Abstract: Described is a production process for the preparation of an organic titanium derivative useful for the preparation of yellow inks for digital printing on ceramics, comprising the following steps: (i) mixing an organic and/or inorganic compound of titanium (IV) and a 1,3-diol of formula: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from H and a linear or branched C1-C6 alkyl radical, in the presence of at least an organic solvent immiscible with water and subsequent removal of reaction by-products; (ii) adding water to the reaction mixture in a H2O:Ti?2 molar ratio and subsequent removal of unreacted water and reaction by-products; (iii) maturing the reaction mixture at a temperature of 180-200° C. for 16-50 hours. Also described are the titanium derivative obtainable by means of the above-reported process, an ink that contains the derivative and a method of digital printing on ceramics that uses said ink.

Abstract: A holding member provided in a liquid ejection apparatus is attached to a receiving member and includes a capturing portion capturing a supply member so as to hold the supply member. The capturing portion is displaceable while the holding member is attached to the receiving member.

Abstract: The invention has an object to provide a printing method wherein a wide variety of recording medium can be used, and printed materials richer and more vivid in color can be obtained by using sublimation dyes. To achieve the object, provided is a printing method including: an ink applying step for applying an ink on a recording medium (100), and the ink contains a solvent, a binder resin (11) dispersed or emulsified in the solvent, and a sublimation dye (12) entrained in particles of the binder resin (11); and a heating step for heating the ink to diffuse the sublimation dye (12) among the particles of the binder resin (11) for color development.

Abstract: The invention has an object to provide a high-quality print. To achieve the object, an inkjet printing device (100) includes: a transferring roller, a print-heater (6) for heating a medium (20); and an after-heater (7) for heating an ink, wherein the device has a plurality of inkjet heads, and the plurality of inkjet heads discharges inks in different colors and are aligned along a direction of transfer of the medium.

Abstract: A method of identifying inoperable ejectors in a printhead includes operating a plurality of ejectors in the printhead to form a printed test pattern on an image receiving surface while the printhead and image receiving surface remain stationary. The method also includes generating image data of the printed test pattern, identifying rows of marks in the printed test pattern, and identifying an inoperable ejector in the printhead that corresponds to a missing mark in one row of marks that corresponds to one ejector in a row of ejectors in the printhead.

Abstract: A flow path structure includes: a substrate that includes a first surface and a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface; a supply port formed on the first surface; a plurality of discharge ports formed on the second surface; grooves that are formed on the first surface so as to extend in an X direction and communicate with the supply ports and with the plurality of discharge ports via through-holes formed on the substrate; and a sealing portion that is disposed on the first surface and seals each groove.

Abstract: What is disclosed is an apparatus and method for inhibiting the formation of sediment in an ink tank of a MICR inkjet printer. In one embodiment, the present apparatus comprises an ink tank containing MICR ink and an electromagnet which resides in a chamber located on, near, or inside the ink tank. Activation of the electromagnet causes the particles to be attracted to the electromagnet's magnetic field such that the particles are lifted off a bottom of the tank to inhibit sediment formation thereon. The electromagnet can be activated in response to the MICR inkjet printer having been turned OFF. A sensor may further be employed to activate the electromagnet in response to one of: sediment in the ink tank having reached a pre-determined level; a flow-rate of liquid ink through the tank having fallen below a threshold level, sediment levels, or a pressure inside the tank.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head, a recovery tank, a supply tank connected to the recovery tank, and a pressure regulator. The pressure regulator includes a first cylinder connected to an upper portion of the recovery tank, a first piston movable in the first cylinder, a first valve configured to open and close a path between the recovery tank and the first cylinder, depending on a position of the first piston, a second cylinder connected to the first cylinder and an upper portion of the supply tank, a second piston movable in the second cylinder, a second valve configured to open and close a path between the supply tank and the second cylinder, depending on a position of the second piston, and a third valve configured to open and close a path between the second cylinder and an atmosphere, depending on a position of the second piston.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of forming, using a sublimation ink, an image that is free of outline blurring on a transfer medium even when the thickness of an ink fixation layer is increased. In order to solve this problem, a transfer film 10 is provided with a base material film 11, a transfer binder layer 12, a sublimation ink layer 13, and a mask layer 14 which is provided in a region where sublimation ink is not transferred to media 100, the transfer binder layer 12 being configured from a material which is permeated by sublimation of the sublimation ink.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer including a first memory and a controller. The first memory is configured to store a plurality of types of partial print data for print formation of a plurality of types of partial pictorial symbols wherein some of the partial pictorial symbols are combined into at least one pictorial symbol. The controller is configured to execute a determining operation acceptance process, a print data generation process, and a coordination control process. In the determining operation acceptance process, a determining operation for determining the pictorial symbol is accepted. In the print data generation process, print data including the pictorial symbol determined by variably combining the plurality of types of the partial print data stored in the first memory is generated. In the coordination control process, the feeder and the printing head are coordinately controlled for forming a print corresponding to the print data on the print-receiving medium.

