Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a blade member having an end that touches an image carrier that caries a toner image made with toner, a vibratable member to which the blade member is fixed, and a vibrating unit that vibrates the vibratable member in such a manner that the end of the blade member does not curl.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus performs a print operation by controlling an ink jet recording head to eject ink drops therefrom against front and back surfaces of a recording sheet at a print position. The apparatus includes a transporting mechanism for transporting a portion of the recording sheet to a location outside of the apparatus after a completion of the print operation on the front surface of the recording sheet and just before printing of the back surface of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.

Abstract: A classifier having a simple constitution for classifying powder with a high accuracy is provided. The classifier is provided with a transfer board having a plurality of electrodes for generating electric fields for transferring and hopping the powder by an electrostatic force. The classifier is further provided with an opposite roller generating an electric field for transporting and attaching the powder (toner) transferred and hopped on the transfer board to the opposite roller, which is opposite to the transfer board.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus performs a print operation by controlling an ink jet recording head to eject ink drops therefrom against front and back surfaces of a recording sheet at a print position. The apparatus includes a transporting mechanism for transporting a portion of the recording sheet to a location outside of the apparatus after a completion of the print operation on the front surface of the recording sheet and just before printing of the back surface of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An electrostatic transportation device is provided with a transporting base plate having a plurality of electrodes which generate an electric field which performs transporting and hopping of fine particles by an electrostatic force, wherein a width of each of the electrodes in a travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times an average particle diameter of the fine particles, a pitch between the electrodes in the travelling direction of the fine particles is set to be in a range of 1 time to 20 times the average particle diameter of the fine particles, and driving waveforms of n phases or more (n is an integer of 3 or more) are applied to respective electrodes.

Abstract: A center beam which is formed out of a thin film constituted to be combined with a light reflection film provided on one surface of the center beam, which has both ends fixed and which is deformed by an electronic force; a substrate electrode which is opposed to the center beam through a gap formed on the other surface of the center beam; an opposed surface which is a surface of the substrate electrode opposed to the center beam modulating the incident light on the light reflection film, the opposed surface restricting deformation of the center beam due to application of a driving voltage to the substrate electrode by abutting on the center beam; and a substrate which has the substrate electrode having the opposed surface, formed in a concave section, and which holds a to-be-held section of the center beam, are provided.

Abstract: A liquid jet recording head includes a liquid path member having a plurality of liquid flow paths, each of the liquid flow paths being filled with a recording liquid, an orifice being formed at an end of each of the liquid flow paths, and a heater base member having a plurality of heater members and a plurality of radiator members. The heater base member is connected to the liquid path member, each of the heater members having a heater portion, the heater portion generating heat in accordance with a power supplied to it. Each of the radiator members is thermally coupled to the heater portion of one of the heater members so that the amount of heat transmitted from the heater portion to the recording liquid on the heater portion changes in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A liquid jet recording head includes a base member, a liquid layer maintained on the base member and a plurality of heater elements, arranged in a line on the base member, for supplying energy to liquid adjacent thereto, the energy operation portions being put under the liquid layer. A method for making a liquid drop fly from the liquid jet recording head onto a recording sheet so that a dot image is formed on the recording sheet includes steps of (a) generating a bubble in the liquid to which the energy is supplied by each of energy operation portions in accordance with image data; (b) making the bubble grow up until a predetermined size of the bubble is obtained; (c) contracting the bubble under a condition where each of the energy portions supplies no energy to the liquid in which the bubble is formed; and (d) making the bubble disappear into the liquid.

Abstract: A charge and deflection control type ink jet printer in which at least an ink jet head section, a charging section and a deflecting section are configured in a single replaceable module, or unit. The user of the printer may replace the module without the help of a serviceman. The replaceable unit is further provided with an ink ejection adjusting mechanism, a deflection efficiency adjusting device, an a drive efficiency adjusting device.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the refractive index of liquid particularly suitable for use in an ink-jet printing system is provided. The apparatus includes a light emitting diode and a photodiode which are optically coupled by an optical fiber which in turn is partly immersed in a liquid to be measured. In one aspect, the wavelength of light emitted from the light emitting diode is so set to be outside a light absorption wavelength range of the liquid to be measured. In another aspect, provision is made of a temperature dependent resistor which changes its electrical resistance depending on the temperature of the liquid to be measured so as to vary the level of the driving current to be applied to the light emitting diode thereby varying the amount of light to be emitted.

