Abstract: Color printing characterized by high color density and color contrast is provided by jetting an ink composition composed of an optically clear, phase change base material and a primary subtractive color dye which is soluble in the base material onto the surface of a printing medium to form a multiplicity of closely spaced color dots or spots arranged to define a line or character on the medium. Each dot consists of one or more well defined, optically clear, semitransparent color layers each of which has a different color so that the observed color of each dot is a true subtractive mixture of the colors in the layers. Specific ink compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: Hot melt ink is maintained in a solid state. When ink is called for in the reservoir of a scanning imaging head, the head is moved to a position coupled to the solid state ink whereupon the ink is melted coupled into the reservoir of the imaging head.

Abstract: Liquid droplets are formed by instantaneous state change by thermal energy of a liquid filled in a thermal chamber, said droplets being deposited onto a recording member to achieve recording.

Abstract: A non-impact printing apparatus in which an ink carrier film is formed to have a plurality of holes or recesses, the holes are filled with ink, and then the film filled at the holes with the ink is selectively heated by a thermal printing head according to image information to generate bubbles within the ink in the heated holes and thus to eject the ink onto a printing paper under influence of the pressure of the generated bubbles. The effective diameter of each of hole provided on the ink carrier film is less than the thickness thereof thus improving the image quality.

Abstract: A cartridge for hot melt or phase change ink is tubular, having a cover at one end and an opening at the other end. Upon engagement and cooperation between the cartridge and a reservoir, solid ink is dropped under the influence of gravity through the opening in the cartridge. Solid ink is retained in the cartridge until such cooperation, which includes keying the cartridge to the reservoir and forming a seal of the inlet to the reservoir between the cartridge and the reservoir.

Abstract: In a capping mechanism wherein the surroundings of orifices provided to discharge liquid are sealed and suction of the liquid is effected by a negative pressure, a liquid absorbing member is provided on a cap side below the orifices so as to be brought into contact with and compressed by a surface in which the orifices are provided.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer recording method comprises superposing a heat-sensitive transfer material having a heat-transferable ink layer on a supporting member onto a medium for recording and heating said heat-transferable ink layer according to a pattern to thereby form a transfer recorded image on said medium for recording, wherein said heat-transferable ink layer comprises a layer containing fine particles of a heat-fusible resin and said heat-sensitive transfer material after heating is separated from said medium for recording within the time from when the strength of the film formed by fusion of the fine particles of the heat-fusible resin at said pattern heated portion begins to surpass that before heating until initiation of fusion of fine particles of the heat-fusible resin around the pattern heated portion by thermal diffusion to around the pattern heated portion.

Abstract: A heat sensitive transfer recording apparatus comprising a carrier such as a transfer film to which applied is a transfer material that may be heat transferred, a thermal head having a number of heater elements each producing heat in accordance with an image signal, and a platen roller rotatable in a forward direction or in a reverse direction. The carrier and a recording medium, such as a recording paper overlapped on the carrier, are delivered in the forward direction by the platen roller while being pressed by the thermal head, whereupon the image recording is carried out. Also, in case of multicolor overlap recording, the recording medium is delivered in the reverse direction under a pressure release condition of the thermal head by an assistant roller provided on a recording medium pay-out side with respect to the transfer position defined between the platen roller and the thermal head.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal electrostatic ink-jet recording apparatus comprising a head body provided with an ink chamber, electrodes for selectively applying heat, in response to image signals to each of discrete ink unit areas corresponding to pel density, and electrodes for producing a predetermined electrostatic field between an ink surface and a recording sheet so as to jet the heated ink unit areas by applying the electrostatic field, in which electric current is passed through an organic resistance film to heat the ink.

