Abstract: A disposable ink assemblage intended for an ink cartridge includes an ink bag containing an ink supply, and an ink egress snout attached to the bag and from which the ink supply is to be discharged from the bag. The snout is configured to be received in a collar only when the collar is in any one of a number of allowable orientations, and to fix the collar relative to the snout in a selected one of the orientations in order that the fixed orientation of the collar may serve to identify the ink supply in the bag.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes an ink egress snout from which an ink supply is discharged from the ink cartridge, and a collar that mates with the snout and can be arranged in any one of a number of allowable orientations to provide an identification of the ink supply. The snout and the collar are mutually configured to permit the collar to mate with the snout only when the collar is in any one of the orientations, whereby an identification of the ink supply can be provided simply by the collar mating with the snout.

Abstract: When positively charged ink droplets 608 from a defective nozzle impact a negatively charged deflector electrode 320, the positive charge on condenser 609 flows to the ground via a FET 618 of a photo-coupler 610. As a result, the electric discharge occurs by an amount equivalent to the charging amount of the ink droplets 608 clinging on the electrode 320. Because a switching signal 606 is “1”, the ON resistance of the photo-coupler 610 is large, and the ON resistance of the FET 620 of the photo-coupler 612 is small. Accordingly, the discharge due to the charged ink droplets 608 is detected as a large detection voltage and amplified by an operational amplifier 613 . Because the charger voltage of the condenser 609 is static and has no noise, even when the detection output 615 is highly amplified, noise during the detection is suppressed.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead is formed on a silicon wafer and includes a number of nozzle devices, each having a nozzle chamber and an aperture through which ink from the nozzle chamber is ejected. Each nozzle device also has an actuator for applying pressure to ink within the nozzle chamber to cause ejection of an ink drop through the aperture and drive circuitry for controlling the actuator. The drive circuitry and the actuator share area of the silicon wafer to increase manufacturing yield.

Abstract: A ball check valve for use in a bulk ink supply system of an inkjet printing system, for disposal in an ink flow path between an ink reservoir and a printhead, so as to control back pressure at the printhead thereby reducing the occurrence of de-priming of the printhead, including a valve body defining a chamber with an inlet and an outlet; a ball disposed in the chamber, the ball having a diameter; a ball retainer disposed in the inlet, the ball retainer having an aperture with a diameter which is less than the diameter of the ball, wherein backflow of ink in the chamber causes the ball to seat against the ball retainer, placing the ball check valve in a closed position such that ink flow through the aperture is restricted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for microlithographic writing and inspection on photosensitive substrates, and specially printing and inspection of patterns with extremely high precision, such as photomasks for semiconductor device patterns, display panels, integrated optical, devices and electronic interconnect structures. More specifically the invention relates to compensation of substrate offset by modifying the position data or the feeding of the same of the deflector, and the use of a direct digital synthesis (DDS) unit for generation of the sweep frequency drive signal.

Abstract: A developing system for a bore matrix in a printer using toner in the form of a dry toner powder, and comprising a feeder brush (3) which receives toner from a toner container (1), a printer brush (5) receiving toner from the toner feeder brush (3) and transporting same through bores of a bore matrix (8) and down to a document (9) to be printed, and means (15) for charging the toner particles by mechanically rubbing the toner particles (2) against the printer brush (5), and in which a means (19) may be provided for ripping free the charged toner particles (2), so that said particles form a cloud (7) of charged toner particles (2) adjacent the bore matrix (8), which pass down to the document (9) to be printed through open bores of the bore matrix (8).

Abstract: An ink-jet head includes a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, a first flat plate layer including at least one flat plate formed with an array of pressure chambers each communicating with a corresponding one of the nozzles, a second flat plate layer including at least one flat plate formed with a common ink chamber having a shape elongated in a direction of the array of the pressure chambers, an ink flow passage that communicates at one end with a corresponding one of the pressure chambers and at the other end with the common ink chamber, an ink supply passage connecting the common ink chamber and an ink supply source, a flat plate member in a shape of a thin film disposed between the first flat plate layer and the second flat plate layer, a filter formed at the flat plate member for filtering the ink, and a damper chamber formed by a flat plate fixed on the flat plate member on a side thereof opposed to the common ink chamber.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer using ink reservoirs located physically remote from the print head, tubes are used to deliver ink from the ink reservoirs to the print heads. Air initially present within the tubes can interfere with the proper operation of the print heads and cause print head reliability problems Additionally, air present within the tubes can interfere with the proper flow of ink from the ink reservoirs to the print heads through the tubes. An embodiment of a fluid continuity measurement apparatus includes current sources for each of the tubes. Each of the current sources delivers a substantially constant current to the corresponding tube. Voltage measurement circuits are coupled across each of the tubes. Each of the voltage measurement circuits generates an output corresponding to the voltage across the corresponding tube. The voltages appearing between the ends of the tubes changes as the volume of the air within the tubes changes.

