Abstract: Systems and techniques for preserving and improving ink jet nozzle health and printing reliability are disclosed herein. The method may include monitoring whether a triggering event has occurred. In response to detecting the triggering event has occurred, pumping at least a portion of ink contained in a header tank in a direction toward an ink cartridge through a tube connecting the header tank to the ink cartridge. The header tank connected to a print head included as a part of a scan head. The method may further include circulating the ink through the tube back into the header tank, and agitating the scan head by moving the scan head along an x-y gantry. Additional methods may include reverse purging, ejecting a portion of ink through nozzles on the print head while simultaneously wiping a nozzle plate included on the print head, and randomizing print head location when printing.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discard absorbing member (first absorbing member) that absorbs a liquid discarded from a discharge head to an outer side of an end portion of a medium supported by a support section as a waste liquid. Further, the recording apparatus includes: a cap which is an example of a waste liquid receiving section that receives the liquid ejected from the discharge head as a waste liquid; a waste liquid absorbing member (second absorbing member) that absorbs the waste liquid sent from the cap; and a waste liquid box (accommodating section) that holds the waste liquid absorbing member. The discard absorbing member and the waste liquid absorbing member 50A are coupled to each other such that the waste liquid can be delivered from the discard absorbing member to the waste liquid absorbing member.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a first absorbing member (extended absorbing member or the like) that absorbs a liquid discarded from a discharge head to an outer side of an end portion of a medium supported by a support section as a waste liquid. The recording apparatus includes a second absorbing member (waste liquid absorbing member) that absorbs the waste liquid sent from a cap, an accommodating section (waste liquid box) that holds the second absorbing member, and a delivery section that delivers the liquid between the first absorbing member and the second absorbing member. In a state where the accommodating section is inserted into an apparatus main body, the delivery section 141 is inclined downward from the first absorbing member toward the second absorbing member, and an inclination of the delivery section when the accommodating section is removed from the apparatus main body varies depending on an inserted state.

Abstract: A printing apparatus that performs printing on a medium while being manually moved relative to the medium, the printing apparatus including a first discharger including a first nozzle row that discharges a first liquid, a second discharger including a second nozzle row that discharges a second liquid, a mode determination section that evaluates whether the printing apparatus operates in a first mode in which the printing apparatus is movable in an oblique direction with respect to a first direction or a second mode in which the printing apparatus is not movable in an oblique direction with respect to the first direction, and a first control section that restrains printing using both the first and second dischargers when the mode determination section determines that the printing apparatus operates in a first mode in which the printing apparatus operates in the first mode.

Abstract: A printer includes a paper roll, a printing device, a paper cutting device, a paper output device, and a panel, which are disposed, from rear to front in sequence, on a frame. The printing device includes a printer seat on which a printer head, a paper delivering roller, and a guiding member are disposed. The guiding member forms a paper insertion gap between a guiding piece and a printer seat. The paper insertion gap can smoothly guide a front end of a paper sheet to be inserted downwards to contact with a paper delivering roller. Then, the guiding member pivots back to a positioned state. Thus, the paper sheet can be conveniently and rapidly installed. A paper guiding gap is formed between at least one guiding roller and the printer seat. The paper delivering roller can reliably pull the paper sheet to pass through a printer head for printing.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a characteristic of a printed image of a thermal transfer printer. The method comprises providing a ribbon and a substrate at a printing location of the thermal transfer printer. The method further comprises printing an image on the substrate at the printing location by transferring ink from a region of the ribbon in a printing operation, a negative image being formed on the region of ribbon. The method further comprises transporting the region of ribbon, by a ribbon transport system, from the printing location towards an imaging location along a ribbon transport path. The method further comprises when a characteristic of the ribbon transport meets a predetermined criterion, obtaining, by an image capture system, a ribbon image of the negative image. The method further comprises processing said ribbon image to generate data indicative of the characteristic of the printed image.

Abstract: A heat transfer roller apparatus is disclosed and configured for transferring an at least one design onto a substrate. In at least one embodiment, with the substrate sandwiched between a support frame and a support base of the apparatus, and a heat transfer compatible transfer sheet containing the at least one design positioned on the substrate within a frame boundary defined by the support frame, an at least one heat roller traverses across the transfer sheet—from a first end of the support frame to an opposing second end of the support frame—at a predetermined temperature, pressure and traversal time as set by a controller of the apparatus, so as to cause the at least one design on the transfer sheet to bond to the substrate, with a carrier of the apparatus subsequently separating the transfer sheet from the substrate while the transfer sheet is still hot.

Abstract: Printing apparatuses include a photoreceptor adapted to print an image by applying marking material to print media, a fuser adapted to heat the marking material on the print media, and a controller. The controller determines the amount of marking material per unit area of the image before the fuser heats the marking material on the print media. The controller rasterizes the image to produce a bitmap of the image, but the amount of marking material per unit area for the image is determined before completion of rasterization and marking of the image. The controller also adjusts the operating temperature of the fuser to a fusing temperature based on the amount of marking material per unit area of the image, causes the photoreceptor to print the image on the print media using the bitmap of the image, and causes the fuser to fuse the marking material to the print media.

