Abstract: An electrostatic screen printer includes: an electrically conductive screen arranged in non-contact with a printing medium; sponges for rubbing a powder into the screen; and a direct current power source for applying a voltage to the printing medium and the powder, wherein the powder rubbed into the screen is adhered to the printing medium by electrostatic induction. The electrostatic screen printer includes a rotation mechanism for rotating the sponges, a parent revolution mechanism for parent revolution of the sponges, and a child revolution mechanism for child revolution of the sponges. The revolution speed ratio of the child revolution to the parent revolution may preferably be 4.0 or greater, a scraper is provided on the parent revolution mechanism so as to be interlocked with the revolution of the sponges, and the scraper is arranged so as to scrape the powder on the screen toward an axis of the parent revolution because of the interlocking.

Abstract: A modified ink cup for plate printing is presented, where the ink cup is separated internally into two domains, a storage area and a print area, by a baffle system. The baffling allows only a limited amount of exposure of the ink in the ink cup to the outside air, reducing evaporation of the ink solvent and extending the life of the ink supply in the cup. This system greatly reduces the number of times an ink cup has to be re-filled to perform plate printing and limits the evaporation of possibly toxic solvents to the air.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is ejected, a plurality of pressure chambers which communicate with each nozzle, respectively, a piezoelectric element which causes liquid to be ejected from the nozzle by causing a pressure fluctuation in the liquid in the pressure chamber, and a printer controller which is connected to the piezoelectric element through an individual signal line, and supplies a driving signal which drives the piezoelectric element through the individual signal line. The individual signal line is provided as many as n times (here, n is natural number of 2 or more) or more of the number of pressure chambers.

Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to a microfluidic assembly that includes an interconnect substrate coupled to a microfluidic die. In one embodiment, the microfluidic die includes a ledge with a plurality of bond pads. The microfluidic assembly further includes an interconnect substrate having an end resting on the ledge proximate the bond pads. In another embodiment, the interconnect substrate abuts a side surface of the ledge or is located proximate the ledge. Conductive elements couple the microfluidic die to contacts of the interconnect substrate. Encapsulant is located over the conductive elements, the bond pads, the contacts.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes an element substrate to which an electric signal is supplied, an electrical wiring board that is connected to the element substrate and that is capable of supplying the electric signal to the element substrate, and a printed circuit board that includes a wiring line and an insulating layer covering the wiring line and that is capable of supplying the electric signal to the element substrate via the wiring line. A protruding structure that has a thickness approximately equal to a thickness of the wiring line and that is covered with the insulating layer is disposed along the wiring line on the printed circuit board, and a portion of the electrical wiring board is bonded to a portion of the insulating layer located on the wiring line disposed on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A controller for a liquid discharging device generates a correction chart including a reference pattern and a correction part, using a liquid discharged from a liquid discharge head, the liquid discharge head having a plurality of nozzles that are arranged to form a nozzle array. The controller drives a predetermined number of the plurality of nozzles to form the reference pattern on the recording sheet along a direction of the nozzle array, the predetermined number being a number equal to or less than a total number of the plurality of nozzles of the nozzle array, and drives a number of the plurality of nozzles that is different than the predetermined number of nozzles driven in forming the reference pattern, to form the correction pattern on the recording sheet along the direction of the nozzle array.

Abstract: Provided are a vibrating plate, a first electrode provided over the vibrating plate, a piezoelectric layer provided over the first electrode, and a second electrode provided over the piezoelectric layer are provided. The piezoelectric layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The piezoelectric layer includes an active portion of which at least one end portion is defined by the first electrode, and a non-active portion provided on an outside of the end portion of the first electrode for defining the active portion. The vibrating plate includes a first vibration portion under the non-active portion and a second vibration portion on an outside of the first vibration portion. The second vibration portion includes a taper part having the thickness which is increased toward the first vibration portion.

Abstract: An information processing device performs processing of specifying a positional relationship between a first printing section and a second printing section based on image capturing data of a test image that is printed on a printing medium by the first printing section and the second printing section in each of which a plurality of printing elements are arranged. The test image includes a plurality of first lines which are printed by the first printing section so as to have printing positions different from each other in a line arrangement direction on the printing medium and a plurality of second lines which are printed by the second printing section so as to have printing positions different from each other in the line arrangement direction. The information processing device contains a printing coordinate acquisition section, a printing position acquisition section, and a positional shift amount calculation section.

