Abstract: An inkjet apparatus 100 includes a plurality of nozzles 200, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 204, a drive voltage generator 406 and a plurality of switches 403. The plurality of piezoelectric elements 204 is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of nozzles 200. The drive voltage generator 406 generates a drive voltage having a waveform Vd. Each switch 403 adjusts the waveform Vd of the drive voltage. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric elements 204 applies pressure to a corresponding nozzle 200 to eject ink droplets therefrom in response to the drive voltage having an adjusted waveform Vd.

Abstract: When an refresh ink droplet ejected from a nozzle and deflected by an inclined electric field impinges on a orifice electrode/ink receiving member, electric charge is discharged from the refresh ink droplet, thereby an electric current is generated. A current-voltage converter/amplifier detects the electric current and outputs a detection signal. A defective-condition determining circuit determines an ejection condition of a nozzle element based on voltage value of the detection signal.

Abstract: A droplet ejecting device includes a nozzle unit, a piezoelectric member and a drive voltage generating unit. The piezoelectric member has a common electrode and a discrete electrode. A first differentiation by polarization voltage of a characteristic curve indicating change in a polarization of the piezoelectric member with respect to change in the polarization voltage has a plurality of extremal values including a first extremal value at a prescribed positive voltage Vbp that is the smallest polarization voltage among plus polarization voltages corresponding to the plurality of extremal values, and a second extremal value at a prescribed negative voltage Vbn that is the largest polarization voltage among minus polarization voltages corresponding to the plurality of extremal values.

Abstract: In an inkjet device that ejects ink on a medium with an inkjet head, data conversion software generates ejection data and timing control data from pattern data that describe patterns of ejection target pixels. A timing control board outputs a drive waveform generation trigger signal and a data transfer request signal to a drive waveform generator board and a memory board, respectively. The drive waveform generator board generates drive waveforms according to drive waveform generation trigger signal. The memory board transfers ejection data to the driver board according to the data transfer request signal. The driver board controls ink ejection of each nozzle based on the ejection data. Therefore, the inkjet device is capable of highly accurate positioning of ink ejection with almost no increase in the amount of data.

Abstract: The method of ejecting microdroplets of ink includes a first step for generating one ink column on the outside of the nozzle and for separating a tip end of the one ink column from a remaining part of the one ink column to form a microdroplet of ink on the outside of one nozzle, and a second step for controlling an ink volume velocity in the ink pressure chamber that is connected to the nozzle to generate another ink column and to push the another ink column out of the nozzle, thereby causing the another ink column to overtake and merge with the remaining part of the one ink column and to return into the nozzle while pulling the remaining part of the one ink column back into the nozzle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head includes an ejecting step, a measuring step, dividing step and applying step. The ejecting step ejects test ink droplets and print ink droplets from nozzles. The measuring step measures ejection results of the test ink droplets. The dividing step divides a plurality of nozzles into a plurality of groups based on the ejection results. The applying step applies a group-based polarizing voltage determined for each group to the piezoelectric elements belonging to a corresponding group to polarize the piezoelectric elements so that ejection results of the print ink droplets fall in a predetermined range.

Abstract: In a droplet ejection device, a latch circuit acquires discharge data in which a resolution is set up for each resolution section in a transport direction of a recording medium, and sets data elements in each resolution section for respective ones of a plurality of nozzles. An output enable signal generating unit generates an output enable signal periodically at intervals of a different distance. A drive waveform applying unit applies a drive waveform to a common electrode line of piezoelectric elements of the nozzles in synchronization with the output enable signal, the drive waveform having a time to discharge each piezoelectric element gradually. A switching circuit turns on or off a switch based on a logical AND of the output enable signal and the discharge data and grounds an individual electrode of each piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head unit includes a plurality of nozzle elements, a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a driving unit. The plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of nozzle elements. Each piezoelectric element has a positive pole and a negative pole. Each piezoelectric element expands and contracts when a voltage potential difference between the positive pole and the negative pole is varied. The plurality of nozzle elements includes a first nozzle element and a second nozzle element adjacent to the first nozzle element. A first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element correspond to the first nozzle element and the second nozzle element respectively. The driving unit controls the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element to expand and contract in a complementary manner.

Abstract: A computer portion 201 of a printer includes a memory storing a printer driver software 201a and nozzle profile data 211. The printer driver software 201a includes a raster image processor (RIP) 203. When the RIP 203 receives document data 209, the RIP 203 converts the document data 209 into bitmap data 210 which is one dot/one bit data for 300 data/inch. Then, the nozzle data converting portion 204 converts the bitmap data 210 into driving data 212 based on the nozzle profile data 211. At this time, each bit of the bitmap data 210 is replaced by 16 bits. That is, the data amount is increased to 16 times of the bitmap data 210. Accordingly, fine control of ink ejection can be achieved.

Abstract: A charge/deflecting electrode is provided on an orifice surface of an inkjet head near nozzle orifices formed in the orifice surface. A suction tube is pressed against the orifice surface and the electrode to retain a space therebetween. When a negative pressure is generated in a suction hole of the suction tube, ink and foreign matter are sucked from the nozzle orifices. The space is asymmetric on left and right sides so the negative pressure develops a whirlpool-shaped flow including a mixture of air and ink near the suction hole.

Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes a nozzle module, a switching unit, a waveform generating unit, an image recognizing unit and a pulse width modulating unit. The image recognizing unit determines an ejection condition of the ink droplet ejected from the nozzle while referring to ejection data indicating a type of each pixel to be recorded, and generates switch pulse width data that includes the ejection data and the ejection condition. The pulse width modulating unit generates the switch pulse based on the switch pulse width data. The switching unit opens and closes in response to a switch pulse. An opening duration of the switch unit is variable depending on the switch pulse.

Abstract: An inkjet coating method can achieve high-performance coating with a simple system by forming a precise and uniform coat over a coating area and precise edge parts on the periphery of the coating area. The inkjet coating method, firstly, extracts an edge image and an internal image from coating image. Next, the inkjet coating method forms the edge image including a plurality of edge image portions each extending to different directions, while forming each edge image portion by a single nozzle. And then, the inkjet coating method forms the internal image using a leveling technique.

Abstract: An inkjet apparatus 100 includes a plurality of nozzles 200, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 204, a drive voltage generator 406 and a plurality of switches 403. The plurality of piezoelectric elements 204 is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of nozzles 200. The drive voltage generator 406 generates a drive voltage having a waveform Vd. Each switch 403 adjusts the waveform Vd of the drive voltage. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric elements 204 applies pressure to a corresponding nozzle 200 to eject ink droplets therefrom in response to the drive voltage having an adjusted waveform Vd.

Abstract: During a printing operation, a recording device is switched from a normal mode to a refresh ejection mode so as to temporarily increase an ejection frequency. A refresh ink droplet ejected in the refresh ejection mode is deflected to impinge on an ink collector. Recording ink droplets ejected in the refresh ejection mode are deflected and impinge on a recording sheet at positions that are shifted by gradually smaller distances.

Abstract: A recording head 200 has a plurality of nozzle orifices aligned in a row extending in a first direction. The recording head 200 is arranged with the nozzle orifices in confrontation with a recording medium P. The recording medium P is moved in a second direction B with respect to the recording head 200. Also, ink droplets ejected from the nozzle orifices are charged to a charged amount that corresponds to deflection amount of the ink droplets. The charged ink droplets are deflected in a direction perpendicular to a main scanning line. The plurality of ink droplets ejected from the plurality of nozzle orifices impinge on the same pixel position or at a nearby position so that it is possible to impinge multiple droplets at the same pixel position or a nearby position. As a result, it is possible to back up broken nozzles and to reduce recording distortion.

Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes an ink reservoir that stores ink, a recording head having a plurality of nozzle holes for forming recording dots on a recording medium by ejecting ink particles from the plurality of nozzle holes onto the recording medium positioned opposite the plurality of nozzle holes, an ink channel for supplying ink from the ink reservoir to the recording head, ink discharging means for discharging ink from the recording head and the ink channel, evacuating means for creating a vacuum state in the recording head and the ink channel, and ink filling means for filling the evacuated recording head and ink channel with deaerated ink. The ink discharging means divides the recording head and the ink channel into a plurality of sections and independently discharges ink from each section of the recording head and the ink channel.

Abstract: When an refresh ink droplet ejected from a nozzle and deflected by an inclined electric field impinges on a orifice electrode/ink receiving member, electric charge is discharged from the refresh ink droplet, thereby an electric current is generated. A current-voltage converter/amplifier detects the electric current and outputs a detection signal. A defective-condition determining circuit determines an ejection condition of a nozzle element based on voltage value of the detection signal.

Abstract: An orifice electrode/ink receiving member 11 is attached to an orifice plate 13 that is attached to a recording head module 10. An ink absorbing member 111 is embedded in a lower surface of the orifice electrode/ink receiving member 11. A recording ink droplet 14 ejected through an orifice 12 is deflected as needed by an angled electric field 85 and then impinges on a recording sheet 60 to form a recording dot 70. On the other hand, a refresh ink droplet 15 is deflected by the angled electric field 85 and impinges on the ink absorbing member 111 of the orifice electrode/ink receiving member 11 after flying in a U-turn path. In this configuration, the ink absorbing member 111 provided to the orifice electrode/ink receiving member 11 collects ink, so that there is no need to increase a gap between the recording head module 10 and the recording sheet 60 so much in order to dispose the ink absorbing member 111, preventing decrease in recording precision and paper jam.

Abstract: Bolding per Fran In an inkjet device that ejects ink on a medium with an inkjet head, data conversion software generates ejection data and timing control data from pattern data that describe patterns of ejection target pixels. A timing control board outputs a drive waveform generation trigger signal and a data transfer request signal to a drive waveform generator board and a memory board, respectively. The drive waveform generator board generates drive waveforms according to drive waveform generation trigger signal. The memory board transfers ejection data to the driver board according to the data transfer request signal. The driver board controls ink ejection of each nozzle based on the ejection data. Therefore, the inkjet device is capable of highly accurate positioning of ink ejection with almost no increase in the amount of data.

Abstract: A plurality of nozzle rows are formed in a nozzle plate, and nozzle electrodes for generating a deflecting field are provided for every two nozzle rows. Each electrode is attached to the nozzle plate so as to locate between the corresponding adjacent two nozzles. Ink reception absorption bodies are embedded in the bottom surface of the electrodes. Refresh ink droplets deflected by the deflecting field travels along U-turn paths and impinge on the ink reception absorption bodies.