Abstract: A printer having storing means storing time information indicating the time at which cleaning operations were last performed, with the initial value of time information stored in the storing means being set to a time later than the shipment of the printer. Elapsed time between the time information stored in the storing means and the current time is calculated when a user gives the printer an instruction to start printing operations. The printer performs suitable cleaning operation for a case wherein the calculated value of the elapsed time is negative.

Abstract: When a printing position is displaced by an inclination of a printing head, for example, the displacement can be corrected in an easy and effective manner and a user can easily recognize the displacement of the printing position to correct the displacement. To realize this, dots for forming a test pattern are formed by different scannings by a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles positioned at one end side of a nozzle row and a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles positioned at the other end side of the nozzle row. Depending on displacements of the printing positions of these dots, the plurality of nozzles constituting the nozzle row are divided into a plurality of divided nozzle groups. Then, the printing position is adjusted on the basis of the divided nozzle groups.

Abstract: A recording apparatus performs a recording operation with a recording head including a first nozzle array including first type nozzles that can discharge an ink according to first discharge characteristics and a second nozzle array including second type nozzles that can discharge an ink according to second discharge characteristics. Driving parameters required for driving different types of nozzles are separately stored in a built-in memory unit of the recording head and in an internal memory unit of the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus obtains driving parameters of the first type nozzles based on the information relating to the characteristics of the first type nozzles. The recording apparatus obtains driving parameters of the second type nozzles based on the information relating to the characteristics of the first type nozzles, and the information relating to differences in characteristics between the first type nozzles and the second type nozzles.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and a method for controlling temperature for the ink jet printing apparatus wherein the temperature of a print head, which may lower during printing, is controlled before printing without using any sub-heater to allow a favorable ejection condition to be established without reducing the head temperature below a predetermined value. Thus, scan width information and dot count information are acquired before a carriage starts scanning to determine the heating temperature of the print head on the basis of the information.

Abstract: Image deterioration is suppressed as much as possible which is complexly generated by variations of printing positions respectively of printing elements in a printing element row and by displacement of printing positions among printing element rows. To this end, a first adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among a plurality of printing elements included in a printing element row is obtained. Next, printing positions among a plurality of printing elements are adjusted based on the first adjustment value. Then a second adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among not less than two of the printing element rows is obtained. Thereby variations of printing positions in a discharge port row and displacement of printing positions among discharge port rows are properly adjusted in different phases, and adverse effects generated by two kinds of different causes are collectively suppressed.

Abstract: Provided is a rare earth sintered magnet which can attain a high residual magnetic flux density without causing a drop in coercive force or mechanical strength. The above-described problems are resolved by a rare earth sintered magnet which includes a sintered body whose carbon amount as determined by mass spectrometry is between 500 and 1,500 ppm, wherein a cv-value of the carbon amount on a rupture plane thereof is no greater than 200. The production method for this rare earth sintered magnet includes the steps of: preparing a compacted body by compressing in a magnetic field a raw material alloy powder has a carbon amount of no greater than 1,200 ppm as determined by mass spectrometry, and a Cmax/Cmin value of 15 or less wherein Cmax and Cmin respectively represent a maximum value and a minimum value of X-ray intensity of characteristic X-rays of carbon as determined by EPMA (Electron Probe Micro Analyzer); and sintering the compacted body.

Abstract: A printing apparatus having a printhead for printing by discharging liquid on a printing medium performs a toggle preliminary discharge operation of alternately performing discharge from main nozzles and dummy nozzles in order to establish a good discharge state of the liquid from the main nozzles. The main nozzles and the dummy nozzles communicate with liquid chambers, which in turn communicate with a common liquid chamber. A control circuit for the printhead and a control method are also provided.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing by using a printhead is disclosed, which has a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array, each having a plurality of nozzles with a first nozzle from which a first amount of the ink is discharged and a second nozzle array having a plurality of nozzles with a second nozzle from which a second amount of the ink is discharged and including nozzles to be used for printing on a printing medium and nozzles not to be used for printing on the printing medium. The priding apparatus drives the nozzles of the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array. The printing apparatus selects, from the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array, nozzles to be driven within a predetermined period. The printing apparatus controls preliminary discharge control to drive the nozzles to be used for printing and the nozzles not to be used for printing by alternatively selecting the first nozzles and the second nozzles.

Abstract: A printing apparatus prints on a printing medium by using a printhead which has a first nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles from which a first nozzle amount of the ink is discharged and a second nozzle array including a plurality of nozzles from which a second nozzle amount of the ink is discharged. This printing apparatus time-divisionally drives a plurality of blocks obtained by dividing each of the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array. The printing apparatus selects, from the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array, a block to be driven by the driving unit within a predetermined period. This printing apparatus controls the selection unit to alternately select a block from the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array and sequentially select a block from each nozzle array in a predetermined order.

Abstract: There is provided a small, low-cost, and highly reliable ink jet printing apparatus capable of performing a recovery operation smoothly and forming an image with a stabilized quality. More specifically, when a suction recovery operation for a printing head for ejecting ink is performed, an ejection port surface of the printing head is covered with a cap member, and a cap opening help operation that facilitates the cap opening operation is performed when performing a cap opening operation that separates the cap member from the ejection port surface.