Abstract: A printer having holographic scanning disc for scanning the imaging beam from a laser diode across a recording member, the diode having diode biasing and modulating current inputs for modulating the diode and thereby exposing and creating images on the recording member, a heating-cooling device in heat exchange relation with the diode for controlling diode temperatures, and a current sensor for monitoring the diode biasing and modulating currents and operating the heating-cooling device to adjust diode temperatures to maintain diode temperatures within a non-mode hopping temperature range.

Abstract: A viscoelastic and ink-immiscible fluid is used to form a membrane over the ink orifice of a drop-on-demand, pressure pulse ink jet head. The membrane lies in a plane perpendicular to the direction of emission of ink drops, and provides a barrier between the ink orifice and the external atmosphere. Evaporation of the ink, or entry of contaminants including air into the ink, is thus inhibited. The elimination of evaporative clogging then permits the use of a smaller orifice. Wetting of the exterior surface of the ink jet head by the flow of ink through the ink orifice is also inhibited, thus making possible the production of more uniform ink drops that will emerge in a constant direction. The elastic property of the membrane permits the passage of an ink drop therethrough, followed by the closing up of the membrane.

Abstract: A plotter having the capability of unattended operation incorporates several innovations. An X-axis dual motor drive mechanism moves the plotting chart through the plotter using two independently controlled motors driving respective individual friction drives at either side of the chart. An automatic chart alignment mechanism aligns the chart with the plotter X-axis using the X-axis dual motor drive for swiveling of the chart as necessary and a sensor to detect and correct the position of the chart. A chart cutting mechanism allows chart stock supplied in roll form to be cut to a desired length for a plot using a knife assembly carried by the pen carriage like a pen. A cut chart handling mechanism enables cut charts to be retrieved and neatly stored.

Abstract: An externally stimulated continuous stream ink jet printer which suppresses or controls the formation of satellite droplets so that they are not charged differently from the main droplets. Thus, when the two are merged, indeterminate charges are not produced which would impact the print quality of the printer. The satellites are suppressed by impressing on the printer ink streams a combination of time-varying pressures. In one embodiment, the time-varying pressures are generated by two time-varying voltages applied to the EHD electrodes. One pressure has a fundamental frequency with the second pressure having a second harmonic frequency, these two pressures having a predetermined phase and amplitudes with respect to each other. The fundamental frequency is selected for a required drop spacing to stream diameter ratio.

Abstract: A printer having holographic scanning disc for scanning the imaging beam from a laser diode across a recording member, with a detector for detecting a shift in wavelength of the diode utilizing the zero order beam passing through the holographic scanning disc and a temperature control for controlling diode temperatures, the detector actuating the temperature control to adjust the temperature of the diode when a shift in the wavelength of the zero order beam from a non-mode hop wavelength to another wavelength is detected, adjustment of the diode temperature shifting the beam wavelength back toward the non-mode hop wavelength region.

Abstract: A coated ink jet printing substrate where said coating utilizes an insolubilized hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording method includes projecting droplets of ink having a Weber number of no more than 500 toward a recording medium having thereon an ink receiving layer, thereby performing recording.

Abstract: In the prior art thermal recording systems heat resistor elements incorporated in a thermal head are controlled in the unit of dots, and a large volume of electric current is needed specially when the electric current is simultaneously applied on a large number of heat resistor elements in one line. This necessitates an expensive power source device for the system.

Abstract: An improved drop-on-demand ink jet print head is formed of a plurality of superposed metal plates that are diffusion bonded into a unit. A plurality of superposed metal plates are diffusion bonded into a unit. Punched and/or etched holes form ink passages that include manifolds that supply ink chambers through restrictors and exit orifices that supply ink to nozzles for ejection as droplets. Crosstalk among nozzles is minimized by the use of a compliant manifold plate and a relief slot in an adjacent nozzle plate so as to be coextensive with its associated manifold. The restrictors and the nozzles are substantially equal in diameter and length. The print head produces droplets up to 80 micrometers in diameter at frequencies up to 7 KHz with little variation in droplet size and velocity as a function of frequency.

