Abstract: To provide a liquid guiding device such that, when liquid is dumped onto a sloping guiding surface portion located in a region where ink is dumped, the liquid is easily guided to an ink absorber and no liquid remains on the guiding surface portion. A guiding surface portion 29 is provided in a liquid dumping region 23 in which ink absorbers 25 and 26 are provided and on the upstream edge of a downstream portion 24 of a platen. The upper surface of the guiding surface portions 29 slopes down toward the upstream side, that is, toward the liquid dumping region 23. In the guiding surface portion 29 is formed a guiding structure portion 31 that guides ink attached to the guiding surface portion to the ink absorber 25. The guiding structure portion may include an edge portion 31 that guides liquid by capillary action. The edge portion may extend to the ink absorbers 25 and 26.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting device including an ejecting head having an ejecting nozzle through which the ejecting head ejects a liquid in the form of a liquid droplet, a liquid droplet receiving portion having an outlet that is open for forming a meniscus using the liquid droplet ejected from the ejecting head, and a meniscus determining unit for determining whether or not the meniscus is formed at the outlet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to produce a non-helically wound subsea umbilical is disclosed. The apparatus to produce a non-helically wound umbilical may be portable to facilitate manufacturing of subsea umbilicals in remote locations. This apparatus is smaller and more economical to build and operate than conventional cabling machines that currently are used by many manufactures to produce helically wound subsea umbilicals.

Abstract: A method for driving a liquid drop ejector (1) equipped with a piezoelectric actuator (7) including a piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) having a size covering a plurality of pressurizing chambers (2). An arbitrary piezoelectric deformation region (8) of the liquid drop ejector (1) is deflected in one thickness direction and the opposite direction, respectively, by applying a driving voltage waveform including a first voltage (?VL) and an equivalent second voltage (+VL) of the opposite polarity in order to vary the volume of the pressurizing chambers (2) of a corresponding liquid drop ejecting portion (4), and a liquid drop is ejected through a communicating nozzle (3). Since gradual creep deformation of the inactive region (16) of the piezoelectric ceramic layer (6) is prevented, the ink drop ejection performance is maintained at a good level over a long term.

Abstract: A printhead depriming system, the system comprising: an ink reservoir; an ink chamber positioned below the ink reservoir, the ink chamber comprising an outlet port connected to an ink inlet of the printhead via an upstream ink line, an inlet port connected to the ink reservoir, and a float valve configured for closing the inlet port; and an air pump communicating with a headspace above the ink in the ink chamber, such that actuation of the air pump generates a negative pressure in the headspace and draws ink from the printhead into the ink chamber so as to de-prime the printhead, wherein an increased level of ink in the ink chamber during the de-priming causes concomitant shutting of the float valve and isolates the ink reservoir from the printhead.

Abstract: A printer comprising: an inkjet printhead having an ink inlet, an ink outlet and an array of nozzles; an ink chamber having an outlet port connected to the ink inlet via an upstream ink conduit; an air pump having a pump outlet communicating with a headspace in the ink chamber, the pump being configured to positively pressurize the headspace during a printhead priming operation; and a downstream ink conduit connected to the ink outlet, the downstream ink conduit communicating with a pump inlet of the pump, wherein the downstream ink conduit includes an expansion chamber for accommodating a volume of ink, thereby inhibiting the ink from reaching the pump inlet.

Abstract: Device for coupling the ends of carrier tubes used for guiding and protecting a cable. The device includes axially juxtaposed first and second tubular bodies, each having a first end for connection to one of the tube ends and a second end for connecting the body portions and which coaxially receives a flexible tubular sealing member. The bodies are connected such that they are relatively movable between a first position in which the body bodies are close together and the sealing member is in a rest state, and a second position in which the bodies are spaced apart and in which surfaces thereof contact the sealing member to dispose it into an energized state wherein it is urged radially inward and has an inner diameter that is no greater than the outside diameter of the cable.

Abstract: A method of depriming a printhead. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a printhead having a plurality of nozzles for ejection of ink, an ink inlet and an ink outlet; (ii) providing an ink chamber having an outlet port connected to the ink inlet via an upstream ink line, the ink chamber having an inlet port controlled by a valve; (iii) depriming the printhead by pumping ink from a downstream ink line connected to the ink outlet, through the printhead and into the ink chamber; and (iv) closing the valve when a level of ink in the chamber reaches a predetermined first level, thereby isolating the ink chamber from an ink reservoir in fluid communication with the inlet port.

Abstract: A pressure-regulating chamber for maintaining ink contained in the chamber at a predetermined first level relative to a printhead. The chamber comprises: an inlet port for connection to an ink reservoir via an ink supply line; an outlet port for connection to an ink inlet of a printhead via an upstream ink line; an air vent open to atmosphere; and a float valve for maintaining the predetermined first level of ink by controlling a flow of ink into the inlet port. The float valve is biased towards a closed position by a positive ink pressure at the inlet port.

Abstract: A pressure-regulating chamber for maintaining ink contained in the chamber at a predetermined first level relative to a printhead. The chamber comprises: an inlet port for connection to an ink reservoir via an ink supply line; an outlet port for connection to an ink inlet of the printhead via an upstream ink line; a return port for connection to an ink outlet of the printhead via a downstream ink line; a snorkel extending from the return port and terminating at a snorkel outlet positioned above the first level of ink; an air vent open to atmosphere; and a float valve for maintaining the predetermined first level of ink by controlling a flow of ink into the inlet port.