Abstract: A method of slicing and printing multi-color 3D object includes following steps of: executing a path-slicing process to a coordinate information of a multi-color 3D object (22) to generate a plurality of path data; generating a plurality of continuous-tone images according to a color information of the multi-color 3D object (22); calculating a plurality of dithering masks according to a plurality of displacement values and an initial mask; generating a plurality of halftone images according to each dithering mask and the same-layer continuous tone image; and, controlling a modeling nozzle (100) of a multi-color 3D printer (1) to print a plurality of printing slices (S1-S3) according to each path data layer by layer and controlling a coloring nozzle (102) of the multi-color 3D printer (1) to color each of printed printing slice (S1-S3) according to the same-layer halftone image.

Abstract: Measuring an inkjet nozzle may include taking at least one impedance measurement after the firing command is sent to detect the presence of a drive bubble and taking another impedance measurement to detect a collapse of the drive bubble.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting section that ejects liquid in response to a drive signal; a drive signal generation circuit that generates the drive signal by using a second frequency band including at least a part of a first frequency band; a non-contact power transmission circuit that transmits power in a non-contact manner by using the first frequency band; and a control circuit that controls the drive signal generation circuit and the non-contact power transmission circuit, in which the control circuit restricts the generation of the drive signal by the drive signal generation circuit in a case where the non-contact power transmission circuit has transmitted the power.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid jetting apparatus including a conveyor, a liquid jet head, a carriage, a carriage moving device, and a controller. The controller carries out printing by repeating a scan-printing operation and a conveyance operation, and carries out a process of determining a jet-timing such that the jet-timing and a predetermined reference timing may deviate oppositely from each other between a print area on the upstream side and a print area on the downstream side along a scanning direction for the carriage to move in the scan-printing operation with respect to a predetermined reference position in the scanning direction, based on a value of a correction parameter. The correction parameter is set to the same value for nozzles included in an identical one of nozzle groups and to different values for the corresponding nozzles included in different ones of the nozzle groups.

Abstract: A printhead having a number of single-dimensional memristor banks is described. The printhead includes a number of nozzles to deposit an amount of fluid onto a print medium. Each nozzle includes a firing chamber to hold the amount of fluid, an opening to dispense the amount of fluid onto the print medium, and an ejector to eject the amount of fluid through the opening. The printhead also includes a number of single-dimensional memristor banks. Each memristor bank includes a number of memristors arranged in a single dimension and a number of serially-connected de-multiplexers to selectively activate a target memristor of the memristor bank. The number of serially-connected de-multiplexers is equal to the number of memristors and an output of at least one de-multiplexer is an input into a subsequent de-multiplexer.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an inkjet head comprises a pressure chamber configured to house ink; an actuator configured to be arranged corresponding to the pressure chamber; a plate configured to have a nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber; and a driving circuit configured to drive the actuator, wherein the drive circuit applies an auxiliary pulse signal which contains an expansion pulse for expanding the volume of the pressure chamber and a contraction pulse for contracting the volume of the pressure chamber in such a degree as not to eject an ink drop from the nozzle to the actuator before enabling the ink drop to be ejected from the nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber by applying the expansion pulse and the contraction pulse as a drive pulse signals.

Abstract: MEMS devices and methods of fabrication thereof are described. In one embodiment, the MEMS device includes a bottom alloy layer disposed over a substrate. An inner material layer is disposed on the bottom alloy layer, and a top alloy layer is disposed on the inner material layer, the top and bottom alloy layers including an alloy of at least two metals, wherein the inner material layer includes the alloy and nitrogen. The top alloy layer, the inner material layer, and the bottom alloy layer form a MEMS feature.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a bypass flow path between an ink supply port and a vent port and a primary flow path between the ink supply port and an ink delivery port. A first flow velocity of the bypass flow path is higher than a second flow velocity of the primary flow path. The first flow velocity induces bubbles to travel via the bypass flow path instead of the primary flow path.

