Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for recording by infiltrated ink into a recording sheet or by fixing ink through evaporation of an ink solvent includes an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink onto the recording sheet at a recording area of the apparatus where the recording head is opposed to the recording sheet. The apparatus also includes a heating member extending both upstream and downstream with respect to the recording area and a conveying direction of the recording sheet. The heating member contacts the recording sheet to assist in the fixation of the ink. The apparatus further includes a press plate, disposed upstream of the recording area with respect to a conveying route of the recording sheet, for pressing the recording sheet against the heating member. The press plate has a portion opposed to the heating member and a plurality of slits spaced apart from each in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet recovery device comprises an elastic cap that is movable between a retracted position, in which it is spaced from a recording head, and a contact position, in which it is pressed against and seals the recording head. The recovery device also includes a rotatable drive gear having a cam surface, with a retracting cam and a compression cam, for moving the cap. When the drive gear is in a first angular position the retracting cam moves the cap to its retracted position, and when the drive gear is in a second angular position the compression cam presses the cap against the recording head. The drive gear has a third angular position for disengaging the pin from the cam surface so that a spring can press the cap into the contact position. In operation, the compression cam further presses the cap toward the recording in order to force air into the recording head to aid recovery.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a discharge port surface of an ink jet recording apparatus includes wiping the surface using a blade having a certain contact area with the surface and rubbing the surface using a rubbing member having a larger contact area with the surface than the blade. The wiping and rubbing operations are performed independently of each other so that their different purposes can be better accomplished. For example, since rubbing the surface need not be done as often as wiping, they can both be performed at optimum intervals. The rubbing member can be removably mounted to a replacement ink cartridge so that the rubbing member can be conveniently replaced at the same time as the cartridge.

Abstract: A cursor movement control key switch for controlling movement of a cursor on a display screen of a CRT or the like requires only one key. Operation of a single key allows both control of the direction of the cursor, and control of brightness of the display, volume level of sounds at a speaker, a display size of the cursor or the like. A CPU periodically detects the states of signals at terminals corresponding to contacts disposed in the key switch so as to produce signals to perform the above control operations. The key switchy provides improved operability.

Abstract: A liquid ejection recording apparatus has a carriage, a liquid ejection recording unit, a lever biased by a spring for mounting the unit on the carriage, and a communication hole portion formed in an ink tank in the unit. When the unit is fixed on the carriage for printing, a projection presses the communication hole portion to provide a communication hole for communicating the interior of the ink tank with the outer atmosphere. Stable ink ejection is guaranteed without clogging of a nozzle or the like and regardless of the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank.

Abstract: A recovery device for an ink jet recording apparatus having a cup for an ink discharge port of a recording head and a suction device communicating with the cap for sucking ink from the ink discharge port includes a communicating tube, a communicating valve, and a ventilating valve. The communication tube communicates with the cap and a subtank which supplies ink to the recording head. A communicating valve connects and disconnects communication of the cap with the subtank and is provided in an intermediate portion of the tube. A ventilating valve communicates the interior of the tube with the atmosphere and is provided separately from the communicating valve.

Abstract: A liquid ejection recording apparatus has a carriage, a liquid ejection recording unit, a lever biased by a spring for mounting the unit on the carriage, and a communication hole portion formed in an ink tank in the unit. When the unit is fixed on the carriage for printing, a projection presses the communication hole portion to provide a communication hole for communicating the interior of the ink tank with the outer atmosphere. Stable ink ejection is guaranteed without clogging of a nozzle or the like and regardless of the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank.

Abstract: A pattern recognition apparatus for recognizing a pattern derived from image data of an outline of an object region is disclosed. The apparatus comprises means for identifying the object region from the input image data, means for extracting outline pixels of the object region, means for polygon-approximating the object region based on a position relationship among the outline pixels to determine vertex coordinates of the approximation polygon, means for determining characteristic data representing a position and an attitude of the region based on the vertex coordinates, and means for superimposing the polygon-approximated object region pattern on a dictionary pattern based on the characteristic data and, determining a common region of the patterns to determine the identity of the patterns. High speed and highly reliable pattern matching is attained.

Abstract: In a recorder having a record head which discharges liquid to record dots and which has a discharge energy generating element arranged on a substrate, a liquid discharge port arranged for the discharge energy generating element and a liquid path for supplying the liquid to the liquid discharge path, non-discharge of the liquid in the recorder is prevented by energizing the discharge energy generating element in a non-discharge condition when the recorder is powered on and/or when a predetermined waiting time has elapsed.

Abstract: Electronic equipment comprises a store for storing messages, apparatus for processing time information and generating an output at the beginning of each predetermined time period. The messages and time information may be displayed and one of the messages can be selected at random at the start of each time period and displayed with time information in response to the output of the time information processing means, the same message being prevented from being displayed more than once in a time period that is longer than the first mentioned time period.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system which improves an operation speed and accuracy of judgement when the posture of an object component parts is judged by an image processor. This system determines a combination of parameters used for the posture judgement at the time of the preparation of standard data, classifies the types in accordance with the parameter combinations and makes processing for a parameter combination designated for each type at the time of recognition, thereby judging the posture of the object component parts at a high speed and with a high level of accuracy.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer has an ink-jet printing unit for recording an image by attaching ink onto a recording medium in accordance with data, photo-sensors for determining whether the recording medium is an overhead projector film or a normal paper sheet by utilizing the difference in light-transmitting properties therebetween, and a central processing unit for controlling the density of the image recorded by the ink-jet printing unit in accordance with the determination result of the photo-sensors.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image processor that processes desired image data according to a program. In the image processor, the addressing desired pixels which is stored in an image memory is performed by an address processor, and a partial image taken out of the image memory by the address processor is written into a shared memory, and then data is drawn out from the shared memory by an operational processor to carry out operational processing. The address processor is provided with a buffer memory in which image data in a predetermined area is stored and successively renewed by an increment/decrement designation for read and write operations.

Abstract: An ink tank comprises a deformable ink bag for storing ink provided in a case, wherein a low strength portion is formed in a member constituting said case, and a lever for pressing said ink bag is formed by breaking said low strength portion. An ink-jet recording apparatus comprises a recording head unit having a discharging port for forming a flying droplet by discharging ink, and an ink tank for storing ink supplied to said recording head unit, wherein means for breaking a low strength portion of a case for said ink tank is provided to fixing means for fixing said ink tank in which a deformable ink bag for storing ink is provided in said case, said low strength portion is formed in a member constituting said case, and a lever for pressing said ink bag is formed by breaking said low strength portion.

Abstract: A device for discharging droplets liquid within nozzles as liquid droplets by utilizing thermal energy comprises said nozzles each provided therein or thereby with a conductive element to detect the state of liquid in the nozzle by measuring the change of electric current passing the conductive element.