Abstract: The present invention provides a head driving device and method capable of ejecting a necessary amount of a viscous body from a head including a pressure generating element, such as a piezoelectric element, a droplet ejecting apparatus including the head driving device, a head driving program, and a device manufacturing method including, as one manufacturing step, a step of ejecting a viscous body using the method. The invention can be achieved by applying a drive signal COM to a pressure generating element, such as a piezoelectric element included in a head. A clock signal can be supplied to a drive signal generating circuit that generates the drive signal COM. The drive signal generating circuit generates the drive signal in synchronization with the clock signal.

Abstract: A color ink-jet printer including a black-ink ejecting portion operable to eject droplets of a black ink, an other-color-ink ejecting portion operable to eject droplets of one of yellow, magenta and cyan inks, a first control portion operable to control the black-ink ejecting portion such that a total volume of at least one droplet of the blank ink which forms each blank ink dot is equal to a selected one of a plurality of different total volume values, and a second control portion operable to control the other-color-ink ejecting portion such that a total volume of at least one droplet of the ink of a color other than black, which forms each dot of that color, is equal to another of the different total volume values which is smaller than the value selected for the black ink. The first and second control portions are operable to select the respective different total volume values according to a presently selected print mode, or a gray-scale value at each picture element of an image to be printed.

Abstract: One embodiment of a system is provided for sampling droplet placement in a printing mechanism having a printhead assembly that supports a printhead, wherein the system includes a test media holder removably coupled to the printhead assembly during sampling and a test media supported by the holder to receive sample droplets from the printhead

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which can control reciprocation of a carriage and paper feed in a highly accurate manner and form an image of high quality even when paper skews or paper of a different type from that of the paper set is supplied. An ink jet printer (1) provided with motion sensor (70) in a carriage (31) determines the type of paper (P) by using a paper position signal output by the motion sensor (70) and changes printing conditions in accordance with the type of paper. Also, the ink jet printer (1) calculates a moving amount of the carriage (31), a feed amount and a deviation amount of the paper (P), and controls the reciprocation of the carriage (31) and the feeding of the paper (P) based on calculated values.

Abstract: A method of producing a drop discharge head comprising the steps of; providing a silicon substrate; forming a channel-forming element from the silicon substrate having a pressure chamber for containing a fluid to be pressurized, and a nozzle-communicating channel for conducting the pressurized fluid to a nozzle, wherein the nozzle-communicating channel is formed by anisotropic etching of the silicon substrate after forming a non-through hole by dry etching of the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A liquid drop discharge head includes a chip (21) that is formed by separation of a silicon water (20). The silicon wafer (20) has a first direction and a second direction which are mutually intersected. The chip (21) is separated from the silicon wafer (20) by etching the wafer along a separation line (22) parallel to the first direction of the wafer and by dicing the wafer (20) along a separation line (23) parallel to the second direction of the wafer.

Abstract: An ink-jet line printer (30) is constituted by multiple ink-jet heads (1-1 to 1-3). Actuators (3-1 to 3-3) are arranged so as to be moved between a home position and a print position, and backup mechanisms (2-1 to 2-3) are arranged at home positions. In this ink-jet line printer, the ink-jet heads can be protected and recovered by backup mechanisms, thus making high-speed continuous printing possible. Even though the backup mechanisms are incorporated, a compact apparatus can still be achieved.

Abstract: A provides a technique for efficient nozzle testing and cleaning in a printing device equipped with a plurality of nozzle groups. Nozzle ejection testing is performed, and on the basis of ejection testing results, a nozzle group is selected as a target for cleaning, and cleaning is performed on the targeted nozzle group, whereby nozzle groups may be cleaned efficiently.

Abstract: A printhead capping assembly includes a cap holder, a printhead cap and a pin. The pin includes a head and a shaft. The shaft has a proximal end and a distal end, with the proximal end being adjacent to the head. The head has an outer periphery, and a bottom surface extending outwardly from the shaft toward the outer periphery. The pin has a channel including a first channel portion and a second channel portion. The first channel portion extends from the outer periphery of the head to the shaft. The first channel portion is connected to the second channel portion. The pin is inserted through the second hole and into the first hole to place the head in contact with the second base of the printhead cap. The second base of the printhead cap seals along the first channel portion to define a first vent path portion.