Abstract: A print head of an ink jet printer is formed by a multilayer structure composed of a plurality of individual photoplastic films, segments of such films having a prescribed contour being removed by a photo-chemical treatment being defined on the individual photoplastic films in successive lamination procedures by the use of masks through which such photoplastic films are exposed. Passivation of unexposed films takes place after every lamination procedure by applying a light-absorbing solution. A three-dimensional structure is built up employing photoplastic films having thicknesses in the range between 10 .mu.m to 50 .mu.m and one or more masks having light transmissive regions which define a desired cross-section for the interior passages of the print head.

Abstract: An ink jet head 10 has an ink chamber 14 which receives ink from an ink inlet passageway 38. Pressure pulses applied to the ink chamber cause the ejection of ink drops from an ink drop forming orifice 23 and toward printing medium. A purging outlet 41 communicates with the ink chamber through a purging passageway 40. During purging, ink flows in a vortical path through the ink chamber 14 from the ink inlet passageway 38 to the purging outlet passageway 40. This sweeps air bubbles and contaminants from the ink chamber walls and removes them from the ink chamber. Ink pressure within the ink chamber 14 may be elevated to increase the flow of ink during purging. Also, a negative pressure may be applied to the purging outlet during purging. Variable frequency pressure pulses may also be applied to the ink chamber to assist the purging process.

Abstract: An ink jet nozzle assembly is produced from materials, such as polyphenylene sulfide. The resulting assembly is acoustically soft so that undersirable fluid and mechanical resonances are substantially attenuated.

Abstract: For reproducing a picture with a density gradient through printing, an overlapped region is provided in a high density dot reproduction range and a low density dot reproduction range. The switch-over between the high density dot at the overlapped region is conducted where the picture density sharply changes. This reduces the unfavorable perception of quality differences in a printed picture resulting from the switch-over between the high and low density dots.

Abstract: Electrosensitive recording using a composite structure formed by a base support for a resinous contrast layer containing amorphous silicon dioxide, polycrystalline silicon dioxide, and a polyolefin, which provide an anti-abrasion characteristic. The contrast layer has an overlying metallic surface that is desirably provided by vapor deposition. The electrostatic structure provides suitable print quality for information recorded by electrically actuated styli and has the property of suitable resistance to unwanted stripping or burnishing of the metallic surface.

Abstract: A water-soluble dye, free from cellulose reactive groups, of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is --(C.sub.a H.sub.2a O).sub.m (C.sub.b H.sub.2b O).sub.n H,R.sup.2 is H or --(C.sub.a H.sub.2a O).sub.m (C.sub.b H.sub.2b O).sub.n H, orR.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together with the nitrogen atom form a morpholine ring a and b are different from 1 to 8m is from 1 to 10;n is from 0 to 9;X is the residue of a diazotizable amineY is NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 or non-chromophoric groups OR.sup.3 or NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 in which R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently selected from H, alkyl and aryl; andZ is: ##STR2## wherein M is a monovalent cation, and an ink containing the dye suitable for use in an ink jet printing process.

Abstract: A frequency-stabilized oscillator is frequency modulated by band-limited random varying signals used to drive a suitable transducer randomly to and artificially perturb fluid jets in an electrostatic fluid jet applicator. Such random artificial pertubation is desirable (especially with longer cross-machine orifice plates) so as to obscure printing irregularities caused by standing wave or other phenomena. However, such random variations are best made with respect to a highly stabilized center frequency.

Abstract: A process for printing a cloth with a dye-containing ink by an ink-jet system is provided in which an ink-receiving material with a viscosity of 1000 cp or higher at 25.degree. C. is applied onto the cloth prior to the printing. The ink-receiving material may be a water-soluble resin-containing solution or a hydrophilic resin-containing solution.

