Abstract: A liquid container has a movable member which defines a liquid containing space and which is displaced as the liquid is supplied, a valve for allowing a gas to be introduced into the containing space from the outside and for preventing the liquid from being extracted from the containing space to the outside, and an introduction channel for coupling the valve and the containing space to guide the introduced gas into the containing space. An intake port of the introduction channel located on the containing space side is positioned in an upper part of the containing space in an orientation in use. A negative pressure is kept substantially constant to consume the liquid completely. Since the air introduction for keeping the negative pressure at an adequate value is carried out in a region in a gaseous phase in the container, no leakage of ink occurs, and air is reliably introduced.

Abstract: In the printing apparatus, the printing region, the paper-conveying roller region and the ink (printing agent) region are arranged on a straight line generally parallel to the plane containing the printing region. Thereby, it is possible to accommodate the increase in the printing region or the ink (printing agent) region in an area on the straight line. Accordingly, the reduction of the running cost is realized by a printing agent container of a large capacity, while enabling the high-speed printing by ensuring the large printing region surface in the thin and small-sized printing apparatus.

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: An ink supply system, an ink jet printing apparatus, an ink tank and an ink jet cartridge are provided which, in intermittently supplying ink through a disconnectable connecting portion, can smoothly supply a required volume of ink easily, and can quickly and smoothly discharge a gas which enters into the ink supply system without complicating their structure and mechanism. The first ink tank and the second ink tank are disconnectably connected through the supply unit and the connector. Two communication paths connecting the ink tanks are formed by the tubes. Gas in the second ink tank is discharged through one of the communication paths and at the same time ink in the first ink tank is supplied to the second ink tank through the other communication path.

Abstract: A small-sized printing apparatus is provided, which is stable in printing operation and high in reliability although the installation area and the utility area are small. For this purpose, the conveying direction of a supplied printing medium is reversed generally in the opposite direction, and then guided in the vertical direction. Thus, the printing medium is firmly supported. Also, since the printing medium exists beneath the printing section in the vertical direction during the printing operation, it is possible to prevent the interior of the apparatus from contaminating with ink dropping down from the printing region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head utilizing ink bubbling by heating of an exothermic resistor to thereby eject ink and a method manufacturing the same, including the steps of: preparing a substrate provided with the exothermic resistor; applying such first resin on the substrate as to provide a first mold shape for forming the nozzle channel and the movable member; forming the first mold shape using the first resin; applying, on the substrate, second resin over the first mold shape for forming the nozzle channel and the movable member; and removing the first mold shape. By this method, the movable member is formed in the nozzle channel between the ink inlet and the exothermic resistor to thereby provide a high-density, high-accuracy ink jet recording head which can improve a frequency response while maintaining proper discharge performance.

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: 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: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an ink jet recording head utilizing ink bubbling by heating of an exothermic resistor to thereby eject ink and a method manufacturing the same, including the steps of: preparing a substrate provided with the exothermic resistor; applying such first resin on the substrate as to provide a first mold shape for forming the nozzle channel and the movable member; forming the first mold shape using the first resin; applying, on the substrate, second resin over the first mold shape for forming the nozzle channel and the movable member; and removing the first mold shape. By this method, the movable member is formed in the nozzle channel between the ink inlet and the exothermic resistor to thereby provide a high-density, high-accuracy ink jet recording head which can improve a frequency response while maintaining proper discharge performance.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head that is capable of avoiding damages due to cavitation of an electrothermal converting element and thus extending its life is provided. The ink jet recording head comprises a plurality of ink discharge ports for discharging ink; a plurality of electrothermal converting elements provided to be associated with each of the ink discharge ports, respectively, for bubbling and discharging the ink; a plurality of pressure chambers for containing the electrothermal converting elements and providing spaces for heating and bubbling the ink; a common liquid chamber for supplying ink to the plurality of pressure chambers; and a plurality of ink flow paths for communicating the pressure chambers with the common liquid chamber. The ink flow paths are arranged such that central lines in a direction of ink supply to the pressure chambers are positioned offset from central lines of the electrothermal converting elements in the same direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Fe—Ni alloy consisting of, by mass, 30 to 50% of Ni (or 27 to 47% Ni and not more than 22% Co), 0.005 to 0.1% of Nb, less than 0.01% of C, 0.002 to 0.02% of N, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein the equation “0.000013≦(% Nb)×(% N)≦0.002”, is fulfilled. In the alloy, preferably, the maximum grain size of compounds primarily containing Nb and nitrogen and other compounds primarily containing Nb and C is less than 0.5 &mgr;m, which can be observed at an fractional section of metal structure, and a total number of the compounds is not less than 50,000/mm2 at an fractional section. An average grain size of the alloy structure is not less than 10 by the crystal grain size number as defined in JIS G0551. The alloy may applied to shadow masks for the Braun tube and lead frames for semiconductor elements.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head comprises first and second substrates which are to be mutually adjoined to form plural liquid paths respectively communicating with plural discharge apertures. The first substrate is provided with energy conversion elements, for converting electrical energy into energy for discharging liquid in the liquid paths, respectively corresponding to the liquid paths. The second substrate is provided with detection elements, for detecting a state of the liquid in said liquid paths, respectively corresponding to the liquid paths, and amplification means for respectively amplifying outputs of said detection elements.

