Abstract: The present invention is directed to resolve the noise problem with the ink in an ink jet head without changing the substrate manufacturing process for the ink jet head, that is, increasing the cost on the manufacture, and without needs of disposing a noise countermeasure component on the side of the printer main device, or making the design change for the countermeasure. The present invention is characterized in that to prevent malfunction from arising by the noise, a hysteresis circuit to provide different input data threshold values upon rising and falling is provided on an input portion of the signal for a drive control logic system such as a drive input signal for a shift register and a latch circuit on the same substrate as that of the heating elements, the driver and the drive control logic circuit, utilizing a diffusion layer constituting a driver.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a liquid ejecting unit having a comb-like separation wall, a displaceable member and a grooved member mating with the comb-like separation wall includes engaging the separation wall with the grooved member while being positioned by an abutment reference.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head includes a plurality of ink ejection outlets, a first member having a plurality of grooves in fluid communication with the ejection outlets, respectively, a second member having a plurality of energy generating elements for producing energy for ejecting ink in the grooves through the ejection outlets, and a clamping unit for clamping the first member with the second member to constitute ink passages with the grooves, wherein the clamping unit has a plurality of pressure regulating mechanism pressure regulating mechanisms, which are independently operable.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for correcting printing characteristics of a full-line printhead, and producing a high-printing quality printhead at high manufacturing yield, a corrected printhead by this apparatus, and a printer employing this printhead are disclosed. According to this method, an image is printed on a printing medium by using double pulses obtained based on fluctuation of resistance of each printing unit of a printhead, and a reference OD value is determined from an OD value histogram of the printed image. A preheating pulse width is selected, based on OD values of n printed images obtained by changing the preheating pulse width n times and the reference OD value, such that an OD value on each printing element is equal or close to the reference OD value. For example, assuming that the reference value is 0.43, a preheating pulse width on printing element No. 3 is 0.875.mu. sec.

Abstract: A substrate for a recording head has a plurality of recording elements, a plurality of functional elements electrically connected to the recording elements, and a common electrode electrically connected to the recording elements and selectively feeding a driving signal to the recording elements on a base boad. Also, the common electrode is prepared as a layer by the same step as that of forming a conductor electrode layer to be electrically connected to a semiconductor layer constituting the functional elements arranged in the substrate. Therefore, the recording apparatus, can be prepared by the process including the step of forming the recording elements and simultaneously connecting these elements to reduce the number of film forming operations.

Abstract: A printing head has a plurality of heater boards, each of which includes a shift register to which printing data and selection data for selecting preheating pulse signals are applied as inputs, a latch circuit for latching the printing data, a selection-data latch circuit for latching the selection data, a selection circuit for selecting any one of a plurality of preheating pulse signals inputted in accordance with the latched selection data, and a plurality of heating resistors driven by the printing data or preheating pulse signals. Correction data, obtained by a head correcting apparatus, for performing printing at an average density by correcting the characteristics of each heater board is stored in a memory of the printing head. A printing apparatus decides the selection data in accordance with the correction data and sets the selection data in the selection-data latch circuit.

Abstract: A recording head system for an ink jet recording apparatus having a full-line recording head. The recording head is divided into a variable number of blocks. The recording ratio of each block (that is, the ratio of the number of ink ejecting elements to be driven in a block in accordance with recording data to the total number of the ink ejecting elements in the block) is compared with a reference recording ratio. When the recording ratio is greater than the reference recording ratio, the interval between the drive timing of a block and that of the next block is lengthened, or vise versa. This is performed by controlling the enable timing of each block by D-flip-flops, AND gates and delay circuits. Unevenness of recorded images resulting from the fluctuation in periodic ink pressure can be ameliorated.

Abstract: A high-yield printhead where density unevenness is surely corrected taking into consideration various factors related to manufacturing processes of the printhead, a printer utilizing the printhead, and an apparatus and method for correcting print density unevenness by the printhead, are provided. According to the method, a plurality of correction tables generated based on the data reflecting the various factors related to manufacturing processes of the printhead are prepared in advance. A test print pattern is printed by using a full-line printhead having a memory for storing correction data, and a tendency of density distribution of the printed pattern image is analyzed. On the basis of the tendency of the density distribution obtained as a result of the analysis, the most appropriate correction table is selected from the plurality of stored correction tables.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting a full-line printing head, which has a high printing quality, at a high yield, as well as a printhead corrected by this apparatus and a printer using this printhead. In the final stage of a semiconductor manufacturing process, the manufactured printhead is made to perform an experimental printing operation to print a predetermined dot pattern. The dot pattern is imaged by a CCD camera and image processing is executed to obtain an image signal. A plurality of pixels (4.times.32 dots) from among the pixels represented by the image signal are gathered together, the white or black pixels among these are counted and binarization is performed by comparing the count with a predetermined threshold value. Correction data for adjusting the amount of ink discharged from each nozzle of the printhead is generated based upon the binarized data, and the correction data is written in a memory provided in the printhead.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for correcting a full-line printhead, which has a high printing quality, at a high yield, as well as a printhead corrected by this apparatus and a printer using this printhead. Monitoring units are provided to monitor an offset in connections of heater boards connected by a board arraying unit, a variation in the diameters, grooves and shapes of nozzles formed by a top-board machining unit which machines the top board, an offset in bonding between a base plate and the top board performed by a top-board bonding unit, a variation in the resistance value of each printing element measured by an electrical-characteristic measuring unit, and an unevenness of pixels printed by each of the printing elements inspected by a print inspection unit. Correction data is generated upon taking into account the degree of influence which these factors exert upon the printhead, and the correction data is written in an EEPROM provided within the printhead.

