Abstract: The dynamic bearing device of the invention comprises a housing, a bearing sleeve provided inside the housing, a rotating member rotating relative to the bearing sleeve, and a dynamic bearing portion supporting the rotating member in a non-contact manner by dynamic pressure action of a lubricating fluid generated in a bearing gap between the bearing sleeve and the rotating member. The bearing sleeve has a parent body formed of a sintered metal and a bearing surface facing the bearing gap and formed by a resin layer. The dynamic pressure generating grooves are formed in the resin layer.

Abstract: An ink jet printer uses an ink tank storing ink to be supplied to a print head, an ink tube, an ink chamber mounted on a carriage to store ink to be supplied from the ink tank to the print head, and a connecting member that includes an ink outflow port connected to the ink chamber and an ink inflow port where ink flows from the ink tube. At an intersection of the ink inflow port and the ink outflow port, a direction of a flow of ink from the ink inflow port is changed. Further at the intersection, a cushion is provided to absorb pressure waves generated in the ink tube on an extended line in an initial direction where ink flows in the ink passage over the intersection.

Abstract: A printer, including a printer body, a plurality of ink cartridges that store ink disposed in the printer body, a plurality of ink supply tubes, one end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of ink cartridges, the plurality of ink supply tubes extending below the plurality of ink cartridges in the printer body, a plurality of print heads disposed in the printer body, another end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of print heads so that the plurality of ink supply tubes supply ink from the plurality of ink cartridges to the plurality of print heads, the plurality of print heads disposed below the plurality of ink cartridges.

Abstract: A printer, including a printer body, a plurality of ink cartridges that store ink disposed in the printer body, a plurality of ink supply tubes, one end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of ink cartridges, the plurality of ink supply tubes extending below the plurality of ink cartridges in the printer body, a plurality of print heads disposed in the printer body, another end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of print heads so that the plurality of ink supply tubes supply ink from the plurality of ink cartridges to the plurality of print heads, the plurality of print heads disposed below the plurality of ink cartridges.

Abstract: A housing that includes a container with ink inlets sideways disposed therein and a recording head part on the bottom of the container. The housing is brought near to a scanning carriage mounted on a main guide rail in a direction parallel to a surface of the recording head part provided with nozzles, so that the ink inlets abut with ink outlets disposed horizontally in a joint of the scanning carriage face-to-face. An engaging member, which is formed of wire and in an angular C shape in a plan view, is rotatably mounted to the housing by attaching ends thereof on both sides of the housing. The engaging member is fitted in a recessed engaged part on the top of the scanning carriage so that the housing and the scanning carriage are fixed.

Abstract: The housing made of a resin composition is formed by injection molding with a sintered metal bearing sleeve as an insert piece. The housing includes a cylindrical body part, a sealing portion extending from the top of the body part radially inwards, and a bottom part closing the lower end of the body part. Of these, the body part and bottom part are integrally formed, to which the sealing portion is welded.

Abstract: A head holder includes a bottom plate of which a bottom surface is fixed to a top surface of a recording head having an ink supply port. A sleeve is fixed to the top surface of the recording head and communicates with the ink supply port. The bottom plate is formed with a recess in which a large diameter tubular part of the sleeve is held. A backup plate encloses a small diameter tubular part of the sleeve and is supported by the bottom plate. An O-ring is inserted around the small diameter tubular part of the sleeve in the backup plate, and an upper end of the sleeve is aligned with an outlet of an ink path in a passage plate laid horizontally in a container, and the passage plate and the bottom plate are fastened using a fixing plate and a bolt. The O-ring is resiliently deformed via the backup plate, so that a gap in a connection between the outlet and the sleeve is sealed.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer in which drive data for a print head is converted into a light signal by a first light-emitting diode provided in a control circuit. The light signal is transmitted, through an optical fiber, to a first photo-diode provided in a receiver circuit. The light signal received by the first photo-diode is converted into an electric signal. Data concerning the status of a print head unit is converted into a light signal by a second light-emitting diode provided in the receiver circuit. The light signal is transmitted from the second light-emitting diode, through the optical fiber, to a second photo-diode provided in the control circuit. The light signal received by the second photo-diode is converted into an electric signal.

Abstract: A photometric apparatus which satisfies the demands for reductions in the size, thickness and cost and which is highly optioned despite a simple arrangement. A photometric optical system provided separately from a photographic optical system (1) has at least one diffractive optical element (10). The diffraction surface of the diffractive optical element (10) is provided on a convex lens surface to have a converging action. Alternatively, the diffraction surface of the diffractive optical element (10) is provided on a concave lens surface to have a diverging action.

Abstract: A head holder includes a bottom plate of which a bottom surface is fixed to a top surface of a recording head having an ink supply port. A sleeve is fixed to the top surface of the recording head and communicates with the ink supply port. The bottom plate is formed with a recess in which a large diameter tubular part of the sleeve is held. A backup plate encloses a small diameter tubular part of the sleeve and is supported by the bottom plate. An O-ring is inserted around the small diameter tubular part of the sleeve in the backup plate, and an upper end of the sleeve is aligned with an outlet of an ink path in a passage plate laid horizontally in a container, and the passage plate and the bottom plate are fastened using a fixing plate and a bolt. The O-ring is resiliently deformed via the backup plate, so that a gap in a connection between the outlet and the sleeve is sealed.

