Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus includes a spatial-light-intensity modulating unit, a spatial-light-phase modulating unit, an optical system that transmits light and leads the light to a hologram recording medium, a converting unit that converts an input data sequence; an amplitude and phase controlling unit that controls, during recording, the spatial-light-intensity modulating unit and the spatial-light-phase modulating unit to generate a signal light and a reference light, and controls, during reproduction, light intensity of each of pixels in a reference light area and a signal light area and controls a phase of each of the pixels, an image-signal acquiring unit that receives the reproduced image and the DC light and obtains two kinds of image signals, a difference calculating unit that calculates a difference between the two kinds of image signals, and a decoding unit that decodes data formed by a combination of the two kinds of values.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a mounting portion of an apparatus, the mounting portion including a first locking portion and a second locking portion, the liquid container including a casing for containing liquid and a supply port for supplying the liquid to an ink jet head, the liquid container includes a first engaging portion provided at a first side of the casing and engageable with the first locking portion; a second engaging portion provided opposed to a second side of the casing which is opposite the first side, the second engaging portion being engageable with the second locking portion; a supporting member for displaceably supporting the second engaging portion; a contact contactable to a member provided in the mounting portion to permit information display means to display information relating to the liquid container, wherein the supply port is disposed in a third side of the casing which is between the first side and the second side, and the contact is disposed at a corner region betwe

Abstract: A variation in brightness among light emitting portions provided in a plurality of liquid containers can be reduced to decrease power required to drive the light emitting portions, while allowing the light emitting portions to appropriately function as reporting units. Thus, to illuminate the light emitting portions provided in the plurality of ink tanks, a driving pulse for each of the plurality of light emitting portions is modulated to control rates of a light emission period and a light emission halted period during a unit time. Further, the light emission period of at least one of the plurality of light emitting portions overlaps the light emission halted period of at least another one of the plurality of light emitting portions.

Abstract: A print head using a thermomechanical actuator is capable of improving ejection efficiency and improving print quality by stabilizing an ejecting direction. In a print head for ejecting droplets with the thermomechanical actuator having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer includes a heat generation layer and the second layer includes a plurality of dielectric layers. The thermomechanical actuator includes a fixed end and a free end. The plurality of dielectric layers are laminated on a droplet ejecting side in relation to the heat generation layer and between the fixed end and the free end at the same film thickness. A linear expansion coefficient of the dielectric layer of the fixed end side is smaller than that of the heat generation layer. A linear expansion coefficient of the dielectric layer of the free end side is larger than that of the heat generation layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing head having connection terminals for performing an electrical connection of signals including drive signals of print elements by contacting connection terminals in an apparatus side when the head is mounted onto an ink jet printing apparatus. It is made to guarantee connections of all terminals by detecting contacts of a part of terminals. Among the terminals in the head, terminals whose distances from the connection terminals in the printing apparatus become maximum when a deviation occurred in the mounting, are used as terminals for contact detection. For example, from among the connection terminals arranged in a planar area, which is rectangular-shaped, terminals positioned in corners are used as the terminals for the contact detection. When the contacts of these terminals are detected, the connections of all the terminals inside the area can be guaranteed.

Abstract: The printing head has connection terminals for performing an electrical connection of signals including drive signals of print elements by contacting connection terminals on an apparatus side when the head is mounted onto an ink jet printing apparatus. Connections of all terminals can be guaranteed by detecting contacts of a part of terminals. Among the terminals in the head, terminals whose distances from the connection terminals in the printing apparatus become maximum when a deviation occurred in the mounting are used as terminals for contact detection. For example, from among the connection terminals arranged in a planar area, which is rectangular-shaped, terminals positioned in corners are used as the terminals for the contact detection. When the contacts of these terminals are detected, the connections of all the terminals inside the area can be guaranteed.

Abstract: A control section of each ink tank detects a difference in voltage value between a voltage value of an output data signal and a voltage value of an input data signal through the differential detector. When a plurality of ink tanks of the same color are mounted, this voltage difference carries a value different from a voltage of the original output data signal. Accordingly, by detecting this voltage difference, it can be detected that the plurality of the ink tanks of the same color are mounted, these ink tanks can be specified and identified, and be controlled individually.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes apparatus electrical contacts corresponding to the liquid containers, respectively, photoreceptor means for receiving light, and an electric circuit connected with a line which is commonly connected with the apparatus electrical contacts, the liquid container includes a container electrical contact electrically connectable with one of the apparatus contacts; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; a controller for controlling emission of light of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative of individual information supplied through the container electrical contact and the information stored in the information storing means.

