Abstract: A container body decorator (10) has a controller (300) with a software stored in a memory. A plurality of ink-jet printing heads (108) is in communication with the controller (300). A segmented image transfer blanket (116) has a circumferential configuration with an inner surface opposite a printing surface. A printing site (124) is located along the segmented image transfer blanket (116). A container body handling module (200) delivers container bodies to the printing site (124).

Abstract: The disclosure concerns an applicator (e.g. print head) for applying a coating agent (e.g. paint) to a component (e.g. motor vehicle body component), having a nozzle chamber with a plurality of nozzles for dispensing the coating agent in the form of continuous jets or droplets, the coating agent flowing during operation through the nozzle chamber to the nozzles so that the nozzle chamber is filled with the coating agent during operation. The print head further comprises a plurality of slidable valve needles associated with the individual nozzles and selectively opening or closing the respective nozzle depending on the position of the valve needles. Furthermore, the print head according to the disclosure contains an actuator chamber for receiving actuators for displacing the valve needles.

Abstract: A pressure adjustment unit includes a flow passage including a first chamber, a second chamber, and a through hole. The apparatus further includes a partition wall that the through hole is formed, a first sealing portion having flexibility, a second sealing portion facing with the first sealing portion, a valve configured to close the flow passage by moving in a first direction, and to open the flow passage by moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a biasing member biasing the valve in the first direction, and a restricting portion restricting movement of the valve in the first direction by contact with a to-be-restricted portion of the valve, at a second portion different from a first portion where contact of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion occurs.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has a nozzle surface on a head and having nozzle rows each having nozzles, manifolds suppling ink to the nozzles in each nozzle row, supply flow paths connected to the manifold and suppling the ink, circulation flow paths connected to the manifold and circulating the ink from the manifold to which the ink is supplied through the supply flow path, a cap to be in contact with the nozzle surface on an outside of the nozzles respectively in two nozzle rows, and a controller executing circulation processing where circulation of the ink through one supply flow path, one manifold and one circulation flow path is performed, and circulation of the ink through another supply flow path, another manifold and another circulation flow path is not performed, in a state where the ink or a cleaning liquid supplied in the cap is contacted with the nozzle surface.

Abstract: The buffer tank 98 whose atmosphere communicates with an atmosphere in the recovery tank 92 is provided. When an atmosphere in the supply tank 91 and an atmosphere in the recovery tank 92 communicate with each other, the difference between the positive pressure P1 inside the supply tank 91 and the negative pressure P2 inside the recovery tank 92 is cancelled. The negative pressure P3 occurs in the recovery tank 92 and the supply tank 91, and leakage of the ink from the nozzle N can be prevented.

Abstract: The nozzle channel includes a first portion that extends in the first direction and communicates with the first communication channel and a second portion that extends in a third direction crossing the first direction and orthogonal to the second direction and communicates with the first portion, and an angle formed between the first direction and the third direction is larger than 0° and smaller than 90°.

Abstract: The present specification describes a manifold for a fluid ejection system. The manifold includes a rotational connector on a first side surface, a plurality of pen interconnects on a bottom surface of the manifold, and a sliding surface on a top surface of the manifold. The sliding surface is to accommodate a fluidic interface. Sliding the fluidic interface along the sliding surface extends needles from the fluidic interface through the plurality of pen interconnects into a plurality of pens.

Abstract: An equipment monitoring system includes an unmanned vehicle, an alarm circuit remote from the unmanned vehicle, and a vehicle control circuit remote from the unmanned vehicle. The unmanned vehicle can include a communications circuit and a flight controller. The alarm circuit detects a failure condition of a building component and outputs an indication of the failure condition. The vehicle control circuit receives the indication of the failure condition from the alarm circuit; generates, based on the indication of the failure condition, an equipment verification signal that includes an identifier of the building component, a position of the building component, and a test of the building component to be executed; and transmits the equipment verification signal to the flight controller of the unmanned vehicle via the communications circuit of the unmanned vehicle to cause the unmanned vehicle to execute the test of the building component.

Abstract: The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyor belt, and an ink receiving part. The ink receiving part includes a discharge port and a conveyance rotator. The discharge port is placed at an end portion in a crossing direction crossing a sheet conveyance direction, and discharges ink received in flashing. The conveyance rotator is rotated around a rotating shaft extending in the crossing direction. The conveyance rotator has a conveyance structure for conveying ink in the ink receiving part in a carry-out direction directed toward the discharge port along an axial direction of the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A maintenance system for spray head includes an ink cavity of the spray head communication with the external environment through spray holes. The ink cavity of the spray head is connected with a first accommodating cavity of a first regulating device through a pipeline; when the ink in the ink circulation loop is in a circulating flow state, the ink flows into the ink cavity of the spray head from the first accommodating cavity; because the first accommodating cavity and the ink cavity of the spray head are in a communication state, the change of the first air pressure within the first negative pressure range can make the ink in the first accommodating cavity and the ink cavity of the spray head oscillate at the same time.

Abstract: A liquid circulation mechanism includes a first storage portion configured to store liquid to be supplied to a liquid discharging head, a second storage portion configured to store the liquid collected from the liquid discharging head, a third storage portion configured to store the liquid between the second storage portion and the first storage portion, a first check valve allowing flow of the liquid from the second storage portion to the third storage portion while regulating flow of the liquid from the third storage portion to the second storage portion, in the second collection flow path, and a second check valve allowing flow of the liquid from the third storage portion to the first storage portion while regulating flow of the liquid from the first storage portion to the third storage portion, in the third collection flow path.

