Abstract: When dot data indicating whether or not a dot is to be formed is formed based on the gradation value for each pixel forming an image, dots belonging to a plurality of pixel groups are printed in a common region in an overlapping manner, and the distribution of dots formed in the common region has a noise characteristic possessing a peak in the spatial frequency region on the high-frequency side. In a case where first and second pixels belonging, respectively, to two pixel groups are proximal pixels in the common region in a predetermined gradation range in which probabilities k1 and k2 at which a dot is formed in the first and second pixels are such that k1<0.5 and k2<0.5, a probability K of a dot being formed in both of the proximal pixels is set to be close to k1·k2.

Abstract: When distributing image data of a plurality of planes to a first chip and a second chip that constitute the same overlapped portion of a connected head, a distribution method is changed for at least a part of the plurality of planes.

Abstract: A printer is disclosed. The printer prints a swath of ink across the paper in a first direction. The printer moves the media with respect to the print head in a backwards direction and prints a second swath of ink across the media in a second opposite direction. The printer then moves the media with respect to the print head in a forwards direction by a different amount. The printer then repeats printing the two swaths as describe above.

Abstract: Printing methods are provided. In one method, printing an inkjet image using a liquid hydrophilic inkjet ink onto a surface of a semi-absorbent recording medium generating a toner image having toner particles arranged conforming to the inkjet image and transferring the toner image onto the recording medium where an unabsorbed volume of the inkjet ink is present on the recording medium. The toner particles manage unabsorbed volumes of the inkjet ink to protect the recording medium from image artifacts that can be created by an unabsorbed volume of the inkjet ink on the surface without a liquid management toner image.

Abstract: A recording head that includes a pressure chamber filled with ink and a piezoelectric element changing pressure inside the pressure chamber, and that ejects ink from the nozzle according to the change in the pressure inside the pressure chamber. A control unit controls the piezoelectric element and performs ejection driving for ejecting the ink from the nozzle or micro-vibration driving for micro-vibrating a liquid surface inside the nozzle to an extent at which the ink is not ejected from the nozzle; and performs a flushing operation of an ejection amount according to a number of times of micro-vibration driving in a driving period, in a preparation period after the driving period has passed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) structure for a thermal inkjet printhead includes: a fire line to provide fire line data; a select line to provide selecting data; a firing cell coupled to the fire line; an EPROM cell coupled to the fire line; a selector cell coupled to the select line, the firing cell and the EPROM cell; and a data switching circuit to provide address data to the firing cell or the EPROM cell. The data switching circuit and the selector cell selectively enable transfer of the fire line data from the fire line to the firing cell or the EPROM cell as a function of state of the selecting data on the select line and the address data from the data switching circuit.

Abstract: A printing device using a print head ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles to print ink dots of a plurality of dot diameters, includes a print-characteristic acquisition unit obtaining print characteristic information on dot diameters of ink dots to be printed per each predetermined portion of the plurality of nozzles, a distribution ratio determination unit determining a distribution ratio for distributing image data to the predetermined portions of the plurality of nozzles based on the information, a dot print position determination unit quantizing the image data to determine a dot print position based on the image data and sizes and an array of thresholds; and a plurality of masks based on dot distribution order determined according to the distribution ratio, distributing printing of each of the ink dots of the plurality of dot diameters to the dot print position determined by the dot print position determination unit.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a nozzle column configured to eject liquid cured by receiving irradiation of light, an irradiation section, and a controller that controls the nozzle column and the irradiation. The controller operates the liquid ejecting apparatus in a first print mode or a second print mode, the second print mode having an image quality lower than the first print mode. During the first print mode first dots are formed using a first nozzle region of the nozzle column and irradiated with light within a predetermined range. During the second print mode, second dots are formed using a second nozzle region of the nozzle column, the second nozzle region having a greater number of nozzles than that of the first nozzle region, and then irradiated with light within a range larger than the predetermined range.

