Abstract: A method of ejecting drops of an ejectable liquid from a printhead that has a plurality of nozzles, and a bubble forming chamber corresponding to each of the nozzles respectively. The bubble forming chambers contain a bubble forming liquid and at least one heater associated with each of the bubble forming chambers respectively. The heater has electrodes for connection to a power supply and heater elements configured for thermal contact with the bubble forming liquid. The heater element is supported within the bubble forming chamber by the electrodes such that it does not contact the bubble forming chamber. The method uses the steps of placing the bubble forming liquid into thermal contact with the heater elements, and heating the heater elements to a temperature above the boiling point of the bubble forming liquid to form a gas bubble such that a drop of an ejectable liquid is ejected through the corresponding nozzle.

Abstract: An ink supply system for an inkjet printhead is provided. The system comprises: (a) an ink reservoir for storing ink; (b) an ink conduit providing fluid communication between the ink reservoir and the printhead; (c) a pressure device for positively pressurizing the ink reservoir; and (d) a valve in the ink conduit for controlling a supply of ink to the printhead.

Abstract: An apparatus has a plurality of printing cartridges to reproduce an image, wherein each printing cartridge prints a portion of the image onto a substrate. The apparatus further includes a media transport for moving the substrate parallel to a first dimension. The printing cartridges are disposed on a carrier in a two dimensional pattern such that the plurality of printing cartridges are able to print on the substrate a line that is perpendicular to the first dimension. Fewer than half of the plurality printing cartridges that print segments of the line that abut each other are adjacent to each other along the first dimension.

Abstract: Provided is a printer assembly having a media housing unit having a number of ink reservoirs internally defined by a core portion around which print media is rolled. Also included is an ink supply and printhead unit attached to the media housing unit, said printhead unit having a guillotine blade assembly to cut the print media. The printer assembly also includes a drive unit having a platen configured to extract the print media from the media housing unit and feed it past the printhead unit, said drive unit having ink transmission channels interposed between the ink reservoirs and the ink supply and printhead unit to feed ink from the ink reservoirs to the ink supply and printhead unit. Further included is a controller for controlling operation of the printhead and drive units, said controller configured to maintain said printhead at an equilibrium temperature during printing.

Abstract: A print unit, that has one or more printhead assemblies, an individual printhead assembly having one or more printheads, the one or more printheads of the one or more printhead assemblies collectively configured to span the width of the media substrate; and one or more servicing assemblies, an individual servicing assembly configured for movement between a retracted position and a service position to service the one or more printheads on the individual printhead assembly.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of detecting a precise toner consumption amount has a system counting up a turned-on dot number of image data, outputting weight factors corresponding to the respective sub-line's numbers based on the respective sub-line numbers of the plural sub-lines at which a light emitting amount of each dot is varied periodically, and calculating the light emitting amount based on a dot counter value of the turned-on dot number and the weight factor corresponding to the respective sub-line's numbers, to summate the calculated light emitting amounts to estimate the toner consumption amount with high accuracy.

Abstract: Various ink containers are provided. One exemplary ink container includes a housing that is configured to hold ink therein and has an ink fill port and a gas exit port. A single sealing device is compressively held by a portion of the housing so as to obstruct both the ink fill port and the gas exit port.

Abstract: A method comprising generating a clear layer on a first surface using a transparent liquid toner, generating a color layer using a pigmented liquid toner over the clear layer on the first surface, and transferring the clear layer and the color layer from the first surface to a substrate is provided.

Abstract: A photographic printing device includes an ink-jet printer with recording paper magazine. The recording paper magazine includes a housing and a humectant. The housing is configured to receive a recording paper. The humectant is provided in order to moisturize the inside of the housing of the magazine. The humectant is preferably placed at an upper portion of the magazine in order to allow efficient moisture transfer by way of natural convection.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus according to the present invention ensures a nip width larger than a certain value by a heating roller which has a thin film metal conductive layer, and a foamed rubber layer which is bonded to the end part of the metal conductive layer, formed with a gap in a center part, and not bonded to the metal conductive layer.

