Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus may include a conveyor belt, suction unit, linear recording heads, and head frame shaped like a plate. The conveyor belt has a placement face on which a recording medium is placed and may be configured to cause the placement face to move in a conveyance direction. The suction unit disposed below the placement face applies a suction force exerted by a downward airflow to the recording medium placed on the placement face. The linear recording heads may be disposed upward opposite to the suction unit across the conveyor belt, have a nozzle face where an ink ejection nozzle is formed, and extend in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. Linear recording heads may be arranged in the conveyance direction. The linear recording heads may be attached to the head frame. The head frame may have a ventilation opening penetrating in a thickness direction.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having excellent light resistance that includes a substrate; and a recording layer which is provided on the substrate directly or on another layer provided on the substrate, wherein the recording layer is capable of recording and/or reading information by irradiating light thereon, the recording layer including a metal complex compound comprising an azo compound having a coupler component with a Meldrum's acid structure and a diazo component with a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic ring structure, and a metal ion coordinated to the azo compound.

Abstract: An image forming method for use in an inkjet head includes a pressure chamber filled with ink, a nozzle which communicates with the pressure chamber and in which a meniscus of the ink is formed, a piezoelectric element which pressurizes the pressure chamber, and a drive circuit which performs an operation of ejecting the ink in a printing state and generates a basic pulse for vibrating the meniscus in a non-printing state. The basic pulse is generated by turning off a voltage applied to the piezoelectric element for substantially the same period as a natural vibration period of the ink. An additional pulse is generated at least once before or after the basic pulse when the basic pulse is generated by the drive circuit in the non-printing state. The additional pulse is generated by turning off the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: The present invention teaches and claims an image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming portion including one or more inkjet heads for forming an image on a recording medium by discharging ink from an ink discharge surface of the inkjet head; a recording medium transporting portion having a transport surface which is positioned below the ink discharge surface and on which the recording medium is placed for transporting a sheet to a position facing the ink discharge surface; a moving mechanism for moving the transport surface toward and away from the ink discharge surface; an ink discharge surface protecting mechanism including but not limited to a cap member and a driving device for moving the cap member; and a control unit for moving the transport surface away from the ink discharge surface to operate the ink discharge surface protecting mechanism when the recording medium is jammed during transportation of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming method for use in an inkjet head includes a pressure chamber filled with ink, a nozzle which communicates with the pressure chamber and in which a meniscus of the ink is formed, a piezoelectric element which pressurizes the pressure chamber, and a drive circuit which performs an operation of ejecting the ink in a printing state and generates a basic pulse for vibrating the meniscus in a non-printing state. The basic pulse is generated by turning off a voltage applied to the piezoelectric element for substantially the same period as a natural vibration period of the ink. An additional pulse is generated at least once before or after the basic pulse when the basic pulse is generated by the drive circuit in the non-printing state. The additional pulse is generated by turning off the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: [Problem]: An optical recording medium having a capability of recording and/or reading high density optical information using a short wavelength laser light is provided. [Means to Address the Problem]: The optical recording medium has a capability of recording and/or reading high density optical information using a short wavelength laser light having a wavelength of 350 nm to 530 nm. The optical recording medium has a recording layer containing a metal complex compound and formed on a substrate. The metal complex compound is composed of a cyclic ?-diketone azo compound represented by the general formula (I) or general formula (II) and a divalent metal ion coordinated to the cyclic ?-diketone azo compound.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having excellent light resistance that includes a substrate; and a recording layer which is provided on the substrate directly or on another layer provided on the substrate, wherein the recording layer is capable of recording and/or reading information by irradiating light thereon, the recording layer includes a metal complex compound with an azo compound having a coupler component with indandione and a diazo component with a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic aromatic ring structure, and a nickel or cobalt ion coordinated to the azo compound.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of recording heads that record an image on a recording medium by ink ejected from the inkjet nozzles and a plurality of wiper members, each arranged corresponding to each recording head, and performing cleaning of a nozzle face of each recording head by moving relative to each recording head. Timing at which at least one of the wiper members abuts against one recording head is different from another timing at which another wiper member differing from the one wiper member abutting against the one recording head abuts against another recording head.

Abstract: The azo-metal chelate dye to which the present invention is applied is a compound formed as follows: for example, 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring is selected as the diazo component; the diazo component is combined with a coupler component having condensed rings including a fluorine-substituted alkylsulfonylamino group and an amino group, to form an azo dye compound; and the azo dye compound forms chelate bonds with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Cu and Pd. Here, two absorption bands (OD1 and OD2) are seen in the absorption spectrum, which is measured in a range of 400 to 800 nm wavelengths. The azo-metal chelate dye is characterized in that the optical density ratio (OD2/OD1) of the two absorption bands is greater than 1.25. By using this azo-metal chelate dye, an optical recording medium capable of high-speed recording is provided.

Abstract: An image forming system configured to eject ink onto a sheet conveyed in a first direction including a first head including a plurality of first ejection ports configured to eject the ink; a second head including a plurality of second ejection ports configured to eject the ink; an input part configured to be input ejection port information on the plurality of first ejection ports and the plurality of second ejection ports; and a controller configured to control ejection of the ink from the first ejection ports and the second ejection ports based on the ejection port information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a head having: nozzles which eject ink for one pixel onto a recording medium; pressurization chambers coupled to the nozzles, and a pressure application portion. The pressure application portion may execute an ejection operation and/or a swinging operation. The ejection operation may include ejecting the ink from the nozzles. The swinging operation may enable swinging of meniscus of the ink in the nozzles and disable ink ejection. In some embodiments, a print control portion may control the ejection operation in the pressure application portion, and a swing control device may control the swing operation. In some embodiments, the swing operation may be directed at specific nozzles based upon image data scheduled to be printed.

