Abstract: Recording paper fed from a paper feed section comes in contact with a paper detection member of a detector unit and the paper detection member is rotated about a first fulcrum, shading the optical axis of an optical sensor. When the recording paper passes through and the paper detection member is brought out of contact with the recording paper, the paper detection member is restored to the former position and does not shade the optical axis. A carriage/cartridge detection member of the detector unit comes in contact with a carriage engagement part and a cartridge engagement part placed in a carriage and is rotated about a second fulcrum, shading the optical axis of the optical sensor. When the carriage/cartridge detection member is brought out of contact with the engagement parts, the carriage/cartridge detection member is restored to the former position and does not shade the optical axis.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head unit includes: at least one nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzle openings are arrayed; a plurality of common ink chambers, each adapted to store ink to be ejected; compliance parts provided to wall surfaces defining the common ink chambers, respectively; and a plurality of ink flow passages which supply ink from ink supplying sources through the common ink chambers to the nozzle openings. Of the plurality of the ink flow passages, an ink flow passage shorter than another ink flow passage has the compliance part of the common ink chamber, which is located at a middle of the ink flow passage and which is set smaller in comparison to the other ink flow passage.

Abstract: An actuator unit (501) is provided with a plurality of pressure chambers (310) arranged in a row, and a plurality of pressure generators (17) for applying pressure to inks contained in the pressure chambers(310). A passage unit (502) is provided with a plurality of nozzle openings (23) communicating with the pressure chambers (310) to jet ink drops when pressure is applied to the inks contained in the pressure chambers (310) by the pressure generators (17), and two or more common ink chambers (330) containing inks to be supplied to the pressure chambers (310). The pressure chambers (310) arranged in a row are divided into a plurality of groups, and the common ink chambers (330(C), 330(M), 330(Y)) are assigned to the groups of the pressure chambers 310), respectively. The ink-jet recording head is capable of jetting ink drops of a plurality of kinds of inks and of forming pictures and characters in high print quality, and can be formed in a small size.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head unit includes: at least one nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzle openings are arrayed; a plurality of common ink chambers, each adapted to store ink to be ejected; compliance parts provided to wall surfaces defining the common ink chambers, respectively; and a plurality of ink flow passages which supply ink from ink supplying sources through the common ink chambers to the nozzle openings. Of the plurality of the ink flow passages, an ink flow passage longer than another ink flow passage has the compliance part of the common ink chamber, which is located at a middle of the ink flow passage and which is set smaller in comparison to the other ink flow passage.

Abstract: Recording paper fed from a paper feed section comes in contact with a paper detection member 12 of a detector unit 8 and is rotated about a first fulcrum 35, shading the optical axis of an optical sensor 16. On the other hand, when the recording paper passes through and the paper detection member 12 is brought out of contact with the recording paper, the paper detection member 12 is restored to the former position by the urging force of an spring 37 and does not shade the optical axis. A carriage/cartridge detection member 15 of the detector unit 8 comes in contact with a carriage engagement part and a cartridge engagement part placed in a carriage and is rotated about a second fulcrum 43, shading the optical axis of the optical sensor 16. On the other hand, when the carriage/cartridge detection member 15 is brought out of contact with the engagement parts, the carriage/cartridge detection member 15 is restored to the former position by the urging force of an spring 44 and does not shade the optical axis.

Abstract: Segment terminal electrodes for connecting to the segment terminals of TCP and common terminal electrodes at both ends in a direction in which these segment terminal electrodes are arranged are formed on the surface of an actuator unit and the common terminal electrodes at both ends of each row are connected via conductive members. Each grounding conductor on TCP is mutually connected via each common terminal electrode component on the actuator unit. Therefore, the common terminal electrodes on plural actuator units can conduct to grounding conductors.

Abstract: A filter chamber having a portion inclined in relation to the horizontal direction is formed between an ink supply channel having one end communicating with an ink cartridge and a throughhole communicating with an ink-jet recording head, and a filter plate is placed in the filter chamber so as to diagonally traverse it, so that ink is allowed to pass through the whole surface of the filter plate.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head is disclosed. The recording head comprises a reservoir for storing ink which is supplied into a plurality of pressure generating chambers arranged in a first direction, a slit-shaped air bubble guide groove communicated with the reservoir and extending in the first direction, an ink supply member communicating the air bubble guide groove with the pressure generating chambers, pressure generation unit for generating pressure to be applied to the ink in the pressure generating chambers, and a nozzle plate in which nozzle orifices in communication with the pressure generating chambers are formed for ejecting the ink pressurized by the pressure generation unit.

Abstract: A color ink jet printer having high throughput and a high-quality printing capability is disclosed. Nozzle arrays for spouting black ink, cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink are placed on a print head. Each of the nozzle arrays has N nozzles arranged in a vertical scanning direction at intervals of k times the dot pitch of a print image. The nozzles are driven at intermittent timing during the horizontal scanning of the print head for forming dots at intervals of s times the dot pitch. At the termination of the horizontal scanning, vertical scanning is executed by a given distance. The vertical scanning distance L is set so as to satisfy the following expression:L=N/(s.multidot.D.multidot.k)wherein s is an arbitrary integer greater than one and less than N, and a submultiple of N, k is an arbitrary integer greater than one and less than N having prime relation with N/s, and D is the number of nozzles existing per unit distance in the vertical scanning direction.

