Abstract: A device for piercing holes in an ink cartridge to enable ink to be inserted therein and an ink cartridge station for securing cartridges of two or more sizes so that the cartridges may be pierced and/or stored therein.

Abstract: A switching power supply circuit capable of accuraely performing a switching starting operation at a large load while reducing power consumption during an overload state is a back-boost type switching power supply circuit and includes a first transistor provided on a primary side and a second transistor which controls the first transistor, a first rectified output generation circuit for rectifying and outputting a forward mode output from a first auxiliary winding, a second rectified output generation circuit for rectifying and outputting a back-boost mode output from a second auxiliary winding, a threshold value circuit for judging presence of an overload state when the output of the second rectified output generation circuit is below a predetermined threshold value, a third transistor for oscillation control which brings the first transistor into an intermittent oscillation state when the overload state has been judged, and a differentiating circuit for detecting a starting time by differentiating the outpu

Abstract: An image forming method that forms an image using an ink and a liquid composition by a process comprising the steps of;(A) imparting a black ink to an image forming area of a recording medium by ink-jet recording; the black ink comprising a water-soluble black dye and a black pigment as coloring matters, and a liquid medium in which the coloring matters are dissolved or dispersed; and(B) imparting a liquid composition different from the ink to the image forming area.

Abstract: A secondary battery boost system which includes a primary power supply for a computing device, and a secondary power supply for the computing device. The boost system also includes a boost circuit operative to increase the power output of the secondary power supply applied to the computing device. Upon the output of the primary power supply falling below a level suitable for properly powering the computing device, the boost circuit feeds the computing device power from the secondary power supply. The boost circuit also boosts the power output of the secondary power supply so that the secondary power supply can be smaller and more light weight.

Abstract: A power factor and crest factor correction circuit for a power distribution network of the type comprising a low power source for supplying a plurality of ports with an ac signal is disclosed. Each port comprises a rectifier bridge, a bulk storage capacitor and a power converter connected across the rectifier bridge, The power factor and crest factor correction circuit comprises an inductor, series connected between the rectifier bridge and the bulk capacitor, for reducing the current peaks in a rectified signal received from the rectifier bridge. The correction circuit also comprises diode means connected in parallel across the inductor for discharging the bulk capacitor whenever the voltage across the bulk capacitor exceeds the voltage of the rectified signal. As a result, a higher power factor is obtained for the dc signal applied to the power converter, and also the current peaks in the dc signal are substantially reduced.

Abstract: A transducer for a stringed instrument comprises a first uppermost coil, and a second lowermost coil with the axes of the coils coincident. At least one permanent magnet pole piece associated with the coils and a shield of magnetically permeable material arranged between the coils with the shield having one or more walls which extend over sides of the coils.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus, in which the ink having colorants distributed in a solvent is supplied over the electrode array on the surface of the head substrate such that the electrode array is completely covered by the ink, while voltages are applied to the electrode array to produce an electric field for exerting an electrostatic force on the colorants in the ink such that the colorants are compressed and ejected toward a recording medium. Each individual electrode constituting the electrode array can have a tip end portion projecting from the surface of the head substrate. The apparatus also has an element for compressing colorants distributed in a solvent of an ink and an element for ejecting the compressed colorants toward a recording medium which are provided separately. In addition, the apparatus can incorporate an element for conveying colorants in the ink through the ink supply passage toward the colorant ejection point on the electrode array.

Abstract: A converter for converting a DC voltage not stabilized, such as the terminal voltage of a battery, into a stable DC voltage, comprising a voltage comparison unit (2 in FIG. 1) and an operation changeover control unit (3). The voltage comparison unit (2) compares an input voltage and an output voltage. The operation changeover control unit (3) controls the changeover of the operations of the DC/DC converter (1) so that the DC/DC converter (1) may perform a step-down operation as the operation of a step-down type converter when the input voltage is higher than the output voltage as the result of the comparison, and that it may perform a step-up operation as the operation of a step-up type converter when the output voltage is higher than the input voltage. Thus, losses in the smoothing reactor and smoothing capacitor of the step-up/down converter are suppressed to enhance the efficiency thereof.

Abstract: An ink-jet printhead includes a plurality of nozzles and ink channels arranged side by side, each nozzle being connected to an ink reservoir via its associated ink channel, and a plurality of electromechanical transducers, respectively, associated with each ink channel for pressurizing the ink liquid therein, so that an ink droplet is expelled from the nozzle. An active member is provided for compensating for the effect of the reaction force of each transducer by energizing at least one other transducer.

Abstract: The voltage reference circuit is provided particularly but not exclusively for use in flash EPROM chips. The reference circuit is intended to be inhibited until proper start-up conditions have been established to allow the reference circuit to operate properly. This is achieved by incorporating an enable signal generating circuit which is responsive to start-up circuitry for generating an enable signal at an appropriate signal level.

Abstract: A power supply adapted to be driven by a primary power source to produce an output voltage. The supply has a case with a bottom wall, an air inlet, an air outlet, and an enclosed chamber bordered by the bottom wall, the air inlet and the air outlet. The bottom is adapted to rest on a horizontal surface to define an upward direction within the case. The air inlet is operable to deliver air into the case along an incoming passageway having components directed inwardly and upwardly to prevent liquid that falls atop the case from intruding into the case. A power converter mounted in the case is adapted to be connected to the primary power source for producing the output voltage. The power supply also has a fan mounted in the case between the air inlet and the air outlet for providing a separated pair of airflows downstream and upstream of the fan. The pair of airflows pass across different portions of the power converter.

