Abstract: Disclosed is a microarray printing system and methods of printing probe microarrays. The system has a print-head formed of one or more capillary bundle, such as light-guiding capillaries. The bundles may especially be bundles of capillaries that provide a large number of probes on the surface of a substrate. Methods of registering or correlating the distal and proximal ends of the capillaries are also provided. Further, the invention provides methods and equipment for identifying defective microarrays that are missing one or more probes from the surface of the microarray.

Abstract: A compact motorized transfer roller for a printer is disclosed. The roller has a cylindrical body with an outer surface and an interior space. A motor is located in the interior space and rotates the body. The rotating body advances and prints on a sheet of media. In some embodiments, the motor is a stepper motor and uses a gear assembly in which worm gear carried by an output shaft of the motor cooperates with one or more reduction gears.

Abstract: Disclosed is a print engine having a page-width printhead assembly and a motorized transfer roller located adjacent to the printhead. The transfer roller is also adjacent to the sheet media path of the device which uses the engine. The printhead is oriented to print directly onto the transfer roller. The engine has a second roller closely adjacent to the transfer roller and on an opposite side of the path for pressing the sheet onto the transfer roller. In some embodiments, the printhead has a surface adjacent to the transfer roller that carries capping seals on either side of the ink ejecting area. The printhead is held off of the transfer roller by a solenoid but parked against the transfer roller when not in use.

Abstract: A container is provided which comprises a cylindrical main body having an end wall at an end thereof; an outlet projecting from an outer surface of the end wall for allowing a content to be supplied; and a protecting member disposed on the outer surface of the end wall so that it surrounds the outlet and defines a groove portion between the outlet and the protecting member. The protecting member is preferably a continuous or discontinuous annular projection. A conduit of a pump can be coupled to the groove portion by engaging an inner circumferential surface of the protecting member with an outer circumferential surface of the conduit, or by engaging an outer circumferential surface of the outlet with an inner circumferential surface of the conduit.

Abstract: A printing system includes an ink-amount control unit for controlling the amount of ink to be supplied to a printing press based upon an image area rate contained in a pre-press data, and at least one ink-amount calculation unit for calculating the image area rate. The ink-amount control unit is connected to the at least one ink-amount calculation unit on a network.

Abstract: A stencil printing ink container comprises a cylinder, an area of one end of the cylinder, which area is other than an ink discharge opening section, being closed with an end wall, the other end of the cylinder being open, and a piston, which undergoes a sliding movement in an axial direction of the cylinder and along its inner circumferential surface. The ink container is filled with ink having a viscosity of at most 7.5 Pa·s with respect to a shear rate of 100 sec−1 and at 23° C. and satisfies a specific relationship among an inside radius of the cylinder, an inside radius of the ink discharge opening section, a length of the ink discharge opening section, a weight of the ink filled in the ink container, a sliding movement starting load of the piston, and the viscosity of the ink.

Abstract: When a color-difference exceeds an established color tolerance, spectral reflectance values of a test area are converted to colorimetric densities and compared with target colorimetric density values for the corresponding test area from which a colorimetric density difference is established. The colorimetric density difference is utilized to determine an ink correction value.

Abstract: A printer, that includes multiple printing groups, is mounted in the frame of an offset printing machine. Each printing group includes at least one printing cylinder, at least one transfer cylinder and at least one inking system. Two of these printing groups are arranged opposite to each other. At least one counter-pressure cylinder is arranged between these opposite printing groups. The frame has at least three separable frame modules. At least one printing group is located in a left module. At least one printing group is located in a right module. At least one counter-pressure cylinder is located in a module frame module situated between the left and right frame modules.

Abstract: An ink pad assembly having a top panel, the top panel having an ink pad coupled thereto, a bottom panel, and a pivotable hinge for connecting the top and bottom panels. The top panel of the ink pad assembly can be opened and pivoted 180 degrees about its central lengthwise axis. This pivotability allows a user to place the ink pad assembly in a position ready for use wherein the top panel lies on top of the bottom panel so that the ink pad is exposed. The pivotable hinge also allows the user to place the ink pad assembly in a closed position wherein the top panel lies on top of the bottom panel so that the ink pad is enclosed between the top and bottom panels.

Abstract: A method of preparing a fountain solution, a system for blending two or more concentrate components of a fountain solution, concentrate compositions, and articles of manufacture or kits comprising the concentrate compositions are provided. The method comprises combining at least two fluid concentrates that comprise the components of the fountain solution at effective proportions with water to produce the fountain solution composition containing a predetermined concentration of ingredients. In one embodiment, the method comprises combining an acidic film-forming polymer concentrate and a surface tension reducing (wetting) concentrate with water to form the fountain solution. The method preferably utilizes a proportioning pump for metering amounts of the component concentrates of the fountain solution into a water flow.

