Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer is disclosed. The printhead has one or more a printhead integrated circuits (ICs) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink. A support structure of the printhead supports the printhead ICs. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink. Each ink conduit includes cavities distributed along a roof of the ink conduit. An opening to each respective cavity has an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The upstream edge contacts the ink before the downstream edge during initial priming of the ink conduits from an ink supply. The upstream edge has a transition face between the ink conduit and the cavity interior. The transition face is configured to inhibit ink from filling the cavity by capillary action during initial priming of the ink conduit. This causes gas to be trapped within the cavity. The gas acts to compress pressure pulses in the ink.

Abstract: The present invention relates to provide a projection exposure device having a small volume, thereby not occupying a large installation space. The projection exposure device is configured to transfer patterns formed on a mask to a surface of film-shaped tape on an upright exposure stage by projecting the patterns onto the surface using light. This projection exposure device includes a transfer mechanism for feeding the tape to the exposure stage vertically, and a projection optical mechanism for irradiating the surface of the tape with the light. The projection optical mechanism is composed of Dyson optics located opposite the transfer mechanism across the exposure stage, and has an optical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the exposure stage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reservoir assembly for a pagewidth printhead cartridge. The cartridge has a fluid distribution molding with priming inlets in fluid communication with fluid channels for supplying printing fluid to a plurality of printhead integrated circuits. The assembly includes a reservoir compartment arranged in fluid communication with the fluid channels via a fluid outlet. The compartment includes porous absorbent material located inside the compartment to absorb printing fluid delivered via the priming inlets. A port is arranged in a side wall of the compartment for receiving a needle from a syringe to prime the reservoir compartment with printing fluid.

Abstract: An inkjet printer with a printhead assembly and at least one replaceable ink cartridge, has an ink inlet valve on the printhead assembly for sealed connection to an outlet on the ink cartridge. The inlet valve has an inlet opening and a movable valve member biased into sealing engagement with the inlet opening. The outlet has a complementary member for depressing the movable valve member out of engagement with the inlet opening to open the valve. The inlet opening has an external formation about its periphery for sealing against the outlet before the complementary member depresses the movable valve member.

Abstract: A valve assembly for a printhead cartridge includes an inlet valve for engaging with an outlet valve of an ink cartridge, the inlet valve having a conical structure defining an inlet opening at a top thereof; a valve seat defined on an inner surface of the conical structure; a depressible valve member provided within the inlet valve, the depressible valve member being normally biased against the valve seat to form therewith a fluidic seal; a skirt engaging portion defined on the inner surface of the conical structure above the valve seat, the skirt engaging portion for engaging a resilient skirt of the ink cartridge, and a pressure regulator provided below the depressible valve member, the pressure regulator having a diaphragm and a regulator inlet defined through the diaphragm, the regulator inlet for facilitating flow of ink from a valve-side of the diaphragm to a printhead-side.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided having a plurality of nozzle integrated circuits, a support member having a plurality of longitudinally extending channels for carrying ink, and a plurality of ink distribution members via which ink is distributed from the channels of the support member to the nozzles of the nozzle integrated circuits. Each ink distribution member incorporates a laminated stack of layers, each layer having apertures for distributing ink from the channels to the nozzles of a respective one of the printhead integrated circuits. The apertures of each layer from the support member to the respective printhead integrated circuit are of successively smaller diameter.

Abstract: Provided is an inkjet printer having an ink cartridge unit. The cartridge unit includes a main body defining a number of ink reservoirs. Each reservoir has a layered stack of absorbent material arranged to form a micro-capillary array for suspending ink inside said reservoir. A base of each ink storage reservoir is provided with a raised portion which surrounds an ink outlet. The raised portions are molded into the main body to separate each outlet from the base of the ink storage reservoir to facilitate a sufficient flow rate of ink from the reservoir. The cartridge unit also includes a lid assembly covering the main body to seal ink inside the ink reservoirs, as well as a printhead assembly operatively fed with ink via the ink outlets from the ink reservoirs in the main body for printing onto a printing medium.

Abstract: An ink cartridge that has a rigid housing. The housing has a docking face for abutting a printer such that, when installed, the docking face faces downwards. The cartridge also has an ink storage volume and an ink outlet valve for fluid communication with the printhead. The ink outlet valve and an air inlet are both being positioned in the docking face. A variable volume structure within the ink storage volume inflates with air as ink is drawn from the outlet. The variable volume structure has a section that displaces upwardly within the ink storage volume as it inflates with air. An air inlet spaced from the outlet valve is in fluid communication with the variable volume structure to lets air into the ink storage volume as ink is drawn out through the outlet valve. A conduit in the ink storage volume is connected to the ink outlet valve at one end, with the other end being open to ink within the ink storage volume.

Abstract: A print engine for an inkjet printer includes an inkjet cartridge having a cartridge body, a pagewidth printhead, a capper unit extending a length of the pagewidth printhead and housing a capping element which is movable between a capped position in engagement with the pagewidth printhead and a retracted position spaced from the pagewidth printhead, and an ink supply. The cartridge body supports the pagewidth printhead, the capper unit and the ink supply for simultaneous removal and replacement as a unitary component. The print engine further includes a cradle having a body for receiving the removable inkjet cartridge and to control the operation of the printhead for printing, the cradle having a capper drive for engaging the capper unit and drawing the capping element to the uncapped position; and a print controller board received in the cradle, the print controller board including one or more electrical terminals for engaging with corresponding electrical terminals on the inkjet cartridge.

