Abstract: An ink cartridge for an ink jet printer includes a substratum and a cover attached to the substratum and having an aperture provided therein. A printhead is attached to the substratum and provided at least partially within the aperture. At least one connector extends from the printhead into the aperture, and an adhesive material covers at least a portion of the at least one connector. At least one barrier is provided for preventing the adhesive material from flowing to locations away from the at least one connector.

Abstract: A liquid droplet deposition method of consecutively depositing a plurality of droplets of liquid, which contains solvent and particles dispersed in the solvent and having a substantially uniform size, onto a recording medium includes the steps of: determining target positions at which the plurality of droplets are to be deposited on the recording medium; depositing an X-th droplet of the droplets at an X-th target position of the determined target positions on the recording medium, X being a natural number; and depositing an (X+1)-th droplet of the droplets at an (X+1)-th target position of the determined target positions on the recording medium subsequently to the X-th droplet, after the particles contained in the X-th droplet are aggregated to form an X-th particle aggregate on the recording medium due to liquid bridging force, wherein in the determining step, the target positions are determined so as to satisfy following conditions: L(CX, CX+1)?rX+r_maxX+1, and L(PX, CX+1)?r_maxX+1, where CX is the X-th

Abstract: A recording apparatus can be prevented from becoming dirty, for example, due to incorrectly loading a recording medium. If a width of the recording medium that has been detected by the detection means is shorter than a width, in the direction that intersects the carrying direction of the recording medium, over which the recording information is to be recorded, then a portion of the recording information, of the entire recording information, corresponding to the width, or to less than the width, of the recording medium that has been detected by the detection means is recorded onto the recording medium by the recording head. A notice is made when the width of the recording medium that has been detected by the detection means is different from a width of the size of the recording medium that has been set with the setting means. The ON/OFF of an operation through which the detection means detects the width of the recording medium is settable.

Abstract: A printing system includes a media transport pathway, a marking system disposed along the media transport pathway and a sheet media sensor capable of identifying associated sheets of media. An operating module is capable of switching the printing system between a productive condition and a non-productive condition. An advancement module is capable of advancing associated sheets of media along the media transport pathway while the printing system is in the non-productive condition. A method is also included.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises: an object liquid deposition device which deposits an object liquid containing coloring material onto a recording medium; a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits a treatment liquid that insolubilizes the coloring material onto the recording medium; and a control device which controls the treatment liquid deposition device in such a manner that volume of the treatment liquid deposited in a high-density region on the recording medium where volume per prescribed surface area of the object liquid deposited on the recording medium is high, is less than volume of the treatment liquid deposited in a low-density region on the recording medium where the volume per prescribed surface area of the object liquid deposited on the recording medium is low.

Abstract: Provided is a print engine controller for a pagewidth printhead. The controller includes contone and bi-level decompression circuitry for decompressing a contone layer of compressed page data and a bi-level layer of compressed page data, respectively. The controller also includes halftoner and compositor circuitry for halftoning the decompressed contone layer to associated bi-level versions and compositing the decompressed bi-level layer over the halftoned contone layers. Also included is printhead interface circuitry for receiving the halftoned and composited data so as to generate print data suitable for printing by the printhead. The controller further includes line loader and formatter circuitry for receiving dot data from the halftoner and compositor circuitry to store the dot data for lines to be printed in memory circuitry of the controller and to format said lines into an order required by the printhead interface circuitry.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises: a plurality of ejection ports through which liquid is ejected toward a prescribed recording medium; a plurality of pressure chambers which are respectively connected to the plurality of ejection ports; a plurality of first actuators which respectively change volume of the plurality of pressure chambers; a common liquid chamber which is connected to the plurality of pressure chambers; a second actuator which changes volume of the common liquid chamber; and a drive unit which supplies drive signals to the first actuators and the second actuator, such that the first actuators cause the volume of the pressure chambers to contract to eject the liquid through the ejection ports and subsequently to expand the volume of the pressure chambers, and causes the second actuator to contract the volume of the common liquid chamber after the volume of the pressure chambers has been expanded.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a recording head including a nozzle from which liquid droplets are ejected, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle and containing liquid, and a pressure generation part changing the volume of the pressure chamber; and a drive signal generation part generating a drive signal including multiple drive pulses and causing the pressure generation part to operate so that the liquid droplets are ejected. The drive signal generated by the drive signal generation part includes, within a single print cycle, a resonant drive pulse causing a first one of the liquid droplets to be ejected using the natural vibration period of the pressure chamber, a non-resonant drive pulse causing a second one of the liquid droplets to be ejected without using the natural vibration period of the pressure chamber, and a slight drive pulse prevented from causing the ink droplets to be ejected.

Abstract: A container having a non-planar external surface and a digital image printed thereon by ink droplets is provided. The ink droplets may vary in diameter from about 10 to about 200 microns and the droplets may range from about 200 to about 1200 drops per inch. Methods for digital printing plastic containers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A testing method includes sorting inkjet heads into a plurality of groups on the basis of known information about ink flow, preparing basic driving waveform data corresponding to each of the groups and modification data that partially modifies the basic driving waveform data to individually store them in advance in a storing section, creating individual waveform information that instructs combinations of the basic driving waveform data with the modification data with respect to an inkjet head to be tested to apply a modified driving waveform, and repeating the modification of the individual waveform information until a recording state becomes good.

