Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a memory device configured to prestore control information and registration pattern data, a traveling member, a toner pattern forming device forming a toner pattern, which includes a plurality of marks of a plurality of color components, on the traveling member according to the registration pattern data. A position detecting device detects each of the plurality of marks in the toner pattern. A control information correcting device corrects the control information according to a difference among positions of the plurality of marks, and a main-scan registration correcting device adjusts, based on the corrected control information, a start-of-write timing in the main scanning direction in a unit of a pixel clock cycle and adjusts a writing timing in the main scanning direction in a unit smaller than the pixel clock cycle by controlling a phase of the pixel clock cycle.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head and a controller (CPU, ASIC). The liquid ejection head is mounted on a carriage that reciprocates and ejects liquid toward a target. The controller controls a flushing mode of an in-range flushing and a flushing mode of an out-of-range flushing when the liquid ejection head ejects liquid as the carriage reciprocates. The flushing mode of the in-range flushing is performed in a reciprocation range of the carriage outside the target during ejection performed by the liquid ejection head. The flushing mode of the out-of-range flushing is performed outside the reciprocation range of the carriage reciprocates during ejection performed by the liquid ejection head.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that dynamically correct field curvature and other focus errors in imaging systems that use rotating scanners to scan an image field. The dynamic correction controls the focusing of an image field such that focus is maintained across the width of a photosensitive element as a rotating scanner scans the field. The described systems and methods enable the use of post-objective scanning configurations in which the complexity and expense of objective lenses is significantly reduced.

Abstract: A printhead comprising a first ink reservoir in fluid communication with an outlet nozzle and downstream from a first ink filter, and a pump assembly in fluid communication with the first ink reservoir and operative to withdraw gas from the first ink reservoir and subsequently inhibit fluid communication between the withdrawn gas and the first ink reservoir. The present invention also includes method of removing gas in fluid communication with an ink reservoir, the method comprising purging gas from a gas accumulation area of an ink reservoir, where purging act includes manipulating a valve assembly downstream from an ink filter, the valve assembly operative to separate the gas accumulation area of the ink reservoir from an external environment, the valve assembly operative to facilitate unidirectional volumetric flow of the gas between the gas accumulation area and the external environment.

Abstract: An ink cartridge and an inkjet printer using the same. The ink cartridge includes a cartridge case having an ink storing space, negative pressure forming foam inserted into the cartridge case, and a filter pipe installed on a bottom surface of the cartridge case, wherein the bottom surface of the cartridge case is formed to be entirely in contact with a bottom surface of the foam. Thus, a dead space around the filter pipe is minimized or eliminated, therefore solving a problem where the ink would otherwise remain to a certain extent in the dead space. In addition, the air existing in the dead space together with the ink does not affect the ink ejection performance of a head due to expansion and shrinkage of the air to stably maintain the ink ejection performance.

Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid container that can be removably held in a liquid container accommodation portion by pushing the container in an insertion direction. The liquid container is mounted on a carriage having a container accommodation region. A one-push type fixing member in a position facing a surface parallel to an insertion direction in which the container is inserted into the container accommodation region is engaged with a fixing protrusion forming another one-push type fixing member and cooperating with the first-mentioned one-push type fixing member, so that the container is held in a predetermined position in a state in which the container is resiliently urged by a spring in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

Abstract: A droplet discharging device is provided which does not require a special sensor (an optical sensor) and can enhance the precision of detecting a discharge abnormality of ink droplets. When printing is to be carried out, a transistor having a large current capacitance is turned on, a driving signal is applied from a driving circuit to piezoelectric actuators, and ink droplets are discharged by corresponding nozzles. Upon detecting a discharge abnormality of the nozzles, one of the piezoelectric actuators corresponding to the nozzles is selected, the transistor is turned off and a switch is turned on. A driving voltage is then applied from the driving circuit to the piezoelectric actuator thus selected in this state. When the application of the driving voltage ends, the switch is turned off. Consequently, a residual vibration detecting circuit detects the electromotive voltage of the piezoelectric actuator by the residual vibration of a vibrating plate.

Abstract: In an ink-jet apparatus employing an ink-jet head having a plurality of heaters corresponding to one ink ejection opening and performing printing by ejecting an ink from the ink-jet head, timings of bubble forming are mutually shifted at respective heaters of the plurality of heaters upon application of respective pulses to the plurality of heaters and based on information relating to an ink temperature of the ink-jet head. The ejection amount can be controlled by forming bubbles in the ink to eject the ink through the ink ejection opening.

Abstract: An inkjet drop ejection apparatus with a chamber, an actuator, and a nozzle, where drops of ink are ejected through the nozzle, and where the chamber comprises a hollow structure formed on a semiconductor substrate. The chamber is partly formed of the same material as the actuator, simplifying the fabrication process.