Abstract: A PZT-film laminated structure includes a substrate, a lower electrode on the substrate, an orientation control layer on the lower electrode, a PZT layer on the orientation control layer, and an upper electrode on the PZT layer. The PZT layer has a (100) or (001) main orientation in which a peak intensity of PZT (100) or (001) is 90% or greater relative to a peak intensity of all PZT peaks in an X-ray diffraction measurement. A ratio of a total value of a secondary ion intensity of Cl relative to a total value of a secondary ion intensity of Ti in the PZT layer is equal to or smaller than 0.03 when the secondary ion intensity of Cl and the secondary ion intensity of Ti in the PZT layer are measured in a direction of thickness of the PZT layer with a magnetic-field secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Abstract: An element substrate for a liquid ejecting head includes a substrate, an element forming layer on the substrate, and a discharge port forming member formed of an insulating member on the element forming layer. The element forming layer includes an energy generating element configured to provide energy to a liquid for ejection. The discharge port forming member includes a discharge port forming surface having discharge ports through which the liquid is ejected and an exterior side surface positioned between the discharge port forming surface and the element forming layer. The exterior side surface has a first edge facing the element forming layer. The element substrate further includes a conductive layer disposed between the first edge and the element forming layer and grounded.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a head body that includes, an ejection surface on which a nozzle that ejects a liquid is provided, an intermediate unit that is provided on an opposite side to the ejection surface and that enables the liquid to flow from a liquid accommodating unit to a flow channel within the head body, a guide channel that guides a portion of the liquid that has leaked from the intermediate unit, a connector that is provided on a first side surface among side surfaces of the head body, a discharge channel that is provided so as to communicate with the guide channel and that discharges the leaked portion of the liquid to a second side surface that is different from the first side surface, and a projecting portion that is provided in the discharge channel and that projects from a bottom surface of the discharge channel.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes: an elongate fluid manifold having a plurality of fluid outlets positioned longitudinally along a base of the fluid manifold; one or more printhead chips attached to the base of the fluid manifold, each printhead chip receiving printing fluid from one or more fluid outlets. Each fluid outlet is laterally flared towards a longitudinal edge of a respective printhead chip.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead including: an elongate fluid manifold comprising: an inlet boss, an outlet boss, a longitudinal channel extending between the inlet and outlet bosses, a plurality of air cavities positioned above the longitudinal channel in a roof cavity of the fluid manifold, and plurality of fluid outlets defined in a floor of the longitudinal channel; and a plurality of printhead chips attached to the base of the fluid manifold, each printhead chip receiving printing fluid from one or more fluid outlets. The air cavities are defined by ribs extending from a roof of the fluid manifold towards the longitudinal channel and each rib has a lip protruding beyond a lower surface of the inlet and outlet bosses.

Abstract: There is provided an ink jet printer including a carriage, and an ink jet head. The ink jet head has two first nozzle groups to jet a first ink, two second nozzle groups to jet a second ink, and two third nozzle groups to jet the second ink. Each of the first, second and third nozzle groups includes a plurality of nozzles arrayed at a pitch P along a second direction. The second nozzle groups accord respectively with the first nozzle groups in terms of nozzle position in the second direction, the third nozzle groups are dislocated respectively from the second nozzle groups in terms of nozzle position in the second direction, and any two groups selected from the first and second nozzle groups are arranged respectively on two opposite sides of each of the third nozzle groups in the first direction.

Abstract: A first sealant for sealing a region under an electrical connection portion and a second sealant for sealing a region on the electrical connection portion are used as sealants for the electrical connection portion for connecting an electric wiring member to an ejection energy generation element of a liquid ejection head, these sealants contain the same base agent and curing agent, and the linear expansion coefficients of the first sealant and the second sealant after curing are adjusted so as to become in a predetermined range.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a head main body for ejecting liquid from nozzle openings on a liquid ejecting surface provided with the plurality of nozzle openings; a maintaining member which is adhered to the head main body at a surface side opposite to the liquid ejecting surface side of the head main body in a direction perpendicular to the liquid ejecting surface; and a fixing board which is provided at a side opposite to the maintaining member with respect to the head main body. The fixing board includes a bending portion which is bent to the head main body side. The bending portion is adhered to a side surface of the maintaining member. The head main body is disposed in a space formed by adhering the maintaining member and the fixing board to each other.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a liquid ejecting head includes providing a stepped region that is formed by half-blanking and has a height different from a plane surface region, and a protrusion that is formed by drawing within the stepped region and protrudes on a liquid ejection side in the plane surface region of a fixing plate defining a liquid ejection surface in which nozzles ejecting liquid are provided; and fixing the liquid ejection section having a flow path member in which a flow path supplying the liquid is provided on a side opposite to a side in which the protrusion protrudes to the flat plate.

