Abstract: A head for an ink jet recording apparatus including: an electro-thermal transducer for generating thermal energy for use to discharge ink; and a circuit portion electrically connected to the electro-thermal transducer, wherein the circuit portion has a first conductive layer, an insulating layer disposed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on the insulating layer, and an opening portion of the insulating layer is filled with a conductor formed by a selective deposition method so that the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are connected to each other.

Abstract: A table having a plurality of holding portions for holding recording heads to be tested is arranged to be pivotal between a printing position and a changing position, so that the recording head located at the changing position can be changed during estimation of the recording head located at the printing position. An estimation pattern in which dots are arranged so as not to contact each other is printed on a recording medium. The printed estimation pattern is read by an image pick-up device, and character amounts in units of dots are extracted from image data obtained by the image pick-up device. Pattern estimated values are calculated according to the dot character amounts and are used to judge whether the recording head is normal. Another printed pattern is read by the image pick-up device, and an edge image is extracted from density image data obtained by the image pick-up device. After enlargement/reduction processing is performed for the edge image, an edge image is extracted again.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes first and second members for constituting liquid passages by joining them together; and a clamp for applying a line pressure to one of the members. By using such a clamp, the pressing force can be concentrated in a line to provide a uniform pressing force to ensure reliable clamping.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a base member, a first member having recesses and coupled with the base member to form ink passages using the recesses and a second member integral with the first member and extending at an angle from an end of the first member, the second member having ink ejection outlets communicating with the ink passages.

Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a heat generating element for producing a bubble to eject liquid from the head, a heat acting zone in which heat generated by the heat generating element produces a bubble in the liquid, a liquid supply passage adjacent the heat acting zone and having a liquid supply opening, with a center, for supplying liquid to the heat acting zone, and a liquid ejection passage adjacent the heat acting zone and having an orifice, with a center, through which the liquid is ejected, the liquid ejection passage including a diverging portion extending in a direction from the heat acting zone toward the orifice.

Abstract: A device for detecting a quantity of remaining ink includes first and second electrodes provided in an ink supply passage which connects an ink tank for storing an ink to a recording head for emitting the ink, and a detection means for detecting a resistance between the first and second electrodes. The second electrode is provided in the ink supply passage in an area relatively close to the recording head, whereas the first electrode is provided in the ink supply passage in an area relatively far from the recording head with the second electrode therebetween. The second electrode is maintained at the same potential as that of a substrate which constitutes the recording head and on which emission energy generating elements driven to emit the ink are disposed, whereas the first electrode is maintained at a potential different from that of the second electrode. Consequently, the amount of remaining ink can be detected by measuring changes in the resistance between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: An ink jet head cartridge include an ink container and a porous material contained in the container for retaining the ink. A process for filling the ink container includes the steps of supplying ink in a quantity greater than that which the porous material can retain through a first port and removing through a second port at least a quantity of ink which the porous material cannot retain. The process can also be performed through a single port. At least one of the ports can also be used for communicating with a recording head portion of the cartridge.

Abstract: A recording head for discharging ink by using thermal energy comprises a plurality of outlets for discharging ink and a substrate including a common substrate plate of P type, a plurality of electrothermal converting elements and a plurality of functional elements connected to the respective electrothermal converting elements and formed on the common substrate plate as well as the electrothermal converting elements. Each of the functional elements has a first semiconductor region of N type, a second semiconductor region of P type provided within the first semiconductor region and a third semiconductor region of N type provided within the second semiconductor region, so as to form a rectifying junction. The first, second and third semiconductor regions are formed by diffusion of impurity atoms in the common semiconductor substrate plate.

Abstract: A recording head is proposed having an ejection outlet for ejecting recording ink, and a container for the recording ink having an air vent. A single sealing member seals both the ejection outlet and the air vent so that when this sealing member is removed, both the ejection outlet and the air vent are unsealed.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes an ink container; a recording head having an ink ejection outlet; a supply pipe for supplying the ink from the container to the recording head; a porous material contained in the container for retaining the ink; wherein the supply pipe is pressed to the porous material to deform it, wherein a depth of the deformation is larger than a maximum length of a cross-section of the supply pipe.

Abstract: A carriage, movable along a predetermined path, for detachably mounting thereon an ink jet recording head includes an abutment portion for positioning the recording head in a horizontal direction; an engageable member, disposed at a side of the carriage facing in a movement direction thereof, for engaging with the recording head, the engageable member is rotatable and translatable; and an operating lever, disposed at a side of the carriage facing in the movement direction, for translating and rotating the engageable member to abut the recording head to the abutment portion, and for rotating the recording head about the abutment portion; a second abutment portion for abutment with the rotating recording head to stop it in one rotational direction; and an urging member for urging the recording head to the second abutment portion, wherein the recording head is mounted on and dismounted from the carrier by moving the operating lever in one direction and by moving it in the opposite direction, respectively.

