Abstract: An ink jet recording head of high printing quality including a plurality of electro-thermal transducers arranged on a substrate corresponding to respective nozzles, wherein each protective layer placed on a resistor constituting each of the plurality of electro-thermal transducers has a thickness-reduced portion at a part thereof so as to increase the distance between the center point of the air bubble of each of the plurality of electro-thermal transducers to longer than the distance between the centers of gravity of each of the plurality of electro-thermal transducers. With the ink jet recording head, the relationship between the amount and the speed of ejected ink droplets can be optimized in accordance with the size of areas of the electro-thermal transducers.

Abstract: A liquid discharge recording method utilizing two electrothermal transducing members to be driven independently provided in a liquid path communicating with a discharge opening at different distances OH from the discharge opening, and adapted to discharge liquid by bubble generation caused by heat generation in the electrothermal transducing members, in which an electrothermal transducing member positioned farther from the discharge opening is placed within an area where a ratio v/Vd of a discharge speed v to a discharge amount Vd of the liquid discharged by heating with the electrothermal transducing member remains substantially constant with respect to the distance OH, while the other electrothermal transducing member positioned closer to the discharge opening is placed in an area closer to the discharge opening than the above-mentioned range; and the bubble generation by the electrothermal transducing member positioned farther from the discharge opening is delayed by a predetermined time from the bubble ge

Abstract: A method for discharging ink from a discharge port using a liquid jet recording head having the discharge port for discharging liquid, a liquid flow path communicating with the discharge port, a liquid discharge heat generating element provided in the liquid flow path to apply thermal energy for discharging the liquid to the liquid with bubble generation and a fluid resistance element provided upstream of the liquid discharge heat generating element in the liquid flow path. A bubble generating region is used as the fluid resistance element and a movable member is provided facing the bubble generating region and having a free end, the movable member being shiftable upon bubble generation at the region. The method includes the step of generating a bubble by driving the liquid discharge heat generating element and generating the bubble and shifting the movable member by the fluid resistance element. Also discloses are a liquid discharge head, head cartridge, and recording apparatus which perform the method.

Abstract: A liquid carrying method is to carry liquid by pressure exerted by the creation of air bubble, which comprises the step of using an apparatus provided with a first liquid flow path for enabling the carrying liquid to flow, a second liquid flow path provided with the air bubble generating area for creating air bubble, a heat generating device arranged for the air bubble generating area to generate heat for the creation of the air bubble and a movable separation film for separating the first liquid flow path and the second liquid flow path and the step of carrying liquid in the first liquid flow path by displacing the movable separation film, having direction regulating means for regulating the displacement direction of the movable separation film, to the first liquid flow path side by the pressure exerted by the creation of the air bubble.

Abstract: This patent describes a method of manufacturing a linear spring electromagnetic grill ink jet print head wherein an array of nozzles are formed on a substrate utilising planar monolithic deposition, lithographic and etching processes. Multiple ink jet heads are formed simultaneously on a single planar substrate such as a silicon wafer. The print heads can be formed utilising standard VLSIULSI processing and can include integrated drive electronics formed on the same substrate. The drive electronics preferably being of a CMOS type. In the final construction, ink can be ejected from the substrate substantially normal to the substrate plane.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink jet recording head as an essential component, and the ink jet recording head has a wiring structure which assures that a quantity of electricity loss induced by wiring resistance can be reduced. A plurality of substantially rectangular heaters 2 are formed at the positions in the vicinity of one end edge 1a of a device substrate 1 while they are arranged in an array in parallel with the one end edge 1a of the device substrate 1 with a predetermined distance held between adjacent heaters 2. Each heater 2 is composed of heaters 2a and 2b in the form of a pair. A common wiring portion 3 made of a metallic material such as aluminum or the like is formed between a pair of heaters 2, and it is electrically connected to electrodes of the heaters 2 on one side of the latter on the common basis.