Abstract: Provided are a head cleaning apparatus, an inkjet printer, and a head cleaning method that allow an ink discharging surface of an inkjet head to be more adequately cleaned than the known art. A head cleaning apparatus has a cleaning liquid reserving tank containing a cleaning liquid for cleaning an ink discharging surface of an inkjet head from which an ink is discharged. The head cleaning apparatus further has a removing unit that removes dirt and/or ink stain from the ink discharging surface while the ink discharging surface is being immersed in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid reserving tank, and a wiper that wipes off the cleaning liquid left on the ink discharging surface after the removal of dirt and/or ink stain by the removing unit. The removing unit and the wiper are both disposed in the cleaning liquid reserving tank.

Abstract: A damper device includes a hollow case main body provided with an opening, a pressure sensitive film attached to the case main body so as to cover the opening, demarcates a liquid storage chamber together with the case main body, and is flexibly deformable internally toward, or externally away from, the liquid storage chamber, an inlet that is in the case main body, is in communication with the liquid storage chamber, and allows the liquid to flow into the liquid storage chamber, an injection outlet that is in the case main body, is in communication with the liquid storage chamber, and allows the liquid to flow out toward the liquid injector, an elastic member coupled with the pressure sensitive film to flexibly deform the pressure sensitive film externally away from the liquid storage chamber, and a pressure receiving plate that is located between the pressure sensitive film and the elastic member and includes a discontinuously joined portion that is discontinuously joined with the pressure sensitive film.

Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid container portion and a liquid inlet portion. The liquid inlet portion is connected with the liquid container portion and configured to pour liquid into the liquid container portion. The liquid container portion includes a bottom wall, a liquid inlet portion-forming wall that is located above the bottom wall and at which the liquid inlet portion is arranged, a visual recognition wall, an opposite wall opposite the visual recognition wall, and a partition wall. The visual recognition wall is a wall that extends in a direction intersecting the bottom wall and the liquid inlet portion-forming wall and through which the liquid in the liquid container portion is visible from outside. At least a part of the partition wall is located between the visual recognition wall. The opening is an intersecting part at which the liquid inlet portion intersects with the liquid inlet portion-forming wall.

Abstract: A liquid supply mechanism includes a sub-tank that supplies liquid to a liquid ejection head and a liquid replenishing mechanism that suctions liquid from a main tank into the sub-tank. The liquid replenishing mechanism has a diaphragm, a biasing member, and a drive member. The diaphragm has a movable portion and a mounting portion and closes one end of a liquid container chamber provided on the sub-tank. The biasing member biases the diaphragm in a first direction in which a volume of the liquid container chamber is decreased. The drive member pulls the diaphragm in a second direction in which the volume of the liquid container chamber is increased. The movable portion of the diaphragm can move in the first direction and the second direction. The movable portion has a first portion, which is flexible, and a second portion that retains its shape when the liquid container chamber is pressurized.

Abstract: A printing material supply system 10 includes a printer 50 equipped with a holder 600 and cartridges 20 that are detachably attached to the holder 600. The holder 600 has a first apparatus-side locking element 810 and a lever 800. The first apparatus-side locking element 810 is formed as part of the lever 800. The cartridge 20 has a first cartridge-side locking element 210 that includes a first locking surface 211 to engage with the first apparatus-side locking element 810. The first cartridge-side locking element 210 has an extended surface 219 that prevents a negative Z-axis end 818 of the lever 800 from running on the first locking surface 211.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head, including a flow-path unit that includes: first and second nozzle groups disposed alongside each other in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in which nozzles are arranged; first and second common liquid chambers respectively communicating with the first and second nozzle groups, the first and second common liquid chambers being disposed alongside each other in the second direction; a liquid supply opening communicating with the first common liquid chamber and a liquid discharge opening communicating with the second common liquid chamber, on one side of the flow-path unit in the first direction; and a connecting path connecting the first and second common liquid chambers on the other side of the flow-path unit in the first direction, wherein the first common liquid chamber is disposed nearer to an outer periphery of the flow-path unit in the second direction than the second common liquid chamber.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a first pump configured to supply ink introduced from an ink storage section to an ink jet head; a second pump configured to suck ink and discharge the sucked ink to a discharge chamber; and a control device configured to drive 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, wherein an ink flowing path from the discharge section of the first pump to a center part of the discharge chamber and an ink flowing path from the discharge section of the second pump to the center part of the discharge chamber have the same length as each other and have the same cross-sectional shape as each other.

