Abstract: A recording head substrate includes a plurality of groups of recording elements arranged in arrays; a number, corresponding to a number of the groups, input contacts for receiving driving pulse signals; signal lines for supplying the driving pulse signals to the groups of recording elements from the input contacts, respectively, wherein in a region between two of the groups of recording elements are adjacent to each other, the signal lines are connected to the recording elements such that areas in which the groups of recording elements are disposed, respectively, have respective driving pulse signal change areas which are overlapped with each other.

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 provide a head substrate having a fuse ROM without increasing the size. To achieve the object, a head substrate includes an ink supply port which has a long hole shape elongated in a first direction, a plurality of printing elements arrayed along the first direction on both sides of the ink supply port, a plurality of first driving elements, arrayed along the first direction at positions spaced apart further away from the ink supply port than the plurality of printing elements, for driving the plurality of printing elements, a plurality of fuse ROMs which store information, and a plurality of second driving elements for driving the plurality of fuse ROMs. A signal line used for driving the plurality of first driving elements and second driving elements is shared. The plurality of second driving elements are arranged on the same array as the first driving elements at positions adjacent to both ends of each array of the plurality of first driving elements.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a safe and reliable head substrate having a fuse ROM without increasing the substrate size. To achieve the object, a head substrate includes a plurality of printing elements for printing, first driving elements which drive the printing elements, a fuse ROM which stores information, a second driving element which drives the fuse ROM, input means for inputting a printing signal to cause the plurality of printing elements to print and a block selection signal to time-divisionally drive the printing elements, selective driving means for selectively driving the first driving elements on the basis of the input printing signal and block selection signal, a first pad which applies a first voltage to the fuse ROM to write information, and a second pad which applies a second voltage to read out the information from the fuse ROM.

Abstract: The present invention reliably blows a fuse element to store with high reliability data that corresponds to whether or not the fuse element has been blown. For this purpose, a resistor element is provided in a circuit through which an electric current flows to blow the fuse element in the ink jet printing head. The resistor element adjusts the electric current so that, in the process of blowing the fuse element, the current continues to flow for a predetermined duration even after a maximum current has passed through the fuse element. The predetermined duration is longer than a period from a time point when the electric current rises to a time point it reaches the maximum current.

Abstract: In a connection status output circuit for confirming the connection status with a recording apparatus via connecting terminals corresponding respectively to recording signal DATA, clock signal CLK for transferring the recording signal, and control signals LT and HE for controlling a recording operation according to the recording signal, the signals being received from the recording apparatus, when the connection status is confirmed, a signal designating the connection status is outputted, and when a recording operation is performed, the output signal does not change.

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: A recording head substrate allowing an increased number of the exothermic bodies driven at a time without increasing the substrate size so as to increase a number of nozzles arranged in high density. The recording head substrate includes a plurality of electrothermal conversion members having exothermic bodies respectively corresponding to a plurality of discharge ports; a plurality of drive elements for driving the exothermic bodies; common wiring A connected to the exothermic bodies; and common wiring B connected to the drive elements; and an electrode pad connected to the common wiring A and the common wiring B. A number of the exothermic bodies driven at a time is determined by (RlineA+RlineB)/(Rh+Rd)<0.05/(0.95 n?1).

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing head having connection terminals for performing an electrical connection of signals including drive signals of print elements by contacting connection terminals in an apparatus side when the head is mounted onto an ink jet printing apparatus. It is made to guarantee connections of all terminals by detecting contacts of a part of terminals. Among the terminals in the head, terminals whose distances from the connection terminals in the printing apparatus become maximum when a deviation occurred in the mounting, are used as terminals for contact detection. For example, from among the connection terminals arranged in a planar area, which is rectangular-shaped, terminals positioned in corners are used as the terminals for the contact detection. When the contacts of these terminals are detected, the connections of all the terminals inside the area can be guaranteed.

Abstract: A liquid discharge recording head includes a substrate having a liquid supply opening facilitating supplying liquid and heating resistors for generating energy for discharging the liquid, a flow path member having discharge openings and flow paths including first and second flow paths that are adjacent each other, the second flow path being longer than the first flow path, and a first resister corresponding to the first flow path and a second resistor corresponding to the second flow path, each of the first and second resistors being disposed at an area of the flow path member which is situated in correspondence with the liquid supply opening, wherein an amount of protrusion of the first resister at a side of the first flow path is greater than an amount of protrusion of the second resister at a side of the second flow path.

Abstract: Provided is a configuration for connecting common wires (a common power supply wire for connecting a plurality of printing elements commonly to a power supply and a common ground wire for connecting the plurality of printing elements commonly to a ground) to the outside, which configuration does not obstruct a constitution for reducing resistances of the common wires. For this purpose, the common wires are directly connected respectively to electrode leads of an electric wiring tape for external connection without use of electrode pads. In the case of this configuration, the widths of the common wires need not be narrower in vicinities of the electrode pads which would otherwise be in an edge of the board, and accordingly reduction of resistances of the common wires is not obstructed.

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: 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.