Abstract: An ink cartridge (1) for supplying the ink in an ink reserving chamber (3) via an ink supply port (4) into a recording head (21) has a differential pressure valve mechanism (5) disposed between an ink flow port (7) and the ink supply port (4) in the ink reserving chamber (3), whereby the ink is supplied an adequate amount to the recording head (21) by opening or closing the differential pressure valve mechanism (5) in accordance with an ink pressure of the recording head (21). As a result, it is possible to supply the ink at a substantially constant pressure to the recording head without regard to the variation in the amount of ink or the movement of the carriage.

Abstract: A liquid container, comprising: a housing containing therein liquid; a liquid supply opening formed in the housing for withdrawing the liquid from the housing; a liquid sensor mounted on the housing for detecting a level of the liquid which is variable in accordance with a consumption of the liquid; and a first partition wall extending in an interior of the housing and defining the interior of the housing into at least two liquid accommodating chambers which communicate with each other, the liquid accommodating chambers comprising: an air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber which communicates with ambient air; and a detection side liquid accommodating chamber in which the liquid sensor is disposed at an upper portion thereof.

Abstract: A method of detecting a consumption status of liquid contained in a liquid container, comprising steps of: preparing a detection device having a piezoelectric element and attaching the detection device on a desired position of the liquid container so that at least a part of the detection device contacting the liquid; measuring a residual vibration of the detection device; and detecting the consumption status of the liquid contained in the liquid container on the basis of a result of the measurement of the residual vibration.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a RC oscillator configured to produce at an output thereof a first oscillating signal oscillating at a first cycle, a measurement circuit coupled to the output of the RC oscillator to produce at an output thereof a measurement obtained by measuring a length of the first cycle of the first oscillating signal by using as a reference a second oscillating signal having a second cycle, and a correction circuit coupled to the output of the measurement circuit and to the output of the RC oscillator to divide a frequency of the first oscillating signal by a number responsive to the measurement.

Abstract: An ink cartridge comprising a container body 3 housing an ink absorbing member 6? so as to absorb ink, a lid member 4, and a spacer 30 pressing the ink absorbing member 6? between the lid member 4 and the ink absorbing member 6?. It is possible to decrease the volume of the ink absorbing member 6? without changing structure in the vicinity of an ink supply port by using the same shape of a container body 3 and a lid member 4.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge for use in an ink jet recorder has a container having exterior walls, a porous member is stored in the container, an ink supply port that extends through one of the exterior walls of the body to supply ink to the exterior of the cartridge, and a packing member, disposed within the ink supply port and having an opening therethrough and a rib formed on a upper surface. A pressing member may be provided to bias the packing member against an inner surface of the ink supply port. The ink tank cartridge can be assembled to limit the occurrence of air bubbles in the tank.

Abstract: A liquid sensing apparatus includes a liquid sensing chamber 33 having a liquid inlet port that is in communication with an external liquid container in which a liquid is reserved, and a liquid outlet port that is in communication with a liquid consuming apparatus, a movable member 34 movable depending on a liquid level in the liquid sensing chamber 33, a recess portion 33b, 41a for cooperating with a wall surface of the movable member 34 to form a closed space when the movable member 34 is moved to a predetermined position depending the liquid level, and a piezoelectric sensing means 40 for applying a vibration to the recess portion and sensing a state of a free vibration following upon the vibration.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head has an ink passage unit formed by superposing a nozzle plate with a plurality of nozzles and an ink passage plate. The ink passage plate has a plurality of pressure producing chambers connected to the nozzles, and an ink reservoir communicating with the pressure producing chambers by ink inlet ports. A cover plate is joined to a first surface of the ink passage plate. The cover plate is deformed elastically by piezoelectric vibrators so as to apply pressure to the ink contained in the pressure producing chambers.

Abstract: A data processing device exchanges data between a memory and an external bus master. The memory is connected to the data processing device via a first bus so as to store data. The external bus master is connected to the data processing device via a second bus so as to process data. The data processing device comprises a bus-transmission control unit accessing the memory via the first bus in response to a request to access the memory made by the external bus master via the second bus.

Abstract: An ink jet type printing apparatus in which an ink supply needle is located near one side in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocated directions of a carriage, a circuit board is mounted on a wall of an ink cartridge in the vicinity of the side on which an ink supply port is formed and plural contacts for connecting to external control means are formed on the exposed surface of the circuit board.

Abstract: A method of producing an ink jet recording head, which includes (1) fixing a passage unit in which a nozzle pate having a nozzle opening, a spacer forming a common ink chamber, and an elastic plate having a thick portion abutting against an end of a piezoelectric vibrating element are stacked, to an opening of a frame having an overhang portion which overhangs to a vicinity of the thick portion, (2) inserting a vibrating element unit into the frame, the vibrating element unit being configured by fixing piezoelectric vibrating elements operating in a longitudinal vibration mode to a fixing substrate, and (3) injecting an adhesive into a groove formed in a region opposing the fixing substrate of the frame.

