Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: In the case where a battery is reversely connected, unnecessary current-carrying to a glow plug is avoided. Power MOS type field effect transistors 1-1 to 1-n are provided according to a number of glow plugs 5-1 to 5-n to be connected in series between a vehicle battery and the glow plugs 5-1 to 5-n and can be controlled in conduction or non-conduction by a glow-plug control part 51, while a MOS type field effect transistor 2 for protection against reverse connection is provided in series connection between a battery-power joining terminal 3, to which a positive voltage of a vehicle battery is applied, and the ground to cause a reverse current to flow to a fuse 4 through the MOS type field effect transistor 2 at the time of reverse connection of a battery to melt the fuse 4 early whereby current-carrying to the glow plugs 5-1 to 5-n can be avoided.

Abstract: In a printer, when difference in ejection characteristic among nozzles appears as density non-uniformity and the way of letting the density non-uniformity appear is different depending upon kind of image, proper density correction is performed. Specifically, the kind of image to be printed is judged, and when the kind of image is a halftone image according to the judgment, a density correction table corresponding to the halftone image is selected and used to perform the density correction. Also when the kind of image is judged to be a solid image (without a portion of the halftone image), a proper table is selected similarly and used to perform the density correction.

Abstract: Replacement of a recording head on a recording apparatus is detected on the basis of a serial number allocated to each recording head. The recording head also carries head characteristic information such as color information, shading information and so forth. When the recording head is replaced with a new one, the head characteristic information of the newly mounted recording head is automatically stored, so that head driving conditions are automatically determined to optimize the recording conditions without requiring any manual adjustment. Recovery operation is automatically executed when replacement of the recording head is detected, so that required recording conditions are recovered without manual instructions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid application device, an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus, which are capable of performing an adequate application initial operation according to the length of waiting time and power-off time, as well as a method of controlling the liquid application device. In the present invention, information on an end time of the previous processing for collecting liquid is read from a nonvolatile memory, current time information indicating the current time is obtained, and information on a lapse of time from the end time of the previous collection to a start time of the current application. Thereafter, the number of preliminary rotations R of an application roller is decided based on the information on the lapse of time with reference to a look-up table. Sequentially, the application roller is rotated by the decided number of preliminary rotations R to perform preprocessing operation.

Abstract: For eliminating waste of ink and achieving high charging efficiency with a reduced charging time where a printing head is equipped with a second tank for reserving a predetermined amount of ink and a supply system is configured to supply ink from a first tank to the second tank intermittently, the second tank is provided with a variable internal volume. The internal volume is varied to cause the second tank itself to function as an actuator for charging ink and performing a venting process. Specifically, the internal volume is forcibly reduced to cause a reverse flow of a gas residing in the second tank along with ink into the first tank, which makes it possible to generate of waste ink that is released to the outside. A normal charging operation can be completed simply by causing a change in the opposite direction (the direction of increasing the internal volume). Relatedly, the second tank may be provided with a member for holding ink and generating a negative pressure originating from an elastic force.

Abstract: Replacement of a recording head on a recording apparatus is detected on the basis of a serial number allocated to each recording head. The recording head also carries head characteristic information such as color information, shading information and so forth. When the recording head is replaced with a new one, the head characteristic information of the newly mounted recording head is automatically stored, so that head driving conditions are automatically determined to optimize the recording conditions without requiring any manual adjustment. Recovery operation is automatically executed when replacement of the recording head is detected, so that required recording conditions are recovered without manual instructions.

Abstract: A printing apparatus can reduce degradation in print quality of a printed image, notably in a highlight portion or an intermediate gradation portion, in the case where the image is printed by forming dots of a plurality of sizes. Specifically, data causing larger and smaller cyan ink droplets, respectively, to be ejected is independently subjected to a conversion to n-value process. Thus, the data for larger ink droplets is present in a portion of printing data which corresponds to the highlight portion or intermediate gradation portion of the image. During printing, larger dots are formed in this area, thereby making it difficult to perceive possible stripes caused by the offset of the positions at which smaller droplets impact a sheet.

Abstract: Replacement of a recording head on a recording apparatus is detected on the basis of a serial number allocated to each recording head. The recording head also carries head characteristic information such as color information, shading information and so forth. When the recording head is replaced with a new one, the head characteristic information of the newly mounted recording head is automatically stored, so that head driving conditions are automatically determined to optimize the recording conditions without requiring any manual adjustment. Recovery operation is automatically executed when replacement of the recording head is detected, so that required recording conditions are recovered without manual instructions.

Abstract: An ink jet printing method uses an ink jet ejecting portion for ejecting ink on a printing material and a print quality improving liquid ejecting portion for ejecting print quality improving liquid on the printing material. The application mode of the print quality improving liquid is different depending on the printing mode in which a printing operation is carried out.