Abstract: A printer maintenance apparatus, includes: a mounting base movable forward and backward between a maintenance position and a retraction position; a wiping mechanism mounted on the mounting base and including a wiper base and a wiper; and a capping mechanism mounted on the mounting base including a cap base and a cap. The cap base moves toward the nozzle surface to move the cap to cover the nozzle surface when the mounting base is at the maintenance position. The cap base moves retractably from the nozzle surface when the mounting base moves from the maintenance position. The wiper base moves toward the nozzle surface to bring the wiper into contact with the nozzle surface when the mounting base is at the maintenance position. The wiper base keeps the wiper in contact with the nozzle surface while the mounting base moves backward from the maintenance position.

Abstract: An office machine. The office machine includes a main body, a shaft, a recording head, a driving wheel, a driven wheel, a tension buffer and a transmission belt. The shaft is disposed on the main body. The recording head is slidably disposed on the shaft. The driving and driven wheels are disposed on each end of the shaft respectively. The tension buffer is disposed on the main body and includes a sleeve, a wheel mount, and a resilient member. The sleeve is disposed on the main body and has a cavity. The wheel mount is disposed in the cavity and connected to the driven wheel. The resilient member is disposed between the sleeve and the wheel mount to move the wheel mount sliding in the sleeve. The transmission belt is disposed between Transmission and driven wheels and joined with the recording head. The driving wheel drives the transmission belt such that the recording head slides on the shaft.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and methods for manufacturing an optical member, such as a color filter, using a scanning ink-jet head, where all nozzles of the ink-jet head precisely scan formation regions of pixels. In accordance with the invention, the accuracy of discharge position of ink from each nozzle is increased, the utilization of the nozzle (printing efficiency) is heightened, variations in color from pixel to pixel are controlled, and optical characteristics of an optical member is thus made uniform in plan view. In the method for manufacturing a color filter, a plurality ink-jet heads 22, each head having a plurality of nozzles 27, performs a main scan and a sub scan.

Abstract: A printhead assembly with an elongate support member and two or more printhead modules detachably mounted in series along the support member, the support member having a structural component for strengthening the member, and a mounting component for mounting the printhead modules; wherein,

Abstract: A page width printhead assembly (1) for a digital inkjet printer has a support member that can be secured in the printer, and a printhead (2) that can be mounted to the support member. The support member has a core with at least one ink reservoir (6, 7, 8 and 9) enclosed within a laminated shell (4). The materials and structure of the shell (4) and the core (5) are selected and configured so that the co-efficient of thermal expansion of the support member as a whole is substantially equal to that of the printhead (2).

Abstract: A page width printhead assembly (1) for a digital inkjet printer has a support member that can be secured in the printer, and a printhead (2) that can be mounted to the support member. The support member has a core with at least one ink reservoir (6, 7, 8 and 9) enclosed within a laminated shell (4). The materials and structure of the shell (4) and the core (5) are selected and configured so that the co-efficient of thermal expansion of the support member as a whole is substantially equal to that of the printhead (2).

Abstract: A nozzle guard (80) for an ink jet printer printhead with an array (14) of nozzles (10). The nozzle guard (80) has an array of apertures (84) individually corresponding to the nozzle array (14). The ink droplets are ejected through the apertures (84) and onto the media to be printed. A wiper blade (143) sweeps dust and residual ink (144) stuck to the exterior surface (142) of the nozzle guard (80) characterized in that the exterior surface has one or more recesses (146) encompassing a group or pod of the apertures (84) to prevent the wiper blade (143) from engaging the exterior surface (142) immediately adjacent any of the apertures (84) in the pod.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting device and method control the flying characteristic of liquid while enabling stable ejection of the liquid, without shortening the life of bubble producing units (heating resistors). The liquid ejecting device has heads each including liquid ejecting portions arranged in parallel which each include a liquid cell, bisected heating resistors in the liquid cell which produce bubbles in liquid in the liquid cell in response to the supply of energy, and a nozzle for ejecting the liquid in the liquid cell by using the bubbles produced by the heating resistors. The heating resistors are supplied with energy, and a difference is set between a manner of supplying energy to one heating resistor and a manner of supplying energy to the other heating resistor. Based on the difference, a flying characteristic of the liquid ejected from the nozzle is controlled.

