Abstract: A system, method and structures for dissipating heat away from a thermal fluid ejector modules through a thermally-conductive carriage molded from a polymer to the ambient air surrounding the structure upon which the thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage translates. The heat is transferred via conduction and convection from the thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage across a thin volume of air trapped between a thermally-conductive carriage rod guide, enclosed on each end by thermally-conductive carriage rod guide bearings, and the thermal contact of the thermally-conductive carriage rod guide bearings with the surface of at least one thermally-conductive carriage guide rod which the thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage translates.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having: (a) a head unit including an actuator which generates energy required for recording predetermined patterns of image on a recording medium; (b) a circuit board including a driver element which drives the actuator of the head unit; and (c) a heatsink disposed in thermally conductive communication with the driver element. The heatsink has a void portion which is opposed to the head unit.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a carriage which holds a recording head, and a scanning unit which moves the carriage in relation to a recording medium. The recording head ejects ink while the carriage moves in relation to the medium so as to record an image on the medium. A measuring unit measures a moving distance of the carriage in relation to the medium, and a counting unit counts the number of ink drops ejected from the head. A control unit calculates an image recording duty based on the measured relative moving distance of the carriage and the number of ink-drops ejected during the relative movement of the carriage, when the carriage moves in relation to the medium for a predetermined distance, and the control unit controls ink ejection energy applied to the head in accordance with a value of the calculated duty.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus has a structure in which, when a recording-interruption operation of a recording head such as discharge-recovery processing is performed during an image-forming operation, a recording downtime is measured, and the recording head is heated in accordance with the length of a recording downtime so as to prevent occurrence of differences in optical densities and colors of an image before and after the recording-interruption operation.

Abstract: An ink jet print apparatus having a plurality of double-sided printing modes (e.g., automatic double-sided printing mode and manual double-sided printing mode) produces a sufficient image quality whichever mode is executed. For this purpose, image data to be printed is converted into print image data usable by the printing apparatus in a way that matches a selected one of multiple print medium transport paths. This minimizes a curling problem due to variations in transport processes, image quality variations caused by an ink fixing problem and adverse effects on the printing apparatus and ensures a stable printing whichever transport path is used for printing.

Abstract: A twin-nozzle print head for a continuous inkjet deflection printer comprises an ink drop generator assembly having two inkjet ejection nozzles, each of the nozzles having an ejection axis. Charge electrodes, deflection electrodes deflecting charged drops and a single ink drop recovery gutter for both nozzles are also provided. The ejection axes of nozzles converge at a point located on an axis of a single inlet orifice of the single recovery gutter in the vicinity of this orifice or upstream of this gutter. A printer equipped with this head prints swathes of large width with good juncture.

Abstract: A thermal activation apparatus has a casing which houses a drawing roller that draws a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet through an insertion port and transports the sheet through the casing. A cutter unit cuts the sheet to a predetermined length, a thermal activation unit thermally activates a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the cut sheet, and a discharge roller discharges the thermally-activated sheet through a discharge port. A CPU controls the cutter unit and the thermal activation unit based on various factors so that the heat-sensitive adhesive layer is thermally activated only when needed.

Abstract: A printhead cartridge for a multi-printhead ink jet printer includes an array of ink jet nozzles and a heat sink for controlling the temperature of the nozzles. The heat sink is made up of a copper block and thinner copper wing regions extending from the block parallel to the array of nozzles. A passageway for coolant water is formed in the block and extends into the wings as a thinner channel. The block and the wing regions are mounted in thermal contact with the array of ink jet nozzles. The heat sink has the advantage that it allows the cartridges in the printer to be stitched together to cover the full width of a substrate.

Abstract: A driving waveform which an inkjet head filled with inspecting ink shows is measured. The measured driving waveform is corrected based on a correlation formula, which is obtained beforehand based on image recording ink the inkjet head uses for image recording. The inkjet head is set to have a driving waveform based on a result of correction.

Abstract: A printing cartridge (1100) includes a housing (1104). A two dimensional code (1232) is positioned on the housing. The two dimensional code carries data relating to at least one of: a serial number of the cartridge, a media and a media colorant.

Abstract: Liquid droplets, which are ejected toward a region that is outside of a medium, are to be prevented from floating and liquid droplets are to be inhibited from adhering to unanticipated sites when ejecting droplets of liquid to form dots up to the edges of a medium. In a liquid ejecting apparatus provided with a liquid ejecting section for ejecting liquid droplets of a plurality of sizes toward a medium, the liquid ejecting section ejects liquid droplets toward the medium, and the liquid droplets of the smallest size of the liquid droplets, among a plurality of sizes, are not included in the liquid droplets that are outside of and that do not land on the medium.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus is disclosed having a recording head including a plurality of nozzles for jetting an ink and a maintenance unit for performing a maintenance operation to the nozzles. The maintenance unit includes an absorbing member to wipe an ink adhered to the nozzles and receive an ink residue purged from the nozzles during the maintenance operation.

