Abstract: An ink evaluation method of the present invention comprises: a first step of making a given amount of solution pass through a filter and measuring time for the solution to pass through the filter; a second measurement step of making pass through the filter the ink having a solid material dispersed in a solvent and having the same viscosity and the same amount as those of the solution, and measuring the time for the ink to pass through the filter (filter passing time); a calculation step of calculating a ratio of the filter passing times between the solution and the ink; and a determination step of determining whether the ink discharging stability index is high or not based on the measured ratio. Thus, since the ink having a high spraying stability index can be easily determined, ones having the high spraying stability index out of plural types of ink may be selected.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes plural print buffers for storing recording data, a null flag table capable of setting null flags corresponding to the print buffers instead of storing null data on the print buffers, data converting means provided with plural writable blocks for writing the recording data and with a counter for retaining values to designate the writable blocks, clear means for zero clearing the writable blocks in accordance with the values of the counter, DMA means for reading out the recording data from the print buffers for writing the recording data on the writable blocks, and control means for enabling the clear means to zero clear the writable blocks when the null flags are set on the null flag table corresponding to the print buffers, instead of performing a process by the DMA means to read out data from the print buffers.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving signal includes, in one printing cycle, a pulse signal applied with an interval that is shorter than a predetermined pulse interval being equal to a Helmholtz period of a head, and a pulse signal applied with an interval that is longer than the predetermined pulse interval.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead heater chip has an integral voltage regulator that derives two output voltages from a single chip input voltage. One of the two output voltages powers control logic circuitry as the other powers FET drivers. Preferred output voltages include +3.3 volts for the control logic circuitry and +7.5 volts for the FET drivers. A Vgs of the FET is about +7.5 volts which enables a FET area width of about 400 microns. Outputs of the control logic circuitry provide input to the FET drivers. A resistive heater for ejecting ink couples between a drain of the FET and the chip input voltage. Voltage regulating capacitors exist on the heater chip in parallel with the input voltage and each of the output voltages. Preferred capacitors have a gate oxide and a polysilicon layer overlying a substrate. Inkjet printers for housing the printheads are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system for calibrating a device having a first fluid source that ejects a first drop quantity and a second fluid source that ejects a second drop quantity by, for example, printing a pattern having a first portion and a second portion; obtaining a relationship between the first drop quantity and the second drop quantity from the pattern; and adjusting data used to determine quantities of fluid to eject from the first or second fluid sources based on the relationship between the first and second drop quantities. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a calibration apparatus and system.

Abstract: A passive, aerodynamic document printing, staging, and presentation system substantially reduces the time required to print and dispense multiple narrow-format documents, allows staging of multiple documents, and reduces document jamming without the use of active mechanical staging and presentation devices. The system includes a roll-feed wide-format printer, a paper chute for dispensing a printed document, an element for advancing a document from the printer to the paper chute, and an element for holding at least one document emerging from the paper chute.

Abstract: An image forming device capable of detecting the presence/absence of ink as well as whether an ink tank is mounted. A detachable ink tank 32 on a carriage 31 includes a prism 32C, and a reflective optical sensor 33 detects the presence/absence of ink depending on the difference in refractive index between the two states, that is, filled with ink and empty. A reflector lever 35, movable in response to the ink tank 32 being mounted or not, is provided on the bottom of an ink tank holder 34. The reflector lever 35 has one end fixed on a lower part of the ink tank and the other end that is a free end consisting of a triangular reflector 35D. The reflector lever 35 is normally urged upward by a resilient member 35A, and it will not direct the reflection toward the sensor 33 in the absence of the ink tank whereas it is deformed in the presence/absence of the ink tank to direct the reflection toward the sensor 33. As a result, the presence/absence of the ink tank is detected.

Abstract: An image forming device has a first calculator applying any one of setting values for plural alignment patterns pre-set corresponding to magnitudes of feeding error values according to feeding amounts of a printing sheet of paper by feeding rollers and calculating first correction values for the feeding error values depending upon operation modes, a second calculator calculating second correction values for the feeding error values depending upon the printing sheet, and a controller controlling the feeding rollers to be driven to correct the feeding error values depending upon the operation modes and the printing sheet using the first and second correction values calculated by the first and second calculators. Accordingly, the image forming device can correct the feeding error values depending upon the operation modes, the printing sheet, and the printing position sections, thereby obtaining a best quality images in the respective modes.

Abstract: A system for compensating for non-functional ink cartridge ink jet nozzles is provided. The system includes an ink jet compensation system that receives ink jet nozzle failure data, such as each nozzle that is clogged or damaged, and that generates nozzle correction data, such as a nozzle to fire instead of each failed nozzle for a given print pattern or a nozzle firing sequence that compensates for the failed nozzle, such as by printing at that location during a subsequent or previous printer head pass. An ink control system receives the nozzle correction data and image data and generates printer control data, such as by receiving image data in a standard format for printing and modifying the printer control data that would be generated if all ink jet heads were functioning properly to include the nozzle correction data.