Abstract: The present invention can correct, when a printing position is displaced by an inclination of a printing head for example, the displacement in an easy and effective manner and also allows a user to easily recognize the displacement of the printing position to correct the displacement. To realize this, dots for forming a test pattern are formed by different scannings by a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles positioned at one end side of a nozzle row and a nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles positioned at the other end side of the nozzle row. Depending on displacements of the printing positions of these dots, the plurality of nozzles constituting the nozzle row are divided to a plurality of divided nozzle groups. Then, the printing position is adjusted on the basis of the divided nozzle groups.

Abstract: Image deterioration is suppressed as much as possible which is complexly generated by variations of printing positions respectively of printing elements in a printing element row and by displacement of printing positions among printing element rows. To this end, a first adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among a plurality of printing elements included in a printing element row is obtained. Next, printing positions among a plurality of printing elements are adjusted based on the first adjustment value. Then a second adjustment value for adjusting printing positions among not less than two of the printing element rows is obtained. Thereby variations of printing positions in a discharge port row and displacement of printing positions among discharge port rows are properly adjusted in different phases, and adverse effects generated by two kinds of different causes are collectively suppressed.

Abstract: Provided is a print position control method whereby displacement of a print position in a wide range can be corrected very accurately, without reducing a printing speed or increasing a manufacturing cost. Thus, a printing apparatus includes: a first correction unit, for correcting a print position at accuracy equal to the resolution of the printing apparatus; and a second correction unit, for correcting the print position at accuracy higher than the resolution and in the range of an area that corresponds to one pixel of the resolution. With this arrangement, the print position displacement in a wide range equal to or greater than one pixel can be corrected by the first correction unit, and a print position displacement smaller than one pixel can be corrected by the second correction unit. Therefore, correction of a print position displacement in a wide range is enabled at a higher accuracy.

Abstract: A recording device drives a recording head mounted on a carriage while main-scanning by moving the carriage in a direction generally orthogonal to the sheet-feeding direction of a sheet. The recording device drives a first nozzle of the recording head at an upstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a first dot pattern while scanning the carriage and drives a second nozzle at a downstream side in the sheet-feeding direction of the sheet to form a second dot pattern. The recording device feeds a region where the first dot pattern is recorded to a position facing the second nozzle. The second dot pattern is recorded in a region where the first dot pattern is not recorded.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device is capable of correcting a recording position due to a leaning of a printing head and correcting of driving timing between multiple printing heads. Each nozzle row of a printing head is classified into multiple nozzle groups, and the driving timing of the nozzle groups other than the nozzle group serving as a reference of correction of the multiple nozzle groups is adjustable to correct for any leaning of the printing head. Moreover, in the event of performing the driving timing between printing heads, the driving timing of a non-reference printing head is adjustable relative to a reference printing head employed for leaning correction of multiple printing heads.

Abstract: This invention provides a data processing method, printing apparatus, host apparatus, and printing system capable of reducing the data transfer rate from the host apparatus to the printing apparatus, suppressing density unevenness, and reducing the cost of the apparatus.

Abstract: A recording apparatus performs a recording operation with a recording head including a first nozzle array including first type nozzles that can discharge an ink according to first discharge characteristics and a second nozzle array including second type nozzles that can discharge an ink according to second discharge characteristics. Driving parameters required for driving different types of nozzles are separately stored in a built-in memory unit of the recording head and in an internal memory unit of the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus obtains driving parameters of the first type nozzles based on the information relating to the characteristics of the first type nozzles. The recording apparatus obtains driving parameters of the second type nozzles based on the information relating to the characteristics of the first type nozzles, and the information relating to differences in characteristics between the first type nozzles and the second type nozzles.

Abstract: A scanner has a rotor, and a stator disposed in the outside of the rotor. The rotor includes a shaft, and a permanent magnet mounted on the outer circumferential side of the shaft. The stator includes a casing, a yoke held in the inner circumferential side of the casing, and coils disposed in the inner circumferential side of the yoke. The permanent magnet of the rotor has radially depressed grooves formed in its outer circumferential portion. The torque constant of the scanner is circumferentially equalized by the grooves. Thus, positioning accuracy is improved.

Abstract: Disclosed are a fertilizer containing a sparingly water-soluble phosphatic fertilizer and an urea/aliphatic aldehyde condensation product. The process for controlling inorganizing speed of urea/aliphatic aldehyde condensation product comprises adding to the urea/aliphatic aldehyde condensation product a sparingly water-soluble phosphatic fertilizer having special elution characteristics. The fertilizer of the invention and the process for controlling inorganizing speed of urea/aliphatic aldehyde condensation product of the invention make it possible to control the inorganizing speed of the condensation product without changing the particle size or form. The fertilizers of the invention or the urea/aliphatic aldehyde condensation products can provide nitrogen components to plant in accordance with the periods of culture of desired crops and a pattern of absorbing nutrition. This is effective in saving of the number of additional fertilization or nitrogen components left in soil after the period of culture.

Abstract: In cleaning an orifice surface in which the orifices of a printhead are formed, a portion of the orifice surface that readily becomes dirty along with ink discharge from the printhead is preferentially cleaned.