Abstract: A kit comprises a holder for holding a memory device in the form of a chip, means for inputting data to or altering data in the chip, a printer cartridge for containing ink, and means to retain the chip on the printer cartridge.

Abstract: Printing systems and methods of operating printing systems are described. In but one embodiment, a printer comprises one or more processors, a print media tray for supporting a supply of print media, and a sensor operably associated with the print media tray. The sensor is configured to ascertain a measure associated with an amount of print media in the print media tray. The processor and the sensor are configured to ascertain, from the measure provided by the sensor, a number of remaining sheets of print media. In another embodiment, the sensor comprises a sonar sensor that is operably associated with a paper tray that holds a supply of paper.

Abstract: A driving device for driving an ink jet printing head having N (N=1, 2, 3, . . . ) nozzles includes a waveform generation circuit, three voltage amplification circuits, N multiplexers, and N current amplification circuits. The waveform generation circuit generates three waveforms for three driving signals VD1, VD2 and VD3 corresponding to ink drop sizes “large”, “middle” and “small”. The three voltage amplification circuits amplify the voltage levels of the three waveforms respectively and thereby outputs the driving signals VD1, VD2 and VD3. Each of the N multiplexers corresponding to the N nozzles selectively transmits zero or one of the driving signals VD1, VD2 and VD3 supplied from the voltage amplification circuits.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for determining the properties of a sample from measured spectral data collected from the sample by performing a method of multivariate spectral analysis. The method can include: generating a two-dimensional matrix A containing measured spectral data; providing a weighted spectral data matrix D by performing a weighting operation on matrix A; factoring D into the product of two matrices, C and ST, by performing a constrained alternating least-squares analysis of D=CST, where C is a concentration intensity matrix and S is a spectral shapes matrix; unweighting C and S by applying the inverse of the weighting used previously; and determining the properties of the sample by inspecting C and S. This method can be used by a spectrum analyzer to process X-ray spectral data generated by a spectral analysis system that can include a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with an Energy Dispersive Detector and Pulse Height Analyzer.

Abstract: A substrate for use in an ink jet recording head includes a plurality of heat generating resistive members formed on the substrate, a wiring pattern formed to be electrically connected with the heat generating resistive members, and a protection film formed on the heat generating resistive members and the wiring pattern to protect them from ink, and then, a vertically turn-up wiring structure is formed with an insulation film formed on the substrate, and one side of the wiring connected with the heat generating resistive members is arranged immediately below the heat generating resistive members in a width and a length larger than that of heat generating resistive members with the insulation film between them. For this substrate, the heat generating resistive members and the wiring positioned immediately below them are formed by polysilicon having impurities in different densities.

Abstract: An ink jet printer forms an image frame in a continuous recording sheet at a size PL with reference to a feeding direction. The continuous recording sheet includes plural recording sheets, and a splicing portion for splicing the plural recording sheets to one another in one line. In ink jet printing, the image frame is printed to the continuous recording sheet with a printing bead while the continuous recording sheet is fed in the feeding direction. It is detected whether the splicing portion comes past a predetermined position upstream from the printing head at a distance L1. The printing head is inhibited from printing the image frame if an unavailable region including the splicing portion is estimated to overlap on a region of the image frame according to a detection signal from the detecting step.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has an ink containing portion for containing ink, a driving portion having a nozzle for ejecting ink contained in the ink containing portion, and a first control circuit for driving and controlling the driving portion. An ink passage is disposed between the ink containing portion and the driving portion for supplying ink contained in the ink containing portion to the driving portion via an ink supply path extending from the ink containing portion through the ink passage to the driving portion. A connecting portion connects the ink passage to the printing unit. A heating portion is disposed in the ink supply path for heating the ink supplied to the driving portion. A cooling portion for cooling the ink is disposed in the ink supply path at a position closer to the driving portion than the heating portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ink-jet drop generator ink drop characteristics uses a drop detector target mounted in the printing zone of a hard copy apparatus. The detector target includes a matrix of individual elements sized approximately the same as pixel targets in printing operations. A detector target is mounted adjacently to the paper path of the apparatus such that test firing can be accomplished prior to each swath scan across the print media. By pre-firing nozzles to be used in the next swath at the detector target, actual trajectory errors and drop volumes can be analyzed in real-time. Alternate embodiments and methods are described.

Abstract: An apparatus provides identification information related to at least one ink jet print head in an ink jet printer. The apparatus includes a printer controller for providing a first identification data string comprising n number of bits, at least one of which has a first state, and no more than n−1 number of which have a second state different from the first state. Coupled to the printer controller is a first ink jet print head having a first serial input shift register. The first serial input shift register has at least n number of bit positions for receiving the n number of bits of the first identification data string. The first ink jet print head also includes at least n number of first latches, each of which is coupled to a corresponding one of the n number of bit positions of the first shift register. The n number of first latches are for latching the n number of bits of the first identification data string from the n number of bit positions of the first shift register.

Abstract: A recognition circuit for an ink jet printer has a plurality of heating cells. Each of the heating cells has a heating element coupled with a power line and a switch coupled with an address line. When voltages are applied to the power line and the address line, the switch is turned on and a current flows via the power line through the heating element. The recognition circuit further has a plurality of identifying cells each coupled with a corresponding power line. The recognition circuit can read the identification code from each the identifying cells by applying voltage to corresponding power lines.

