Abstract: We describe a system of electronically active inks which may include electronically addressable contrast media, conductors, insulators, resistors, semiconductive materials, magnetic materials, spin materials, piezoelectric materials, optoelectronic, thermoelectric or radio frequency materials. We further describe a printing system capable of laying down said materials in a definite pattern. Such a system may be used for instance to: print a flat panel display complete with onboard drive logic; print a working logic circuit onto any of a large class of substrates; print an electrostatic or piezoelectric motor with onboard logic and feedback or print a working radio transmitter or receiver.

Abstract: In a sheet output system with a stacking tray for accumulating, registering, and stacking on top of preceding sheets in a superposed set stack the printed sheets sequentially individually outputted by a reproduction system; a low force sheet hole punching system integral the output stacking tray for punching holes through only one individual sheet at a time on top of the set stack, before the next sequential sheet is so registered and stacked, with all of the sheets having underlying commonly superposed sheet holes.

Abstract: The invention discloses a manufacturing processing of making a flexible printed circuit for inkjet printheads. Through the change of the flexible printed circuit structure, residual stress at the bent part can be reduced and the efficiency and precision of subsequent processes can be increased. The disclosed process is thus able to make products with high reliability and quality. The process involves the steps of: (1) preparing a flexible printed circuit substrate and making a window at a predetermined bent part; (2) coating the substrate with a metal layer so that the substrate become conductive; (3) etching the metal layer through a photolithography process to produce a conductive circuit on the flexible printed circuit; and (4) forming a cover layer (solder mask materials such as epoxy or acrylic resins) at the window. A flexible printed circuit thus produced is pre-bent, easy to attach and align, and has less residual stress and a cover layer or film at the bent part.

Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, a method and apparatus for adjusting the height of a platform having a substrate thereon in order to adjust the distance between the substrate and an ink-jet print head located above is provided. In other embodiments, an apparatus for the step-wise conveyance of materials is provided. It comprises a support structure for the material being conveyed and movable and fixed elements for applying forces for temporarily engaging the conveyed material to the support structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for printing with an in-line de-gassed fluid from at least one individual printhead of an inkjet printing system onto a first sheet of receiver medium held on the printing media carrier of the inkjet printing system. The method comprises the steps of in-line de-gassing of fluid supplied to the printhead, and the moving of the printing media carrier at either a constant or a varying speed relative to the printhead, while simultaneously performing more than one of the actions of a. loading another sheet of receiver medium onto the printing media carrier, b. unloading a previously printed sheet of receiver medium from the printing media carrier and c. ejecting droplets of the fluid from the individual printhead onto either the first sheet of receiver medium or a sheet of receiver medium previously loaded onto the printing media carrier.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a plurality of fixed printheads and a transfer roller. The transfer roller collects ink from the printheads and transfers the collected ink onto a print medium.

Abstract: In inkjet printers, it becomes possible to precisely estimate a remaining ink level in detailed scales with a low-cost and simple structure using a sensor. Specifically, a relatively inexpensive sensor that can examine whether the remaining ink level is below a predetermined value or not is employed in combination with a counter (C2) that retains information about ink consumption in printing and other operations. When the sensor has detected an absence of ink in which ink level is below the predetermined level and it is judged that the sensor has detect a presence of ink, the value of the counter (C2) is made a threshold value (T2) corresponding to a level (N) at which the sensor detects the absence of ink and then this threshold value is used to determine the remaining ink level (L).

Abstract: Manifold plates 12 are formed with common ink chambers 12a, 12b with protrusions 51 and open-space chambers 50. When a cap 81 abuts against a nozzle surface 43 of a base plate 11 at position shifted from a proper position, the protrusions 51 offer support for the cap 81. Accordingly, an ink jet head 6 can be configured to properly withstand the capping operation without adding any capping margin. End portions of the common ink chambers 12a, 12b adjacent to portions D are formed to have a cross-sectional area that decreases at a fixed rate in association with distance from ink supply holes 19a, 19b. The open-space chambers 50 are shaped for correcting differences in strength in the manifold plates 12 with respect to a lengthwise direction D1.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink jet recording head provided with a discharge port for discharging ink, an ink flow path communicating with the discharge port, and at least two heat generating elements provided in the ink flow path along the direction thereof, wherein the ink is pigment-based ink and the recording head comprises drive signal supply means for varying the supply timing of drive signals to the plural heat generating elements for ink discharge in such a manner that the drive signal is at first given to the heat generating element at the side of the discharge port at room temperature and the supply timings to the plural heat generating members become simultaneous or closer thereto with an increase in the temperature of the recording head.

Abstract: A method for the image-wise transfer of fluid droplets from at least one fluid droplet source onto a substrate comprises ejecting fluid droplets from the at least one fluid droplet source onto a transfer surface. The fluid droplets may be water-based or oil based. The transfer surface repels the fluid droplets. For water-based fluid droplets, the transfer surface comprises a spatially periodic arrangement of less-strongly hydrophobic regions and more-strongly hydrophobic regions. The method includes adjusting a spatial registration of the fluid droplets on the transfer surface; and transferring the fluid droplets from the transfer surface to the substrate by bringing the fluid droplets on the transfer surface into contact with the substrate.