Abstract: In a configuration having an ink containing portion which is deformable at least in a part thereof, a spring for generating a required negative pressure in the container by exerting a force that expands the deformable part, and an air introducing section for allowing air to be introduced in accordance with an increase in the negative pressure in the container to keep the negative pressure in an adequate range, a one-way valve is used to prevent leakage of ink from a sealed containing space containing ink to the outside and to allow introduction of air into the containing space from the outside. As a result, there is provided an ink tank from which no ink leaks out through the air introducing section thereof in any ambience for use or storage and which can maintain stable negative pressure characteristics regardless of the phase of the consumption of the liquid.

Abstract: The present invention prevents liquid leakage regardless of the using conditions and the reserving atmosphere and stabilizes a negative pressure regardless of the degree of liquid consumption, by having a one-way valve in the liquid container that supplies liquid to an external device, maintaining the negative pressure formed in the liquid supplying passage positioned in the downstream of a position where liquid or gas is supplied by the one-way valve. The liquid container has a deformable, movable unit at least a part of which is made of a flexible material. A space other than the liquid supply unit forms a substantially sealed space in which liquid is retained. The container is capable of supplying the liquid to the outside.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head comprises first and second substrates which are to be mutually adjoined to form plural liquid paths respectively communicating with plural discharge apertures. The first substrate is provided with energy conversion elements, for converting electrical energy into energy for discharging liquid in the liquid paths, respectively corresponding to the liquid paths. The second substrate is provided with detection elements, for detecting a state of the liquid in said liquid paths, respectively corresponding to the liquid paths, and amplification means for respectively amplifying outputs of said detection elements.

Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid discharge head comprising: a plurality of discharge ports for discharging a liquid; a plurality of liquid flow paths whose one end portion always communicates with each of the discharge ports and which comprise a bubble generating area for generating a bubble in the liquid; bubble generating means for generating an energy to generate and grow the bubble; a plurality of liquid supply ports, disposed in the liquid flow paths, for communicating with a common liquid supply chamber; and a movable member having a free end supported at a slight gap with respect to the liquid flow path of the liquid supply port, so that recording of a high quality level image is achieved at a high speed. When a volume of a liquid droplet discharged from the discharge port is Vd, and during discharge of the liquid from the discharge port, a drawing volume from the discharge port to a liquid surface retracted to maximum into the liquid flow path is Vm, a relation of Vd>Vm is established.

Abstract: A liquid discharging method for a liquid head discharge head, which is provided with a plurality of discharge ports for discharging liquid, a plurality of liquid flow paths communicated always with each of the discharge ports at one end, each having bubble generating area for creating bubble in liquid, bubble generating means for generating energy to create and grow the bubble, a plurality of liquid supply ports each arranged for each of the liquid flow paths to be communicated with common liquid supply chamber, and movable member supported with minute gap to the liquid supply port on the liquid flow path side, and provided with free end, the area of the movable member surrounded at least by the free end portion and both sides continued therefrom being made larger than the opening area of the liquid supply port facing the liquid flow path, comprises the step of setting a period for the movable member to close and essentially cut off the opening area during the period from the application of driving voltage to

Abstract: In a structure of an ink tank having a deformable sheet that constitutes the tank and a spring for imparting a negative pressure, unstableness of the negative pressure attributable to the deformation of the sheet as a result of ink consumption is prevented. For this purpose, a plate-like member is joined to a top section of the sheet formed in a convex shape, and the spring for generating the negative pressure in the tank is mounted to the same member. This makes it possible to maintain a high volume ratio of the ink tank and to achieve stableness of the negative pressure by adequately regulating the deformation of the sheet when the sheet is displaced in the direction of retracting toward the interior of the tank as a result of a reduction of the amount of ink in the tank.

Abstract: A first gap formation member and a fixed portion are provided on an element substrate, a movable member is formed on the first gap formation member and the fixing member, and a second gap formation member is formed thereon. The first gap formation member is removed, a wall material is coated and exposed at a pattern mask. The wall material is patterned to form the liquid flow path walls and the liquid supply ports altogether, and removing the second gap formation member, hence making it easier to form the side stopper that supports the movable member stably in a state where the displacement of the movable member is regulated to close the liquid supply port, as well as the minute gap between the movable member and the side stopper in higher precision.