Abstract: A liquid emission device includes a chamber having a nozzle orifice. Separately addressable dual electrodes are positioned on opposite sides of a central electrode. The three electrodes are aligned with the nozzle orifice. A rigid electrically insulating coupler connects the two addressable electrodes. To eject a drop, an electrostatic charge is applied to the addressable electrode nearest to the nozzle orifice, which pulls that electrode away from the orifice, drawing liquid into the expanding chamber. The other addressable electrode moves in conjunction, storing potential energy in the system. Subsequently the addressable electrode nearest to the nozzle is de-energized and the other addressable electrode is energized, causing the other electrode to be pulled toward the central electrode in conjunction with the release of the stored elastic potential energy. This action pressurizes the liquid in the chamber behind the nozzle orifice, causing a drop to be ejected from the nozzle orifice.

Abstract: An electronic cartridge assembly is provided for conducting power and data signals from a printer circuit board to a pen substrate. The assembly utilizes a pen connector that includes a housing and contacts secured to the housing and adapted for carrying electrical power and data signals. Each contact includes a connector pad located at one end of the contact and a tail end located at an opposite end of the contact. The connector pads are adapted to electrically engage mating contacts, and the tail ends are adapted to be bounded to the pen substrate. The housing holds the tail ends in a first plane arranged in rows separated by a first distance, and the housing holds the connector pads in a second plane arranged in rows separated by a second distance. The first distance and second distance differ from one another.

Abstract: In inkjet printers, it becomes possible to accurately detect changing an ink tank and according to the detection 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.

Abstract: To reduce the number of simultaneously driven printing elements so that the instantaneously flowing current is restricted in a printing system for completing an image by repeating the printing scan a plurality of times in the same printing area while applying random mask thereto. For this purpose, a mask of a predetermined size is structured as a thinning pattern in which data are arranged randomly, the data being for determining whether or not the respective ink ejection openings in a printing head are to be driven when the printing head repeats the scan a plurality of times in the same printing area of a printing medium. When forming an image, the printing elements concerned with the printing operation in the same printing area are divided into a plurality of sections, and the thinning patterns complementary to each other are applied to the respective sections during the respective printing scans.

Abstract: An ink cartridge using separate magnets is provided. The ink cartridge includes an ink container, which includes first and second chambers separated by a vertical partition formed therewithin for containing ink, and a head for ejecting the ink in the ink container onto a printing medium in the form of droplets. The first chamber includes a sponge filling most of the inside of the first chamber, a filter provided on a bottom portion of the sponge, and an ink supply pipe for supplying the ink which has passed through the filter to the head. The second chamber includes a magnet float floating on the ink in the second chamber and including a first magnet in its inside, and a second magnet provided in the bottom surface of the second chamber. The ink cartridge includes a magnet sensor for detecting a magnetic flux having at least a predetermined level when the magnet float contacts the second magnet.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus is provided which can prevent a discharged paper-induced smear efficiently with a simple construction. To achieve this objective, the ink jet printing apparatus of this invention determines, based on an amount of ink ejected per unit area onto a preceding print medium last discharged to the discharge position by the discharging section, a required time duration that needs to elapse before a subsequent print medium being discharged toward the discharge position is allowed to contact a predetermined area of the preceding print medium and then controls a printing speed on the subsequent print medium so that the subsequent print medium will not contact the predetermined area of the preceding print medium within the time duration determined.

Abstract: Aqueous pigment ink and organic pigment powder are used for ink-jet recording to form high quality images. Organic pigment powder is prepared by finely granulating an organic pigment containing anthraquinone as principal ingredient by means of a vapor phase method to such an extent that the produced powder shows a number average particle diameter of primary particles of 10 to 50 nm. An aqueous ink contains such organic pigment powder.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for optimizing ink drying time through the incorporation of a system of multiple spaced printheads. The printhead assembly includes connection and processing circuitry, multiple printhead bodies, ink channels, substrates, such as semiconductor wafers (commonly referred to as a die), and nozzle members. The printheads also include controllers for controlling printing on a print media and incorporating a programmable feedback loop. The loop activates the various printheads during printing so that the various data packets are added in a synchronized manner during the print swath. The present invention provides adequate drying time for inks produced in a printing swath on a wide array page. This will result in the use of water based inks compatible with ink jet materials in systems with fast raster scanning.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ink cartridge wherein a remaining amount of ink can be detected using an optical sensor. The ink cartridge has a window, for detection of an ink remaining amount, that is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction. Inside of the ink cartridge, a preventive member is vertically provided. When the ink level is up to the window, light irradiated from the optical sensor permeates the window. Then, the light passes through the ink and reaches the preventive member. Preferably, the window is inclined approximately 20 degrees with respect to the preventive member. Accordingly, an incident angle of the light that has reached the preventive member is different from an incident angle of the light to the window. Thus, most of the light that has reached the preventive member is absorbed or is reflected by the preventive member in a direction different from the incident direction, so that the light reflected toward the optical sensor can be restricted.

Abstract: An ink jet nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber having an inlet to receive ink from a reservoir and a nozzle through which the ink can be ejected. The chamber includes a fixed portion and movable portion configured such that relative movement in an ejection phase reduces an effective volume of the chamber, and alternate relative movement in a refill phase enlarges the effective volume of the chamber. An actuator connected with the movable portion of the chamber periodically effects the relative movement. The nozzle is formed in the movable portion and the inlet is positioned and dimensioned relative to the nozzle such that ink is ejected preferentially from the chamber through the nozzle in droplet form in the ejection phase, and ink is alternately drawn preferentially into the chamber from the reservoir through the inlet in the refill phase.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink-jet recording apparatus capable of automatically adjusting the feed of a recording medium without troubling a user. Such an ink-jet recording apparatus is provided with a means for forming at least two adjustment charts for one band by means of at least one nozzle disposed at both end portions of a print head, a nozzle width detecting means for detecting the nozzle width of the print head on the basis of information of two adjustment charts in the same band printed by both end portions, a feed detecting means for detecting an actual feed of the recording medium on the basis of information of adjustment charts printed in adjacent bands by either one end portion out of both end portions, and a compensating means for performing a compensation for a predetermined feed for one band of the recording medium on the basis of the detected nozzle width and the actual feed.

