Abstract: An ink jet system includes a recording apparatus with a head unit that ejects ink, a processing apparatus that performs data processing for causing the recording apparatus to perform a recording operation, and a server connectable to either the recording apparatus or the processing apparatus. A first storage unit is disposed in either the recording apparatus or the processing apparatus. A second storage unit is disposed in the server. An acquiring section acquires first data during the recording operation, an accepting section accepts first selection information indicating a result of having a user select any one or more of the first storage unit and the second storage unit to store the first data, and a storing section that stores the first data to the selected one or more of the first storage unit and the second storage unit based on the first selection information.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of memory cells, an address decoder to select memory cells based on a data signal, activation logic to activate selected memory cells based on the data signal and a fire signal, and configuration logic to enable or disable access to the plurality of memory cells.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a head body, a plurality of driver ICs, a flexible substrate, and a wiring board. The head body includes a discharge hole configured to discharge a liquid. The plurality of driver ICs controls drive of the head body. The plurality of driver ICs are mounted at the flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate is electrically connected to the head body. The wiring board includes a plurality of connectors. In addition, the flexible substrate includes: a plurality of protruding portions configured to protrude in the same direction and each including a tip portion to be inserted into corresponding one of the plurality of connectors; and a slit formed between the protruding portions adjacent to each other and extending up to a region between the driver ICs adjacent to each other.

Abstract: The drive waveform determination method includes a first step of setting a condition of the first discharge characteristic, a second step of acquiring the first discharge characteristic and the second discharge characteristic that are measured when a candidate waveform is used as a waveform of the drive pulse, a third step of determining whether the first discharge characteristic meets the condition, and a fourth step of, when it is determined in the third step that the condition is met, evaluating a candidate waveform by performing a superior comparison using the second discharge characteristic. The waveform of the drive pulse is determined by an optimization process in which at least the second step, the third step, and the fourth step are repeated.

Abstract: A board, including a first pad area, a second pad area, a first micro heater, a second micro heater, a first heater terminal pad, a second heater terminal pad, and a third heater terminal pad, is provided. The first pad area and the second pad area respectively include at least one pad. The first micro heater and the second micro heater are respectively disposed corresponding to the first pad area and the second pad area. The first heater terminal pad and the second heater terminal pad form a loop with the first micro heater by being electrically connected to an outside, so that the first micro heater generates heat. The second heater terminal pad and the third heater terminal pad form another loop with the second micro heater by being electrically connected to the outside, so that the second micro heater generates heat. A circuit board and a fixture are also provided.

Abstract: An inkjet apparatus comprises a stage, and an inkjet head positioned over the stage and including a plurality of nozzles through which ink including a plurality of particles is discharged. The inkjet head comprises a base portion constituting a main body of the inkjet head, a discharge portion adjacent to the base portion and including the plurality of nozzles, and an inner flow path between the base portion and the discharge portion and configured to accommodate the ink, wherein the base portion includes a first surface contacting the inner flow path, and at least a part of the first surface is at an incline.

Abstract: A method of operating an inkjet printer identifies a thermal load that will be imposed on the printheads in the inkjet printer during execution of a print job and identifies a remedial action to reduce the thermal load if the thermal load increases the temperature of the printheads above an upper threshold of a predetermined temperature range. The thermal load is identified from the ink image content data for the print job, the print job parameters for the print job, and environmental condition measurements received from sensors in the printer. The remedial actions include manipulation of the print job queue, alteration of print job parameters, and active cooling to remove heat from the printheads or media within the printer.

Abstract: A print chip includes: an elongate silicon substrate defining nominal leading and trailing longitudinal sides of the print chip; circuitry layers positioned on the silicon substrate; and a MEMS layer positioned on the circuitry layers. The MEMS layer includes a plurality of parallel nozzle rows, each nozzle row having a plurality of inkjet nozzle devices arranged in a main row portion and a dropped row portion offset from the main row portion. The circuitry layers include data latches configured to provide dot data for the inkjet nozzle devices. A first row of data latches is positioned adjacent a leading row of the main row portion, and a second row of data latches is positioned adjacent a trailing row of the dropped row portion.

Abstract: A diaphragm-based sensor includes a deflectable diaphragm, a base layer opposite the diaphragm, and a corrugated wall extending between the diaphragm and the base layer. The diaphragm is suspended over a cavity enclosed by the diaphragm, the base layer and the corrugated wall. The diaphragm includes a first electrode and the base layer includes a second electrode such that a capacitance between the first and second electrodes changes when the diaphragm is deflected relative to the cavity.

Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus including a droplet deposition head, actuating circuitry and head controller circuitry. The droplet deposition head having an array of actuating elements and a corresponding array of nozzles. The actuating circuitry applies drive waveforms to the actuating elements causing the ejection of fluid in the form of droplets through the array of nozzles and onto deposition media, which are moved relative to the droplet deposition head. The head controller circuitry is configured to receive an input set of ejection data, generate a series of sub-sets of ejection data based on the input set, and send the series of sub-sets of ejection data to the actuating circuitry. The actuating circuitry is further configured so as to, for each sub-set of ejection data, apply drive waveforms to the actuating elements such that they repeatedly eject droplets from one or more nozzles, thus depositing successive rows of droplets.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a drive element, and a drive circuit that outputs a drive signal that drives the drive element. The drive circuit includes an integrated circuit that outputs an amplification control signal, an amplifier circuit that output an amplified modulation signal, and a demodulation circuit that output the drive signal. The integrated circuit includes a modulation circuit that modulates the base drive signal to output a modulation signal, a discharge circuit that discharges a charge based on the drive signal, a constant voltage output circuit that outputs a DC voltage signal, and an output terminal from which the DC voltage signal is output. The constant voltage output circuit and the discharge circuit are electrically coupled to the output terminal, and a shortest distance between the output terminal and the constant voltage output circuit is shorter than a shortest distance between the output terminal and the discharge circuit.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a recording element substrate including a discharge port configured to discharge a liquid, a pressure generating element configured to pressurize the liquid to discharge the liquid, and an electric connecting portion connected to the pressure generating element through an electric wiring and configured to supply power for driving the pressure generating element to the pressure generating element. The liquid discharge head includes a first recessed portion and a second recessed portion formed in a range from a back surface of a discharge port surface in which the discharge port of the recording element substrate is formed up to the electric connecting portion, and a communicating portion configured to connect a space formed within the first recessed portion and a space formed within the second recessed portion by allowing the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus comprising: a droplet deposition head comprising an array of actuating elements and a corresponding array of nozzles; actuating circuitry, configured to apply drive waveforms to said actuating elements, thereby causing the ejection of fluid in the form of droplets through said array of nozzles onto deposition media, which are moved relative to the head; and head controller circuitry, configured to: receive an input set of ejection data; generate a series of sub-sets of ejection data based on the input set; and send said series of sub-sets of ejection data to said actuating circuitry; wherein the actuating circuitry is further configured so as to, for each sub-set of ejection data, apply drive waveforms to said actuating elements such that they repeatedly eject droplets from one or more nozzles, thus depositing successive rows of droplets, the one or more nozzles and the sizes of the droplets ejected therefrom being determined by the current sub-set of ejection data, each of the on

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method for reusing an ink cartridge, a system thereof, a readable storage medium and a reused ink cartridge, which belong to ink cartridge in printing field. The method includes detecting each of a plurality of heating elements in the ink cartridge, wherein the plurality of heating elements are located on both sides of nozzles of the ink cartridge; determining one of the plurality of heating elements which is not matched with a printer as a target heating element according to detecting result; and burning out the target heating element. Therefore, the target heating element will not be detected, the ink cartridge will match with the printer in new version, resulting in the ink cartridge can be reused and applied in the printer in new version.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a frame; a substrate that is fixed to the frame and has a first surface and a second surface; a first circuit that is provided on the first surface; a second circuit that is provided on the second surface; a heat conductive sheet; and a head unit that is driven by a driving signal and is capable of discharging liquid, in which the first circuit includes a driving signal generation circuit that generates the driving signal using a first transistor and a second transistor, the heat conductive sheet is in contact with the frame, the first surface, the first transistor, and the second transistor, and a distance between a portion of the first circuit farthest from the first surface and the first surface is shorter than a distance between a portion of the second circuit farthest from the second surface and the second surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: image former forming an image on a sheet; a sheet storage storing the sheet; a sheet feeder feeding the sheet stored in the sheet storage to the image former; a sheet characteristic detector detecting characteristics of the sheet fed by the sheet feeder; and a hardware processor controlling image forming in the image former on the basis of the sheet characteristics detected by the sheet characteristic detector, wherein the sheet feeder feeds a first sheet in order to detect the sheet characteristics by the sheet characteristic detector before forming an image by the image former, and after the sheet characteristic detector has finished detecting the characteristics of the first sheet, the sheet feeder feeds a second sheet on which the image is to be formed by the image former under image forming conditions set on the basis of the detected characteristics of the first sheet.

