Abstract: To supply electromotive force to a solid semiconductor element in an ink tank in a non-contact and stable manner. An electromagnetic apparatus (a standstill electromotive force supply unit) is placed at a home position HP. When a carriage is at a standstill at this home position HP, if the electromagnetic apparatus is AC-driven, magnetic properties of both ends (magnetic poles) continue to change mutually and penetrate a solid semiconductor element in the ink tank on the carriage so that a constantly changing magnetic flux is generated. Electromotive force is generated by electromagnetic induction on a coil of the solid semiconductor element. In addition, if the carriage reciprocates during printing operation, the coil L of the solid semiconductor element crosses inside the magnetic flux due to a plurality of permanent magnets (a movement time electromotive force supply unit) arranged on a carrier path (range of movement), and so the electromotive force is generated on the coil by electromagnetic induction.

Abstract: A liquid container has a movable member which defines a liquid containing space and which is displaced as the liquid is supplied, a valve for allowing a gas to be introduced into the containing space from the outside and for preventing the liquid from being extracted from the containing space to the outside, and an introduction channel for coupling the valve and the containing space to guide the introduced gas into the containing space. An intake port of the introduction channel located on the containing space side is positioned in an upper part of the containing space in an orientation in use. A negative pressure is kept substantially constant to consume the liquid completely. Since the air introduction for keeping the negative pressure at an adequate value is carried out in a region in a gaseous phase in the container, no leakage of ink occurs, and air is reliably introduced.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes plural heat generating members, each linearly communicating with a discharge port, a liquid flow path communicating with each discharge port and having a bubble generating area in which a movable member is provided, a limiting portion opposed to the bubble generating area in the liquid flow path for limiting displacement of the movable member, and a circuit for receiving data of a predetermined number of bits for each heat generating member and generating drive pulses for each heat generating member based on the respective input data. Substantial contact between the displaced movable member and the limiting portion renders a portion of the liquid flow path including the bubble generating area a substantially closed space except for the discharge port. The number of drive pulses generated from the input data is larger than the predetermined number of bits for at least one set of the data.

Abstract: A method for producing a liquid discharge head provided with a head main body including plural energy generating elements for generating energy for discharging liquid as a flying liquid droplet, and plural liquid paths in which the energy generating elements are respectively provided, and an orifice plate adjoined to the head main body and provided with plural discharge ports respectively communicating with the liquid paths and plural independent projections formed around the discharge ports and respectively corresponding to the discharge ports so as to enter into the liquid paths and to engage therewith. The method includes steps of forming the plural projections and the discharge ports while a continuous resinous film is transported; separating the film in a continuous manner in a predetermined size including the portion on which the discharge ports are formed, thereby preparing the orifice plate; and adjoining the orifice plate to the head main body.

Abstract: In the printing apparatus, the printing region, the paper-conveying roller region and the ink (printing agent) region are arranged on a straight line generally parallel to the plane containing the printing region. Thereby, it is possible to accommodate the increase in the printing region or the ink (printing agent) region in an area on the straight line. Accordingly, the reduction of the running cost is realized by a printing agent container of a large capacity, while enabling the high-speed printing by ensuring the large printing region surface in the thin and small-sized printing apparatus.

Abstract: A solid type semiconductor device comprises energy converting means for converting energy from outside, and operating means operated by energy converted by the energy converting means. The energy converting means converts the electromotive force supplied from the outside to the device in non-contact into electric power. The operating means comprises information acquiring means actuated by electric power obtained by energy converting means; discriminating means; information accumulating means; and information communicating means.

Abstract: A small-sized printing apparatus is provided, which is stable in printing operation and high in reliability although the installation area and the utility area are small. For this purpose, the conveying direction of a supplied printing medium is reversed generally in the opposite direction, and then guided in the vertical direction. Thus, the printing medium is firmly supported. Also, since the printing medium exists beneath the printing section in the vertical direction during the printing operation, it is possible to prevent the interior of the apparatus from contaminating with ink dropping down from the printing region.

Abstract: An ink supply system, an ink jet printing apparatus, an ink tank and an ink jet cartridge are provided which, in intermittently supplying ink through a disconnectable connecting portion, can smoothly supply a required volume of ink easily, and can quickly and smoothly discharge a gas which enters into the ink supply system without complicating their structure and mechanism. The first ink tank and the second ink tank are disconnectably connected through the supply unit and the connector. Two communication paths connecting the ink tanks are formed by the tubes. Gas in the second ink tank is discharged through one of the communication paths and at the same time ink in the first ink tank is supplied to the second ink tank through the other communication path.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing head carrying a sub-tank from which accumulated gases can be easily discharged. The inkjet printing head includes a sub-tank which has a movable section constituted by a deformable film sheet, a spring for generating a negative pressure, and a supply/discharge channel for supplying ink and discharging accumulated gases. The sub-tank is intermittently supplied with ink from a main tank and reserving the ink. The supply/discharge channel is provided in a position where it does not interfere with the movable section and the spring, e.g., in a frame of the sub-tank. The supply/discharge channel is preferably formed in an upper part of the sub-tank, e.g., a ceiling section of the sub-tank.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system in which a user can obtain permission to use an encrypted copyrighted image by paying a royalty to a creator of the image so as to print the image, a printing method, and an ink tank which can be used to attain the printing system. The printing system comprises a computer and a printer which is connected to the computer. The computer can acquire an encrypted image with a print key which is distributed from an Internet distribution company. The printer has an ink tank replaceably mounted thereon, and the ink tank incorporates a security chip. The security chip contains a certificate key, generates a decryption key from a combination of the certificate key and the print key, and decrypts the encrypted image into print data which can be printed by the printer by use of the decryption key.