Abstract: Methods for operating a printing system are provided. In one method, an inkjet image is printed on a receiver using a hydrophilic ink and an image of the receiver is captured after predetermined period of absorption. Local areas of the image of the inkjet print that have reached a threshold level of non-uniform distortion and where additional ink remains for absorption are identified. A distortion estimate is determined for distortion of the receiver at a time when a second image will be printed on the receiver based upon information from the identified areas. A second print image is printed based on the distortion estimate; and, the second image is printed.

Abstract: A method for aligning multi-channel digital image data for a digital printer having an array of printheads for each of a plurality of channels is described. A test pattern including test pattern indicia printed using individual printheads is scanned and analyzed to detect locations of the printed test pattern indicia. For each array position, one of the printheads is designated to be a reference printhead, and one or more of the other printheads are designated to be non-reference printheads. Spatial adjustment parameters are determined for each of the non-reference printheads responsive to the detected test pattern indicia locations. Digital image data to be printed with the non-reference printheads is modified in accordance with the determined spatial adjustment parameters.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a reference drive signal generation section that generates a reference drive signal, a signal modulation section that modulates the reference drive signal to generate a modulation reference drive signal, a signal amplification section that amplifies the modulation reference drive signal using switching elements to generate a modulation drive signal, a signal conversion section that converts the modulation drive signal to a drive signal, a piezoelectric element that deforms in response to the drive signal, a pressure chamber that expands or contracts due to the deformation of the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle opening portion that communicates with the pressure chamber. A period of alternating current components contained in the modulation drive signal are shorter than a duration of a maximum voltage or a minimum voltage, and is longer than a total time of turn-on delay times and turn-off delay times of the switching elements.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head having a first ejecting unit including a first liquid ejecting nozzle, a first pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, and a first drive element, and a second ejecting unit including a second liquid ejecting nozzle, a second pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, and a second drive element. The first nozzle ejects liquid by applying a drive signal to the first drive element, and the second nozzle ejects liquid by applying the drive signal to the second drive element. The first nozzle state is determined using a first detection signal obtained by applying a first drive signal to the first drive element and a second drive signal to the second drive element, and a second detection signal obtained by applying the first drive signal to the first drive element and a third drive signal to the second drive element.

Abstract: An image reading device is provided with a waveform memory that stores correction waveform data generated based on a digital image signal output from an image signal processing circuit when a light source of the image reading device is turned off, and an image signal correcting circuit that corrects an image signal of an original image using the correction waveform data stored in the waveform memory.

Abstract: This invention provides a print element substrate having a plurality of printing elements. The print element substrate includes a detection circuit configured to detect substrate information of the print element substrate, a shift register configured to serially input print signals for performing driving control of the printing elements, serial-parallel convert the print signals, and parallelly output the print signals, a latch circuit configured to latch the print signals parallelly output from the shift register, and a driving circuit configured to drive the plurality of printing elements based on the print signals latched by the latch circuit. Detection signals based on the substrate information are parallelly input from the detection circuit to the shift register until serial input of next print signals starts after parallelly outputting the print signals from the shift register to the latch circuit.

Abstract: A recorded matter recorded on a recording medium includes a first layer formed by an ink A on or above the recording medium, the first layer having an index of refraction A; a second layer formed by an ink B on the first layer formed by the ink B, the second layer having an index of refraction B (where B<A); and a third layer formed by an ink C or by a transparent resin material on the second layer, the third layer having an index of refraction C (where C>A) and forming a surface layer of the recorded matter.

Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging section which performs a liquid discharging operation for discharging liquid; and a controller which forms a plurality of images on a medium and also forms coating of the images, by executing a pass which makes the liquid discharging section perform the liquid discharging operation while moving the liquid discharging section in a movement direction, wherein the controller forms a common image portion that is an image site common to each of the plurality of images by a predetermined number of passes and forms respectively a variable image portion that is an image site which differs in each of the plurality of images and the coating of the images by a number of passes smaller than the predetermined number.

Abstract: A chart 50 is formed of a density detecting pattern 51 and position detecting marks 52. The density detecting pattern 51 includes five different density areas A, B, C, D and E in form of belts arranged sequentially in Y-direction. The position detecting marks 52 are formed at intervals in X-direction which is a direction of arrangement of nozzles, at an end of the density area A of the density detecting pattern 51. These position detecting marks 52 are formed by suspending, for a fixed period of time, discharge from particular nozzles selected from a plurality of nozzles which discharge ink for forming the density detecting pattern 51, thereby producing ink-free portions (void portions) in the density area A.