Abstract: A method of priming one or more inkjet printheads, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a printhead assembly comprising: an ink distribution manifold having an ink inlet and an ink outlet; one or more inkjet printheads mounted on the manifold, each inkjet printhead comprising an array of nozzles; an upstream ink line connected to the ink inlet; and a downstream ink line connected to the ink outlet; (ii) providing an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet via the upstream ink line; (iii) providing an air pump having a pump outlet in fluid communication with a headspace of the ink chamber, and a pump inlet in fluid communication with the downstream ink line; (iii) actuating the air pump so as to draw ink from the ink chamber, through the manifold and into the downstream ink line, thereby priming the inkjet printheads; (iv) receiving the ink in an expansion chamber in the downstream ink line; and (v) deactuating the pump.

Abstract: An optical transmission system employs an optical fiber as an optical transmission path that includes a holey fiber and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber. The holey fiber includes a core region that is formed at a center of the holey fiber and a cladding region having a plurality of holes around the core region at regular intervals. The dispersion-compensating optical fiber is connected close to the holey fiber and that collectively compensates wavelength dispersion of the holey fiber at an operation wavelength in at least two wavelength bands out of O band, E band, S band, C band, and L band within a predetermined range depending on a transmission rate.

Abstract: An ink collection system includes at least one target surface and a fluid supply system in communication with the at least one target surface. The fluid supply system is configured to create a film of fluid across at least a portion of the at least one target surface, and wherein the film of fluid flushes away ink that impinges on the at least one target surface.

Abstract: A printer comprising: an inkjet printhead having a plurality of ink inlets, a plurality of ink outlets and an array of nozzles; a plurality of ink chambers, each ink chamber having an outlet port connected to a corresponding ink inlet via a respective upstream ink conduit; a single air pump having a pump outlet communicating with a headspace in each ink chamber, the pump being configured to positively pressurize each headspace during a printhead priming operation; and a plurality of downstream ink conduits, each downstream ink conduit being connected to a corresponding ink outlet, and each downstream ink conduit communicating with a pump inlet of the pump.

Abstract: A method of priming a printhead whilst minimizing nozzle drooling, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a printhead comprising: an ink distribution manifold having an ink inlet and an ink outlet; and one or more printhead integrated circuits mounted on the manifold, each printhead integrated circuit comprising a plurality of nozzles; (ii) providing an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet; and (iii) applying a positive pressure at the ink inlet whilst simultaneously applying a negative pressure at the ink outlet so as to draw ink through the manifold and prime the printhead whilst minimizing nozzle drooling.

Abstract: A method of replacing a printhead in an inkjet printer with minimal ink wastage, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a printhead comprising: an ink distribution manifold having an ink inlet and an ink outlet; one or more printhead integrated circuits mounted on the manifold, each printhead integrated circuit comprising a plurality of nozzles; (ii) providing an ink supply system comprising: an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet via an upstream ink line; a reversible air pump communicating with a headspace of the ink chamber; and a downstream ink line connected to the ink outlet; (ii) actuating the pump so as to negatively pressurize the headspace, thereby depriming the printhead by drawing ink from the downstream ink line and the printhead into the ink chamber; (iii) deactuating the pump and allowing an ink level in the ink chamber to equalize with an ink level in the upstream ink line; (iv) removing the printhead from the printer, the removing including disconnecting

Abstract: An optical assembly is formed with a silicon substrate having a first surface and a second surface confronting the first surface. A reflective coating is formed over the first surface. Multiple diffraction gratings are formed integrally within the second surface of the silicon substrate. An optical absorber is formed over the second surface between the diffraction gratings.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head having a pressure chamber communicating with a nozzle opening and a pressure generator capable of causing pressure fluctuation to liquid in the pressure chamber, the liquid ejecting head causing pressure fluctuation to the liquid in the pressure chamber by driving the pressure generator, and discharging the liquid from the nozzle opening due to the pressure fluctuation, and a driver that supplies a discharge pulse to the pressure generator to drive the pressure generator.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the core and cladding regions of a hollow-core optical fiber are configured so that a signal mode is coupled to a cladding mode in order to exploit polarization-dependent properties. In general, the fiber comprises a hollow-core region surrounded by a cladding region, which includes a localized hollow-waveguide region. The core and waveguide regions are configured so that the coupling between a signal mode in the core region and a cladding mode in the waveguide region are phase-matched for efficient coupling, and the phase-matching condition is made polarization-dependent to provide improved control of the fiber's polarization dependent properties.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of repairing the same capable of obtaining a wide viewing angle and improving a success ratio of repair. The LCD includes a gate line, a first data line intersecting the gate line, a thin film transistor (“TFT”) connected with the gate line and the first data line, a pixel electrode connected with the TFT, a first conductive pattern partially overlapping with a first end of the pixel electrode, a second conductive pattern partially overlapping with a second end of the pixel electrode, and a storage capacitor, wherein at least one of the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern partially overlaps with the first data line adjacent to the first end of the pixel electrode and a second data line adjacent to the second end of the pixel electrode, respectively.