Abstract: A printing system includes an inkjet printhead for selectively depositing ink drops on print media. An ink reservoir stores ink to be provided to the inkjet printhead. An ink level sensing circuit provides an ink level sense output that is indicative of a sensed volume of ink in the ink reservoir. A memory device stores sensor compensation information. A processor responsive to output of the memory device and the ink level sense output generates a compensated ink level sense output. The processor provides an estimate of available ink based on the compensated ink level sense output.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system and print routine for use in conjunction with the printing system. The print routine prepares rendered source print data having a data resolution into sets of sweep data used to control a printhead of a printer. Each sweep data set contains firing data for an individual sweep of the inkjet printhead at a resolution that is less than the final printed image resolution.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing thermally actuated liquid control devices such as ink jet printheads and fluid microvalves are disclosed. Thermal actuators for a micro-electromechanical devices are manufactured by process steps of forming a bottom layer of a bottom material on a substrate having a flat surface and composed of a substrate material; and removing the bottom material in a bottom layer pattern wherein a moveable area located between opposing free edges remains on the substrate. A deflector layer of a deflector material is formed over the bottom layer and patterned so that the deflector material does not overlap the free edges of the bottom layer material. A top layer of a top material is formed over the deflector layer, the bottom layer, and the substrate and patterned so that the top material overlaps the deflector layer material but does not completely overlap the substrate material in the free edge area.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a substrate, a substrate electrical connector disposed on the substrate, and a carrier lead electrically coupled to the substrate electrical connector. In addition, the electronic device further includes a polymer enclosing the substrate electrical connector, and an inorganic film disposed over the substrate electrical connector in contact with the polymer.

Abstract: A dummy image is formed on a periphery of a retransfer image region on a transfer medium where a primary transfer image is not retransferred on the transfer medium when the primary transfer image is formed on the intermediate transfer film. As the result, peeling tension exerted on the intermediate transfer film is approximately even in a width direction, the primary transfer image is retransferred onto the transfer medium without changing of a transfer condition, and an optimal retransfer condition can be obtained.

Abstract: A printhead chip for an ink jet printhead includes a substrate. A plurality of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement has a nozzle chamber structure that is positioned on the substrate to define a nozzle chamber. An ink ejection member is displaceable with respect to the nozzle chamber structure to eject ink from the nozzle chamber. Two actuators are operatively engaged with the ink ejection member to displace the ink ejection member. The actuators are configured and connected to the ink ejection member to impart substantially rectilinear movement to the ink ejection member.

Abstract: An analog encoder system repeatedly switches back and forth between monitoring of first and second encoder output signals to track movement of a structure associated with the encoder. An energization level of an encoder light element may be controlled in accordance with which encoder output signal is being monitored.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer comprises: a recording head to eject ink through a nozzle; a conveying element located so as to face the recording head and conveying a recording medium onto which an image is recorded employing the recording head; and a recording medium expansion and contraction-preventing means provided at a contacting portion where the conveying element contacts the recording medium.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head records by generating thermal energy to discharge ink from a discharge port onto a recording medium. The head is provided with a heat dissipating substrate positioned substantially parallel and adjacent to a discharge portion substrate, and a space, which communicates with the outside air, positioned at a surface of the heat dissipating substrate which is opposite the surface of the heat dissipating substrate facing the discharge portion substrate. The space extends in the scanning direction so as to facilitate air flow through the head during carriage movement in order to dissipate heat generated by the head during recording. A cooling fan may be provided to increase the air flow and the consequent heat dissipation.

Abstract: A method for determining ink drop velocity of a printhead located at a gap above a print medium. A first ink mark is printed at a first printhead velocity. A second ink mark is printed at a different (in magnitude and/or direction) second printhead velocity. The ink for the second ink mark is ejected from the printhead at the same print ejection position used for the first ink mark plus a predetermined offset distance (if any). The distance between the ink marks is measured. The ink drop velocity is calculated using the measured distance, the predetermined offset distance, the first and second printhead velocities, and the predetermined gap. In another method, an ink mark is printed, a distance is measured between the ink mark and the ink-ejection position, and the ink drop velocity is calculated using the measured distance, the printhead velocity, and the gap.

Abstract: A method of making sign component pieces to be interfitted in close abutting relationship. The preferred method aspect of the invention involves imprinting upon one or more flexible rectangular translucent cover sheets successive horizontal bands of repeated sign-forming indicia, the indicia being precisely positioned with respect to two intersecting reference margins of the sheet. The cover sheets are then laminated to a thin flexible backing sheet capable of adhering subsequent to be severed component sign pieces to a component piece support surface. The resulting laminated sheet is then applied to individual cutting devices, each having an adjustable backstop positioned to effect a linear cutting operation spaced a distance therefrom equal to the horizontal or vertical extent of the component piece involved.