Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus which performs printing on a printing medium using an inkjet printhead for discharging ink, preliminary discharge, where ink discharge irrespective of printing is performed at the time of print execution, is performed under a predetermined condition. The printing apparatus includes a control section and a setting section. The control section executes a preliminary discharge by the printhead, which has a plurality of discharge orifices, before a predetermined time has elapsed since a latest preliminary discharge, in printing of an image, and the setting section sets the predetermined time. The setting section obtains an elapsed time after executing the preliminary discharge until a discharge failure occurs in any one of the plurality of discharge orifices, and sets the elapsed time as the predetermined time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a print apparatus for performing a print by a scan of a print head with heaters generating thermal energy for ejecting ink. A temperature of the print head is detected before the scan of the print head, and when the detected temperature exceeds a threshold temperature, the print head is waited. Information relating to the cumulative number of drives of the heater in the print head is acquired and based upon this information, the threshold temperature is changed to a lower temperature as the cumulative number of the drives is the larger. An excessive temperature rise of the head is restricted and also a throughput reduction is reduced as much as possible.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method even with a variation in the temperature of a print head, thus keeping the quality of images resulting from printing high. Adjustment patterns used to adjust the difference in ink ejection timing between ink ejected in a forward direction and ink ejected in a backward direction during scanning are printed at a plurality of different temperatures. Adjustment values for the ink ejection timing at the respective temperatures are selected from the adjustment patterns. Then, the correction value for the ink ejection timing is calculated from the adjustment values based on the temperature detected by the detection device. Printing is then performed with the difference in ink ejection timing between the ink ejected in the forward direction and the ink ejected in the backward direction during scanning, adjusted based on the correction value.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an inkjet printing apparatus that can realize both high quality image formation and improvement of a device life caused by the reduction of a mist amount of a processing liquid. The present invention is provided with a control unit that can independently control an ink ejection condition in an ink ejection unit and a processing-liquid ejection condition in a processing-liquid ejection unit. The control unit controls the ejection condition in each ejection unit so that the mist amount of the processing liquid ejected from the processing-liquid eject unit is smaller than that of the ink ejected from the ink eject unit.

Abstract: A process for producing propylene oxide, which comprises: supplying a solution containing a peroxide selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and organic hydroperoxide having 2 or more of carbon atoms as a raw material and propylene to an epoxidation step to react the peroxide with propylene, and controlling a concentration of methyl hydroperoxide in the solution to be supplied to the epoxidation step.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an agent for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of diabetes comprising a substance inhibiting activity of farnesoid X receptor as an active ingredient can be provided.

Abstract: A tank (10) of a ship (1) is provided with an inflow port (6) and an outflow port (7) opening through a bottom of the ship (13). The inflow and outflow ports are spaced apart from each other in a headway direction of the hull. The ports are equipped with closure means (9), which closes the ports so as to ensure hull buoyancy by means of air in the tank. The ports allow seawater outside the ship to flow into the tank through the inflow port and the seawater in the tank to flow out of the ship through the outflow port, with use of headway motion of the ship. A partition (2) provides a weir extending in a widthwise direction of the hull in the tank, and divides a region in the tank into an inflow area (3) and an outflow area (4). The tank, partition, inflow port, outflow port and closure means constitute a ship buoyancy control system.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus which performs printing on a printing medium using an inkjet printhead for discharging ink, preliminary discharge, where ink discharge irrespective of printing is performed at the time of print execution, is performed under a predetermined condition to obtain information regarding a discharge state of the printhead. Based on the obtained information, an execution condition of the preliminary discharge is controlled. By virtue of this control, an execution condition (parameter) of the preliminary discharge can appropriately be controlled in accordance with the discharge state of the printhead, in which the ink drying state and the increased viscosity state of ink vary depending on individual differences, usage environment, usage histories (durability) and so on.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus which performs printing on a printing medium using an inkjet printhead for discharging ink, preliminary discharge, where ink discharge irrespective of printing is performed at the time of print execution, is performed under a predetermined condition to obtain information regarding a discharge state of the printhead. Based on the obtained information, an execution condition of the preliminary discharge is controlled. By virtue of this control, an execution condition (parameter) of the preliminary discharge can appropriately be controlled in accordance with the discharge state of the printhead, in which the ink drying state and the increased viscosity state of ink vary depending on individual differences, usage environment, usage histories (durability) and so on.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a molded resin product having atmosphere of a quality product as a result of a stereoscopic pattern that is formed on the container surfaces by a simple method such as coating or vapor deposition. Another object of this invention is to provide a surface treatment process for laying a stereoscopic pattern of high quality on the resin surfaces. The molded resin product of this invention comprises a substrate made of a transparent resin, opaque coating film disposed on rear surface of the substrate except for an area set aside for a patterned portion, a transparent resin material disposed in the area set aside for the patterned portion on the rear surface of the substrate, and an opaque reflection coating or a half-reflective coating laminated to the transparent resin material. Under this configuration of the molded resin product of this invention, the patterned portion looks as if it pops up from the rear surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus, a maintenance method and an inkjet printing system which are capable of precisely calculating the amount of satellites or ink mist generated and replacing a collecting mechanism at most appropriate time. The inkjet printing apparatus has a wind-powered collecting mechanism collecting generated sub-droplets such as satellites or ink mist, and head temperature sensors for obtaining temperature information of the print head. The CPU calculates the amount of sub-droplets generated on the basis of printing conditions including the detected temperature information of the print head. The CPU determines whether the replacement of the wind-powered collecting mechanism is necessary on the basis of the calculated amount of sub-droplets generated.