Abstract: Segmented air distribution bar having air control valves along the length of the bar.

Abstract: An ink supplying device for tape dispenser is disclosed to include a housing detachably mounted in the tape dispenser for receiving ink therein, a porous ink soaking layer mounted inside the housing and adapted to soak ink, and a fabric ink applying layer covered on the porous ink soaking layer and adapted to be contacted with the printing surface of a printing wheel of the tape dispenser for applying ink from the porous ink soaking layer to the printing surface of the printing wheel evenly.

Abstract: An ink supplying device for tape dispenser is disclosed to include a housing detachably mounted in the tape dispenser for receiving ink therein, a porous ink soaking layer mounted inside the housing and adapted to soak ink, and a fabric ink applying layer covered on the porous ink soaking layer and adapted to be contacted with the printing surface of a printing wheel of the tape dispenser for applying ink from the porous ink soaking layer to the printing surface of the printing wheel evenly.

Abstract: In a first printing process in Steps S1 through S6, ink supply is controlled so that a measured printed density (Vn) is approximately equal to a first target density (V1). This provides a uniform amount of ink remaining on ink rollers after the first printing process. Thereafter, in a second printing process in Steps S7 through S11, printing is performed using a second target density (V2) lower than the first target density (V1). This provides a slightly reduced, uniform amount of ink remaining on the ink rollers. Thus, a novel method of presetting ink is provided which facilitates the formation of a distribution of the new amount of ink at the beginning of the next printing operation and which stabilizes the early start of printing.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an image reader for reading an image on a printed paper sheet to obtain image data, and a controller for controlling the image reader to obtain image data about a color chart including solid patches once for every predetermined number of printed sheets or at every predetermined time interval which is inputted and set. The controller processes the image data to compute a printed density of each solid patch. Measurement data including the printed density are sequentially stored in a storage section in association with the number of printed sheets or time. The measurement data stored in the storage section may be displayed by a display section or outputted to a print section in the form of history data indicating measurement data transitions. Thus, the printing apparatus including a device for measuring printed sheets can perform history management on the measurement data for every predetermined number of printed sheets or at every predetermined time interval.

Abstract: An ink tank for an ink jet printer containing an electronic memory device for storing information on the contents of the ink tank, wherein the ink tank has an elongated casing having one end adapted to be inserted into a mounting socket of the ink jet printer in an essentially horizontal direction, and the electronic memory device is configured as a button provided on a bottom side of the casing so as to engage an electric contact of the mounting socket under the weight of the ink tank.

Abstract: An inking apparatus including an inking head which is manually adjustable in the X, Y and Z directions to facilitate quick and easy positioning of an inking probe in proximity to a defective die on a semiconductor wafer to ink and mark the die for exclusion from further processing. A horizontal positioning plate is horizontally adjustably mounted on a base plate, and an angular adjustment arm is angularly adjustably mounted on the horizontal positioning plate. The inking head is vertically adjustably mounted on the end of the angular adjustment arm and carries an ink reservoir from which ink is dispensed through an inking probe to the dies on the wafer.

Abstract: A printing device for printing on wrapping paper according to the present invention comprises a cartridge holder (40) having an ink nozzle (18) on the outside thereof and adapted to house an ink cartridge (50); an ink supply passage (79) connecting the ink cartridge (50) and the ink nozzle (18); and a linear actuator (80) supported at the cartridge holder (40) and adapted to push a plunger (52) in the ink cartridge (50) more into the ink cartridge (50).

Abstract: A printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder for printing a first side of a web of material, and an inker for inking the plate cylinder, the inker being movable between an active position and an inactive position, the inker contacting the plate cylinder in the active position and the inker being separated from the plate cylinder in the inactive position. A plate operation unit such as a direct imaging device or a plate exchanger is movable into the active position of the inker when the inker is in the inactive position.

