Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of recording heads, a plurality of head holders to hold the recording heads, a guide member extending in a main scanning direction, a carriage movable in the main scanning direction along the guide member to hold the head holders, a reference member provided to the carriage and extending in the same direction as the guide member extends, an intermediate holder disposed between the carriage and the head holders and supported by the carriage with the reference member and at least two sub-reference portions, an adjustment member provided to at least one of the two sub-reference portions to displace the one of the two sub-reference portions relative to the carriage, and a contact portion provided to each of the head holders to contact against the intermediate holder in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the reference member extends.

Abstract: A printer includes a jet and an adjusting device. The adjusting device includes a base, a movable rod on the base, and an idle roller secured to the movable rod. The idle roller drives a piece of paper to slide. A feed roller is secured above the idle roller, and a gap between the feed roller and the idle roller has a gap height accommodating a paper thickness. A driving mechanism is in a side of the idle roller and transports the piece of paper out of the gap. During a printing process, the feed roller faces a printed side, and the idle roller faces an opposite side. The jet is secured above the printed side and between the driving mechanism and the feed roller. The idle roller moves substantially perpendicular to a printing surface, and the idle roller adjusts the gap height substantially equal to the paper thickness.

Abstract: An ink set for forming multiple layers comprising a colored ink composition comprising a yellow ink composition, a magenta ink composition, a cyan ink composition, and a black ink composition, and a white ink composition, each ink composition comprising (Component A) a radically polymerizable compound and (Component B) a radical polymerization initiator, Component A above comprising (Component A-1) an N-vinyl compound and (Component A-2) a compound represented by Formula (a-2) below, and when the content of the radical polymerization initiator in the white ink composition is X and the content of the radical polymerization initiator in the magenta ink composition is Y, Expression (1) below being satisfied wherein R1, R2, and R3 independently denote a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group, and X2 denotes a single bond or a divalent linking group. 0.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a carriage configured to be movable supporting a recording head that can eject ink onto paper, a cam member adjusting the height position of the carriage to adjust the distance between the paper and the recording head, a cap member abutting the recording head along with a biasing force, and an engagement member placed to oppose the cap member with the carriage therebetween and pressing the carriage to the cap member side. The sum of the weight of the carriage itself and the pressing force with which the engagement member presses the carriage is equal to or greater than the biasing force acting on the carriage through the abutting of the cap member.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to jet ink droplets from the nozzles; a carriage configured to carry the ink-jet head, and reciprocate in a predetermined scanning direction; a transport mechanism configured to transport the recording medium, on which the ink droplets jetted from the nozzles land, in a transport direction intersecting the scanning direction; and a control device configured to control the ink-jet head, the carriage and the transport mechanism to perform recording of the image. The nozzles include a plurality of first nozzles which are aligned at first interval with respect to the transport direction and from which first-type ink droplets are jetted, and a plurality of second nozzles which are aligned at second interval with respect to the transport direction and from which second-type ink droplets different from the first-type ink droplets are jetted.

Abstract: In a method for determining a velocity of an object in a printing system, a reference pattern is moved, in particular in a substantial linear movement or in a rotational movement, relative to an fixed reference point independent of the object. A first sensor, configured to have substantially the same velocity as said object with respect to said reference pattern, provides a sensor signal based on the sensed reference pattern. The velocity of the object with respect to said fixed reference point is determined based on the determined velocity of said reference pattern with respect to said fixed reference point, and based on the sensor signal. The movement of the reference pattern enables improved accuracy of the determination of the velocity of the object, in particular for a slow moving object.

Abstract: Printer module includes a media processing member and a bumper that is arranged to be adjusted in height to provide for a parallel arrangement of the media processing member with respect to a printer roller.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head; a carriage to which the recording head is detachably mounted; and a first head protection member that is arranged on the carriage; wherein the recording head is positioned with respect to the carriage in a relative movement direction by moving the recording head relative to the carriage until a first position reference plane of the recording head and a second position reference plane of the carriage come into contact; the first head protection member is arranged at both sides in the relative movement direction of a nozzle face of the recording head and protrudes further than the nozzle face; and the first head protection member is movable with respect to the carriage in the relative movement direction and moves along with the recording head when the recording head moves relative to the carriage.

