Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet nozzle plate with ink jet nozzles, including providing a first mold formed with spaced-apart recesses; providing inlay material in the spaced-apart recesses; attaching a base to the inlay material; separating the first mold from the inlay material and the base, thereby forming a final mold having a plurality of inlay material protrusions over the base, the protrusions and base defining the shape and the size of the ink jet nozzles; providing plate forming material between the protrusions and over the base in the final mold; and releasing the plate forming material to form an ink jet nozzle plate having a plurality of ink jet nozzles.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an image on a receiver in response to a digital image includes print heads for transferring colorant to the receiver. The receivers are stored in a receiver supply device in a humidity controlled environment. A receiver transport mechanism moves the receiver to a position where the print heads transfer colorant to the receiver to form an image on the receiver.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming durable polymer protection film over a photographic image on a receiver includes an ink jet print head for ejecting a polymer protection fluid which when dried forms a film and the apparatus positions the receiver relative to the ink jet print head and causing the ink jet print head to apply the polymer fluid over the photographic image to form a polymer protection film when the fluid dries for protecting the photographic image.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a layer having a surface texture in response to a surface texture signal includes a fluid ejection head adapted to deliver polymer fluid. The apparatus positions a receiver relative to the fluid ejection head and such receiver having a preformed image, and causes the fluid ejection head to deliver polymer fluid over the image in accordance with the surface texture signal so that a solid polymer layer having a desired surface texture is formed over the image.

Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus for forming an ink image on a receiver in response to a digital image includes at least one moveable ink jet print bar which is adapted to deliver ink to the receiver at an image transfer position to print at least a portion of a line at a time across the width of the receiver. The receiver is moved along a path past the ink jet print bar at the image transfer position. A detector unit disposed adjacent to the path detects receiver skew relative to the ink jet print bar and producing a signal representative of the receiver skew. Alignment structure coupled to the print bar is responsive to the signal for adjusting the position of the print bar to compensate for receiver skew, and a control unit is responsive to the digital image after the ink jet print bar has been positioned for actuating the ink jet print bar to form an ink image on the receiver. The alignment structure may also position the print bar to change the image resolution.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for producing an image on an ink receiver in response to an input image includes at least one ink reservoir for providing ink for printing the image; a print head means coupled to an ink receiver and at least one ink reservoir, for disposing ink spots on the ink receiver; a fluid reservoir for providing a hardening fluid for treating the ink spots disposed on the receiver; and a spray bar coupled to the ink receiver and the fluid reservoir, for depositing the hardening fluid on the ink spots disposed on the ink receiver thereby improving the stability, durability, and quality of the image.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an image, comprising a storage for storing a digitized image and a receiver. The receiver includes a matrix, a thermomeltable material disposed in the matrix having a transition temperature range which is above room temperature wherein the viscosity of the thermomeltable material decreases substantially from below to above the transition temperature range, and field-driven particles immersed in the thermomeltable material, so that the particles change optical densities in response to an applied electric field when the thermomeltable material is above the transition temperature range and is stable at temperatures below the transition temperature range. An array of electrodes selectively applies electric fields at an image forming position on the receiver. The apparatus heats the receiver to control the temperature of the receiver to control the response of the field-driven particles in the receiver.

Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus for forming a plurality of ink images on a receiver and for cutting the receiver to form separate prints of such ink images in response to a digital image file including at least one digital image, includes at least one ink jet print head adapted to deliver ink to the receiver for moving the ink jet print head in one or more passes to form ink images on a receiver. The receiver is moved along a first receiver path past the ink jet print head. Control circuitry responsive to one or more digital image files for actuating the ink jet print head to form a plurality of ink images on the receiver. A first actuatable receiver cutter responds to the control circuitry and cuts the receiver across the first receiver path. The receiver is moved along a second receiver path that is perpendicular to the first receiver path.

Abstract: A drop-on-demand ink jet printing apparatus for printing proof images and then producing at least one lithographic printing plate in response to an input image includes a computer adapted to receive the input digital image and a plurality of ink reservoirs for providing inks of different colors for printing proof images and at least one lithographic ink reservoir for producing a lithographic printing plate. First print heads coupled to a proof image receiver and responsive to the computer for transferring particular inks onto the proof image receiver for producing proof images; and a second print head responsive to the computer for transferring lithographic ink from the lithographic ink reservoir to form an image pattern on the lithographic printing plate.

Abstract: An electronic camera for producing a digital image and a multimode microfluidic printing device for printing such digital image including a parallel associative interface structure having an image sensor in the camera for producing digital images and a microfluidic printing device including a plurality of colored ink reservoirs including several reservoirs for containing different colorants and a plurality of colorant delivery chambers. Circuitry responds to digital image produced by the sensor for image processing the digital image produced by the image sensor for controlling the microfluidic printing device to deliver colorants from the delivery chambers to an image transfer position. An image receiving medium is delivered to such medium to produce a visual image of the digital image.

Abstract: A microfluidic printing apparatus responsive to an image file for printing a plurality of pixels on a receiver. The apparatus includes a plurality of colorant delivery chambers which contain colorants having mobile ions; and channels for delivering colorants to each colorant delivery chamber. A structure for colorant delivery is connected to the channels for controlling the amount of colorants delivered to the colorant delivery chambers. Electric drivers associated with the microfluidic pumps and the microvalves and which operate the microvalves and the microfluidic pumps for delivering the colorant to the colorant delivery chambers.