Abstract: An ink jet cartridge and an ink tank are provided which can prevent an inappropriate ink tank from being mounted on the mounting portion of the tank holder. To this end, the tank holder has a tank mounting portion on which the ink tank is mounted. The tank mounting portion has a raised portion and the ink tank is formed with a notched portion. Moving the ink tank in a roughly pivotal motion by engaging the notched portion over the raised portion can connect the ink supply ports to the ink introduction portions. Now the mounting process is complete.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes a number of nozzle devices formed on a substrate. Each nozzle device has a nozzle chamber, a nozzle opening through which ink from the nozzle chamber is ejected, a movable element in contact with ink in the nozzle chamber to cause the ejection of ink and thermal bend actuator. The thermal bend actuator has a proximal end anchored to the substrate and a distal end connected to the movable element. The actuator includes a first portion adjacent the proximal end and having a conducting heating circuit layer for heating the actuator. A second end portion of the actuator extends to the movable element and is in contact with ink in the chamber. A dielectric slot electrically isolates the first and second portions so that electric energy in the heating circuit layer is not conducted by the actuator to the ink in the chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described that may be used to provide decoupled rotation of structures about different pivot points. The apparatus may include one or more fixed blades mounted to a frame or substrate, one or more movable blades mounted to each structure to be moved, and flexures on which the structures are suspended. Separate movable blades may be provided for each degree of freedom. When voltage is applied between the fixed and movable blades, the electrostatic attraction generates a force attracting movable blades toward blades that are fixed relative to the moveable blades, causing a structure to rotate about the flexures. The angle of rotation that results may be related to the size, number and spacing of the blades, the stiffness of the flexures and the magnitude of the voltage difference applied to the blades. The blades are fabricated using deep silicon etching.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet printhead which comprises a plurality of nozzles and one or more heater elements corresponding to each nozzle. Each heater element is configured to heat a bubble forming liquid in the printhead to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through respective corresponding nozzle, to effect printing. Each heater element has a surface area to volume ratio greater than 4:1. This configuration ensures that heat is quickly transferred from the elements to the ink for efficient operation and minimal hating of the printhead substrate.

Abstract: A thermal actuator for a micro-electromechanical device such as an inkjet printer nozzle. The actuator has: (a) a base element; (b) a cantilevered element including a thermo-mechanical bender portion extending from the base element and a free end tip residing in a first position, the thermo-mechanical bender portion having a base end adjacent the base element and a free end adjacent the free end tip; and (c) apparatus adapted to apply a heat pulse having a spatial thermal pattern directly to the thermo-mechanical bender portion, causing the deflection of the free end tip of the cantilevered element to a second position, and wherein said spatial thermal pattern results in a substantially greater temperature increase of the base end than the free end of the thermo-mechanical bender portion.

Abstract: A table device for chucking a substrate includes a chucking unit including a porous body, and having a substrate chucking surface, and a conductive film which is disposed on the substrate chucking surface of the chucking unit, and which is grounded.

Abstract: A monolithic ink-jet printhead, and a method of manufacturing the same, includes a substrate having an ink chamber, an ink channel, and a manifold, a nozzle plate formed on the substrate, a nozzle, a heater, and a conductor. The ink chamber includes sidewalls formed to a predetermined depth from the front surface of the substrate for defining side surfaces of the ink chamber and a bottom wall formed parallel to the front surface of the substrate at the predetermined depth from the front surface of the substrate for defining a bottom surface of the ink chamber. The nozzle plate includes a plurality of passivation layers, a heat dissipating layer being stacked on the passivation layers, and the nozzle for ejecting ink out of the printhead. The heater is positioned above the ink chamber and heats ink in the ink chamber and the conductor delivers a current to the heater.

