Abstract: A carriage scanning period required for moving from completion position of printing of the preceding line to start position of printing of the next line is compared to a printing medium feeding period required for feeding a printing medium in a predetermined amount after printing in the preceding line. The carriage is temporarily decelerated and stopped after printing of the preceding line and maintained the carriage in stand-by state for a predetermined period so that scanning of carriage to the start position of printing of the next line after printing of the preceding line and feeding the printing medium for a predetermined amount are simultaneously completed when the carriage scanning period is less than the printing medium feeding period. The carriage is accelerated to reach the start position of printing of the next line at a predetermined speed. Thus, respective printing pattern can be printed at the minimum printing period.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ink tank containing ink; a recording head for performing recording by selectively ejecting ink; a mounting portion for mounting the ink tank and the recording head; a liquid passage coupling portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and the recording head for separating or connecting the ink passages in the ink tank and the recording head; a holding portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and recording head for guiding the ink tank to the recording head in order to hold them separably; and an electrically or mechanically connecting portion provided on either or both of the recording head and mounting portion for electrically or mechanically connecting the recording head to or separating it from the mounting portion.

Abstract: A device for detecting the presence or absence of a liquid, which is installed on an ink-jet recording apparatus, is configured to determine the presence or absence of ink in the ink flow path by detecting the reflection of light from a light transmission portion by irradiating light thereon. The light transmission portion is formed on at least a part of the ink path wall that forms the ink flow path for supplying ink to the recording head. As a result, it becomes possible for responding to consumer demands of designing a smaller version of the ink tank, a cost effective production thereof, and the like in addition to provide images with excellent image qualities.

Abstract: A carriage mechanism for carrying a recording head includes a carriage for carrying the recording head; a flexible cable for supplying a recording signal to the recording head; a head contact for establishing electric connection between the recording head and the carriage; a flexible cable pad on the flexible cable for contact with the head contact; and a common positioning portion engageable with the recording head, the flexible cable, the head contact and the flexible cable pad to simultaneously positioning them.

Abstract: A sheet discharge roller is formed from material having great rigidity such as metal and has discharge roller convey portions and discharge roller groove portions (circumferential grooves) to which spurs are opposed. The spurs are not contacted with the sheet discharge roller. The discharge roller convey portions are surface-finished to increase a friction force. There is provided a recording apparatus in which sheet conveying accuracy is improved without transferring ink to a sheet to thereby obtain a high quality image with high resolving power.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a carriage for carrying a recording head cartridge for effecting recording, and for conveying the recording head cartridge; and a guide for guiding the carriage within a range in which the carriage is conveyed. The carriage includes a slider slidable along the guide, and a contacting device for supporting the carriage by contact with the guide when a large force is imparted on the carriage, while remaining away from the guide during a normal conveying operation.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus has a recording head mounted on a carrier which is shifted by a stepping motor in recording. The stepping motor is also utilized as a power source of a recovery system device. The drive mode of the stepping motor for the recovery system is differentiated from that for the recording.

Abstract: In an ink jet recovery apparatus, a recovery operation of the recording head is performed by exhausting ink from the recording head. The recording apparatus has a waste ink storage tank to store the ink exhausted in the recovery operation. The amount of waste ink currently stored in the waste ink storage tank is calculated in accordance with the amount of ink exhausted up to the present, the elapsed time since the last recovery operation, and the amount of ink exhausted in the current recovery operation. The amount of ink stored in the waste ink storage tank can thus be accurately monitored, so that waste ink is not allowed to flow out of the storage tank. Users can be informed of overflow of the waste ink and thereby prompted to exchange the tank; space required for the tank can thus be reduced.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette has a case housing an ink ribbon inside. Holes for receiving positioning members are formed at the two ends of a front portion of the case, and an engaging member is formed at the center of a rear portion of the case. One of the positioning members also serves as an ink ribbon end detector. A printing apparatus for printing using such an ink ribbon cassette has a carriage, projections and a spring. Thus, the slackening of the ink ribbon will not occur in the printing mode.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ink tank containing ink; a recording head for performing recording by selectively ejecting ink; a mounting portion for mounting the ink tank and the recording head; a liquid passage coupling portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and the recording head for separating or connecting the ink passages in the ink tank and the recording head; a holding portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and recording head for guiding the ink tank to the recording head in order to hold them separably; and an electrically or mechanically connecting portion provided on either or both of the recording head and mounting portion for electrically or mechanically connecting the recording head to or separating it from the mounting portion.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ink tank containing ink; a recording head for performing recording by selectively ejecting ink; a mounting portion for mounting the ink tank and the recording head; a liquid passage coupling portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and the recording head for separating or connecting the ink passages in the ink tank and the recording head; a holding portion provided on either or both of the ink tank and recording head for guiding the ink tank to the recording head in order to hold them separably; and an electrically or mechanically connecting portion provided on either or both of the recording head and mounting portion for electrically or mechanically connecting the recording head to or separating it from the mounting portion.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette which is adapted to be demountably loaded on a recording apparatus having a recording head capable of recording information on a recording medium supported by a platen, the ink ribbon cassette has the following parts: a substantially box-shaped casing constituted by an upper case and a lower case which are connected to each other at their vertical walls, the casing having a first side wall facing the platen and a second side wall opposing the first side wall, a recessed portion formed in one end of the first side wall and capable of receiving the recording head, engaging portion provided on the second side wall and adapted for engagement with retaining member on the recording apparatus, a pair of through holes constituted by pairs of apertures formed in the portions of the upper and lower cases adjacent to the first side wall, the through holes being adapted for receiving locating members on the recording apparatus so as to locate the ink ribbon cassette, and a path of an ink ribbon ext

