Abstract: The table 200 represents that only small dots should be formed in the range Cd1 of relatively small tone values. In the range Cd2, the production rate of small dots gradually decreases, while the production rate of medium dots increases. In the range Cd3, the production rate of small dots and medium decreases, while the production rate of large dots increases. Consequently, small dots, medium dots, and large dots are intermingled, with the proportion of large dots increasing in association with higher tone values. According to the present invention, printing is able to be implemented while switching among dot apportionment tables depending on the object represented in one set of image data, and printing using small dots is able to be implemented efficiently in areas where low grainy appearance is required, namely areas corresponding to human faces.

Abstract: Rollers between which an endless belt is wound have a pair of first grooves looping around a rotational axis of each roller. A pair of second grooves is formed in an upper face of a support plate that supports an inner face of the endless belt, these second grooves extending along an entire length of the support plate in a feeding direction of the printing sheet. Each of the first grooves and the second grooves are disposed so as to be in the same straight line. First ink absorbers are provided that absorb ink within the first grooves. Second ink absorbers are provided that absorb ink within the second grooves. Protruding rails are formed on the inner face of the endless belt and fit into the first grooves and the second grooves. These first and second grooves prevent feeding accuracy of printing sheets from deteriorating.

Abstract: A mobile wallpaper printer for producing wallpaper, the printer comprising: a vehicle adapted to hold and transport the printer; input means for a consumer to select a wallpaper pattern to be printed on a media web to form the wallpaper; at least one media cartridge containing the media web; a printhead extending at least the width of the media web; drive means to drive the media web past the printhead; and, at least one processor to receive and process the selected wallpaper pattern and to control printing of the selected wallpaper pattern.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removable image forming unit including at least a carriage having an ink jet head, and a recording medium conveyance member, and includes a gap adjustment mechanism including a carriage travel lever unit having first and second levers separably engaged with each other. The second lever includes an operation part for, in gearing with the first lever, causing the carriage to vertically travel so that a gap between the ink jet head and a sheet on the recording medium conveyance member is adjusted.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head unit includes a plurality of nozzle elements, a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a driving unit. The plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of nozzle elements. Each piezoelectric element has a positive pole and a negative pole. Each piezoelectric element expands and contracts when a voltage potential difference between the positive pole and the negative pole is varied. The plurality of nozzle elements includes a first nozzle element and a second nozzle element adjacent to the first nozzle element. A first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element correspond to the first nozzle element and the second nozzle element respectively. The driving unit controls the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element to expand and contract in a complementary manner.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus senses amounts of color misregistration of toner images, which are formed using n-number (where n is a natural number and n=2 holds) of photosensitive bodies, when light beams from a plurality of light sources are made to deflect and scan across the n-number of photosensitive bodies by a single rotating polygonal mirror. The timing of light emission from the light sources is controlled in such a manner that light beams from the light sources will be deflected and scanned by mirror surfaces of the polygonal mirror, from among the plurality of mirror surfaces that form the polygonal mirror, such that the amount of color misregistration of every toner image will be less than (n?1)/n pixels.

Abstract: In a connection status output circuit for confirming the connection status with a recording apparatus via connecting terminals corresponding respectively to recording signal DATA, clock signal CLK for transferring the recording signal, and control signals LT and HE for controlling a recording operation according to the recording signal, the signals being received from the recording apparatus, when the connection status is confirmed, a signal designating the connection status is outputted, and when a recording operation is performed, the output signal does not change.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles 3 each defining a nozzle aperture 5 with a nozzle axis extending through the center of the nozzle aperture 5 and normal to the nozzle aperture. An ejectable liquid inlet 31 for establishing fluid communication between the nozzle aperture 5 and an ejectable liquid supply, the inlet having a central axis substantially parallel to the nozzle axis. A bubble forming chamber 7 corresponding to each nozzle respectively. At least one heater element 10 disposed in each bubble forming chamber 7 to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. The heater element 10 is configured to nucleate the gas bubble at two or more regions such that each nucleation region is laterally offset from the nozzle aperture 5.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead with an array of ink chambers, each having a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle; a plurality of ink inlets in fluid communication with the ink chambers; and, at least one priming feature extending through each of the ink inlets; such that, the surface tension of an ink meniscus at the ink inlet acts to draw the ink out of the inlet and partially along the flow path toward the ink chambers. By introducing a priming feature into the plane of the inlet aperture, the surface tension in the ink meniscus can be redirected to pull the ink along the intend flow path rather than push it back into the inlet.

Abstract: An air bearing sheet heater assembly is provided for heating a sheet in an ink imaging printer. It includes a heater plate that has a heating element and defines a first side of a sheet path through the heater assembly. It also includes at least one movable platelet that defines a second side of the sheet path, as well as, an air bearing assembly mounted to the at least one platelet. The air bearing assembly controllably creates an air bearing between the second side and the first side of the sheet path for moving and pneumatically spacing the front surface of the at least one movable platelet from the front side of the heater plate, thereby reducing stiction forces and friction along the sheet path through the air bearing sheet heater assembly.

Abstract: A portable apparatus comprises a base body having a front portion provided with a keyboard and a rear portion, a display unit having a display, a socket for allowing the display unit to be detachable with the base body and for mechanically rotatably connecting the display unit between the first position where the display unit covers the keyboard and the second position where allows an operation of the keyboard on watching the display, and a part for giving rotational force to the display unit when the display unit is connected to the base body and for forming the rear portion to be flat when the display unit is removed from the base body. The portable apparatus of the present invention allows the front phase of the socket to be set to the position opposing to the socket mount phase when the display unit is removed from the socket, it can avoid the socket to be in the way, and the operability and the portability of the apparatus can be improved.