Abstract: In the representative hot melt ink supply system described in the specification, a first hot melt ink supply reservoir maintains ink in molten condition during operation of the system and a second reservoir mounted with an ink jet head on a movable carriage communicates with the first reservoir through a flexible supply line. The ink in the supply line is normally kept in solid condition and, when a reduced level of ink is detected in the second reservoir, the supply line is heated to melt the ink in the line and a pump is actuated to transfer ink from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. To permit use of pigmented inks, each of the reservoirs is heated to provide a thermal gradient therein so as to maintain convective circulation of the ink. An ink circulation path is provided to cause convective circulation of pigmented ink in the ink jet head.

Abstract: A laser beam recording method and apparatus are constituted for recording a continuous tone image by scanning a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser on a photosensitive material by a beam scanning system, and controlling a drive current for the semiconductor laser based on a light emission level instructing signal corresponding to an image signal, thereby to modulate the intensity of the laser beam. The laser beam intensity is detected, and a feedback signal corresponding to the detected intensity is fed back to the light emission level instructing signal.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a mechanism for incrementally rotating a plotter carousel holding a plurality of pens around its perimeter. The rotational increments of the carousel are spaced to present any of the plurality of pens to a drawing arm on the plotter, or other graphics. A non-servo, non-stepper electric motor, such as a DC motor commonly used in slot cars, provides the rotational power to rotate the carousel. A control device switches the motor on or off with an output connected to the base of a driver connected between the power supply and the motor. The motor, when on, rotates an incremental indexing mechanism that in turn rotates the carousel in increments, each increment being a fraction of one full rotation. A switch is provided which detects that the carousel has been rotated one increment.

Abstract: The structure of an annular spacer adapted to be sandwiched between a pair of circular base plates in an optical information record disk of the air sandwiching type.The annular spacer has an annular groove having a flattened bottom which groove is formed on each of opposite faces of the annular spacer on which circular base plates are carried in order to allow layers of a bonding agent between the circular base plates and the spacer to have a sufficient thickness required for adhesion between them.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dispensing a fluid with dispersed particles therein are disclosed which include a reservoir containing the fluid and dispersed particles. The fluid is agitated to maintain dispersion of the particles. The output of the reservoir is provided through a filter to a three-way valve and pressurized as required. The common port of the three-way valve is connected to a print module controlled by a programmable controller. Bypass flow is provided to increase the flow rate through the system. The system may be operated in either the demand mode or the continuous mode.

Abstract: A light pen for converting a conventional graphics plotter into a photoplotter includes a housing containing an electrically powered light source, a battery and a normally open switch. The housing has an aperture opposite the light source. The light pen replaces an ink pen in the plotter. When the light pen is urged against a photosensitive sheet in the plotter, the normally open switch is closed, the light pen is energized and the light pen is transmitted to the sheet to illuminate it. The self-contained light pen is free of trailing electrical and optical cables that might interfere with plotter speed and accuracy.

Abstract: An automatic lead pencil device has a casing which is releasably mountable in a bracket of a drafting machine. Within the casing, there is a clamp sleeve in which a clamping member is axially movable for clamping and releasing a lead during use of the pencil device. An axial movable lead guide tube projects outwardly of the casing in the rest position, and there is a pencil brake within the lead guide tube. The contact zone between the clamping member and the clamp sleeve is constructed so as to be of the non-self-locking type. There is an operative connection between the clamping member and the lead guide tube such that the clamping member is closed when the lead guide tube moves axially inwardly to assume the working position and opens when the lead guide tube moves axially outwardly toward a rest position.

Abstract: In a light beam scanning recording method, a continuous tone image is recorded on a photosensitive material by scanning a light beam deflected by a rotating polygon mirror on the photosensitive material and carrying out pulse number modulation or pulse width modulation of the light beam in accordance with image signals. A single picture element string is scanned by the light beam a plural number of times which is equal to integral multiples of the number of mirror surfaces of the rotating polygon mirror. The number of pulses per picture element or the pulse width per picture element is distributed among the plural number of times of scanning so that the total number of pulses per picture element or the total pulse width per picture element in the plural number of times of scanning coincides with a predetermined value.

Abstract: In an information recording apparatus according to this invention, since it is not necessary to dispose any differential circuit, which was required heretofore, it is possible to fabricate it with a low cost and its error rate is also very small.Furthermore, since the mean reflectivity on the recording track does almost not vary by the fact that information is recorded there, no tracking off-set or focusing off-set is produced. Thus effects of this invention are remarkable.

Abstract: A moveable pen carriage for use in a graphic recording system supports a plurality of recording pens in a linear array together with means for selectively engaging any one of the plurality of pens. Means are provided for imparting the desired motion to the pen carriage as well as the media upon which the recording is made. A pen carriage suspension system comprises a pair of wheel supports, each supporting a pair of grooved wheels which engage the upper and lower tracks within the pen carriage track system. Flexible members within the wheel supports provide resilient compensation for variations in track spacing while maintaining the correct angular position of the pen carriage.