Abstract: In order to solve a problem that the skew width of a clock when data is transmitted to printheads changes depending on the characteristics of and variations in the respective printheads integrated in a printing apparatus or the operation mode of the printing apparatus, clock skew is adjusted based on a detection result by an error detection circuit integrated in each printhead when the data is transmitted to the printhead. This makes it possible to adjust skew in accordance with the characteristics of the respective printheads or a status change at the time of a printing operation.

Abstract: A liquid ejection method includes ejecting liquid from an ejection opening, using a liquid ejection head including a heating surface configured to heat the liquid and the ejection opening corresponding to the heating surface, by heating the liquid with the heating surface to produce a bubble communicating with air through the ejection opening such that at least a part of the heating surface is exposed to the air through the ejection opening, wherein the liquid is heated with the heating surface for 0.5 microseconds or shorter to produce a bubble communicating with the air through the ejection opening such that at least a part of the heating surface is exposed to the air through the ejection opening, in order to eject the liquid from the ejection opening.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a drive circuit board on which a drive circuit which outputs a driving signal obtained by amplifying the original driving signal is mounted; an actuator substrate which includes an ejecting unit including a piezoelectric element which is driven by the driving signal, and ejects liquid when the piezoelectric element is driven; and a head unit a head unit on which a relay board which relays the driving signal to the piezoelectric element from the drive circuit board, the actuator substrate, the relay board, and the drive circuit board are mounted, and which is mounted on a carriage which reciprocates in an X direction as a main scanning direction. A mounting face of the drive circuit board is attached to the relay board so as to be placed in a direction which goes along the X direction in the main scanning direction of the carriage.

Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes modules to communicate an input signal to an ink sample to obtain an ink signal, compare the ink signal to a reference value, and identify an indicator of nozzle chamber operation corresponding to the ink signal. A module may be contained on an inkjet printhead die, such that the device may generate the input signal on the inkjet printhead die.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a power supply potential output section that outputs a first power supply potential, a first and a second switch drive section that generate a first and a second switch drive signal according to a modulation signal of an original drive signal, a first and a second switch that operate according to the first and the second switch drive signal, a rectifying device that is arranged between an output terminal of the power supply potential output section and a terminal of the first switch drive section, a connection node that is electrically connected to the first switch and the second switch, a capacitance element that is arranged between the terminal and the connection node, a signal conversion section that converts a signal which is generated at the connection node, into a drive signal, and a piezoelectric element that is transformed by the drive signal.

Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a modulation portion that generates a modulation signal obtained by pulse-modulating a source signal; an amplifier that includes a gate driver generating an amplification control signal based on the modulation signal, a bootstrap circuit supplying power to the gate driver, a power source circuit supplying power to the gate driver and the bootstrap circuit, and a transistor generating the amplification modulation signal that is obtained by amplifying the modulation signal based on amplification control signal; a low-pass filter that generates the driving signal by demodulating the amplification modulation signal; a piezoelectric element that is displaced by applying the driving signal; and a control portion that controls an operation of the amplifier. The control portion performs a second process of starting an amplification operation of the amplifier after a first process of performing supply of power to the bootstrap circuit.

Abstract: A liquid discharge substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of heating elements, a plurality of driving elements, a signal supplying unit which supplies a control signal used to control the plurality of driving elements, and a plurality of delay circuits which delay the control signal. A delay amount of a first delay circuit is different from a delay amount of a second delay circuit.

Abstract: A retaining structure of a flexible wiring member includes a flexible wiring member and a retaining member. The flexible wiring member includes a front side wiring electrode formed on a front side of the flexible wiring member and a rear side electrode formed on a rear side thereof, and the flexible wiring member is bonded to the retaining member via the rear side electrode. Such structure may be employed in a liquid discharge head in which wiring and a pressure generator are disposed in an actuator substrate including an electrode. The electrode of the actuator and that of the flexible wiring member are connected, and the flexible wiring member is retained to the actuator or a member joined to the actuator via the retaining structure of the wiring member.

