Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting for drop placement errors due to relative rotation between an inkjet printhead mounted in a printer carriage and the print media to be printed on comprises first determining the relative contribution to the drop placement error due to rotation of the printhead about the scan axis (Y axis error), then, with respect to any determined Y axis error, applying the same magnitude and sense of correction for drop placement errors while printing in both a first scanning direction of the carriage and while printing in a second scanning direction of the carriage. Errors due to rotation about the Z axis are also corrected for. Preferably the errors are determined by printing and scanning a test pattern.

Abstract: A portable imaging system for viewing distant objects is disclosed comprising an optical lensing system for magnifying a viewed distant object; a sensing system for simultaneously sensing said viewed distant object; a processor means interconnected to said sensing system for processing said sensed image and forwarding it to a printer mechanism; and a printer mechanism connected to said processor means for printing out on print media said sensed image on demand by said portable imaging system. Preferably the system further comprises a detachable print media supply means provided in a detachable module for interconnection with said printer mechanism for the supply of a roll of print media and ink to said printer mechanism. The printer mechanism can comprise an ink jet printing mechanism providing a full color printer for the output of sensed images. The preferred embodiment is implemented as a system of binoculars with a beam splitting device which projects said distant object onto said sensing system.

Abstract: According to the invention, electrical connection members are provided, arranged between the chassis and the carriage carrying capacitor plates corresponding respectively to the reservoirs, in order to put into service each plate corresponding to a reservoir, at a predetermined position of the carriage, a common contact element of these connection members being connected to an oscillator.

Abstract: In an image recording device which records an image on a recording medium responsive to a desired gradation in each pixel and which includes a recording head for jetting an ink droplet having a diameter at a timing therefrom, the diameter of the ink droplet is modulated in response to the desired gradation in each pixel while the timing is modulated dependent on the modulated diameter. Thus, a position of impact of the ink droplet is not deviated, so that quality of image is not deteriorated.

Abstract: A method and means for automatic alignment of ink-jet printheads includes fitting measuring constructs to actual print data acquired form a print made using a given, predetermined, test pattern data set. Specific test patterns for use in automated alignment of ink-jet printheads are suited to providing a variety of printhead alignment information in a compact format. The test pattern data set incorporates techniques for avoiding carriage-induced dynamic errors during automated alignment of ink-jet printheads.

Abstract: An ink jet recorder comprises a carriage for holding an ink jet head, capable of sweeping across a recording medium, an ink cartridge for supplying ink to the head, and a detector for detecting whether the fluid level of the ink inside the ink cartridge is at a prescribed level. At least two detection operations are performed by the detector. If two of those detection operations indicate an ink fluid level short of the prescribed level, ink cartridge replacement is displayed on a display. Erroneous ink level judgments can thus be held to a minimum even when the ink forms waves inside the ink cartridge due to the movement of the carriage in the sweep direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic alignment of ink-jet printheads includes fitting measuring constructs to actual print data acquired form a print made using a given, predetermined, test pattern data set. Specific test patterns for use in automated alignment of ink-jet printheads are suited to providing a variety of printhead alignment information in a compact format. The test pattern data set incorporates techniques for avoiding carriage-induced dynamic errors during automated alignment of ink-jet printheads.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic alignment of ink-jet printheads includes fitting measuring constructs to actual print data acquired form a print made using a given, predetermined, test pattern data set. Specific test patterns for use in automated alignment of ink-jet printheads are suited to providing a variety of printhead alignment information in a compact format. The test pattern data set location finding algorithm incorporates techniques for avoiding carriage-induced dynamic errors during automated alignment of ink-jet printheads.

Abstract: A recording element and a recording device is disclosed which may stably eject very fine liquid drops without nozzles and with low frequency low voltage driving. The element of the present invention provides vibrators on a substrate. On the vibrators are provided elastic members. The elastic members have their tips in a sharpened form, plate-like form, or needle-like form. The free surface of liquid are positioned closer to the bottom side of the elastic members than the tip of the elastic members to drive the vibrators with an external driving means.