Abstract: A technique is provided to facilitate connection of a fluid container with a fluid consuming device and disconnection of the fluid container from the fluid consuming device by a simple configuration. There is provided a fluid container detachably connectable with a fluid consuming device. The fluid container comprises: a fluid container body at least partly made of a material having flexibility and configured to contain a fluid; a fluid supply structure located at one end portion of the fluid container body and configured to be connectable with a fluid introducing structure provided in the fluid consuming device; and a container-side electrical connection structure linked with the fluid supply structure and configured to have a contact arranged to come into contact with a device-side electrical connection structure provided in the fluid consuming device.

Abstract: In one example, a flexible circuit for a fluid cartridge includes a single flexible substrate, an electronic memory on the substrate, an authentication code stored on the memory, first electrical connector pads on the substrate connected to the memory, and second electrical connector pads on the substrate, not connected to the memory, to connect to a fluid dispensing die.

Abstract: A method for example of irradiating a light-curable material, may comprise irradiating light about a first axis from an array of light-emitting elements towards a light-curable surface, directing the irradiated light through an optical element interposed between the array of light-emitting elements and the light-curable surface, wherein a central axis of the optical element is offset from the first axis, and deflecting the irradiated light directed through the optical element asymmetrically away from the first axis towards the light-curable surface.

Abstract: A recording position control device includes head units, edge sensors, head movers, a controller, and a timer. The controller performs an original-point determination operation of moving the head units to an original point and to control the head movers to move the head units in a direction to correct meandering of a recording medium. The controller performs a second round of the original-point determination operation after performing a first round of the original-point determination operation. The timer measures, as a measurement time period, a time period from when the controller issues an execution command of the second round to when the controller receives a completion status of the second round. In a case in which the measurement time period is equal to or shorter than a first threshold time period, the controller determines that the original-point determination operation of the head units has failed to be normally executed.

Abstract: A water-based ink for ink jet recording contains a colorant containing a dye; water; an anionic zirconium complex ion; and a surfactant represented by the formula (1) in the formula (1): R1 is an alkyl group having 12 to 18 carbon atoms or an R4—CO—NH group (R4 is an alkyl group having 12 carbon atoms); each of R2 and R3 is a methyl group or a hydroxyethyl group; and R2 and R3 may be identical to or different from each other. Chromaticness of a recorded matter is improved without any increase in dye concentration.

Abstract: The sheet conveying apparatus includes a conveying belt including a placement area having a suction hole, and configured to convey a sheet with a vacuum force from the suction hole, a sheet supply unit capable of supplying a sheet to a supply position of the sheet with respect to the conveying belt; and a control unit configured to control the conveying belt so as to further move the conveying belt after the conveying belt conveys a last sheet to be conveyed. The control unit causes the conveying belt to wait after moving the placement area to a predetermined position in an area from a position in an upstream direction with respect to the moving direction of the conveying belt to the supply position in a conveying amount of the conveying belt corresponding to a time required for the sheet supply unit to convey a next first sheet to the supply position.

Abstract: The optical scanning apparatus correctly measures a gap between the laser beams of a plurality of the laser beams even when the scanning speed is changed and when the variation is caused, rightly corrects the variation. Thus, the optical scanning apparatus inputs detection signal BD_IN to the edge detecting unit at timing at which the laser beam is detected. During the enable gating, the count value representing the distance between the head laser beam and the end laser beam is counted in the counting unit. A plurality of speed ratio parameters according to the degree of changes in the scanning speed is input in the selector. The selector selects any one of the speed ratio parameters and multiplies by the count value by the multiplier, it is controlled to obtain the same multiplication result whichever scanning speed may be selected.

Abstract: The carriage of a line printer has a head unit that supports a printhead, and a carriage frame that supports the head unit movably up and down. When moving the carriage from a standby position to an opposing position, the carriage is moved while the head unit is held at a up position where the gap to the platen unit is a first distance. The head unit is then lowered at the standby position from the up position to a down position where the platen gap is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance.

Abstract: An ink container, adapted to supply an ink composition to an ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head for discharging the ink composition, includes an ink chamber containing the ink composition, the ink chamber including a wall defining the ink chamber and a support connected to an inside of the wall to support the wall; and an ink pouring port through which the ink composition is poured into the ink chamber, in which, in a use state of the ink container, in a case where the ink chamber is filled with the ink up to 50% of the volume thereof, an area of the support in contact with the ink composition is larger than an area of the support in contact with atmosphere.

Abstract: A liquid supply system adapted to be mounted in a carriage unit having a first liquid introduction portion and a second liquid introduction portion is proposed. The liquid supply system comprises two liquid supply units each having liquid supply portion adapted to liquid to the first and second liquid introduction portions, respectively. The two liquid supply units are adapted to be attached to and detached from the carriage unit. The liquid supply system further comprises a holder unit adapted to be attached to and detached from the carriage unit and adapted to fix the two liquid supply units to the carriage unit. The two liquid supply units are located between the holder unit and the carriage unit.