Abstract: An object of this invention is to drive different types of printing elements arranged in a printhead by proper powers without increasing the number of signal lines between the printhead and a printing apparatus main body, complicating the circuit configuration, and decreasing the printing speed. For this purpose, time division signals representing two driving periods corresponding to two types of printing elements are supplied to a printhead having the two types of printing elements which require different application powers in order to obtain a desired printing characteristic. Power is applied to the first type printing elements in the first driving period, and power is applied to the second type printing elements in the second driving period.

Abstract: Limitations on the number of recording elements capable of being simultaneously driven are relaxed so that driving voltage fluctuation falls within an allowable range. The substrate includes arrays of recording elements, common power supply wires extended from portions near one end portions of the arrays to portions near the other end portions thereof and connected to a power supply-side electrode pad through a position near the one end portions of the arrays, and common ground wires extended from portions near the one end portions of the arrays to portions near the other end portions thereof and connected to a ground-side electrode pad through a position near the other end portions of the arrays. Thus, since the sum of the lengths of common wires from the electrode pads is equal for all the plurality of elements included in each array, and the combined resistance of common wiring portions becomes substantially equal.

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: A base plate for use in a recording head, which is used by an ink jet head for printing by discharging ink onto a recording medium, the recording head being provided with energy converting element for discharging the ink by generating a bubble in the ink by converting electric energy to thermal energy, and an anti-cavitation film to protect the energy converting element from shocks generated at the time of bubble growth and extinction, the anti-cavitation film being used as electrodes for detecting the state of the ink by energizing the ink. The base plate comprises a first diode having the a cathode thereof connected to the anti-cavitation film and an anode thereof connected to a ground potential; and a second diode having the anode thereof connected to the anti-cavitation film and the cathode thereof connected to a power supply potential.

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 invention intends to maintain a constant ink discharge amount among the recording heads, even in case a total pulse width of pulse voltages applied to heat generating resistors. For this purpose, a rank table is prepared in such a manner, even in a situation where a total pulse width of the pulses applied to the heat generating resistor is 3 ?s or less whereby the ink discharge amount decreases with a decrease in the total pulse width, that a maximum reached temperature on the surface of the heat generating resistors at the application of a preheat pulse becomes higher with a decrease in the resistance of a rank resistor, and a pulse width P1 on the rank table is made longer thereby compensating a decrease in the ink discharge amount with a decrease in the total pulse width and maintaining a constant ink discharge amount.

Abstract: A stable operation is realized without any malfunction of a driver even under a voltage condition that a supplied voltage is 3.3 V or lower. For this purpose, in an ink-jet printhead having an ink orifice for discharging ink, a plurality of heat generation elements for generating heat energy used to discharge ink, and an ink channel which incorporates the heat generation elements and communicates with the ink orifice, a driver for driving the heat generation elements, and a logic circuit for controlling the driver are formed on a single board. The gate oxide film thickness of an enhancement NMOS transistor which forms the driver is larger than that of an enhancement NMOS transistor which forms the logic circuit.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head and an ink jet recording apparatus using the ink jet recording head are disclosed. The adhesion between a substrate and a discharge port forming member can be improved. In order to further reduce the size of the substrate by further optimizing the arrangement of an inspection pad, at least a recording element protecting section covers the upper part of a recording element row with a conductivity, and at least an electrical circuit element protecting section covers the upper part of an electrical circuit element row with a conductivity. An inspection electrode pad is electrically connectable with the recording element protecting section and the electrical circuit element protecting section.

Abstract: To drive an inkjet printhead having an array of printing elements, where the first and second printing elements which discharge relatively different amounts of ink are arranged on the same array in a predetermined direction, print data for the first or second printing element is serially inputted, the inputted print data is sequentially stored, the stored print data is latched, a selection signal indicative of which of the first or second printing element is to be driven is inputted, a driving signal indicative of a driving period is inputted, and respective printing elements are driven in accordance with the latched print data, the selection signal, and the driving signal. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the cost of the printhead having plural types of printing elements, which discharge relatively different amounts of ink, and possible to easily control driving of the printhead.