Abstract: An ink jet recording head comprises a discharge port for discharging ink, two electrothermal converting elements for generating thermal energy utilized for discharging the ink, and an ink flow path provided with the two electrothermal converting elements, at the same time, being conductively connected with the discharge port, and this head has a first discharge mode for discharging liquid droplets from the discharge port when the electrothermal converting element on the side nearer to the discharge port, of the two electrothermal converting elements, receives driving signals to generate the thermal energy, and also, a second discharge mode for discharging liquid droplets from the discharge port in the larger discharge amount than that of the first mode when both of the two electrothermal converting elements receive driving signals to generate the thermal energy.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is disclosed. A recording head is provided with a plurality of heaters in each nozzle. The plurality of heaters are arranged with different distances OH from the position of a center of gravity to an orifice. A front heater and a rear heater are alternately driven to discharge ink.

Abstract: A droplet generator for a continuous stream ink jet print head has a cavity (3, 23) for containing the ink; nozzle orifices (17, 27) in a wall (9) of the cavity (3, 23) for passing the ink from the cavity (3, 23) to form jets; and first (11, 21) and a second (13, 25) actuator device for establishing in combined operation a travelling wave. The travelling wave travels from the fist actuator device (11, 21) through the ink to the second actuator device (13, 25) and passes in a direction substantially parallel to the wall (9) containing the nozzle orifices (17, 27).

Abstract: A liquid ejecting method for ejecting liquid by generation of a bubble includes preparing a head comprising an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble generation region for generating the bubble in the liquid, a movable member disposed faced to the bubble generation region and displaceable between a first position and a second position further from the bubble generation region than the first position; displacing the movable member from the first position to the second position by pressure produced by the generation of the bubble in the bubble generating portion to permit expansion of the bubble more in a downstream side closer to the ejection outlet than in an upstream side; and wherein the displacing step including: first bubble generation step of displacing a free end side of the movable member by pressure produced by generation of a bubble in the bubble generating region; and second bubble generation step of generating at least one other bubble in the bubble generating region to eject the liquid

Abstract: A printer device for realizing correct representation of the gradation. After oozing a quantitation medium 45 from a quantitation medium nozzle 53, the printer device causes an emission medium 49 from an emission medium nozzle 54 for mixing with the quantitation medium 45 for emitting the resulting mixed liquid. During the time which elapses since emission of the quantitation medium 45 from the quantitation medium nozzle 53 until reversion of the liquid surface of the quantitation medium 45 to the opening end of the quantitation medium nozzle 53, the quantitation medium 53 is pressurized in a direction of pulling the liquid surface of the quantitation medium 45 into the quantitation medium nozzle 53.

Abstract: Image forming system and system. The method comprises a transducer for pressurizing and depressurizing an ink body so that an ink meniscus alternately extends from the ink body as the ink body is pressurized to form a neck portion thereof and retracts as the ink body is depressurized. An ink droplet separator is is in communication with the neck portion of the meniscus for lowering surface tension of the neck portion of the meniscus. In this regard, the droplet separator lowers the surface tension of the meniscus as the meniscus extends from the ink body. The extended meniscus severs from the ink body to form an ink droplet as the droplet separator lowers the surface tension of the neck portion to a predetermined value and as the ink meniscus retracts during depressurization of the ink body.

Abstract: A liquid jet head is provided with a first bubble generating device for enabling a first flow path conductively connected with a first discharge opening to create a bubble for the formation of discharge droplet, and a second bubble generating device for enabling a second flow path conductively connected with a second discharge opening to create a bubble for the formation of discharge droplet, and comprises a substrate having the first and second bubble generating devices on the surface area shared by them for use, an orifice section provided with the first and second discharge openings sequentially in the direction intersecting the sharable surface area of the substrate, and a flow path formation section for separating each path of the first and second flow paths at least from the discharge opening to the bubble generating device thereof, at the same time, arranging at least part of the first and second flow paths to be essentially in the form of laminated layer with respect to the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet printhead apparatus for modulating drop size. Drop size modulation is achieved by providing an ink jet printhead chip for use in an ink jet printhead having a cavity in communication with a supply of ink and a nozzle. The chip includes an unitary actuator having a first active section and a second active section. The first and second active sections are defined at a substantially equal distance from the nozzle by a location of attachment of at least three conductors.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording head comprises a plurality of liquid flow paths having discharge openings for discharging an ink, and a plurality of thermoelectric transducers provided for each liquid flow path in order to discharge the ink, wherein, a frontward thermoelectric transducer located on the discharge opening side is so provided that, when the ink is discharged by the frontward thermoelectric transducer alone, a value of (discharge velocity v/discharge quantity Vd) with respect to a distance OH extending from an end of its discharge opening side to the discharge opening is at a distance OH of the first region in a regional classification into a first region in which the value of v/Vd increases with a decrease in the distance OH and a second region in which it comes to be substantially constant with an increase in the distance OH.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet printhead apparatus for modulating drop size. Drop size modulation is achieved by providing an ink jet printhead chip for use in an ink jet printhead having a cavity in communication with a supply of ink and a nozzle. The chip includes an actuator having a first active section and a second active section. The first and second active sections are positioned at a substantially equal distance from the nozzle.

