Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method of aligning plural staggered pens in a printer with a first pen and a second pen of the plural pens defining a macro-pen, the first and second pens being staggered, the method includes aligning the first and second pens of the macro-pen and aligning a third pen with the macro-pen.

Abstract: A method of adjusting the positioning of a media sheet in an imaging device is provided. Data is collected related to the positioning of a media sheet in a plurality of ejection/positioning sequences. The position of a subsequent sheet is adjusted based on the data.

Abstract: To suitably electrically interconnect a recording element substrate, on which power supply paths are formed in a high density, and an electric wiring substrate, on which wiring lines for supplying power to these paths are formed, bumps are formed and arranged on the recording element substrate at a predetermined pitch therebetween so as to protrude by a predetermined distance t1 from this substrate. On the electric wiring substrate, on the other hand, connecting terminals are formed and arranged with the same pitch as that of the bumps. Between each two of the bumps is formed an insulating film which protrudes in the protrusion direction of the bumps by a predetermined distance t2, where t1<t2. By fitting the connecting terminals between respective pairs of the insulating films, each connecting terminal comes in contact with a corresponding bump with a sufficient contact area provided therebetween so as not to give rise to short-circuiting or open-circuiting.

Abstract: A method of detecting a fault within a micro electro-mechanical device in the form of an ink ejection nozzle having an actuating arm that moves an ink displacing paddle when heat inducing electric current is passed through the actuating arm and having a movement sensor associated with the actuating arm. The method comprises the steps of passing at least one current pulse having a predetermined duration through the actuating arm and detecting for a predetermined level of movement of the actuating arm. If a fault is detected to exist, as indicated by an insufficient level of movement of the actuating arm, at least one further current pulse having an energy level greater than the fault detecting pulse may be passed through the actuating arm in an attempt to clear the fault.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for setting the writing instrument distance and orientation to an adjacent platen uses independently adjustable devices positioned such that both the gap between the writing instrument and platen and the pitch and roll angles of the printhead to the platen can be aligned to predetermined appropriate settings.

Abstract: Techniques are described for constructing filter type features capable of entrapping particle contaminants to eliminate printing defects. These techniques utilize photo-imageable barrier material to fabricate various shapes and forms to reduce feature sizes. Several of these techniques utilize barrier material of height less than barrier materials used to fabricate ink feed channels and firing chamber walls. Another variation describes creation of a filter mesh from two layers of reduced height barrier materials.

Abstract: An optical sensor for detecting the position of marks on a medium, wherein relative motion is provided between the optical sensor and the medium during an optical sensing operation. The optical sensor produces an electrical sensor signal, and has a field of view at the media in a direction of the relative movement. The marks have a nominal dimension in the direction of the relative movement, and the field of view is larger than the nominal dimension. This produces a sensor signal with a clear and relatively sharp peak in response to scanning the media mark.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head having improved printing performance and improved manufacturing efficiency, a manufacturing method of the ink jet recording head, and an ink jet recording device. A head chip in which nozzles for jetting ink droplets are formed is fitted in an opening of an ink manifold via rubber sealing members, and the chip is exposed to the interior of ink supply chambers. Thus, the chip is efficiently cooled by the ink, and the temperature of the ink can be controlled so as to be within a predetermined range. Accordingly, no heat sink is necessary, and as a result, the head is easily manufactured and made compact. Since the chip is fitted in the manifold opening via the sealing members, application of an adhesive and curing time are unnecessary. Thus, manufacturing efficiency is improved.

Abstract: In a calibration data input process, a carriage 5 is moved toward an ink sensor 19 to a prescribed position while the ink sensor 19 detecting levels of reflected light. Then the amount of reflected light is read for over a range wider than the width of the carriage 5 including a theoretical detecting position P2. An actual detecting position P1 is found based on the level of reflected light. The difference between the theoretical detecting position P2 and the actual detecting position P1 is calculated and is stored as the calibration value &agr; in a first calibration data memory M1. Accordingly, the actual detecting position P1 is set as P2±&agr;. The calibration value &agr; is used in a calibration process to calibrate the detecting position, so that the level of reflected light can be detected with accuracy.