Abstract: A data storage medium is provided which is suitable for production or replication by moulding, casting, embossing or a similar process against a tool. The data storage medium has a surface or a surface region which is strongly absorbent of at least a predetermined band of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. The surface or surface region includes a layer of a material which undergoes a large volume change or degradation and has a regular, sinuous textured surface pattern which is free from undercutting. The textured surface pattern is coated with a thin film of platinum or a platinum alloy, the thickness of the overcoating preferably being such as to give no more than 10% transmission of incident radiation.A method of storing information on such a data storage medium is also disclosed. The data storage medium may be prepared in blank form for use as the consumer desires, or it may be pre-recorded in part or in entirety.

Abstract: A liquid jet recording process comprises the step of providing a continuous passageway defining a path through which liquid can flow. The passageway has an inlet thereto and an outlet orifice therefrom and further defines a thermal chamber portion located directly in the path intermediate the inlet and the outlet orifice and spaced upstream from the outlet orifice. Liquid is supplied to the passageway to fill it and an input signal is generated each time it is desired to produce a liquid droplet. The liquid in the thermal chamber portion is heated in response to each input signal and heating is sufficient instantaneously to cause a change of state of the liquid in the thermal portion chamber sufficient to produce a force acting on liquid filling the passageway between the thermal chamber portion and the orifice that overcomes the surface tension of liquid at the orifice and thereby projects a droplet of liquid from the orifice.

Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus includes a thermal printing head with a line of heat generating elements, a data providing circuit which provides source data to be printed, and a compensating data forming circuit. The compensating data is formed from the source data and at least one line of previous source data. The compensating data and source data are provided to the printing head along with respective print enabling signals, and are printed successively.

Abstract: A planar heat generating resistor has a heat generating resistor layer formed on or above a support member and a pair of opposing electrodes formed on the heat generating resistor layer, such that a width of the heat generating layer at the electrode area is larger than a width of the electrodes and a voltage is applied across the electrodes, in which a ratio of a maximum value of a gradient of .phi., .sqroot.(.differential..phi./.differential.x).sup.2 +(.differential..phi./.differential.y).sup.2 to a value of .sqroot.(.differential..phi./.differential.x).sup.2 +(.differential..phi./.differential.y).sup.2 at a center of the resistor is no larger than 1.4 when a Laplace equation .differential..sup.2 /.differential.x.sup.2 +.differential..sup.2 .phi./.differential.y.sup.2 =0 is solved for the heat generating resistor when an orthogonal coordinate system X-Y is defined on the resistor surface, a potential at a point (x,y) on the resistor surface is represented by .phi.

Abstract: Apparatus for the ejection of ink droplets having a fluid filled channel having a discharge opening at one end, and a cross-sectional expansion at the other, so that pressure waves within the channel produce by a tubular transducer are reflected from the cross-sectional expansion with reversal of operational sign or polarity. Unipolar pulses having symmetrically and trailing edges excite the transducer, and the droplet is ejected from the discharge opening as a result of the superimposed directed and reflected pressure waves produced by the transducer.

Abstract: An image forming technique uses dots having at least two or more kinds of sizes are formed with respect to each of two kinds of coloring agents having different coloring concentrations, the optical density of the minimum dot of the coloring agent having a high coloring concentration is set to be smaller than the optical density of the maximum dot of the coloring agent having a low coloring concentration. It is possible to realize a gradient expression such that no pseudo outline due to the difference in dot concentration is generated even if there is a sudden density change.

Abstract: A picture-forming method comprises the steps of providing picture forming elementary particles having different optical densities; controlling the areas occupied by the respective picture forming elementary particles; and representing gradient by said different picture forming elementary particles while limiting the percentage of the gradient level area represented by the highest density elementary particle to said picture forming elementary particles to under 70% of the total area repsesented by said respective different picture forming elementary particles, thereby giving a picture which does not feel "rough". Apparatus is also disclosed for performing the method.