Abstract: This invention decreases a spectral reflectance in the entire visible wavelength range, to decrease inconveniences in an image such as flare or ghost. A non-reflective periodic layer including a large number of fine uneven periodic structure bodies is formed on a substrate, and an ND film is formed on the other surface of the substrate by vacuum deposition, to improve an anti-reflection function. Regarding a beam entering the ND filter, the MgF2 film of the formed ND film suppresses the spectral reflectance at the boundary of the atmosphere and the ND film and at the boundary of the ND film and the substrate. The non-reflective periodic layer decreases the reflectance at the boundary of the substrate and the atmosphere.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus that inhibits the temperature of a print head from increasing excessively while preventing significant density or hue unevenness from occurring in images, without the need for a complicated structure or complicated control. Thus, the present invention detects temperature of the print head, and sets number of scans in which the print head is to stand by until start of scanning and a standby time for each of the set number of scans by the print head, on the basis of the detected temperature.

Abstract: A hinge includes first hinge connectors having first shaft holes drilled and which are disposed at a rear of a synthetic resin case body that may contain a cosmetic material; a second hinge connector having a second shaft hole drilled and which is disposed at a rear of a synthetic resin lid that opens or closes with respect to the case body. The hinge also includes synthetic resin hinge shafts inserted through the first shaft holes, the second shaft hole, and two protruded fitting parts with a shape of a short cylinder disposed so as to project from end faces of the first hinge connectors and come in abutment with two U-shaped, recessed fitting parts disposed on end faces of the second hinge connector.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer device equalizes a surface temperature of a print medium on the platen. In an ink-jet printer device which includes a platen having heater blocks, and a carriage having non-contact type temperature sensors each measure a surface temperature of each of a plurality of portions of the print medium on the platen. A CPU calculates an output value of each of the heater blocks for making the surface temperature of each of the plurality of portions of the print medium uniform based on the measured surface temperature, and a heater drive PWM circuit controls an output of each of the heater blocks based on the calculated output value.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes an edge detecting unit adapted to detect an edge portion and a non-edge portion in the image data; a memory adapted to store a plurality of edge reducing masks used to reduce image data in the edge portion and a plurality of non-edge reducing masks used to reduce image data in the non-edge portion; a reduced data generating unit adapted to generate multiple sets of edge reduced data from image data in the edge portion using the plurality of edge reducing masks and to generate multiple sets of non-edge reduced data from image data in the non-edge portion using the plurality of non-edge reducing masks; and a printing data generating unit adapted to generate multiple sets of printing data by combining the multiple sets of edge reduced data and the multiple sets of non-edge reduced data.

Abstract: For a serial inkjet printing apparatus that performs printing by employing ink having different properties, the occurrence of smear is prevented without decreasing the printing speed more than necessary. A high duty area, i.e., a unit area for which a large amount of ink is applied, is detected in a preceding printing medium. Then, while taking into account the scanning direction (ink application order) in which the detected high duty area has been printed, the period until the following printing medium is permitted to contact the high duty area is determined. Then, during printing of the following printing medium, the printing operation is delayed, so that, within the determined period of time, the following printing medium does not contact the high duty area of the preceding printing medium.

Abstract: It was difficult to design an operational amplifier which can cancel an offset to drive a liquid crystal display. An operational amplifier includes: a first differential pair having a first transistor and a second transistor of a first conduction type; a second differential pair having a third transistor and a fourth transistor of a second conduction type; a first floating current source; a second floating current source; and an output stage having a fifth transistor and a sixth transistor, in which, when an input signal is applied to the first and third transistor, an electric current which flows into the fifth transistor and the sixth transistor is set by the first floating current source, and when the input signal is applied to the second and fourth transistor, an electric current which flows into the fifth transistor and the sixth transistor is set by the second floating current source.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which can utilize a power supply to its maximum capacity without overly degrading throughput. A print area that can be printed in one scan of a print head is divided into a plurality of blocks. The number of data indicating print in each block is detected. Then the detected value is compared with a plurality of thresholds. Based on a result of the comparison, a scan speed of the print head and the number of scans are determined. This arrangement allows for a selection of an optimum printing method from among a plurality of scan speeds and a plurality of divided printing modes even when an image that may cause a CURRENT in excess of the maximum power supply capacity to flow is printed. With this printing apparatus it is possible to execute printing fully utilizing the power supply capacity without overly degrading throughput.

Abstract: Predetermined voltage is applied to a liquid crystal lens by a liquid crystal lens driver. Image signals are generated based on an optical image passed through the liquid crystal lens during transient response operation caused by application of the predetermined voltage, and plural focus signals are extracted by sampling the image signals at predetermined cycles. Levels of the extracted autofocus signals are compared to determine the maximum value of the autofocus signal. Thus, with the liquid crystal lens, by making use of the transient response operation of the liquid crystal lens, a focus point can be detected in sufficient speed.