Abstract: A printhead with drive circuitry for a heating element, wherein at least part of the drive circuitry is positioned proximate to and within 60 microns of the heating element. Moving the drive circuitry within 60 microns of the heating element enhances the nozzle packing on the printhead substrate and improves its energy efficiency.

Abstract: A liquid-jet head capable of preventing malfunction attributable to an external environment such as humidity of a piezoelectric element and of achieving miniaturization thereof, a manufacturing method thereof and a liquid-jet apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator for providing a driving force to a pressure chamber of an ink-jet printhead for ejecting ink by deforming a vibration plate, the vibration plate forming an upper wall of the pressure chamber, the piezoelectric actuator including a lower electrode formed on the vibration plate, a piezoelectric film having either: (a) peripheral portions, the piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode at a position that corresponds to the pressure chamber and having a space between the peripheral portions and the lower electrode, or (b) a lateral surface, the piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode at a position that corresponds to the pressure chamber, the lateral surface of the piezoelectric film substantially forming a right angle with respect to a top surface of the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: In a sheet sucking/removing device, suction cups are controlled to a state of a first negative pressure which is a minimum pressure needed to suck and remove only one uppermost printing plate, and sucking/removing is carried out. Thereafter, the suction cups are controlled to a state of a second negative pressure which is needed for conveying and supplying the printing plate, and conveying/supplying of the printing plate is carried out.

Abstract: Inner individual electrodes are formed at intervals on a piezoelectric ceramic layer so as to correspond in a one-to-one relationship with ink channels, and an inner common electrode are formed on another piezoelectric ceramic layer. The required number of piezoelectric ceramic layers with inner individual electrodes and with an inner common electrode are laminated alternately. An outer common electrode is connected to the inner common electrodes, and outer individual electrodes are connected to the respective inner individual electrodes. The capacitance between the outer common electrode and each of the outer individual electrodes is measured. A polarization electric field adjusted based on the measured value is applied between the common electrode and each of the outer individual electrodes to perform polarization.

Abstract: A resealed inkjet printer cartridge and method of manufacture in which an ink cartridge is reconditioned, recharged and resealed by a process which substantially eliminates “air lock” or interruption of ink flow to the printer head due to entrained air; which provides for welding together recharged cartridge subassemblies without the use of consumable adhesive or glue; and having a keyless cap adapted for use in various keyed cartridge receptacle inkjet printers.

Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a container holder, the container holder includes a container body for containing liquid and including a front side engaging portion and a rear side engaging portion for engagement with the container holder, the front side engaging portion and rear side engaging portion being disposed at a leading side and a trailing side, respectively with respect to an inserting direction of the container into the container holder; and a projection, provided on only one of lateral sides of the container body which extend parallel with the inserting direction, for being guided, when the container is mounted to the container holder, along an upper end of a guide wall provided in the container holder while the other lateral side is being limited by an inner surface of the container holder, and the container is being rotated substantially about the front side engaging portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for ink-jet printing including an ink-jet print head to jet ink, a coating solid, and a coating holder to support the coating solid, wherein the coating holder transfers a portion of the coating solid onto a medium to form a coating solid layer. The coating holder and coating solid may be combined in a removable cartridge. In addition, the medium may be an intermediate transfer medium, a media support medium, a transfer medium, or media, such as paper. A method for inkjet printing also includes applying a coating solid to a medium to form a layer of the coating solid, in a solid form, having predetermined thickness, and applying ink to the medium. The layer of coating solid may interact with the applied ink to destabilize colorant in the ink.

