Abstract: A head for discharging yellow ink, magenta ink, cyan ink and first black ink having a relatively fast penetration velocity to a recording medium and a head for discharging second black ink having a relatively low penetration velocity are used to print an image. When a black image is adjacent to a color image, the black image is formed by using the first black ink, and when the black image is not adjacent to the color image, the black image is formed by using the second black ink. A black ink and a plurality of color inks having a different penetration velocity to a recording medium than that of the black ink are also used to print an image.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a liquid passage for ejection of ink; a liquid chamber for supplying ink to the passage; a device for mounting the recording head on the ink jet recording apparatus at an angle not more than 45 degrees relative to the horizontal plane; wherein the chamber has an internal surface which is slanted in a direction from an ink inlet thereof toward the liquid passage at the angle of 5-40 degrees relative to an extension of the liquid passage.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which is provided with a plurality of heads accompanied with temperature rise in recording by the application of driving signals comprises means for detecting the temperature in apparatus to detect temperatures in the recording apparatus; means for obtaining the temperature of the recording head from an offset value set between the temperature in apparatus and the temperature of the recording head of the recording apparatus in accordance with the detection by the aforesaid means for detecting the temperature in apparatus; and means for controlling the driving signal to change the waveforms of the driving signal applied to the recording head.

Abstract: Whether or not a color image is present adjacent to a black image is discriminated. Whether the black image is formed using a black ink or a plurality of color inks C, M, and Y is determined in accordance with the discrimination result. When the black image is formed using the plurality of color inks, it is recorded using a repetitive pattern of two of C, M, and Y so as to prevent blurring with the color image, and to improve fixing characteristics by decreasing the total ejection amount.

Abstract: A leather coloring process for carrying out coloring on a natural leather, or a natural leather which has been subjected to degreasing. The coloring process is accomplished by ink-jet coloring on at least a partial area of the natural leather.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method uses black ink and a plurality of inks having different colors, which have ink penetration properties different from that of the black ink. The method includes generating multi-level black recording datum on the basis of a multi-level color recording datum of a discrimination pixel, wherein a ratio of generation of black recording datum is changed in accordance with a multi-level color recording datum of a pixel marginal to the discrimination pixel; and recording a color image on the basis of the multi-level color recording datum and the multi-level black recording datum generated by the generating step.

Abstract: A transfer medium includes a transfer portion having a transfer characteristic capable of separating only a region imparted with ink.

Abstract: According to an image processing method and apparatus of the present invention, an outline portion is extracted from input image data, and a pixel whose dot size is to be changed is extracted. The input image data is printed without any change, and the pixel whose dot size is to be changed is overlap-printed while the dot size is increased. Therefore, smoothing can be sufficiently performed in both the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction without increasing the dot density and decreasing the recording speed.

Abstract: An ink absorbent member is prepared for holding an ink stored in an ink storing section in an ink jet cartridge. The ink absorbent member contains not more then 0.20% by weight, on the basis of the member, of a fraction of soluble matters in a liquid containing an organic polar solvent incapable of reacting with the ink absorbent member such as monohydric alcohols or alkyl ethers of polyhydric alcohols.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus using an ink jet head having a heat generating element for generating thermal energy to be used to discharge ink, comprises a unit for deriving an amount .increment.Q.sub.i indicative of a heat amount stored in i (i.gtoreq.1) portions of said ink jet head sectioned by thermal time constants, corresponding to a heat amount applied to said ink jet head at a predetermined time interval .increment.t, a unit for multiplying an amount .increment.T.sub.i (n-1) indicative of the heat amount stored in the i-sectioned portion of the predetermined time interval .increment.t earlier by a predetermined constant E.sub.i corresponding to the sectioned thermal time constant, a unit for adding the amount .increment.Q.sub.i to the product, a unit for storing the sum as the amount .increment.T.sub.i (n) indicative of the heat amount stored in the i-sectioned portion, a unit for summing all amounts .increment.T.sub.1 (n) to determine an amount .increment.

