Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes a substrate. A plurality of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement includes a nozzle chamber defining structure positioned on the substrate. The structure has a fixed portion that is fast with the substrate and a movable portion that is displaceable with respect to the substrate and that defines an ink ejection port. The movable portion and fixed portion together define a nozzle chamber and the movable portion is displaceable towards and away from the substrate to reduce and subsequently increase a volume of the nozzle chamber so that ink is ejected from the ink ejection port. An elongate actuator is anchored to the substrate at one end and operatively engaged with the movable portion at an opposite end. The elongate actuator is bent relative to the substrate on receipt of an electrical signal to displace the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion.

Abstract: In an apparatus for applying ink patterns on oriented strand boards, the boards are serially moved closely adjacent to and past ink jets, and ink is deposited on the boards. To deposit the ink accurately on the boards they are advanced by pinch and drive rollers which also ensure that the boards are flat as they move past the jets. Detectors are used to detect boards which cannot be flattened or are irregular in shape and in such a case the ink jets are moved to avoid impact by an irregular board. During printing, the panels and the ink jets are about 0.0625 inches to about 0.125 inches apart, and the panels are moved at a rate of about 150 ft/minute to 600 ft/minute.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a droplet plate for the printhead of an ink-jet printer, which process provides design flexibility, precise dimension control, as well as material robustness. Also provided is a droplet plate fabricated in accord with the process.

Abstract: A device for printing a print carrier in the printing region makes use, in a force transmission region, of a driven transport drum and non-driven back-pressure rollers or, alternatively, of a non-driven back-pressure conveyor belt. A stationary ink-jet printing head prints, in the printing region, the print carrier that is moved downstream, the ink-jet printing head being disposed axially relative to the transport drum. The printing region amounts preferably to about 1 inch and is at a distance from the force transmission region, the distance of the furthest pixel from the edge of the transport drum, being smaller than the radius of the circumference of the transport drum.

Abstract: A fluid pump, such as a print head, includes an ink channel having a nozzle and at least one wall having a flexible portion. A deforming member made of a viscoelastic material is coupled to the flexible portion and a charge mechanism is coupled to the deforming member to apply a spatially varied charge pattern to the deforming member when activated. Activation of the charge mechanism causes deformation of the deforming member and the flexible portion to reduce the volume of the ink channel and eject a droplet of ink out of the ink channel. The charge mechanism can include a photoelectric material and a radiation source or an electrode coupled to a source of electric power.

Abstract: A method of computer-to-cylinder type lithographic printing comprising: loading a plate material on a plate cylinder of a printing apparatus; forming an image, based on image data signal, directly onto the plate material by an inkjet image-recording process comprising ejecting an oil-based ink from a recording head; heat-fixing the thus formed inkjet image to prepare a printing plate; and performing lithographic printing with the thus prepared printing plate, wherein said heat fixing step comprises heating with a heat roller. In a preferred embodiment, said heat-fixing step further comprises preliminary heating prior to said heating with the heat roller. Also disclosed are computer-to-cylinder type lithographic printing apparatuses for carrying out the printing methods.

Abstract: A metal detection system and method to reduce damage due to the introduction of metal into microwave dryers of fluid ejection systems. One embodiment of the invention causes paper pick-up rollers and feed rollers to stop when metal is detected. Another embodiment causes the electromagnetic field in the microwave dryer to be turned off when metal is in the drying cavity of the microwave dryer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic attracting-type ink jet recording method by which an ink dot which has adhered to the recording medium or intermediate recording material can be prevented from affecting the drawing direction of the subsequently jetting ink, whereby an ink can be invariably allowed to jet onto a proper position to form an image with a high quality.