Abstract: A package is formed including an ink tank in a bag. A cap is attached to an ink supply port of the ink tank. In the cap including an adsorption material made of zeolite, the adsorption material is arranged in a position in the cap where the adsorption material does not interfere with the ink tank when the cap is attached to the ink tank. By this arrangement, it is possible to adsorb ammonia gas issuing from the ink tank and hold down the amount of ammonia gas that reacts with electrodes of the substrate on the ink tank. Zeolite adsorbs and releases ammonia gas and does not adsorb ammonia gas limitlessly; therefore, it is possible to prevent notable changes in the composition of components of the ink stored.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes an apparatus antenna and photoreceptor means, the liquid container includes a container antenna communicatable with the apparatus antenna without physical contact therebetween; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; and a controller for controlling light emission of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative individual information supplied through the container antenna and the information stored in the information storing portion.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus includes a spatial-light-intensity modulating unit, a spatial-light-phase modulating unit, an optical system that transmits light and leads the light to a hologram recording medium, a converting unit that converts an input data sequence; an amplitude and phase controlling unit that controls, during recording, the spatial-light-intensity modulating unit and the spatial-light-phase modulating unit to generate a signal light and a reference light, and controls, during reproduction, light intensity of each of pixels in a reference light area and a signal light area and controls a phase of each of the pixels, an image-signal acquiring unit that receives the reproduced image and the DC light and obtains two kinds of image signals, a difference calculating unit that calculates a difference between the two kinds of image signals, and a decoding unit that decodes data formed by a combination of the two kinds of values.

Abstract: An ink tank receives data signals from a printer and an LED provided on the ink tank is driven on the basis of the received data signals. The LED is driven in an inactive time period that is different from the time period in which the date signals are input to the ink tank.

Abstract: An ink tank receives data signals from a printer and an LED provided on the ink tank is driven on the basis of the received data signals. The LED is driven in an inactive time period that is different from the time period in which the date signals are input to the ink tank.

Abstract: An ink tank detachably mounted on a printer includes a non-volatile memory and a LED for executing a process in response to a condition of the tank such as ink residual quantity by transmitting information stored in the memory to a printer, and informing the condition of the ink by use of the LED. Further, the content stored in the memory is prevented from being destroyed, and the LED can perform light emission until immediately before detachment and thus contribute to improvement in workability of a user. A volatile memory element is provided in addition to the non-volatile memory. When a user can detach the tank, condition information on the ink tank retained by the non-volatile memory is transferred to the volatile memory in advance. When it is possible to detach the tank, control for turning the LED on and off is achieved by accessing only to the volatile memory.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes apparatus electrical contacts corresponding to the liquid containers, respectively, photoreceptor means for receiving light, and an electric circuit connected with a line which is commonly connected with the apparatus electrical contacts, the liquid container includes a container electrical contact electrically connectable with one of the apparatus contacts; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; a controller for controlling emission of light of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative of individual information supplied through the container electrical contact and the information stored in the information storing means.

Abstract: The power consumption of the entire recording apparatus is decreased in the structure that the recording element and the light emitting portion are provided on the ink tank, processes according to the amount of the residual ink is performed by communicating information stored in the recording element to the main body of the recording apparatus, and the condition of the ink tank can be informed by emitting light. The ink tank comprises the recording element, the light emitting portion, and the controlling portion driving the the recording element and the light emitting portion at the appropriate timing, and further comprises the voltage level chanigng menas for supplying the appropriate voltage to each thereof. Relatively low voltage is constantly supplied to the controlling portion, thereby driving the recording element and the light emitting portion at the appropriate timing.

Abstract: A control section of each ink tank detects a difference in voltage value between a voltage value of an output data signal and a voltage value of an input data signal through the differential detector. When a plurality of ink tanks of the same color are mounted, this voltage difference carries a value different from a voltage of the original output data signal. Accordingly, by detecting this voltage difference, it can be detected that the plurality of the ink tanks of the same color are mounted, these ink tanks can be specified and identified, and be controlled individually.

Abstract: A print head using a thermomechanical actuator capable of improving ejection efficiency and improving print quality by stabilizing an ejecting direction is provided. In a print head for ejecting droplets with the thermomechanical actuator having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer includes a heat generation layer and the second layer includes a plurality of dielectric layers. The thermomechanical actuator includes a fixed end and a free end. The plurality of dielectric layers are laminated on a droplet ejecting side in relation to the heat generation layer and between the fixed end and the free end at the same film thickness. A linear expansion coefficient of the dielectric layer of the fixed end side is smaller than that of the heat generation layer. A linear expansion coefficient of the dielectric layer of the free end side is larger than that of the heat generation layer.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are mountable at different positions, an apparatus side communicating portion, a light emitting portion, position detecting means for detecting a position of said liquid container where liquid container is mounted by receiving light from said liquid container, said liquid container includes a container side communicating portion capable of information communication with the apparatus side communicating portion; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individuality information of the liquid container; displaying means, including a light passing/blocking portion for passing or blocking the light from the light emitting portion provided in said apparatus, for releasing the light passed by the light passing/blocking portion; and a controller for releasing the light by said displaying means by controlling said light passing/blocking portion when information indicated by a signal relating to

Abstract: A hologram recording and reconstruction apparatus records and reconstructs a hologram in a recording layer of a holographic recording medium using a signal light beam and a reference light beam is provided. The hologram recording and reconstruction apparatus includes an objective lens for allowing the signal light beam, the reference light beam, and a diffracted light beam to pass therethrough, a spatial light modulator on which a reference light beam pattern for generating the reference light beam is displayed, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the holographic recording medium, and a control unit for controlling the spatial light modulator to reduce the reference light beam pattern so that the reference light beam passes through the more inner portion of the objective lens or enlarge the reference light beam pattern so that the reference light beam passes through the more outer portion of the objective lens in accordance with the temperature.