Abstract: A printing head operating on coincident forces, drop on demand printing principles which is able to print full color images using a single head. The print head includes a plurality of nozzles of each primary color, which may, for example, be the four standard process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). Nozzles of the same color are grouped in rows, with rows of each color separated from other colors to allow the provision of ink of the appropriate color to the nozzles using an injection molded ink channel assembly.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes ink ejection outlet for ejecting ink, a plurality of heat generating resistors for generating thermal energy contributable to ejecting the ink, and ink flow path comprising the plurality of the heat generating resistors and being in fluid communication with the ejection outlet, the heat generating resistors generating the thermal energy upon receiving a driving signal, so that a bubble is generated in the ink within the ink flow path to eject the ink through the ink ejection outlet; wherein the plurality of the heat generating resistors are arranged in parallel, relative to the ink ejecting direction, in the ink flow path, and the distances from the heat generating centers of the heat generating resistors to the ejection outlet are different.

Abstract: A dense array of ink jets is achieved by a fanning-in of chambers to a linear array of orifices. The ends of the chambers remote from the orifices have actuation locations which are coupled to elongated transducers having axes of elongation which are parallel to the axes of ejection of droplets from the orifices.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises an ejection orifice for ejecting an ink, a supply portion, communicating with the ejection orifice, for supplying an ink stored therein to the ejection orifice, an ejection energy producer, arranged in the supply portion, for applying energy for ink ejection to the ink, a pressure producer, arranged in the supply portion at a position different from the ejection energy producer, for producing a pressure wave in the supply portion, and a controller for controlling the pressure producer to produce a pressure wave different from a pressure wave produced in the supply portion by the ejection energy producer.

Abstract: A portable, high quality color printer for use with portable computers or in an office environment. The system uses a concurrent drop selection and drop separation drop on demand printing mechanism. The printer interprets information supplied by an external computer in the form of one or more page description languages (PDLs) to create a continuous tone page image. This image is converted to a bi-level image by digital halftoning, and stored in a bi-level page memory. The contents of the page memory can then be printed using the printing head. For use with notebook computers, a page width print head is used for fast, silent, low power operation and minimum size. The page width print head requires an entire page bitmap to be provided synchronously and at high speed. This is achieved by pre-calculating the bit-map on the notebook computer, and sending the data to the printer via a high data rate interface such as PC Cards.

Abstract: A digital color photograph printer (mini-lab) and a photograph copier which uses a drop on concurrent drop selection and drop separation demand printing mechanism. The system consists of a color continuous tone scanner, a scanner signal conditioning unit, a digital halftoning unit, a data phasing unit, and a printing mechanism using liquid ink. When copying, continuous tone image information from the image scanner is digitally color corrected, digitally halftoned in real-time and printed by the printing head. The system may be operated by a human operator, or may be fully automatic, producing a copy of a photograph after sensing payment by coin, banknote, credit card, or other means.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes an electroviscous fluid chamber provided at a part of a sidewall of an ink chamber, and having electroviscous fluid sealed therein, an elastic film provided between the ink chamber and the electroviscous fluid chamber for transmitting pressure between the ink chamber and the electroviscous fluid chamber, a pair of electrodes provided at a part of a sidewall of the electroviscous fluid chamber corresponding to the ink chamber for applying an electric field to the electroviscous fluid, a pressure generation device for discharging ink from the ink chamber, and a control device for controlling ink discharge by applying a voltage to the pair of electrodes to alter the viscosity of the electroviscous fluid in response to record information.