Abstract: A stencil printing ink container comprises a cylinder, an area of one end of the cylinder, which area is other than an ink discharge opening section, being closed with an end wall, the other end of the cylinder being open, and a piston, which undergoes a sliding movement in an axial direction of the cylinder and along its inner circumferential surface. The ink container is filled with ink having a viscosity of at most 7.5 Pa·s with respect to a shear rate of 100 sec−1 and at 23° C. and satisfies a specific relationship among an inside radius of the cylinder, an inside radius of the ink discharge opening section, a length of the ink discharge opening section, a weight of the ink filled in the ink container, a sliding movement starting load of the piston, and the viscosity of the ink.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler which is easy to load, clean and service. The labeler has a gear driven print head wherein the print head is situated on an upper housing section and the print head is actuated from a lower housing section. The upper housing section can be moved to an open position without interfering with the maintenance of the drive connection with the print head or the advance of a label carrying web through the labeler. An inker enables an ink roller to be easily inserted and removed without ink from the ink roller being transferred to the user's hands. An impression control device has only a small number of parts and is easy to assemble.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rotary tampon printing press with vertical engraved roller and vertical tampon roller wherein the engraved roller is supplied with ink by an ink dispensing system and the ink dispensing system has an Archimedean screw for supplying the printing ink.

Abstract: A method of feeding dampening water includes a density measuring step for measuring densities of first and second detecting patches 101 and 102 printed adjacent each other on printed matter 100 and presenting a difference in density variations after printing with varied feed rates of damping water and ink, a dampening water feeding step for controlling the feed rate of dampening water based on the densities of the first and second detecting patches 101 and 102 measured in the density measuring step, and an ink feeding step for controlling the feed rate of ink based on the densities of the first and second detecting patches measured in the density measuring step, and the feed rate of dampening water.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing a high density biological or chemical array onto a solid support. Specifically, the apparatus is made up of a plurality of open ended channels collectively forming a matrix. The matrix has been redrawn and cut such that the pitch of the channels on the loading end is larger than the pitch of the channels on the liquid delivery end. The upper portion of each channel serves as a reservoir, while the opposing end, which has been formed by the redrawing process, is diametrically sized such that liquid in the reservoir is retained by capillary pressure at the delivery end. At any point along the height of the capillary reservoir device, all cross-sectional dimensions and areas are uniformly reduced. In other words, the on-center orientation of any two channels, also referred to as the pitch between 2 channels, measured as a function of the diameter of any cross section, is constant throughout the structure.

Abstract: The invention concerns a pad-printing ink cup fitted with at least one magnet (10). The minimum of one magnet (10) may be positioned at different heights relative to the plane of the doctor edge (22), the magnetic force effective in the said plane depending on said heights.

Abstract: A container is provided which comprises a cylindrical main body having an end wall at an end thereof; an outlet projecting from an outer surface of the end wall for allowing a content to be supplied; and a protecting member disposed on the outer surface of the end wall so that it surrounds the outlet and defines a groove portion between the outlet and the protecting member. The protecting member is preferably a continuous or discontinuous annular projection. A conduit of a pump can be coupled to the groove portion by engaging an inner circumferential surface of the protecting member with an outer circumferential surface of the conduit, or by engaging an outer circumferential surface of the outlet with an inner circumferential surface of the conduit.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler which is easy to load, clean and service. The labeler has a gear driven print head wherein the print head is situated on an upper housing section and the print head is actuated from a lower housing section. The upper housing section can be moved to an open position without interfering with the maintenance of the drive connection with the print head or the advance of a label carrying web through the labeler. An inker enables an ink roller to be easily inserted and removed without ink from the ink roller being transferred to the user's hands. An impression control device has only a small number of parts and is easy to assemble.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an image reader for reading an image on a printed paper sheet to obtain image data, and a controller for controlling the image reader to obtain image data about a color chart including solid patches once for every predetermined number of printed sheets or at every predetermined time interval which is inputted and set. The controller processes the image data to compute a printed density of each solid patch. Measurement data including the printed density are sequentially stored in a storage section in association with the number of printed sheets or time. The measurement data stored in the storage section may be displayed by a display section or outputted to a print section in the form of history data indicating measurement data transitions. Thus, the printing apparatus including a device for measuring printed sheets can perform history management on the measurement data for every predetermined number of printed sheets or at every predetermined time interval.

Abstract: The present ink proofer arrangement generates consistent and reliable ink draw downs irrespective of the size of the substrate or the user preparing the ink sample. In one example embodiment, an ink proofer arrangement adapted to be used with an ink proofer tool, the ink proofer tool including an ink transfer roller. The ink proofer arrangement further includes a cylindrical roller and a drive motor adapted to rotate the roller. In addition, a first movable mounting assembly is included that retains the ink proofer tool adjacent to and in a non-contact position with the roller.

