Abstract: According to an image processing method and apparatus of the present invention, an outline portion is extracted from input image data, and a pixel whose dot size is to be changed is extracted. The input image data is printed without any change, and the pixel whose dot size is to be changed is overlap-printed while the dot size is increased. Therefore, smoothing can be sufficiently performed in both the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction without increasing the dot density and decreasing the recording speed.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus capable of exchangeably mounting a plurality of kinds of recording devices provided with discharging devices for discharging ink.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus using an ink jet head having a heat generating element for generating thermal energy to be used to discharge ink, comprises a unit for deriving an amount .increment.Q.sub.i indicative of a heat amount stored in i (i.gtoreq.1) portions of said ink jet head sectioned by thermal time constants, corresponding to a heat amount applied to said ink jet head at a predetermined time interval .increment.t, a unit for multiplying an amount .increment.T.sub.i (n-1) indicative of the heat amount stored in the i-sectioned portion of the predetermined time interval .increment.t earlier by a predetermined constant E.sub.i corresponding to the sectioned thermal time constant, a unit for adding the amount .increment.Q.sub.i to the product, a unit for storing the sum as the amount .increment.T.sub.i (n) indicative of the heat amount stored in the i-sectioned portion, a unit for summing all amounts .increment.T.sub.1 (n) to determine an amount .increment.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprising a recording head having discharge ports for discharging the ink, an ink tank for storing said ink to be supplied to the recording head, and suction recovery means for stabilizing the ink discharge from the recording head, characterized in that the suction recovery means has a plurality of suction operations, which can be selected in accordance with the content of the discharge stabilization.

Abstract: In image recording by discharging plural inks of different characteristics onto a recording medium, recording pixels to be recorded by at least one of the inks of either yellow, magenta or cyan color subjected to pixel expansion are expanded in four direction, then a logic product is calculated between the expanded pixels and the pixels to be recorded with an ink which is black not subjected to pixel expansion, and the recording pixels to be recorded by the ink which is black not subjected to pixel expansion are replaced by the pixels formed by the inks (Y, M, C) subjected to pixel expansion. Thus high-quality image recording is made possible even in case the inks of different properties are brought into mutual contact.

Abstract: A recording head having an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and ejection portion groups for ejecting color inks is used. When a black image to be printed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be printed by the color ink, a black image portion adjacent to the color image and a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image are formed in different scans, thereby obtaining a high-quality image from which ink blurring at a boundary portion between the black and color images is eliminated.

Abstract: In a jet recording method, a normally solid recording material is placed in a heat-melted state in a path defined by a nozzle leading to an ejection outlet and, in a recording step, is imparted with a thermal energy corresponding to a recording signal to generate a bubble, thus ejecting a droplet of the recording material out of the ejection outlet. As an improvement, prior to the recording step, the recording material is sucked or pressurized to be ejected out of the ejection outlet and, in the recording step, the bubble is communicated with ambience. As a result, the recording is started or resumed without discharge failure even after a long time of non-use or standing state.

Abstract: In a jet recording method, a normally solid recording material is placed in a heat-melted state in a path defined by a nozzle leading to an ejection outlet and, in a recording step, is imparted with a thermal energy corresponding to a recording signal to generate a bubble, thus ejecting a droplet of the recording material out of the ejection outlet. As an improvement, in the recording step, the bubble is caused to communicate with ambience, and the droplet is ejected in a diameter d (.mu.m) and at an average speed v (m/sec) satisfying: 10.ltoreq.d.ltoreq.60 and 7.ltoreq.v.ltoreq.20. As a result, the droplet is deposited on a recording medium without pileup or scattering.

Abstract: A normally solid recording material is heat-melted in a path defined by a nozzle leading to an ejection outlet and is imparted with a thermal energy from a heater corresponding to a recording signal to generate a bubble. As a result, a droplet of the recording material is ejected out of the ejection outlet under the action of the bubble while the bubble is caused to communicated with ambience. The normally solid recording material preferably contains a colorant, a first heat-fusible solid substance having a melting point Tm of 36.degree.-150.degree. C. and a boiling point Tb of 150.degree.-370.degree. C., and a second heat-fusible solid substance having a melting point Tm and a solidifying point Tf satisfying a relationship of Tm-Tf.ltoreq.30.degree. C. The distance between the heater and the ejection outlet, the sectional size of the nozzle and the thermal energy imparted by the heater are controlled to cause the bubble to communicate with ambience.