Abstract: In a recorder having a record head which discharges liquid to record dots and which has a discharge energy generating element arranged on a substrate, a liquid discharge port arranged for the discharge energy generating element and a liquid path for supplying the liquid to the liquid discharge path, non-discharge of the liquid in the recorder is prevented by energizing the discharge energy generating element in a non-discharge condition when the recorder is powered on and/or when a predetermined waiting time has elapsed.

Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus is disclosed in which ribbon advancing mechanism including a supply spool and a take-up spool operated by a stepping motor is disclosed. Mechanism is provided for reversing the direction in which the take-up spool is driven by a specified amount during the printing cycle, in order to provide ribbon slack, so as to avoid smudging of the transferred ink on the receiving document and possible ribbon breakage during printing. The circumference of the accumulated ribbon on the take-up spool at any given time is considered in determining the number of steps and the step rate of the stepping motor in the reverse direction which must be taken in order to produce the desired amount of ribbon slack and slack take-up.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a recording apparatus for using a semiconductor laser 1 as a light source so that the scanning operation may be conducted with the laser beam which has been modulated on the basis of picture information. The drive current of the semiconductor laser 1 for making the monitor current of an optical output constant is determined before the beginning of a recording period so that the drive current may be used as that of the semiconductor laser 1 during the recording period.

Abstract: An ink jet method and image recording head for jetting a liquid coloring agent, or ink, wherein there are provided a pair wall members with spaced-apart inner faces to contain the ink, the edges of the wall members forming a discharge opening on one side thereof; electrodes for applying an electric field to ink between the inner faces; one or more heating elements on one of the inner faces for heating an area thereof; and wherein an unevenness, or corrugations, are provided on one of the inner faces near the discharge opening and positioned relative to the heating element to control erroneous jetting of the ink.

Abstract: Color print reproduction in which a monochromatic CRT with blue, green and red emissions successively displays a blue picture, a green picture and a red picture which are passed through blue, green and red filters respectively before exposing a color print material. At least the blue picture is also passed through a yellow filter in order to suppress the blue response of the green and red layers of the print material.

Abstract: A method of thermally printing a multicolor image on a print paper is disclosed. With this method, a lengthy multicolor image can be printed on a paper over a plurality of pages of a length determined by a length of each ink zone of an ink ribbon. First, the ink ribbon is set over a platen roller with the paper being interposed therebetween, the ink ribbon having plural groups of ink zones, the ink zones of each group carrying a plurality of heat-dissolving inks of different colors, respectively. One of the ink zones is positioned at a printing position where a thermal head contacts with the platen roller through the ink ribbon and paper. The thermal head is then activated in accordance with image data stored in a memory, and the ink ribbon and paper are advanced to effect transfer of ink so that one of color component images of the image is printed on the paper. The ink ribbon and paper are then advanced by a predetermined distance to separate the paper from the ink ribbon.

Abstract: In an ink jet printer utilizing piezo ceramic actuators to generate ink droplets, the velocity of the ink droplets is controlled by adjusting the piezoelectric effect of the actuators.

Abstract: A light-transmissive recording medium is provided which has an ink receiving layer formed mainly of a water-soluble polymer and a crosslinking agent on a light-transmissive substrate, wherein the polymer constituting said ink receiving layer has a crosslinking degree within the range of from the crosslinking degree satisfying the water resistance of the ink receiving layer in JIS K 5400 to the crosslinking degree giving the ink receiving capacity of 0.2 .mu.l/cm.sup.2 in the ink receiving layer. A recording method employing the above-mentioned recording medium is also provided.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a plurality of electrodes arranged in a column for applying heat to a resistive ribbon to transfer material from the resistive ribbon to a recording medium. When the electrode is to be energized in the present cycle but was not energized in the previous cycle or either of the contiguous electrodes is not to be energized in the present cycle, additional power is applied to the electrode during a first portion of the present cycle to increase the total power applied to the electrode. This improves the print quality through enhancing the left leading edge and/or either vertical edge of the character. During a second portion of the cycle, power is applied for the same period of time to all of the electrodes, which are to be activated, during the particular cycle.