Abstract: A method for calibrating in situ a plurality of printheads in an imaging device has been developed. Firing signals operate a plurality of printheads to form ink test patterns on an image receiving member. Reflectance measurements of light reflected from the test patterns and optical density measurements for a portion of the patterns formed by only one printhead in the plurality of printheads are used to adjust the firing signals and enable the printheads to print within a predetermined range about an average reflectance value and a predetermined optical density.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a first mode in which one nozzle row group is positioned so as to be shifted to the downstream side of the medium transport direction with respect to another nozzle row group, ink forming a main image is filled into the first nozzle row in the one nozzle row group, ink forming a background image is filled into the second nozzle row in the other nozzle row group, and the one nozzle row group and the other nozzle row group are used to form the background image before the main image, and a second mode, in which ink forming a background image is filled into the first nozzle row, ink forming the main image is filled into the second nozzle row, and the one nozzle row group and the other nozzle row group are used to form the main image before the background image.

Abstract: The printing device including: a first setting unit configured to set printing mode of a main image and to set either front-surface printing mode for printing a background image on the medium and then printing the main image on the background image or rear-surface printing mode for printing the main image on the medium and then printing the background image on the main image; and a second setting unit configured to set a printing mode of an additional image printed in association with the printing of the main image and to set either front-surface printing mode for printing a background image for the additional image on the medium and then printing the additional image on the background image for the additional image or rear-surface printing mode for printing the additional image on the medium and then printing the background image for the additional image on the additional image.

Abstract: A plurality of test patterns that are disposed in a predetermined direction are printed using dot arrays formed along an intersecting direction interesting with the predetermined direction using nozzles included in an overlapping portion of a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array, a plurality of rules lined in the predetermined direction are printed so as to be adjacent to the test patterns using nozzles included in the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array, density correction values are computed according to density of each of raster lines of the test patterns, and the positions of nozzles specified from the positions of rules are associated with the positions of the raster lines for which density correction values are computed.

Abstract: A driving device, and a liquid discharge head and a recording apparatus using the driving device are provided which permit precise printing under various conditions. The driving device includes a latch signal generation circuit for generating a latch signal every Tc seconds; a delay time retention circuit for retaining data of delay times of less than Tc seconds; a plurality of first latch circuits which are capable of retaining one-line pixel data, and latch pixel data from outside by the latch signal; a plurality of second latch circuits which are divided into a plurality of second latch circuit groups, and latch pixel data retained in the plurality of first latch circuits after the delay time of data retained in the delay time retention circuit for each of the second latch circuit groups is passed after the latch signal is transmitted; and a driving signal transmission circuit.

Abstract: An image forming device includes, the first head which ejects the first ink, the second head which ejects the second ink, a movement mechanism which moves a relative position of the first head and the second head in a predetermined direction, and a control unit which causes an ejection operation in which ink is ejected from nozzles while relatively moving the head and a medium in the movement direction intersecting the predetermined direction, and a transport operation in which the head and the medium are relatively moved in a predetermined direction to be repeated, and adjusts a head interval as an interval of the first head and the second head in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: In a printing device, printing is performed by relatively moving a nozzle array for ejecting a liquid droplet with respect to a print medium, a resolution by a nozzle pitch of the nozzle array is lower than a target print resolution, and between liquid droplets ejected by a single nozzle array, liquid droplets are ejected from the same or another nozzle array to attain the target print resolution. Each of a plurality of nozzles in the single nozzle array is printable by changing an ejection density by applying a preset rate thinning when ejecting liquid droplets by relatively moving with respect to the print medium. The printing device is provided with a print control part configured to perform printing by dividing the single nozzle array into a plurality of nozzle blocks and determining the ejection density in every nozzle blocks.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head and a control unit. The head discharges an imaging liquid for forming an image, and a supplementary liquid for supplementing formation of the image onto a printing medium. The control unit controls the head to execute a first operation, in which the imaging liquid is discharged onto a first region and a second operation, in which the supplementary liquid is discharged onto a region of the printing medium onto which the imaging liquid is not discharged. The control unit controls the head such that the discharge amount of the supplementary liquid on a second region, which is adjacent to the first region, is less than the discharge amount of the supplementary liquid on a third region, which is a region onto which the imaging liquid is not discharged and is not adjacent to the first region.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a support stage that supports a recording medium; a liquid ejecting portion that has a liquid ejecting unit ejecting an ink to the supported recording medium; a ventilation fan that causes a gas to flow between the liquid ejecting unit and the support stage; a throttle portion that increases a flow velocity of the gas; and a controller that is enabled to execute a strong wind mode in which the gas increased in the flow velocity by the throttle portion flows between the liquid ejecting portion and the support stage, and a breeze mode in which the gas before being increased in the flow velocity by the throttle portion flows between the liquid ejecting portion and the support stage. The controller executes the breeze mode during recording work and executes the strong wind mode during non-recording work.

