Abstract: Down-sizing of a pump for sucking two types of different fluids is realized. The pump is provided with a cylinder pump having a cylinder main body having a reciprocally movable piston, a first cylinder chamber partitioned at one side of the piston for being introduced with a first fluid, and a second cylinder chamber partitioned at the other side of the piston for being introduced with a second fluid, and piston driving means for reciprocally moving the piston of the cylinder pump.

Abstract: Sound information related to an image is inputted together with the image taken by a camera, and is printing outputted as a two-dimensional bar code data with the image by a printer provided in the camera as one body. Specifically, a printed matter is formed by printing the taken image and the sound information sound inputted in relation to the image. Thereby, the printed matter is printed with a comment on image taking environment such as information on a subject of image taking and a light condition when taking the image or on the subject of the image taking inputted through the sound. As a result, it can be used as a storage medium which stores information of higher dimension and is easy to access.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing method which can adjust benefits between electronic device makers and expendables makers. In the method of the present invention, a cartridge which is detachably attached to an electronic device is used. The cartridge carries expendables of the electronic device and has a storage medium in which information that specifies a maker of the electronic device is written by the electronic device when the expendable is consumed by the electronic device. The method comprises the recovery step of recovering the cartridge with the storage medium in which the information is written from a user, the acquisition step of acquiring the information written in the storage medium of the recovered cartridge; and the totalization step of totalizing quantities of expendables consumed for respective makers on the basis of the acquired information.

Abstract: A joint device includes a supply pipe having an ink supply port, a closing device for opening and closing the ink supply port, a deformation device for deforming the closing device and an urging device for urging the deformation device. An ink jet recording apparatus includes the above joint device, a supply pipe, a closing device, a deformation device, and an urging device. An ink supplying device includes a negative-pressure introducing device introducing negative pressure into the ink tank an ink supplying device supplying the ink to the ink tank, a gas-liquid separating device provided between the ink tank and the negative-pressure introducing device, for transmitting gases therethrough while not transmitting the ink therethrough, and an isolation device separating the negative-pressure introducing path.

Abstract: An ink tank has a fixed-negative-pressure generating means between a gas-liquid separating means and a source of negative pressure required to suck and supply the ink, to prevent a fixed amount or more of negative pressure from being exerted on the gas-liquid separating means. An ink jet recording head is installed on the ink tank. An ink jet cartridge is also installed on the ink tank. An ink jet recording apparatus has an ink tank which supplies an ink to an ink jet recording head via an ink supplying port, a gas-liquid separating means in a suction port transmitting gases therethrough while not transmitting said ink therethrough, and a fixed-negative-pressure generating means between the gas-liquid separating means and a source of the negative pressure.

Abstract: In an ink-jet recording apparatus, it is possible to assuredly execute replenishment of ink into an ink tank and control of a pressure within the ink tank during ink replenishment by a simple configuration, and reduce the size and the weight of the apparatus, and improve reliability of the apparatus. The ink-jet recording apparatus includes an ink tank for receiving ink from an ink intake, an ink supply unit for receiving ink from a replenishing tank into the ink tank by a negative pressure introduced from a suction port of the ink tank in the inside of the ink tank, and a negative-pressure controller for causing the negative pressure within the ink tank to remain in an ink supply channel from the replenishing tank to the inside of the ink tank, so that the negative pressure within the ink tank does not return to an atmospheric pressure while receiving ink.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is capable of reducing number of ink container, contributing enhancement of gradation, and is inexpensive and compact, and particularly suitable for serial type ink-jet printer. The recording apparatus has recording heads which can eject a plurality of kinds of inks and have ejection orifice arrays arranged in two columns for ejecting respective two kinds of inks per respective arrays, and ink cartridges respectively having integrally formed two ink containers in a direction perpendicular to the ejection orifices arrays.

Abstract: In a sheet pack hermetically containing sheets to be supplied to a recording apparatus in a box-shaped container, the container is provided with a plurality of feeding ports and a plurality of bearing ports for a sheet feeding device provided on the recording apparatus body side to feed the sheets from the feeding ports to bear against the sheets.

Abstract: A preliminary ejection sensor of an ink jet recording apparatus includes a vibration plate adapted to vibrate on receipt of an ink droplet ejected from an ejection port on a recording head in order to detect the vibration of the vibration plate depending on variation of a gap between a core and the vibration plate, whereby it can be checked whether ink is ejected from the recording head or not. In addition, the preliminary ejection sensor can check the present ink ejecting state of the recording head. Thus, in contrast with a conventional sensing system wherein ink ejection is sensed by an optical sensor on one side surface of the recording head, the structure of the ink jet recording apparatus can be simplified.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink from an ink jet recording head to a recording medium includes a carriage, an ink tank, an ink supply and a moving mechanism. The carriage reciprocably moves the recording head in a carriage moving direction different from a conveying direction of the recording medium. The ink tank is supported by the carriage and contains the ink to be supplied to the ink jet recording head. A length of the ink tank in the carriage moving direction is greater than that of the ink jet recording head in the carriage moving direction. The ink supply member forms an ink supply path for supplying the ink of the ink tank to the ink jet recordding head. The moving mechanism relatively moves the ink jet recording head and the ink tank so that the moving distance of the ink tank is shorter than the moving distance of the ink jet recording head when the carriage moves from one end to another end of a recordable range.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is equipped with an ink suction pump which performs discharge recovery treatment for maintaining the ink within the discharge port under a predetermined state by sucking ink from the discharge port of a recording head. The ink suction pump has a cylinder and a piston moving in a reciprocal fashion relative to the cylinder therein and performs suction of the ink and discharge of the sucked ink as accompanied with the reciprocal movement. An annular contact portion forming a route for the discharge, which, in the actuation according the suction, blocks the route for discharging the ink, and maintains a predetermined interval by separation in the actuation according the discharge. The annular contact portion is provided at either the end surface of the piston or the end surface of the pushing member which pushes the end surface in the actuation of the suction.