Abstract: A method for receiving digital images from a digital image file and recording corresponding visual images onto a motion picture photosensitive medium includes receiving information related to the image aperture format and image type positive or negative of the digital images to be recorded on the motion picture photosensitive medium.

Abstract: A flextensional transducer includes a substrate having an etch stop layer interposed between a first layer and a second layer, a flexible membrane supported by the second layer of the substrate and having an orifice defined therein, and an actuator provided on the flexible membrane and adapted to deflect the flexible membrane. The substrate has an opening formed through the first layer and a hole formed through the etch stop layer and the second layer such that the hole through the etch stop layer and the second layer of the substrate communicates with the opening through the first layer of the substrate and the orifice in the flexible membrane.

Abstract: A method for reducing a servicing noise is provided. In a measuring action, a servicing position is measured using a full pushing force of an actuator applied to a service station. In a disengaging action, the actuator is disengaged from the service station. In a reducing action, the pushing force is reduced to a minimum value. In an engaging action, the service station is engaged with the actuator. In a monitoring action, a position of the actuator is monitored during the engagement. In a comparing action, the actuator position is compared to the stored servicing position. In an increasing action, the pushing force is increased for future engagements if the servicing position has not been reached. A printing mechanism configured to employ such a method is also provided.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording head, an ink pool has a main flow path communicating with an ink supply port and a plurality of branch flow paths branching from the main flow path. Each ejector has a pressure chamber, a pressure generating unit and a nozzle. The pressure chamber communicates with the corresponding one of the branch flow paths. The pressure generating unit generates a pressure wave in ink charged into the pressure chamber. The nozzle ejects the ink from the pressure chamber compressed by the pressure wave. At least one wall surface forming each of the branch flow paths is formed of a damper member elastically deformable in accordance with the change of pressure in the branch flow path.

Abstract: Detection of crosstrack aberrations of registration marks in order to prevent color errors during multicolor printing. The detection of crosstrack aberrations of registration marks is with a single sensor which detects each triangle as a registration mark per color selection, whereby the triangles are each assigned a color of the multicolor printing. Sensor values are detected and formed from these differential values.

Abstract: In a purge apparatus for use with a color ink jet printer, a suction member that sucks a nozzle surface of an ink jet head is integral with a suction cap and a cap holder that receives the suction cap therein. A suction adapter to which a suction tube is connected is integral with the cap holder. An air-communicating adapter to which an air-communicating tube is connected is formed separately from the cap holder. The air-communicating adapter is loosely supported in the cap holder.

Abstract: A printhead assembly includes a carrier including a substrate and a substructure joined to a first surface of the substrate, and a plurality of printhead dies each mounted on a second surface of the substrate. The first surface of the substrate includes a surface deformation and the substructure is joined to the first surface by an adhesive. As such, the adhesive conforms to the surface deformation.

Abstract: A heater chip structure having heating elements operable at an energy per unit volume of from about 2.9 GJ/m3 to about 4.0 GJ/m3, a pulse time of less than about 0.73 microseconds, and one or more protective layers having a total thickness of less than about 7200 angstroms.

Abstract: A print head cleaning apparatus of an ink jet printer and an ink jet printer having the same, disposed to be movable between a printing position to eject ink from an ink injection nozzle to print an image on a paper sheet and a cleaning position to clean the ink injection nozzle. The print head is cleaned at the cleaning position using ultrasonic waves. The print head cleaning apparatus is fixed to the printer. The print head is moved to the print head cleaning apparatus and is then cleaned by the print head cleaning apparatus. Therefore, the print head is moved using an existing carrier transferring unit without a separate driving device to drive the print head, thereby facilitating the cleaning operation.

Abstract: A printhead assembly (1) for a digital inkjet printer, which has a support member (3) that can be secured in the printer, and a printhead (2) that can be mounted to the support member (3). The support member (3) defines at least one ink reservoir (6, 7, 8 and 9) in a core element (5) enclosed within a shell (4). The materials and structure of the shell (4) and the core (5) are selected and configured so that the co-efficient of thermal expansion of the support member (3) as a whole is substantially equal to that of the printhead (2).

Abstract: A recording head includes a nozzle orifice, a pressure chamber communicated with the nozzle orifice, and an actuator which varies a volume of the pressure chamber. A drive signal generator generates a drive signal in which a plurality of drive pulses are arranged within a unit recording period. The drive pulses includes at least a first drive pulse composed of an expanding element, which drives the actuator so as to expand the pressure chamber, an expansion holding element, which drives the actuator such that the expanded state of the pressure chamber is held in a first time period roughly equal to a first natural vibration period which is a natural vibration period of ink stored in the pressure chamber, and an ejecting element, which drives the actuator so as to contract the pressure chamber so that the ink in the pressure chamber is ejected from the nozzle orifice.