Abstract: An ink jet head includes a plurality of liquid flow paths for ejecting the ink; and a plurality of heat generating resistors for the respective liquid flow paths, the heat generating resistor being independently drivable; wherein adjacent ones of the heat generating resistors are spaced by not more than 8 microns.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an ink container mountable to an ink jet apparatus in which the ink container includes an ink supply port, an air vent which has an inside opening which opens to an inside of the ink container, a groove functioning as an outside opening and extended from the inside opening, and a wall except in a region functioning as an outside opening around the groove. According to the method, a seal member is positioned to a position corresponding to the ink supply port and the air vent, and the wall is thereafter collapsed through the seal member by a welding horn. By virtue of this method, a cover is thus provided in the wall above the groove to form a fluid communication path for fluid communication between the inside opening and the outside opening, with simultaneous welding of the seal member by heat.

Abstract: An electrophotographic carrier, which has high charging characteristics and an excellent durability, does not dull a color image and has an excellent moisture resistance is provided. A process for the production of the carrier and a developing agent for electrophotography using the carrier are also provided. The electrophotographic carrier comprises a carrier core material provided with magnetism and a coating layer formed on the surface of the carrier core material, the coating layer containing at least a hydrophobic white conductive material and a high molecular weight polyethylene resin.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide a substrate for an ink jet recording head, which is compact and can realize stable recording with high reliability, a recording head using the substrate, a recording apparatus mounting the recording head, and a method of driving the recording head. There are disclosed a substrate for a thermal recording head, having a plurality of heating resistor elements, a plurality of wiring electrodes for supplying driving signals to the heating resistor elements, a function element, electrically connected to the heating resistor elements, for selectively driving the plurality of heating resistor elements, and a measurement resistor element which is electrically independent form the heating resistor elements and the function element, and haws a resistance value larger than that of each heating resistor element, an ink jet head, a head cartridge, and a recording apparatus utilizing the substrate, and a method of driving a recording head using a measurement resistor.

Abstract: A carrier for electrophotography includes a carrier core material provided with magnetism and a coating layer which coats the surface of the carrier core material and includes a high molecular weight polyethylene resin having a weight average molecular weight of 50,000 or more. An outermost layer containing a magnetic powder having a three-dimensional form of a convex polyhedron is formed on the outermost surface of the coating layer.

Abstract: An ink-jet ink cartridge having an ink containing portion for containing the ink to be supplied to an ink-jet head, and a lid for covering the ink containing portion, characterized in that a wall of the ink containing portion and one face of the lid are welded together owing to frictional heat by vibration.

Abstract: An ink jet head has a first member having a plurality of energy generating elements for generating energy necessary for ejecting ink, a second member having a plurality of grooves separated by land portions, the grooves constituting an array of ink channels leading to an array of ink ejecting openings and the land portions constituting ink channel walls separating the ink channels, and a pressing member for pressing the first member and the second member to each other, thereby joining these members so that the ink channels are formed by cooperation between the first member and grooves in said second member. The height of ink channel walls is varied such that it is smaller at both end regions of the array of ink channels than at the central regions of the array of ink channels.

Abstract: A printing head has a plurality of heater boards, each of which includes a shift register to which printing data and selection data for selecting preheating pulse signals are applied as inputs, a latch circuit for latching the printing data, a selection-data latch circuit for latching the selection data, a selection circuit for selecting any one of a plurality of preheating pulse signals inputted in accordance with the latched selection data, and a plurality of heating resistors driven by the printing data or preheating pulse signals. Correction data, obtained by a head correcting apparatus, for performing printing at an average density by correcting the characteristics of each heater board is stored in a memory of the printing head. A printing apparatus decides the selection data in accordance with the correction data and sets the selection data in the selection-data latch circuit.

Abstract: An ink tank package container includes a first receiver for receiving an ink tank having an atmosphere communication opening and an ink supply port, a second receiver for receiving the first receiver, the second receiver having an opening portion, and at least one seal member for sealing the atmosphere communication and the ink supply port, a part of the seal member being exposed through the opening portion of the second receiver. The atmosphere communication and ink supply port are unsealed by pulling out the exposed part of the seal member.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a plurality of ejection orifices for ejecting ink; a common liquid chamber for storing temporarily the ink to be supplied to each of the ejection orifices; a plurality of ink passages, being separated by liquid passage walls, and each of which connects one of the ejection orifices to the common liquid chamber; and a plurality of energy generating elements provided one for one in each of the ink passages for generating energy to eject the ink from each of the ejection orifices; wherein the ejection orifices are grouped into a plurality of control blocks comprising a predetermined number of the ejection orifices in sequence so that the energy generating elements are driven by the block; and wherein walls are provided in the common liquid chamber, at the dividing lines between the control blocks, for impeding the ink movement in the liquid chamber, between the adjacent blocks.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes ink ejection outlet for ejecting ink, a plurality of heat generating resistors for generating thermal energy contributable to ejecting the ink, and ink flow path comprising the plurality of the heat generating resistors and being in fluid communication with the ejection outlet, the heat generating resistors generating the thermal energy upon receiving a driving signal, so that a bubble is generated in the ink within the ink flow path to eject the ink through the ink ejection outlet; wherein the plurality of the heat generating resistors are arranged in parallel, relative to the ink ejecting direction, in the ink flow path, and the distances from the heat generating centers of the heat generating resistors to the ejection outlet are different.

