Abstract: A droplet discharging apparatus has a pressure chamber communicating with a nozzle, a vibration film forming a part of the pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element for vibrating the vibration film, a projection joined to the piezoelectric element and transmitting vibration of the piezoelectric element to the vibration film, and a flow path communicating with the pressure chamber. The apparatus has first and second members, with the vibration film, the projection, a groove, and a supply hole communicating with the groove being provided at the first member. The nozzle and the pressure chamber are formed in the second member. The first member and the second member are bonded together to form the flow path in the groove and also the pressure chamber in the recess. The groove and the recess partially overlap to form the flow path and the pressure chamber. A method is disclosed for manufacturing the droplet discharging apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for reducing time required for adjusting the image forming conditions and transport conditions and minimizing the number of recording material used for the adjustment. Image forming conditions and transport conditions for the recording material are adjusted according to the characteristic properties of the recording material. Associated data including an adjustment value obtained from the adjustment of the image forming conditions and transport conditions made by the adjustment unit and the characteristic properties of the recording material associated with the adjustment value is generated. The associated data stored in the storage unit is transmitted to the data collection/delivery apparatus. Delivery data regarding the adjustment of the image forming conditions and transport conditions is received from the data collection/delivery apparatus.

Abstract: A model of a thermal print head is provided that models the thermal response of thermal print head elements to the provision of energy to the print head elements over time. The amount of energy to provide to each of the print head elements during a print head cycle to produce a spot having the desired density is calculated based on: (1) the desired density to be produced by the print head element during the print head cycle, (2) the predicted temperature of the print head element at the beginning of the print head cycle, (3) the ambient printer temperature at the beginning of the print head cycle, and (4) the ambient relative humidity.

Abstract: An inkjet head (1) has a liquid flow path section (3) for receiving liquid and, in response to application of a voltage, ejecting the liquid to an object on which a drawing is to be made. The degree of design freedom of the shape of the liquid channel section (3) or the shape of a liquid channel in the liquid channel section (3) can be improved because the liquid channel section (3) is formed on the upper surface of a substrate. Furthermore, the inkjet head can have a structure corresponding to the properties of liquid to be ejected or to an object to which the liquid is to be ejected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which reduces toner spatter and produces a good quality image when forming a toner image using the direct recording method. An image forming part includes: a toner carrier for carrying toner; and toner controlling means, which is disposed between the toner carrier and recording paper on which the toner is made to adhere, and which has a plurality of toner passage holes, the toner controlling means having a control electrode for controlling the passage of toner on the toner carrier side surface in the area around the toner passage hole, and forming a toner image by causing the toner to fly to the recording paper, and the image forming apparatus having liquid applying/humidifying means for either applying a liquid to or humidifying the imaging surface of the recording paper prior to forming a toner image.

Abstract: A substantially planar micro-fluid ejection device, where the micro-fluid ejection head is hermetically sealed and bonded to a support material, and a method of bonding a silicon device, such as a micro-fluid ejection head, to a support material.

Abstract: A direct image-recording device in which a predetermined gap set between an image carrier and a hole forming member can be maintained, and an image forming apparatus provided with the direct image-recording device.

Abstract: An ink-jet head, including: a flow-passage unit having a laminated structure with a plurality of plates and including a plurality of nozzles, a common ink chamber, and a plurality of individual ink flow-passages each of which communicates the common ink chamber with a corresponding one of the plurality of nozzles and in each of which a pressure chamber having an opening open in a surface of the flow-passage unit is provided; and an actuator fixed to the surface of the flow-passage unit so as to close the opening of the pressure chamber and operable to change a volume thereof, wherein the plurality of plates include an outermost plate nearest to the actuator and at least one plate contiguous to the outermost plate, wherein the pressure chamber is formed by a plurality of pressure-chamber-forming holes respectively provided in the outermost plate and the at least one plate so as to communicate with each other, and wherein the outermost plate has a smallest thickness among the plurality of plates.

Abstract: A liquid drop jet apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of nozzles to jet out a liquid droplet, a liquid room corresponding to the nozzles, a liquid supply path to supply a liquid into the liquid room, a vibration board to apply a pressure to the liquid in the liquid room, and an electromechanical converter to vibrate the vibration board. The vibration board has a thin region corresponding to a wall of the liquid room and a thicker region thicker than the thin region. A longitudinal length of the thin region is longer than a longitudinal length of the liquid room, and the thicker region includes an end corresponding to a side of the liquid supply path.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead includes a plurality of bonding pads to which an external voltage is applied, a plurality of common wires connected to the each of the bonding pads, respectively, a plurality of individual wires connected to each of the common wires, respectively, and heaters connected to each of the individual wires, respectively, to generate ink bubbles by heating ink, wherein each of the common wires includes a first metal layer and a first metal bump which are formed on the first metal layer.

Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes: a nozzle portion that discharges a liquid material; a liquid chamber that is in communication with the nozzle portion and supplies the liquid material to the nozzle portion in receiving a pressure from outside; and a reservoir that is in communication with a plurality of the liquid chamber through a plurality of ink supply passages and supplies the liquid material fed from outside via a material inlet to the plurality of liquid chambers.