Abstract: An electric field is formed between an ink jet recording head and a recording medium on a platen so that a certain intensity of force effective in the direction oriented toward the recording medium is applied to an ink droplet in the presence of the electric field. Whereby, the ejected ink droplet is prevented from being shot onto a dislocated position from a normal position.

Abstract: Variation of ink droplet velocity and droplet mass in thermal ink-jet print heads having at least one primary heater element is achieved by means of a circuit for generating time-shifted heating pulses. The heater element structure is such that there is at least one secondary heater element in addition to and physically separated from each primary heater element. The circuit for generating time-shifted heating pulses for the primary and secondary heater elements applies those pulses in such a way that a vapor bubble has already formed in the printing fluid on the secondary heater element at the point at which a vapor bubble starts to form in the printing fluid on the primary heater element.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a plurality of liquid flow paths for ejecting the ink; and a plurality of heat generating resistors for the respective liquid flow paths, the heat generating resistor being independently drivable; wherein adjacent ones of the heat generating resistors are spaced by not more than 8 microns.

Abstract: A new printing system for drop on demand printing divides the printing process into two stages: a drop selection stage to select drops to be printed which generates a difference in meniscus position between selected drops and unselected drops of fluidized ink; and a drop separation stage, attracting the ink of the drops to a substrate, the attraction being insufficient to overcome the surface tension of drops in an unselected meniscus position but being sufficient to overcome the surface tension of drops in a selected meniscus position so as to cause movement of the drops to the substrate. The drop selection stage produces a difference in meniscus position in the absence of the drop separation stage. The separation of the drop selection stage from the drop separation stage significantly reduces the energy required to select which ink drops are to be printed. Only the drop selection stage must be driven by individual signals to each nozzle.

Abstract: Ink-jet system includes an ink channel between an ink reservoir and a nozzle. A pressurizing device is arranged adjacent to the ink channel for generating in the ink liquid an acoustic pressure wave propagating in the ink channel, so that an ink droplet is expelled from the nozzle. The ink channel has a substantially rectangular cross section and a depth d which is larger than the height of the nozzle, such that energy losses due to reflection of the acoustic wave at the transition from the ink channel to the nozzle are minimized. The pressurizing device includes a first electromechanical transducer with a plate-like expansible member having a height H in the direction of the depth of the ink channel such that the ratio H/d is smaller than the ratio between the respective elastic modules of the expansible member and the ink liquid.

Abstract: An ink-jet printhead in which an orifice for the passage of ink therethrough toward a preselected location on the sheet is shared by two ejectors. Each ejector is capable of emitting ink of a preselected quantity through the orifice. The ejectors may be activated substantially simultaneously, to cause ink of a combined quantity to be emitted through the orifice.

Abstract: A dense array of ink jets is achieved by a fanning-in of chambers to a linear array of orifices. The ends of the chambers remote from the orifices have actuation locations which are coupled to elongated transducers having axes of elongation which are parallel to the axes of ejection of droplets from the orifices.

Abstract: A casing is attached to a nozzle plate so that a hollow cavity is formed between the nozzle plate having a nozzle orifice and the casing. Three buckling structure bodies are arranged in the hollow cavity. Each of the buckling structure bodies has both ends fixedly attached to the casing via an attach member so that the center portion can be displaced. A power source is provided which applies a compressive stress to the interior of the buckling structure bodies to buckle the buckling structure bodies by the compressive stress and to displace the center portion. As a result, the ink jet head is capable of implementing a large discharge force while maintaining a compact size.

Abstract: Bubble jet recording is performed using a recording head with an orifice for projecting liquid. A liquid path with a plurality of electrothermal transducers is in fluid communication with the orifice. The transducers are selectively driven to change the amount of liquid ejected from the orifice.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a plurality of liquid flow paths for ejecting the ink; and a plurality of heat generating resistors for the respective liquid flow paths, the heat generating resistor being independently drivable; wherein adjacent ones of the heat generating resistors are spaced by not more than 8 microns.