Abstract: An ink jet device includes: an ink jet head including a nozzle through which ink droplet is ejected by applying voltage to piezoelectric element; and an ejection control unit controlling ink droplet ejection amount by varying voltage, voltage waveform of the voltage includes: preliminary vibration wave form part for preliminary drive operation of pushing ink toward outer edge of the nozzle to the extent that the droplet is not ejected; and main vibration waveform part for main drive operation of ejecting the droplet through the nozzle after the preliminary drive operation, the ejection control unit performs the preliminary and main drive operations according to the preliminary vibration waveform part and the main vibration waveform part, respectively, and proportion of displacement amount X of the voltage for the preliminary drive operation to displacement amount Y of the voltage for the main drive operation is set to 20%?X/Y?40%.

Abstract: Microfluidic delivery systems and methods for dispensing a fluid composition into the air comprising microfluidic die and at least one heating element that is configured to receive an electrical signal comprising a certain on-time and wave form to deliver a fluid composition into the air.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprising, a printhead including an element array in which a plurality of printing elements are arrayed, scanning unit configured to reciprocally scan the printhead, driving unit configured to time-divisionally drive the printing elements, conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium, and setting unit configured to set a driving order, wherein the conveyance unit performs a first conveyance operation of conveying the printing medium by a conveyance amount which is an integer multiple of a width of the group of the time-divisional driving, and a second conveyance operation of conveying the printing medium by a conveyance amount which is not an integer multiple of the width of the group, and the setting unit sets the driving order in the time-divisional driving for each scan based on the conveyance amount by the conveyance unit.

Abstract: A print head includes upper protective members located at positions corresponding to heat generating resistor elements to protect the heat generating resistor elements, and further, a part of the protective member being eluted to ink when a current flows inside in a state in which the ink is reserved in the pressure chambers. The print head includes a drive element and a logic circuit capable of allowing a current to independently flow in each of the upper protective layers so as to elute a part of the upper protective layer, in which the current flows, to the ink.

Abstract: A jetting module includes a nozzle plate, a thermal stimulation membrane, and an enclosure. Portions of the nozzle plate define a nozzle. The thermal stimulation membrane includes a plurality of pores. The enclosure extends from the nozzle towards the thermal stimulation membrane to define a liquid chamber positioned between the nozzle and the thermal stimulation membrane. The liquid chamber is in fluid communication with each of the nozzle and the plurality of pores. The liquid chamber is spanned by a portion of the thermal stimulation membrane. A source provides a liquid under pressure through the thermal stimulation member with the pressure being sufficient to jet a stream of the liquid through the nozzle after the liquid flows through the thermal stimulation membrane.

Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes: a nozzle substrate that includes a nozzle opening to discharge a droplet therethrough; a liquid chamber substrate that includes liquid pressure chambers communicating with the nozzle openings; a vibration plate arranged to face the nozzle substrate with the liquid chamber substrate interposed therebetween; piezoelectric elements that are provided to face the liquid pressure chambers with the vibration plate interposed therebetween and are arranged in a predetermined direction; a driving element provided, in a flip-chip implementation, on a flow path substrate that includes the nozzle substrate, the liquid chamber substrate, the vibration plate, and the piezoelectric elements; and a first reinforcing wire that is disposed to at least one of the flow path substrate and the driving element, has a band shape extending in a direction along a row of the piezoelectric elements, and is connected to a common electrode shared by the piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus including: a head having: nozzles arranged in a nozzle-row direction; and ejection-energy applying portions; a drive IC for driving the ejection-energy applying portions; a control circuit board for controlling the drive IC; a wiring member on which the drive IC is mounted; and a support member for supporting the wiring member. The wiring member extends toward the control circuit board from a connection portion thereof connected to the ejection-energy applying portions, the wiring member having a first wiring portion extending in a first direction intersecting the nozzle-row direction and a second wiring portion extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The support member supports at least one of the first wiring portion and the second wiring portion, the at least one being located between the ejection-energy applying portions and the control circuit board.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for a printing machine with a printing device (5), in particular an inkjet printer, for applying liquid (22) onto a print material, with monitoring of the quantity of liquid in a liquid supply unit (1) by measuring the liquid level (23) with a sequential controller, wherein the measurement of the liquid level (23) is performed by a device (11), which detects the presence of liquid at the output of the printing device (5). Another subject matter of the invention is a liquid supply unit (1) for a printing machine with a printing device (5), in particular, an inkjet printer, for applying liquid (22) on a print material, with monitoring of the quantity of liquid in a liquid supply unit (1) by measuring the liquid level (23) with a sequential controller, wherein the measurement device (11) is suitable for measuring a fill level (23) and for controlling a liquid device (3).

