Abstract: A print medium is printed on with a printhead of an ink jet printer. The print medium is advanced in an advance direction a predetermined amount. The print medium is printed on with the printhead in an area corresponding to the predetermined amount. A determination is made of an end of printable area on the print medium in the advance direction. The print medium is advanced in the advance direction a minimum reliable move amount, dependent upon the end of printable area determination. The minimum reliable move amount is less than the predetermined amount. The print medium is printed on with the printhead in an area corresponding to the minimum reliable move amount.

Abstract: An apparatus provided with a carriage is guided and supported by at least two guide members, a guide shaft and a guide rail, arranged to be parallel to each other to enable the carriage to reciprocate. The guide members are arranged apart from each other substantially in the vertical direction, and the horizontal distance L1 between each guide member and the gravitational center of the carriage is arranged to be larger than the vertical interval L2 between the contact portions of the carriage and each guide member. With the structure thus arranged, it is possible to maximize the reduction of the swinging or vibration of a carriage so that the apparatus provided with the carriage can effect reciprocal scanning exactly and stably, thus realizing a small and high-performance apparatus that records images in high precision or reads highly precise images.

Abstract: An offset printing apparatus having a coated imaging member for use with phase-change inks, has a substrate, an optional intermediate layer, and thereover an outer coating with a silicone material and Q-resin, and an optional heating member associated with the offset printing apparatus.

Abstract: A feature allows for removing an ink stick from an ink feed channel, through the keyed opening for that shape of ink stick. In a keyed key plate opening, a clearance area between the key plate opening and the outer perimeter of the ink stick provides access through which a removal tool can be inserted alongside an ink stick in the channel. In an example, the clearance area is provided by an outwardly directed section of the perimeter of the key plate opening. In a particular implementation, the edge key plate opening is chamfered across the thickness of the key plate, except for a small portion of the perimeter of the key plate opening, which has a straight edge. The end of the removal tool has a surface to engage the ink stick, so that pressing the removal tool against the ink stick, and drawing the removal tool back through the clearance area pulls the ink stick through the key plate opening.

Abstract: A container for containing consumable supplies for the use of an ink jet printer includes an ink containing portion for containing an ink, and an ink communication member for causing ink communication by piercing the ink containing portion when the container is attached to the printer. Before the container is attached to the printer, the ink containing portion can contain the ink sealingly and independently of the outside. As a result, ink leakage during distribution of the container can be prevented and the ink containing portion having, e.g., a bag-like shape, can be produced by a simple process, for sealingly containing the ink.

Abstract: The printer moves printing paper (12) toward an ejecting direction and a feeding direction in order to clean a notched rollers (28). Next, the printer moves the printing paper (12) toward the feeding direction under conditions where a cutting paper holder (60) is holding the tip portion of the printing paper (12) in order to clean the cutting paper holder (60). Next, the printer cuts off the tip portion of the printing paper (12) in a long rectangular shape in order to clean a cutting edge (54) of a cutter (50). Thereby, it is possible to clean the printer (ink type recording device) without a user's action.

Abstract: A printing plate is prepared for the insertion of images by applying an ink accepting layer and an ink repelling layer to it. A developing fluid is sprayed onto the ink repelling layer by an ink jet printing group. The developing fluid is sprayed in the image to be printer and the ink repelling layer is etched or dissolved in the sprayed area. The etched or dissolved areas of the ink repelling layer are removed. The method is particularly adapted for use with a waterless printing plate having an ink repelling layer of silicon.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly includes a carrier. An ink supply assembly is mounted on the carrier and defines a plurality of printhead chip receiving formations that are each dimensioned to engage a printhead chip and a plurality of ink supply conduits that terminate at the formations to supply ink to printhead chips engaged with the formations. A plurality of inkjet printhead chips is engaged with respective said formations to receive the ink via passages defined by the printhead chips in fluid communication with respective ink supply conduits. A rotary platen assembly is mounted on the carrier. The rotary platen assembly includes a platen body that is mounted on a shaft and defines a platen surface for supporting sheets of a print medium as the printhead chips carry out a printing operation on the sheets. The shaft is rotatable to bring the platen surface into and out of alignment with the printhead chips.

Abstract: A recording method comprising the steps in the following order of: correcting a curl of a recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the recording medium; and forming an image on the recording medium by jetting ink onto the recording medium.

Abstract: An ejection apparatus for ejecting material from a liquid at a plurality of ejection locations (4) disposed in a row, has a plurality of channels (11) through each of which liquid flows in use to or from a respective ejection location at an open end of the channel. An ejection electrode (7) is disposed at each ejection location by means of which an electric field is created in use to cause the ejection of material from the liquid. An electrically conductive path (12) exists to each ejection electrode for supplying a voltage to the ejection electrode (7) in use. The channels (11) are isolated from one another and the electrically conductive paths (12) are separated from the channels over substantially the whole of their length.

