Abstract: A method of producing an ink-jet head having an ink chamber composed of at least a first wall member and a second wall member, wherein the first wall member includes a vibrating wall made of a piezoelectric ceramic on which an electrode layer is formed and the second wall member forms a fixed wall, comprising steps of: (1) combining the first wall member and the second wall member into one body so that the ink chamber is formed between the first wall member and the second wall member and the electrode layer is located inside the ink chamber; and (2) subjecting the combined one body of the first wall member and the second wall member to gas phase polymerization so that a resin layer of poly-para xylylene or its derivative is formed on the electrode layer in the ink chamber.

Abstract: A flexible-film wire substrate is bent at first, second and third bent portions. Wires of a flexible wire pattern are deflected at least between the second bent portion and the third bent portion so that a pitch increases from the second bent portion toward the third bent portion. By bending the first, second and third bent portions so that the wires are substantially orthogonal to each bending line, the flexible-film wire substrate can be excellently bent without influencing the flexible wire pattern on the flexible-film wire substrate.

Abstract: A thin-film ink-jet drive head provides a MOSTFT (metal oxide semiconductor thin-film transistor) transistor, a resistor and the interconnect between the two electrical components, all comprised of the same, multi-functional thin-film layer. Differing portions of the multi-functional thin-film layer function as (1) heating resistors to propel ink droplets from the printhead (2) ink MOSTFT transistors to selectively drive (fire) the resistors, and (3) direct conductive pathways between the drive transistors and the resistors.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes a substrate having an ink feed slot formed therein. The inkjet printhead includes drop generators and ink feed channels. Each drop generator has a nozzle and a vaporization chamber. At least one ink feed channel is fluidically coupled to each vaporization chamber and is fluidically coupled to the ink feed slot. A thin-film structure is supported by the substrate and defines a first portion of each ink feed channel. An orifice layer supported by the substrate defines the nozzles and the vaporization chambers in the drop generators. The orifice layer defines a second portion of each ink feed channel.

Abstract: An inkjet head driving circuit driving piezoelectric actuators 21 for ink ejection provided on an inkjet head H is provided with an analog switch 71 (72) whose input can be switched between the output voltage of a D/A converter 62 (63) and ground potential, and outputs either that output voltage or ground potential to a waveform generating portion 64. The analog switch 71 (72) is configured such that when a digital signal for generating a voltage rising waveform (voltage falling waveform) with the waveform generating portion 64 is input into the D/A converter 62 (63), the input into the analog switch 71 (72) is switched from ground potential to the output voltage of the D/A converter 62 (63).

Abstract: A silicon wafer substrate is used in ink-jet printhead fabrication. The fabrication process is improved by simultaneously forming MOSFET source/drain contact vias simultaneously with substrate contact vias. A dry etch having a silicon oxide:silicon etch rate of at least 10:1 is employed.

Abstract: A bubble-jet type ink-jet printhead, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided, wherein, the printhead includes a substrate integrally having an ink supply manifold, an ink chamber, and an ink channel, a nozzle plate having a nozzle, a heater consisting of resistive heating elements, and an electrode for applying current to the heater. In particular, the ink chamber is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape on a surface of the substrate, a manifold is formed from its bottom side toward the ink chamber, and the ink channel linking the manifold and the ink chamber is formed at the bottom of the ink chamber. Thus, this simplifies the manufacturing process and facilitates high integration and high volume production. Furthermore, a doughnut-shaped bubble is formed to eject ink in the printhead, thereby preventing a back flow of ink as well as formation of satellite droplets that may degrade image resolution.

Abstract: A boundary nozzle which is contained in a block that has not been driven and is situated at the boundary with a driving block that is driven prior to the block containing the boundary nozzle contains a second stopper which has a length in a liquid flow direction longer than that of a first stopper contained in a driving nozzle in the driving block that is driven prior. A near-boundary nozzle adjacent to the boundary nozzle has a third stopper which has a length in a liquid flow direction longer than that of the first stopper but shorter than the second stopper. Thus, recording irregularities owing to meniscus regression are suppressed.

Abstract: In the present invention, a processing liquid and an ink are ejected so that ejected regions of the processing liquid ejected in each scan by a printing head and image regions printed by black (Bk) ink printed in each scan are mutually shifted in an auxiliary scanning direction. By this, when ejection of the processing liquid is to be performed in each scan, the image region of the Bk ink ejected on the processing liquid in the preceding scan is offset from a boundary of the region, to which the processing liquid is to be ejected. Therefore, overlapping of the processing liquid on the portion where the Bk ink and the processing liquid are overlapped in the preceding scan, can be avoided. Accordingly, when printing is performed by ejecting the ink and the processing liquid which makes a coloring agent in the ink insoluble, drop-out or deterioration of color due to overlap of the processing liquid in the joint portion of the image formed in each scan by the printing head can be eliminated.

