Abstract: An actuator 1 in which a displacement element 7 has a piezoelectric ceramic layer 4 and a pair of electrodes 5, 6 interposing therebetween the piezoelectric ceramic layer 4. The entire thickness of the actuator 1 is 100 ?m or less. The piezoelectric ceramic layer 4 and the substrate 2 have as their principal component a perovskite crystal containing at least Pb; Zr and Ti, and, the maximum difference in a composition ratio Pb/(Ti+Zr) between the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic layer 4 and the inside of the substrate 2 is 0.02 or less. This reduces characteristic variation.

Abstract: A printer eliminating an installation space on a desk or a floor. A printer has a hook and a housing. The hook is provided on the housing and is locked to a display panel to attach the printer to the display panel. The printer can be installed by making use of a space at a rear surface of the display panel, and a printed sheet can be discharged in the same side as the surface of a display. The printer thus provides easy observation of the printed sheet and easy handling.

Abstract: A composition for forming a piezoelectric film containing a dispersoid obtained from a metallic compound includes at least one of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene, 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5-ene, and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of adjusting a head gap in an inkjet printer includes a carrier ascent/descent unit to rotate a carrier shaft having ends of which are in an eccentric cam shape to ascend and descend the carrier. The apparatus also includes a clutch unit to transfer a driving force of the paper supply roller driving unit to the carrier shaft by the carrier in order to rotate the carrier ascent/descent unit upon the adjustment of the head gap, and a control unit to store an adjusted head gap state and to adjust a head gap position required based on the stored head gap state. Accordingly, the present invention may automatically adjust the head gap according to a thickness of a sheet of paper to be printed on by using a driving force of a carrier driving unit and the driving force of the paper supply roller driving unit without using an extra driving motor and head gap sensor.

Abstract: An inkjet head system has an inkjet head and a printed board connected to the inkjet head. The inkjet head includes a cavity plate formed with a plurality of ink pressure chambers arranged adjacent to each other. A piezoelectric actuator is placed on the cavity plate. A plurality of driving electrodes is formed on the piezoelectric actuator at positions corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of ink pressure chambers. The printed board includes a plurality of electrode lands connected with respective ones of the plurality of driving electrodes to supply driving signals thereto. The electrode lands are connected with respective ones of the plurality of driving elements by means of magnetic force. Therefore, the printed board can be easily detached from the inkjet head by pulling it from the inkjet head against the magnetic force.

Abstract: A micro-electromechanical fluid ejection nozzle for a printhead is provided, comprising a nozzle chamber positioned on a substrate, and actuators and associated coupling structures for ejecting fluid from the chamber. The nozzle chamber has a static nozzle section and an active nozzle section. The static section has static walls extending from the substrate and the active section has a roof wall defining a fluid ejection port and an active wall depending from the roof wall about the static walls. The roof and active walls are displaceable relative to the static walls so as to change a volume of the chamber. This causes fluid in the chamber to be ejected from the port. The actuators are arranged to displace the roof and active walls with substantially rectilinear movement, via the coupling structures, on receipt of an actuating signal from drive circuitry on the substrate.

Abstract: In a piezoelectric element, an adhesive layer 12 is provided on a substrate 11, a first electrode layer 14 made of a noble metal containing titanium or titanium oxide is provided on the adhesive layer 12, and an orientation control layer 15 that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided on the first electrode layer 14. In the vicinity of a surface of the orientation control layer 15 that is closer to the first electrode layer 14, a (100)- or (001)-oriented region extends over titanium or titanium oxide located on one surface of the first electrode layer 14 that is closer to the orientation control layer 15, and the cross-sectional area of the region in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction gradually increases in the direction away from the first electrode layer 14 toward the opposite side. Further, a piezoelectric layer 16 that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane is provided on the orientation control layer 15.

Abstract: A certified proofing method is disclosed that includes receiving a printable sheet and automatically detecting at least one feature of at least one component of a proofing process bearing on its quality. The method also includes automatically evaluating at least one result of the step of detecting, printing print data on the printable sheet, and generating a certification notice for the printable sheet in response to a positive electromagnetic result signal from the step of evaluating.

Abstract: A stable support arrangement for a printhead, such as a modular MEMS printhead, is provided. The support arrangement incorporates an elongate core having a portion for mounting a MEMS printhead, and an outer laminated shell encasing the core about the portion for mounting the printhead. The shell and core together have an effective coefficient of thermal expansion substantially equal to that of the printhead to provide stability.

Abstract: A printing device is provided, wherein the printing device includes a printing fluid reservoir configured to hold a volume of a printing fluid, a print head assembly configured to transfer the printing fluid to a printing medium, a conduit fluidically connecting the printing fluid reservoir and the print head assembly, and a printing fluid detector. The printing fluid detector includes first and second electrodes configured to be in contact with the printing fluid, and is configured to distinguish printing fluid from printing fluid froth by taking an impedance measurement across the first and second electrodes and comparing the impedance measurement to a froth threshold impedance value that is calibrated to a measured printing fluid temperature.