Abstract: An inkjet head includes an ink passage unit, an actuator unit; a printed circuit board; a metallic bond for electrically connecting a land to a terminal, the metallic bond being disposed in at least one of a region between the land and the terminal and a region extending over the land and the terminal along the peripheries of the land and the terminal; and a protrusion disposed on the connecting portion between a main electrode portion and the land.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a particular wall, a protruding member extending from the particular wall in a particular direction, a protrusion extending from the particular wall in the particular direction, and an ink chamber configured to store ink therein. The ink cartridge also includes a translucent portion defining an enclosure, an ink supply portion configured to supply ink from an interior of the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber, in which the ink supply portion and the translucent portion are each positioned between the protrusion and the protruding member. The ink cartridge further includes a signal blocking member positioned within the enclosure. Moreover, the signal blocking member is configured to move within the enclosure based at least on an amount of ink disposed within the ink chamber, and the signal blocking member is sandwiched between the at least one pair of wall surfaces.

Abstract: A fusing device includes a pressing member, a belt member to rotate in contact with the pressing member, a nip forming member to support the belt member so that nip areas are formed on the pressing member and the belt member at contacting portions thereto, a heating member disposed away from the nip areas, to heat the belt member, and a tension application member to stiffen the belt member so that the heating member is tightly contacted with the belt member. The heating member includes a plate type heating element which is arranged at an upstream side of the nip areas, and to contact an inner circumference of the belt member, in an advancing direction of the fusing belt. The effective width of then nip areas increases, and the increased pressure is exerted to the nip areas, because the fusing belt enters a location where the nip areas are formed in a heated state.

Abstract: A light emitter is operable to emit light. A light receiver is adapted to receive the light emitted from the light emitter, and operable to output a signal in accordance with an amount of the received light, thereby detecting a position of an object. At least one transparent member is disposed between the light emitter and the light receiver. A first line pattern is provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light emitter, and includes first light transmitting sections and first light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in a first direction with a first pitch. A second line pattern is provided with the transparent member so as to oppose the light receiver, and includes second light transmitting sections and second light shielding sections which are alternately arranged in the first direction with a second pitch. Each of the first light transmitting sections is adapted to allow the light emitted from the light emitter to pass through.

Abstract: A fluid reservoir for use in a printing device includes a housing that, at least partially, forms at least one chamber therein. The chamber is configured to hold a fluid. A bubble port leads through housing into a first region of chamber and fluidically couples chamber to atmospheric gas external to housing. A bubble director arranged within chamber is configured to direct at least one bubble of gas from first region to a second region of chamber. The bubble is formed within fluid within first region upon gas entering chamber through bubble port.

Abstract: An ink jet head of an ink jet printer comprises an ink jet nozzle ejecting ultraviolet curing ink, a pair of ultraviolet LEDs provided on both sides of the ink jet nozzle in the moving direction for emitting ultraviolet light in order to cure the ultraviolet curing ink.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cassette attaching section, a media cassette, a loading plate and a first and second ground conducting route. The cassette attaching section includes a media supplying roller for supplying media. The media cassette is attachably and removably installed in the cassette attaching section. The loading plate is mounted in the media cassette and loads the media stacked up in the media cassette. The first ground conducting route makes static electricity discharge from the loading plate to a grounding portion of the cassette attaching section when the media cassette is attached to the cassette attaching section. The second ground conducting route conducts with the media and makes static electricity discharge to the grounding portion when a distance between the media supplying roller and the media is shortened after the first ground conducting route is conducted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method that detects a light beam deflected by a polygon mirror at least at two separate locations on the line in the horizontal scanning direction, measures the difference in time of passage between these locations, makes a comparison between the thus determined interval and a reference interval, and generates a proper amount of correction corresponding to the determined interval, such as either correction data adapted to change the frequency of a pixel clock, or further correction data to change the period of the pixel clock by pixels.

Abstract: An ink jet head is formed with a nozzle surface having a liquid repellent characteristic. The nozzle surface comprises a condensation product made from a hydrolyzable silane compound having a fluorine containing group and a hydrolyzable silane compound having a cationic polymerizable group.

Abstract: To provide a highly human- and environment-friendly ink fixing method that is excellent in energy efficiency, operability and ink-fixing property and has a simple process, an ink fixing apparatus that is excellent in energy efficiency, operability and ink-fixing property and is a highly human- and environment-friendly, simple and compact apparatus, and a printer that is equipped with the ink fixing apparatus and can provide high-quality images at low cost. The ink fixing apparatus of the present invention includes at least fixing a print ink to a base material using a discharge generated between electrodes under pressure close to atmospheric pressure, wherein the print ink includes at least a non-volatile organic compound bearing a carboxylic group and includes no photopolymerization initiators.