Abstract: An ink container includes an ink absorbing material accommodating chamber for accommodating an ink absorbing material for retaining ink to be supplied to a recording head; an ink supply opening connectable with said recording head to supply the ink to the recording head from said accommodating chamber; an air vent portion for fluid communication between said accommodating chamber with ambience; wherein said air vent portion has an inside opening in fluid communication with an inside of said accommodating chamber, an outside opening open to the ambience, and a fluid communication path in fluid communication with said inside opening and outside opening; wherein said outside opening takes, when said container is mounted on an apparatus with which it is usable, a position lower than that taken by said inside opening.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide a substrate for an ink jet recording head, which is compact and can realize stable recording with high reliability, a recording head using the substrate, a recording apparatus mounting the recording head, and a method of driving the recording head.There are disclosed a substrate for a thermal recording head, having a plurality of heating resistor elements, a plurality of wiring electrodes for supplying driving signals to the heating resistor elements, a function element, electrically connected to the heating resistor elements, for selectively driving the plurality of heating resistor elements, and a measurement resistor element which is electrically independent from the heating resistor elements and the function element, and has a resistance value larger than that of each heating resistor element, an ink jet head, a head cartridge, and a recording apparatus utilizing the substrate, and a method of driving a recording head using a measurement resistor.

Abstract: A driving voltage of a discharging heater in an ink jet recording head is set according to property of the individual recording head. More specifically, sub-heaters are formed on a board on which discharging heaters are formed, by a same process as that for the discharging heaters. Resistance values of the sub-heaters are read so that the driving voltage of the discharging heaters can be set on the basis of the read resistance values.

Abstract: A printhead capable of informing a printer of existence or absence of ink so as to prevent an ink discharge failure without increasing manufacturing cost and causing increase in size, and a printer using the printhead capable of performing printing operation at high speed without any heavy processing load and causing increase in size are disclosed. This printhead comprises an ink sensor or a thermosensor including a circuit for processing an output signal from the sensor, and outputs a processed result of the output signal from the sensor to a control circuit of the printing apparatus. The control circuit of the printing apparatus controls so as to terminate a printing operation in accordance with a signal level of the inputted signal, and to start an ink suction recovery operation.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a plurality of liquid flow paths for ejecting the ink; and a plurality of heat generating resistors for the respective liquid flow paths, the heat generating resistor being independently drivable; wherein adjacent ones of the heat generating resistors are spaced by not more than 8 microns.

Abstract: An ink container includes an ink absorbing material accommodating chamber for accommodating an ink absorbing material for retaining ink to be supplied to a recording head; an ink supply opening connectable with said recording head to supply the ink to the recording head from said accommodating chamber; an air vent portion for fluid communication between said accommodating chamber with ambience; wherein said air vent portion has an inside opening in fluid communication with an inside of said accommodating chamber, an outside opening open to the ambience, and a fluid communication path in fluid communication with said inside opening and outside opening; wherein said outside opening takes, when-said container is mounted on an apparatus with which it is usable, a position lower than that taken by said inside opening.

Abstract: A recording head utilizes an AND circuit which performs logical product between inputs from signal input terminals and a warning signal output terminal which outputs a result of the AND circuit. A recording apparatus in which the recording head is installed has a control circuit which supplies a high level signal to the signal input terminals and which inputs a warning signal from the warning signal output terminal. The control circuit judges that the contact of the recording apparatus with the recording head is good if the warning signal is a high level, or judges that the contact is poor if it is not so.

Abstract: An ink jet head has a substrate on which ejection energy generating elements are provided, and a ceiling plate having a plurality of grooves for forming ink passages. The ceiling plate is pressed against the substrate by a pressing member, i.e., a spring. To improve the ejection performance of the ink jet head, the contact portion of the ceiling plate pressed by the pressing member is divided into a plurality of portions.