Abstract: A replaceable ink cartridge has a body for storing the ink; an ink outlet for supplying the ink into a recording head; an air communicating port for communicating with an atmosphere; a peripheral portion around the ink outlet; a peripheral portion around the air communicating port; a seal member for removably sealing the peripheral portion around the ink cutlet and the peripheral portion around the air communicating port. The replaceable ink cartridge has a structure that is formed so as to strip the seal member off from the peripheral portions of the ink outlet and the air communicating port in a manner that the air communicating port is opened at first and the ink outlet is opened at second.

Abstract: A recording apparatus using a recording head to effect recording on a recording material includes a recording head unit provided with a recording head for effecting recording on a recording material including a recording head supporting member for supporting the recording head at a predetermined position; a relaying electric contact member including a first electric contact member for external electric connection; a second electric contact for electrically connecting the first electric contact member with the recording head; and an electric current supplying device for supplying electric current to the first electric contact member.

Abstract: An ink jet head for ejecting ink, has an ink ejecting portion having an ink ejecting port formed thereon so as to eject ink through the ink ejecting port, a positioning portion for definitely determining the position of the ink jet head relative to an apparatus using the ink jet head when the ink jet head is fitted to the apparatus, an ink supplying portion adapted to be connected an ink supplying unit while ink is supplied to the ink jet head, and an electric connecting portion adapted to be electrically connected to an electric connecting portion on the apparatus side so as to send and receive signals. The positioning portion, the ink supplying portion and the electric connecting portion are disposed on a different surface from a surface on which the ink ejecting portion is disposed and at least one of the electric portion and the ink supplying portion is disposed on an opposite side surface to a surface on which the positioning portion is disposed.

Abstract: A method for making a record with multiple levels of a gradation on a recording medium, has the following steps:preparing a device for ejecting inks of different densities in a plurality of ejection amounts, respectively;linearizing a relationship between gradation and image density so that levels of the gradation of each of the inks of different densities can be interpolated with others; andmaking a record on a recording medium in response to multiple-level recording data in accordance with the relationship between gray scale and image density.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a first member with an energy generating element for generating energy to eject ink, a second member having an ejection outlet forming member provided with an ink ejection outlet through which the ink is ejected, the second member being affixed to the first member to form a liquid passage in fluid communication with the ejection outlet, and urging means for urging the first and second members together to substantially fix them against each other. The ejection outlet forming member has a jaw connected with a surface of the first member which has the energy generating element, the jaw being adjacent a first member side of the ejection outlet. The following relationships are satisfied, namely, b.gtoreq.5 microns, c.gtoreq.

Abstract: An ink tank has an ink container storing the ink to be used in the printing apparatus, a waste ink container storing the ink used in the printing apparatus, an atmosphere communication hole provided in the waste ink container, and a coupling member provided on one of or both of the ink container and the waste ink container and provided for coupling the ink container and the waste ink container, and forming an ink guide path for guiding the ink flown from the atmosphere communication hole to a predetermined position of the ink container or the waste ink container. An elastic body has a domed shape, and is used at a coupling portion in one of or both of the ink container and the waste ink container, the coupling portion for coupling the containers to the printing apparatus.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge includes a first chamber for accommodating a negative pressure producing material and provided with air communication part for communication with ambient air, wherein a part of the negative pressure producing material does not contain ink adjacent the air communication part; a second chamber which is substantially closed except for a fine communication part for communication with the first chamber at a position away from the air communication part, wherein the second chamber directly accommodates the ink to be supplied to the first chamber.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a liquid passage for ejection of ink; a liquid chamber for supplying ink to the passage; a device for mounting the recording head on the ink jet recording apparatus at an angle not more than 45 degrees relative to the horizontal plane; wherein the chamber has an internal surface which is slanted in a direction from an ink inlet thereof toward the liquid passage at the angle of 5-40 degrees relative to an extension of the liquid passage.