Abstract: The present invention related to an inkjet printhead, adaptive for an ink cartridge including one ink-supplying tank, the inkjet printhead includes: a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles; and an inkjet chip for controlling ink jetting and having a total area region having a length and a width, the total area region including: a non-wiring region for installing one single ink-supplying flow channels; and a wiring region for installing an internal circuit including a plurality inkjet unit assembly, each inkjet unit of the inkjet unit assembly including a heater installed correspondingly to the nozzle; wherein an area of the wiring region of the inkjet chip is or less than 82% of a total area of the inkjet chip.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprising, a printhead including an element array in which a plurality of printing elements are arrayed, scanning unit configured to reciprocally scan the printhead, driving unit configured to time-divisionally drive the printing elements, conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium, and setting unit configured to set a driving order, wherein the conveyance unit performs a first conveyance operation of conveying the printing medium by a conveyance amount which is an integer multiple of a width of the group of the time-divisional driving, and a second conveyance operation of conveying the printing medium by a conveyance amount which is not an integer multiple of the width of the group, and the setting unit sets the driving order in the time-divisional driving for each scan based on the conveyance amount by the conveyance unit.

Abstract: According to an example, a method for TIJ printing may include applying, by a processor, F electrical firing pulses to a resistor of a TIJ printhead for a duration of about 0.50 to 1.00 ?s to jet a latex ink or a dispersed polymer particle ink from a nozzle. According to another example, a TIJ printing apparatus may include a TIJ printhead including a firing chamber to jet a latex ink or a dispersed polymer particle ink from a nozzle, and a resistor to heat the latex ink or the dispersed polymer particle ink to jet from the nozzle. The TIJ printing apparatus may further include a memory storing machine readable instructions to apply F electrical firing pulses to the resistor for a duration of about 0.50 to 1.00 ?s to jet the latex ink or the dispersed polymer particle ink, and a processor to implement the machine readable instructions.

Abstract: A driving circuit which includes a plurality of MOS transistors electrically connected in parallel between a first node and a second node, and drives a load electrically connected between the first node and a third node by the plurality of MOS transistors, wherein the plurality of MOS transistors include at least two MOS transistors having channel lengths different from each other and thus having threshold voltages different from each other.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a main liquid ejecting head body, in which is formed a liquid flow channel through which a liquid flows, that ejects the liquid from a nozzle opening using a pressurizing unit; a driving board configured so as to supply power to the pressurizing unit; a connector provided at an end portion of the driving board; and a holding member configured so as to hold the driving board in a bent state and erected relative to one end surface of the main liquid ejecting head body. The holding member has a stopping portion that holds an end of the driving board in which the connector is provided, and the configuration is such that the stopping portion prevents the driving board from opening in the direction of the bend.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method of driving an inkjet module having a plurality of ink jets. The method includes applying a voltage waveform to the inkjet module, the voltage waveform including a first pulse and a second pulse, activating one or more of the ink jets contemporaneously to applying the first pulse, wherein each activated ink jet ejects a fluid droplet in response to the first pulse, and activating all of the ink jets contemporaneously to applying the second pulse without ejecting a droplet.

Abstract: There is provided a driver for an inkjet head, capable of smoothly driving the inkjet head. The driver for an inkjet head includes: an amplifying unit having a plurality of amplifiers individually outputting signals having voltage levels amplified in accordance with a predetermined gain in a predetermined cycle; a coupling unit coupling the signals outputted from the plurality of amplifiers as a single driving signal in accordance with a control signal; a controlling unit controlling the coupling of signals performed by the coupling unit; and a switching unit switching a signal transmission path through which the single driving signal is transmitted to an inkjet head.

Abstract: Test pattern template data are stored in a memory of a printer to identify locations spatially within image data of a test pattern printed by printheads in an inkjet printer. The test pattern template data identifies an origin of a test pattern in the image data and the distances between structures in the test pattern to enable test pattern structure in the image data to be detected and identified more easily.

Abstract: The present invention forms a high-quality image by using a print head, in which a plurality of arrayed small heads, each having a plurality of print elements arranged in columns, are arranged so that at least two sets of print elements in adjoining small heads are aligned in a scan direction. The print head and a print medium are moved relative to each other in the scan direction crossing a direction of the print element columns. The print elements are divided into a plurality of drive blocks and activated the drive blocks on a time-division basis. The small heads each have the plurality of print elements arranged in columns, the number of print elements being equal to an integer times the number of time-division drive blocks. Drive timings with which to activate the paired print elements aligned in the scan direction are the same time-division drive timing.