Abstract: An ink container includes an ink discharging portion for discharging ink; an air vent; first liquid absorbing material for absorbing the ink therein; and a second ink absorbing material, disposed between the air vent and the first absorbing material, for absorbing the ink. The first and second absorbing materials at least partly contact each other.

Abstract: In image recording by discharging plural inks of different characteristics onto a recording medium, recording pixels to be recorded by at least one of the inks of either yellow, magenta or cyan color subjected to pixel expansion are expanded in four direction, then a logic product is calculated between the expanded pixels and the pixels to be recorded with an ink which is black not subjected to pixel expansion, and the recording pixels to be recorded by the ink which is black not subjected to pixel expansion are replaced by the pixels formed by the inks (Y, M, C) subjected to pixel expansion. Thus high-quality image recording is made possible even in case the inks of different properties are brought into mutual contact.

Abstract: A recording head having an ejection portion group for ejecting a black ink, and ejection portion groups for ejecting color inks is used. When a black image to be printed by the black ink is present adjacent to a color image to be printed by the color ink, a black image portion adjacent to the color image and a black image portion which is not adjacent to the color image are formed in different scans, thereby obtaining a high-quality image from which ink blurring at a boundary portion between the black and color images is eliminated.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head, which can be used in a recording apparatus, is manufactured by preparing a first base plate provided with an energy generating structure for generating energy to discharge ink, preparing a second base plate provided with a discharge opening plate member on which are to be formed ink discharge openings for discharging the ink and recessed portions for forming ink flow paths, the ink flow paths being communicated with the discharge openings, and applying an ink repellant treatment on a surface of the discharge opening plate at a side where the ink is to be discharged in at least an area where the discharge openings are to be formed.

Abstract: Provided is a leather treatment process for leather coloring, carried out on a leather to be colored with a liquid ink, the process comprises the steps of, imparting to the coloring surface of the leather a resin soluble in the liquid ink and imparting to the coloring surface an aggregate of particles with a functional group having an affinity for the liquid ink.

Abstract: An ink container, as well as a method of making the same, which has ink absorbing material for retaining ink, a casing for holding the ink absorbing material, an ink supply port through which ink is withdrawn from the absorbing material, and an air vent. The air vent and ink supply port are each provided adjacent to different longitudinal halves of the ink absorbing material, and the casing is initially filled with an amount of ink which is larger than the quantity of ink which can be retained by the ink absorbing material. Then, ink adjacent to the air vent is removed to such an extent that the casing contains the quantity of the ink which the ink absorbing material can retain. Thus, ink is retained at a higher density adjacent to the ink supply port than adjacent to the air vent.

Abstract: An ink container includes an ink discharging portion for discharging ink; an air vent; first liquid absorbing material for absorbing the ink therein and; a second ink absorbing material, disposed between the air vent and the first absorbing material, for absorbing the ink. The first and second absorbing materials at least partly contacting each other.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus modifies backlash correction data in accordance with changes in weight of a carriage, and reduces the printing disturbance due to the backlash by controlling the recording timing on the basis of the modified correction data. Also, a user is notified of the reduced ink remains in the ink jet recording apparatus by the reduced density of a printed image, and at the same time, the apparatus maximizes the number of sheets that can be recorded with the remaining ink in order to prevent any unrecorded data from being lost. Further, an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention makes it possible to curtail any ink consumption more than necessary by setting the amount of exhausted ink as required for the execution of a discharge recovery process by counting the number of dischargings at the time of recording a given amount.

Abstract: A thermal recording apparatus for image recording by ink transfer from an ink sheet, provided with devices for regulating the peeling angle of the ink sheet from the recording sheet and for regulating electric power supplied to the thermal head, is disclosed. These devices are regulated according to the kind, particularly smoothness, of the recording sheet to achieve optimum recording in any sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a first member provided with an ejection energy generating element for generating energy contributable to ejection of ink; a second member provided with a recess for defining an ink passage with a trapezoidal cross-section by being coupled with the first member, corresponding to the ejection energy generating element; and a third member provided with an ejection outlet which communicates with the ink passage and through which the ink is ejected.