Abstract: A container for containing printing liquid for supplying to an ink jet head for an ink jet recording apparatus. The container includes a first chamber containing negative pressure producing material and having an air vent communicating with ambient air and a supply port for supplying printing liquid to the ink jet head. The container also includes a second chamber communicating with the first chamber via a communication port and providing a printing liquid reservoir for the first chamber. The capillary force provided by the negative pressure producing material adjacent a wall extending from the communication port and decreasing in a direction perpendicular to and towards the wall at least adjacent a part of the communication port which is uppermost in use of the container.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head is provided with a plurality of ink pathways and a plurality of ejection outlets in communication with the ink pathways. The ink jet recording head includes (a) a support member provided with a plurality of energy generating elements capable of generating energy to be utilized for ejecting ink through the ejection outlets, the energy generating elements being disposed in accordance with the ejection outlets; (b) a grooved top plate provided with a plurality of grooves to establish the ink pathways in accordance with the energy generating elements of the support member; and (c) a protruded member which is protruded above the surface of the grooved top plate. An ink cartridge includes the ink jet recording head and an ink container. An ink jet recording apparatus includes a control mechanism and the ink cartridge.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head detachably mountable to a main assembly of a recording apparatus includes ejection energy generating elements for generating energy for ejecting ink; wiring for supplying electric signals to the ejection energy generating elements; electric contacts, connected with the wiring, for receiving the electric signals; and an electric discharge path, provided at least a part of a periphery of the electric contacts, for releasing static electricity.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a base member, a first member having recesses and coupled with the base member to form ink passages using the recesses and a second member integral with the first member and extending at an angle from an end of the first member, the second member having ink ejection outlets communicating with the ink passages.

Abstract: A laser processing method comprises at least one of a laser light source, a beam shaping optical system for shaping laser beams, a mask having specific patterns corresponding to the processing configuration of a work, an illumination optical system for illuminating the mask, and a projection optical system for focusing the pattern images of the mask on the processing surface of the work by a specific magnification. This mask is provided with an extinct portion smaller than the quotient of the resolution and specific magnification of the projection optical system. With the method thus arranged, a work can be processed to provide complicated three-dimensional grooves having irregularities in the direction of laser irradiation by one-time processing. Also, the extinct portions make it possible to easily and finely adjust the extinction so that the precision of work processing is enhanced.

Abstract: An ink cartridge is described which is connectable to an ink jet recording head of an ink jet recording apparatus. The cartridge is generally formed by a front wall, a back wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls providing major inner surfaces of the cartridge. The cartridge includes a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber contains negative pressure producing material and has an ink outlet connectable to the ink jet head to supply ink from the cartridge to the ink jet head and an air vent for allowing air into the cartridge. The second chamber has a communication port adjacent to the bottom wall, and communicates with the first chamber through the communication port. The second chamber provides an ink reservoir for the first chamber. Inner corner portions, formed by intersection of the inner side of the side walls adjacent to the communication port and the bottom wall, and which extend toward the communication port, are rounded.

Abstract: A container for containing printing liquid for supplying to an ink jet head for an ink jet recording apparatus. The container includes first and second chambers, with the first chamber containing negative pressure producing material and having an air vent communicating with ambient air and a supply port for supplying printing liquid to the ink jet head. The second chamber communicates with the first chamber via a communication port and provides a printing liquid reservoir for the first chamber. In an area adjacent a wall extending from the communication port, a capillary force provided by the negative pressure producing material decreases in a direction perpendicular to and towards that wall at least adjacent a part of the communication port which is uppermost when the container is in use.

Abstract: An ink ejection recovery device including a cleaning blade for removing the ink adhered to the ejection orifice surface of a recording head further includes an ink removing mechanism, against which the cleaning blade is rubbed for removing the ink adhered to the cleaning blade itself, after wiping clean the ejection orifice surface; wherein the ink removing mechanism includes an ink transferring portion provided with a groove or a through hole, against which the cleaning blade is rubbed, and an ink absorbing member disposed in contact with the ink transferring portion.