Abstract: A thermal bend actuator includes: a first active cantilever beam for connection to drive circuitry, the first beam having a bent planar beam element; a second passive cantilever beam fused to the first beam; a conduction pad sandwiched between the first and second beams; and first and second adjacent electrode contacts positioned at one side of the actuator. A first end of the beam element is connected to the first contact and a second end of the beam element is connected to the second contact. The conduction pad is positioned at a bend region of the planar beam element so as to facilitate electrical conduction around the bend region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printer includes a conveying mechanism, a first image forming unit, and a second image forming unit. The conveying mechanism conveys a medium. The first image forming unit forms an image with a non-temperature-sensitive ink whose color is not changed depending on a temperature, on the medium. The second image forming unit forms an image with a temperature-sensitive ink whose color is changed depending on a temperature, on the medium having the image with the non-temperature-sensitive ink formed thereon.

Abstract: The image formation apparatus includes: a cylindrical conveyance member which conveys a recording medium in a conveyance direction while rotating in a state where the recording medium is held by suction on a circumferential surface of the cylindrical conveyance member; a liquid ejection head which ejects liquid from an ejection face thereof toward the recording medium being conveyed by the cylindrical conveyance member; and an ejection face protective device which includes a restricting member which restricts floating up of the recording medium by coming in contact with the recording medium at a position in a first region between the ejection face of the liquid ejection head and the circumferential surface of the cylindrical conveyance member or a second region adjacent to the first region, when the recording medium is released from the suction toward the circumferential surface of the cylindrical conveyance member while being conveyed by the cylindrical conveyance member.

Abstract: A catcher includes a housing and a drop contact structure. The housing defines a liquid removal conduit. The drop contact structure includes a moveable surface that delivers collected liquid drops to the liquid removal conduit of the housing.

Abstract: The invention provides for a micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangement on a substrate with motion conversion coupling structures. The structures operatively link a thermal actuator and a roof structure of the nozzle arrangement. The roof structure defines an ejection port therein. The coupling structure includes a connecting member connected to the thermal actuator, and a tongue and rod assembly located on the substrate, said assembly configured to convert an arcuate displacement of the connecting member into a linear displacement of the roof structure towards the substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric inkjet head having piezoelectric actuators for restrictors includes a flow channel plate including an ink inlet through which ink enters, a plurality of pressure chambers into which ink to be ejected is filled, a manifold which is a path to receive ink from the ink inlet and to supply the received ink to the pressure chambers, a plurality of restrictors that connect the manifold to the pressure chambers, and a plurality of nozzles to eject ink from the pressure chambers to an outside thereof. The piezoelectric inkjet head also includes a plurality of first piezoelectric actuators formed on the flow channel plate corresponding to positions of the pressure chambers to provide a driving force to each of the pressure chambers to eject ink to the outside. The piezoelectric inkjet head also includes a plurality of second piezoelectric actuators formed on the flow channel plate corresponding to positions of the restrictors to change cross-sectional areas of the restrictors.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head include a discharge port for discharging liquid; a liquid chamber communicating to the discharge port; a piezoelectric element including one electrode layer, another electrode layer, and a piezoelectric film sandwiched between the one electrode layer and the other electrode layer independently arranged in correspondence to the liquid chamber, and including a piezoelectric drive portion at where the piezoelectric film deforms and displaces in correspondence to the liquid chamber; and a vibration plate interposed between the piezoelectric element and the liquid chamber, wherein a bending rigidity of both ends in an arranging direction of the one electrode layer of a portion corresponding to the piezoelectric drive portion of the vibration plate is greater than the bending rigidity of a region between both ends.

Abstract: A liquid droplet jetting head, having: a plurality of dividing walls to divide a plurality of flow channels, wherein at least a portion of the dividing wall is formed with a piezoelectric element; a flow path having a rectangular tubular from formed by an upper wall to close an upper surface of the flow path along an array direction of the plurality of the flow paths, and a lower wall to close a lower surface of the flow path; a nozzle to jet liquid in the flow path as the liquid droplet; and two driving electrodes formed independently on each wall surface of the dividing wall in a longitudinal direction of the flow path having the rectangular tubular form, wherein the nozzle is formed on either the upper wall or the lower wall.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head comprises: a substrate having first through-holes forming reservoir chambers, a second through-hole forming a supply chamber, and a bonding film on one surface; a nozzle plate having nozzles for ejecting ejection liquid and a second bonding film on one surface, the first and second films being bonded together to cover the first through-holes and the second through-hole; a sealing plate on another surface of the substrate covering the first through-holes, one surface of the sealing plate contacting the substrate's another surface; and piezoelectric means on another surface of the sealing plate for driving the droplet ejection head. The bonding films contain an Si-skeleton of constituent atoms containing silicon atoms, with siloxane (Si—O) bonds and elimination groups bonded to the silicon atoms, the constituent atoms being randomly bonded together, and the elimination groups existing near a surface of the bonding films.

Abstract: A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern that guides the fluid; causing the fluid to contact the fluid control surface of the fluid control device; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device by guiding the fluid using the pattern of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device.