Abstract: A substrate for use with a liquid jet recording head has a semiconductor substrate, functional elements formed on said semiconductor substrate, and electro-thermal transducers electrically connected to the functional elements for generating thermal energy to be utilized to discharge liquid. The substrate comprises a common electrode electrically connected to the functional elements in common. The common electrode has a notch at a position facing control electrodes formed between adjacent functional elements. The notch minimizes the overlap of the common electrode and the control electrodes to decrease the probability of an electrical defect.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge includes a top plate having an orifice plate in which ejection outlets for permitting ejection of ink are formed and a portion for defining ink passages communicating with the ink ejection outlets, a heater board joined with the top plate to define the ink passage, a thin plate having a connecting region for pressing and fixing the orifice plate to the heater board, and an ink container for containing the ink to be supplied to the ink passages, wherein the thin plate is connected with the orifice plate on at least one of four sides of the orifice plate.

Abstract: A recording head is equipped with a plurality of liquid discharge portions, each having a discharge opening for discharging ink, and a substrate. The substrate is provided with a plurality of electrothermal transducers for generating thermal energy to be utilized for discharging the ink supplied to the liquid discharging portions and a plurality of functional devices connected electrically to the electrothermal transducers. The plurality of functional devices are arranged in a direction different from an arrangement direction of the plurality of electrothermal transducers within a region provided with a wiring portion. The region includes common electrode wiring and selective electrode wiring for the plurality of electrothermal transducers and the plurality of functional devices. The plurality of electrothermal transducers are connected to the common electrode wiring. The wiring portion is formed essentially at a layer lower than the layer where the electrothermal transducers are formed.

Abstract: A substrate for a liquid jet recording head includes a plurality of built-in energy elements forming an array for generating thermal energy for ejecting liquid, built-in electrode wiring for supplying electric signals to the energy generating elements and first and second built-in temperature sensors disposed outside the array and adjacent opposite ends of the array for detecting a temperature of the substrate. First and second built-in heaters are disposed outside the array and adjacent opposite ends of the array for heating the substrate.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus includes an ink jet recording head having a housing, an ink container in the housing for containing ink, ejection outlets for ejecting the ink supplied from the ink container, and energy generating elements for generating energy contributable to the ejection of the ink through the ejection outlets, the housing being provided with a cavity. The ink jet recording head further comprises electric contacts for supplying the energy, the contacts being provided on a wall defining the cavity and a carriage on which the ink jet recording head is mounted, the carriage being provided with a contact member having electric contacts for electric coupling with the aforementioned contacts. The ink jet recording head is mounted on the carriage with the contact member being in the cavity. The housing is provided with a window extending from a cavity to permit observation of the contact member.

Abstract: A recording head has a liquid emission section with an orifice for emitting ink, an electro-thermal transducer producing thermal energy for ink emission and a functional element electrically connected to the electro-thermal transducer. The functional element is connected to the transducer by a layer formed of the same material as a layer of a heat generating resistive layer constituting the electro-thermal transducer, which enables the formation of a large number of functional elements on a single substrate while maintaining the elements in electrical isolation without increasing manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A liquid jet recording head includes a heat generating element; a heat acting zone in which heat generated by the heat generating device acts on liquid; a liquid feeding passage adjacent to the heat acting zone having a liquid supply opening for supplying liquid to the heat acting zone; a liquid ejection passage adjacent the heat acting zone and having an orifice through which the liquid is ejected; wherein a center line passing through the center of the liquid supply opening along a direction of the liquid supply from the liquid supply passage to the heat acting zone is directly across a wall constituting the liquid ejection passage.

Abstract: A cartridge loading/unloading mechanism for a microfloppy disk drive including a carrier to charge or discharge a floppy disk cartridge and a front panel to support the carrier movable upwardly and downwardly between an unloaded position and a loaded position. The front panel is utilized not only to form the opening for charging or discharging the cartridge but also to support the carrier to be movable upward and downward between the unloaded and loaded position by means of grooves on the opening formed on the sleeve portion thereof. Further, the front panel has a pair of elastic engaging clicks which engage with stoppers provided on the frame so as to realize one-touch engagement of the carrier with the frame by only pushing down the carrier.

Abstract: A method for forming images with a gradation characteristic based on the arrangement of image forming elements comprises modulating an arrangement pitch of the image forming elements in at least one arrangement direction without quantization in accordance with the gradation level.