Abstract: A thermal activator has a heating device that heats a heat sensitive adhesive layer of a heat sensitive adhesive sheet to activate the adhesive layer. The adhesive sheet has a printable surface formed on one side of a sheet-like base and the heat sensitive adhesive layer formed on the other side thereof. A transporting device transports the heat sensitive adhesive sheet in a predetermined direction. A sheet material prevents a heat sensitive adhesive of the heat sensitive adhesive layer or a denatured product of the heat sensitive adhesive from adhering to the transporting device.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head includes a plurality of ejection outlets for ejecting liquid; individual liquid chambers communicating with the plurality of ejection outlets; ejection energy generating elements, provided correspondingly to associated ones of the individual liquid chambers, for generating energy for ejecting the liquid; a common liquid chamber for supplying the liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers; and communicating paths constituting flow paths for communicating associated ones of the individual liquid chambers and the common liquid chamber with each other. At least adjacent ones of the flow paths have communicating positions, at different portions as seen in a direction perpendicular to a direction of ejection of the liquid through the ejection outlets, with said common liquid chamber.

Abstract: An actuator unit for applying pressure to liquid in each of pressure chambers formed in a passage unit includes a piezoelectric layer; a common electrode formed on one surface of the piezoelectric layer to be positioned over the pressure chambers; and electric field blocking layers formed on an opposite surface of the piezoelectric layer from the one surface to be opposed to the common electrode and outside regions of the respective pressure chambers. Each electric field blocking layer is porous and lower in dielectric constant than the piezoelectric layer. The actuator unit further includes lands each positioned to sandwich an electric field blocking layer between the land and the piezoelectric layer; and individual electrodes formed on the opposite surface to be opposed to the respective pressure chambers and the common electrode and neighbor the respective electric field blocking layers. Each individual electrode is electrically connected to the corresponding land.

Abstract: A groove for a separate liquid chamber opening is provided in the vicinity of a location in a first separate liquid chamber to which a cantilever element is fixed and the groove extends overall in a vertical direction of the separate liquid chamber. The flow resistance of flow across the cantilever element from the upper side to the lower side of the separate liquid chamber through the opening is sufficiently small compared to the flow resistance of flow through the other small gap. Therefore, the ink flow from a common liquid chamber to the lower side of the cantilever element in each separate liquid chamber, which is caused with every ink ejection, passes through substantially two separate liquid chamber openings. As a result, the stagnation of ink flow in the first separate liquid chamber is reduced and the bubbles are smoothly flushed out.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a passage unit in which individual ink passages are formed, an actuator unit fixed to the passage unit, a flat flexible substrate, and a drive signal outputting unit. The actuator unit includes individual electrodes, a common electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and individual lands. The flat flexible substrate includes output terminals connected to the respective individual lands, and a check terminal bonded to a bonding face of the actuator unit. The drive signal outputting unit outputs drive signals to be supplied to the individual electrodes via the respective output terminals. Based on a measurement result of an electrical characteristic with respect to the check terminal, it is judged whether the check terminal has been peeled off from the bonding face of the actuator unit.

Abstract: In order to hermetically seal more surely a gap between a back surface of a liquid discharge substrate and a front surface of a support member, and an electrode portion etc., without adversely affecting discharge performance, a liquid discharge head includes a first sealing resin coated on a portion between the liquid supply port and the pad on the support surface so as to surround a tip end portion at the liquid supply port of the support member and a second sealing resin for sealing a gap between the support member and the liquid discharge substrate, and a peripheral part of the liquid supply port.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head can record an image having a high quality level for a long period of time by use of a material having a reduced linear expansion coefficient and a satisfactory patterning characteristic. The liquid discharge head includes an energy generating element which generates energy for discharging a liquid; a discharge port which discharges the liquid; and a flow path forming member to form a flow path which supplies the liquid to the discharge port, the flow path forming member being formed of a cured material of a resin composition including a cationic polymerizable resin, a cationic photopolymerization initiator, a condensation product of hydrolyzable organic silane compounds, and inorganic fine particles having an average particle diameter of 50 nm or less.

Abstract: An inkjet head includes a passage unit having a pressure chamber which is in communication with a nozzle and which is defined by a recessed portion provided in one surface of the passage unit; and an actuator unit including: (a) an oscillating plate fixed to the one surface of the passage unit so as to close the recessed portion defining the pressure chamber; (b) a piezoelectric layer disposed on the oscillating plate so that the piezoelectric layer and the oscillating plate cooperate with each other to constitute a piezoelectric unimorph; (c) a first electrode provided on a side of one surface of the piezoelectric layer so as to correspond to the pressure chamber; and (d) a second electrode provided on a side of an other surface of the piezoelectric layer and opposed to the first electrode in a direction of thickness of the piezoelectric layer. The pressure chamber has an elongate shape.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head including: a flow-channel forming substrate having a pressure generating chamber which communicates with a liquid supply channel which communicates with one end of the pressure generating chamber in terms of a first direction so as to have a first length for supplying liquid to the pressure generating chamber; and a pressure generating unit that causes the change in pressure in the pressure generating chamber, wherein the liquid supply channel is formed by narrowing the width of the pressure generating chamber in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction so as to have a second length shorter than the first length, a stepped surface is formed between the side surface of the pressure generating chamber in the second direction and the side surface of the liquid supply channel in the second direction, and wherein a bridge is provided at a corner defined by the stepped surface, the side surface of the pressure generating chamber in the second direction on the step