Abstract: According to an embodiment of this invention, an element substrate which is included in a printhead, comprises: a heater configured to heat ink and discharge ink from a nozzle; a temperature sensor provided in correspondence with the heater; an electric current source configured to energize the temperature sensor with an electric current based on an electric current value specified by an externally input first signal; and a determination circuit configured to determine an ink discharge status of the nozzle based on a voltage output from the temperature sensor energized with the electric current and a threshold voltage specified by an externally input second signal, and output a determination result signal.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, an element substrate capable of detecting a temperature immediately below a heater with high sensitivity is provided. The element substrate has a multilayer structure, and includes a heater, a first wiring below a position where the heater is provided, and a second wiring below the first wiring. The element substrate further includes a temperature detection element formed by series-connecting a first conductive via for connecting the first wiring and the second wiring, a constant electric current source which supplies a constant electric current, and a voltage detection circuit which detects a voltage obtained by supplying the constant electric current to the temperature detection element.

Abstract: A print element substrate that includes a plurality of heaters and a plurality of temperature sensors provided in correspondence with a plurality of nozzles, comprises: a selecting unit that selects one temperature sensor from the plurality of temperature sensors and output a temperature signal; a determining unit that determines a discharge state of the nozzle based on the temperature signal output by the selecting unit; an outputting unit that, based on a determination result output from the determining unit, externally outputs a signal indicating the discharge state of the nozzle corresponding to the selected temperature sensor; and a masking unit that, in accordance with a change in selection of the temperature sensor by the selecting unit, masks the determination result output from the determining unit to the outputting unit during a predetermined time from a timing of the change.

Abstract: On an element substrate having a multilayered structure in which a temperature detection element is provided in an intermediate layer of a wiring layer and a print element layer, a wiring layer and a temperature detection element formed on the first interlayer insulation film are connected by a first conductive plug which penetrates through the first interlayer insulation film. In addition, a wiring layer and a print element which are formed on the second interlayer insulation film formed on the first interlayer insulation film are connected by a second conductive plug which penetrates through the first and second interlayer insulation films. By manufacturing the element substrate by this arrangement, the thickness of an interlayer insulation film between a print element and a temperature detection element can be made thin, and the sensitivity of the temperature detection element can be improved.

Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of energy generating elements arranged on the substrate to form an element row, a plurality of supply ports arranged along the element row to form a supply port row, and a plurality of supply paths extending from the plurality of supply ports along the thickness direction of the substrate, wherein a plurality of beam portions disposed between adjacent supply ports in the direction of the supply port row has a plurality of conductor layers in which a conductor layer including a power supply conductor connected to the energy generating elements and a conductor layer including a ground conductor connected to the energy generating elements, are stacked along the thickness direction of the substrate, and wherein at least one of the plurality of conductor layers is occupied by one power supply conductor or one ground conductor.

Abstract: An element substrate of a liquid ejection head includes: a base material; an insulating film positioned on the base material; a heating resistance element for generating heat energy for ejecting a liquid; a protective film for covering the heating resistance element; a first electrical wiring layer arranged in the insulating film, for supplying a current to the heating resistance element; a second electrical wiring layer arranged on a layer different from the first electrical wiring layer in the insulating film, for supplying a current to the heating resistance element; and at least one connecting member extending into the insulating film to connect the first electrical wiring layer and the heating resistance element, for causing the current to flow in a first direction, the heating resistance element including a connecting region, extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, to which the at least one connecting member is connected.

Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of energy generating elements arranged on the substrate to form an element row, a plurality of supply ports arranged along the element row to form a supply port row, and a plurality of supply paths extending from the plurality of supply ports along the thickness direction of the substrate, wherein a plurality of beam portions disposed between adjacent supply ports in the direction of the supply port row has a plurality of conductor layers in which a conductor layer including a power supply conductor connected to the energy generating elements and a conductor layer including a ground conductor connected to the energy generating elements, are stacked along the thickness direction of the substrate, and wherein at least one of the plurality of conductor layers is occupied by one power supply conductor or one ground conductor.

Abstract: An element substrate of a liquid ejection head includes: a base material; an insulating film positioned on the base material; a heating resistance element for generating heat energy for ejecting a liquid; a protective film for covering the heating resistance element; a first electrical wiring layer arranged in the insulating film, for supplying a current to the heating resistance element; a second electrical wiring layer arranged on a layer different from the first electrical wiring layer in the insulating film, for supplying a current to the heating resistance element; and at least one connecting member extending into the insulating film to connect the first electrical wiring layer and the heating resistance element, for causing the current to flow in a first direction, the heating resistance element including a connecting region, extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, to which the at least one connecting member is connected.

Abstract: A print element substrate that includes a plurality of heaters and a plurality of temperature sensors provided in correspondence with a plurality of nozzles, comprises: a selecting unit that selects one temperature sensor from the plurality of temperature sensors and output a temperature signal; a determining unit that determines a discharge state of the nozzle based on the temperature signal output by the selecting unit; an outputting unit that, based on a determination result output from the determining unit, externally outputs a signal indicating the discharge state of the nozzle corresponding to the selected temperature sensor; and a masking unit that, in accordance with a change in selection of the temperature sensor by the selecting unit, masks the determination result output from the determining unit to the outputting unit during a predetermined time from a timing of the change.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, an element substrate capable of detecting a temperature immediately below a heater with high sensitivity is provided. The element substrate has a multilayer structure, and includes a heater, a first wiring below a position where the heater is provided, and a second wiring below the first wiring. The element substrate further includes a temperature detection element formed by series-connecting a first conductive via for connecting the first wiring and the second wiring, a constant electric current source which supplies a constant electric current, and a voltage detection circuit which detects a voltage obtained by supplying the constant electric current to the temperature detection element.

