Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes: an intermediate transfer body; a liquid adhesion device which provides a first liquid having a viscosity not less than 15 mPa·s and not greater than 300 mPa·s at 25° C, on the intermediate transfer body; a droplet ejection device which ejects a second liquid containing a coloring material onto a region of the intermediate transfer body where the first liquid is provided by the liquid adhesion device, in a state where the first liquid on the intermediate transfer body has a thickness not less than 1.6 ?m; a viscosity raising device which raises a viscosity of the second liquid on the intermediate transfer body; and a transfer device which transfers an image including dots of the second liquid formed on the intermediate transfer body, onto a recording medium.

Abstract: An ink cartridge loading device has: a casing, a door, and a guiding member. The casing has a chamber that accommodates an ink cartridge, and an opening communicated with the chamber for loading and unloading the ink cartridge therethrough. The door is provided at the casing and is movable between a first position and a second position. The door closes the opening at the first position. The door opens the opening at the second position. The guiding member is provided on the door and partially guides the ink cartridge from the chamber through the opening to outside when the door moves from the first position to the second position. The guiding member supports the ink cartridge together with the door when the door is at the second position. The guiding member guides the ink cartridge into the chamber when the door is closing.

Abstract: Images are transferred to printing plates by illuminating light-responsive materials with patterns corresponding to the images to be printed. The present invention provides for the transferring of an image by the combined flux from two or more beams of light. Particular embodiments ablate the mask printing plates for CTP systems by the combined illumination from a first, broad beam and a plurality of controllable, pulsed beams that co-illuminate the plate with the first beam. The resulting system and method is less expensive than the prior art and produces a printing plate more efficiently and with improved productivity than the prior art.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a bottom wall, a first surface having a first intersection with the bottom wall, a second surface having a second intersection with at least one of the bottom wall and the first surface, an ink chamber bounded, at least in part, by the bottom wall, the first surface and the second surface, and an ink supply opening for supplying ink in the ink chamber to a location outside of the ink chamber, the ink supply opening being provided in the bottom wall. The first intersection has a first curvature and the second intersection has a second curvature and the first curvature is greater than the second curvature, and at least a portion of the first intersection is closer to the ink supply opening than at least a portion of the second intersection.

Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes an ink cartridge having a first housing portion for containing a liquid and a waste liquid storage cartridge having a second housing portion for containing a waste liquid, and a rewritable nonvolatile storage portion which stores a first threshold, a second threshold, liquid amount information and waste liquid amount information. The first threshold indicates a near liquid end state in which the liquid in the first housing portion is near to end. The second threshold indicates a near full state in which the waste liquid in the second housing portion is near to full. The liquid amount information indicates a liquid amount of the liquid contained in the first housing portion. The waste liquid amount information indicates a waste liquid amount of the waste liquid contained in the second housing portion. The ink cartridge and the waste liquid cartridge are integrally formed.

Abstract: A liquid-jet head, including: a plurality of head bodies each furnished with a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles formed therein; a joining member, adhered to the nozzle plate via an adhesive agent, for binding and fixing the plurality of head bodies; an opening formed in a region of the joining member corresponding to the nozzles; and a protrusion formed in an edge portion of the opening facing the nozzle plate, and protruding toward the nozzle plate, wherein when the joining member is joined to the nozzle plate via the adhesive agent, the protrusion is allowed to bite into the nozzle plate.

Abstract: A solid ink delivery system provides solid ink sticks to a melting device in a printer. The delivery system includes a guide for guiding the stick in a prescribed path. The guide defines an inlet for receiving the stick. The inlet provides unobstructed passage of the stick through the inlet. The guide also defines a channel having a first end and a second end. The first end extends from the inlet. The channel provides unobstructed passage of the stick through the channel. The channel is adapted to contain a plurality of sticks in the channel. The guide further defines an outlet extending from the second end of the channel. The outlet provides unobstructed passage of the stick through the channel. The outlet is positioned below the inlet whereby only gravity is used to advance the sticks from the inlet to the outlet.

Abstract: Since a bypass flowing passage which communicates with the inside of a bag part not through a second valve mechanism is provided for an outlet part, ink can be filled from the outlet part into the bag part in spite of the existence of the second valve mechanism. Further, after an empty ink pack has been housed in an inner case, the ink is filled into the ink pack. Therefore, when a first seal film is welded to the inner case, since the bag part is not bulky, the ends of the bag part are caught in a cartridge case. Therefore, the maximum amount of ink for the inner volume of the cartridge case can be filled. Further, since a bypass flowing passage is blocked after the ink has filled into the ink pack, contamination of air bubbles into the bag part through the bypass flowing passage is prevented.