Abstract: A waste liquid collection apparatus includes a waste liquid tray, a collection tank, a collection pump, and a circulation pump. The waste liquid tray includes a waste liquid receiving surface inclined downward to receive a waste liquid discharged from a head unit and allow the waste liquid to flow from an upper end to a lower end of the waste liquid receiving surface, and a waste liquid discharge part that is disposed adjacent to the lower end of the waste liquid receiving surface to discharge the waste liquid. The collection pump feeds a part of the waste liquid discharged from the waste liquid discharge part to the collection tank. The circulation pump returns another part of the waste liquid discharged from the waste liquid discharge part to the upper end of the waste liquid receiving surface to circulate the other part of the waste liquid.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus, having a power source, a drivable device, a head, a motor, a carriage, a sensor, and a controller, is provided. In a recording process, the controller sets a limitation current calculated by subtracting a variable first driving current from an allowable current to the power source, controls the power source to supply the first driving current to the drivable device and simultaneously supply a variable second driving current not exceeding the maximum current to the motor, and when the controller determines, based on a signal output from the sensor, that a behavior of the carriage satisfies an error condition, on condition that the drivable device has completed a targeted conveying action, issue an error alert, and on condition that the drivable device has not completed the targeted conveying action, control the motor to cause the carriage to continue moving without issuing the error alert.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a carriage supporting a liquid discharging head for discharging liquid onto a medium being transported, and caused to perform scanning along a width direction intersecting with a transport direction of the medium, a supporting member having a first guide rail extending along the width direction, and a support face capable of supporting the medium, a first engaging portion engaged with the first guide rail, and an edge holder having a plate member covering a first end portion of the medium on a first direction side in the width direction. On the first direction side of an end portion on the first direction side in the width direction of the first guide rail, a retraction region is provided in which the edge holder can be disposed in a state in which an engaging state between the first guide rail and the first engaging portion is released.

Abstract: At step S115, a printer control unit refers to a table using an average print duty as an input, and determines a saturation temperature and a drum preliminary heating temperature. In this example, since the saturation temperature and the preliminary heating temperature with respect to the print duty are stored as a table, the printer control unit refers to the table using the average print duty as the input, and determines the saturation temperature and the drum preliminary heating temperature. At step S120, the printer control unit investigates a current drum temperature based on a measurement result of a temperature sensor. Subsequently, at step S125, the drum is heated or cooled until it reaches, of the saturation temperature and the drum preliminary heating temperature, the temperature for which the difference with the current drum temperature is smaller.

Abstract: It is disclosed a printing fluid dispersing method for a printing system, the method comprising: transferring printing fluid from a supply to an element within the printing system by a pump wherein, between the supply and the element, a nozzle is provided comprising a plurality holes so that the transferring of printing fluid comprises forcing the printing fluid through the plurality of holes of the nozzle

Abstract: For printing to a recording medium in the form of a web that is moved in a horizontal direction to the printing position by a web carriage. There, the recording medium is raised up to the print heads. To clean the print heads, a maintenance carriage is used that is moved horizontally into a maintenance position below the print bars. There, a cleaning unit with covering caps is then driven upward to the print heads in order to either place a covering cap onto the print heads or clean the print heads. The web carriage and the maintenance unit are moved only in a horizontal direction while the printing unit remains stationary.

Abstract: Add-on module suitable to receive and hold a disposable printer cartridge that is provided with inkjet nozzles, which disposable printer cartridge is equipped for placement in a printer, and wherein the add-on module is a disposable and independent item without forming a constructional part of the printer, and wherein the add-on module comprises at least one of capping means and wiping means that are arranged for capping and wiping respectively of said inkjet nozzles of the printer cartridge.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discard absorbing member (first absorbing member) that absorbs a liquid discarded from a discharge head to an outer side of an end portion of a medium supported by a support section as a waste liquid. Further, the recording apparatus includes: a cap which is an example of a waste liquid receiving section that receives the liquid ejected from the discharge head as a waste liquid; a waste liquid absorbing member (second absorbing member) that absorbs the waste liquid sent from the cap; and a waste liquid box (accommodating section) that holds the waste liquid absorbing member. The discard absorbing member and the waste liquid absorbing member 50A are coupled to each other such that the waste liquid can be delivered from the discard absorbing member to the waste liquid absorbing member.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and provides an inkjet assembly, an inkjet printing apparatus and an inkjet printing method. The inkjet assembly includes at least one jet printing member having a first surface on which an inkjet port is formed. The inkjet assembly further includes a deflection member configured to provide a deflection force to a fluid emitted from the inkjet port and a control member configured to control operation of the deflection member.

Abstract: A printer including: (i) a guide device extending in a first direction; (ii) a carriage reciprocateable in the first direction, while being guided by the guide device; (iii) a recording head carried by the carriage; (iv) a feed device for feeding the recording medium in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; (v) a flexible ink-supply tube for supplying ink to the recording head; and (vi) a carriage movement detector including an encoder strip which extends in the first direction. The ink-supply tube has a U-shaped body including a pair of arm portions extending in the first direction and spaced apart from each other in the second direction. The guide device, the ink-supply tube and the encoder strip are located on respective different positions in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The ink-supply tube has a part that overlaps with the guide device and the encoder strip as seen in the third direction.

Abstract: Various examples of systems and methods are provided for three-dimensional (3D) printing of reactive materials. In one aspect, among others, a system includes a droplet generation assembly comprising a first printhead coupled to a first reservoir of reactive material and a second printhead coupled to a second reservoir of reactive material, the first and second printheads configured to produce jets of reactive material droplets; a jet alignment assembly configured to adjust orientation of the first and second printheads to align the jets of the reactive material droplets for intersection at a collision point; and a motion control assembly configured to adjust positioning of the first and second printheads and a platform configured to position a deposition location at the collision point.

Abstract: A printer includes a liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid to a print target, a holder configured to hold the print target, and a height detector configured to detect the print target on the holder at a first height and at a second height lower than the first height.