Abstract: A white inkjet ink is formed from a photoreactive polyfunctional monomer, a white pigment, and a photopolymerization initiator, and the viscosity at 40° C. is adjusted to 13 mPa·s or less. An &agr;-hydroxyketone compound or benzyl dimethyl ketal compound is preferably used as the photopolymerization initiator.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink-jet recording process for conducting recording by ejecting a pigment ink and a reaction liquid containing a polyvalent metal salt from a recording section, in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the pigment ink and the reaction liquid are arranged, to a recording medium while relatively scanning the recording section to the recording medium, comprising the steps of ejecting the pigment ink having a surface tension lower than that of the reaction liquid to the reaction liquid ejected on the surface of the recording medium; and forming a filmy aggregate by gathering of agglomerates at an interface where the reaction liquid has come into contact with the pigment ink, wherein conditions for ejecting the reaction liquid to a prescribed area on the recording medium when at least the print duty of the ink in the prescribed area is 100% satisfy the relationship of 1 55 × 0.85 × 10 6 × Vd ⁡ ( pl ) - 0.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording method using an ink set for forming an image on an ink-jet recording medium, wherein the ink-jet recording medium has an ink-receiving layer which contains a sulfur-containing compound and is disposed on a support, the ink set contains a yellow ink containing a yellow dye, a magenta ink containing a magenta dye, and a cyan ink containing a cyan dye, as essential components, and the magenta dye has an oxidation potential of higher than 0.8 V (vs SCE).

Abstract: In discharge recovery processing, a continuous sheet 23 is moved from a facing position facing a head portion 21 to a first position (in the down direction in the drawing) as an evacuating position in the discharge recovery processing, thereafter, a discharge recovery processing unit 22 in the standby mode at a second position (in the up direction in the drawing) different from the facing position is moved to the facing position, and the discharge recovery processing is performed. In the discharge recovery processing, the head unit 21 is not moved and therefore the preferable positional reproducibility is obtained after ending the discharge recovery processing.

Abstract: A method for forming an image with an ink-jet printer, the ink-jet printer being provided with: (i) a recording head having a plurality of nozzles; and (ii) a radiation means to irradiate an ink ejected on a recording media, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) ejecting droplets of the ink from the nozzles on the recording media, provided that: (1) the ink contains a cationic polymerizable monomer and a photo acid generating agent; (2) the recording media has a surface pH value of not less than 6; and (3) a volume of each droplets is from 2 to 10 pl, (b) irradiating the ejected droplets of the ink on the recording media within a period of time between 0.01 and 1.0 second after arrival of the droplets on the recording media.

Abstract: A transfer belt (10) has a two-layer structure consisting of two inner belts (31) formed of metal, such as stainless steel, and an outer belt (32) formed of an elastic material, such as silicone rubber, being spread across the inner belts (31). The inner belts (31) are endless and wound around transfer rollers (12), while the outer belt (32) has its ends which are not joined with each other and form an opening (20) therebetween. Distortion of the outer belt (32) due to stress is designed to be suppressed by using a reinforcing member around the opening (20).

Abstract: A containing member contains a recording medium which has a base member and granular material coated on both sides of the base member, and roughness of the surfaces of the coated granular material is smaller than the roughness of the base member. A printing unit includes an ink-jet recording head which jets recording liquid onto the recording medium. A conveyance unit and a conveyance path convey the recording medium, one side of which has been already printed, into the printing unit again in order to print image onto the other side thereof. A unit is provided for enabling the printing unit to print image on the recording medium such that the vertical orientations of the images printed both sides of the recording medium are coincide with each other.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a housing, a first door rotatably coupled to the housing and a second transparent door overlying the first door. A decorative sheet between the first door and the second transparent door allows the imaging device to be customized in appearance.

Abstract: An ink jet printing device (40) is adapted for being manually positioned by a user on the skin (54) of a human being or animal, for printing tattoos (55) thereon, and comprises an outer support case (41) having a front part (42) which is suitable for cooperating in contact with the skin (54), and which in turn includes an aperture (44) for defining a given portion (54a) of the skin that is to be printed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a printer comprising a loader (2) of print media (1) to be printed, a printing device (9) and transfer means delimiting a series of gripper zones (8) forming a transport path (8A) for sequentially driving the printed media (1) from the output (5) of the loader (2) to the printing device (9) and from the printing device (9) to collecting means arranged beneath the loader (2). Said printer is characterised in that at least the portion of the slotted (4) wall (7) of the loader (2) slopes with a positive incidence relative to the transport path (8A) to provide the print media (1) to be printed with an inclination in the direction of the input of the first gripper zone (8) of the transport path (8A), said input being provided with a deflector (11).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of forming a clear image by using laser beams projected from a plurality of laser light sources. The image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image on a medium to be scanned by laser beams, which are projected from a plurality of laser light sources and periodically deflected by a rotational deflecting unit, so that the laser beams scan the medium, which is uniformly charged and moving in a sub-scanning direction, in a main-scanning direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. A pixel clock generating unit generates pixel clocks, which are used for controlling timings of projection of the laser beams, separately for each of the laser light sources, and for performing a phase change of each of the pixel clocks; and a phase control unit that controls independently each of the pixel clocks.

