Abstract: A method for identifying an installed cartridge in a cartridge carrier of an imaging apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus communicates with the installed cartridge over at least one line, includes sending an ID command to the installed cartridge via an ID line; and monitoring the ID line for an affirmative response from the installed cartridge, wherein the affirmative response over the ID line indicates that the installed cartridge is a perforator cartridge.

Abstract: A printing method includes the step of printing an image of a plurality of pixels by discharging a plurality of size-varying ink droplets each representing a tone of the corresponding pixel.

Abstract: An ink refill cartridge for a printer including an outer portion containing an internal spring assembly. A base portion contains a deformable ink membrane for containing ink, at least part of the base portion able to be slidingly received within the outer portion, the internal spring assembly acting to compress the deformable ink membrane to expel ink therefrom as the at least part of the base portion is slidingly received within the outer portion by application of a force. An ink outlet is provided to dispense the ink expelled from the deformable ink membrane. The ink outlet is mated with an ink inlet of a printer.

Abstract: An ink supply system for an inkjet printhead is provided. The system including: (a) an ink reservoir for storing ink; (b) and ink conduit providing fluid communication between the ink reservoir and the printhead; and (c) a hammer mechanism for compressing part of the ink conduit.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink-droplet ejecting apparatus including: ink passages each including a pressure chamber filled with ink; actuators each operated to change, upon receiving a drive signal, an inner volume of one of the chambers to generate a pressure wave in the ink in the chamber which propagates along the passage to eject a droplet of the ink onto a recording medium; and a control unit connected to the actuators and supplying the signal to the actuators such that the signal is in one of at least one waveform including a waveform which is for forming a single dot on the medium and includes a main pulse for ejecting the droplet, a preceding pulse outputted before the main pulse, and a stabilizing pulse outputted after the main pulse. A pulse width of the main pulse is not coincident with a one-way propagation time AL which is a time taken by the pressure wave to propagate one way along the passage. The preceding pulse is outputted in a manner not to eject the droplet.

Abstract: With a micro nozzle in which the fluid discharge head has a nozzle with a micro hole having a diameter of 0.01 ?m to 25 ?m, the drive voltage during discharging operation is reduced. Further, by disposing an electrode section for applying a drive voltage to a discharge fluid on an external wall of a nozzle section, a distance between the electrode section and the nozzle hole is shortened. With this structure, the subject invention achieves both miniaturization of nozzle and reduction in drive voltage in an electrostatic suction type fluid discharge device. The subject invention also achieves an increase in discharge limit frequency while allowing use of materials with higher resistance for the fluid to be discharged.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to drive different types of printing elements arranged in a printhead by proper powers without increasing the number of signal lines between the printhead and a printing apparatus main body, complicating the circuit configuration, and decreasing the printing speed. For this purpose, time division signals representing two driving periods corresponding to two types of printing elements are supplied to a printhead having the two types of printing elements which require different application powers in order to obtain a desired printing characteristic. Power is applied to the first type printing elements in the first driving period, and power is applied to the second type printing elements in the second driving period.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes ejection ports ejecting as droplets a solution containing colorant particles dispersed therein and a device that makes uniform ejection of the solution from respective ejection channels in an ejection channel region where the ejection ports are arranged. A liquid ejection head of electrostatic type makes an electrostatic force to act on the solution containing charged particles dispersed therein as the colorant particles to eject the droplets.

Abstract: A printing cartridge includes an elongate core which, in turn, includes a plurality of ink supply containers. Each ink supply container contains a respective type of ink. A roll of print media includes a tubular former in which the core can be received and a length of print media which is wound upon the former. A casing includes a pair of molded covers which can be releasably fastened together to encase the roll of print media. Indicia are borne by the casing and include cartridge information which can be read by an electronic reader.