Abstract: A common recess, grooves, and common recess and/or column members in the grooves are formed on a base board at the same time, and such board is made a second base board, which is coupled to a first base board on which elements for liquid discharging energy are formed; hence obtaining an ink jet recording head provided with a filter unit in an arbitrary position in the region formed by the ink paths and the common liquid chamber. The filter unit can be processed by a single processing in the ink paths and/or the common liquid chamber to make it possible to prevent disabled discharge from taking place due to dust particles intermingled at the time of head manufacture. In this way, the discharging stability is enhanced, making a high-speed printing possible. A workpiece is efficiently processed by a single processing which is performed to process a three-dimensional configuration with respect to the direction in which the laser beam is irradiated.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head for effecting recording with ejection of ink includes a plurality of element substrates each having a plurality of ejection energy generating elements for ejecting the ink; a base plate for supporting the plurality of element substrates on one surface thereof in an array; a grooved member having a length corresponding to a length of the array and having passages corresponding to the ejection energy generating elements of the plurality of element substrates.

Abstract: A liquid injection recording head includes an integrated drive circuit a recording current energization time for electrothermal conversion elements. The setting circuit has a counter. The recording current energization time data can be set in the counter in the setting circuit in synchronism with a signal obtained by frequency-dividing a recording data transfer clock or with this clock signal supplied to a circuit arranged in the integrated drive circuit to align recording data.

Abstract: A recording head has a substrate on which a plurality of heat generating elements as recording elements are arranged and a plurality of driving integrated circuits (driving ICs) to drive the plurality of heat generating elements are supported. The recording head comprises wirings which are extended from the heat generating elements and pass through a region on the substrate on which the driving ICs are supported and are connected to the driving ICs; signal series wirings which are arranged on the heat generating element side of the substrate, are closer to the heat generating elements than terminals for the wiring connection, and serially connect the driving ICs; and conductors which are formed in a region on the substrate between the adjacent driving ICs and connect recording current to the ground.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a plurality of recording elements a plurality of drive ICs, in which a plurality of drive signal lines containing a signal line for an image data signal and a signal line for a transfer clock which transfers the image data signal are connected in cascade. Each drive IC supplies a recording current selectively to the recording elements in correspondence to the image data signal. A transfer clock control circuit, which is located at an input part of the transfer clock in the recording apparatus, controls a duty of the transfer clock supplied to the drive ICs so that a duty ratio of the transfer clock at the final stage of the plurality of drive ICs is enough to transfer the image data signal.

Abstract: An ink jet recorder includes a plurality of recording elements which are arranged corresponding to each of a plurality of ejection outlets for ejecting ink in accordance with driving signals, a plurality of ejection passages corresponding to the ejection outlets and connected to a common chamber, a plurality of driving blocks formed by dividing the recording elements by predetermined number of units in the arrangement order, control elements for each of the driving blocks and for controlling the recording elements associated with each driving block in a simultaneous driving manner, a selection unit for selecting the driving block to be driven in order that at least adjacent driving blocks are not driven in sequence, and a supply unit for supplying driving signals to the driving block selected by the said selecting unit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus performing image recording on a recording medium by driving a recording head having a plurality of recording elements. The recording apparatus has a storing device and a driving device. The storing device prestores a drive condition for each respective one of blocks which are formed by dividing the recording elements into a plurality of groups. The driving device simultaneously drives the recording elements in the same block according to the drive condition read from the recording device. In a preferred embodiment, the recording apparatus has recording portions each of which prerecords a pattern representing an index of energy to be fed to the electrothermal transducers of each respective one of the blocks, and a read device for reading out the index of energy from the recording portion via driver circuit.

Abstract: A recording head comprises a plurality of heat generating elements and a plurality of storing regions, corresponding to the plurality of heat generating elements, for storing recording data. Driving circuitry supplies electric power sufficient for recording to corresponding heat generating elements when the recording data stored in the storing regions are first data and supplies electric power insufficient for recording to corresponding heat generating elements when the recording data stored in the storing regions are second data.

Abstract: An ink jet recorder includes a plurality of recording elements which arranged corresponding to each of a plurality of ejection outlets for ejecting ink in accordance with driving signals, a plurality of ejection passages corresponding to the ejection outlets and connected to a common chamber, a plurality of driving blocks which formed by dividing the recording elements by predetermined number of units in the arrangement order, control elements for each of the driving blocks and for controlling the recording elements associated with each driving block in a simultaneous driving manner, a selection unit for selecting the driving block to be driven in order that at least adjacent driving blocks are not driven in sequence, and a supply unit for supplying driving signals to the driving block selected by the said selecting unit.

Abstract: A recording method causes recording on a recording material by ejection of ink, wherein after electric power sufficient to eject the ink is supplied to a recording device to effect recording in a predetermined region, electric power insufficient to eject the ink is supplied to the recording device.