Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an ink circulation device comprises an ink supply section, an ink return section, an ink circulation pump, a filter and a bypass section. The filter partitions an upstream side ink flow path arranged between an ejection section of the ink circulation pump and the ink supply section into a first flow path communicating with the ejection section of the ink circulation pump and a second flow path communicating with the ink supply section. The bypass section is arranged at the upper part of a vertical direction with respect to the filter, directly communicates the first flow path with a downstream side ink flow path arranged between the ink return section and a suction section of the ink circulation pump. An inkjet recording device of the present embodiment comprises the foregoing ink circulation device.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an ink circulation device comprises a pressure chamber including at least two flow holes through which ink flows; a piezoelectric vibration plate constituting a part of a wall of the pressure chamber and to be driven to increase or decrease an inner volume of the pressure chamber; a valve for opening and closing at least one of the two flow holes; a heater affixed on the piezoelectric vibration plate; and a connection section connecting the pressure chamber to an inkjet head.

Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a liquid chamber connected with a liquid discharge section that discharges liquid and able to hold the liquid; a circulation section configured to circulate the liquid in a flow path containing the liquid chamber and the liquid discharge section; a liquid replenishment section configured to replenish the liquid to the liquid chamber; a gas control section configured to be able to pressurize or decompress the liquid chamber; and a control section configured to replenish the liquid through the liquid replenishment section in a case in which pressure of the liquid discharge section is in a predetermined reference range and lower than a predetermined threshold value, pressurize the liquid discharge section by pressurizing the liquid chamber through the gas control section in a case in which the pressure is lower than the reference range.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment includes an ink jet head, a diaphragm-type first pump, a diaphragm-type second pump and a control device. The inkjet head ejects ink to an image receiving medium. The first pump supplies ink introduced from an ink storage section to the ink jet head. The second pump sucks ink that is not discharged from the ink jet head and discharges the sucked ink to a discharge chamber adjacent to a discharge section of the first pump at the upstream part of an ink supply path connected with the ink jet head. The control device drives the first pump and the second pump with same-phase driving voltage waveforms to make discharge timing of the first pump matching with that of the second pump.

Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a liquid chamber connected with a liquid discharge section that discharges liquid and able to hold the liquid; a circulation section configured to circulate the liquid in a flow path containing the liquid chamber and the liquid discharge section; a liquid replenishment section configured to replenish the liquid to the liquid chamber; a gas control section configured to be able to pressurize or decompress the liquid chamber; and a control section configured to replenish the liquid through the liquid replenishment section in a case in which pressure of the liquid discharge section is in a predetermined reference range and lower than a predetermined threshold value, pressurize the liquid discharge section by pressurizing the liquid chamber through the gas control section in a case in which the pressure is lower than the reference range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material that is not thermally decolorizable; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material that is thermally decolorizable; a fixing device which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a controller which controls the fixing device so that a temperature of the fixing device is lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material when the second recording medium reaches the fixing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material.

Abstract: A liquid pump includes a piezoelectric pump unit and a control unit. The piezoelectric pump unit includes an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber formed between the inlet and the outlet, and a wall of the chamber includes a piezoelectric member. The control unit is configured to apply to the piezoelectric member, a first voltage in a polarization direction of the piezoelectric member and a second voltage in a direction opposite to the polarization direction, such that the piezoelectric member is deformed. The first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

Abstract: A liquid pump includes a piezoelectric pump unit and a control unit. The piezoelectric pump unit includes an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber formed between the inlet and the outlet, and a wall of the chamber includes a piezoelectric member. The control unit is configured to apply to the piezoelectric member, a first voltage in a polarization direction of the piezoelectric member and a second voltage in a direction opposite to the polarization direction, such that the piezoelectric member is deformed. The first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material that is not thermally decolorizable; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material that is thermally decolorizable; a fixing device which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a controller which controls the fixing device so that a temperature of the fixing device is lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material when the second recording medium reaches the fixing device.

Abstract: An inkjet apparatus includes a head configured to discharge liquid through a plurality of nozzles, a tank configured to store the liquid, a circulation device positioned between the tank and the head and including a supply passage by which the liquid is circulated from the tank to the head and a return passage by which the liquid is circulated from the head to the tank, a temperature detecting unit configured to detect a temperature of the circulated liquid, and a control unit configured to control a flow rate of the circulated liquid, based on a detection result of the temperature detecting unit.

Abstract: A liquid pump includes a piezoelectric pump unit and a control unit. The piezoelectric pump unit includes an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber formed between the inlet and the outlet, and a wall of the chamber includes a piezoelectric member. The control unit is configured to apply to the piezoelectric member, a first voltage in a polarization direction of the piezoelectric member and a second voltage in a direction opposite to the polarization direction, such that the piezoelectric member is deformed. The first voltage is greater than the second voltage.

Abstract: An endless belt for an image forming device includes a base member that is shaped in a loop and is to be rotated around a center of the loop, and a reinforcement tape that is attached to a side of the base member, has two ends that are overlapped with each other, and has a bonding portion between the two ends in the overlapped portion. The bonding portion has an outer portion, an inner portion and a center portion between the inner and outer portions. A length of the center portion in a rotating direction of the base member is greater than a length of the inner portion and a length of the outer portion.

Abstract: A piezoelectric pump includes a housing, a first valve member, and a second valve member. The housing includes an inlet, a first chamber, a second chamber having a wall made of piezoelectric material, a third chamber, and an outlet connected in this order. The first valve member is disposed entirely within the first chamber and movable between a first position at which the first valve member is disposed entirely within the first chamber and fluid in the inlet flows into the first chamber, and a second position at which the first valve member is disposed entirely within the first chamber and the fluid in the inlet is prevented from flowing into the first chamber. The second valve member is disposed similarly to the first valve member.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image data acquiring unit that acquires image data of an image formed on a sheet; an identification information acquiring unit that acquires identification information that identifies the sheet on which the image is formed; an image forming unit that forms an image based on the image data on the sheet with a decolorable colorant which becomes colorless by a predetermined chemical reaction and that forms an identification information image based on the identification information on the sheet with a non-decolorable colorant which does not become colorless by the chemical reaction; and a storage control unit that stores the identification information and the image data of the image to be formed on the sheet, on which the identification information image corresponding to the identification information is formed, in a predetermined storage region in a correlated manner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head has a pressure chamber for storing an ink, an actuator for changing the volume of the pressure chamber, and a nozzle through which the ink stored in the pressure chamber is ejected when the volume of the pressure chamber is changed. Additionally, the inkjet head has a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the ink and a controller for controlling the actuator by outputting an ejecting waveform. The ejecting waveform sequentially includes an expansion pulse, a first contraction pulse, and a second contraction pulse. The controller changes the pulse width or voltage value of the second contraction pulse when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor changes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material.

Abstract: A piezoelectric pump includes a housing, a first valve member, and a second valve member. The housing includes an inlet, a first chamber, a second chamber having a wall made of piezoelectric material, a third chamber, and an outlet connected in this order. The first valve member is disposed entirely within the first chamber and movable between a first position at which the first valve member is disposed entirely within the first chamber and fluid in the inlet flows into the first chamber, and a second position at which the first valve member is disposed entirely within the first chamber and the fluid in the inlet is prevented from flowing into the first chamber. The second valve member is disposed similarly to the first valve member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material that is not thermally decolorizable; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material that is thermally decolorizable; a fixing device which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a controller which controls the fixing device so that a temperature of the fixing device is lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material when the second recording medium reaches the fixing device.