Abstract: A printing cartridge includes a housing. An array of switch actuators is positioned on the housing. The array of switch actuators represents data relating to at least one of: a serial number of the cartridge, a media and a media colorant so that when a switch array is actuated by the array of switch actuators, a signal carrying such data can be generated.

Abstract: Variances are introduced into at least one component of a large format inkjet printer to substantially reduce the formation of vertical bands during a printing process. In one respect, the relationship between the carriage speed and the vibrations caused by operation of the voltage receiving component is utilized in the implementation of the variances. That is, operation of the voltage receiving component creates a temporal frequency caused by its vibration which leads the carriage to vibrate at a certain rate of time (temporal frequency) as it travels across the printing pass. At least by virtue of the travel across the printing pass, the carriage converts the temporal frequency caused by the vibrations of the carriage and the voltage receiving component into a spatial frequency. The temporal frequency generally translates into a delay or an event that occurs at certain moments in time which may cause drops of ink that are fired to be misplaced on the medium.

Abstract: Recording paper fed from a paper feed section comes in contact with a paper detection member of a detector unit and the paper detection member is rotated about a first fulcrum, shading the optical axis of an optical sensor. When the recording paper passes through and the paper detection member is brought out of contact with the recording paper, the paper detection member is restored to the former position and does not shade the optical axis. A carriage/cartridge detection member of the detector unit comes in contact with a carriage engagement part and a cartridge engagement part placed in a carriage and is rotated about a second fulcrum, shading the optical axis of the optical sensor. When the carriage/cartridge detection member is brought out of contact with the engagement parts, the carriage/cartridge detection member is restored to the former position and does not shade the optical axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and method that can prevent the image grade from lowering. A print head is provided with a plurality of printing elements to print dots on N adjacent rasters and dots on M adjacent columns under different conditions by causing the print heads perform a plurality of (P) main-scanning operations in a main-scanning direction and transporting a printing medium at least once in a sub-scanning direction. A plurality of dot arrangement patterns used for the same level of image data are periodically changed. The plurality of dot arrangement patterns are such that within each period when the patterns are repeatedly used, the number of dots formed in each of said N rasters are equalized, whereas the number of dots formed in each of said M columns are equalized.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for guiding a print carrier upon feeding the print carrier to and guiding the print carrier away from a form cylinder of a rotary printing machine. Guide elements for the print carrier are disposed axially parallel to the form cylinder. The guide elements are disposed in two groups. One group serves to pull the print carrier into the printing unit, while the other group assists in the removal of the print carrier from the printing unit of the rotary printing machine. The guide elements assisting the feeding-in and exchanging of the print carrier are protected against contact with the print carrier by throw-on elements during exchange of a print carrier. A printing unit in a rotary printing machine having the apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A correction value, which is used to correct misalignment of recording positions in a main scanning direction, is determined using a representative nozzle sub-array as a reference. The representative nozzle sub-array is within a predetermined range around the center of a nozzle array provided on a print head. The correction value is set, based on a positional misalignment test pattern printed with the representative nozzle sub-array. The misalignment of recording positions in the main scanning direction in the course of bidirectional printing is corrected with the correction value.

Abstract: While performing main scanning in which a head having a plurality of nozzles that eject ink is moved in prescribed forward and reverse main scanning directions relative to a print medium, print images are printed on the print medium by forming dots in each pixel aligned in the main scanning direction in accordance with print data. The dot formation position misalignment amount for each nozzle is corrected using image pixel value data indicating the existence of image pixels comprising images and adjustment pixel value data indicating the existence of adjustment pixels in which dots are not formed.

Abstract: An ink cartridge which has an IC memory for holding information about the cartridge. At the time the ink cartridge is to be installed in a printing apparatus, its insertion is inhibited at a position before installation by a lock mechanism. In this state, the information in the IC memory is read out via a first electrode terminal located on the cartridge side and connected to the IC memory and the propriety of the installation of the ink cartridge to the apparatus is determined. When the ink cartridge is determined to be appropriate, the lock mechanism is unlocked and the ink cartridge can be installed into the printing apparatus. When the ink cartridge is installed in the printing apparatus, data is exchanged between the printing apparatus and the IC memory via a second electrode terminal connected to the IC memory.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead system has a printhead with base member and a plurality of ink flow channels formed in the base member that connect to an ink reservoir and terminate in a nozzle through which ink is expelled. A heating element is associated with each ink flow channel. A monolithically integrated multiple output power driver circuit is formed as a semiconductor integrated circuit and connected to each heating element in the printhead. The multiple output driver circuit includes a power MOS transistor connected to each heating element. A reference circuit is operatively connected to each gate of the power MOS transistor and includes a reference transistor having a gate and a reference amplifier that receives as inputs a reference voltage and a source of current. An amplifier output is operatively connected to the gates of the power output transistors and the gate of the reference transistor.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head, a liquid discharging apparatus having such a liquid discharge head, and a method for manufacturing such a liquid discharge head. The liquid discharge head is provided with a top plate including a plurality of ink discharge ports for discharging ink droplet, a plurality of first liquid passages for supplying ink in correspondence to the plurality of ink discharge ports and a common liquid chamber for supplying the ink to the first liquid passages, a liquid discharge head substrate obtained by forming second liquid passages arranged adjacent to the first liquid passages and including bubble generating areas on a substrate on which a plurality of heat generating elements for causing the ink discharge port to discharge the ink droplets and including drivers for driving the heat generating elements, and a movable diaphragm for completely isolating the first liquid passages and the second liquid passages from each other and displaceable by a bubble generated on the heat generating element.