Abstract: A device for detecting viscosity of a liquid which varies with time includes a first tank provided with an overflow section for maintaining a predetermined liquid height, and a second tank fluidly communicated to the first tank and provided with a restricted outlet, or orifice. While a liquid is circulated through the two tanks by a pump, a height sensor which is dipped in the liquid in the second tank senses a liquid height in the tank in terms of capacitance. The output of the height sensor is representative of a viscosity of the liquid.

Abstract: In multi-nozzle ink jet printing for divisional-printing or color-printing information on a single paper with ink of a same color or of different colors ejected from a plurality of nozzles which are mounted on a carriage, a unique method is provided for the prevention of unregistered printing of an image due to positional deviation between the ink issuing from the respective nozzles with respect to a direction of movement of the carriage. A difference in position between ink drops from the respective nozzles with respect to the direction of carriage movement is detected so as to determine the timings for starting printing with the ink from the respective nozzles based on the detected difference.

Abstract: The present ink-jet printer is of the type in which ink droplets are charged under control and deflected by passing through an electric field, and it has two modes of operation: deflection error compensation mode and printing mode. In accordance with the present invention, deflection error is first compensated to determine an optimum amplification gain, which is then used in the printing operation, in which interactive effects with other ink droplets are compensated as well.

Abstract: A pump furnished with an electrostrictive vibrator which pressurizes ink to be supplied to a head of an ink jet printer. The electrostrictive vibrator is adhered at one end to a diaphragm which closes an ink pressurization chamber, so that the vibrator vibrates integrally with the diaphragm perpendicularly to a plane in which it is adhered to the diaphragm, thereby varying the volume of the pressurization chamber. A vibrator drive signal supply circuit is installed in the pump which includes a time constant generation circuit adapted to apply a time constant to the waveform of a drive signal applied to the vibrator at the time of buildups and falls of the drive signal.

Abstract: A charged drop detection device for an ink jet printer is disclosed which detects a charged ink drop ejected from an ink jet head. Using a unique control signal conductor, the device is controlled in combination with a device for notifying drop charged/uncharged, phase search required/unrequired, charged drop deflection proper/improper, etc, by means of a light emitting diode and the like. The control signal conductor is connected to a microcomputer of a central control unit.

Abstract: The velocity of flying charged ink drops is detected and the ink pressure is so controlled as to make the ink velocity coincide with a predetermined target velocity. A gutter for catching non-printing ink drops is made of a conductive material, while a charge detector circuit is connected to the gutter to generate a signal indicative of a potential change corresponding to impingement of a charged ink drop on the gutter, thereby detecting the flight of a charged ink drop. The pump pressure is varied in response to a difference between the actual and target velocities so that the ink pressure or velocity is adjusted in arithmetic progression reducing a time period required for the actual velocity to converge to the target.

Abstract: A support mechanism used for securely mounting a head, a charging electrode and a deflection electrode of an ink jet printer on a carriage. The mechanism includes a hollow cylindrical first holder for detachably holding the head and the charging electrode independently of each other, and a second holder for detachably holding the deflection electrode. The head, charging electrode and deflection electrode are readily mounted and demounted from their associated holders.

Abstract: A new nozzle structure is disclosed for an ink ejection head of an electric field on-demand type ink jet printer. A plurality of circular nozzles and first electrodes integral with the nozzles are arranged along the widthwise direction (X direction) and feed direction (Y direction) of a sheet of paper. A plurality of lead terminals are individually connected to the arrays of the first electrodes each of which extends in the Y direction. Second electrodes are located at the rear of the first electrodes and individually connected to the arrays of the first electrode each of which extends in the X direction. A third or counter electrode is positioned in front of the first electrodes and at the back of the sheet. Each of the second electrodes is mounted on a nozzle plate or a nozzle support.