Abstract: A printing press includes an inking unit provided with a screen roller having, on a circumference thereof, a pattern formed of depressions fillable with a printing medium, another roller co-operatively engageable with the screen roller, and a drive device, the screen roller and the other roller being drivingly coupled with one another so that, after each revolution of the screen roller, a pattern depicted by the printing medium on the other roller in a form of printing medium accumulations has a slight offset, in circumferential direction, with respect to a pattern depicted on the other roller during a preceding revolution of the screen roller, so that the new printing medium accumulations are positionable on the other roller in at least approximately printing-medium free gaps in, respectively, adjacent printing medium residual accumulations; and a method of operating the printing unit.

Abstract: An inking apparatus for a printing press comprises upper and lower fountain rollers disposed and rotatably supported in respective ink fountain apparatuses; upper and lower ductor rollers supported to be rotatable in close proximity with the fountain rollers; and an ink mixing roller which is the furthest upstream ink roller to which ink is transferred from the upper and lower ductor rollers. In the inking apparatus, an intermediated metal roller and an intermediate rubber roller are provided between the ink mixing roller and at least one of the upper ductor roller and the lower ductor roller.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler which is easy to load, clean and service. The labeler has a gear driven print head wherein the print head is situated on an upper housing section and the print head is actuated from a lower housing section. The upper housing section can be moved to an open position without interfering with the maintenance of the drive connection with the print head or the advance of a label carrying web through the labeler. An inker enables an ink roller to be easily inserted and removed without ink from the ink roller being transferred to the user's hands. An impression control device has only a small number of parts and is easy to assemble.

Abstract: A printing unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder for printing a first side of a web of material, and an inker for inking the plate cylinder, the inker being movable between an active position and an inactive position, the inker contacting the plate cylinder in the active position and the inker being separated from the plate cylinder in the inactive position. A plate operation unit such as a direct imaging device or a plate exchanger is movable into the active position of the inker when the inker is in the inactive position.

Abstract: An ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit, having a pressure discharge device, and a lid provided in the pressure discharge device for closing one of a cartridge holder for accepting a cartridge, and a cartridge received directly in the pressure discharge device, respectively, an internal space being formed in one of the pressure discharge device and in a region located between the cartridge and the lid, respectively, the internal space being subjectible to an application of compressed air via a flow path provided with a valve, includes a setting device for actuating the valve when one of the cartridge holder and the cartridge, respectively, is closed by the lid; and a printing machine including the ink-supply device.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rotary tampon printing press with vertical engraved roller and vertical tampon roller wherein the engraved roller is supplied with ink by an ink dispensing system and the ink dispensing system has an Archimedean screw for supplying the printing ink.

Abstract: When a color-difference exceeds an established color tolerance, spectral reflectance values of a test area are converted to colorimetric densities and compared with target colorimetric density values for the corresponding test area from which a colorimetric density difference is established. The colorimetric density difference is utilized to determine an ink correction value.

Abstract: An inking unit in a printing machine includes a screen roller and an ink metering system subdivided into inking zones and assigned to the screen roller for performing zonal ink metering on the screen roller, the ink metering system having metering elements disposed so as to be movable relative to one another.

Abstract: A rotary printing machine having a cylinder, two doctor blades acting on the cylinder and a gravity fed ink dispensing mechanism and a drum cleaning spray system provided on a reciprocating carriage. Ink is applied in excess to one of the doctor blades and excess ink is removed by the other. One of the ink dispensing mechanisms can be removed and replaced while printing is taking place using ink from the other ink dispensing mechanism.

Abstract: Detachable inking device for a flexographic printing machine, its embodiment, cleaning and use in such a machine. This device comprises a chambered doctor blade (9) mounted on two lever-supports (13, 14) crossed by duct joining pieces (15, 16) respectively. The lever-supports are rigidly attached to a shaft (11) about which they are pivotable and which is held between the frames (34) of said flexographic printing machine. Said chambered doctor blade (9) consists of a body (25) made of light metal material, crossed at one of its ends by a tube (26) emgerging from the bottom (28) of said body (25), and at the other end by a tube (40) having its opening part (29) at level with the bottom (28) of the body (25). The latter rests on seals (38, 39) secured to the lever-supports (13, 14) to which are attached centering and fixing means (17, 18) allowing a quick loosening of the chambered doctor blade (9) without the help of any tool.