Abstract: A method of making an ink jet head with an orifice plate having an orifice extending therethrough for ink ejection involves the steps of adhering a photosensitive plate to the ink jet head to cover the outlet of a liquid passageway in the head, aligning a pattern mask with the ink passageway, exposing the photosensitive plate in-situ to radiation through the pattern mask, and removing portions of the photosensitive plate in accordance with the radiation pattern to form in the photosensitive plate an orifice aligned with the outlet.

Abstract: A process for recording an information on a surface of a substrate, which includes steps of irradiating the substrate surface with radiation modulated according to the information to be recorded and subjecting the surface of the substrate to a deposition treatment to form deposited areas and non-deposited areas in correspondence with the non-irradiated areas and the irradiated areas, respectively. By this process, a recording density of from 10.sup.8 to 10.sup.9 bit/mm.sup.2 can be obtained.

Abstract: A high performance ink jet is operated in a fill-before-fire mode. The ink jet is characterized by at least one resonant frequency in excess of 10 kHz creating an upper limit for a frequency of stable operation. During operation, the ink jet is characterized by ejecting droplets of substantially equal velocity and/or size for various frequencies in an operating range extending from 0 to a fequency equal to or in excess of 5 kHz.

Abstract: According to the recording technology of this invention, the recording sheet on a recording paper has two layers: a resistive layer and a thermally fusible solid ink layer. A plurality of needle electrodes are in contact with the recording sheet and a means is provided to cause electric currents to flow between selected pairs of mutually adjacent electrodes such that the ink layer is thermally fused for recording.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system has a drop generator with a nozzle fed by a pressurized ink source to cause a continuous stream of ink to break into synchronized droplets. A pair of electrodes positioned on either side of the path followed by the droplets are controlled in a time multiplex mode to charge the droplets, and then to deflect the charged droplets.The electronics of this invention provide electronic synchronization and compensation whereby synchronization is achieved between the drop generator stimulation source and the charge/deflect circuit so that during each cycle, a small period of time is allocated for charging and the remaining larger period of time for deflection; and the compensation system provides for the fact that each charged droplet is to be exposed to an equal accumulated deflection energy during its movement between the plates.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording process for recording colored images comprises using n ("n" represents an integer of 2 or more) kinds of inks different from one another in dye concentration to express one color, wherein the inks are toned so that hues given by said n kinds of inks are continuous.

Abstract: The specification describes thermal ink jet (TIJ) processes and device structures produced thereby wherein either heater resistors or heater resistor-diode combinations are constructed vertically upward from a common supporting substrate. A lower or first metal level conductor pattern provides one part of an X-Y matrix multiplex connection to the resistor/diode components, and a second, upper metal level conductor pattern forms the second part of the X-Y matrix multiplex connection. In this manner, the multiplex drive circuitry for the TIJ printhead resistors/diodes may be fabricated (integrated) directly on the thin film resistor (TFR) printhead substrate. Additionally, the second level metal conductors which overlie the resistive heater and diode elements also serve as a barrier shield to ink corrosion and cavitation wear.

Abstract: Several fabricating processes for ink jet printheads are disclosed, each printhead being composed of two parts aligned and bonded together. One part is a substantially flat substrate which contains on the surface thereof a lineal array of heating elements and addressing electrodes, and the second part is a substrate having at least one recess anisotropically etched therein to serve as an ink supply manifold when the two parts are bonded together. A lineal array of parallel grooves are formed in the second part, so that one end of the grooves communicate with the manifold recess an the other ends are open for use as an ink droplet expelling nozzles. Many printheads can be made simultaneously by producing a plurality of sets of heating elements array with their addressing electrodes on a silicon wafer and by placing alignment marks thereon at predetermined locations.