Abstract: An optical recording medium on which high-density recording and reading of optical information can be conducted by a short-wavelength light such as a blue laser beam is provided. In an optical recording medium comprising at least a substrate and a recording layer thereon that can record or read information by irradiation with light, the recording layer contains an azacyanine dye represented by general formula [I]: wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted linear or branched alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms; R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group; R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms; R5 represents an optionally substituted aromatic ring group or an optionally substituted unsaturated heterocyclic group; R4 and R5 may be combined together to form a ring; X? represents a counter anion; and the benzene ring A may be optionally substituted.

Abstract: The invention provides an azo metal chelate dye suitable for use in a recording layer of an optical recording medium capable of high-speed recording or an optical recording medium having plural recording layers, and an optical recording medium. The azo metal chelate dye comprises an azo dye compound represented by the general formula (1) and Zn2+: (wherein R1 represents a linear or branched alkyl group that may be substituted, or a cycloalkyl group that may be substituted; Y represents a linear or branched alkyl group substituted with at least two fluorine atoms; R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl group that may be substituted, and R3 and R4, R4 and R5, or R5 and R6 may be bonded with each other to form a ring; and a proton is released from the compound of formula (1) to form the chelate dye together with Zn2+).

Abstract: A controller controls a pressurizing actuator in such a manner that a pressure chamber changes from a first state where a volume of the pressure chamber is V1 to a second state where the volume is V2 larger than V1 and then returns from the second to the first state to cause ink to be ejected from an ejection opening, that a time length Tv1 from a time point at which the pressure chamber starts to change from the first to the second state to a time point at which the pressure chamber is in the second state becomes 33% or more of a characteristic vibration period Td of ink filled in a first ink passage extending from an outlet of the pressure chamber to the ejection opening, and that the time length Tv1 becomes 83% or less of the characteristic vibration period Td.

Abstract: An actuator can selectively switch a volume of a pressure chamber between a first state V1 and a second state V2, which is greater than V1. The actuator changes from the first state into the second state and then changes back into the first state to eject ink from an ejection port. A controller controls the actuator such that To/Tc falls within a range from 0.51 to 0.54. To represents the time period between time the actuator starts to change from the first state into the second state, to a time the actuator starts to change from the second state into the first state. Tc represents the period of proper oscillation of ink filling up the individual ink passage. The actuator is controlled so that a variation in ink ejection speed is prevented from being too large relative to the variation in the degree of deformation of the actuator.

Abstract: The invention provides an azo metal chelate dye suitable for use in a recording layer of an optical recording medium capable of high-speed recording or an optical recording medium having plural recording layers, and an optical recording medium.

Abstract: The azo-metal chelate dye to which the present invention is applied is a compound formed as follows: for example, 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring is selected as the diazo component; the diazo component is combined with a coupler component having condensed rings including a fluorine-substituted alkylsulfonylamino group and an amino group, to form an azo dye compound; and the azo dye compound forms chelate bonds with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Cu and Pd. Here, two absorption bands (OD1 and OD2) are seen in the absorption spectrum, which is measured in a range of 400 to 800 nm wavelengths. The azo-metal chelate dye is characterized in that the optical density ratio (OD2/OD1) of the two absorption bands is greater than 1.25. By using this azo-metal chelate dye, an optical recording medium capable of high-speed recording is provided.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, which makes information be recorded and read with light having wavelength of 700 nm or shorter, with excellent light resistance, high-speed recording and high-density recording is provided. The optical recording medium comprises a substrate, a recording layer formed on the substrate and containing a host dye, which can make information be recorded or read by being irradiated with light having wavelength of 700 nm or shorter, and a reflective layer. The recording layer contains at least an azo metal-chelate dye additive, of which central metal ion is any one of Cu2+, Fe2+ and Co2+.

Abstract: An inkjet head includes a passage unit and an actuator unit. The passage unit includes a common ink chamber and an individual ink passage leading from an outlet of the common ink chamber through a pressure chamber to an ejection port. The actuator unit can selectively take a first state in which the volume of the pressure chamber is V1 and a second state in which the volume of the pressure chamber is V2 larger than V1. The actuator unit changes from the first state into the second state and then returns to the first state to eject ink from the ejection port. The individual ink passage is formed such that the volume Vd of a partial passage in the individual ink passage corresponding to a region from an outlet of the pressure chamber to the ejection port, and the volume Vc of the individual ink passage, satisfy a condition that Vd/Vc is not less than 0.12 and not more than 0.40.

Abstract: An image forming method for use in an inkjet head includes a pressure chamber filled with ink, a nozzle which communicates with the pressure chamber and in which a meniscus of the ink is formed, a piezoelectric element which pressurizes the pressure chamber, and a drive circuit which performs an operation of ejecting the ink in a printing state and generates a basic pulse for vibrating the meniscus in a non-printing state. The basic pulse is generated by turning off a voltage applied to the piezoelectric element for substantially the same period as a natural vibration period of the ink. An additional pulse is generated at least once before or after the basic pulse when the basic pulse is generated by the drive circuit in the non-printing state. The additional pulse is generated by turning off the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element.