Abstract: A carriage moving device has a motor, and a carriage. The carriage moves in a first direction when the motor rotates forwardly, while the carriage moves in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction when the motor rotates reversely. The carriage moving device further includes a facing object having a plurality of reflection ratios at a plurality of positions in the scanning direction. A first sensor unit has a light emitting unit configured to emit light to the facing object and a light receiving unit configured to receive light reflected by the facing object. A second sensor unit is configured to output a second signal in response to movement of the carriage. The controller notifies an error of the second sensor unit in response to a condition where a changing amount of the first signal in the reversing step exceeds a threshold amount and the controller cannot obtain the second signal.

Abstract: A high pressure printing system comprising: a high pressure printing head, constructed and arranged for printing a printing fluid with a printing pressure in at least a part of a channel upstream of the printing head in an interval of 15-3000 bars; a pressure system comprising a printing fluid inlet and a plurality of pressure cylinders constructed and arranged for providing a constant flow of said printing fluid, the pressure cylinders being interconnected by at least a pressure valve; and a damper, connected between an outlet of the pressure system and said high pressure printing head, provided for damping the valve action of the pressure valve.

Abstract: There is provided a printing control apparatus configured to cause a printing unit to print an image on a printing medium. In the printing control apparatus, the printed image has a size determined based on a candidate, which is acquired by a sensor detecting the size of the printing medium and is one of the candidates for a size of the printing medium, corresponding to a combination of a plurality of conditions for specifying the size of the printing medium.

Abstract: An apparatus individually selects a width and a length corresponding a margin setting from among respective widths and lengths of a plurality of candidates of print medium which are obtained by a sensor detecting the size of the print medium. Then, the apparatus causes a print unit to print an image in a size corresponding to the selected width and length and the margin setting.

Abstract: A transfer control method of continuous paper includes controlling a transfer amount of the continuous paper based on a rotational amount detected by a roller feeding amount detecting unit which detects the rotational amount of a paper feed roller, when each page of the continuous paper is printed, and when the printing on each page is completed, performing a cueing process of transferring the continuous paper until a printing start position of a next page reaches the printing position. The cueing process includes transferring the continuous paper until the continuous paper reaches a reference transfer position based on the feeding amount of the tractor detected by a tractor feeding amount detecting unit for detecting a feeding amount of the tractor and after the continuous paper reaches the reference transfer position, setting the transfer amount of the continuous paper as a target feeding amount.

Abstract: An apparatus detects inoperative inkjets in a printhead. The apparatus includes a rotating member having a light transmitting surface layer onto which material is ejected by the printhead. A light source directs light into the edge of the light transmitting surface layer and an optical sensor generates image data of the surface of the surface layer of the rotating member. Inoperative inkjets are detected with reference to the image data of the surface of the surface layer of the rotating member.

Abstract: A maintenance unit is a unit that maintains a liquid ejecting head and includes a cap holder that has a cap member capable of abutting against the liquid ejecting head, guide pins that guide the cap holder in a movable manner in an approaching/separating direction in which the cap member approaches and is separated from the liquid ejecting head, an engagement portion that is capable of being engaged with the cap holder, and a displacement operating portion that displaces the engagement portion between a restricting position at which the engagement portion restricts drawing of the cap holder out of the guide pins and an allowing position at which the engagement portion allows the cap holder to be drawn out of the guide pins.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head has an element substrate constituted of a substrate body having a plurality of energy generating elements for liquid ejection and a nozzle plate having a plurality of ejection ports arranged corresponding to the respective energy generating elements so as to form a plurality of ejection port rows each extending in a first direction, the rows being arranged side by side so as to expand in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The nozzle plate has also a groove section, or a plurality of hollow sections arranged to form a hollow section row, as extending in the first direction, at least between one of the opposite edges as viewed in the second direction of the nozzle plate and the ejection port row arranged close to the same edge.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head, a conveyor, a recording controller, and a flashing controller. The conveyor conveys a recording medium along a conveyance path. The recording controller causes the conveyor to convey a recording medium, and controls liquid ejection from the liquid ejection head to form an image on the recording medium based on image data. The flashing controller causes the conveyor to temporarily stop conveyance of the recording medium, and causes liquid ejection from the liquid ejection head based on drive data which is unrelated to image formation. The flashing controller determines timing for executing a subsequent flashing control so that, within a print enforceable period between one flashing control and the subsequent flashing control, the number of pages subjected to image formation based on image data increases with a decrease in time interval between image formation on one page and on another page.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material applying member configured to apply a recording material to a recording medium; a fixing member configured to fix a recording material to the medium; a first transportation unit configured to transport the medium to the recording material applying member and the fixing member; a discharge unit configured to discharge the medium; a second transportation unit configured to return the medium to the recording material applying unit; a reverse unit configured to reverse front and back surfaces of the recording medium provided in the second transportation unit; a transportation path switching unit configured to transport the medium to the discharge unit or the second transportation unit; and a control device configured to control the transportation path switching unit so as to transport the medium to the discharge unit when a fixing ability of the fixing member is decreased.