Abstract: A method of adaptively controlling motion of a carriage in a carriage printer within a user's environment, the method includes controlling a motor to move a carriage of a carriage printer within a user's environment according to a first motor control profile; acquiring data relative to a motion of the carriage printer as the carriage is moved according to the first motor control profile; analyzing the acquired data relative to the motion of the carriage printer corresponding to the carriage being moved according to the first motor control profile; and controlling the motor to move the carriage of the carriage printer according to a second motor control profile.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head unit having a plurality of liquid ejecting heads that ejects liquid from nozzles. The liquid ejecting head unit has a head fixing member that fixes a plurality of the liquid ejecting heads in a row with gaps between the heads. The head fixing member has an opening at a frame section, and fixes a plurality of the liquid ejecting heads that are inserted into the opening in a state where at least one portion of each of the nozzle plates protrudes through the opening. Partition plates are arranged between the liquid ejecting heads in the frame section in a row with the liquid ejecting heads across the opening. A portion of each of the partition plates protrudes from the bottom of the frame section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a print head to form an image on a recording medium; a carriage, including the print head, which scans in a main scanning direction; a linear encoder scale with scale marks and elongated in the carriage moving direction to detect a position of the carriage; an encoder sensor disposed on a side wall of the carriage including a groove with an upper open concave-shaped cross-section if seen from the carriage moving direction and reads scale marks on the linear encoder scale by passing the linear encoder scale through the groove; and a through-hole forming member, disposed on the side wall of the carriage, configured to cover the encoder sensor, and forming a through-hole extending in the carriage moving direction which the linear encoder scale is passed through. The through-hole forming member is disposed openable with respect to the carriage.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a technique that prints characters and patterns clearly onto a tire surface without complicated operations. A tire printing device of the present invention includes a printer head that ejects and applies a coating material onto a tire surface, a widthwise moving unit that moves the printer head along the width direction of the tire, a radial moving unit that moves the printer head along the radical direction of the tire, and a swinging unit that swings the printer head around the axis along the circumferential direction of the tire.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes recording heads, head holders, a carriage, a guide member, a reference member, and a pressing member. The recording heads have nozzles to eject liquid droplets. The holders hold the recording heads. The carriage is reciprocally movable in a main scanning direction and holding the holders. The guide member is disposed along the main scanning direction to guide the carriage along the main scanning direction. The reference member is disposed parallel to the guide member in the carriage to hold the holders. The pressing member presses at least one of the holders toward at least another of the holders. The holders have reference faces to contact each other in the main scanning direction to determine relative positions of the holders. With the recording heads positioned based on the reference faces of the holders, the recording heads are held by the holders.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes a liquid jetting head having a liquid jetting surface in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned along a predetermined direction, a head holder holding the liquid jetting head and being rotatable within a plane parallel to the liquid jetting surface, a rotation regulation member contacting with two contact portions of the head holder to regulate rotation of the head holder, and an inclination adjustment mechanism, which has a cam member being rotatable about a rotation shaft and being capable of displacing a first contact portion of the two contact portions in a direction including a directional component perpendicular to a direction linking the first contact portion with a second contact portion of the two contact portions within the plane, and which adjusts inclination of the head holder by rotating the cam member to rotate the head holder about the second contact portion.

Abstract: An height-adjusting apparatus for a printing apparatus includes a bracket, a printing platform carrying the print head, an adjusting block, and an adjusting pole. The printing platform includes an accommodating box. The adjusting block includes a base and a ramped protrusion portion extending from the base. The adjusting pole passes through the accommodating box and the protrusion portion to fix the adjusting block between the bracket and the printing platform. When the adjusting pole is rotated, the protrusion portion moves in the accommodating box, and the ramp causes the printing platform to be raised or lowered as required on the bracket.

Abstract: A printer has a pair of frame panels that support the ends of a carriage guide shaft, a carriage that carries a print head, a carriage drive motor, and first and second pulleys on which a belt connected to the carriage is mounted. The first and second pulleys limit the range of bidirectional carriage movement so that the maximum width of carriage movement is substantially equal to the width between the pair of frame panels. A tube that carries ink to the print head is disposed curving in a U-shape in the direction of the width between the pair of frame panels. The carriage drive motor is disposed in the space in which the tube is located in the space on the opposite side as the direction in which the tube curves, and the drive shaft of the carriage drive motor is perpendicular to the scanning plane of the carriage.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a mounting plate, a driving module attached to the mounting plate, a driven module secured to the mounting plate, an endless belt connecting the driving module and the driven module, a resisting member slidably engaged with the driven module, and an adjusting member rotatably secured to the mounting plate and pressing the resisting member on the driven module. The adjusting member can be loosened and tightened. When the adjusting member is loosened, the driven module is movable relative to the mounting plate along a first direction by urging of the endless belt. When the adjusting member is tightened, the driven module is still movable relative to the mounting plate along a second direction opposite to the first direction, by pressure from the resisting member.