Abstract: A normally solid recording material is heat-melted in a path defined by a nozzle leading to an ejection outlet and is imparted with a thermal energy from a heater corresponding to a recording signal to generate a bubble. As a result, a droplet of the recording material is ejected out of the ejection outlet under the action of the bubble while the bubble is caused to communicate with ambience. The normally solid recording material preferably contains a colorant, a first heat-fusible solid substance having a melting point Tm of 36.degree.-150.degree. C. and a boiling point Tb of 150.degree.-370.degree. C., and a second heat-fusible solid substance having a melting point Tm and a solidifying point Tf satisfying a relationship of Tm-Tf.ltoreq.30.degree. C. The distance between the heater and the ejection outlet, the sectional size of the nozzle and the thermal energy imparted by the heater are controlled to cause the bubble to communicate with ambience.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer medium comprising a support and at least two heat-transferable ink layers including a first and a second ink layer. The first ink layer has relative adhesions with the second ink layer and the support which are reverse at a higher temperature from those at a lower temperature. When the heat-sensitive transfer medium is superposed with paper, a heat energy is applied, and the transfer medium is separated from the paper; the second ink layer is selectively transferred or both the first and second ink layers are transferred to the paper depending on the length of time from the heat application until the separation of the transfer medium, whereby two color images can be formed by a single transfer medium.

Abstract: A thermal transfer material suitable for two-color recording comprises a support and at least a first ink layer and a second ink layer disposed in this order on the support. The adhesion strength F.sub.1 between the support and the first ink layer and the adhesive strength F.sub.2 between the first and second ink layers satisfy the relations of F.sub.1 >F.sub.2 at a higher temperature and F.sub.1 <F.sub.2 at a lower temperature. The total ink layers on the support having a tensile strength of 8-20 kg/cm.sup.2. Two color recording is effected by superposing the thermal transfer material on plain paper, applying a pattern of heat and separating the thermal transfer material from the paper while changing the time from heating until the separation, i.e., temperatures at the time of separation. Sharp edge cutting of the heated portion is ensured by the definition of the tensile strength.

Abstract: A recording medium comprises a recording layer formed on a substrate. The recording layer comprises a solid solution of a guest compound in a matrix polymer. The guest compound, such as a para-di-substituted benzene derivative, has a substantial second order micro-nonlinear optical constant .beta. but shows substantially no nonlinear optical effect in its crystalline form. The matrix polymer is preferably a polyoxyalkylene. A part of the recording layer is caused to have a nonlinear optical effect when it is supplied with a combination of an external field such as an electric or magnetic field and heating followed by cooling for solidification, and is caused to lose its nonlinear optical effect when it is subjected to heating followed by cooling for solidification in the absence of such an external field.

Abstract: Image recording is indirectly achieved on a recording sheet via an intermediate transferring medium. First, the circumferential surface of a rotatable transferring medium having heat-transferable ink contained therein is fused or softened in response to image information by means of a recording electrode which is disposed at the position opposite to the transferring medium while the intermediate transferring medium is interposed therebetween. After completion of the first transferring step the ink image which has been transferred onto the intermediate transferring medium is transported to the position where a second transferring step is achieved while the ink image is kept in the fused or softened state. The second transferring step is achieved in such a manner that the ink image is transferred onto the recording sheet under the effect of pressure which is imparted by a pressure roller. The intermediate transferring medium may be made of electric conductive material.

Abstract: A thermal transfer material suitable for two-color recording comprises a support and at least a first adhesive layer, a first ink layer, and a second ink layer disposed in this order on the support. The adhesion strength F.sub.1 between the support and the first ink layer and the adhesive strength F.sub.2 between the first and second ink layers satisfy the relations of F.sub.1 >F.sub.2 at a higher temperature and F.sub.1 <F.sub.2 at a lower temperature. The first ink layer comprises a binder having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0.degree. C. or below and 25-85 wt. % of a pigment. Two color recording is effected by superposing the thermal transfer material on plain paper, applying a pattern of heat and separating the thermal transfer material from the paper while changing the time from heating until the separation, i.e., temperatures at the time of separation. Sharp edge cutting of the heated portion is ensured by the definition of the composition of the first ink layer.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer medium comprises a support and at least two heat-transferable ink layers including a first and a second ink layer. The first ink layer has relative adhesions with the second ink layer and the support which are reverse at a higher temperature from those at a lower temperature. When the heat-sensitive transfer medium is superposed with paper, a heat energy is applied, and the transfer medium is separated from the paper; the second ink layer is selectively transferred or both the first and second ink layers are transferred to the paper depending on the length of time from the heat application until the separation of the transfer medium, whereby two color images can be formed by a single transfer medium.

Abstract: Thermal transfer recording is carried out through the steps of: applying a heat or electric energy in a pattern to a peripheral surface of an ink roll having the peripheral surface composed of a heat-transferable ink, thereby to form a melted or softened pattern of the heat-transferable ink; causing the peripheral surface of the ink roll to contact a recording medium to transfer the melted or softened ink pattern onto the recording medium; and smoothing the peripheral surface of the ink roll.