Abstract: An equipment, which comprises a scanning type carrier for performing a scanning operation upon reception of a driving force, includes a first standby portion for holding a functional element in a standby state at one end portion side in the scanning direction of the scanning type carrier, a second standby portion for holding a functional element in a standby state at the other end portion side in the scanning direction of the scanning type carrier, a guide mechanism for allowing the scanning type carrier to be movable between the first and second standby portions, and a selector for selecting a functional element located at one of the first and second standby portions in correspondence with the operation mode of the equipment or the functional element driving signal, and integrating the selected functional element to the scanning type carrier.

Abstract: The present invention provides a horizontally set recording apparatus provided with a sheet inserting and discharging holes at the upper surface, wherein substantially linear recording sheet transporting route passing through the recording section is formed, and an automatic sheet feeding apparatus can be removably attached thereon. The recording sheet is delivered into an inlet opening of said transporting route.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes first and second carriers, a capping device and a switching device. The first carrier is movable by a drive force, and the second carrier is movable when connected to the first carrier. The second carrier carries an ink jet head thereon. The capping device caps the ink jet head when the ink jet head is mounted on the second carrier and the second carrier is located at a capping position. The switching device switches between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the ink jet head is capped by the capping device. In the second mode, the first and second carriers are integrally connected and are capable of moving together to effect recording by the ink jet head in a full recording range.

Abstract: Ink jet recording apparatus including a carriage having a mounting portion for an ink jet recording head for performing recording on a recording medium by ejecting ink from the ink discharging ports to allow the ink jet recording head to travel in given directions, and a recovery mechanism for preventing disabled ejection of the ink jet recording head, which is provided with a driving force transmission mechanism capable of performing positional displacement to a first position for transmitting a driving force from a driving power source to the carriage and to a second position for transmitting the driving force from the driving power source to the recovery mechanism. The recovery mechanism includes a pump mechanism having a piston shaft within a cylinder with a pistion and a sealing member slidably fitted on the piston, where the cylinder, pistion and sealing member define a space for generating a pressure change in a cap.

Abstract: In an ink jet recording device having an ink tank integrated type jet recording head and a carriage for mounting the head thereon, good electrical connection is obtained wherein the electrical pad of the connecting terminal of the recording head and the electrical pad of the connecting terminal of the carriage are connected to each other while rubbing against one another. Further, also by specifying the arrangement position of the positioning member, more accurate electrical conduction is effected and also breaking of the positioning member is prevented, thereby providing an ink jet recording device having high reliability in aspects of both recording and durability.

Abstract: A paper feed device for a recording apparatus includes means for containing a plurality of sheets therein, supply means for feeding the sheets from the containing means, conveyor means for feeding the sheets fed by the supply means in the paper feeding direction and in the opposite direction so as to pass through a recording station, a reversible motor for commonly driving the supply means and the conveyor means, means for driving the conveyor means in the paper feeding direction by forward rotation of the motor, driving the conveyor means in the opposite direction by reverse rotation of the motor and driving the supply means, and means for selectively inhibiting the operation of the supply means during the reverse rotation of the motor.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge has a recording head with a substrate, a head portion with a discharge port surface on the substrate, a discharge port provided on the discharge port surface, and an ink tank, the substrate having a leading end line. The ink tank has a substantially rectangular parallelopipedal shape and can contain ink. The ink tank includes a front surface, side surface, and opposing surface opposed to the side surface, the recording head is disposed on the side surface of the ink tank, and the opposing surface has a front end line. Plural positioning portions are provided on and project from the substrate of the head and part of the ink tank. The positioning portions project only within a space enclosed by a plane, the front surface of the ink tank, and the substrate. The leading end line of the substrate of the recording head and the front end line of the surface opposed to the side surface of the ink tank on which the recording head is disposed lie in the plane.

Abstract: A black ink cartridge is mounted on a carriage capable of scanning along a guide shaft, and when a projection of the carriage rides on a sensor within the scanning range of the carriage, the weight of the black ink cartridge is detected.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus has a carrier that mounts a print head for movement between a printing region and a non-printing region by rotation of a lead screw. A cap in the non-printing region has two adjacent chambers and is moved between a contact position, in which the cap covers a discharge port forming surface of the print head, and a retracted position. One cap chamber seals the discharge port from the atmosphere and the other is connected to a suction pump to apply suction to a discharge port in the print head. In one embodiment the area of the cap in contact with the print head when the suction chamber is covering the discharge port forming surface is smaller than the area when the sealing chamber is covering it. Rotational movement of the lead screw can be used to move the cap and operate the suction pump.