Abstract: Detachable inking device for a flexographic printing machine, its embodiment, cleaning and use in such a machine. This device comprises a chambered doctor blade (9) mounted on two lever-supports (13, 14) crossed by duct joining pieces (15, 16) respectively. The lever-supports are rigidly attached to a shaft (11) about which they are pivotable and which is held between the frames (34) of said flexographic printing machine. Said chambered doctor blade (9) consists of a body (25) made of light metal material, crossed at one of its ends by a tube (26) emerging from the bottom (28) of said body (25), and at the other end by a tube (40) having its opening part (29) at level with the bottom (28) of the body (25). The latter rests on seals (38, 39) secured to the lever-supports (13, 14) to which are attached centering and fixing means (17, 18) allowing a quick loosening of the chambered doctor blade (9) without the help of any tool.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding inking unit permit positioning of a roller into at least two different operating positions. The roller is, in particular, a vibrator roller of an inking unit for a rotary printing machine. The roller is positioned by controlling or regulating a magnetic bearing device in which the roller is mounted.

Abstract: A method for regulating the ink-to-wetting agent equilibrium in a rotary offset printing machine, the wetting agent quantity being determined especially using the signals of a sensor which measures the light reflectance of an area on the printing form of the rotary printing machine that is wetted by a wetting agent.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a quantity of ink supplied to a printing material by a printing machine includes adjusting the quantity of ink as a function of the printing speed and, upon the occurrence of a change in the printing speed, making a change in the quantity of ink as a function of area coverage to be printed; and an adjusting device for performing the method.

Abstract: An ink capsule and an ink supply for a printer, the capsule (10) comprising a hollow container (11) having a mouth (18) and an inlet port (15), a flexible impermeable liner (17) sealed to the container shell, and which is filled with a resilient polymeric foam (21), with the mouth of the container being closed by a porous disc (22). The ink supply (31) further includes a variable volume fluid reservoir (41) connected to the inlet port (15) for the movement of fluid between the reservoir (41) and the container (11) in response to the expansion and contraction of the reservoir (41).

Abstract: The present invention discloses an alignment layer printing device in which already used waste liquid is recovered for printing the alignment layer and can be reused in alignment layer printing. An alignment layer printing device consists of a raw material supplying device in which the alignment layer raw materials are supplied, a printing device in which the above raw materials that are supplied from the above raw material supplying device are printed on some object material, a recovery device in which the alignment layer raw materials that are not actually used in the printing are rerouted to the above raw material supplying device.

Abstract: A printing-agent replenishing device including a replenisher which has a container for accommodating a printing agent and a delivery nozzle disposed at one end of the container and which is operable to delivery the printing agent from the delivery nozzle, for replenishing a printing-agent replenishment object in a screen printer, the device further including a cutting wire for cutting off a mass of the printing agent which extends from a free end of the delivery nozzle, and a cutting-wire holding device which holds the cutting wire such that the cutting wire is held in contact with or in close proximity to the free end face of the delivery nozzle, so as to traverse an opening in the free end face, and such that the cutting wire is rotatable about an axis substantially aligned with an axis of the delivery nozzle.

Abstract: A printer includes a printing mechanism and an ink container. The ink container includes a cylinder having a side wall and provided with an ink discharge port in its front end face, a piston received in the cylinder to be slidable along the side wall of the cylinder, and ink between the piston and the front end face in the cylinder. An LED projects light onto the side wall of the cylinder in a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder, and a phototransistor is positioned near a rear end face of the cylinder to be adapted to receive the light projected by the LED and passing through the side wall of the cylinder only once, and outputs an electric signal upon receipt of light. The remainder of ink in the ink container is detected on the basis of the output of the phototransistor.

Abstract: A container having a first end and a second end, an internal cavity located within the container which provides an opening in the first end and extends towards the second end; a portion of the container, having an attached end and a free end, may be detached from a remaining portion so as to expose the internal cavity; and the free end is configured so that it may be seal the internal cavity once the portion of the container is detached.

Abstract: A printing system includes an ink-amount control unit for controlling the amount of ink to be supplied to a printing press based upon an image area rate contained in a pre-press data, and at least one ink-amount calculation unit for calculating the image area rate. The ink-amount control unit is connected to the at least one ink-amount calculation unit on a network.

Abstract: An ink bottle set-up device having a bottle set-up body 2 formed with a bottle set-up chamber 3 and a projection-guide recess formed along a direction in which an ink bottle 100 having a positioning projection 103 is inserted. An ink bottle erroneous set-up prevention mechanism 6 is located on the bottle set-up body and comprises a detecting lever 9 moveable in protruding or retracting positions and urged toward the protruding position, a slide member 12 slidable in bottle inserting or bottle discharging directions for selectively allowing the ink bottle to be inserted through the bottle set-up chamber when the positioning projection in alignment with the projection-guide recess is detected by the detecting lever, and a bottle stopper segment 14 secured to the slide member 12 and protruding into the bottle set-up chamber 3.