Abstract: A magnetic actuator design and method of use is provided that generally reduces problems associated with conventional actuators and can be specifically employed to increase the accuracy of actuator type precision operations, such as surface mounted electrical component placement, die and attach tooling movements, and tape and reel part storage tooling. The actuator includes a housing, a stem slidably disposed and having a rest position within the housing, a first magnetic portion attached to the stem and, a second magnetic portion attached to the housing, the second magnetic portion being of sufficient strength and oriented to exert a generally predetermined force on said first magnetic portion sufficient to resist displacement of said stem from said rest position.

Abstract: A storage capacitor of a hold-up circuit is connected by a resistor to the urrent conducting bus supplying operating voltage to computer hardware from a power source. The capacitor is thereby charged to the operating voltage level in order to subsequently maintain computer operation by discharge through a diode during power interruption of a relatively long duration determined by the capacitor charge and a predetermined drop in voltage applied to the computer load causing its shutdown. Detection of such drop in voltage is operative through an opto-isolator to safely discharge the capacitor by relay controlled grounding thereof.

Abstract: A flyback transformer which comprises: a primary-side coil; a secondary-side high-voltage coil divided into a predetermined number of coil pieces; high-voltage rectifier diodes connected, in the same polarity, in series with the coil pieces respectively so as to form a series circuit as a whole; a high-voltage capacitor connected to a cathode side of one of the high-voltage rectifier diodes located in a final stage of the series circuit; and an in-phase high-voltage coil reversely connected to the one high-voltage rectifier diode in the final stage of the series circuit so that a reverse pulse generated by the in-phase high-voltage coil is superimposed on the cathode side of the one high-voltage rectifier diode.

Abstract: A rectifier excellent in terms of heat sink performance, product quality, and cost including a one-way conducting device for rectifying an alternating current, wherein the one-way conducting device includes a metal base serving as one electrode and having a side surface portion and a seating surface portion; and a metal heat dissipation member, including a socket section for receiving the metal base, for dissipating heat generated at the one-way conductive device, wherein the socket section of the metal heat dissipation member has a side wall portion firmly engaged with the side surface portion of the metal base and a bottom portion in contact with the seating surface portion of the metal base.

Abstract: A voltage regulator has a pair of common terminals (101, 102) and a pair of rectifying diodes (103, 104) which are connected to the common terminals, respectively. The rectifying diodes supplies an input voltage which is supplied to one of the common terminals to a connecting point (105) of the rectifying diodes. Resistors (107, 108, 109, 110), a comparator (111), and a switch (112) selectively couple a dividing resistor (17) with one of the common terminals that is not supplied with the input voltage. A MOSFET (106) is connected to the common terminals so as to amplify an input voltage supplied to one of the common terminals and so as to provide an output voltage to the other terminal. A constant current source (14), a start up circuit (15), a reference voltage producing circuit (16), an error amplifier (19) control the MOSFET so that a reference voltage V.sub.REF produced by the reference voltage producing circuit is equal to a divided voltage V.sub.O produced by dividing resistor (17,18).

Abstract: A recording head utilizes an AND circuit which performs logical product between inputs from signal input terminals and a warning signal output terminal which outputs a result of the AND circuit. A recording apparatus in which the recording head is installed has a control circuit which supplies a high level signal to the signal input terminals and which inputs a warning signal from the warning signal output terminal. The control circuit judges that the contact of the recording apparatus with the recording head is good if the warning signal is a high level, or judges that the contact is poor if it is not so.

Abstract: A voltage converter circuit and method are provided. The circuit includes an input and an output, and has one or more stages that operate to increase the voltage between the input and the output. In one embodiment, each of these stages includes a first and second charging capacitor, and a transistor interposed between the first and second charging capacitors. In addition, a plurality of diodes are interconnected among the transistor and the first and second charging capacitors. The diodes are specifically configured to respond to a voltage applied to the input so that when a voltage is present at the input, the first and second charging capacitors are effectively connected in parallel across the input. However, when the voltage applied to the input is near zero, the diodes serve to effectively connect the first and second charging capacitors in series relationship through the transistor, so that the voltage across each of the first and second charging capacitors is added and applied to the output.

Abstract: A DC-to-DC converter includes an inductor and a diode that are connected in series between a positive supply terminal and a positive output terminal, and a storage capacitor connected between the positive output terminal and a negative terminal. The DC-to-DC converter further includes a first switch including a lateral MOS transistor connected between the anode of the diode and the negative terminal, a second switch including a vertical MOS transistor connected in parallel to the first switch, a first active load circuit connected between the positive and negative supply terminals and designed to control the first switch, a second active load circuit connected between the positive output terminal and the negative terminal and designed to control the second switch, and an oscillator providing a periodic signal for controlling the active loads.

Abstract: A controller for a switch mode power supply includes an undervoltage protection circuit responsive to an input supply voltage indicative signal. The input supply voltage indicative signal is also coupled to a foldback point correction circuit. The correction circuit causes a decrease in a maximum duty cycle of a control signal when the input supply voltage increases and is still smaller than a predetermined magnitude. A zener diode limits the input supply voltage indicative signal in a manner to prevent a further decrease in the duty cycle when the input supply voltage exceeds the predetermined magnitude.