Abstract: An ink jet print head of the electric-field drive type includes: a nozzle plate including a ink spouting hole; a resilient plate deformable when it receives an electrostatic attraction force; a pressure generating chamber structure formed between the nozzle plate and the resilient plate; a first electrode formed on the resilient plate, the first electrode being located corresponding to the pressure generating chamber structure; a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode a distance corresponding to a predetermined gap, the second electrode being undeformable when receiving the electrostatic attraction force; a photo conductive layer, one surface of the photo conductive layer being electrically connected to the second electrodes; and a substrate made of transparent material, the substrate including a transparent electrode which is electrically connected to the other surface of the photo conductive layer, wherein the electrostatic attraction force generated between the first and second electrodes c

Abstract: An ink-jet type recording apparatus including a connecting member which is provided with a first ink supply passage disposed in a carriage and extending in parallel toward a print head unit and a second ink supply passage extending upwardly and communicated with the ink tank and the first ink supply passage, an ink head unit connected to the connecting member for jetting ink droplets corresponding to print signals, a hollow needle engaging with a needle insertion hole of the ink tank, a filter member provided in parallel with a tapered concave portion formed between the hollow needle and the second ink supply passage, a cap member detachably mounted on the print head unit for communicating with a suction pump, and a control member for driving the suction pump in a first suction mode which operates intervally and a second suction mode which operates continuously.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration element is abutted against a vibration plate such that a central point C1 of the piezoelectric vibration element by is displaced by a distance .DELTA.d toward a nozzle opening from a central point C2 of a length L of an effective displacement region on vibration plate, whereby the displacement of the piezoelectric vibration during operation of the element is particularly efficiently transmitted to ink in the vicinity of the nozzle opening.

Abstract: An on-demand type ink jet print head, comprising: a plurality of ink tanks disposed at a lower position of a carriage to be independent of each other, pressure varying means provided on one of the tanks; an air release port communicating with the other one of the tanks; a head assembly provided on top of the tanks to communicate with the tanks through flow paths at both sides of the head assembly. The object of the invention is to achieve stable printing independent of the amount of ink in an ink tank and discharge bubbles in a nozzle head together with the ink.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus and method having an ink jet head. The ink jet head includes a housing made of a material having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, including at least one heat source, and arranged so as to confront a recording medium; an ink holding member arranged inside the housing, the ink holding member transmitting heat generated by the heat source to melt a solid-phase ink put into the housing for holding the molten ink by capillary action; a nozzle formed member being part of the ink holding member and having at least one nozzle orifice arranged so as to confront the recording medium; and a pressure generating member arranged within the ink holding member for generating a pressure which causes ink near the nozzle orifice to jet in the form of ink drops. The ink jet recording method is achieved by the apparatus thus constructed.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus in which the ink jet print head is constructed to eliminate problems caused by air bubbles that can be present in fluid hot-melt ink. The apparatus head includes a heater to melt solid ink or lower the viscosity of high viscosity semi-solid ink and a plurality of ink jet nozzles corresponding to a series of piezoelectic vibrating elements that are positioned so that piezoelectric oscillations propel ink through the nozzles. The vibrators and nozzles are spaced so that if air bubbles are present in the melted ink the bubbles will be induced to travel away from the nozzles by piezoelectrically induced agitation so that they do not interfere with ink jet printing. The printer can include a vent hole to provide an exit for the bubbles. The vent hole can be selectively opened and closed.

Abstract: An on-demand type ink jet print head including a drive assembly formed from a vibrating plate formed of a piezoelectric layer with an electrode layer on one surface and an electrically conductive, physically resilient layer on the opposite surface of the piezoelectric layer. The vibrating plate is secured to a base and has two opposing edges defining a free space therebetween. The vibrating plate is slit into a plurality of strips and these strips are cross-slit in the widthwise direction to form a row of reed pieces secured to each opposing edge of the base in a cantilever configuration and extending into the free space from each edge toward the reed pieces extending from the opposite edge with a space therebetween. The reed pieces are electrically and mechanically independent of each other and have negligible electrical and mechanical interference with each other.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus and method having an ink jet head. The ink jet head includes a housing made of a material having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, including at least one heat source, and arranged so as to confront a recording medium; an ink holding member arranged inside the housing, the ink holding member transmitting heat generated by the heat source to melt a solid-phase ink put into the housing for holding the molten ink by capillary action; a nozzle formed member being part of the ink holding member and having at least one nozzle orifice arranged so as to confront the recording medium; and a pressure generating member arranged within the ink holding member for generating a pressure which causes ink near the nozzle orifice to jet in the form of ink drops. The ink jet recording method is achieved by the apparatus thus constructed.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus in which the ink jet print head is constructed to eliminate problems caused by air bubbles that can be present in fluid hot-melt ink. The apparatus head includes a heater to melt solid ink or lower the viscosity of high viscosity semi-solid ink and a plurality of ink jet nozzles corresponding to a series of piezoelectric vibrating elements that are positioned so that piezoelectric oscillations propel ink through the nozzles. The vibrators and nozzles are spaced so that if air bubbles are present in the melted ink the bubbles will be induced to travel away from the nozzles by peizoelectrically induced agitation so that they do not interfere with ink jet printing.