Abstract: A package suitable for containing marking material used in a printing machine. The package includes a package surface adapted to engage one or more surfaces of the printing machine and a material identifier mechanism for verifying the marking material. The package may also include a material pouch, which is adapted to contain the marking material, joined with or formed in the package surface. Alternatively, the package may include a carrier adapted to engage one or more surfaces of the printing machine and a material pouch joined with the carrier. Other aspects include a method of remanufacturing a package suitable for containing marking material used in a printing machine.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: (a) a feed mechanism including a motor and a feeder moved by the motor for feeding a medium; (b) a recording head for ejecting an ink toward the medium to form an image; (c) a feed controller for controlling the motor so as to move the feeder to a target operating position that causes the medium to be positioned in a desired position; and (d) an ink ejection controller for causing ink ejection portions of the recording head to eject the ink toward the medium. The feed controller includes: a target-operating-position changer for changing the target operating position as an original target operating position to a modified target operating position in which influence of a cyclic variation of an operation velocity of the feeder is smaller than in the original target operating position.

Abstract: Liquid packs 34 provided with liquid leading members 42 are stored in a container case 31 that is constituted by fitting a case main body portion 32 and a lid case 33 in fitting portions 27 and 28, support portions 13, which positions the liquid leading members 42 so as to be opposed to liquid introducing members 71 attached to a cartridge inserting portion 13, are provided on a front surface 32a of the container case 31, the fitting portions 27 and 28 are arranged in a state in which the fitting portions 27 and 28 traverses the support portions 43, and space portions 29 and 30 having a gap larger than a gap formed in the fitting portions 27 and 28 are formed near the support portions 43 in the fitting portions 27 and 28. In this way, liquid flowing through the fitting portions 27 and 28 due to the capillarity is retained by the space portions 29 and 30 and never flows to the fitting portions 27 and 28 further extending from the space portions 29 and 30.

Abstract: A liquid-jet head and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The liquid-jet head includes a channel substrate which has pressure generation chambers formed therein and communicating nozzle orifices for discharging liquid droplets, and piezoelectric elements. The piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode, and disposed on one surface of the channel substrate via a vibration plate, wherein at least pattern regions of the respective layers which constitute the piezoelectric element are covered with an insulating film formed of an inorganic insulating material.

Abstract: An ink jet printer that includes a printhead configured to eject ink. The printhead is housed in a housing. A capping device is pivotally fastened with respect to the housing to be pivotal into and out of capping engagement with the printhead. The mechanism includes an arm pivotally mounted with respect to the housing and a capping leg extending transversely from the arm to cap the printhead.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a printhead drive unit and a cartridge. The cartridge includes the printhead controller. The printhead controller includes a plurality of inverters connected in series to constitute a operation circuit for receiving one or more control signals to control the enable status of the nozzle in order to determine whether to jet out the ink.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus that uniformly coats an alignment layer of an LCD device is provided. The ink-jet printing apparatus includes a head where the head has a head body and a supply pipe disposed inside the head body. The supply pipe allows the passage of a material through the head. The head also includes a nozzle and a foam removing means. The nozzle is in fluid communication with a portion of the supply pipe which discharges the material. The foam removing means is disposed in the nozzle and dissipates foam in the material.

Abstract: High print quality from a thermal printer is maintained while the print speed is decreasing without producing white streaks or uneven print density by controlling the hysteresis coefficient of the thermal print head 35 based on the energizing history of the thermal print head 35 and print speed control factors used for determining print speed, which is the speed at which the paper is advanced while printing.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator 3 of a liquid transporting apparatus includes grooves 40 which are formed on a surface of a vibration plate 30 on a side of pressure chambers 14, and each of the grooves 40 is formed at an area which is inside of the edge of one of the pressure chambers and which is outside of an area overlapping with one of individual electrodes 32. With the grooves 40, it is possible to partially reduce the rigidity of the vibration plate 30 at portions each of which surrounding one of the individual electrodes 32 (driving portions 31a), thereby improving the driving efficiency of the piezoelectric actuator 3 and to reduce the crosstalk between adjacent pressure chambers 14.

Abstract: A method of recording control includes ejecting first liquid to a recording medium and a recessed portion that is situated at the outside of at least one of sides of the recoding medium thereby a recording is performed without a margin at the at least one of the sides of the recording medium; and ejecting second liquid to the recessed portion to wash away the first liquid in the recessed portion in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a first signal is generated in response to movement of a media transport assembly and a second signal is generated.