Abstract: A printer includes a printhead blotting assembly having an arm that is attached at one end to one of the printer's drive rollers by a clutch. At the opposite end of the arm a blotting assembly is located that includes an elongate blotter. The arm is bent with a first portion that depends from the clutch and a second portion that projects from the first portion and terminates with the blotter. The clutch is selectively engaged to rotate the arm in order that the blotter be brought into operative engagement with the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet recording head includes: a nozzle plate having nozzles arranged in a row; a plurality of pressure generating chambers communicating to the nozzles, the plurality of pressure generating chambers including a first pressure generating chamber and a second pressure generating chamber; a diaphragm formed on one face of the pressure generating chamber; a common ink chamber for supplying the ink to the plurality of pressure generating chambers; and a piezoelectric element for displacing the diaphragm. The first pressure generating chamber is disposed on one side of the nozzles and a second pressure generating chamber is disposed on the other side. The first and second pressure generating chambers are opposed to each other across the nozzles so that the central lines of the first and second pressure generating chambers are almost coincident.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head, comprising the steps of forming a film of an inorganic material in the form of a liquid flow path pattern on a substrate having liquid discharge elements formed thereon, forming a liquid flow path member on the film of the inorganic material using one of silicon oxide, silicon carbide, and carbon doped silicon oxide (SiOC), forming liquid discharge openings in corresponding portions above the liquid discharge elements, and eluting the film of the inorganic material so as to form a liquid flow path.

Abstract: A wet-type wiping apparatus of an inkjet printer to clean a print head of the inkjet printer includes a moisture storing portion, a moisture suction portion disposed on an upper side of the moisture storing portion and having a plurality of moisture suction holes, and a wiper portion inserted in the moisture storing portion and having a plurality of capillary tubes vertically penetrating therein. The moisture suction portion includes one of calcium chloride, a silica gel, and a high molecular weight substance, which are highly absorbent. The moisture storing portion includes a foam for containing moisture therein.

Abstract: A liquid drop discharge head includes a chip (21) that is formed by separation of a silicon wafer (20). The silicon wafer (20) has a first direction and a second direction which are mutually intersected. The chip (21) is separated from the silicon wafer (20) by etching the wafer along a separation line (22) parallel to the first direction of the wafer and by dicing the wafer (20) along a separation line (23) parallel to the second direction of the wafer.

Abstract: A fluid-ejection assembly of one embodiment is disclosed comprising first and second arrays of fluid-ejection mechanisms, first and second service stations, and first and second drive mechanisms. The first array ejects fluid onto media; the first service station is to service the first array. The second array ejects fluid onto the media; the second service station is to service the second array. The first drive mechanism moves the first array between a first position to eject fluid onto the media and a second position at the first service station, while the second array ejects fluid onto the media in place of the first array. The second drive mechanism moves the second array between a third position to eject fluid onto the media and a fourth position at the second service station while the first array ejects fluid onto the media in place of the second array.

Abstract: A capping device 19 for a printer movable between an open position, in which the printhead 16 may deposit ink on print media, and a closed position, in which the capping device 19 blocks the printhead 16 from depositing ink on said media, the capping device being operatively connected to at least one media feed roller 18a whereby motion of said feed roller 18a moves the capping device 19 between the open and closed position.

Abstract: In such a manner that ink in each of a plurality of pressure chambers for holding the ink therein is brought to a positive pressure state of being ejected from respective nozzles respectively communicating with the respective chambers to the outside of each of the pressure chambers, a cleaning member abutted against a nozzle plate formed with a plurality of nozzles is moved along the nozzles in a state in which pressure is applied to all of the pressure chambers, to thereby extrude foreign particles outside the pressure chambers by the ink ejected from the respective nozzles to the outside of the pressure chambers, thereby making it possible to recover the ink, whereby the occurrence of a delivery failure due to the foreign particles around the nozzles being absorbed into the pressure chambers, can be prevented, and the foreign particles contained in the ink can be purged without consuming much ink needlessly.

Abstract: The described embodiments relate to slotted substrates and methods of making the slotted substrates. One exemplary method patterns a first set of dummy features in a first layer positioned over a first surface of a substrate and patterns a second set of dummy features in a second layer positioned over the first layer. After the method patterns the first set of dummy features and the second set of dummy features, the method further forms a slot in the substrate, at least in part, by allowing an etchant to pass through the first and second sets of dummy features to the first surface.

Abstract: A printing unit include a plurality of ink supply members for supplying inks different from each other to a printing area or printing area-like portion, and a plurality of detecting systems, each detecting an amount of the corresponding ink accumulated on the printing area or printing area-like portion.