Abstract: For calibration, a patch pattern is printed which enables patches to be measured while precisely reducing the adverse effects of a variation in patch pattern density resulting from a variation in movement speed or temperature of a printing head. Specifically, dummy patches that are not measured are printed on the periphery of measured patches. The dummy patches are printed by ejecting ink through all ejection openings in the printing head. Then, an increased dye concentration of ink is discharged from the printing head. Further, at the ends of a scanning range, at which the dummy patches are printed, the movement speed of the printing head varies significantly. Accordingly, the measured patches can be printed while the speed remains stable.

Abstract: A method of determining a registration offset in a hard copy apparatus, the apparatus comprising a pen arranged to mark a print medium and a sensor arranged to detect marks on the medium along a sensor path, the method comprising the steps of: marking a alignment pattern on the medium, the pattern being at least partially located along the sensor path; detecting the position along the sensor path of a portion of the pattern; and, determining a distance by which the pattern is offset from the sensor path in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sensor path, the pattern being configured such that the detected position is indicative of the offset distance.

Abstract: A control circuit 30 that controls writing of data to storage devices 21-28 and reading of data from storage devices 21-28 transmits a clock signal SCK and a reset signal RST to storage devices 21-28 via a clock signal line CL and a reset signal line RL. Of the data transmitted by control circuit 30, first data SDA1, a data sequence intended for the storage devices 21, 23, 25, 27 of the first group, is supplied via a first data signal line DL1 to the storage devices 21, 23, 25, 27 of the first group. Second data SDA2, a data sequence intended for the storage devices 22, 24, 26, 28 of the second group, is supplied via a second data signal line DL2 to the storage devices 22, 24, 26, 28 of the second group.

Abstract: An imaging system, including a print engine and a processor assembly, wherein the processor assembly is configured to determine the colorant needed to produce a hard copy of a print or copy job, and compare the determined amount of colorant to the amount of colorant available to the print engine.

Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid containing portion having an opening; a liquid supply portion, fixed in the liquid containing portion, for introducing the liquid from the liquid containing portion; an information memory medium accommodating portion, provided in the liquid containing portion, for holding an information memory medium storing information relating to the liquid container, wherein the information memory medium accommodating portion is adapted such that contact surface of the information memory medium held by the information memory medium accommodating portion is opposed to the liquid supply portion and that space is provided between the contact surface and a surface of the liquid containing portion.

Abstract: A multi-head tandem printer is disclosed which includes an optical encoder or other device mounted on a roller (the “encoder roller”) in contact with the print media. The device and encoder roller serve as a tachometer to measure the media transport speed (referred to herein as the “print speed”). The print heads are arranged so that the unloaded receiver length between two print heads is an integral multiple of the unloaded receiver length transported for each revolution of the encoder roller. In one embodiment, the print heads are arranged so that the inter-head spacing is an integer multiple of the circumference of the encoder roll. Adjustments may be made to the inter-head spacing to take into account factors such as the thickness of the receiver and the curvature at the line of receiver contact with the encoder roll. Such techniques may be employed to reduce the effect of mechanical errors on color registration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing system having a plurality of print heads for printing an image on a print receiving medium, print head actuators operable for individually repositioning the print heads to optimal locations for each print job, and software operable while a current print job is active for determining the optimal print head locations for a next anticipated print job.

Abstract: An ink cartridge identifying apparatus of a printer which is capable of selectively mounting two or more kinds of ink cartridges therein for printing includes an identifying unit, a sensing unit, and a micro processing unit. The identifying unit is prepared on a body of the ink cartridge. The sensing unit is prepared in a carriage mounted with the ink cartridge therein so as to sense the identifying unit. The micro processing unit identifies what kind of cartridge the ink cartridge is, by using signals detected from the sensing unit. In this structure, it is possible to identify the kind of the ink cartridge without adding electrical contact nodes to a flexible printed circuit of the ink cartridge.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving circuit always supplies an auxiliary pulse signal in every printing cycle. When ink is to be discharged, the driving circuit supplies, after the auxiliary pulse signal is supplied, an ink discharge pulse signal for driving the actuator so that the ink is discharged and so that an ink meniscus vibration in the nozzle is resonant with that caused by the auxiliary pulse signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for automatically determining the image quality of inkjet photo printers or color inkjet photo printers, whereby a digital reference test chart is produced which is made available to the printer. The printer or photo printer prints out the reference test chart so that a photo printer specific printout of the reference test chart is generated, which is digitized for comparison of the digitized image data with an optimum digital reference test chart, for determination of the image quality of the printed image on the basis of deviations or concurrences between the photo printer specific test chart printout and the reference test chart.

Abstract: An ink-ejection-determining device capable of determining with high reliability whether ink has been ejected is to be realized. The device comprises a light emitter capable of emitting light, and a light receptor capable of receiving the light and outputting an output signal corresponding to an amount of the light. According to a change in the output signal caused by the light being blocked by ink ejected from an ink-ejecting portion, a determination is made of whether or not ink has been ejected. If it is determined that ink has not been ejected according to the change in the output signal, after conducting a correction of a gain of the light receptor according to the output signal of the light receptor in order to make the output signal of the light receptor suit the determination of ink ejection, the determination of whether or not ink has been ejected is made again.