Abstract: A photosensitive body has a photosensitive layer. An optical scanning device has a deflector deflecting a light flux emitted from a light source, and scans the surface of the photosensitive body by the thus-deflected light flux. A dot is formed at a center between adjacent light fluxes as a result of the adjacent light fluxes being overlapped with one another in a sub-scan direction. A ratio of a static beam-spot diameter Ws in the sub-scan direction on the surface of the photosensitive body defined by 1/e2 of the maximum value in the exposure distribution of the beam spot to an interval L between adjacent scan lines satisfies the following formula: 1.2<Ws/L<4.5.

Abstract: A telecommunications system includes a network (102) and a multimedia server (104) operably coupled to the network. The multimedia server (104) is adapted to manage a multimedia conference and includes a memory (103) for storing selectable portions of the multimedia conference. The system further includes one or more client devices (122) operably coupled to the network and adapted to set recording cues for choosing portions of said multimedia conference for playback. The multimedia server or clients may include a voice recognition system (114) for transcribing audio portions of the conference. The voice recognition system may further be used to detect instances of the recording cues.

Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for allowing an authorized party to join a conference are provided. In some embodiments, an application may create or generate a request for an MCU to handle an ad-hoc or meet-me type conference. The application may provide the request to an MCU resource controller or other device. The MCU resource controller may have knowledge of the capabilities of one or more MCUs and be able to assign an MCU to host or otherwise handle the conference. In addition, the MCU resource controller may create or generate a resource address that a participant in the conference may use to access the assigned MCU. The MCU resource controller can provide the resource address to the application, which may then distribute the resource address to one or more parties participating in the conference. The resource address may include or have associated data that the assigned MCU can use to validate or authorize a party to join the conference.

Abstract: The digital 3D/360° camera system is an omnidirectional stereoscopic device for capturing image data that may be used to create a 3-dimensional model for presenting a 3D image, a 3D movie, or 3D animation. The device uses multiple digital cameras, arranged with overlapping fields of view, to capture image data covering an entire 360° scene. The data collected by one, or several, digital 3D/360° camera systems can be used to create a 3D model of a 360° scene by using triangulation of the image data within the overlapping fields of view.

Abstract: The invention discloses an image portrayal system, which includes transmission means for transmitting signals, input means for providing signals to be transmitted to the transmission means, and output means for portraying the signals received by it from the transmission means as at least a three-dimensional image. The image may be a hologram or a four-dimensional. The transmission means may include the internet, a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), any other networks, mobile telephone communication, land-line telephone communication, satellite communication, and any other forms of transmission and/or communication.

Abstract: A n-times multiplied enlarging system of a microscopic view of any object (including infinitesimal objects) on several stages in a closed circuit comprising computers, microscopes, digital video cameras and TV's (with a screen equal in size or less than the objective lens of the microscopes used).

Abstract: Viewing a three dimensional area from numerous camera angles at different exposures using intensity and chromaticity data at the different exposures to create a pixel model for each pixel. A current image is compared with the background model to find pixels that have changed from their pixel model. These novel pixels are processed using contiguous region detection and grouped into foreground figures. For each camera, software extracts features from each foreground figure. A central processor maintains an object model for each foreground figure. A graphical user interface displays the relative locations of foreground figures in a world model. The location and identification of the foreground figures is checked against a table of permissions so as to selectively generate an alert. If a figure leaves or is about to leave a cell, the invention accounts for its approximate position and notifies adjacent cells of the expected arrival of the foreground figure.