Abstract: In an inkjet recording head having a plurality of ink ejecting ports and a plurality of energy generating elements respectively positioned in confrontation with the ink ejecting ports for generating energy utilized to eject ink from the ink ejecting ports, the plurality of ink ejecting ports and the plurality of energy generating elements being divided into a plurality of blocks, and the ejecting ports and the energy generating elements being timeshapred driven in a sequence of the blocks in a common driving period, the plurality of energy generating elements are disposed in an approximate sraight line, and the respective ink ejecting ports are off-set with respect to the energy generating elements in a projecting relationship in correspondence to the sequence of the timeshapred drive.

Abstract: This invention provides an ink jet recording head for discharging an ink droplet using the thermal energy of heating means. According to the present invention, the heating means is a heating device having the Metal-Insulator-Metal type current-voltage properties in which the resistance value on the application of a low voltage exhibits a value higher than the resistance value on the application of a high voltage, regardless of the polarity.

Abstract: A recording apparatus performs recording on a recording medium by using a coloring material-containing ink accommodated in a first accommodating portion and processing liquid contained in a second accommodating portion to make insoluble or coagulate the coloring material in the ink. This recording apparatus includes a means to hold a first ink jet head to eject the ink and a second ink jet head to eject the processing liquid in line and in an opposing relationship with the recording surface of the recording medium, and a control means to control the ejecting of the processing liquid from the second ink jet head in connection with the ejecting of the ink from the first ink jet head.

Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting ink in an ink-jet printer that ejects the ink out of the openings on the nozzle plate only by the vapor pressure of bubbles of gas generated on the surface of individual electrodes due to the electrolysis of the conductive ink by applying positive voltage to the individual electrodes wetted with the ink and negative voltage to a common electrode, without using a heater for heating the ink and a plurality of protective layers to protect the internal electrodes, thereby making it possible to realize a high speed printing operation for high frequency by a short impulse duration with low voltage.

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate for use in an ink jet recording head, comprising on a base member an insulating film comprising an insulating material, a bubble-generating heater for generating heat required for bubble generation in ink, and a preheating heater for generating heat to be applied to a recording head for effecting recording on a recording medium, wherein the preheating heater is provided in a layer lower than that of the bubble-generating heater with interposition of the insulating film.

Abstract: An ink jet print head apparatus having a reduced thickness passivation layer. Passivation layer thickness is preferably below 7000 angstroms to permit operation at a lower turn-on-energy. The passivation layer is preferably formed in a discrete manner and may include a nitride layer and a SiC layer. Various other layer arrangements are also described including the provision of a cavitation layer over the passivation layer. A thermal or other type of ink expulsion mechanism may be utilized.

Abstract: An ink directly contacts a heating resistor which forms a portion of an electrothermal transducer. The ink is ejected from orifices by using thermal energy generated by supplying an electric current to the heating resistor. The concentration of alkali metal ion is equal to or less than 5×10−3 mol/l.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ink jet recording head for discharging ink onto a recording medium, with the recording head including a first surface defining at least one discharge port and a second surface surrounding the first surface, and a carriage for movably supporting and mounting the recording device. A cleaning device cleans the ink jet recording head and is formed of an elastic plate-like member having a first cleaning member for primarily cleaning the first surface and a second cleaning member for primarily cleaning the second surface. A displacing mechanism displaces the cleaning device between a cleaning position at which the cleaning device cleans the ink jet recording head and a non-cleaning position at which the cleaning device is remote from the ink jet recording head.

Abstract: A recording method includes the steps of ejecting ink onto a recording material on the basis of image data; and ejecting record quality improving liquid to improve a record quality of the ink ejected onto the recording material; wherein one of the ink ejecting step and the liquid ejecting step is carried out after the other; the liquid ejecting step ejects the liquid to a part of an ink-ejection-area on the recording material to provide liquid-ejection-area and non-liquid-ejection-area.

Abstract: A cleaning member comprising an ether series polyurethane rubber elastic body, the curing agent component of said ether series polyurethane rubber elastic body essentially consisting of a bifunctional component, or in addition, said ether series polyurethane rubber elastic body further containing a water repellency-adding material having an active group capable of chemically bonding to said polyurethane rubber.

Abstract: An image-forming method using color ink having a surface tension of 25 to 40 dyne/cm. The color ink is applied to a glossy recording medium having a porous structure including a pigment, a binder and a cationic material.