Abstract: An apparatus and method capable of obtaining an output characteristic of the print unit and determining a correction value for an output density, without using an expensive scanner. To realize this, a nozzle array consisting of a plurality of nozzles provided in the print head is divided into a plurality of nozzle blocks [a] to [d] and each of patches is formed by using the nozzles of the same nozzle block allocated to the patch. The patches are printed in a size and shape that allows the densities of the patches to be optically detected by the density sensor. A test pattern comprising these patches is measured by the density sensor to make a density correction for each nozzle of the print head.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus and an ink-jet recording method which provide an image featuring reduced graininess and good gradation. A plurality of inks of different densities are used to obtain a halftone image with controlled graininess. An ink which has low penetrability on a recording medium and which controls the diffusion of dots is used as an ink with a relatively high density. An ink which has high penetrability and which permits easy diffusion of dots is used as an ink with a relatively low density. The present invention also provides a characteristic recorded article to be formed by a plurality of dots having different penetrabilities on a recording medium. Among a plurality of inks with different densities, the inks of the same color category are grouped and held in an ink container and are divided in the container by the ink density. This configuration makes it possible to make the containers smaller and minimize the number of containers.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus which can realize both a high speed printing and a high quality printing without color deviations when each of the print areas is printed in a plurality of scans by a plurality of print heads ejecting different kinds of ink. For this purse, this invention has a controller for controlling for each print head independently widths and positions of active nozzle groups in the print heads, the active nozzle groups representing those of the plurality of nozzles in the print heads which are used for printing, wherein the controller controls the widths and positions of the active nozzle groups according to a set printing condition.

Abstract: In a supply system which includes an ink container for reserving a predetermined amount of ink to be supplied to a printing head and which is configured such that ink is intermittently supplied to the container from an ink tank, there is provided a structure that fundamentally eliminates waste of ink associated with an operation of charging the container to apply a required negative pressure to the head. An ink containing body in which a negative pressure can be generated because of its elasticity is provided in the container. After the ink containing body is expanded to introduce ink into the same by depressurizing the interior of the container, the interior of the container is pressurized to contract the ink containing body, thereby returning a predetermined amount of ink to the tank. A negative pressure is thus generated in equilibrium with an ink meniscus holding ability of the head.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus and an ink-jet printing method allow the printing of an image with high quality without causing a change in ink color formed on the printing medium while keeping the printing conditions constant regardless of changing of the number of nozzles to be printed and the amount of transferring of the printing medium. This printing is performed, for example, by restricting use of the number of nozzles, which belong to a nozzle row located on an upstream side in the sub-scan direction, before changing the amount of transferring of the printing medium; and restricting use of the number of nozzles, which belong to the nozzle rows located on a downstream side in the sub-scan direction, after changing the amount of transferring of the printing medium.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus including: a print unit having a polarity of ejection outlet arrays, for ejecting ink,; a scan unit for scanningly moving the print unit relative to the print medium in a main scan direction; and a feed unit for feeding the print medium relative to the print unit in a direction which is different from the main scan direction, wherein an image is formed on the print medium while repeating a scanning operation of the scanning unit and a feeding operation by the feeding unit. The apparatus also includes an information obtaining unit for obtaining image information; and a selecting unit for selecting at least one of the ejection outlet arrays to effect printing for the image data in a predetermined area, on the basis of the information obtained by the information obtain unit about image formations.

Abstract: For eliminating waste of ink and achieving high charging efficiency with a reduced charging time where a printing head is equipped with a second tank for reserving a predetermined amount of ink and a supply system is configured to supply ink from a first tank to the second tank intermittently, the second tank is provided with a variable internal volume. The internal volume is varied to cause the second tank itself to function as an actuator for charging ink and performing a venting process. Specifically, the internal volume is forcibly reduced to cause a reverse flow of a gas residing in the second tank along with ink into the first tank, which makes it possible to generate of waste ink that is released to the outside. A normal charging operation can be completed simply by causing a change in the opposite direction (the direction of increasing the internal volume). Relatedly, the second tank may be provided with a member for holding ink and generating a negative pressure originating from an elastic force.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus having first eject ports ejecting a first ink; second eject ports ejecting a second ink; a recovery means for executing recovery treatments respectively against the first and second eject ports; and a controlling means for controlling the recovery means to execute sucking treatments against corresponding eject ports whenever elapsed times in respective first and second eject ports after the most recent recovery treatments against respective first and second eject ports by the recovery means exceed respective predetermined threshold times, where the predetermined threshold time for the second eject ports is set at an integral which is more than two times the predetermined threshold time for the first eject ports.