Abstract: A liquid container for a liquid jet recording apparatus comprises a first chamber containing negative pressure producing material and having a liquid outlet connectable to a liquid jet head to supply liquid from the container to the liquid jet head and an air vent for allowing ambient air into the container, wherein the liquid outlet is provided in a bottom portion of the first chamber. A second chamber communicates with the first chamber by a communication path and is substantially hermetically sealed. A wall extends upwardly from the communication path of the first chamber. An ambient air introducing path is provided for between the wall and the negative pressure producing material extending from a point partly up the wall toward the communication path for introducing ambient air into the second chamber.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for performing a recording operation to a recording medium, conveyed by a conveyor, by using ink jet heads, and comprising an optical detector, arranged within the recording apparatus, for optically detecting desirable information and light-shielding for preventing light entering the interior of the recording apparatus from reaching the optical detector.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of warming a printhead with a heat sink using prepulsing is provided. A temperature of the printhead may be measured and then using predetermined data, an amount of prewarming of the printhead may be determined based on the measured temperature. The printhead may be prewarmed by prepulses based on the determined amount of prewarming prior to printing a swath of data. The swath of data may then be printed and the temperature of the printhead may again be measured to determine a subsequent temperature and amount of prewarming. The printhead may again be prewarmed prior to printing subsequent swath by applying prepulse signals which are determined based on the subsequent temperature of the printhead. The thermal mass of the heat sink may be used for the advantage of minimizing the amount of required prewarming, and therefore, maximizing the productivity, when the ambient temperature is low.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing machine, an ink drop error correction apparatus includes a position extrapolator that is responsive to conventional position encoder pulses and uses a second order polynomial equation to compensated for ink drop distortions induced at higher carriage velocities of at least 25 inches per second for generating a series of nozzle firing sub-pulses that account for different carriage velocities. A fire pulse generator responsive to the sub-pulses further adjusts the firing time of the printing machine nozzles to correct for the carriage velocity induced ink drop positional errors for both non constant and constant carriage velocity conditions.

Abstract: A plurality of ejection openings of an ink-jet head are divided into four blocks and ink ejection is performed for each block. An output of a photosensor which depends upon a number of ejected ink droplets interrupting light at a photosensor is sampled. On a basis of the sensor output, judgement is made whether ejection failure is present of the relevant block. This in ejection openings process is performed sequentially for other blocks. By this, even when a given rate of error is present in detecting precision of the photosensor, since overall number of ejection openings for which the detection is made is smaller, the number of faulty ejection openings which cannot be detected can be made smaller.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a feeder for feeding a recording medium; a carriage reciprocally movable relative to the recording medium; an ink jet recording head detachably mountable on the carriage and having electrothermal transducers for producing thermal energy contributable to ejection of recording ink through ejection outlets thereof, the recording head has an ejection outlet information setting portion wherein a number and a pitch of the ejection outlets of the ink jet recording heads are set; and control circuit for detecting the ejection outlet information in the ejection outlet information setting portion, for discriminating the number and the pitch of the ejection outlets from the detected ejection outlet information, and for determining ejection timing of the recording head and a feed pitch of the recording medium by the feeder on the basis of the number and the pitch of the ejection outlets.

Abstract: The new heater element design has a pit layer which protects the overglaze passivation layer, PSG step region, portions of the Ta layer and dielectric isolation layer and junctions or regions susceptible to the cavitational pressures. Further, the inner walls of the pit layer define the effective heater area and the dopant lines define the actual heater area. In alternative embodiments, the dopant lines define the actual and effective heater areas, and an inner wall and a dopant line define the actual and effective heater areas. Further, when the new heater element designs are incorporated into printheads having full pit channel geometry and open pit channel geometry, the operating lifetime of the printhead is extended because the added protection of the pit layer prevents: 1) passivation damage and cavitational damages of the heater elements; and 2) degradation of heater robustness, hot spot formations and heater failures well into the 109 pulse range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining ink supply depletion as a function of optical reflectance testing uses a given relationship of optical reflectance level data to the ink usage by percentage of prints made. At anytime during pen life, a test pattern can be printed and optically sampled to determine current reflectance level data. Use of an average current reflectance level from a given printhead can be entered into a polynomial equation representative of the relationship and the equation solved to provide a percentage of ink consumed to date.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting method for ejecting liquid by generation of a bubble includes preparing a head comprising an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble generation region for generating the bubble in the liquid, a movable member having a fulcrum and a free end portion; and displacing the free end of the movable member by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble in the bubble generating portion wherein the free end of the movable member is restrained from entering the bubble generation region beyond a first position which is taken by the free end of the movable member before generation of the bubble.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for firing the nozzles on an ink jet print head cartridge that requires a reduced number of data lines between the ink jet print head cartridge and the printer electronics. A group data line provides serial group select data that is stored in a set of group select latches on the ink jet print head cartridge and identifies a particular group of nozzles on the ink jet print head. A primitive data line provides primitive select data that is stored in a set of primitive select latches on the ink jet print head cartridge and identifies a particular nozzle in the selected set of nozzles. A first clock line provides a first clock signal that is used to advance the group select data and the primitive select data into the group select latches and primitive select latches respectively.

Abstract: When a clamp lever 40 is pivoted in a direction of arrow F1, and a hook 41c of a hook lever 41b is engaged in an engagement hole 35a, then a switch lever provided at a front end of the clamp lever 40 pivots in a counterclockwise direction and a lower surface of a front end 42b of the switch lever presses down a button 61a of a detection switch 61. Also the upper surface of the 50a of the ink cartridge 50 is pressed by the plate spring 44 provided to the under surface of the clamp lever 40 so that the ink cartridge 50 is mounted in the accommodation portion 33 without rattling around. The CPU detects the ON condition of the detection switch 61. When the ON condition is not detected, no drive signals will be outputted from the CPU to the drive circuit. For this reason, recording can be performed when the ink cartridge 50 is accurately mounted.