Abstract: A printing apparatus and method therefor reduces power-source capacity of the apparatus imposing any load on the printing apparatus and varying its printing speed. In parallel to printing operation, the number of print dots is counted by using a counter, and information amount for calculating the scanning period for each scanning is measured by also using a counter. Then, at the completion of each scanning, a print-duty ratio is calculated from the number of print dots and the information amount for calculating the scanning period for each scanning, and a waiting period to delay starting of the next scanning is set, based on the calculated duty ratio.

Abstract: A medium transporting mechanism is used in a color image forming apparatus and a color image reading apparatus. The medium transporting mechanism includes a medium holding section and a rotary transporting section. The medium holding section holds a print-medium by clamping the leading end of the print-medium. The rotary transporting section supports the medium holding section thereon and rotates so that the medium holding section travels around a platen in such a manner that the print-medium slides on at least a part of the platen and the medium holding section travels in a loop-like path which is shorter than a maximum dimension of the print-medium in a direction of travel of the print-medium. A color image recording section is located to oppose the platen so that a print-medium passes between the color image recording section and the platen. The color image recording section prints images of yellow, magenta, cyan in sequence and in register on the print-medium.

Abstract: Compensation for the effects of duty cycle on the output level of an imaging device, and for the effects of periodically varying distance between the output of the imaging device and its target, is accomplished electronically. An exemplary apparatus includes a source of radiation (generally a laser) having an output level that varies both with an input power level and, undesirably, with the duty cycle. The radiation source is operated to produce, on the recording surface, an imagewise pattern of spots, and an adjustment facility compensates for output-level variations resulting from duty cycle--that is, from the recent pattern of laser activity.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording head and an apparatus using the same, wherein electrothermal conversion element for thermally emitting a recording ink is provided at a side of a substrate on which the head structure is formed, thereby reducing a loss in the thermal energy.

Abstract: A droplet generator and ink jet printhead assembly employing the droplet generator are disclosed. The droplet generator can operate with a wide range of fluids over a wide range of conditions, is easily serviced, and can be easily integrated into a machine such as a Three Dimensional Printing machine. The assembly includes a nozzle having an orifice, a liquid reservoir or supply for containing a liquid to be emitted from the nozzle and a non-resonant elastically deformable fluid conduit for conveying the liquid from the liquid reservoir to the nozzle. A transducer is disposed in abutting relation with the fluid conduit a predetermined distance from the nozzle. The transducer is energized by a suitable electrical signal, such as a sinusoidal signal. The transducer causes compression of the conduit and provides a wave which propagates along the fluid conduit and fluid contained therein toward the nozzle and orifice.

Abstract: A recording apparatus records at a higher density than the density of arranged recording elements of a recording head by interlace recording. A scanning section makes the recording head sub-scan in order to enable the recording head to interlace record between lines of dots recorded in main scannings. A read-out section reads out the same recording data from a memory two or more times. With every reading of the recording data, a selector complementarily selects recording data from the recording data read out from the memory and supplies the selected recording data to the recording head.

Abstract: According to the invention, whether a print head of, for example, the thermal jet system has been capped or not is informed to the user, thereby preventing that the user turns off the power source when the head is not capped. Even when the user turns off the power source in spite of the fact that the head is not capped yet, the capping status is checked before the power source is turned off. After the head was capped, the power source is turned off. Due to this, it is prevented that the print head is left while the head is not capped yet. The choking of the nozzles can be prevented.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes conveying device for conveying a printing medium in the substantially horizontal direction in the printing range where a printing agent is applied to the printing medium while a printing plane of the printing medium orients in the upward direction, a printer section including a plurality of printing heads located opposite to a platen portion of the printing range for applying the printing agent to the printing medium in the downward direction so as to form printed images on the printing medium by activating the printing heads, and supporting device for slidably displacing the printer section relative to the platen portion in the conveying direction of the printing medium conveyed by the conveying device, between the position where the printer section is located opposite to the platen portion and the non-opposing position spaced away from the preceding position. With such construction, a maintenance service can easily be conducted for the conveying device.

Abstract: An ink-jet type image forming apparatus expells ink smoothly from a cap member to an expelled ink tank when the ink expulsion flowpath is in a horizontal direction. In the apparatus, a nozzle ejects ink according to the prescribed image information. A cap is located opposite to the nozzle while an expelled ink storage member stores the ink held in the cap member. An ink expulsion path forming member forms an expulsion path of ink from the cap member to the expelled ink storing member. This is accomplished through an ink transfer suction device arranged in an ink guide tubular member that causes ink to flow to the interior of the ink expulsion path forming member via an ink flowpath in the tubular member.

Abstract: A solid ink stick feed system for use in a color printer is disclosed that utilizes a plurality of ink stick feed receptacles in an ink stick feed bin of predetermined shapes corresponding to the plurality of shapes of the ink sticks such that an incorrectly matched ink stick shape or incorrectly oriented ink stick is retained in a raised position to indicate to the printer operator that the ink stick should be removed and to facilitate grasping and removing such ink stick.