Abstract: A method of imaging substance depletion detection in an imaging device. The method includes the steps of identifying a theoretical coverage of an imaging substance for a first area of a sheet of print media; determining an actual coverage of the imaging substance for the first area of the sheet of print media; comparing the theoretical coverage with the actual coverage; and determining whether a depletion of the imaging substance has occurred based on a result of the comparing step.

Abstract: The printing in which dots are formed on a recording medium through the ejection of ink droplets from nozzles is performed. The adjustment value to adjust recording position misalignment in the main scanning direction in such printing is determined automatically. An ink droplet is expelled according to a fixed cycle from a nozzle n0 while the print head is being conveyed in the forward pass of main scanning. The detection time tfp at which the ink droplet crosses a laser beam L is measured. Similarly, an ink droplet is expelled according to a fixed cycle from the nozzle n0 while the print head is being conveyed in the reverse pass of main scanning. The detection time tbp at which the ink droplet crosses the laser beam L is measured. The ink droplet ejection timing adjustment value can be obtained from these measurement values tfp and tbp and from the carriage position at these times.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printer having enhanced heat removal capability and method of assembling the printer. The thermal inkjet printer includes a thermal inkjet print bead adapted to hold an ink body therein. A heating element is adapted to be in fluid communication with the ink body for generating heat to heat the ink body. A vapor bubble forms in the ink body to eject an ink drop when the heating element causes the ink body to reach a predetermined temperature. Presence of the vapor bubble forces on ink drop out the printer to form an image on a recording medium. A conductive heat removal structure is in thermal communication with the heating element and is also in fluid communication with the ink body. Heat generated by the heating element is transferred from the heating element and into the heat removal structure. The heat removal structure then surrenders the heat to the ink body, which functions as an “infinite” heat sink.

Abstract: An ink jet image recording method including: forming an image by ejecting an ink jet recording ink composition including one of a water-soluble dye and an oil-soluble dye onto an image-receiving material; and applying a solution including a dispersion of fine polymer particles to the image-receiving material simultaneously with or after the forming of an image or an ink jet image recording method including: applying a solution including a dispersion of fine polymer particles to an image-receiving material; and ejecting an ink jet recording ink composition including one of a water-soluble dye and an oil-soluble dye onto the image-receiving material for formation of an image, while the dispersion of fine polymer particles on the image-receiving material maintains a condition in which the ink jet recording ink composition is able to pass therethrough.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting a head gap between printing paper and a nozzle of a printing head in an inkjet printer includes a carrier mounted with the printing head, a chassis having a carrier shaft guiding a movement of the carrier, an eccentric cam formed on one end of the carrier shaft, a carrier driving part moving the carrier right and left along the carrier shaft, and a paper-transporting roller driving part driving a paper-transporting roller of transporting printing paper to be printed. The apparatus includes a carrier ascent/descent part ascending and descending the carrier by rotating the carrier shaft, and a clutch device selectively transmitting a driving force of the paper-transporting roller driving part to the carrier shaft to rotate the carrier shaft and disposed to be actuated by the carrier which is moved by the carrier driving part when the head gap should be adjusted.

Abstract: An ink jet type recording head of a multi-layer structure including a pressure generating unit and a flow path unit. The pressure generating unit is composed of a ceramic vibrating member with piezoelectric transducers on the surface thereof, a ceramic first spacer member with a plurality of through-holes forming pressure chambers, and a lid member having through-holes through which the pressure chambers are communicated with a reservoir, these members being joined by firing in such a manner that a diaphragm is placed on one surface of the first spacer member, and the lid member is sealingly set on the other surface of the spacer member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for printing an image onto a hydrophobic, adhesive surface of a transparent, plastic receptor media using an inkjet printer. After the image is printed, the receptor media is applied to an item, thereby personalizing the item with the image. Since the image is printed onto the adhesive surface, it is protected from moisture and scuffing after it is applied to the item. The image appears professionally printed on the item because the transparent receptor media blends with the background of the item and appears borderless. However, since the image is printed using an inkjet printer, the personalized item can be easily created at home.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of forming an image with a uniform density includes a toner carrier, an opposing electrode, a high voltage power source for supplying a voltage to generate potential difference between the toner carrier and the opposing electrode, a control electrode arranged between the toner carrier and the opposing electrode and having a plurality of electrodes, and a control power source unit for implementing a plurality of potential states to each of the electrodes of the control electrode. The control electrode includes an insulating substrate, the plurality of electrodes provided on the insulating substrate and having passage portions for the toner, and a dielectric layer formed on a side facing the opposing electrode such that attracting force Fc attracting the toner adhered on the surface of the control electrode facing the opposing electrode is made smaller than attracting force Fb attracting the toner adhered on the opposing electrode.

Abstract: An ink jet ink set and recording element combination including A) a porous ink jet recording element having a 60° specular gloss of at least about 5; and B) a pigment based ink jet ink set including at least two inks; wherein the RGD value is less than 40% and RGV value among inks is less than 10% when 60° is used as the specular angle; the RGD and RGV values are calculated according to Equations (A) and (B), respectively:   ⁢ Equation ⁢   ⁢ ( A ) RGD ⁢   ⁢ % = &AutoLeftMatch;   ⁢ ∑ I =