Abstract: A movable member encoder is used to detect the position of a movable member, and a correction value calculator calculates a correction value corresponding to the amount of displacement of the movable member from a reference position and the integration of the amount of displacement. The correction value calculated by the correction value calculator is then used in correcting a voltage instruction value output from a feed motor controller to a feed motor.

Abstract: There is provided an ink jet head driving method for applying a drive pulse to an actuator to change capacities of a plurality of pressure chambers in which ink has been filled, ejecting an ink droplet from a nozzle formed in communication with the pressure chamber to print onto a printing medium, and moreover, continuously ejecting a plurality of liquid droplets to carry out gradation printing according to the number of liquid droplets, the method including making control so as to, in the case where the number of the liquid droplets is smaller than a predetermined number, apply a boost pulse to amplify a pressure vibration of the pressure chamber prior to a drive pulse for ejecting a first liquid droplet, and in the case where the number of liquid droplets is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, disable applying of the boost pulse.

Abstract: A method of expelling ink from a printhead module is provided. The printhead module includes at least one row that has a plurality of sets of n adjacent nozzles. Each of the nozzles is configured to expel ink in response to a fire signal. The method includes providing a fire signal to nozzles at a first and nth position in each set of nozzles, and providing a fire signal to the next inward pair of nozzles in each set. In the event n is an even number, a fire signal is provided to each next inward pair until all of the nozzles in each set has been fired. In the event n is an odd number, a fire signal is provided to each next inward pair until all of the nozzles but a central nozzle in each set have been fired, and then firing the central nozzle.

Abstract: A liquid detecting device (1200) including: a unit base (1210), provided with a recessed portion (1211) on an upper face thereof and containing a first material; a sensor base (1220), accommodated in the recessed portion and containing a second material different from the first material; a sensor chip (1230), mounted on an upper face of the sensor base (1220) and having a sensor cavity (1232) for receiving a liquid as a detection target, in which a lower face of the sensor cavity (1232) is formed to be opened for allowing the liquid to flow therein and an upper face thereof is closed by a vibration plate (1233) and provided with a piezoelectric element (1234) mounted on an upper face of the vibration plate (1233); an adhesive layer (1242), formed on the upper face of the sensor base and fixing and sealing the sensor chip (1230) and the sensor base (1220) to each other; and an adhesive film (1240), which fixes and seals the sensor base (1220) and the unit base (1210) to each other and of which an inner periphe

Abstract: An ink cartridge and a wet-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus having the ink cartridge, wherein the ink cartridge is detachably mounted with respect to an image forming apparatus body and supplies a developing unit with ink. The ink cartridge includes a housing including an inflow inlet into which the ink flows, and an inflow inlet opening and closing unit for operating together with the image forming apparatus body such that when the housing is mounted in the image forming apparatus body the inflow inlet is opened, and when the housing is removed from the image forming apparatus body the inflow inlet is closed.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device comprising: a first transmitter for transmitting signals over a mobile telephony system, and a first receiver for receiving signals from a mobile telephony system; a first monochrome image sensor device for sensing coded data and for outputting raw data based on said sensed data; and a transmitter controller operable to control the first transmitter to transmit output data based at least partially on said sensed data via the mobile telephony system to a computer system.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a housing, and a media support mounted to the housing for supporting at least one sheet of print media. A guide device couples the media support with the housing. The guide device defines a guide path having a proximal end and a distal end. The media support is configured to move along the guide path. The media support is moved in a direction from the proximal end toward the distal end when the media support is moved from a stowed position to an extended position. A pivot mechanism is located near the distal end of the guide path to facilitate a pivoting of the media support so as to be inclined in relation to the guide path when the media support is pivoted from the extended position to an operating position.

Abstract: A printer is configured to manage a signal-to-noise ratio of a signal produced by a sensor scanning a print test pattern. The print test pattern is printed while controlling ink density printed by each of one or more pens. Each ink density is selected so that the signal-to-noise ratio exceeds a threshold as the print test pattern is scanned. Pens within the printer are aligned or otherwise maintained by adjusting nozzle firings as indicated by data obtained from the signal during the scanning.

Abstract: A liquid transport device comprises a channel unit and a piezoelectric actuator. The channel unit has pressure chambers. The piezoelectric actuator changes the volume of the pressure chambers. The piezoelectric actuator consists mainly of a vibration plate, a piezoelectric layer and an anisotropic conductive layer, which is formed between the vibration plate and the piezoelectric layer. A portion of the anisotropic conductive layer is compressed to be conductive, and the other portion is insulative. The use of the anisotropic conductive layer makes the electric connection of the piezoelectric actuator simple in structure, increases the reliability of the connection and reduces the parasitic capacitance of the actuator.

Abstract: A printer maintenance apparatus, includes: a mounting base movable forward and backward between a maintenance position and a retraction position; a wiping mechanism mounted on the mounting base and including a wiper base and a wiper; and a capping mechanism mounted on the mounting base including a cap base and a cap. The cap base moves toward the nozzle surface to move the cap to cover the nozzle surface when the mounting base is at the maintenance position. The cap base moves retractably from the nozzle surface when the mounting base moves from the maintenance position. The wiper base moves toward the nozzle surface to bring the wiper into contact with the nozzle surface when the mounting base is at the maintenance position. The wiper base keeps the wiper in contact with the nozzle surface while the mounting base moves backward from the maintenance position.