Abstract: In a case where first wirings (wirings for a driving power supply (VH)) commonly connected to a plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and adapted to supply an electric power to the plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and second wirings (high voltage grounding wirings (GNDH)) for connecting source areas of respective switching elements to grounding potential are provided, resistance of the second wiring is selected to be smaller than resistance of the first wiring.

Abstract: In a substrate for an ink jet head used for an ink jet head recording apparatus, electrostatic breakdown of a diode sensor functional as a substrate temperature sensing element is prevented. A protective element is electrically connected between a diode sensor and an input/output pad for the diode sensor.

Abstract: To drive an inkjet printhead having an array of printing elements, where the first and second printing elements which discharge relatively different amounts of ink are arranged on the same array in a predetermined direction, print data for the first or second printing element is serially inputted, the inputted print data is sequentially stored, the stored print data is latched, a selection signal indicative of which of the first or second printing element is to be driven is inputted, a driving signal indicative of a driving period is inputted, and respective printing elements are driven in accordance with the latched print data, the selection signal, and the driving signal. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the cost of the printhead having plural types of printing elements, which discharge relatively different amounts of ink, and possible to easily control driving of the printhead.

Abstract: In a substrate for an ink jet head used for an ink jet head recording apparatus, electrostatic breakdown of a diode sensor functional as a substrate temperature sensing element is prevented. A protective element is electrically connected between a diode sensor and an input/output pad for the diode sensor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printhead substrate capable of suppressing an increase in wiring width and an increase in the size of a substrate formed by a film forming process while increasing the number of simultaneously driven printing elements in order to improve the printing performance, a printhead using the substrate, and a printing apparatus using the printhead. The wiring lines of the substrate are formed into a common wiring line, and energy applied to a heating resistance element is prevented from deviating from a stable ink discharge range owing to the difference in the number of simultaneously driven heating resistance elements. For this purpose, a driving element is greatly downsized in comparison with a conventional one, and the operation region of a MOS transistor is shifted from the non-saturation region to the saturation region.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to prevent an increase in energy applied to a heating element and prolong the service life of a printhead even when the temperature of the printing element having a negative temperature coefficient rises and the resistance of the heating element decreases upon controlling a switching element for controlling a current flowing through the heating element so as to make energy as constant as possible.

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: In a case where first wirings (wirings for a driving power supply (VH)) commonly connected to a plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and adapted to supply an electric power to the plurality of electro-thermal converting elements and second wirings (high voltage grounding wirings (GNDH)) for connecting source areas of respective switching elements to grounding potential are provided, resistance of the second wiring is selected to be smaller than resistance of the first wiring.

Abstract: A substrate for a recording head includes a circuit through which current flows upon impression of a source voltage, irrespective of the operating state of an energy converting element, and a current cutoff means for cutting off current to the circuit in response to an entered control signal. A reset signal for achieving a standby state of the printing operation serves as the control signal. The current cutoff circuit is operated when the reset signal is active in an H state, and it cuts off the constant current. By cutting off the constant current, the leak current of a heater power source VH may be accurately measured, permitting determination of whether the source voltage wiring is properly insulated from other circuit elements of the substrate. The constant current may also be cut off in the standby state, in which printing is not performed, so as to reduce power consumption.

Abstract: To supply electromotive force to a solid semiconductor element in an ink tank in a non-contact and stable manner. An electromagnetic apparatus (a standstill electromotive force supply unit) is placed at a home position HP. When a carriage is at a standstill at this home position HP, if the electromagnetic apparatus is AC-driven, magnetic properties of both ends (magnetic poles) continue to change mutually and penetrate a solid semiconductor element in the ink tank on the carriage so that a constantly changing magnetic flux is generated. Electromotive force is generated by electromagnetic induction on a coil of the solid semiconductor element. In addition, if the carriage reciprocates during printing operation, the coil L of the solid semiconductor element crosses inside the magnetic flux due to a plurality of permanent magnets (a movement time electromotive force supply unit) arranged on a carrier path (range of movement), and so the electromotive force is generated on the coil by electromagnetic induction.

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.