Abstract: An indexing wiper scraper cleaning system for cleaning a scraper, which has removed ink residue from a wiper following an inkjet printhead wiping routine where the residue was first removed from the printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism, has a reservoir filled with an ink solvent. Rotary scraper member having a series of scraper bars projecting radially from a cylindrical body is supported to periodically soak at least one of the scraper bars in the ink solvent bath. Following this soaking, the scraper bars are rotated through an indexing motion into a scraping position to scrape the ink residue from the wiper where the wiper is scraped across a positioned one of the scraper batrs, thereby leaving he remaining scraper bars untouched. After the scraping operation, the scraper bars are returned to the solvent bath to ready them for the next scraping operation.

Abstract: A system is provided for registration of a fluid level of a fluid in the fluid chamber of an invention-specific receptacle (1), in particular of ink in an ink cartridge, with a light source (11) which beams into the chamber of the receptacle, a reflection body (2) which is designed as a float, which moves in the chamber of the receptacle in dependency upon the filling level of the fluid and which variably reflects the light in dependency upon its movement, and a light detector (10) which receives a variable amount of light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for outputting an image through an electrophotographic process in accordance with a digital image signal includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; an optical system for applying light information to the photosensitive member; a developing device for forming a toner image on the photosensitive member; an input path for a plurality of digital image signals containing a bi-level digital image signal and a multi-level digital image signal; a controller for changing developing condition of the developing device when the image is outputted in accordance with the bi-level digital image signal, and changing an image forming condition which is different from the developing condition when an image is outputted in accordance with a multi-level digital image signal.

Abstract: Adjustment of correction data for the respective LEDs at the end of manufacture of a print head is performed by transferring provisional correction data from a manufacturing device to an LED driver, directly, i.e., without once being stored in a storage circuit 10c in the print head, and measuring the amounts of light from the LEDs and varying the correction data, and repeating such an operation until the correction data is optimized. The optimized correction data as well as the strobe time data determined from the measured average power are written in the storage circuit 10c. During use of the printer, the data stored in the storage circuit 10c is used for correction of the data and determination of the strobe time.

Abstract: A valve unit is arranged in an ink supply path located between an ink cartridge and a recording head in an ink jet recording apparatus. The valve unit controls the opening and closing of the ink supply paths between the ink cartridge and the nozzle openings during a cleaning operation of the recording head. Air bubbles entered into the recording head when the ink cartridge is replaced are discharged by opening the valve unit after applying negative pressure within a cap covering the nozzle openings. By closing valve units disposed on the other recording head that does not receive a new ink cartridge, unnecessary ink suction discharging ink equally through all nozzle openings can be avoided.

Abstract: A continuous inkjet printer in which a continuous ink stream is deflected at the printhead nozzle bore without the need for charged deflection plates or tunnels. The printhead includes a primary ink delivery channel which delivers a primary flow of pressurized ink through an ink staging chamber to the nozzle bore to create an undeflected ink stream from the printhead. A secondary ink delivery channel adjacent to the primary channel is controlled by a thermally actuated valve to selectively create a lateral flow of pressurized ink into the primary flow thereby causing the emitted ink stream to deflect in a direction opposite to the direction from which the secondary ink stream impinges the primary ink stream in the ink staging chamber.

Abstract: An improved capping method and apparatus is provided for capping a plurality of inkjet printer cartridges. A plurality of capping device are mounted on a common support member which is biased towards the respective printheads of a plurality of cartridges. Relative movement in the capping direction between the capping device and the printheads is limited by a mechanical stop and the biasing force provided is sufficiently large to ensure that in use this relative movement is always so limited. By providing a substantially constant displacement in the capping direction between a set of cartridges and a set of capping means, the capping force between a particular printhead and its respective capping device dependent only on the manufacturing tolerances associated with the particular printhead and capping device and not those associated with all other printheads and capping device in the set.

Abstract: A laser marker employs a laser beam, an optical scanner that scans the laser beam along an optical path, and an optical element having a variable image distance. The optical element is located after the scanner and is tilted with respect to the optical axis of the scanner by an amount sufficient to create a desired variable image distance as the laser is scanned across the optical element. The scanning of the scanner is synchronized to the motion of the substrate by determining a first component of motion of a substrate to be marked by using an encoder and storing data representing a second component of motion of the substrate in a memory. In a preferred embodiment, the optical element is a spherical lens.

Abstract: A replaceable inkjet printhead cleaner service station system has separate replaceable cleaning units for each printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism, which has a pallet that moves the cleaning units translationally to service the printheads. Each cleaning unit has a printhead wiper, a printhead snout wiper, a capping system, a spittoon, and optionally, an ink solvent application system. The snout wiper cleans ink residue from a non-ink-ejecting snout portion of an inkjet printhead cartridge installed in the printing mechanism. The snout wiper has a base which moves between a rest position and a wiping position. A wiper is supported by the base to wipe ink residue from the non-ink-ejecting snout portion of the cartridge through motion of the cartridge while the base remains stationary at the wiping position. A method is provided for cleaning an inkjet printhead, along with an inkjet printing mechanism employing such a snout wiping system.