Abstract: A tray (3) having a setting area (6) on which an optical disc (100) is settable moves between a print position where the optical disc (100) is printable and a setting/removing position where the optical disc (100) is settable. When the tray (3) is at the print position, a printer unit (35) prints characters, etc., on the optical disc (100). An aligning member (13) is provided over the tray (3) for aligning the position and direction of a print area (P) on the optical disc (100) where printing is to be performed. The aligning member (13) is movable between an aligning position where the aligning member (13) overlaps with a surface of the setting area (6) except for the print area on which the printer unit (35) prints and a retractive position spaced from the setting area (6). When the tray (3) is moved to the setting/removing position, the aligning member (13) moves to the retractive position.

Abstract: A printhead carriage including a body that is guided and driven for reciprocating movement in a printer, a mounting plate for a printhead assembly, and a suspension structure adjustably connecting the mounting plate to the body, the suspension structure having a framework of hinge plates having elastic hinges and at least one adjusting mechanism adapted to adjust the position of the mounting plate by elastically deflecting at least one of the hinges. An adjusting unit which provides for at least one degree of freedom of the mounting plate and includes two hinge plates that are connected to a common support point of the mounting plate and are oriented at right angles relative to one another, and the adjusting mechanism is adapted to push and/or pull one hinge plate in the longitudinal direction thereof, with the elastic deflection of at least one hinge of the other hinge plate.

Abstract: An ink-jet head comprises a passage unit, a reservoir unit, an actuator unit, and a flexible cable. The reservoir unit stores ink in an ink reservoir, and supplies the ink into the passage unit. The actuator unit is fixed to a portion of the passage unit spacedly confronting the reservoir unit. The flexible cable is connected with the actuator unit in order to supply a drive signal to the actuator unit. A channel is formed in the reservoir unit, the channel penetrating through the reservoir unit in a direction across a face of the passage unit where the actuator unit is fixed. The flexible cable connected with the actuator unit is extended out through the channel.

Abstract: A print head cap includes a bottom surface; and a ring-like lip. The ring-like lip surrounds the bottom surface, protrudes toward a nozzle surface of a print head of an ink jet printer and is elastically deformable. The ring-like lip is pressed onto the nozzle surface to cover the nozzle surface therewith. The ring-like lip has corners that change the direction surrounding the bottom surface. The corners of the ring-like lip are more elastically deformable than the other portions of the ring-like lip.

Abstract: A shape or position of a shielding member is set corresponding to an image focusing property of each rod lens element to prevent an MTF from deteriorating, to provide a clear exposure image, and to prevent a defective image such as having a vertical streak or the like, from occurring on a printed image. To achieve the above, an exposure device used for an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic type, comprises a lens array having a plurality of lens elements for condensing light from a light source onto a photosensitive drum; and a shielding member for shielding at least one portion of a peripheral portion with respect to a direction of an optical axis of each lens element from the light radiated from the light source, wherein the shielding member has a shape or a position set depending on an image focusing property with each lens element.

Abstract: A printhead chip suitable for a pagewidth color printhead assembly is provided. The printhead chip comprises a substrate defining a plurality of ink supply channels, and a plurality of ink-ejecting nozzles arranged on the substrate in fluid communication with the ink supply channels. The nozzles are arranged in groups, with each group of nozzles being in fluid communication with a respective ink supply channel. The groups of nozzles are arranged in at least three rows, each row of nozzles receiving ink of the same color.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light-emitting device which generates determination light which intersects with flight paths of ink droplets ejected from ejection head nozzles; a light receiving device which receives the determination light and outputs a determination signal corresponding to quantity of the determination light received; a drive control device which controls stagger of ejection timing of a nozzle subject to an ejection determination in accordance with ejection timings of other nozzles by controlling the ejection drive device based on image data during a recording ejection operation for forming an image on the recording medium; and an ejection state judging device which judges ejection state of the ink droplets from the nozzle subject to the ejection determination, based on the determination signal obtained from the light receiving device at a determination timing corresponding to the ejection timing of the nozzle subject to the ejection determination.

Abstract: A method for detecting an interval of recorded positions, including the steps of recording a first pattern group in such a way that the recording heads scan a recording medium so that recording elements record a pattern having repeatedly dark density area and light density area perpendicular to a scanning direction of the recording head, recording a second pattern group in such a way that the recording heads scan the recording medium so that recording elements record a pattern having repeatedly dark density area and light density area perpendicular to a scanning direction of the recording head and further the second pattern group is overlapped on and angled to the first pattern group, detecting interference fringes generated by overlap of the first pattern group and the second pattern group, and detecting a change of the interval of the recorded positions via a positional deviation of the interference fringes.

Abstract: In an image formation method of an image formation apparatus for correcting uneven image formation on the basis of vibration property information corresponding to an operation sequence in image formation, vibration property information corresponding to a plurality of operation sequences are stored in a storage device. The uneven image formation is corrected on the basis of vibration property information corresponding to an operation sequence selected from the storage device. Vibration property information generated by driving a movable member is measured when the selected operation sequence is being executed while correcting the uneven image formation. It is determined whether the measured vibration property information is similar to the vibration property information selected from the storage device. The vibration property information stored in the storage device is rewrite-controlled in accordance with the measurement result or the determination result.

Abstract: An inkjet printer including: (a) a recording head operable to eject an ink onto a recording medium so as to perform a recording operation on the recording medium; (b) an ink source unit provided to store the ink that is to be supplied to the recording head; and (c) an ink delivery unit provided to delivery the ink supplied from the ink source unit, to the recording head. The ink delivery unit has a delivery chamber which has a delivery chamber inlet and a delivery chamber outlet, such that the ink can be delivered through the delivery chamber inlet from the ink source unit, and such that the ink can be delivered through the delivery chamber outlet toward the recording head. The delivery chamber is defined by a wall held in substantially parallel with a horizontal plane, and is elongated in a direction parallel with the wall. The delivery chamber inlet and outlet of the delivery chamber are positioned in respective positions which are substantially diagonal relative to each other.