Abstract: A printing cartridge (1230) includes a housing (1231). An array of switch actuators (1232) is positioned on the housing. The array of switch actuators represents data relating to at least one of: a serial number of the cartridge, a media and a media colorant so that when a switch array (1236) is actuated by the array of switch actuators, a signal carrying such data can be generated.

Abstract: A capping device seals against a print chip (12) of a printhead (11) fixed within a housing (10) of a hand-held portable printer. The capping device can be moved manually by a user or automatically by internal mechanisms to reveal the print chip for printing. The capping device includes a capper arm (13) with an activating region (15) and a perpendicular leg (28) with an elastomeric pad (16) that seals against the chip (12). The capping device can be moved by mechanisms such as a fulcrum or pivot point (14), a friction clutch (19) with peg (20), an eccentric cam (23) or an internal solenoid (26). The capper arm can be formed of a resilient, elastically deformable material such as metal or plastics. In a non-printing mode, the capping device seals the print chip to prevent evaporation of ink, drying or blockages.

Abstract: According to the present invention, for at least one specific type of ink drop from among a plurality of types of ink drops of different quantities of ink, dot data can be generated in such a way as to compensate for error of ink amount for each specific type of ink drop with reference to information representing error of ink amount for given specific type of ink drops. By means of this, even if there is deviation in error of ink amount for each of different types of ink drops, color can be reproduced more accurately.

Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting liquid that uses bi-directional motion and tone matching to form an image onto a printing material, consisting of a head member for providing nozzles which are individually associated with one of a plurality of colors of liquid; pressure fluctuation generators which generates pressure in the liquid in each nozzle, so as to eject a liquid droplet; a carriage which causes the head member to traverse, bi-directionally, the printing material; a signal generator to generate signals which a controller uses, along with the ejection pattern data, to drive the pressure fluctuation generators as the head member travels across the printing material in each direction; and a pattern data adjuster to adjust the ejection pattern as necessary to vary an ejected number of the liquid droplets per unit area.

Abstract: A method creates printing data applied to a printer that is capable of generating different sizes of ink drops. Firstly, a halftoning threshold table is created based on all possible combinations that are determined based on the quantity of the printheads and the sizes of ink drops quantity provided by each printhead. When the image data to be printed is received, each pixel of an image will correspond to one combination based on the halftoning threshold table. The corresponding combination is deemed as a halftoning encoded data and represented by several bits. These bits can be separated into plural groups, where the bits contained in each group are for driving a specific printhead. That is to say, each printhead has its own driving data so that the printing process will have superior efficiency.

Abstract: A printing apparatus which includes a printer body having a setting surface on which a printing surface of a printing medium is set horizontally, a carriage beam 23 which is attached to the printer body and extends in the direction along the setting surface, and a carriage 5 provided so as to be movable in the beam lengthwise direction with respect to the carriage beam 23, and further includes an ink head 6 equipped with a nozzle for discharging ink provided in the carriage, comprises: a carriage supporting means 7 which supports the carriage 5 onto the carriage beam 23 in a manner enabling it to move up and down, an ink receiving part 8 which receives ink that is discharged from the ink head 6, and a receiving part supporting means 9 which supports the ink receiving part 8 on the carriage 5 in a manner enabling it to move to an ink receiving part below the ink head and a withdrawing position separated from the ink head 6.

Abstract: A printing apparatus of the invention prints images by ejecting ink from nozzles onto a printing medium. The printing apparatus includes a first sub-tank which is set at the relatively high position, a second sub-tank which is set at the relatively low position (position set relative to one another), and a main tank which holds ink to be supplied to the first and second sub-tanks. When ink is supplied to the first sub-tank, the ink is supplied from the main tank with relatively high pressure. When ink is supplied to the second sub-tank, the ink is supplied from the main tank with relatively low pressure. The first and second pressures are pressures such that ink is not ejected from the opening of the nozzles when ink is supplied from the main tank to the sub-tanks in the situation that ink can be supplied from the sub-tank to the opening of the nozzles. With this printing apparatus, ink can be supplied efficiently from the main tank to the sub-tanks arranged at the different heights.

Abstract: A printing method and apparatus is disclosed for printing an image on a printing medium by means of a printing head having a first number n of marking elements, the method includes printing the image as a set of N sub-images, N being a number C of colours used for printing multiplied by a number I of interlacing steps and multiplied by a number P of mutually interstitial printing steps (N=C*I*P), where the number I of interlacing steps is greater than 1. Each interlacing step generates an interlaced sub-image, a swath of an interlaced sub-image being printed during a printing pass. There is at least one linear relative movement between the printing medium and the printing head over a uniform transport distance TD in a slow scan direction between the printing of two subsequently printed interlaced sub-images.