Abstract: A printer, including a printer body, a plurality of ink cartridges that store ink disposed in the printer body, a plurality of ink supply tubes, one end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of ink cartridges, the plurality of ink supply tubes extending below the plurality of ink cartridges in the printer body, a plurality of print heads disposed in the printer body, another end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of print heads so that the plurality of ink supply tubes supply ink from the plurality of ink cartridges to the plurality of print heads, the plurality of print heads disposed below the plurality of ink cartridges.

Abstract: A housing that includes a container with ink inlets sideways disposed therein and a recording head part on the bottom of the container. The housing is brought near to a scanning carriage mounted on a main guide rail in a direction parallel to a surface of the recording head part provided with nozzles, so that the ink inlets abut with ink outlets disposed horizontally in a joint of the scanning carriage face-to-face. An engaging member, which is formed of wire and in an angular C shape in a plan view, is rotatably mounted to the housing by attaching ends thereof on both sides of the housing. The engaging member is fitted in a recessed engaged part on the top of the scanning carriage so that the housing and the scanning carriage are fixed.

Abstract: The invention provides a ink cartridge for supplying ink, including an ink pack formed from a flexible bag to seal liquid ink therein, a cartridge body having an ink pack housing therein, an extraction opening having a rubber plate into which a hollow ink extracting needle is inserted, an upper supporting spring movably supported with one end thereof by the cartridge body and affixed to the upper surface of the ink pack, and a lower supporting plate affixed to the lower surface of the ink pack and the lower surface of the cartridge body. A pair of the upper supporting spring and the lower supporting spring urges/pulls so that the volume of the bag of the ink pack is enlarged.

Abstract: An ink-jet printer in which drive data for a print head is converted into a light signal by a first light-emitting diode provided in a control circuit. The light signal is transmitted, through an optical fiber, to a first photo-diode provided in a receiver circuit. The light signal received by the first photo-diode is converted into an electric signal. Data concerning the status of a print head unit is converted into a light signal by a second light-emitting diode provided in the receiver circuit. The light signal is transmitted from the second light-emitting diode, through the optical fiber, to a second photo-diode provided in the control circuit. The light signal received by the second photo-diode is converted into an electric signal.

Abstract: An optical system composed, in order from the object side, of a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless, a second lens unit which has a positive power, a third lens unit which has a positive power and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, and configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens unit. The fourth lens unit is composed of a single lens element or the optical system as a whole is composed of lens element in a number not exceeding twice a number of movable lens units. The optical system is composed of a small number of lens elements and compact.

Abstract: An ink jet printer uses an ink tank storing ink to be supplied to a print head, an ink tube, an ink chamber mounted on a carriage to store ink to be supplied from the ink tank to the print head, and a connecting member that includes an ink outflow port connected to the ink chamber and an ink inflow port where ink flows from the ink tube. At an intersection of the ink inflow port and the ink outflow port, a direction of a flow of ink from the ink inflow port is changed. Further at the intersection, a cushion is provided to absorb pressure waves generated in the ink tube on an extended line in an initial direction where ink flows in the ink passage over the intersection.

Abstract: An ink jet printer uses a print head that has at least one ink nozzle and performs printing on a recording medium by ejecting ink from the ink nozzle. An air chamber is connected to the print head to trap air generated in an ink passage. A purge device discharges the air trapped in the air chamber from the ink nozzle. A filter member divides the lower portion of the air chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. The air chamber traps and stores air in the top portion of the air chamber and the filter member passes ink there through when the print head performs printing. The air trapped in the air chamber is discharged when the purge device generates an ink flow that goes over the filter member.

Abstract: The invention provides a ink cartridge for supplying ink, including an ink pack formed from a flexible bag to seal liquid ink therein, a cartridge body having an ink pack housing therein, an extraction opening having a rubber plate into which a hollow ink extracting needle is inserted, an upper supporting spring movably supported with one end thereof by the cartridge body and affixed to the upper surface of the ink pack, and a lower supporting plate affixed to the lower surface of the ink pack and the lower surface of the cartridge body. A pair of the upper supporting spring and the lower supporting spring urges/pulls so that the volume of the bag of the ink pack is enlarged.

Abstract: A photographic optical system greatly improved in chromatic aberration and capable of providing high image quality with a compact, lightweight and low-cost arrangement having a minimal number of constituent elements. The optical system has a negative lens placed closest to the image side thereof, and a positive lens, a negative lens and a positive lens, which are placed in order from the object side of the optical system on the object side of the negative lens closest to the image side. The negative lens closest to the image side satisfies the following conditions: 75.0≦&ngr;d and 0.8≦SG≦2.2, where &ngr;d and SG are the Abbe's number and lens specific gravity (g/cm3) of the negative lens closest to the image side.

Abstract: A method for establishing multimedia communication connection between a plurality of terminals 2 and one center terminal 1 in such a manner that the center terminal 1 has a plurality of relay resources 12, so that when an inquiry is made by any of the terminals 2 for connection, it returns connection-destination information of a relay resource 12 to be connected. Based on the connection-destination information, the terminal 2 makes an access to the center terminal 1 via the assigned relay resource 12, thus establishing multimedia communication connection there between. As a result, there is no need to provide one center terminal for each client terminal, thereby reducing the hardware introduction cost and the installation space required.