Abstract: A cartridge for an ink jet printer capable of directly or indirectly reducing the capacity of a wasted ink recovery unit without causing any restraint to a printing function, an ink jet printer adapted to accommodate this cartridge, and an ink jet printer capable of reducing a printing time without causing any restraint to the printing function are provided. In the cartridge for an ink jet printer, containing a printing article and removably mounted in an ink jet printer, a wasted ink recovery unit for storing wasted ink produced in the ink jet printer is provided in a cartridge case. This allows the capacity of the wasted ink recovery unit to be determined on the basis of a cartridge exchanging frequency. The ink jet printer adapted to accommodate this cartridge does not require a wasted ink recovery unit, so that its size can be reduced correspondingly.

Abstract: A telephone line access arrangement for a telephone instrument and a modem gives priority to the telephone instrument in all instances. A microprocessor controls the modem and receives an input signal that is indicative of the existence of an off hook state for the telephone instrument. Logic device generates the input signal based upon the different electrical conditions characterizing the telephone instrument and the modem.

Abstract: A method of updating speedcall numbers stored in a database comprises the steps of receiving an incoming call at a local telephone station, extracting data representing the calling party's name and telephone number from the incoming call, and comparing the extracted data with name and number data stored in a database in the local telephone station. The number data in the local telephone station is updated when the extracted data and the stored data does not match.

Abstract: An ink jet printer and control method therefor efficiently eliminates temporary ink eject defects during print interruptions. A time interval, i.e., the time lapse between a previous ink ejecting operation and a present ink ejecting operation, is evaluated before printing. If the time interval is less than a first time reference value (t1), an ink purging operation is not performed or is performed only a first minimum number of times. If the time interval is between first and second time reference values (t1.ltoreq.TI<t2), ink purging is executed a second number of times. If the time interval is greater than or equal to the second time reference value (t2.ltoreq.TI), ink purging is executed a third number of times that is less than the specified second number of times.

Abstract: A print head positioner includes a tilt mechanism that selectively engages and moves a carriage supporting the print head when the print head and supporting carriage are in a home position. The print head positioner is uncoupled from the carriage X-axis drive mechanism during imaging to avoid extraneous loading on the mechanism. The positioner includes interlocks to prevent inadvertent disengagement from the carriage during tilting and to restrict print head tilting when the carriage is away from the home position.

Abstract: A printer has a temperature sensor for detecting its internal temperature. When a print head is covered with a cap of a cap unit, a machine temperature T1 is stored in a controller. After a lapse of a predetermined time, a machine temperature T2 is measured. If a predetermined temperature difference exists between T1 and T2, the cap is released transiently from the print head to prevent the pressure of the gap between the cap and the print head from reaching a level at which the meniscus is destroyed. Not only the machine temperature, but the elapsed time since the start of capping may be used as a basis for control.

Abstract: The invention concerns digital processing of analog signals in a telephone set. A signal path runs between a telephone line and the handset of the telephone. A digital signal processor is interconnected within this signal path, together with appropriate analog-to-digital, and digital-to-analog, converters. This approach allows digital processing of the information carried by the signal path. The digital processing facilitates, for example, (1) a high degree of separation of the handset's microphone signal from the received signal, and (2) independent control of volumes of the received signal and sidetone.

Abstract: A microfluidic display apparatus responsive to an image file for displaying a plurality of colored pixel, having at least one color for each pixel includes at least one fluid display chamber for displaying a color; a microchannel connected to the display chamber and including a first colored fluid which, when such fluid is moved to the display chamber, displays the first color as a pixel and a second colored fluid which, when moved to the display chamber, displays the second color as a pixel; and microfluidic pumps for each microchannel. A computer controls the microfluidic pumps in response to a particular pixel of the image file for selectively controlling the flow of fluid to the chamber for selectively displaying either the first or second colors or a fraction of each color thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink-jet printing process comprising the three steps of (a) applying inks containing a disperse dye, a compound for dispersing the disperse dye and an aqueous medium to a cloth comprising fibers dyeable with disperse dyes according to an ink-jet system (b) subjecting the cloth, to which the inks have been applied, to a heat treatment and (c) cleaning the heat-treated cloth, wherein the inks comprise two or more inks which separately contain disperse dyes of the same hue and are different in dye concentration, and the thermal diffusivity of the disperse dye used in the ink having a low dye concentration is higher than that of the disperse dye used in the ink having a high dye concentration.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention outputs a laser beam used for image formation in accordance with image data, and reflects said beam by a rotatably driven polygonal mirror having polygonal prism-like lateral surfaces as the reflective surfaces so as to scan a charged surface of a photoconductive member in a main scanning direction and form an electrostatic latent image on said photoconductive member, said image forming apparatus comprising a photoemitter which emits a forced laser beam unrelated to image data before outputting a laser beam for image formation so as to adjust the output timing of said beam used for image formation, photoreceptor which detects the forced laser beam at a predetermined position directly before starting a main scanning of said photoconductive member, calculator which calculates the period of one rotation of said polygonal mirror based on the detection by said photoreceptor, and a controller which controls the rotational speed of said polygonal mirror based on th