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium has a plurality of ink ribbon mounting portions on which a multicolor ink ribbon having inks of plural colors and a monochromatic ink ribbon having monochromatic ink can be mounted, a recording head for recording an image on the recording medium, an input circuit for designating the colors of the image to be recorded on the recording medium, and a control unit for controlling the image based on recording information to be recorded by the direction from said input means so that image recording is effected in a smaller number of the recording colors by the recording information. The unused amount of the color blocks on the ribbon is stored in memory to control efficient use of the ribbon.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for performing image recording on a recording medium by using an ink sheet having a plurality of colors of ink includes a recording head acting on the ink sheet to perform image recording on the recording medium, a first feeding unit for feeding the ink sheet through a clutch, a second feeding unit for feeding the ink sheet without going through the clutch, and a unit for selectively switching between the first feeding unit and the second feeding unit.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette includes a cassette case for housing an ink ribbon and feeding it along a feed path, an ink ribbon guide for guiding the ribbon along the ink path and a cantilevered spring member disposed at an intermediate portion of the feed path of the ink ribbon. The cantilevered spring member includes a frictioning portion for imparting a smaller tension to the ink ribbon when the ink ribbon is fed from a supply end to a take-up end, while imparting a greater tension to the ink ribbon when the ink ribbon is fed from the take-up end to the supply end. The spring member is provided at a free end with the frictioning portion and is bent at an intermediate portion such that a supported end of the spring member and the free end thereof face each other.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of image recording and image correction using a self-correction ribbon. In image recording the ribbon is lifted off from the recording sheet immediately after heating, while in correction the ribbon is lifted off with a delay from the sheet so that the ribbon develops sufficient adhesive force by cooling. The delay is caused by a lever member or the like, movable between a protruding position for correction and a retracted position for recording, and provided on an ink ribbon cassette or on the recording apparatus itself.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus capable of recording an image in different color tones and an ink sheet cassette suitable for use in such an image recording apparatus. The image recording apparatus, when used in combination with the ink sheet cassette, is capable of producing clear image in different recording color tones. The recording color tone can be changed by changing, in accordance with the color tone data, the condition of separation of the ink sheet from the recording medium.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette which is adapted to be demountably loaded on a recording apparatus having a recording head capable of recording information on a recording medium supported by a platen, the ink ribbon cassette has the following parts: a substantially box-shaped casing constituted by an upper case and a lower case which are connected to each other at their vertical walls, the casing having a first side wall facing the platen and a second side wall opposing the first side wall, a recessed portion formed in one end of the first side wall and capable of receiving the recording head, engaging portion provided on the second side wall and adapted for engagement with retaining member on the recording apparatus, a pair of through holes constituted by pairs of apertures formed in the portions of the upper and lower cases adjacent to the first side wall, the through holes being adapted for receiving locating members on the recording apparatus so as to locate the ink ribbon cassette, and a path of an ink ribbon ext

Abstract: A sheet conveying device provided with a detent mechanism and capable of effecting automatic feeding of the shet by the use of a drive source and also capable of effecting feeding of the sheet by manual operation, the sheet conveying device including a rotational member for conveying a sheet, a drive source for driving the rotational member, a drive transmitting device for transmitting the drive force of the drive source to the rotational member to rotate the rotational member by the drive force of the drive source, a manual operating member for manually driving the rotational member, a detent device producing a rotation restraining force, a restraining force transmitting device for transmitting the restraining force from the detent device, and apparatus for connecting and disconnecting the restraining force transmitting device and the drive transmitting device.

Abstract: A printer has a platen for holding a recording paper sheet, a thermal head which is arranged to oppose the platen and which is urged against and prints on the paper sheet in response to a recording signal, a pivot lever for urging or separating the thermal head against or from the platen, a drive source for moving one of the thermal head and the paper sheet relative to the other, so that a new recording surface of the paper sheet sequentially opposes a front surface of the thermal head, a slide clutch for feeding an ink ribbon guided between the paper sheet and the thermal head, and an intermediate rotary body driven by a straight rail member, both of which are interposed between and couple the slide clutch and the drive source, thereby actuating the slide clutch when the thermal head is urged against the platen.