Abstract: A liquid ink, drop-on-demand pagewidth printhead including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of drop-emitter nozzles fabricated on the substrate; an ink supply manifold coupled to the nozzles; pressure element for subjecting ink in the manifold to a pressure above ambient pressure; a drop selection device for selectively addressing predetermined nozzles, and drop separation device to transfer ink selected drops from selected nozzles to a print region. A surface tension reducing agent for each nozzle is provided from a supply separate from the ink and integrated into the printhead. An increase in ink drop protrusion from the nozzle surface differentiates selected drops from non-selected drops.

Abstract: An ink jet head has an ink head main body that is constituted of a substrate, spacers that are formed on one side of the substrate, and a roof plate that is joined to the substrate through the spacers. One or more ink passages are independently formed between the substrate and the roof plate. Rows of piezoelectric devices, each of which is made of a plurality of piezoelectric devices aligned along each ink passage, are formed through the respective ink passages. Ac voltages whose phases are different from each other by 90 degrees are applied to the respective piezoelectric devices. Progressive waves, which are excited by the rows of piezoelectric devices, allow ink to move through the ink passage and to be sprayed.

Abstract: A pressure wave pulse having a maximum pressure P1 and a width T generated from a piezoelectric element moves in a longitudinal direction. A pressure wave pulse having a maximum pressure Q and a width T generated from another piezoelectric element moves in any opposite direction. When the two pressure wave pulses overlap each other, a synthetic wave having a magnitude P and a width T is generated to thereby jet ink from a nozzle. At this time, a pressure having a magnitude greater than the magnitude P is temporarily applied several times to nozzles adjacent to the nozzle. However, a duration of the pressure applied is not enough to jet the ink from the adjacent nozzles.

Abstract: An electrostatic hydrodynamic jet writing method for writing a desired imaged using an electro-rheological fluid is disclosed wherein a writing potential for forming an electric field is applied to a nozzle of an injection head according to a writing signal to vary the viscosity of the ink flowing through the nozzle and to control the flow of the ink. Simultaneously, an accelerating potential is applied between the nozzle and an accelerating electrode on which paper is guided so as to transfer ink of lowered viscosity from the nozzle to the accelerating electrode to perform writing.

Abstract: A laser sublimation type color video printer includes a plurality of dye tanks for accommodating solid powder form sublimating dyes. The dye tanks are communicated with liquid dye vaporizing sections via respective accommodating passages which are formed as capillary tubes provided with heating elements for liquefying dyes introduced from the dye tanks. The heating elements may also be active to heat the surface of photographic paper via a protective layer of the head portion of the printer. Each of the vaporizing sections comprises a plurality of vaporizing pores having a light-heat converting element projected thereinto from a head base of the printer. A laser source is mounted over the light-heat converting element, which may comprise a heat resistant light transmitting portion having a light-heat converting layer disposed on a lower end thereof.

Abstract: An inkjet printing method and apparatus in which an ejecting head is rotated to selectively eject ink by centrifugal force. The viscosity of ink is varied electrically or magnetically. The method and apparatus requires no additional heater, piezoelectric element or compressor, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing the production cost of the printer.

Abstract: An ink jet head has an ink head main body that is constituted of a substrate, spacers that are formed on one side of the substrate, and a roof plate that is joined to the substrate through the spacers. One or more ink passages are independently formed between the substrate and the roof plate. Rows of piezoelectric devices, each of which is made of a plurality of piezoelectric devices aligned along each ink passage, are formed through the respective ink passages. Ac voltages whose phases are different from each other by 90 degrees are applied to the respective piezoelectric devices. Progressive waves, which are excited by the rows of piezoelectric devices, allow ink to move through the ink passage and to be sprayed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for forming liquid images onto an image carrier, comprising a recording liquid holding device for holding recording liquid away from the image carrier, a vibrating device for vibrating the surface of the recording liquid, and an electrostatic field forming device for forming the electrostatic field in the direction of the recording liquid heading for the image carrier from the surface of the recording liquid, thereby jetting a drop of the recording liquid onto the image carrier to form liquid images.

Abstract: A stimulator for a continuous ink jet print head is fabricated by providing a surface roughness of between 100 and 200 microinches on the surface of the stimulator body and attaching a piezoelectric transducer strip to the body using an acrylic cement having a viscosity of between 2 and 100 centipois. The resulting stimulator exhibits improved lifetime with acceptable acoustic properties.