Abstract: A recording head substrate includes a plurality of groups of recording elements arranged in arrays; a number, corresponding to a number of the groups, input contacts for receiving driving pulse signals; signal lines for supplying the driving pulse signals to the groups of recording elements from the input contacts, respectively, wherein in a region between two of the groups of recording elements are adjacent to each other, the signal lines are connected to the recording elements such that areas in which the groups of recording elements are disposed, respectively, have respective driving pulse signal change areas which are overlapped with each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cradle unit for a print engine having an inkjet printhead and a PCB controller, the cradle unit configured to receive a cartridge unit having a printhead assembly of the print engine with a controller on a flex PCB. The cradle unit includes a cover assembly movable between a closed position, where the cartridge unit is mechanically secured in the cradle unit and the PCB controller of the print engine electrically contacts the flex PCB controller such that power and data signals can be transferred therebetween, and an open position where the electrical contact is broken and allows the cartridge unit to be removed from the cradle unit. The cradle unit also includes a maintenance drive assembly having a motor operatively connected to a maintenance gear and actuator arrangement and to a wiper gear and actuator arrangement, the maintenance drive assembly operated by the PCB.

Abstract: The invention provides a printhead assembly for a printer which prints onto a moving web that follows a path. A full width printhead located across the path of the printer. The printhead is a color printhead which is at least as wide as the web. The printhead is supplied with a number of different inks which are remote from the printhead and which are supplied to the printhead through tubes. In some embodiments the printhead is retained by a rail which is located across the path and along which the printhead slides into and out of a printing position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for compensating for the degradation of a print image due to a malfunctioning nozzle that irregularly ejects ink. A malfunctioning nozzle is detected among nozzles installed in an inkjet image forming apparatus, and image data of a print position adjacent to a compensation position printed by the malfunctioning nozzle is exchanged for image data of a print position in an interest or inspection region near the compensation position. Accordingly, degradation of print quality, such as, for example, an unintended visible white band, can be prevented and the lifetime of the printhead can be lengthened.

Abstract: A printhead driving method in a power source device to output a printhead driving voltage, for generating an optimum voltage for a characteristic of the printhead attached to a printing apparatus, without controlling an output voltage with high accuracy. The printhead is provided with a reference voltage source to set an output voltage of a head driving power source. A head driving power circuit incorporated in the printing apparatus compares a value obtained by dividing the reference voltage with a value obtained by dividing the output voltage from the power circuit and performs control so as to eliminate an error. Further, the printhead is provided with a non-volatile memory, and data to supply driving energy to optimize a discharge characteristic of the printhead is obtained upon final test of manufacturing process by using a test device having a similar construction to that of the head driving power circuit incorporated in the printing apparatus. The data is written into the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to implement higher-quality printing at a higher speed by changing an electric current value to a printing element and adjusting energy applied to the printing element in an inkjet printhead. To achieve this object, a current regulating circuit is arranged on the head substrate of an inkjet printhead of a constant electric current driving type which supplies a constant electric current to a heater. The electric current value is changed in accordance with a signal (digital signal etc.) supplied from the outside of the printhead. Energy corresponding to the electric current value is applied to the printing element from a constant electric current source corresponding to each group.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of printing using dots of ink discharged from nozzles to form the image. To ensure quality and efficiency of printing, a feed back mechanism from the printhead is used, to provide real time readings on various parameters of the printhead. These readings are compared to a pulse parameter table, to adjust the parameter of the pulse to ensure quality and efficiency of the printing. The temperature of the printhead is sensed to allow the timing of the firing pulses to be adjusted to take into consideration the viscosity of the ink. The amount of voltage available to the pulse actuator can be sensed so that the pulse width can be adjusted to compensate for a flat battery or high voltage source. The resistivity of the actuator heater can be sensed so as to adjust the pulse widths to maintain a constant energy irrespective of the heater resistivity.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording method which enables recording of precise images by using a photo-curable ink and an ink-jet recording apparatus is disclosed, comprising ejecting an ink from a recording head to form ink dots on a recording medium, and exposing the recording medium to an actinic ray, wherein at least one of the timing of ejecting the ink and the rate of conveying recording medium is controlled so that the number of ink dots per unit length is greater in the sub-scanning direction than in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A method of controlling refilling of a printing unit by a printing fluid refill cartridge is provided. In the method, information on an amount of printing fluid contained in the refill cartridge is stored in an information storage element of the cartridge, the refill cartridge is mounted to the printing unit, the information on the amount of printing fluid is read with an information reader incorporated in the printing unit, and the refilling of the printing unit with printing fluid contained in the refill cartridge is controlled based on the information read.

Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles provided to a liquid jet head, an actuator provided corresponding to each of the nozzles, and drive unit for applying a drive pulse to the actuator, wherein the drive unit includes drive waveform signal generation unit that generates one or more of drive waveform signals each providing basis of the drive pulse to the actuator, one or more of transistor pairs provided as many as the number of the actuators in order for power-amplifying the one or more of drive waveform signals generated by the drive waveform signal generation unit, and each having two transistors forming a pair and connected to each other in a push-pull manner, and one or more of low-pass filters provided as many as the number of the actuators and each disposed between a connection point of the transistor pair and the actuator.