Abstract: A recording element substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of energy generating elements arranged on the substrate to form an element row, a plurality of supply ports arranged along the element row to form a supply port row, and a plurality of supply paths extending from the plurality of supply ports along the thickness direction of the substrate, wherein a plurality of beam portions disposed between adjacent supply ports in the direction of the supply port row has a plurality of conductor layers in which a conductor layer including a power supply conductor connected to the energy generating elements and a conductor layer including a ground conductor connected to the energy generating elements, are stacked along the thickness direction of the substrate, and wherein at least one of the plurality of conductor layers is occupied by one power supply conductor or one ground conductor.

Abstract: A printhead manufacturing method includes preparing a printing element substrate including a receiver, first and second input pads, and plural selection pads, and preparing a head substrate including first and second transmission lines. The receiver includes first and second terminals for receiving signals, and the first and second input pads are connected to the first and second terminals, respectively, and the plural selection pads connected to the second terminal via at least two from among plural resistive elements to selectively obtain one of plural combined resistances. At least one of the plural selection pads is selected to be connected to the first transmission line to obtain a value of the one of the plural combined resistances. The selected selection pad is connected to the first transmission line, the first input pad is connected to the first transmission line, and the second input pad is connected to the second transmission line.

Abstract: An element substrate capable of suppressing occurrence of electromagnetic noise upon driving printing elements on an element substrate with long wiring lengths, preventing an operation error, and printing a high-quality image is provided. In the element substrate, plural element substrates each including printing elements are arrayed in an arrayed direction of the printing elements. Each element substrate including a wiring for supplying a driving power to drive the printing elements, and a ground wiring from the printing elements is configured as follows. Each element substrate includes a delay circuit for delaying a heat enable signal to drive the printing elements and supplying it to each printing element, and a switchover circuit for switching over, in accordance with a control signal, a delay sequence when supplying the heat enable signal to each printing element.

Abstract: A substrate includes a first and a second element arrays in each of which a plurality of elements is arrayed along a first direction of the substrate, a first and a second pad arrays in which a plurality of pads is arrayed along respective two opposite sides extending along a second direction of the substrate, a reception circuit configured to receive data for driving the elements, a data circuit configured to generate data corresponding to the first and the second element array, respectively based on the received data, a signal generation circuit configured to generate a period signal for determining a drive period of the elements based on the generated data, and an output circuit configured to output information related to the substrate.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium by a printhead while relatively scanning the printhead, and discharging ink from the printhead to the print medium is controlled as follows. That is, a time corresponding to a print resolution in a scanning direction of the printhead is divided into a plurality of times, and these print elements are time-divisionally driven by using the divided times as driving timings. At this time, it is controlled to form a plurality of groups each including a predetermined number of adjacent print elements of the print elements, and change the driving timings for each of the groups using the divided time as a unit.

Abstract: An element substrate of a liquid ejection head includes: a base material; an insulating film positioned on the base material; a heating resistance element for generating heat energy for ejecting a liquid; a protective film for covering the heating resistance element; a first electrical wiring layer arranged in the insulating film, for supplying a current to the heating resistance element; a second electrical wiring layer arranged on a layer different from the first electrical wiring layer in the insulating film, for supplying a current to the heating resistance element; and at least one connecting member extending into the insulating film to connect the first electrical wiring layer and the heating resistance element, for causing the current to flow in a first direction, the heating resistance element including a connecting region, extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, to which the at least one connecting member is connected.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes N (N is an integer equal to or larger than two) printing element substrates each including a printing element, wherein each of the N printing element substrates includes a first terminal serving as a terminal on a high-potential side to receive a power supply voltage to be supplied to the printing element and a second terminal serving as a terminal on a low-potential side to receive the power supply voltage, and a first wiring connects the first terminal of a kth (k is an integer of one (inclusive) to N?1 (inclusive)) printing element substrate and the second terminal of a (k+1)th printing element substrate with each other, and is connected to one end of a second wiring to which a power supply voltage is supplied.

Abstract: An element substrate capable of suppressing occurrence of electromagnetic noise upon driving printing elements on an element substrate with long wiring lengths, preventing an operation error, and printing a high-quality image is provided. In the element substrate, plural element substrates each including printing elements are arrayed in an arrayed direction of the printing elements. Each element substrate including a wiring for supplying a driving power to drive the printing elements, and a ground wiring from the printing elements is configured as follows. Each element substrate includes a delay circuit for delaying a heat enable signal to drive the printing elements and supplying it to each printing element, and a switchover circuit for switching over, in accordance with a control signal, a delay sequence when supplying the heat enable signal to each printing element.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes an ejection port for ejecting liquid, a liquid chamber communicating with the ejection port, and a substrate having a heat generating resistor arranged in the liquid chamber at a position corresponding to the ejection port and a bubble detecting device arranged on the heat generating resistor for controlling driving of the heat generating resistor by detecting a bubble produced by the heat generated by the heat generating resistor. The bubble detecting device has two electrodes arranged in the liquid chamber and, as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, one of the two electrodes is arranged at a position overlapping the heat generating resistor whereas the other one of the two electrodes is arranged at a position not overlapping the heat generating resistor.

Abstract: A printhead includes a plurality of element substrates, each including a plurality of printing elements, arranged in the arrayed direction of the printing elements. Each element substrate includes a temperature detection element for detecting the temperature of the element substrate. The printhead includes a head control IC connected to each element substrate and configured to control driving of the printing elements integrated on the element substrates. The head control IC and the element substrates are connected via a head terminal by a signal wire for transferring a signal between the head control IC and each element substrate. A temperature detection signal output from the temperature detection element and an image data signal are multiplexed on part of the signal wires.