Abstract: Apparatus for embedding information in a digital image digitized from a developed photographic film in response to a film property and information to be embedded into the digital image includes a scanner for scanning the image on the developed photographic film to produce the digital image. The apparatus stores the film property and has input circuitry for storing information associated with the image and to be embedded in the digital image. The apparatus responds to the stored the film property and the associated information for modifying a predetermined number of pixel values with the associated information in the digital image so that the associated information is embedded in the digital image, wherein the embedded information can subsequently be extracted.

Abstract: A method for microfluidic printing continuous tone color pixels on a reflective receiver by using cyan, magenta, and yellow inks including supplying a fourth, colorless ink along with the cyan, magenta, and yellow inks needed for color printing; pumping the inks through capillary microchannels by microfluidic pumps; mixing the correct amount of colorless ink with the cyan, magenta, or yellow inks to produce both the correct hue and tone scale for each colored pixel; and transferring the colored pixels of mixed ink to the reflective receiver to form colored pixels on the receiver.

Abstract: A electronic printing apparatus includes memory for storing a digitized image. A receiver is transported to an image forming position, the receiver including field-driven particles in a matrix that can change reflective density in response to an applied electric field. The apparatus further includes an array of electrodes for selectively applying electric fields at the image forming position across the receiver; a heater for heating the receiver to increase the temperature of the matrix so as to increase the mobility of the field-driven particles in the matrix; and electronic control circuitry coupled to the array for selectively applying voltages to the array so that fields are applied at the image forming position to the heated field-driven particles at particular locations on the receiver corresponding to pixels in response to the stored image whereby the electrode produces an image in the receiver corresponding to the stored image in the receiver.

Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus for forming a plurality of ink images on a receiver and for cutting the receiver to form separate prints of such ink images in response to a digital image file including at least one digital image includes at least one ink jet print head adapted to deliver ink to the receiver. The receiver is moved along a first receiver path past the ink jet print head. Control circuitry is responsive to one or more digital image files for actuating the ink jet print head to form a plurality of ink images on the receiver. A first actuatable receiver cutter responds to the control circuitry. The receiver is moved along a second path that is perpendicular to the first receiver path. A second actuatable cutter responsive to the control circuitry is disposed at a predetermined position relative to the second receiver path for sequentially cutting the receiver to form separate prints each having at least one ink image.

Abstract: A image display and audio device includes a display image and a sensor coupled to the display image for producing an output signal which varies according to the acceleration or orientation of the display image; and an audio producing structure which responds to the output signal generated by the sensor which corresponds to visual information produced on the display image.

Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus for forming a borderless image on a receiver in response to a digital image file having a digital image and the desired size of the image to be formed, including an ink jet print bar for delivering ink to the receiver and disposed at an image transfer position. The apparatus moves the receiver along a path onto a platen past the ink jet print bar at the image transfer position; a receiver detector unit disposed adjacent to the path for detecting the leading edge of the receiver prior to its moving to the image transfer position; a receiver cutter for cutting the receiver to an appropriate size; and control circuitry responsive to the digital image file for determining the appropriate size of the borderless image on the receiver and for actuating the ink jet printer to cause an ink image to be formed on the receiver as it moves past the image transfer position and for actuating the receiver cutter to cut the receiver so a borderless image is formed on the receiver.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus and method adapted to control ink droplet volume and void formation. The apparatus includes an ink jet print head having a nozzle for ejecting an ink droplet therefrom. A heater element is in heat transfer communication with the ink droplet for variably supplying heat energy to the ink droplet, so that the volume of the ink droplet is controlled as the heat energy is variably supplied to the ink droplet. A controller is connected to the heater element for variably controlling the heat energy supplied to the ink droplet. The controller variably controls the heat energy by variably controlling a plurality of voltage pulses sequentially supplied to the heater element. Moreover, in order to reduce the potential for void formation in the ink droplet, the pulses are spaced-apart by a predetermined delay interval.

Abstract: Apparatus responsive to an input image for forming an optical structure such as a lens array on a receiver including a fluid delivery chamber having a fluid capable of forming the optical structure. The apparatus enables the fluid chamber to deliver fluid to the receiver to form the optical structure; fluid channel for delivering fluid to the fluid delivery chamber; and fluid flow regulation for regulating the fluid flow to the fluid delivery chamber and from the delivery chamber to the receiver in response to the values of the input image and for positioning the receiver relative to the delivery chamber so as to form the desired optical structure.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus adapted to producing images using inks having predetermined concentrations of a magnetic label material therein, includes a printhead; an ink delivery system adapted to provide inks to the printhead; and a magnetic sensor associated with the ink delivery system, said sensor being sensitive to the magnetic label material in the ink and adapted to produce a signal which is characteristic of the concentration of the label material in the ink; wherein said magnetic sensor includes a horseshoe permanent magnet having first and second pole faces and a pair of magnetic field sensors located symmetrically between said pole faces having their axes of magnetic field sensitivity aligned perpendicular to the fixed field of said permanent magnet such that no signal is produced from said fixed field.