Abstract: A paper printing method for a line printer that can print a next print job with a specific margin without reversing paper. To print on label paper using a head unit having a plurality of line printheads disposed at a specific interval along the conveyance direction of the label paper, a printhead moving step advances a head unit at a first position after printing ends to a second position, and a printing step prints a label while moving the head unit in the reverse of the conveyance direction. At the second position, the printing position of the last line inkjet head of the head unit is on the forward side of the start printing position of a label on the label paper.

Abstract: A first common tangent of a first pulley and a second pulley is in parallel with the scanning direction. A second external common tangent of the first pulley and a third pulley intersects with the scanning direction. A motor has a shaft extended in a first direction and connected to the third pulley. An endless belt is wound on the first, second, and third pulleys. A belt connecting portion is provided on the carriage and connected to the belt in a portion on the first external common tangent. The distance between the head passing region and the third pulley is greater than a radial difference obtained as the length of the radius of the motor minus the radius of the third pulley. The distance between the head passing region and the belt connecting portion is smaller than the radial difference.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording head that discharges a recording ink and an undercoating ink on a recording medium; a driving section that drives at least one of the recording medium and the recording head so that the recording medium and the recording head are relatively scanned several times in one direction; and a control section that causes an undercoating layer with the undercoating ink on a predetermined area of the recording medium and a recording layer with the recording ink to be laminated by the recording head and the driving section, and simultaneously allows that the number of the scannings in a case where the undercoating ink is discharged with respect to the predetermined area is larger than the number of the scannings in a case where the recording ink is discharged with respect to the predetermined area.

Abstract: A moving mechanism includes a support, a moving body arranged movably in a predetermined direction relative to the support, a first groove provided in the support parallel to the moving direction, a second groove provided in the moving body parallel to the moving direction, and facing the first groove, and a vibrating body arranged in the support or moving body and biased to press the other of the moving body or the support. A direction which the first groove and the second groove face each other intersects a direction which the support and the moving body face each other, and a biasing direction which the vibrating body is biased intersects the direction which the first groove and the second groove face each other and the direction which the support and the moving body face each other. Accordingly, backlash of the moving body with respect to the support is suppressed.

Abstract: A turning operation of a headset lever is completed, and a printing head can be detached from a carriage part. By the above described turning operation of the head set lever, a supply port insertion and extraction part connected via a link slides, a needle pipe of the supply port insertion and extraction part is brought into a state of being the farthest from the printing head, and a needle insertion and extraction lever is brought into state in which it moves under a case wall. Thereby, an operator cannot turn only the needle insertion and extraction lever when the head set lever is in an opened state. In this manner, when the headset lever is in the opened state, the operation of the needle insertion and extraction lever which is used for connection of the supply port insertion and extraction part to ink supply port is restricted.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet printhead comprising a plurality of channels, wherein the channels are capable of being filled with ink from an ink supply and wherein the channels terminate in nozzles on one surface of the printhead, the surface being coated with a coating composition comprising a fluorinated poly(amide-imide) copolymer.