Abstract: A method of forming an oblique dot pattern in an element-density tone production method which uses two types of recording dots comprising a dark value and a light value and a specific matrix structure, whereby pseudo-gradation recording is performed by assigning recording dot positions in a matrix by means of a matrix pattern in accordance with gradation steps of a recording signal, the oblique dot pattern forming method being characterized in that: a plurality of sets of matrix patterns are provided for the purpose of ensuring that a plurality of different matrix patterns can be selected and assigned to each gradation step; the plurality of sets of matrix patterns being selected and arranged cyclically in matrix pattern areas which are longitudinally and laterally arranged over a recorded image; and the matrix patterns being so constituted that recorded aggregated dots are arranged in a predetermined oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal and lateral directions of the recorded image.

Abstract: A laser diode imagesetter having multiple resolution operating modes, includes means for stabilizing the optical output power from the semiconductor laser diode during the scan trace interval across a photosensitive material so as to maintain a high extinction ratio for the laser diode even when its driving current is changed to a different level in order to operate the imagesetter at a different resolution mode.

Abstract: A device for generating fluid drops, preferably in a demand controlled ink jet printer which has a rod (3) of magneto-strictive material surrounded by a magnetization coil (4). One end (3a) of the rod is fixedly secured to a stationary portion (1a) of the device. The second, free end (3b) extends via a fluid-sealing leadthrough (5) into a fluid chamber (6) in the device to a position in the vicinity area of the outlet opening (8) of said fluid chamber. When actuating the magnetization coil by feeding an actuation current thereto, the magneto-strictive rod generates an ultrasonic pressure wave in the fluid at the outlet opening of the fluid chamber (6), which in turn causes an ejection of a fluid drop from said outlet opening (8).

Abstract: An optical scanning system scans a light beam across a target. A transmissive optical element receives a light beam from a laser light source and transmits the beam to the target. A mechanical oscillator coupled to the optical element oscillates the optical element and causes the transmitted light to scan across the target. The optical element may be at least one transmissive lens with a magnification ratio greater than one. Thus the relatively small distance of oscillation of the optical assembly results in a relatively larger distance of scanning across the target. The target may be a photosensitive recording medium having an image forming surface for recording an image and transferring the image to paper.

Abstract: Information of an object to be read out is read out by an image sensor synchronizing with a first synchronous signal and is stored in a memory which is then subjected to printing on a transfer surface in synchronism with a second synchronous signal by moving the transfer apparatus in contact with the outside transfer surface.

Abstract: An ink transport comprising a perforated belt or web configured carrier having a longitudinally repetitive pattern of relatively large diameter apertures extending through it is provided for delivering a regularly refreshed supply of liquid ink to the printhead of an acoustic ink printer. Ink is loaded into the apertures from the top and/or the bottom. Furthermore, the apertures within each repeat of the aperture pattern are on centers which cause them to laterally align, on a one-for-one basis, with the individual pixel positions within a pagewidth address field. The printhead, in turn, includes one or more droplet ejectors, each of which supplies an acoustic beam which converges to a relatively sharp (i.e., narrow waist diameter) focus approximately on the free surface of the ink entrained in the apertures, and the radiation pressure exerted by each beam is modulated to acoustically eject individual droplets of ink from the apertures on command to print an image on a nearby recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use in printing systems wherein regions of rupturable capsules of a layer of capsules adsorbed on an imaging sheet are ruptured to release chromogenic materials that react to developer and print an image on a sheet. The apparatus has a container storing the capsules. A separately prepared sheet of plain paper is fed into the apparatus where the capsules are adsorbed thereon, forming an imaging sheet. Then an image is outputted from the apparatus through exposure process and development process. As a consequence, the user do not directly touch capsules which are vulnerable to friction and rubs, and this facilitates the handling of the imaging sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing automatic paper edge finding and sizing in a graphics plotter system having a platen over which paper is moved longitudinally to create one axis, penholding apparatus moved transversely across the platen and the paper to create the other axis, and a controlled raising and lowering mechanism connected to the penholding apparatus for lowering a pen being held therein into contact with, for raising it from contact with the paper, and for providing a relative vertical position value signal. Vertical sensing apparatus is connected to the penholding apparatus for sensing the top surface of the platen. First logic is operably connected to the vertical sensing apparatus and to receive the vertical position value signal from the controlled raising and lowering mechanism for calculating and saving a plurality of values indicating the distance to the platen top surface at a plurality of spaced points across the platen.

Abstract: A light scanning device has a light deflecting member such as a polygon mirror rotated to thereby scan with a light, a bearing member for rotatably supporting the light deflecting member, a supporting member for holding the bearing member, and a base member formed integrally as a one-piece construction with the supporting member. The light deflecting member is accurately held relative to the base member by the highly accurately provided supporting member. The light scanning device is characterized by the integral molding for improving the accuracy of an optical system member which has heretofore been made discretely and thereafter coupled to the base member, and is preferably characterized by the integral molding of a supporting portion (a positioning and containing portion) for supporting a plurality of optical system members relative to the base member.

Abstract: A laser recording apparatus for printing multi-tone image data by driving a laser diode according to levels of an analog signal containing the image data thereby to modulate a laser beam output by the laser diode, and causing the modulated laser beam to scan a recording medium in transverse directions. The output of the laser diode is stopped or reduced in level for a certain time in each of periods at predetermined intervals, each period corresponding to each pixel in the printed image. This eliminates mode hopping noise and optical feedback induced intensity noise, and hardly gives rise to the problem of electromagnetic wave disturbance. By elongating or shortening the time for stopping or reducing the emission by the laser diode (which time is shorter than the period corresponding to one pixel), the image density may be adjusted without impairing the above advantage.