Abstract: A franking machine including a printer for printing postal indicia on a mail item, a supplier for supplying postage printing ink to allow a refill of the printer with postage printing ink, and a self-obturating connection connected to the postage ink supply by an ink transferor and intended either to place the postage ink supply in communication with the printer in the case of postage ink printing or to isolate the postage ink supply from the printer in other cases of printing.

Abstract: The liquid container includes: a container body having a built-in closed storage space for storing liquid, a liquid leading-out path for sending liquid in the storage space to a liquid consumption apparatus, an opening at one end thereof being opened on an outer surface of the container body and an opening at the other end thereof being opened in the storage space, a pressurized fluid introducing path for introducing a pressurized fluid into the storage space, an opening at one end thereof being opened on the outer surface of the container body and an opening at the other end thereof being opened in the storage space, and resistance generation unit arranged in the storage space for giving a resistance to a liquid flow in the storage space.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a plurality of light emitting device array units for drawing image data on a photoconductor are arranged in a main scanning direction corresponding to an axial direction of the photoconductor with staggered positioning in a sub-scanning direction. The image forming apparatus includes a ratio setting unit configured to set a ratio of fine size adjustment for finely adjusting a size of the image data, a computing unit configured to compute a displacement of the image data responsive to the ratio of fine size adjustment set by the ratio setting unit, and a fine size adjustment unit configured to change intervals of occurrences of line synchronizing signals in response to the computation by the computing unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and methods for producing three-dimensional objects and auxiliary systems used in conjunction with the aforementioned apparatus and methods. The apparatus and methods involve 3D printing and servicing of the equipment used in the associated 3D printer.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.

Abstract: A nozzle is provided for an inkjet printer. The nozzle includes a cover defining a nozzle port. A substrate assembly is fast with the cover, and defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the nozzle port and into which ink can be supplied. A plate is fast with the substrate assembly and includes two electrically isolated ferromagnetic parts. A plunger assembly defines a solenoid channel in which a solenoid can be received. The plunger assembly includes a plunger and biasing means configured to bias the plunger into a spaced apart position with respect to the plate. The solenoid is located in register with the solenoid channel and can be coupled to a current supply so that, upon actuation, the solenoid induces movement of the plunger towards the plate to thereby increase ink pressure in the nozzle chamber and eject ink therein through the nozzle port.

Abstract: An inkjet printer nozzle assembly includes a substrate. Drive circuitry is positioned on the substrate. A nozzle chamber structure extends from the substrate and defines a nozzle chamber into which ink can be fed and an ink ejection port though which the ink can be ejected. An elongate actuator assembly is fast with the substrate at one end to be connected to the drive circuitry and extends cantilever-fashion towards the nozzle chamber structure. A paddle is fast with an opposite free end of the actuator assembly, the paddle being positioned in the nozzle chamber so that displacement of the paddle serves to eject ink from the ink ejection port.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording head of an excellent discharge ability and a producing method therefor, a lateral wall of an ink supply aperture is covered with a minimum necessary ink-resistant protective film. The ink supply aperture is formed by etching an exposed portion of the substrate, coating the etched portion of the substrate, and alternately repeating the etching and the coating until the etched portion becomes connected with a liquid flow path, and, for a depth a of a recessed portion and for a distance b of adjacent projecting portions, when the depth a is in a range of 1 ?m or less and the distance b is in a range of 5 ?m or less, a and b satisfy a relation b/a?1.7.

Abstract: Disclosed is a jet printing method, which includes firing printing fluid drops and deflecting them. The drops are then deflected again in a second direction, which can allow them to be deposited in a collimated swath. Also disclosed is dynamically adjusting the deflection to achieve a dynamic swath density and/or a dynamic swath width.

Abstract: The image recording apparatus comprises: an inkjet head which has a plurality of nozzles discharging ink onto a recording medium; a conveyance device which performs relative conveyance of the recording medium relatively with respect to the inkjet head; and a fixing device which fixes the ink deposited on the recording medium from the plurality of nozzles, wherein the image recording apparatus records an image by discharging the ink onto the recording medium from the inkjet head while the relative conveyance by the conveyance device, and the image recording apparatus further comprises: a conveyance control device which controls a relative conveyance velocity of the recording medium in the relative conveyance with respect to the inkjet head; a discharge amount control device which controls an amount of the ink discharged from the inkjet head; a fixing control device which controls a fixing energy applied by the fixing device to fix the ink deposited on the recording medium; and a bleeding prevention control dev

Abstract: A droplet ejecting device includes an ejector that is adapted to eject a liquid stored in a pressure chamber from an ejecting nozzle, by applying pressure to the pressure chamber; an ejection timing detector that is adapted to detect a start timing at which a liquid column starts being ejected from the ejecting nozzle; a droplet separator that is adapted to give, to the liquid column, an energy that separates the liquid column from the liquid stored in the pressure chamber; and a controller that is adapted to control the droplet separator to give an energy at a timing when a predetermined time period has elapsed since the start timing detected by the ejection timing detector.