Abstract: The invention stabilizes a posture of a liquid discharge head when mounting the liquid discharge head with respect to a mount section of a liquid discharge apparatus and improves the mountability thereof. The liquid discharge head includes a grasp portion provided with a surface extending along a first direction as a direction of disposition of a plurality of discharge ports and extending along a second direction intersecting the discharge port surface and used for grasping the liquid discharge head. The surface of the grasp portion is provided at a position not overlapped in the direction vertical to the discharge port surface with a center axis passing in a third direction which is vertical to the first direction and extending along the discharge port surface through the center of gravity of the liquid discharge head in the first direction.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus including a carriage carrying a recording head for ejecting ink droplets, a support portion for supporting the carriage such that the carriage is reciprocally movable in a predetermined direction, a power transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force from a drive power source to the carriage, and a vibration damping device disposed on the support portion, and wherein the vibration damping device has mutually different resonance frequency values at respective at least two different positions in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of forming multiple copies of images on a medium having more than one divided area (N) by arranging the images in the divided areas, respectively. The image forming apparatus includes an input image data acquisition unit that acquires an input image data for one copy, an output image data generation unit that generates output image data in which the images are consecutively arranged on the divided areas without a blank divided area being provided between any of the copies by repeatedly using the input image data for one copy acquired by the input image data acquisition unit a number of times equal to the number of divided areas, and an image forming unit that forms an image on the recording medium based on the output image data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image forming unit, an adjustment unit, an image control unit, a sensor, a deviation amount calculating unit, and a determination unit. The image forming unit forms an image. The adjustment unit forms one set of a plurality of predetermined images in color, and adjusts color deviation. The image control unit controls the image forming unit to form a lesser number of predetermined images than the number of predetermined images formed by the adjustment unit. The sensor detects the predetermined images formed on the basis of control of the image control unit by the image forming unit. The deviation amount calculating unit calculates a deviation amount on the basis of the predetermined images. The determination unit determines whether or not color deviation occurs on the basis of the deviation amount, and controls performance of the adjustment unit on the basis of the determination result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage movably supported to move reciprocally in a main scanning direction, an image forming unit mounted on the carriage to form an image, a driving pulley disposed at a first end in the main scanning direction, a driven pulley disposed at a second end opposite the first end in the main scanning direction, a driving source operatively connected to the driving pulley to rotate the driving pulley, a carriage drawing member extended between the driving pulley and the driven pulley and partially mounted to the carriage to draw the carriage, a mount disposed on the carriage to mount the carriage drawing member, a holder disposed on the carriage to hook the carriage drawing member extended from the mount during assembly, and a guide member to guide the carriage drawing member extended from the mount and the holder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus which prints while reciprocating a carriage by a motor, comprising a gear member configured to be attached to a rotor of the motor, a belt configured to be attached to the carriage, include unevenness corresponding to teeth of the gear member, and be suspended to be engaged with the gear member, a storage unit configured to store data of a signal for suppressing a velocity fluctuation of the carriage when no tooth jumping occurs between the gear member and the belt, a detection unit configured to detect generation of the tooth jumping from the velocity fluctuation of the carriage during movement of the carriage, and a correction unit configured to correct the velocity fluctuation of the carriage by using the stored data of the signal for suppressing when the tooth jumping occurs.

Abstract: A carriage printer includes a printhead; a print region; a carriage configured to move the printhead back and forth across the print region; a motor for moving the carriage; a housing; a motion detector for detecting motion of the carriage printer; and a controller configured to control the motor, the controller including a motor control profile that is adaptable based upon the detected motion of the printer housing.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the apparatus, a transparent inkjet head includes a first plurality of nozzles, and a color inkjet head includes a second plurality of nozzles. A color value measurement unit is configured to measure color values of ink applied to a plurality of pixels based on signals applied to the second plurality of nozzles of the color inkjet head and signals applied to the first plurality of nozzles of the transparent inkjet head. A control unit is configured to compare the measured color values of the ink applied to the plurality of pixels with a target value and to change the signals applied to the first plurality of nozzles of the transparent inkjet head such that the measured color values of the ink applied to the plurality of pixels are uniform.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a carriage which includes a recording head performing recording on a medium and is movable in a first direction; a shaft-shaped guide shaft which guides the carriage in the first direction and extends in the first direction; and a lubricant guiding unit which guides a lubricant to a sliding contact portion between the carriage and the guide shaft, wherein the lubricant guiding unit includes a cylindrical member which is loosely fitted on outside the guide shaft and the cylindrical member is rotated when the carriage is moved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first carriage having a first recording head to eject black liquid droplets, a second carriage having a second recording head to eject color liquid droplets and separatably dockable with the first carriage, a position detector to detect a position of the second carriage relative to the first carriage in a state in which the first and second carriages are docked with each other, and a landing position corrector to correct landing positions of liquid droplets ejected from at least one of the first and second recording heads. The landing position corrector holds the position of the second carriage obtained by the position detector as a reference position and adjusts a correction amount for correcting the landing positions based on an amount of shift between the reference position and a present position of the second carriage docked with the first carriage.