Abstract: A dispersion composition including a colorant and an acrylic polymer having the furan structure, and an ink for an ink jet printer including such a dispersion composition. This dispersion composition can achieve the satisfactory stability of the colorant irrespective of the kind of the colorant, and allows the inks to be formulated to have the same composition. The ink for an ink jet printer has good storage stability and printing stability.

Abstract: There is provided an ink jet head including a first drive element which is provided in correspondence with each ink jet nozzle and which has a thin film resistor for ejecting ink droplets from each ink jet nozzle and a thin film conductive electrode for feeding electricity to the thin film resistor, a second drive element which is formed in a vicinity of the first drive element and which vibrates ink in each ink jet nozzle corresponding to the first drive element for changing a meniscus position and a drive signal control device which controls at least one of a drive signal given to the first drive element and a drive signal given to the second drive element so that the ink droplets can be ejected at a desired meniscus position of the ink in each ink jet nozzle. There is also provided an ink jet printer using the ink jet head. The size of ink droplets can be made uniform, whereby a high-quality image can be recorded.

Abstract: In order to manufacture a liquid ejection apparatus, a metal board is prepared. The metal board is subjected to a plastic working to form a plurality of recesses on a first face in a first region of the metal board. Through holes are punched so as to communicate the recesses and a second face of the metal board. The metal board is subjected to a plastic working to form a plurality of dents in a second region of the meal board. A metallic nozzle plate formed with nozzles is joined onto the second face of the metal board, such that each of the nozzles is communicated with one of the through holes.

Abstract: An image heating device for heating an image formed on a recording material is provided which has a heating member; an excitation coil for generating a magnetic field to induce an eddy current in the heating member; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the heating member, the temperature detecting member being arranged at a position in opposition to a heat generation area of the heating member; and an insulating holder that holds the temperature detecting member.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead assembly includes a chassis. An ink distribution assembly is mounted on the chassis. The ink distribution assembly is connectable to at least one supply of ink and defines a number of converging ink distribution conduits that terminate at elongate chip slots. A number of printhead chips are mounted in respective chip slots so that inlets of each chip are in fluid communication with respective ink distribution conduits. A rotatable, multi-purpose platen assembly is mounted on the chassis, in spaced relationship with respect to the printhead chips. The platen assembly is linearly displaceable with respect to the printhead chips and includes at least a platen surface for supporting sheets of print media fed between the platen assembly and the printhead chips. A print media feed mechanism feeds the sheets of print media between the platen assembly and the printhead chips.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid-jet head in which a passage-forming substrate and a nozzle plate can be suitably joined, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid-jet apparatus. A covering plate has a piezoelectric element holding portion which covers piezoelectric elements. This covering plate is joined with a side of the passage-forming substrate where the piezoelectric elements are provided. At the same time, the nozzle plate provided with nozzle orifices is joined with a side of the passage-forming substrate opposite the side where the covering plate is joined. Moreover, at least a region of the passage-forming substrate facing the piezoelectric element holding portion is formed to be relatively thicker than the outside of the region facing the piezoelectric element holding portion.

Abstract: An inkjet printer provided with a dispensing device for dispensing ink pellets of substantially identical shape, said dispensing device including a duct for transporting the ink pellets from an upstream location to a downstream ink pellet separating unit, a first boundary means causing the ink pellets to form as a single layer in the duct, the layer disposed at a small angle relative to the horizontal plane, and a second boundary means causing the ink pellets form in a single row in the direction of flow in the duct directly preceding the separating unit, the row having a length such that it extends over at least two ink pellets.

Abstract: An inkjet head includes a cavity unit and a piezoelectric unit stacked on the cavity unit. The cavity unit has a plurality of ink pressure chambers and a plurality of nozzles being in fluid communication with respective ones of the ink pressure chambers. The piezoelectric unit includes a laminate of four piezoelectric layers and two common electrodes. The piezoelectric unit is provided with a plurality of driving electrodes formed on a top face thereof at positions corresponding to respective ones of the pressure chambers. One of the common electrodes is provided between the upper most piezoelectric layer and the piezoelectric layer immediately therebelow so as to extend substantially over the whole area defined between those two piezoelectric layers. The other common electrode is located between the lower most piezoelectric layer and the piezoelectric layer immediately thereabove so as to extend substantially over the whole area defined therebetween.

Abstract: An ink drying system for high speed printing. A plurality of plenums are in fluid communication with a source of pressurized gas, mediated by respective fast acting valves. In a first embodiment of the invention, each plenum contains a plurality of small orifices grouped to define a localized drying area. The localized drying areas of the plenums form a substantially continuous drying region that, preferably, spans the entire lateral extent of the largest printed image. In a second embodiment of the invention, the plenums are spaced apart along the direction of travel of the sheet, and orifices of each plenum are distributed over the entire drying region.

Abstract: There is disclosed a solid semiconductor element which very efficiently detects information about a liquid and bidirectionally exchanges the information with the outside. The solid semiconductor element is disposed in a liquid container, and includes at least energy converting unit, information acquiring unit, and information communicating unit. The energy converting unit converts an electromotive force from the outside to a power, and operates the information acquiring unit and information communicating unit. The information acquiring unit acquires the information about the liquid in which the solid semiconductor element is disposed from the liquid, and the information communicating unit transmits the information acquired by the information acquiring unit to the outside.