Abstract: There is provided an ink jet recording method for printing a pigment in which a pigment printing ink composition including at least pigment as a colorant is discharged from a nozzle opening as an ink droplet having an amount of the ink of the ink droplet of 9 ng or less with an average discharging speed V of 5 m/s or greater at a distance in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm in the direction from the nozzle opening to cloth, and whereby the pigment printing ink composition is adhered to the cloth.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an improved printer provides a user with a simple, intuitive user-friendly touchscreen interface, is easy to assemble, and has a low cost to repair. The printer comprises a platen roller that can be changed without tools via the use of a bayonet connector, and an easy change print head that mechanically guides the print head into the carrier via mechanical guiding pins. Further, the printer comprises a universal supply holder to accommodate different sizes of inner diameter cores for tag and laminated supplies. The printer also discloses a ribbon spindle that accommodates both a cardboard core and a plastic core on the same printer device. Additionally, the printer discloses a media low sensor for providing a low supply indicator, and a gap sensor that comprises an LED array and a resistor array for gap sensing across the supply web.

Abstract: A facility for processing ink input is described. In one example facility, the facility receives ink input from an input device. The facility generates and renders ink stroke data structures in response to received ink input in accordance with an ink input processing pipeline. The facility provides to an executing application access to information traversing the ink input processing pipeline at a selected point in the ink input processing pipeline.

Abstract: A cartridge for a recording medium and an image forming apparatus are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing, a printing unit disposed inside the housing, and having a thermal head with a heating element, and a cartridge for a recording medium, in which a recording medium wound in a roll shape is installed and which is provided to supply the recording medium to the printing unit, wherein the cartridge for a recording medium has a de-curl roller which guides the recording medium to be curved in a direction opposite to a winding direction, and is provided to be movable in a direction adjacent to the recording medium when the recording medium is supplied to the printing unit.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing method includes printing an image with at least one ink on a recording medium, and applying a cover liquid on the image formed with the at least one ink within 1 s after printing the image with the at least one ink. An ink-jet printing apparatus includes at least one printing unit for printing an image with at least one ink on a recording medium, and an application unit for applying a cover liquid on the image formed with the at least one ink.

Abstract: A drying device for drying a recording medium is provided. The drying device includes a plurality of heating roller units independently detachable from the drying device. The heating roller units includes at least one upstream heating roller unit disposed upstream relative to a conveyance direction of the recording medium and at least two downstream heating roller units disposed downstream relative to the conveyance direction of the recording medium. Each upstream heating roller unit includes an upstream heating roller, two upstream temperature detectors, and two upstream controllers. The upstream heating roller includes two upstream heat sources having different heating areas. The two upstream temperature detectors are disposed at respective end parts of the upstream heating roller, to detect temperatures of the respective upstream heat sources to output signals.

Abstract: A printer includes a recording head performing recording on a medium and includes a base stand that has a mounting surface capable of mounting the medium. A pump that absorbs or suctions the medium mounted on the mounting surface of the base stand, in which a pressure or a suction force is applied from a part of the medium to an entirety thereof.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer includes a label feeding roller driving unit, a ribbon roll-up driving unit, a ribbon feeding roller, a ribbon feeding roller driving unit, and a controller. The ribbon feeding roller has an adhesive layer on its surface and is rotated to feed the ink ribbon while holding the ink ribbon on the adhesive layer.