Abstract: An image recording device is provided with: a first guide mechanism for guiding the movement of a print head between an image recording position and a maintenance-receiving position, which is a position different from a support member in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which the print head at the image recording position and the support member face each other; and a second guide mechanism for guiding the movement of a maintenance unit between a withdrawn position for separating away from the print head in a third direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the second direction, in relation to the print head at the maintenance-receiving position, and a maintenance position for drawing nearer to the print head than the withdrawn position.

Abstract: In an ink jet printing apparatus prints an image by employing a print head capable of ejecting ink from ejection ports, a suction unit draws ink from the ejection ports into an interior of the cap by applying a suction force to the interior of a cap that is covering the ejection ports. An atmosphere communication unit exposes to the atmosphere the interior of the cap that is covering the ejection ports, and a pressure increase unit increases a pressure in an internal of the print head. A control unit permits the suction unit to apply the suction force to the interior of the cap, and permits the pressure increase unit to increase the pressure in the internal of the print head before the atmosphere communication unit exposes the interior of the cap to the atmosphere in a state where the ejection ports is covered with the cap.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a maintenance apparatus for removing ink from a nozzle surface of an inkjet head including a first region where a first nozzle is provided, a second region where a second nozzle is provided, and a third region located between the first region and the second region. The maintenance apparatus includes a first positioning section, a first wiping blade, and a second wiping blade. The first positioning section comes into contact with the third region and removes the ink present in the third region. When the first positioning section comes into contact with the third region, the first and second wiping blades come into contact with the first and second regions and remove the kinds of ink present in the first and second regions.

Abstract: A controller is configured to control ink ejection timings of a plurality of head modules on a basis of a positional relation in a print width direction of a sheet between nozzles, covering a same pixel, of the plurality of head modules of different colors in each of a plurality of head module lines such that, among landing positions of inks from the nozzles of the different colors covering the same pixel, the landing position of the ink from the nozzle of at least one of the different colors is shifted in a transfer direction of the sheet from the landing positions of the inks from the nozzles of the other colors in at least one of the plurality of head module lines.

Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge head including a discharge port surface on which discharge ports for discharging liquid are formed, an electrothermal conversion element configured to generate energy for discharging liquid from the discharge ports, and a protection film configured to cover at least the electrothermal conversion element, and a cap configured to cover the discharge port surface, wherein the cap is arranged along the discharge port surface at a position opposite to the protection film via the discharge ports in a state where the cap covers the discharge port surface, and wherein the cap includes an electrode configured to be used to apply voltage between the protection film and the electrode.

Abstract: A printing unit is provided having a moveable printing head with a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles to eject liquid ink; a cleaning station having a cleaning surface with at least one suction element to generate air suction; the cleaning station configured to clean the nozzles when the printing head overlaps with the cleaning station so that the nozzle plate and the cleaning surface at least partially overlap; a movement actuator means configured to move the printing head with respect to the cleaning station between a first position in which the suction element overlaps a first end of the nozzle plate and a second position in which the suction element overlaps a second end, opposite the first end, of the nozzle plate. A proximity sensor means measures a distance between the nozzle plate and the cleaning surface.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus which includes: a discharge head that includes a nozzle forming surface on which nozzles for discharging liquid are formed; a wiping member that performs wiping by relatively moving on the nozzle forming surface in a state in which a wiping surface abuts on the nozzle forming surface; a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies cleaning liquid to a liquid supplied surface which is a different surface from the nozzle forming surface and with which the wiping surface can come into contact; and a control unit that causes the wiping surface to abut on the liquid supplied surface to which the cleaning liquid is supplied, and then causes the wiping surface to relatively move on the nozzle forming surface in a state in which the wiping surface abuts on the nozzle forming surface.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head including (i) an ejection opening portion, (ii) a supply flow passage, and (iii) an actuator, a first tank connected to the liquid ejection head to supply liquid to the supply flow passage; a pump for forcing the liquid in the first tank into the supply flow passage; and a controller. The controller executes: a first control for driving the actuator, or the actuator and the pump such that all the liquid in the first tank flows to the supply flow passage; and a second control for, after a completion of the first control, driving the actuator in a state in which the pump is stopped, to discharge the liquid in the supply flow passage from the ejection opening portion such that an amount of the liquid in the supply flow passage falls within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A printer detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three dimensional objects. The printer includes an electrically conductive substrate onto which a printhead ejects building material in a test pattern. A plurality of electrically conductive members arranged in a pattern corresponding to the test pattern are moved a predetermined distance towards the substrate so ends of the members either contact the surface of the substrate or the building material on the substrate. An electrical current source coupled to the substrate produces a current in those members contacting the substrate. Thus, the inkjets corresponding to the members in which an electrical current is produced are identified as inoperative and the printing of an object can be suspended to take remedial action with regard to the printhead.

Abstract: A printer detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three dimensional objects. The printer includes a substrate onto which a printhead ejects building and support material in a test pattern. An ultrasonic sensor scans the substrate on the unprinted side and measures thicknesses at a plurality of locations on the substrate. The thickness measurements are used to identify inoperative inkjets in the printhead and the printing of an object can be suspended to take remedial action with regard to the printhead before formation of the object is completed.