Abstract: A printing head has a plurality of heater boards, each of which includes a shift register to which printing data and selection data for selecting preheating pulse signals are applied as inputs, a latch circuit for latching the printing data, a selection-data latch circuit for latching the selection data, a selection circuit for selecting any one of a plurality of preheating pulse signals inputted in accordance with the latched selection data, and a plurality of heating resistors driven by the printing data or preheating pulse signals. Correction data, obtained by a head correcting apparatus, for performing printing at an average density by correcting the characteristics of each heater board is stored in a memory of the printing head. A printing apparatus decides the selection data in accordance with the correction data and sets the selection data in the selection-data latch circuit.

Abstract: A printhead alignment sensor for an ink jet printer includes two terminals defining a substantially linear gap therebetween. An ink support device supports ink in the gap between the terminals. An electrical measuring device detects a change in an electrical resistance between the terminals when ink is supported in the gap by the ink support device.

Abstract: A sensor includes an ink drop sensing element integral to a printed circuit board. Sensing circuitry is coupled to the printed circuit board and may be configured to receive electrical signals from the sensing element. A method of manufacturing such an ink drop sensor and a printing mechanism having such an ink drop sensor are also provided.

Abstract: A customized font based on fixed font cells having certain non-printable pixels along its perimeter, and formed by a pixel grid having a higher dpi horizontal resolution as compared to its vertical resolution. By preventing any marking dots on adjacent pixels in a given row, a minimal amount of ink drops can be used to print digitized characters, and higher throughput is obtained by using a printhead having a nozzle pitch which is the same as the vertical print resolution, and which has a swath width which allows a complete row of character cells to be printed in a single pass of the printhead across the media.

Abstract: An ink jet head cartridge includes a recording head for ejecting ink; an ink container for containing the ink to be supplied to the recording head; an air venting opening for communication between the container and ambience to allow supply of the ink from the container to the recording head; wherein the air venting opening is constituted by an outside opening and an inside opening and a passage connecting them, the passage has a length larger than a thickness of the ink container.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink-jet recording material including a water resistant support, and a porous ink-receptive layer containing inorganic fine particles having an average particle size of primary particles of 30 nm or less provided on the support, wherein the ink-jet recording material contains at least one hydrazine compound.

Abstract: In a printer for forming an image by means of main scanning as a reciprocating operation of a recording head and sub-scanning as an operation for feeding a recording medium, an image recording position is automatically and accurately corrected in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction. To achieve this, a reference image extending in the sub-scanning direction is first formed at a first predetermined position on the recording medium during a forward operation of the recording head, while particular images are formed at second predetermined positions on the recording medium during the reciprocating main-scanning operations of the recording head, the first predetermined position being different from that of the second predetermined positions.

Abstract: A method of providing a number approximating a total number of ink drops fired by an imaging device, including the steps of incrementing a COUNT variable associated with a color of ink if an ink drop of that color is fired by a printhead in the imaging device, evaluating the value of the COUNT variable and incrementing a TOTAL INK CONSUMED variable associated with the color, dependent upon the evaluating step.

Abstract: In an apparatus producing a high-quality and high-resolution image having high water and light resistances with an orifice having a diameter less than &phgr;25 &mgr;m (less than 500 &mgr;m2 in terms of cross-sectional area of the orifice) by use of a fine particle dispersion recording composition, nozzle clogging can be prevented. A recording is accomplished by a liquid jet recording apparatus for ejecting a recording composition including dispersed fine particles from a small orifice toward a receiving medium, wherein a size Dp of the fine particles and a diameter Do of the small orifice are determined by a relationship 0.001≦Dp/Do≦0.01.

Abstract: Bidirectional recording is carried out with a printer that enables variable size dots of different ink quantities to be created with different driving waveforms W1 and W2. Variables are set to a time delay n0 before output of the driving waveform W1 and a time interval n6 between the driving waveform W1 and the driving waveform W2. The output timings n0 and n6 of the driving waveforms W1 and W2 in the course of a backward pass of main scan are individually regulated on the basis of dots created in a forward pass of the main scan as a reference. This arrangement desirably reduces a positional misalignment of dots created in the forward pass with dots created in the backward pass with regard to each of the variable size dots having different ink quantities, thus ensuring high-quality printing.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus includes a print recording source, which ejects wet ink onto a print media, and container, which ejects a supercooled gas onto the media in order to freeze-dry the wet ink. The methods include ejecting wet ink onto recording medium and freeze drying the ink on the medium. Also the supercooled gas is pass across a portion of the media either before or after wet ink received on the medium.