Abstract: An ink jet cartridge has a recording head portion and an ink containing portion which are detachably mountable relative to each other. The recording head portion ejects ink to effect recording with the ink. The cartridge includes a first ink container, provided in the recording head portion, for containing the ink; a second ink container, provided in the ink containing portion, for containing the ink; and an ink communication tube for establishing ink communication between the first ink container and the second ink container, wherein the ink communication tube is not externally exposed.

Abstract: A wiper according to the invention comprises two or more wiper blades arranged one behind the other in close proximity, where the two or more wiper blades are different from one another so as to have slightly different wiping swaths. The resulting wipers greatly increase the allowable alignment tolerance between the wiper and the nozzle member of a printhead, especially if the printhead is of the kind having raised adhesive beads dispensed near the ends of the nozzle member. In one embodiment, two different size wiper blades, arranged one behind the other, have slits formed near the ends of the wiper blades. The slits mechanically decouple those end portions of the wiper blades which ride over the adhesive beads from the remaining portions of the wiper blades to keep the remaining portions of the blades in contact with the nozzle member.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric type ink jet head, a plurality of pressure chambers are separated into n groups each having dummy pressure chambers at opposite ends. An increased spacing between ejection nozzles resulting from the dummy pressure chambers is compensated for by inclining the nozzle openings within each of the groups. The ink jet head is driven in a time sharing manner.

Abstract: A thin pen cartridge for a thermal ink-jet (TIJ) printer, to be carried in a pen carriage along a carriage scan axis above the print medium. The pen height and depth are at least twice the pen width measured along the scan axis in order to achieve a high volume pen. The reduction in pen width permits the carriage width along the scan axis to be reduced, in turn reducing the footprint size of the TIJ printer.

Abstract: An ink jet head has an ink head main body that is constituted of a substrate, spacers that are formed on one side of the substrate, and a roof plate that is joined to the substrate through the spacers. One or more ink passages are independently formed between the substrate and the roof plate. Rows of piezoelectric devices, each of which is made of a plurality of piezoelectric devices aligned along each ink passage, are formed through the respective ink passages. Ac voltages whose phases are different from each other by 90 degrees are applied to the respective piezoelectric devices. Progressive waves, which are excited by the rows of piezoelectric devices, allow ink to move through the ink passage and to be sprayed.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle for an inkjet printer which is adapted to operate in the continuous inkjet mode, and which comprises a housing 1 having an ink supply channel 2 extending therethrough. The downstream end of the ink supply channel 2 is closed by a separate thin flat plate 7 which is fixed to the outlet end of the housing, and the plate includes an outflow channel 8 therethrough which is coaxially aligned with the ink supply channel. The outflow channel 8 has a very small diameter as compared to the diameter of the adjacent portion of the ink supply channel through the housing, and the length of the outflow channel is greater than its diameter. Also, an ultrasonic vibration element 12 is mounted to the exterior of the housing at a location adjacent the outlet end.

Abstract: A high density graphics image can be printed without smearing by contact with a second page, without any unnecessary reduction of throughput. Throughput enhancement logic is inhibited during the printing of the second page for a variable delay related to the image density of the first page. The variable delay is calculated as a linear function of both the density (relative to a predetermined grid size) and the location if the densest portion of the first page, using coefficients which are different for different print modes. In one preferred embodiment, a maximum density is calculated by counting drops of ink in each of several overlapping grids, and the magnitude and location of the maximum density grid on a prior page is used to limit the throughput of a next page until a sufficient delay has elapsed to ensure that ink on the prior page will not be smeared when it comes into contact with the next page.

Abstract: An internal ink filter (12) located within an ink jet print head (10) is formed by overlapping filter portions (100 and 102) of two laminated plates (22 and 24) that comprise the print head. Each plate includes an array of holes (120) in the filter portion. The individual holes have an opening dimension (122) such that the plates can be easily manufactured using conventional techniques, although the opening dimension may be too large for effective filtering. The plates are juxtaposed with the holes of each plate partly overlapping the holes of the other plate. The areas of overlap define a filter pore smaller than the individual holes in each plate.

Abstract: Greater throughput is possible by using wider print swaths in each traverse across printing media. Multiple print cartridges are mounted to be offset from each other in the media scan direction (X-axis). The amount of offset is adjustably varied by selective on/off control of individual printing elements as well as by relative mechanical movement of the print cartridges.

Abstract: A temperature control device comprises a first heat exchange unit, for exchanging heat, which is thermally joined with a recording head for recording onto a recording medium by the use of heat energy, a second heat exchange unit for exchanging heat with the atmosphere, which is connected to the first heat exchange unit, working fluid contained within the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit, and a partition plate for almost separating the interior of the first heat exchange unit and the second heat exchange unit into a working fluid existing region and a vapor existing region where the working fluid and its vapor component exist together.

