Abstract: A thermal bend actuator is provided. The bend actuator comprises (i) a first active cantilever beam for connection to drive circuitry, the first beam comprising a planar beam element having a bend; (ii) a second passive cantilever beam mechanically cooperating with the first beam, such that when a current is passed through the first beam, the first beam expands relative to the second beam, resulting in bending of the actuator; and (iii) a conduction pad positioned at a bend region of the beam element. The conduction pad is configured to facilitate electrical conduction in the bend region.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead comprising: a stationary portion; a plurality of moving portions for ejection of ink; and a plurality of seal members. Each seal member connects a respective moving portion with the stationary portion. Each seal member has a non-planar profile configured for facilitating movement of the moving portion.

Abstract: A printer capable of reducing a time for increasing the temperature of a heating element to a proper level for starting printing beforehand and suppressing density reduction in an initial stage of printing is obtained. This printer comprises a print head having a heating element for printing an image on a paper, a platen roller against which the print head is pressed through an ink sheet and the paper and print head control means applying a prescribed voltage to the heating element of the print head while carrying the paper after pressing the print head against the platen roller and before starting printing.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a passage-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate provided with pressure-generating chambers communicating with nozzle orifices and piezoelectric elements disposed on the passage-forming substrate and each composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric material layer, and an upper electrode to cause a change of pressure in the pressure-generating chamber. The piezoelectric material layer has a thickness of 5 ?m or less and is made of a perovskite-type crystal and is configured such that the distance between an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the passage-forming substrate and an X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (110) plane of the piezoelectric material layer is within a range of 2?=16.262±0.1 degrees.

Abstract: A small-size element substrate with high electrical efficiency can be achieved when a plurality of printing element arrays having the same discharge amount exist on a single element substrate, and transistors which form driver arrays corresponding to the respective printing element arrays are formed at different array densities including transistors which form a driver array corresponding to a printing element array having a different discharge amount. The area of each transistor of the first driver array corresponding to the first printing element array is set larger than that of each transistor of the second driver array corresponding to the second printing element array. The wiring width of the first power supply wiring pattern corresponding to the first printing element array in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array is set smaller than that of the second power supply wiring pattern corresponding to the second printing element array.

Abstract: A liquid transport apparatus includes a base member having a surface in which a pressure chamber and a liquid flow passage are formed, the liquid flow passage being communicated with the pressure chamber and having a flow passage cross-sectional area smaller than that of the pressure chamber and a piezoelectric actuator having a pressure-applying portion which applies a pressure to a liquid in the pressure chamber and an opening/closing portion which opens and closes the liquid flow passage. The pressure-applying portion faces the pressure chamber, the opening/closing portion faces the liquid flow passage, and the pressure-applying portion and the opening/closing portion are arranged along the surface of the base member.

Abstract: A liquid jet head has a channel-forming substrate composed of a crystal substrate having a pressure-generating chamber linked to a nozzle opening as well as a piezoelectric element composed of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode and formed on the channel-forming substrate so that the pressure in the pressure-generating chamber can be changed, with the piezoelectric layer having a thickness equal to or smaller than 5 ?m, made of a perovskite-type crystal, and formed so that the interval between the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (220) plane of the channel-forming substrate and the X-ray diffraction peak position derived from the (111) plane of the piezoelectric layer falls within the range 2?=9.059±0.1°.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a plurality of ejection outlets for ejecting a liquid droplet; a plurality of flow paths communicating with the ejection outlets; an ink supply port for supplying liquid to the flow paths; and a plurality of heat generating elements provided correspondingly to the ejection outlets, for generating thermal energy for ejecting liquid present inside the flow paths. The plurality of heat generating elements is arranged in a staggered fashion with predetermined intervals with respect to a direction of a long side of the ink supply port. Adjacent staggered heat generating elements are connected to a common wiring line and are connected to individual wiring lines.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid jet head including: a flow path forming substrate having formed therein a row of pressure generating chambers, each of which is communicated with a nozzle opening; a piezoelectric element which is provided in each of the pressure generating chambers via a vibration plate formed of a plurality of layers; and a bonding substrate which is bonded to a piezoelectric element forming side of the flow path forming substrate, in which: a groove is formed in a region of the vibration plate surrounding the piezoelectric element so as to extend to an interface of the plurality of layers or extend over the interface; and an insulator formed of an inorganic insulating material is formed in the groove.

Abstract: An upper surface of a piezoelectric layer in an area opposed to a pressure generating chamber and a side surface of the piezoelectric layer in an arrangement direction of the piezoelectric elements are covered with an upper electrode. In addition, on one end in a longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric layer extends up to an adhesive area of a flow passage forming substrate to which a circumferential portion of a piezoelectric element preserver of a joining substrate is adhered, and the lower electrode extends up to the outside of an end portion of the piezoelectric layer to form a terminal section in an end portion of the lower electrode.