Abstract: A printing system is provided having a printhead, a media drive mechanism for driving media to the printhead for printing, and a media cartridge for supplying the media. The cartridge has a rotatable core for a roll of media and a media delivery arrangement having an opening in the cartridge. The media delivery arrangement is arranged to enable a roller of the print media drive mechanism to contact a wound portion of the roll of media so as to feed an unwound portion of the media from the roll to the printhead on demand operation of the roller on the wound portion.

Abstract: An ink refill cartridge is provided for refilling an inkjet printer ink supply. The refill cartridge includes an outer molding defining a cavity. An inner molding is movably mounted to slide into the cavity and defines a recess. A deformable ink membrane is located within the recess, is configured to store ink and defines an outlet through which the stored ink can pass to the ink supply. A biasing arrangement is located within the cavity between the outer molding and the ink membrane. The biasing arrangement biases the membrane to deform and cause ink to pass from the outlet when the inner molding slides into the cavity.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an image forming section, a first frame for supporting the imager forming section, a second frame for supporting the first frame loosely, and a supporting section disposed on an apparatus body for supporting the second frame in a rotatable manner, wherein the first frame moves in association with a rotation of the second frame.

Abstract: A printer cradle unit for a printer cartridge has a body defining an opening for receiving the cartridge. A cover assembly closes the opening and secures the cartridge in an operative position. An ink refill mechanism is arranged on the body to operate a refill unit to refill the cartridge with ink. A roller assembly is arranged on the body and is configured to feed print media from the cartridge.

Abstract: A manipulating rod is provided on an air intake valve so as to project through an air intake port. A protective member is provided with a projection, which causes the manipulating rod to move so as to open the air intake valve, in response to a motion for detaching the protective member from an ink cartridge.

Abstract: Second individual electrodes are formed and arranged in zigzag in two rows on one surface of a flexible sheet, and wirings connected to the second individual electrodes are arranged to pass between adjacent second individual electrodes of the other row. Formed on the other surface of the flexible sheet are electrode connection sections to be connected to the second individual electrodes through through-holes going through the flexible sheet. The electrode connection section has an area larger than the second individual electrode and is connected to an external electrode through solder.

Abstract: A cleaning system for an inkjet printhead comprises an inkjet printhead having an inkjet nozzle array associated therewith. The inkjet printhead is in fluid communication with a first source of a first pressurized fluid. A fluid nozzle associated with the inkjet printhead is in fluid communication with a second source of a second pressurized fluid. The cleaning system further comprises a collection plate. Ink is forcibly ejected from the inkjet printhead by the first source of the first pressurized fluid. A stream of the second pressurized fluid is guided by the fluid nozzle across a surface of the inkjet printhead to direct ink ejected from the inkjet printhead onto the collection plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a droplet ejection head having a liquid ejection energy driving device to eject a liquid from a nozzle, the droplet ejection head including: a nozzle plate provided with a nozzle to eject liquid droplets; a tetrahedral amorphous carbon film provided on the nozzle plate; and a water-repellent film provided on the tetrahedral amorphous carbon film.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a substrate having a fluid channel including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a flexible membrane supported by the substrate and extended a length of the fluid channel, an actuator provided on the flexible membrane, and a constriction provided within the fluid channel between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, such that the actuator is adapted to deflect the flexible membrane relative to the fluid channel, and the constriction supports the flexible membrane between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a fluidic layer assembly mounted to a substrate, the fluidic layer assembly having a raised portion formed on a side that faces away from the substrate. A first nozzle is formed through a portion of the fluidic layer assembly other than the raised portion, and a second, larger nozzle is formed through the raised portion. A method of fabricating a fluid ejection device includes applying a first layer of a photoresist material to a substrate and a second layer of a photoresist material to the first layer. A sequence of exposures defines a first region of soluble material in the first layer that becomes the first nozzle and second and third regions of soluble material in the first and second layers, respectively, that jointly become the second nozzle. A region of insoluble material in the second layer becomes the raised portion.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink cartridge including a molded article including a polypropylene-based resin composition, the polypropylene-based resin composition including: (A) a polypropylene-based resin polymerized by a gas-phase method and having a weight-average molecular weight of 2.0×105 to 2.5×105; and (B) a hydroxide of an alkali earth metal, and a method for producing the ink cartridge.

Abstract: A sealing structure includes a first and a second passage-forming member, and an elastic member interposed between the surfaces and including: a plate-like body which has an inlet-side and an outlet-side surface and through which through-holes are perpendicularly formed, a first protruding portion protruding from one of the inlet-side and outlet-side surfaces in an axial direction of the through-holes to contact the first passage-forming member and a second protruding portion axially protruding from the other surfaces toward the second passage-forming member. The inner circumferential surface of one of the first protruding portion and those of the corresponding second protruding portion and through-hole are continuous to form a smooth surface.