Abstract: A printer using a line-type ink jet recording head. The line-type head has pressure producing chambers formed by dividing nozzle openings extending in a recording paper width direction with vertical side walls and upper and lower ink flow paths which communicate with each other through the pressure producing chambers and extend in a horizontal direction. Each ink flow path has an inlet for replenishing ink and an outlet for discharging the ink. A plurality of pressure producing elements are provided for applying varied pressures to the pressure producing chambers for jetting ink droplets. A sealing member selectively seals the nozzle openings by abutting on the nozzle openings when the recording head has been evacuated to a predetermined position.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which records on a recording medium. The recording apparatus includes a recording head which prints on a recording medium, a body of revolution which is rotatably mounted, and a platen roller capable of being displaced in the recording head direction and in the body of revolution peripheral direction. The platen roller is positioned against the recording head.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head has an energy generating device line constituted by electrically connecting N (N>1) energy generating devices in series. The energy generating devices are disposed to correspond to a plurality of discharge ports for discharging ink and generate discharging energy. The energy generating device line is operated by using substantially N+1 electrodes. The method of operating an ink jet recording head comprises the steps of: successively selecting the energy generating devices of the energy generating device line; applying voltages of different levels to the two terminals of the selected energy generating device having received an image signal instructing the selected energy generating device to discharge the ink; and applying voltages of the same level to the two ends of the energy generating device which corresponds to the discharge ports which are not to discharge the ink.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a piezo-electric body having a plurality of protruding portions; pairs of electrodes each provided on both side surfaces of each protruding portion; a supporting member having a plurality of hollow portions, which are engaged with the plurality of protruding portions in a manner that the space between the top surface of each protruding portion and the inner surface of the bottom of each hollow portion is made an ink room; a plurality of openings each leading to a corresponding ink room; ink supplying devices for supplying ink to the ink rooms; and voltage applying devices for applying voltage between each pair of the electrodes to generate an electric field, which serves to vibrate each protruding portion, thereby jetting ink in the ink rooms in the form of a droplet through the openings.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for forming liquid images onto an image carrier, comprising a recording liquid holding device for holding recording liquid away from the image carrier, a vibrating device for vibrating the surface of the recording liquid, and an electrostatic field forming device for forming the electrostatic field in the direction of the recording liquid heading for the image carrier from the surface of the recording liquid, thereby jetting a drop of the recording liquid onto the image carrier to form liquid images.

Abstract: An ink droplet jet device in which the volume of the ink channels is varied by deformation of the side walls due to piezoelectric thickness shear mode to thereby jet an ink droplet requires sufficient volume variation of the ink channels to function reliably. To satisfy this requirement, the material and thickness of an adhesive agent used to secure the piezoelectric plate to the cover plate is selected so that the value obtained by dividing Young's modulus of adhesive agent for adherence between the upper surface of the side wall of the piezoelectric plate and the cover plate by the thickness of the adhesive agent is above 5.times.10.sup.3 kg/mm.sup.3, preferably 5.times.10.sup.4 kg/mm.sup.3, and more preferably above 1.2.times.10.sup.5 kg/mm.sup.3.

Abstract: An electronic checkbook (10) is provided for printing checks. electronic checkbook (10) is of a hand-held size and operates on two AAA batteries. An on/off switch (30) which includes a needle valve (410) controls ink flow. A print cap switch (26) is also provided for rugged applications. Checks are advanced under a printhead (38). The printhead (38) and a roller shaft (46) for advancing the checks are both driven by a single motor (56). A transmission (54) translates power from the motor (56) to the printhead (38) and the roller shaft (46). The position of both the motor (56) and the printhead (38) are sensed by use of a single LED (124) and photodetector (128). Ink is supplied to the printhead (38) from an ink cartridge (12). Data is stored in a non-volatile check register (16). Reconciliation of transactional information can be made by reference to information stored on a statement strip (20).

Abstract: An organic material is used as the protective film in the ink ejecting printer head with the surface roughness Ra of the protective film is set to be no greater than 3 .mu.m. Accordingly, the segregation of ink components is suppressed to ensure a smooth flow of ink. As a result, the variations in the volume of the ink droplets ejected is reduced and the ejecting stability is improved. Therefore, the ink ejecting printer head having such a protective film that is excellent in protection also improves the stability of the ejected ink droplets and can be manufactured at a low cost.

Abstract: An ink jet head apparatus includes a piezoelectric actuator having a plurality of laminated piezoelectric elements, each of the piezoelectric elements having a piezoelectric body with a signal electrode and a ground electrode formed on the opposite sides of the piezoelectric body, an ink chamber for storing ink pressurized by a transformation of the piezoelectric actuator, a connecting conductor for the signal electrode through which electrodes having a plurality of the signal electrode are connected to each other, and a connecting conductor for the ground electrode through which electrodes having a plurality of the ground electrode are connected to each other, and the connecting conductor for the ground electrode being located on the side of the ink chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to drop-on-demand ink jet heads. An exemplary form of an ink jet head of the present invention includes a plurality of elongated members formed of piezoelectric material, the elongated members being spaced apart from one another so as to define therebetween a plurality of elongated channels, alternating ones of which are adapted to be filled with ink so as to define ink channels. Electrodes are formed in the channels on opposing sides of the elongated members. A channel closing member is mounted to the elongated members to cover portions of the channels, the channel closing member having nozzle holes formed therein in alignment with at least some of the channels. The elongated members are polarized in at least one direction.