Abstract: An actuator component for a droplet ejection head; wherein said actuator component comprises a substrate and one or more strips of piezoelectric material fixedly attached to said substrate; wherein said one or more strips of piezoelectric material comprise one or more layers of piezoelectric material, and an array of fluid chambers defined within said one or more strips of piezoelectric material and extending in an array direction; wherein said actuator component further comprises one or more cover parts; wherein the or each cover part extends in said array direction and is fixedly attached to at least one of a side face of one of said strips of piezoelectric material and/or at least a portion of said substrate; and wherein said one or more cover parts comprise a plurality of openings so as to enable fluid to be supplied to selected ones of said fluid chambers through said openings. Associated methods of manufacturing an actuator component for a droplet ejection head are also provided.

Abstract: A manifold component for a droplet ejection head, the manifold component comprising: a mount for receiving an actuator component that provides one or more rows of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective at least one actuating element and a respective at least one nozzle, the at least one actuating element for each chamber being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in an ejection direction through the corresponding at least one nozzle, each row extending in a row direction; a manifold chamber, which extends from a first end to a second end, and widens from said first end to said second end, the second end providing fluidic connection, in parallel, to at least a group of chambers within said one or more rows and being located adjacent said mount; and at least one port, each port opening into the manifold chamber at the first end thereof; wherein at least one portion between the first end and second end of the manifold chamber is shaped as a hyperbolic acoustic horn.

Abstract: A three-dimensional grid model of a traffic scene can be determined based on grid elements. Weights can be determined for the grid elements of the three-dimensional grid model corresponding to priority regions and occluded grid elements. Grid coverage for respective stationary sensors can be determined based on the grid elements of the three-dimensional grid model. A matrix can be determined based on the grid coverage of the plurality of stationary sensors. An optimal subset of stationary sensors can be determined based on applying a greedy search algorithm to the matrix, the weights and costs corresponding to the plurality of stationary sensors to maximize the ratio of grid coverage to the cost based on poses of the plurality of stationary sensors.

Abstract: A manifold component for a droplet ejection head, the manifold component comprising: a mount for receiving an actuator component that provides one or more rows of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective at least one actuating element and a respective at least one nozzle, the at least one actuating element for each chamber being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in an ejection direction through the corresponding at least one nozzle, each row extending in a row direction; a manifold chamber, which extends from a first end to a second end, and widens from said first end to said second end, the second end providing fluidic connection, in parallel, to at least a group of chambers within said one or more rows and being located adjacent said mount; and at least one port, each port opening into the manifold chamber at the first end thereof; wherein at least one portion between the first end and second end of the manifold chamber is shaped as a hyperbolic acoustic horn.

Abstract: A droplet deposition head includes: one or more manifold components, providing one or more fluid inlets, each of which is connectable to a fluid supply system so that the head can receive a corresponding droplet fluid; and two or more arrays of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective actuating element and a respective nozzle, each actuating element being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in an ejection direction through the corresponding one of the nozzles, each array extending in an array direction. The head extends, in the ejection direction, from a first end, at which the one or more fluid inlets are located, to a second end, at which the arrays of fluid chambers are located.

Abstract: A droplet deposition head includes: one or more manifold components, providing one or more fluid inlets, each of which is connectable to a fluid supply system so that the head can receive a corresponding droplet fluid; and two or more arrays of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective actuating element and a respective nozzle, each actuating element being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in tin ejection direction through the corresponding one of the nozzles, each array extending in an array direction. The head extends, in the ejection direction, from a first end, at which the one or more fluid inlets are located, to a second end, at which the arrays of fluid chambers are located.

Abstract: A droplet deposition head includes: one or more manifold components, providing one or more fluid inlets, each of which is connectable to a fluid supply system so that the head can receive a corresponding droplet fluid; and two or more arrays of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective actuating element and a respective nozzle, each actuating element being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in an ejection direction through the corresponding one of the nozzles, each array extending in an array direction. The head extends, in the ejection direction, from a first end, at which the one or more fluid inlets are located, to a second end, at which the arrays of fluid chambers are located.

Abstract: A droplet deposition head includes: one or more manifold components, providing one or more fluid inlets, each of which is connectable to a fluid supply system so that the head can receive a corresponding droplet fluid; and two or more arrays of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective actuating element and a respective nozzle, each actuating element being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in an ejection direction through the corresponding one of the nozzles, each array extending in an array direction. The head extends, in the ejection direction, from a first end, at which the one or more fluid inlets are located, to a second end, at which the arrays of fluid chambers are located.

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A droplet deposition apparatus, such as an inkjet printhead, that includes an integrally-formed manifold component and one or more actuator components; these actuator components provide an first array of fluid chambers, each of which has a piezoelectric actuator element and a nozzle, with this piezoelectric actuator element being able to cause the release in a deposition direction of fluid droplets through the nozzle in response to electrical signals; the first array of fluid chambers extends in an array direction from a first longitudinal end to a second, opposite longitudinal end, this array direction being perpendicular to the deposition direction; in addition, the manifold component is elongate in the array direction and includes a first and second manifold chambers, with these manifold chambers extending side-by-side in the array direction and the first manifold chamber being fluidically connected to the second manifold chamber via each of the fluid chambers in the first array; the cross-sectional area o

Abstract: A foot operated scrubbing device for scrubbing floors or other rigid surfaces is a rigid, U-shaped member that receives a user's foot. The foot presses against an upper surface of the U-shaped member to press an abrasive member against the floor. The upper surface of the U-shaped member has a textured surface that resists slipping of the foot along the upper surface of the member.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting head designed to be mounted in a liquid ejecting instrument that includes ejection nozzles through which droplets are to be ejected from the head, and actuating chambers, each actuating chamber having at least one inlet to be in fluidic connection with a liquid reservoir for providing liquid to the actuating chamber. The ejecting head also includes at least one actuating unit suitable for creating a pulse wave in the liquid contained when activated by energy received from a control device and at least one outlet portion in fluidic connection with at least one ejection nozzle.

Abstract: A wireless near-field communications device is disclosed which comprises a first and a second near-field inductive coupling member, each of said first and second coupling member arranged to have a different coupling configuration from each other.

Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting head designed to be mounted in a liquid ejecting instrument that includes ejection nozzles through which droplets are to be ejected from the head, and actuating chambers, each actuating chamber having at least one inlet to be in fluidic connection with a liquid reservoir for providing liquid to the actuating chamber. The ejecting head also includes at least one actuating unit suitable for creating a pulse wave in the liquid contained when activated by energy received from a control device and at least one outlet portion in fluidic connection with at least one ejection nozzle.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to liquid jet heads, and to liquid ejecting instruments including such liquid jet heads. The liquid ejecting instruments may be formed by ink jet printers or self-contained writing devices and in particular, to those devices that employ a non-contact method of transferring ink to a writing medium. An embodiment of the present invention also concerns those liquid or ink ejecting instruments that can be held in a user's hand.

Abstract: A detectable component has a first inductive coupler (L;M) adapted to couple inductively to a second inductive coupler (L1) of a detection apparatus when the detectable component is in range of or coupled to the detection apparatus. The first inductive coupler has a resistive component (M) with a resistance that varies with magnetic field to cause modulation of a carrier signal supplied to the second inductive coupler of the detection apparatus, the detectable component having a characteristic signature that enables the detectable component to be distinguished by the detection apparatus from other such detectable components having different characteristic signatures.