Abstract: The invention is a liquid jetting apparatus including: a head member having a plurality of nozzles, the nozzles being classified into n classes, n being not less than two; a micro-vibrating unit that causes liquid in a nozzle or nozzles of the respective classes to respectively minutely vibrate; and a micro-vibrating controlling unit that causes the micro-vibrating unit to operate. The micro-vibrating controlling unit is adapted to cause the micro-vibrating unit to operate in such a manner that the liquid in the nozzle or nozzles of the respective classes minutely vibrates at a common constant period T and at respective phases for the respective classes, the respective phases for the respective classes being different in turn by T/n.

Abstract: A solid phase change ink melter assembly is provided in a phase change ink image producing machine. The solid phase change ink melter assembly includes (a) a melter housing having walls defining a melting chamber; and (b) a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating device mounted within the melting chamber for heating and melting solid pieces of phase change ink into melted molten liquid ink.

Abstract: A fixing belt or a fixing roller for fixing an ink jet image recorded on an ink jet recording material by heat, the fixing belt comprising a base material having thereon a surface layer contacting the ink jet recording material during fixing, the fixing roller comprising a heating roller and a pressure roller having base materials A and B, respectively, at least one of the heating roller and the pressure roller having a surface layer contacting the ink jet recording material during fixing, wherein the surface layer has a peel strength of not less than 30 g/5 cm or a pencil hardness of HB or more, and the surface layer is produced by a method comprising the steps of: coating a hardenable silicone on the base material by a dip coating; and hardening the coated hardenable silicone by heat.

Abstract: A phase change ink image producing machine including (a) a control subsystem for controlling operation of all subsystems and components of the image producing machine; (b) melting apparatus for melting solid phase change ink into melted molten liquid ink; (c) a printhead system located for receiving said melted molten liquid ink, said printhead system being connected to said control subsystem for ejecting droplets of melted molten liquid ink onto an imaging member to form an image and a liquid ink imaging member having a top outer imaging surface for receiving image forming ink droplets from a printhead.

Abstract: A discharge device for discharging a medium, includes: a discharge-driving roller, provided in a downstream of a liquid emitting head for emitting liquid onto the medium, for being driven to rotate; a discharge-driven roller, biased by a biasing mechanism toward the discharge-driving roller, for being brought into contact with the discharge-driving roller to be rotated by the discharge-driving roller; a discharge frame, to which the discharge-driven roller is attached, having a posture changeable between a contact posture that brings the discharge-driven roller into contact with the discharge-driving roller and a release posture that moves the discharge-driven roller away from the discharge-driving roller; and an engagement portion, provided on the discharge frame, for engaging with an outside region of the medium inserted between the discharge-driving roller and the discharge-driven roller toward an upstream against a force applied by the biasing mechanism, the outside region being a region other than a liqu

Abstract: An ink-jet recording method comprising the steps of: forming a pigment image on a recording medium by jetting pigment ink; and adjustment thew C value of the pigment image to 60 or more.

Abstract: An ink stick for use in a solid ink feed system of a phase change ink jet printer includes a three dimensional ink stick body that has a top, a bottom, and a perimeter. At least a portion of the perimeter forms the shape of a visually recognizable symbol, such as an alphanumeric character.

Abstract: An image-forming device in which an image is formed on a transfer material by superposing the transfer material with a photosensitive material on a heating drum. By altering a duty ratio of a control signal from a controller to a heater driver, a heater is controlled such that surface temperature of the heating drum is fixed. At times other than during image-formation, during which precise control is required, the period of the control signal (i.e., of on/off control of the heater) is lengthened. Thus, “flicker” can be suppressed.

Abstract: There are provided a conveying device capable of detecting a driving state of a conveying member with a simplified structure not requiring an encoder and the like, and an image-recording apparatus having the conveying device. A detector for detecting a surface aspect of a placing section of the conveying member is provided so as to recognize an operating state of the conveying member corresponding to the result detected by the detector.

Abstract: A liquid ejection print head includes a base accommodated in a frame and having electrothermal transducers supplied with energy from an external source for having liquid to eject the liquid to effect printing, a conductive layer for forming an electrical wiring, and a tape member for supporting the conductive layer. The tape member has connecting portions, which include (i) branch portions, which are electrically connected to the transducers via electrode portions on the base, and (ii) reinforcement portions, which are connected to dummy electrode portions on the base and are more rigid than the branch portions so as to prevent deformation of the branch portions.