Abstract: The present invention includes an embodiment for optimizing the temperature operating range for a thermal inkjet printhead using ink over large print swaths. In general, this embodiment includes receiving the temperature of a digital temperature sensor (DTS) before printing begins, comparing this temperature with the set point for printing, initiating heating elements if the temperature is below the printing threshold, and turning off those heating elements when the threshold temperature of the die has been reached. The method and process minimizes thermal excursions, either above or below the set point for the production of ink droplets, and maintains an approximate isothermal environment for operation.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus comprising a nozzle arranged to eject ink droplets and an edge detector arranged to detect droplets having a first range of trajectories and arranged not to detect droplets having a second range of trajectories, the nozzle being arranged to eject one or more first droplets from each of a plurality of positions known relative to the edge detector, the positions being arranged such that the number of first droplets detected by the edge detector varies in dependence upon the magnitude of a component of the ejection direction of the nozzle, the apparatus being arranged to substantially determine a component of the ejection direction of the nozzle in dependence upon the detection by the edge detector.

Abstract: In addition to the patches to be measured, a pattern of strips, one of which is formed by a combination of cyan and magenta and the other by a combination of yellow and black, is printed prior to the printing of the patches. The band patterns are printed by setting each of the component colors at the same gray scale value as the maximum value of the measurement patches for each color. Thus, in the printing of each band pattern, ink is ejected at two times the duty of the patch with the maximum gray scale value, thereby eliminating the viscous ink almost completely.

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: An ink jet printer including an optical detector attached to a carriage on which a head chip is mounted, and one or more detected parts that can be detected by the detector formed on sides of ink cartridges placed in an ink cartridge holder. Each of the detected parts may be implemented as a right-angle prism. The one or more detected parts are operable to detect the presence or absence of ink and the corresponding ink cartridge being placed, among other features. Since the common optical detector and the one or more detected parts can detect a plurality of pieces of information, the ink jet printer is extremely advantageous for cost reduction and miniaturization as compared with the case where dedicated detection mechanisms are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with pieces of information to be detected as in a related art.

Abstract: An image-recording device records a high-quality image on a surface of a sheet by altering recording parameters for a one-side recording mode and a two-sided recording mode, for instance, a path number that is a number of paths, which a recording head of the image-recording device takes to record an image on the surface of the sheet, a nozzle number that is a number of nozzles, which the recording head uses to record the image on the surface of the sheet, drive frequency that is a frequency of the recording head at which the recording head records the image on the surface of the sheet, a dot number that is a maximum number of dots, which the recording head records in an area unit of the surface of the sheet and dot density that is density of dots, which the recording head records in an area unit of the surface of the sheet.

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: There are provided an ink jet head and an ink jet recording apparatus having a judging unit for making a judgment with ease on an ink filling state of a printing head without consuming any ink and recording medium that are used for verification. A controlling means 500 controls a selection means 300 to drive one of side walls adjacently disposed in ink passages provided on a head chip 200 and obtains a piezoelectric signal generated on the other one of the side walls from a signal processing means 400, to thereby judge the ink filling state in the ink passage.

Abstract: A printing method identifies where parts of an image will not be printed due to device failure and if possible shifts ink dots sideways or lengthways to adjacent rows or columns so as to lessen the visual effect of failure to print at the original location.

Abstract: Performance of a fluid ejection device is ascertained by using an array of fluid responsive transducers which provide signals useful for determining the size and/or landing position of ejected fluid droplets to obtain useful data for controlling fluid ejection devices such as inkjet printheads.

Abstract: This present invention is embodied in a printing system and protocol for providing efficient control of energy characteristics of an inkjet printhead. The printing system includes a controller, a power supply and a printhead assembly having a memory device and a distributive processor integrated with an ink driver. The distributive processor maintains energy characteristics of the printhead assembly within preprogrammed acceptable boundaries.

Abstract: The presence of invisible ink drops may be relatively easily detected on a print medium by detecting the changes in specular reflection between the print medium and the print medium upon which invisible ink drops are located. An optical sensor having a detector for capturing diffuse reflections and a detector for capturing specular reflections may be implemented to detect the presence of both sufficiently colored ink drops as well as invisible ink drops. In one respect, the location of the detected invisible inks may be utilized to determine whether an ink ejection element that fired the drops of invisible inks is offset or misaligned. In another respect, the drop size of the ink drops may be detected to determine the health of the nozzles. In this regard, the method of detecting the presence of invisible ink drops may be implemented as a routine or sub-routine to determine ink ejection element alignment, apply a positional calibration of the ink ejection element, and apply a printing mask.

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: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a conveying roller which conveys a print medium, a print head which conveys each of a plurality of sub-regions that are obtained by dividing the region of the print medium and records a test pattern each time the print medium is conveyed by the conveying roller in the region of the print medium corresponding to the convey amount of one rotation of the conveying roller, a CCD which reads a plurarity of the test patterns, and a control unit which calculates an interval between the previously recorded test pattern and the test pattern recorded after the print medium is conveyed, calculates the amount of deviation between the calculated interval and a predetermined interval as to all the test patterns recorded on the print medium, and calculates the average value of the amounts of deviation.

Abstract: The present invention includes as one embodiment a fluid ejection device coupled to a controller that sends and receives data signals to and from the fluid ejection device, the printhead comprising a communication device that facilitates data signal transfer between the printhead and the controller through both physical electrical contact and radio frequency signals.

Abstract: A piezo-resistive thermal detection apparatus for detecting the temperature of fluid inside a cavity device, such as the temperature of ink inside an inkjet print head. The apparatus includes a detection region and a plurality of piezo-resistive devices. The detection region is disposed on the inkjet print head in the form of a rectangle and made of a semiconductor material. The piezo-resistive devices are disposed on centers of each side of the detection region, wherein stresses produced by deformation of the piezo-resistive devices are exerted on the piezo-resistive devices. When the temperature of the ink rises, the surface of the inkjet print head is heated and expands, resulting in the deformation of the thermal detection apparatus. The piezo-resistive devices experience large amounts of stress due to the deformation of the thermal detection apparatus and thus the resistances of the piezo-resistive devices change.

Abstract: Volume of fluid feed channels is adjusted for drop generators that are staggered with respect to a feed edge. In one embodiment, barrier islands are positioned, sized, and/or shaped to adjust the volume. In another embodiment, protrusions or walls thereof are positioned to adjust the volume.

Abstract: A solid ink stick loader for loading solid ink into a printer. The loader includes a chute having at least one feed channel, a lower ink guide located within the at least one feed channel, and a push block located within the at least one feed channel, wherein the push block includes a guide following portion that at least partially engages the lower ink guide.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet printing head with a plurality of nozzles, an ink jet compensation controlling device for driving the ink jet printing head, and a detecting device for detecting a status of the nozzles. When the detecting device detects at least one malfunctioning nozzle, the ink jet compensation controlling device selects a group of normal nozzles according to the position of the malfunctioning nozzle and controls the group of normal nozzles to form corresponding printing strips on the document. The printing strips formed by the normal nozzles cover an area of the printing strips normally formed by the malfunctioning nozzle.

Abstract: A solid ink loader, which includes at least one feed channel for receiving ink sticks, at least one key plate for covering the at least one feed channel, wherein the at least one key plate includes a first receptacle, and a first insertion opening surround element that mates with the first receptacle, wherein the first insertion opening surround element includes a first ink stick insertion opening for receiving first ink sticks.