Abstract: A scraper system having coarse and fine cleaning components is provided for cleaning ink residue from a wiper after wiping ink residue from a printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism. The scraper system includes a stationary coarse scraper bar which the wiper passes over to remove the ink residue from the wiper body. The system a fine scraper of a foam material which may be impregnated with an ink solvent. The fine scraper foam is sliced to form segments separated by slits. As the wiper passes over the fine scraper, the wiper tip plunges into the slits to remove ink residue from the important wiper tips, leaving them clean for the next printhead wiping stroke. The fine scraper may be cam actuated to selectively engage the wiper or mounted stationarily. A method of cleaning printheads and inkjet printing mechanisms having scraper system are also provided.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling a multi-nozzle CIJ printhead having a pressure modulator for causing streams of ink emitted from the nozzles to be broken up into individual droplets, and charge electrodes 6 and charge electrode controllers for controllably applying a charge to individual ones of the droplets in each stream. The method involves generating a modulation waveform to operate the pressure modulator to cause droplets to be generated in each stream and operating the charge controllers to supply a charge signal waveform to each charge electrode. The charges applied to the streams of droplets are compared to a reference or threshold value. The number of droplet streams in which the droplet charges exceed the reference or threshold value is determined plural times and an average value for the number is calculated. This step is repeated a number of times and if the average is less than the average previously calculated then the threshold or reference value is reduced.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming method and apparatus for ejecting a recording liquid including an image forming and non-forming liquids from a recording liquid ejection port while changing a mixture proportion based on an image signal. The ejected recording liquid is transferred to an image receiving medium to form an image thereon. The image forming liquid is extruded into a flow of the image non-forming liquid in a recording liquid channel, and led to the ejection port so that the image-forming liquid fails to contact an inner wall surface of the recording liquid channel. The image non-forming liquid flows as a laminar flow in the recording liquid channel, and the image forming liquid is extruded into the laminar flow, surrounded and enveloped by the image non-forming liquid and led to the ejection port. The recording liquid fails to be disordered before reaching the image receiving medium, and image quality can be prevented from being deteriorated.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead having a series of ink ejection nozzles each having a fist meniscus rim around which an ink meniscus normally forms. An extended ink flow prevention rim is provided spaced apart from the first meniscus rim and substantially encircling the first meniscus rim so as to prevent the flow of fluid across the surface of the inkjet printhead.

Abstract: A replaceable ink container includes an ink container chassis for containing a quantity of ink and a latch separate from and attachable to the ink container chassis for securing the replaceable ink container to a receiving station of an inkjet printing system. The chassis further includes a receptacle for receiving the latch to attach the latch to the chassis. The container is assembled by inserting the latch into the receptacle.

Abstract: A print engine chassis for supporting an imaging drum (14) and a printhead translation assembly (40) is fabricated by joining the interlocking rigid members using tab (36) and slot (38) junctions to form a sheet metal frame (12) and then coating the sheet metal frame with a plastic (39) to bond the rigid members in place. Additionally, a the rigid members may be predipped in plastic prior to joining.

Abstract: A device for positioning a printing head of a printer in response to recording carrier/substrate thickness includes a reflex sensor arranged in a protected space formed between a head-carrying carriage and an opposing printing head housing surface. During printer initialization or upon insertion of a recording carrier/substrate having a thickness greater than a predetermined thickness, the printing head is slightly displaced with respect to the carriage as a result of brief contact of the printing head print surface with the recording carrier that is supported on a printing abutment. The reflex sensor measures the displacement travel distance of the printing head and generates an input signal to an evaluation circuit. The evaluation circuit generates an output control signal to a carriage displacement drive in response to the measured displacement of the print head to automatically set the distance between the printing head and the recording carrier or printing abutment.

Abstract: A compact printer having a printhead, a powered roller and a novel capping mechanism. The printhead prints on printable media that is passed adjacent to the printhead by the powered rollers. The capping mechanism has a pair of spaced apart capping arms that are bridged by a cap. The cap is moved between a position that protects the printhead and a position that enables the printhead to print on the media. The powered roller causes the capping arms to be moved between these positions and also moves the printable media past the printhead between the cap and the printhead.

Abstract: A cartridge 10 for a printer 40, the cartridge 10 including a rigid element 32 which protrudes from the remainder of the cartridge 10 for preventing the cartridge 10 from being filly engaged in the printer 40. The main part 34 of the element 32 is arranged to be removed by snapping it off to enable the cartridge 10 to be fully engaged in a printer 40 and to open at least one aperture into the cartridge.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus includes a plurality of heads for discharging liquids used for plural types of prints each exhibiting a different attribute. Further the apparatus includes a control apparatus for adjusting and controlling a timing of a preliminary discharge for maintaining a discharge not contributing to records by said plurality of heads, per attribute of the liquids to be discharged in such a manner that droplets of the liquids exhibiting the same attribute are discharged to the same position.

Abstract: A printing device has a motor that drives an ink jet print head back and forth along a print track. A service station is installed on one end of the print track, and has a first track, a second track, a slot track, and a wipe sled. The wipe sled slides inside a housing of the service station along the first track, in parallel with the print track. The slot track, which is part of the wipe sled, in diagonal to the print track. The second track, mounted on the housing, is perpendicular to print track. A wiper is mounted on both the slot track and the second track. The relative movement of the slot track with the second track as the wipe sled is pushed backwards forces the wiper into a working position.