sorting apparatus for containing sheets discharged in a plurality of sort bins, a connecting unit for introducing sheets discharged into the sorting apparatus, a sheet discharge tray for use in a non-sort mode provided independently of the sorting apparatus for piling thereon the sheets discharged, and a changeover device for selectively changing over bewteen a first mode for introducing the sheets discharged into the sorting apparatus through the connecting unit, and a second mode for introducing the sheets into the sheet discharge tray when in a non-sort mode.

Abstract: A sorter having an intermediate transport device using a belt and for transporting printings to bins, and a transport speed control device for changing the transport speed depending on the size of the printings, and the type of the printings including thickness and quality, such that the transport device transports the printings at an optimal speed. The trailing edge portions of the printings are prevented from being left at the outside of the bins and causing jams and other troubles to occur.

Abstract: The present invention provides an original convey apparatus with an original tray on which originals are rested, a conveyor for conveying the original on the original tray, a last original detector for detecting the fact that all of the originals on the original tray are conveyed, and original size information detector. Wherein an original detector position for the last original detection is changed on the basis of original size information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminating apparatus including a sheet conveyor for conveying a sheet to be laminated, a film conveyor for conveying an elongated laminate film, a pressurizer for overlapping the sheet and the laminate film and for pressurizing the sheet and the laminate film, a film cutter for cutting the laminate film overlapped with the sheet, a sheet detector for detecting the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyor, and a controller for controlling the film cutter. The controller is so controlled that the laminate film is cut in registration with the leading and trailing ends of the sheet on the basis of detection by the sheet detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus operable with a plurality of on-line sorters each having a plurality of bins, and a control device therefor are disclosed. A first sorter and a second sorter, for example, are linked to a stencil printer in an online configuration. A sorter to be used can be freely selected or can be automatically selected by the control device. A sorter link mode key is pressed in a particular manner to select one of a first sorfer priority mode, second sorter priority mode, first sorter only mode, and second sorter only mode. One of the first and second sorters is selected on the basis of the mode selected on the sorter link mode key.