Abstract: There is provided an image recording device which is compact, high in image recording efficiency, low in power consumption, and capable of recording a good image even on a recording medium made of a heat shrinkable material. In an image recording device 1 which records an image on a recording medium 4 by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays by an ultraviolet-ray irradiation device 20 to cure an ink, an ultraviolet light source comprises a light emitting diode which generates ultraviolet rays having an emission wavelength peak in a range between 305 and 375 nm and a maximum illuminance in a range between 40 and 1000 mW/cm2 on a surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: A print engine assembly is provided which is mountable to an inkjet printer. The print engine assembly comprises a housing for mounting to a printer and a printhead assembly and capping mechanism mounted to the housing. The printhead assembly incorporates a printhead having a plurality of nozzles for selectively ejecting drops of ink towards a print medium passing the nozzles. The printhead further has a structure that defines a space adjacent the nozzles. The capping mechanism is used to selectively cap the nozzles of the printhead. In operation, when the printhead is in a printing mode, the structure allows drops of ink ejected from the nozzles to strike the print medium while preventing contact between the nozzles and foreign bodies larger than a threshold size, and when the printhead is in a non-printing mode, the capping mechanism is engaged with the structure to provide a closed atmosphere in the space.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus, includes a carriage reciprocating, a liquid ejecting head mounted on the carriage and having a nozzle forming face from which liquid is ejected, and wiping member wiping the nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head in accordance with a movement of the carriage. The wiping member includes a body part, a wiping part formed in a tip of the body part for abutting the liquid ejecting head and a support part supporting the body part.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead with nozzles 4 and liquid passages 31, 32 leading to each nozzle. The nozzles, ejection actuators 14, associated drive circuitry 22 and liquid passage 31, 32 being formed on and through a wafer 21 using lithographically masked etching technique, such that the wafer has a droplet ejection side and a liquid supply side. Each of the liquid passages is formed by etching a hole 31 partially through the wafer 21 from the droplet ejection side, and etching a passage from the liquid supply side of the wafer 21 to the hole 31. Etching a hole 31 into the wafer 21 from the droplet ejection side means the ink supply passage 32 can stop short of the interface between the dielectric 23 and the wafer 21 to prevent the etchant from tracking sideways and damaging the drive circuitry 22. As the hole etched from the ejection side is relatively shallow, the removal of the resist is not overly difficult. This permits a more compact overall design and higher nozzle packing density.

Abstract: A compact printer has a powered roller for moving printable media past a fixed printhead. A nozzle capping mechanism for the printhead includes a capping arm operatively associated with the powered roller, a cap supported by the capping arm and movable with the capping arm between a position protecting the printhead and a position spaced from the printhead. The cap rests adjacent the printhead with the capping arm moving the cap away from the printhead when the powered roller rotates.

Abstract: An ink jet printer head includes a cavity unit and a piezoelectric actuator that is bonded to the cavity unit. The piezoelectric actuator includes a top sheet on which external pads are formed in arrays, at an appropriate pitch in each array, in a direction parallel to a direction in which nozzles are formed in arrays in the cavity unit. The external pads are electrically connected to respective individual electrodes via respective internal leads, and also to a flat cable. Each of the external pads is formed at a position right above a partition wall that separates two pressure chambers from each other in the cavity unit. Therefore, when the piezoelectric actuator is bonded to the cavity unit, the external pads of the actuator can be strongly pressed against the partition walls of the cavity unit, so that the actuator can be strongly bonded to the cavity unit and the amount of leakage of ink from the pressure chambers can be minimized.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus includes a recovery section having a pump for discharging ink from an ink-ejection portion of a printing head by the application of a suction force thereto. In the recovery section, the pump and the waste ink absorber for retaining the waste ink are disposed approximately at the same height so that the printing apparatus becomes thinner and is improved in portability. An interior space having a sealed waste ink flow passage for connecting the recovery section to the waste ink absorber is provided, in which a flow passage absorber is accommodated so that a gap is formed from a connection with the discharging port of the pump to a connection with the waste ink absorber and is further connected to the waste ink absorber. Thereby, the waste ink is effectively and securely guided to the waste ink absorber and securely retained there, without leakage.

Abstract: A wipe-off unit is provided with a cleaning liquid ejection member in a manner to be positioned below a horizontal surface coincident with a nozzle surface and on a sheet feeding side relative to a pressing roller. A wiping sheet is fed from below to the pressing roller through a space between the pressing roller and the cleaning liquid ejection member, and a cleaning liquid is applied to a surface of the wiping sheet.

Abstract: A double-sided printer includes a pair of opposed endless belts for print media transportation mounted within a box frame. A duplex print engine containing page width print heads is located at an entry side of the belts whereas an exit roller assembly is located at an opposite exit side. An air coupling mounted to the box frame distributes air to the print heads in order to keep them free of debris and so improve reliability of operation.

Abstract: A wet-wiping printhead cleaning system including a treatment fluid applicator placing treatment fluid on at least one of two elements involved in wiping, said two elements being a printhead orifice plate surface and a wiper, the system being so configured that treatment fluid is applied before wiping the printhead by projecting treatment fluid onto at least one element through the atmosphere, thereby avoiding direct contact between the applicator and said one element, the treatment fluid being placed so as to be available to assist in wiping a portion of the printhead orifice plate where the nozzle orifices are located to remove debris that may have accumulated, the treatment fluid lubricating the wiper so as to lengthen wiper service life and enhance wiping performance, as well as acting to render such accumulations more removable by wiping, the source of treatment fluid being uncontaminated by contact with either the printhead or the wiper.