Abstract: A head driving mechanism includes a first cam follower an end portion of which is attached to a first holding unit and the other end portion of which includes a first sliding-contact surface disposed in sliding contact with a cam, and a second cam follower an end portion of which is attached to the second holding unit and the other end portion of which includes a second sliding-contact surface disposed in sliding contact with the cam. The first cam follower and the second cam follower are each displaced by rotation of the cam so as to move the first printing head and the second printing head, while the first sliding-contact surface and the second sliding-contact surface are in sliding contact with an outer circumferential surface of the cam.

Abstract: There is provided a wide-format printing apparatus which can suppress a posture variation of a carriage to improve landing-on accuracy of ink, and can reduce an HP distance to the minimum narrowness, thus achieving higher image quality and mass-production performance. Therefore the HP distance, the main rail and the sub rail are adjustable, and the curve amount of both the rails is made to be in agreement with the curve amount of the platen 21. After that, the adjustment for minimizing the local deformation of both the rails is performed.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an upstream conveying unit that includes a conveying roller and a pinch roller that is in contact with the conveying roller at a position that is displaced downstream of the conveying roller in a conveying direction of a sheet; a recording head that is disposed downstream of the upstream conveying unit and that discharges liquid; a carriage that supports the recording head and scans in a direction that intersects the conveying direction; a platen that supports the sheet at a position facing the recording head; a downstream conveying unit disposed downstream of the carriage and that conveys the sheet; and a control unit that moves the carriage so that a liquid discharge port surface of the recording head is positioned outside a side edge of the sheet when a trailing end of the sheet passes a nip between the conveying roller and the pinch roller.

Abstract: A recording apparatus that performs recording by a recording head mounted on a carriage capable of scanning on a recording medium, includes a connecting member of which both ends are connected to the recording head and an apparatus main body and that moves in a bending manner, and a plate-like supporting member that supports the connecting member at the lower side in the vertical direction. In the recording apparatus, one end of the supporting member is supported on a frame member of the apparatus main body in a cantilever manner.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet print apparatus which can prevent floating mists from being attached on a head face to realize a print with high quality. Therefore a wing-shaped print head is provided to increase an air flow flowing into a region between a print head positioned backward thereof and a print medium.

Abstract: A fixing structure for print head carriage rod and a fixing method thereof. The fixing structure is simplified and is able to minimize the flexure of the print head carriage rod. The fixing structure includes a frame body disposed in a printing machine, and a carriage rod mounted on the frame body for a print head carriage to reciprocally travel on the carriage rod for printing operation. The frame body has sidewalls and support sections formed on the sidewalls for supporting two ends of the carriage rod. The fixing structure further includes retainers for securing the carriage rod to the frame body. The retainers are positioned on two sides of the support sections of the sidewalls to together with the support sections prevent the carriage rod from being flexed so as to avoid deterioration of printing quality.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a recording head to form an image on a recording medium, a carriage mounting the recording head and movable in a main scanning direction, a guide member extending in the main scanning direction to movably hold and guide the carriage, a stay member extending in the main scanning direction to hold the guide member, a frame member attached to the stay member to support the stay member, and an adjustment unit provided between and attached to a first end of the stay member and to the frame member to adjust an angle of the stay member with respect to the recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a color printer and particularly to a color printer reducing power consumption and complying with international criteria ensuring sustained earth environment. In a color printer having multiple optical writing heads for individual recording colors, the activated periods of individual color recording heads are set to different periods and one writing period of individual recording heads is divided into multiple periods, video data for recording one dot line are divided into multiple blocks in the main scan direction, and the divided video data are used for emission at different times in the sub-scan direction, whereby a smaller number of optical writing elements are simultaneously driven for emission and the peak power consumption of the entire apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first carriage having a recording head that ejects black liquid droplets and is movable in a main scanning direction and a second carriage having a recording head that ejects color liquid droplets and is detachably attachable to the first carriage within a scanning range of the first carriage in the main scanning direction. The second carriage when attached to the first carriage is movable in the main scanning direction together with the first carriage. Attachment and detachment of the second carriage to and from the first carriage are performed based on a predetermined reference position of the first carriage in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: In order to prevent banding between bands printed by an inkjet printer, a print head 2 is moved in a main scanning direction (X) during each scan and the print head 2 is moved in a sub-scanning direction (Y) by a band width (BW) with respect to a print medium 11. The print head 2 includes a nozzle array which is a plurality of nozzles aligned in the sub-scanning direction (Y). The nozzle array is divided into a plurality of path arrays (e.g., P1 to P4) which correspond to a plurality of paths (e.g., 1st to 4th path), respectively, and includes a plurality of skip arrays (e.g., S1 to S3) including non-discharging nozzles and arranged between the plurality of path arrays. The print head 2 is controlled such that nozzles of each path array discharge ink droplets and nozzles of each skip array do not discharge the ink droplets. By doing so, an end of a lower band is misaligned with an end of an upper band formed on the lower band.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a first carriage movement mode, in which a stop position of a carriage in movement of this time is determined to be at a given position in a width direction on the basis of a size in the width direction of a liquid-ejected medium, and a second carriage movement mode, in which the stop position of the carriage in the movement of this time is determined on the basis of at least one of the liquid ejection data in the movement of this time or the liquid ejection data in the movement of the next time, and liquid ejection is carried out with one of the first carriage movement mode and the second carriage movement mode selected in accordance with the type of liquid-ejected medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a medium by discharging liquid from a discharge head, wherein a carriage on which the discharge head is mounted is made to be able to reciprocate, and in a case where agitation of liquid is required, control is performed such that operation areas of a plurality of places set within a movable range of the carriage are changed over and the carriage then reciprocates within the operation area.

Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus, degraded image quality due to ink viscosity increasing is suppressed without forming ink dots unrelated to the print image as in what is called on-sheet preliminary ejection. More specifically, print data is generated for each pass in a multi-pass printing, such that the ratio of dots continuously formed by the same nozzle during the same scan becomes greater in low-duty areas than in high-duty areas. Thus, the lengthening of nozzle nonuse time can be suppressed, even in the case of printing a low-duty area. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress degraded image quality due to ink viscosity increasing.

Abstract: A printer has a pair of frame panels that support the ends of a carriage guide shaft, a carriage that carries a print head, a carriage drive motor, and first and second pulleys on which a belt connected to the carriage is mounted. The first and second pulleys limit the range of bidirectional carriage movement so that the maximum width of carriage movement is substantially equal to the width between the pair of frame panels. A tube that carries ink to the print head is disposed curving in a U-shape in the direction of the width between the pair of frame panels. The carriage drive motor is disposed in the space in which the tube is located in the space on the opposite side as the direction in which the tube curves, and the drive shaft of the carriage drive motor is perpendicular to the scanning plane of the carriage.

Abstract: A system for printing an image, preferably a multicolor halftone image, onto at least one non-planar area of a surface of an object, for example a section of a body of a vehicle, includes an inkjet print head having nozzles, a robot, preferably an articulated robot, creating a primary movement, the primary movement including at least two printing paths of the inkjet print head being lateral to each other, and a device creating a secondary movement, the secondary movement being substantially perpendicular to the primary movement and causing the printing paths to laterally adjoin each other. As a result, undesired streaks between the printing paths may advantageously be reduced or prevented.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a carriage mounts a recording head for discharging droplets, and moves in a main scan direction. A guide member slidably guides the carriage. An encoder scale is arranged along the main scan direction. An encoder sensor reads the encoder scale. The carriage includes a head mounting part for mounting the recording head, and a sensor attaching part for attaching the encoder sensor. The sensor attaching part is provided so as to be extended from the head mounting part. The encoder scale is arranged at a location which the encoder sensor can read. A partition member is provided to separate the head mounting part from the sensor attaching part in the carriage. The head mounting part is arranged in a first space, and the sensor attaching part and the encoder scale are arranged in a second space separated from the first space by the partition member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport section including a first transport section configured to transport the recording medium in a first direction having a component of a downward direction in a vertical direction, a second transport section configured to transport the recording medium in a second direction having a component of an upward direction in the vertical direction, and a third transport section configured to connect the first transport section and the second transport section; a first head provided to face the first transport section and includes a plurality of first nozzles formed in different positions in the vertical direction; a second head provided to face the second transport section and includes a plurality of second nozzles formed in different positions in the vertical direction; and a control device configured to control the transport section, the first head, and the second head.