Abstract: A liquid injecting head includes a flow path forming substrate in which a pressure generating chamber communicated with a nozzle opening that injects liquid is formed, a pressure generating element that is formed so as to apply pressure to the pressure generating chamber for injecting the liquid, a lead electrode that is connected to the pressure generating element, a wiring substrate having flexibility that is connected to the lead electrode, and a support member that is bonded to the wiring substrate. A fixing opening formed by perforating the wiring substrate in the thickness direction is disposed, and the wiring substrate and the support member are bonded together through an adhesive agent disposed inside the fixing opening.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head and a method of forming the same. The liquid ejection head includes a substrate, an ejection port, a liquid channel, and a supply port. The substrate has, above one side thereof, an energy generating element configured to generate energy used to eject liquid. The ejection port, from which a liquid is ejected, is located at a position corresponding to the energy generating element. The liquid channel communicates with the ejection port and penetrates the substrate from the one side to another side of the substrate. The supply port communicates with the liquid channel. The substrate has a projecting layer extending inward of an inner peripheral portion of an opening in the supply port in the one side, and the projecting layer and the energy generating element are formed of the same material.

Abstract: A piezoelectric layer is formed of a plurality of ferroelectric films containing lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti) above a first electrode. A boundary portion between a first ferroelectric film closest to the first electrode and a second ferroelectric film formed above the first ferroelectric film has an area where the maximum value of a concentration of titanium with respect to zirconium is 80% or more.

Abstract: A fluid ejection device that can be used for inkjet heads is described. A large actuator with a small stroke in combination with hydraulic pressure transfer by means of essentially relatively incompressible fluid is used in order to generate a large stroke of a small membrane. Further the ink is ejected during the actuation phase of the actuator enabling a better control of the droplet dynamics.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus includes a first image carrying member, a first transfix unit, a second image carrying member, and a second transfix unit. The first image carrying member carries a first toner image thereon. The first transfix unit receives the first toner image from the first image carrying member and transfers and fixes the first toner image onto a first face of a recording sheet with a heat effect. The second image carrying member carries a second toner image thereon. The second transfix unit receives the second toner image from the second image carrying member and transfers and fixes the second toner image onto a second face of the recording sheet with a heat effect.

Abstract: A liquid transporting apparatus includes a head which has individual channels. Individual electrodes and insulating layers which cover the individual electrodes respectively are provided on a channel-forming surface in which the individual channels are formed. When a predetermined electric potential is applied to the individual electrodes, an ink exists entirely in each of the individual channels, and a meniscus of the ink is formed in a discharge section corresponding to each of the individual channels. When a driver IC switches the electric potential of the individual electrodes to a ground electric potential, a part of the ink on a surface of the insulating layer moves toward the discharge section, and is discharged from the discharge section to outside of the head. Accordingly, there is provided a liquid transporting apparatus which is capable of stably discharging a liquid such as the ink in a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A piezoelectric layer held between a first electrode on a substrate side and a second electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer facing away from the first electrode is formed of a ferroelectric material with a perovskite crystal structure, and the ratio of the surface roughness of the piezoelectric layer to the surface roughness of the first electrode falls within the range of 0.58 to 1.60.

Abstract: An aqueous ink contains at least an aqueous medium, a surfactant, and a dye. The aqueous medium includes only water and at least one water-soluble organic compound(s) and the static surface tension of the aqueous medium is from 45 mN/m or more to 57 mN/m or less. The dynamic surface tension of the aqueous ink satisfies the following conditions: (1) The dynamic surface tension of the aqueous ink at a lifetime of 50 milliseconds is from 42 mN/m or more to less than 49 mN/m; (2) The dynamic surface tension of the aqueous ink at a lifetime of 500 milliseconds is from 28 mN/m or more to 38 mN/m or less; and (3) A difference between the dynamic surface tension of the aqueous ink at a lifetime of 50 milliseconds and the dynamic surface tension of the aqueous ink at a lifetime of 500 milliseconds is 7 mN/m or more.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes upper and lower constant electric potential electrodes. The upper constant electric potential electrodes are connected to a first-common conducting section extending in a predetermined direction, both ends of the first-common conducting section are connected to second-common conducting sections, and thus a first electrode assembly is formed. Both ends of the lower constant electric potential electrodes extending in the predetermined direction are connected to third-common conducting sections, and thus a second electrode assembly is constructed. A flexible wiring board stacked on the piezoelectric actuator has a first-connecting land extending in the predetermined direction and to which one of the first and second electrode assemblies having a smaller voltage drop when a predetermined current is applied is connected, and second-connecting lands to which the other is connected and which are arranged on both end sides of the first-connecting land.

Abstract: Contemplated printheads include a piezoelectric material in which a channel is formed across the piezoelectric material to thereby create at least part of the nozzle through which ink is expelled from the inside of the printhead to the outside. Contemplated nozzles may be configured as cylindrical elements or ring-shape elements. Consequently, application of a voltage across the piezoelectric channel may result in constriction of the cylindrical element or convex/concave deformation of the ring-shape element. Most preferably, the piezoelectric material, conductive traces, and supporting structures are applied from a liquid phase to a carrier, and shaped using photolithographic methods.