Abstract: To drive an inkjet printhead having an array of printing elements, where the first and second printing elements which discharge relatively different amounts of ink are arranged on the same array in a predetermined direction, print data for the first or second printing element is serially inputted, the inputted print data is sequentially stored, the stored print data is latched, a selection signal indicative of which of the first or second printing element is to be driven is inputted, a driving signal indicative of a driving period is inputted, and respective printing elements are driven in accordance with the latched print data, the selection signal, and the driving signal. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the cost of the printhead having plural types of printing elements, which discharge relatively different amounts of ink, and possible to easily control driving of the printhead.

Abstract: In a case where first wirings (wirings for a driving power supply (VH)) commonly connected to a plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and adapted to supply an electric power to the plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and second wirings (high voltage grounding wirings (GNDH)) for connecting source areas of respective switching elements to grounding potential are provided, resistance of the second wiring is selected to be smaller than resistance of the first wiring.

Abstract: In a substrate for an ink jet head used for an ink jet head recording apparatus, electrostatic breakdown of a diode sensor functional as a substrate temperature sensing element is prevented. A protective element is electrically connected between a diode sensor and an input/output pad for the diode sensor.

Abstract: To drive an inkjet printhead having an array of printing elements, where the first and second printing elements which discharge relatively different amounts of ink are arranged on the same array in a predetermined direction, print data for the first or second printing element is serially inputted, the inputted print data is sequentially stored, the stored print data is latched, a selection signal indicative of which of the first or second printing element is to be driven is inputted, a driving signal indicative of a driving period is inputted, and respective printing elements are driven in accordance with the latched print data, the selection signal, and the driving signal. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the cost of the printhead having plural types of printing elements, which discharge relatively different amounts of ink, and possible to easily control driving of the printhead.

Abstract: In a substrate for an ink jet head used for an ink jet head recording apparatus, electrostatic breakdown of a diode sensor functional as a substrate temperature sensing element is prevented. A protective element is electrically connected between a diode sensor and an input/output pad for the diode sensor.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to prevent an increase in energy applied to a heating element and prolong the service life of a printhead even when the temperature of the printing element having a negative temperature coefficient rises and the resistance of the heating element decreases upon controlling a switching element for controlling a current flowing through the heating element so as to make energy as constant as possible.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printhead substrate capable of suppressing an increase in wiring width and an increase in the size of a substrate formed by a film forming process while increasing the number of simultaneously driven printing elements in order to improve the printing performance, a printhead using the substrate, and a printing apparatus using the printhead. The wiring lines of the substrate are formed into a common wiring line, and energy applied to a heating resistance element is prevented from deviating from a stable ink discharge range owing to the difference in the number of simultaneously driven heating resistance elements. For this purpose, a driving element is greatly downsized in comparison with a conventional one, and the operation region of a MOS transistor is shifted from the non-saturation region to the saturation region.

Abstract: A recording head comprises a plurality of recording elements for performing recording; a driving circuit for driving the plurality of recording elements; and a predetermined voltage generating circuit for generating a predetermined voltage to be applied to the plurality of recording elements from voltage supplied from outside. With the head thus structured, a desired voltage is generated in the interior of the head by use of the predetermined voltage generating circuit for performing recording, thus making it possible to prevent the voltage drop which may take place if the voltage is supplied from outside through a cable, as well as to prevent the durability of the heat generating elements from being damaged due to noises. It also becomes possible to set the voltage to be applied to the recording elements at an optimal value corresponding to the discharge voltage, hence stabilizing ink discharges efficiently.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a liquid ejecting head, in which liquid flow paths are defined by combining an element substrate with a nozzle member, comprises a step for preparing a material common to the element substrate as a base material of the nozzle member, a step for forming etching mask layers on first and second surfaces of the base material of the nozzle member, a step for forming a recessed portion in the second surface of the base material by patterning the mask layer on the second surface and effecting etching via the mask layer of the second surface, and a step for forming the nozzle grooves in the base material and communicating the recessed portion with the nozzle grooves by patterning the mask layer on the first surface of the base material and effecting etching via the mask layers of the first and second surfaces.

Abstract: There is disclosed a solid semiconductor element which very efficiently detects information about a liquid and bidirectionally exchanges the information with the outside. The solid semiconductor element is disposed in a liquid container, and includes at least energy converting unit, information acquiring unit, and information communicating unit. The energy converting unit converts an electromotive force from the outside to a power, and operates the information acquiring unit and information communicating unit. The information acquiring unit acquires the information about the liquid in which the solid semiconductor element is disposed from the liquid, and the information communicating unit transmits the information acquired by the information acquiring unit to the outside.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printer head having a plurality of print elements for effecting recording on a recording medium on the basis of printer information inputted from outside, comprising an interface circuit for converting input of the printer information corresponding to communication interface standard for high speed data transferring into data processable in the print head and for outputting the converted data, and in which the recording on the recording medium is effected by the print elements in accordance with the printer information outputted from the interface circuit. A printer apparatus having such a printer head is also provided.