Abstract: An ink jet type printing apparatus in which an ink supply needle is located near one side in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocated directions of a carriage, a circuit board is mounted on a wall of an ink cartridge in the vicinity of the side on which an ink supply port is formed and plural contacts for connecting to external control means are formed on the exposed surface of the circuit board.

Abstract: A valve unit in an ink supply channel of an ink-jet recording apparatus, the ink supply channel having an upstream side and a downstream side, the valve unit comprising a diaphragm valve having a thin elastic diaphragm operating in response to pressure difference between an upstream side and a downstream side of the diaphragm, a valve body formed on the surface of the thin elastic diaphragm and having an opening therein, and an elastic support portion integrally formed with the valve body for urging the valve body toward the upstream direction, a valve seat disposed in the ink supply channel upstream of the diaphragm and kept in elastic contact with the opening, and a flow-channel forming plate for forming a flow channel disposed on the downstream side of the valve seat, the flow channel, extending in a longitudinal direction of the elastic portion and the flow channel forming plate having an end portion side extending in an upstream direction to form a flow channel whose sectional area decreases in the longi

Abstract: A liquid container, comprising: a housing containing therein liquid; a liquid supply opening formed in the housing for withdrawing the liquid from the housing; a liquid sensor mounted on the housing for detecting a level of the liquid which is variable in accordance with a consumption of the liquid; and a first partition wall extending in an interior of the housing and defining the interior of the housing into at least two liquid accommodating chambers which communicate with each other, the liquid accommodating chambers comprising: an air-communication side liquid accommodating chamber which communicates with ambient air; and a detection side liquid accommodating chamber in which the liquid sensor is disposed at an upper portion thereof.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an ink jet recording head has an ink passage unit (1) formed by superposing a nozzle plate (3) with a plurality of nozzles (2) and an ink passage plate (8). The ink passage plate (8) has first and a second surface (8a, 8b), and is provided with a plurality of pressure producing chambers (5) connected to the plurality of nozzles (2), and an ink reservoir (7) communicating with the pressure producing chambers (5) by means of ink inlet ports (6). A cover plate (11) is closely joined to the first surface (8a) of the ink passage plate (8). The cover plate (11) is deformed elastically by piezoelectric vibrators (10) so as to apply pressure to the ink contained in the pressure producing chambers (5). The ink passage plate (8) is a metal sheet (21) having first and second surfaces (8a, 8b) of the ink passage plate (8). A through hole (20) for the ink reservoir (7) is formed from the first surface to the second surface in the metal sheet (21).

Abstract: A microcomputer comprises: a CPU which sequentially executes a program; an internal memory connected to the above CPU via an internal bus; a debug support unit, which monitors the internal state in response to an externally provided command; a monitor memory, which stores data stored in the internal memory, for being accessed by the debug support unit; and a monitor memory control unit, connected to the internal bus, which at a concurrent copy mode performs a control to concurrently write, to the monitor memory, data which is written to the internal memory in response to access from the internal bus, and at a monitor mode performs a control to read data in the monitor memory in response to access from the debug support unit.

Abstract: A microcomputer has: a CPU; memory; a direct memory access controller which controls access to the above memory without passing through the CPU; a plurality of peripheral resources, each having prescribed functions corresponding to a given real resource number, and issuing an access request to the direct memory access controller to perform data transfer with the memory; and, a resource conversion unit, which performs signal conversion between the direct memory access controller and the plurality of peripheral resources. A portion of the peripheral resources among the plurality of peripheral resources are associated with logical resource numbers of the direct memory access controller by the resource conversion unit.

Abstract: A drop-on-demand ink-jet printing head provided with an array of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at regular intervals and fixed at their one ends to a base, the other ends of the respective piezoelectric elements being free ends which are disposed in opposition to nozzle respective apertures, the piezoelectric elements being formed by cutting, at predetermined width, a piezoelectric plate obtained by firing a lamination of paste-like piezoelectric material conductive material stacked alternately in layers. Since each piezoelectric element is composed of a thin piezoelectric plate interposed between electrodes, if a voltage of only about 30 V, which is sufficient to drive the thin piezoelectric plate, is applied across the electrodes, it is possible to largely flex the whole of the piezoelectric element. By this transformation, ink between the top end of the piezoelectric element and the nozzle aperture is discharged to the outside as an ink drop.

Abstract: An ink jet type printing apparatus in which an ink supply needle is located near one side in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocated directions of a carriage, a circuit board is mounted on a wall of an ink cartridge in the vicinity of the side on which an ink supply port is formed and plural contacts for connecting to external control means are formed on the exposed surface of the circuit board.

Abstract: An ink tank cartridge for use in an ink jet recorder has a container having exterior walls, a porous member is stored in the container, an ink supply port that extends through one of the exterior walls of the body to supply ink to the exterior of the cartridge, and a packing member, disposed within the ink supply port and having an opening therethrough and a rib formed on a upper surface. A pressing member may be provided to bias the packing member against an inner surface of the ink supply port. The ink tank cartridge can be assembled to limit the occurrence of air bubbles in the ink.