Abstract: The print management device includes a print management information acquisition unit that acquires print management information including first information indicating quality of a printed material printed in a print job during execution and second information indicating an evaluation index of the printed material, different from the first information, in the print job during execution, a print management request acquisition unit that acquires request information indicating a request relating to print management of the printed material in the print job, a request evaluation unit that evaluates the degree of satisfaction of the printed material printed in the print job for the request relating to the print management indicated by the request information, based on the print management information, using one or more evaluation references, and a printing condition change determination unit that determines whether change in printing conditions in the print job during execution is necessary, based on an evaluation r

Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing a multiplayer image blanket with a platinum catalyzed fluorosilicone topcoat for a variable data lithography printing system. The blanket consists of multiple layers that may be: (A) a commercial carcass having a Sulphur free rubber outer layer, a suitable primer layer for improving the inter-layer adhesion, and the platinum catalyzed fluorosilicone topcoat; or (B) seamless polyimide substrate coated with a platinum cured silicone, a primer layer, and the fluorosilicone topcoat.

Abstract: A device for shaping a folding region of a lying outstretched book cover includes first and second shaping tools for book blocks having straight and round spines, respectively. A countertool has two counter shaping rails. In a working position, one of the shaping tools is aligned with an inner face of the spine region of the book cover and is configured to raise the spine region of the book cover between the two counter shaping rails to form a spine strip. A single actuator for the shaping tools is in each case arranged in the working position. A tool beam is in each case arranged in the working position and configured to be coupled to the single actuator. Each shaping tool has two shaping rails which are spaced apart, laterally adjustable and are designed so as to be adjustable collectively to change a distance therebetween.

Abstract: A preheating station for different shaping tools for shaping a folding region of a lying outstretched book cover includes a plurality of receiving spaces for the different shaping tools for shaping different book covers lying outstretched. At least one heating element is arranged in a region of each of the receiving spaces and a temperature sensor is connected to the heating element. A control device is connected to the one heating element and the temperature sensor. A sensor is connected to the control device and configured to detect at least one identifying feature of the different shaping tools received in the preheating station.

Abstract: An identity document includes in a single plane a two-dimensional image and under optical elements a ghost image for verifying the authenticity of the two-dimensional image. The ghost image is a stereo image and the stereo image is based on the two-dimensional image. The stereo image includes at least two images of the person on the identity card wherein at least one of the two images is a calculated image. The stereo image may further include a floating image, the floating image being arranged to be perceived to float over the ghost image.

Abstract: A process of forming an identification marking within article formed from an at least partially optically transparent material for identification and validation, said process including the steps of (i) forming an indicia with an at least partially optically transparent material by way of subsurface laser engraving (SSLE); and (ii) forming a plurality of defects within or adjacent indicia within said at least partially optically transparent material resultant of the step of forming the indicia and from localized heating and irregularities in said at least partially optically transparent material, wherein said plurality of defects forms said identification marking.

Abstract: An application pen includes a hollow pen body made of plastic having a closed end and an open end and an applicator head on the open end of the pen body. The applicator head has a foam, felt or fiber body. The applicator head has an end section that fits into the open end of the pen body. The pen body has mechanical fastening means for positive-locking and/or friction-locking engagement with the outer circumference of the end section of the applicator head without deformation of the end section of the applicator head protruding into the open end of the pen body.

Abstract: Provided is a valve type writing instrument, eliminating the need for frequently making a core pushing-in operation, thus being long-lasting, and causing no blurring of a written character. The valve type writing instrument includes an ink tank barrel; a valve housing cylinder, fitted into the ink tank barrel; and a core, slidably held in the valve housing cylinder, in which an ink reservoir member, reservoiring ink, and a valve unit case, incorporating a valve mechanism are loaded. The ink reservoir member has a truncated cone shape, a core insertion hole being formed so as to be penetrated through the central portion thereof, one half part of core being slidably housed therein, a number of slits for reservoiring ink being radially formed from the core insertion hole, and ink reservoired in the slits being capable of permeating into the housed portion of core in the core insertion hole as needed.

Abstract: A writing instrument includes an elongated body with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a post and the second end has an aperture for a writing tip to be exposed, a rotary bearing coupled to the post, wherein the rotary bearing has a central opening and wherein the post at least partially extends through the central opening of the rotary bearing, and a rotary device coupled to the bearing.

Abstract: A decoration made from a plurality of colored objects arranged in a regular pattern on a colored substrate, individual colored objects discernable at arm's length, with the decoration recognizable at greater distance as corresponding to a digital image. The colored objects may be pushpins, and no colored objects are placed at positions where the substrate color is the desired color. Embodiments also include an apparatus to select a single pushpin from a container of pushpins, and an apparatus to orient a pushpin in preparation for insertion into the substrate.