Abstract: Provided is a recording head substrate on which are mounted energy generating elements that contribute to the formation of images by a recording head, and on which both light-receiving elements and light-emitting elements, or at least, light-receiving elements are mounted. In addition, provided is a recording head substrate on which are mounted energy generating elements that contribute to the formation of images by a recording head, and on which are mounted a plurality of head position detecting elements for detecting the position of the recording head.

Abstract: There is disclosed a solid semiconductor element which very efficiently detects information about a liquid and bidirectionally exchanges the information with the outside. The solid semiconductor element is disposed in a liquid container, and includes at least energy converting unit, information acquiring unit, and information communicating unit. The energy converting unit converts an electromotive force from the outside to a power, and operates the information acquiring unit and information communicating unit. The information acquiring unit acquires the information about the liquid in which the solid semiconductor element is disposed from the liquid, and the information communicating unit transmits the information acquired by the information acquiring unit to the outside.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head substrate used for a liquid discharge head is adapted to discharge liquid by applying discharge energy to the liquid, and has a semiconductor substrate including an energy conversion element for converting electric energy into the discharge energy. In this case, the liquid discharge head substrate comprises a function element made of a ferroelectric material, which is formed in the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An ink tank is provided which can efficiently perform detection of information in an ink tank such as an ink residual amount in the ink tank with a simple configuration in which it is unnecessary to set wiring or the like. A solid semiconductor element, which is provided with an acquiring unit for acquiring environmental information of the outside, an information storing unit, a discriminating unit for comparing acquired information and stored information to make a determination, and an information communicating unit for displaying the acquired information or communicating the acquired information to the outside, is embedded in an outer wall of an ink tank such that the solid semiconductor element is exposed to an internal side and an external side of the ink tank from the outer wall.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head substrate used for a liquid discharge head adapted to discharge liquid by applying discharge energy to the liquid includes a semiconductor substrate provided with an energy conversion element for converting electric energy into discharge energy. The semiconductor substrate is further provided with a function element made of a ferroelectric material.

Abstract: An ink tank is provided which can efficiently perform detection of information in an ink tank such as an ink residual amount in the ink tank with a simple configuration in which it is unnecessary to set wiring or the like. A solid semiconductor element, which is provided with an acquiring unit for acquiring environmental information of the outside, an information storing unit, a discriminating unit for comparing acquired information and stored information to make a determination, and an information communicating unit for displaying the acquired information or communicating the acquired information to the outside, is embedded in an outer wall of an ink tank such that the solid semiconductor element is exposed to an internal side and an external side of the ink tank from the outer wall.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method having steps of giving energy to ink, discharging the ink from a recording head and depositing the ink on a recording medium is provided. The ink contains a coloring material including at least self-dispersing carbon blacks and an aqueous medium and has potassium ions of 0.6% or more in a mass ratio with respect to the carbon blacks. The recording head includes a structural unit for discharging liquid droplets having a heating element for generating thermal energy for generating a bubble in a liquid; a discharge port for discharging the liquid; a liquid flow path communicating to the discharge port and having a bubble generation area; and a movable member to be displaced following growth of the bubble, and the ink is supplied to the liquid flow path and discharged from the discharge port by thermal energy from the heating element.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head comprises a separation member for separating the discharge liquid flow paths communicated with discharge ports for discharging discharge liquid to enable discharge liquid to flow, and the bubbling liquid flow paths to enable bubbling liquid to flow, which is provided with the bubble generating areas for creating bubbles used for discharging discharge liquid from the discharge ports. This separation member is provided with the opening portions positioned to face the bubble generating areas, and displacement members provided for the separation member corresponding to the openings, having the free ends to be displaced by bubbles created on the bubble generating areas provided for the separation member. Then, with no bubbles created on the bubble generating areas, the displacement members interrupt the opening portions, and with bubbles created thereon, the free ends of the displacement members are displaced to discharge discharge liquid from the discharge ports of the head.

Abstract: Information transmitted through radio is recorded in telephone communications using radio.

Abstract: A recording apparatus uses a liquid recording head for effecting recording by ejecting liquid through ejection outlets corresponding to heat generation elements provided in the recording head. The recording head has a heating device for heating the recording head. A controller will select a heat generating element from among the heat generating elements to correct a temperature distribution of the recording head resulting from the heating by the heating device such that the heat generating element generates heat to such an extent that liquid for recording is not ejected through the ejection outlet during the temperature correction.