Abstract: In a case where first wirings (wirings for a driving power supply (VH)) commonly connected to a plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and adapted to supply an electric power to the plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and second wirings (high voltage grounding wirings (GNDH)) for connecting source areas of respective switching elements to grounding potential are provided, resistance of the second wiring is selected to be smaller than resistance of the first wiring.

Abstract: A substrate for a recording head includes a circuit through which current flows upon impression of a source voltage, irrespective of the operating state of an energy converting element, and a current cutoff means for cutting off current to the circuit in response to an entered control signal. A reset signal for achieving a standby state of the printing operation serves as the control signal. The current cutoff circuit is operated when the reset signal is active in an H state, and it cuts off the constant current. By cutting off the constant current, the leak current of a heater power source VH may be accurately measured, permitting determination of whether the source voltage wiring is properly insulated from other circuit elements of the substrate. The constant current may also be cut off in the standby state, in which printing is not performed, so as to reduce power consumption.

Abstract: To supply electromotive force to a solid semiconductor element in an ink tank in a non-contact and stable manner. An electromagnetic apparatus (a standstill electromotive force supply unit) is placed at a home position HP. When a carriage is at a standstill at this home position HP, if the electromagnetic apparatus is AC-driven, magnetic properties of both ends (magnetic poles) continue to change mutually and penetrate a solid semiconductor element in the ink tank on the carriage so that a constantly changing magnetic flux is generated. Electromotive force is generated by electromagnetic induction on a coil of the solid semiconductor element. In addition, if the carriage reciprocates during printing operation, the coil L of the solid semiconductor element crosses inside the magnetic flux due to a plurality of permanent magnets (a movement time electromotive force supply unit) arranged on a carrier path (range of movement), and so the electromotive force is generated on the coil by electromagnetic induction.

Abstract: A substrate for use of an ink jet recording head is provided with a plurality of heat generating members for generating thermal energy to be utilized for discharging ink. The heat generating members are structured by thin film formed by material represented by Tax Siy Rz, which has specific resistance value of 4000 &mgr;&OHgr;·cm or less, where R is one or more kinds of elements selected from among C, O, N, and x+y+z=100. With the structure thus arranged, the heat generating members make it possible to maintain the change of resistance values within a small amount even when used continuously for a long time, and provide recorded images in high quality with long life and reliability.

Abstract: An individual electrode layer electrically connected to an individual electrode layer having an opening is formed beneath a heater layer and a common electrode layer along an ink flow path.

Abstract: A solid type semiconductor device comprises energy converting means for converting energy from outside, and operating means operated by energy converted by the energy converting means. The energy converting means converts the electromotive force supplied from the outside to the device in non-contact into electric power. The operating means comprises information acquiring means actuated by electric power obtained by energy converting means; discriminating means; information accumulating means; and information communicating means.

Abstract: There is disclosed a solid semiconductor element which very efficiently detects information about a liquid and bidirectionally exchanges the information with the outside. The solid semiconductor element is disposed in a liquid container, and includes at least energy converting unit, information acquiring unit, and information communicating unit. The energy converting unit converts an electromotive force from the outside to a power, and operates the information acquiring unit and information communicating unit. The information acquiring unit acquires the information about the liquid in which the solid semiconductor element is disposed from the liquid, and the information communicating unit transmits the information acquired by the information acquiring unit to the outside.

Abstract: An ink tank is provided which can efficiently perform detection of information in an ink tank such as an ink residual amount in the ink tank with a simple configuration in which it is unnecessary to set wiring or the like. A solid semiconductor element, which is provided with an acquiring unit for acquiring environmental information of the outside, an information storing unit, a discriminating unit for comparing acquired information and stored information to make a determination, and an information communicating unit for displaying the acquired information or communicating the acquired information to the outside, is embedded in an outer wall of an ink tank such that the solid semiconductor element is exposed to an internal side and an external side of the ink tank from the outer wall.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head includes a plurality of recording elements arranged in an array on a substrate, the recording elements having electric resistances with a variance not less than 4% from a resistance value of at least one of the recording elements, wherein the recording elements generate ink ejection energy to effect printing; a plurality of measuring elements, disposed adjacent at least each of the opposite ends of the array of the recording elements, for detesting characteristic values of the recording elements; and a storing section for storing an average, a median or a reference value corresponding thereto.