Abstract: A liquid ejection device ejects liquid droplets from a liquid ejection head. The liquid ejection device includes a liquid feeding member that feeds liquid to the liquid ejection head. The liquid feeding member is connected to a liquid ejection head to feed liquid to a common liquid chamber of the liquid ejection head, which liquid ejection head includes the common liquid chamber that supplies the liquid to plural individual liquid chambers communicating with plural nozzles that eject liquid droplets. The liquid feeding member includes a liquid circulation path through which the liquid circulates in a direction parallel to a direction in which the nozzles of the liquid ejection head are aligned.

Abstract: A device and a method of controlling fluid flow are provided. The method includes providing a moving fluid including a fluid flow velocity characteristic; providing a fluid control device including a fluid control surface, the fluid control surface including a pattern that changes the velocity of the fluid; and causing the fluid to interact with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device using the pattern of the fluid control surface while the fluid is in contact with the pattern of the fluid control device such that the fluid flow velocity characteristic of the fluid after interacting with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device is different from the fluid flow velocity characteristic of the fluid before interaction with the fluid control surface of the fluid control device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric layer forming step of sequentially and repeatedly performing a heat treatment step of applying a piezoelectric material containing lead to a lower electrode film at a relative humidity in the range of 30% to 50% Rh and then performing a heat treatment to form a piezoelectric precursor film and a crystallization step of firing the piezoelectric precursor film to form a piezoelectric film on the lower electrode film, thereby forming a piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a main body and a print head. The main body includes a mechanical portion and a control portion. The mechanical portion includes a pump that pressurizes or draws a liquid(s), such as an ink and/or a solvent, and a solenoid valve that switches between flow channels guiding the liquid to flow therethrough. The control portion controls respective operations including printing and running and stopping of the inkjet recording apparatus. The print head includes a nozzle that atomizes the ink pressure fed from the main body into ink droplets, a charging electrode that electrically charges the ink droplets, a deflecting electrode that forms an electric field that deflects the charged ink droplets, and a gutter that collects the ink unused for printing. The nozzle includes a surface-treated layer that repels the ink to a portion where the ink is supplied.

Abstract: A liquid drop ejecting head for ejecting liquid drops from nozzles communicating with liquid chambers includes a piezoelectric actuator including a diaphragm whose ends are fixed in a short-side direction of the diaphragm and an active element mounted on the diaphragm. The active element is contractible and extendable by a supply of a voltage to displace the diaphragm in an out-of-plane direction. The diaphragm is displaced with curvature so as to have a plurality of inflection points in the short-side direction. The active element is disposed in at least one area of an area from each of the ends of the diaphragm to a proximal inflection point of the inflection points and an area from one inflection point to another neighboring inflection point of the inflection points in a cross-section in the short-side direction of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a lower electrode which is formed on a surface of a vibrating plate, and is one polarity of a piezoelectric element which displaces the vibrating plate; a flexurally-deformable piezoelectric body formed on a surface of the lower electrode; and an upper electrode which is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric body, and is another polarity of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric body is formed by a vacuum deposition method. Polarization of the piezoelectric body is oriented in a direction from the lower electrode toward the upper electrode.

Abstract: To prevent an adhesive from flowing into nozzles, there is provided a head chip includes: a plate having a plurality of grooves; a cover plate having an introduction aperture; a nozzle plate fixed to an end surface of the plate, and has nozzles formed at the same intervals; and escape holes formed between the nozzle plate and the plate, each have a contour which surrounds a periphery of each of the nozzles with the contour being spaced apart from a contour of each of the nozzles by at least a given distance, accumulate the adhesive remaining at a time of fixing the nozzle plate therein, and allow the nozzles and the grooves to communicate with each other. The nozzles and the escape holes are so arranged as to be displaced from adjacent nozzles and adjacent escape holes by a given distance in a vertical direction of the nozzle plate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting head includes: inserting a piezoelectric element unit into a storage portion of a case head while causing a fixed substrate to be struck to an inner surface of the storage portion of the case head by a magnetic force; and joining the piezoelectric element unit and the case head in a state of bringing at least part of side surfaces of the piezoelectric element unit into abutment with an alignment surface of the inner surface of the storage portion.

Abstract: A device for projecting liquid as jets or droplets from multiple nozzles, the device comprising: a plurality of transducers oriented substantially parallel to one another and each having an inner face and an outer face opposite said inner face, the transducers being arranged in a substantially planar array; a plurality of nozzles to project liquid therefrom; liquid supply means for supplying a liquid to the nozzles; each nozzle is associated with an adjacent respective transducer which is excitable to cause movement of the adjacent associated nozzle in a direction substantially aligned with the nozzle axis, to project liquid therefrom; the liquid supply means supplies liquid to an inner end of said nozzle; means for selectively exciting transducers as required, thereby to project liquid as jets or droplets from the respective outer face by movement of the liquid through the nozzle in response to the movement of the nozzle; wherein one or more pressure absorbing regions are disposed at a predetermined dista

Abstract: An apparatus for marking a document includes a housing configured to be handheld having a display. The housing has an input element in communication with the display through which information to be marked on the document is entered and which appears on the display. The housing has a clock which keeps time and date. The housing has a stamp. The housing has an activation element which when activated causes the stamp to mark the time and date and information on the document. A method, for marking a document includes the steps of entering information into an input element of a housing configured to be handheld. There is the step of displaying the information on a display of the housing in communication with the input element. There is the step of keeping track of time and date with a clock of the housing. There is the step of activating an activation element of the housing which causes a stamp to mark the time and date and information on the document.