Abstract: A liquid circulation mechanism includes a supply flow path making a liquid supply source and a liquid discharging head communicate with each other and a collection flow path making the liquid discharging head and a connection portion of the supply flow path communicate with each other, in which a branch portion, a plurality of flow paths branched at the branch portion, and a merging portion, in which the plurality of flow paths are merged, are provided in at least one of the supply flow path and the collection flow path. Pressure adjustment portions, which are provided in the plurality of flow paths and open the flow paths when a pressure on the liquid discharging head side is equal to a predetermined pressure, have different the predetermined pressures for opening the flow paths in the plurality of flow paths.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a nozzle surface provided on a head and having a nozzle ejecting ink, first and second flow paths connected to the head, a bypass flow path connecting the first and second flow paths outside the head, a cap provided to be in contact with the nozzle surface, and a controller. The controller executes circulation of the ink through the first flow path, the head and the second flow path, in a liquid-contact state where a cleaning liquid supplied in the cap is contacted with the nozzle surface, at an end of last printing or when an elapsed time from last cleaning in the cap is within a predetermined time, and circulation of the ink through the first flow path, the bypass flow path and the second flow path without passing through the head when the elapsed time is longer than the predetermined time.

Abstract: White-balance is improved when printing on colored media, while minimizing the time and use of costly materials required by present approaches. In an embodiment, the typical solid white fill or background layer is altered by including in the white layer one or more of the other colors already available in the printer to shade this layer. Thus, a small amount of cyan, for example, helps balance a pink-ish (red) media; yellow is used for blue media; and magenta is used for green media; as well as combinations thereof. A combination of transparent process inks and opaque white helps to maintain brightness (luminosity).

Abstract: A liquid circulating device has: a supply flow path through which a liquid is supplied from a liquid supply source that stores the liquid to a liquid ejecting head that ejects the liquid; a collection flow path through which the liquid collected from the liquid ejecting head is returned to the supply flow path; and a liquid flowing portion that causes the liquid to flow in a circulation flow path including the supply flow path, the liquid ejecting head, and the collection flow path. An air capturing portion can capture bubbles and is provided in at least one of the supply flow path and collection flow path. The air capturing portion is disposed at a position higher than the position of the liquid ejecting head.

Abstract: In a printer unit, ink is poured into a storage chamber from an inlet of a tank. The storage chamber communicates with an air chamber. An air tube connects the air chamber and the outside of the tank and is opened and closed by a valve. A cover is movable to a first position in which the inlet is covered and a second position in which the inlet is exposable via a third position being a position between the first position and the second position. A valve opening/closing mechanism opens a valve when the cover is located on a side closer to the first position than the third position, and closes the valve when the cover is located between the third position and the second position. When the cover moves from the third position to the first position, a cap fits over the inlet to seal the storage chamber.

Abstract: Misalignment of printing positions between print heads associated with thermal expansion is reduced without increasing a data processing load. To this end, printing element substrates in a reference head and an adjustment target head are adjusted to a target temperature, and a liquid is circulated through the print element substrates. After thermal expansion of the reference head and the adjustment target head reaches a steady state, a first printing region being a printing region of the reference head and a second printing region being a printing region of the adjustment target head in a longitudinal direction are obtained from an image printed by using all printing elements. Then, used regions to be used for actual printing are set among the printing elements arranged on the reference head and the adjustment target head based on the first printing region and the second printing region.

Abstract: To reduce the amount of a liquid that remains in a boundary portion between a pressure receiving plate and a flexible member. Provides is a pressure control unit including a pressure chamber configured, at least a part of a wall forming the pressure chamber being formed of a flexible member; a flow inlet; a flow outlet; a pressure receiving plate, which is provided on an inner surface of the flexible member, and is to be displaced toward an inner side and an outer side of the pressure chamber; a valve member configured to open and close the flow inlet in accordance with the displacement of the pressure receiving plate; and an internal flow passage, which extends in a boundary portion between the pressure receiving plate and the flexible member along the inner surface of the flexible member, and is opened on a side surface of the pressure receiving plate.

Abstract: A head unit includes a common passage, at least one recording head, and a joint mechanism. The joint mechanism has a first valve and couples the common passage to the recording head. The first valve includes: a first stopper having a switch member with an insertion hole and an engagement boss projecting from its inner surface, a sliding portion inserted in the insertion hole slidably up and down, and an engagement groove engaged with the engagement boss; and a first sealing member fitted on the first stopper to be in contact with or away from the insertion hole's inner surface. Rotating the switch member to move the first stopper up/down causes the first valve to switch between a closed state, with the first sealing member in contact with the insertion hole's inner surface, and an open state, with the first sealing member away from the insertion hole's inner surface.

Abstract: According to examples, systems and methods for transferring and mixing ink utilizing a tank with a mixing area formed by a funnel portion are described. The mixing area is for mixing new ink and resident ink. In some examples, a new ink supply inlet tube deposits the new ink into the tank from a connected ink supply container. In some examples, a resident ink supply inlet tube deposits the resident ink into the tank from a connected printing device. In some examples, an outlet port situated at tank bottom sends the mixed ink to the printing device.