Abstract: A refill unit for a fluid container is provided. The unit has a housing defining a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet and configured to be operatively engaged with the fluid container, a fluid reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly having a piston and cylinder reservoir, said piston having a thread which engages a screw thread in an internal wall of the cylinder, the piston rotationally biased by a wound spring and the ejector assembly having a pawl-and-ratchet detent preventing the biased piston threading into the reservoir until the pawl is actuated by operative engagement of the fluid container with the housing to incrementally eject fluid from the reservoir.

Abstract: A refill unit for refilling an ink cartridge that forms part of an inkjet printer. The printer also having a printhead, control circuitry and an interface for releasably engaging the refill unit. The refill unit has a body containing a quantity of ink, an ink outlet, and a memory circuit for storing information relating to at least one characteristic of the ink. During use the memory circuit allows to the control circuit to interrogate it to verify that the ink in the refill unit is suitable for the printer.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a printer body, a printhead cartridge for installation in the printer body, and an ink cartridge for supplying the printhead cartridge with ink. The ink cartridge has external formations for engaging a first complementary formation on the printhead cartridge and a second complementary formation on the printer body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer device that can feed a work in a stable condition without applying it any excess loads. The transfer device for feeding a tape-shaped work to a process stage standing in an upright position, which is placed on one side of the process stage and which includes a supply reel, a take-up reel and a work feeding mechanism. Specifically, the supply reel, around which the work and a protective sheet are wound, is adapted to feed the work and the protective sheet therefrom. The take-up reel is adapted to wind the work and the protective sheet that have been fed from the supply reel, and it is located below the supply reel. The work feeding mechanism is adapted to forward the work from the supply reel to the take-up reel through the process stage.

Abstract: An electric-field-sensitive element (1) includes: an optical function layer (5) that includes a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of tin dioxide, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and an insulating material covering the metal oxide, the optical function layer (5) having a visible light transmittance that changes through application of an electric field; and a first and second electrode layer (7, 9) that sandwich the optical function layer (5) therebetween.

Abstract: A refill unit for a fluid container is provided. The unit has a housing defining a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet and configured to be operatively engaged with the fluid container, a fluid reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and a plunger having a toothed thread which engages with a screw thread provided in an internal wall of the housing, the ejector having a drive gear so that actuation of the drive gear imparts rotation to the toothed thread so as to rotate the plunger within the screw thread of the housing to incrementally eject fluid from the fluid reservoir when the drive gear is actuated by operative engagement of the fluid container with the housing.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprises a stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead and a printhead maintenance station. The maintenance station comprises a chassis having a maintenance roller and a transfer roller mounted thereon. An engagement mechanism reciprocally moves the chassis towards and away from the printhead such that a contact surface of the maintenance roller is sealingly engaged with or disengaged from the face. A rotation mechanism rotates the maintenance roller only when the maintenance roller is disengaged from the face, and the transfer roller receives ink from the maintenance roller during rotation of the maintenance roller.

Abstract: A print engine for a printhead assembly includes a refillable cartridge having a body defining a plurality of fluid chambers, the body having a lid assembly with a plurality of ink refill ports leading to respective fluid chambers, the lid assembly having an actuator to actuate a refill unit; a number of micro-electromechanical nozzle arrangements configured to operatively eject printing fluid onto a printing medium; and a fluid distribution member operatively arranging the nozzle arrangements in fluid communication with respective fluid chambers. The lid assembly engages with the refill unit to actuate the refill unit. The refill unit includes an outlet adapted to engage with the plurality of ink refill ports, a fluid reservoir, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject fluid from the reservoir when the ejector assembly is actuated by the actuator during operative engagement of the print cartridge by the lid assembly.

Abstract: A printing cartridge comprises a body configured to removably engage with an inkjet printer; a printhead assembly mounted to the body, the printhead assembly including at least one printhead integrated circuit and an ink distribution support, the at least one printhead integrated circuit being mounted to an underside of the ink distribution support; a plurality of conduits provided through an underside of the ink distribution support, the conduits providing fluidic communication between a plurality of ink paths of the ink distribution support and the underside of the ink distribution support; and a sealing film for adhesively mounting the printhead integrated circuit to the ink distribution support, the sealing film including a plurality of through-holes which correspond to and align with the conduits. The sealing film provides a seal preventing mixing of ink from each of the plurality of ink paths at an underside of the ink distribution support.

Abstract: A printhead assembly has a casing. A printhead module is positioned in the casing. The printhead module and the casing are configured so that the printhead module is removable from the casing. The printhead module includes a fluid channel member defining a number of ink ducts along its length and positioned in the casing. A number of printhead tiles are arranged on the fluid channel member. Each printhead tile has a printhead integrated circuit. The printhead tiles and the fluid channel member are configured so that ink can be supplied to the printhead integrated circuits from the fluid channel member.

Abstract: A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead and a casing having a channel in which the pagewidth printhead is removably clamped so as to constrain movement of the printhead relative to the casing across the longitudinal direction of the channel and to allow movement of the printhead along the longitudinal direction of the channel.