Abstract: A method of processing image data, to obtain image data for printing a junction area connecting a circular pad having a radius R with a linear line pattern by forming ink blots having a radius r in an overlapping manner, includes: setting a base pitch P as a base distance between adjacent ink blots; arranging image data of the pad, line pattern, and junction area, which is defined by an extension of the line pattern, in an x-y coordinate system; selecting a first determination point, which corresponds to one side of the junction area; comparing a distance from a center of the pad to the first determination point with a value of (R?r+P); and storing coordinates of the first determination point as print data if the distance from the center of the pad to the first determination point is greater than or equal to the value of (R?r+P).

Abstract: A system is provided that includes first means for pre-charging a node to a first potential where the node coupled to a switch configured to control current through a firing resistor and second means for selectively discharging the node to a second potential across a path that has only one transistor between the node and the second potential.

Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: a recording element substrate and a plurality of electric connection units; and an electric wiring member that includes a plurality of input terminals, a plurality wirings held between films and electrically connected to the plurality of input terminals, and a plurality of lead lines conducted to the plurality of wirings. In this case, the plurality of wirings include a power line for supplying power to the energy generation elements and a signal line for supplying a signal to the energy generation elements. Relationships of A>B and B<D are satisfied, in which A is a largest width of the signal line, B is a largest width of the lead line connected to the signal line, and D is a largest width of the lead line connected to the power line.

Abstract: A stationary pagewidth inkjet printhead has one or more nozzle rows extending along a longitudinal axis of the printhead. Each nozzle is configured to fire a droplet of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along the longitudinal axis, such that a printed dot density exceeds a nozzle density of the printhead.

Abstract: When a non-aqueous ink having a high density is used, a physical quantity defined as “density/viscosity” is equal to or more than a reference value, and therefore printing on a recording sheet is performed using a drive signal with a waveform for suppressing a residual vibration of the ink. Likewise, as to an ink having a low density, when the viscosity of the ink is low, the physical quantity is equal to or more than the reference value, and therefore printing on a recording sheet is performed using the drive signal with a waveform for suppressing a residual vibration of the ink. On the contrary, when the physical quantity is less than the reference value, printing on a recording sheet is performed using the drive signal with a normal waveform.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a printing apparatus capable of reliably performing a driving switching operation using movement of a carriage. In the printing apparatus, it sometimes cannot be determined to which of a clutch lever or the cap of a printhead the carriage abuts against. In this case, even if the carriage abuts against the cap, a position where the abutment was detected is regarded as the temporary home position of the carriage. When a conveyance motor is driven to transfer its driving force to a desired engaging destination, the cap is retracted from the moving path of the carriage. The driving force of the conveyance motor can thereby be transferred to the desired engaging destination.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to protect an inkjet printer head including a head controller of a printer body and a head chip to drive a heater by using a serial interface, the apparatus including: a clock monitoring unit to monitor a serial clock signal that is used as a reference clock signal supplied to the head chip to control the head chip, and if the serial clock signal is abnormal, to output a signal indicating that the serial clock signal is abnormal; and a heater driving limiting unit to limit energy applied to the heater by using the signal, which is output by the clock monitoring unit, to indicate that the serial clock signal is abnormal.

Abstract: A disclosed control device includes a first unit configured to generate image data of multiple images to be superposed one on the other to form a single image and transmit the image data. The second control unit transmits to the first control unit a horizontal sync reference signal for achieving synchronization of the images in a horizontal direction. Based on the horizontal sync reference signal, the first control unit transmits to the second control unit a transfer clock signal that indicates transmission timing of the image data and an effective area signal that indicates an effective area of the image data. The first control unit asserts the effective area signal for an effective-area-signal assertion period that occurs between two consecutive reference-signal assertion periods during which the horizontal sync reference signal is asserted.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to resolve the noise problem with the ink in an ink jet head without changing the substrate manufacturing process for the ink jet head, that is, increasing the cost on the manufacture, and without needs of disposing a noise countermeasure component on the side of the printer main device, or making the design change for the countermeasure. The present invention is characterized in that to prevent malfunction from arising by the noise, a hysteresis circuit to provide different input data threshold values upon rising and falling is provided on an input portion of the signal for a drive control logic system such as a drive input signal for a shift register and a latch circuit on the same substrate as that of the heating elements, the driver and the drive control logic circuit, utilizing a diffusion layer constituting a driver.