Abstract: An inkjet printer including a body, a carriage, a recording head, a bendable connecting member, a memory device, and a controller is provided. The controller is configured to execute operations including a deviated amount setting operation and a discharging timing controlling operation. The deviated amount setting operation includes a first recording step, in which a first image is recorded after the carriage is placed at rest for a length being shorter than or equal to a first period; a second recording step, in which a second image is recorded after the carriage is placed at rest for a second period being longer than the first period, and a deviated amount setting step, in which the controller obtains a distance between the first image and the second image and stores the obtained distance in the memory device as a deviated amount.

Abstract: In a printing device, a print medium is transferred in a sub-scanning direction, a print head is reciprocately driven in a main scanning direction, a plurality of nozzles for ejecting same color ink in the sub-scanning direction are provided on the print head to form a nozzle array, pairs of nozzle arrays of a plurality of colors are arranged in the main scanning direction so as to be in a symmetrical sequence relative to the main scanning direction, and nozzle data for ejecting the ink at each nozzle in each nozzle array is created to perform printing. The printing device includes an inclination information acquisition part configured to obtain inclination information on an inclination of the nozzle array with respect to the sub-scanning direction, and a nozzle data allocation changing part configured to change the nozzle data to be allocated for each nozzle based on the inclination information.

Abstract: A recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the invention comprises a recording unit, a first adjuster, and a second adjuster. The recording unit is configured to record an image on a recording medium, and includes an opposing face to face the recording medium at a time of recording an image on the recording medium. The firs adjuster is configured to rotate a first position and a second position different from the first position, about a first axis perpendicular to the opposing face. The first and second positions are defined on the recording unit. The second adjuster is configured to rotate the first position and the second position about a second axis, different from the first axis, perpendicular to the opposing face.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a liquid ejecting head that relatively moves in a first direction with regard to a discharged medium, and discharges liquid with regard to the discharged medium; a transport section that relatively transports the discharged medium in a second direction with regard to the liquid ejecting head; an adsorption section that adsorbs a surface of the discharged medium, which is opposite to the liquid ejecting head; and a control section that performs control such that the adsorption section performs absorption when the liquid ejecting head discharges the liquid with regard to the discharged medium and such that adsorption force is caused to be weak compared to a case in which the liquid is discharged when the discharged medium is relatively transported in the second direction by the transport section.

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus including a head and a control unit. The head ejects, onto a printing medium, an image forming liquid for forming an image and an ancillary liquid ancillary to forming of the image performed by the image forming liquid. The control unit performs control so as to cause the head to perform a first operation of ejecting the image forming liquid onto a first region of the printing medium, and a second operation of ejecting the ancillary liquid onto a second region of the printing medium, the second region being different from the first region. Further, the control unit performs control so as to cause the head to perform the second operation in an anterior pass and perform the first operation in a posterior pass.

Abstract: An image recording device includes a head unit having a print head and a first substrate, a second substrate provided separate to the head unit, a support member that supports the head unit and the second substrate while a first positional relationship in which the head unit and the second substrate are close to each other and a second positional relationship in which the head unit and the second substrate are away from each other are changed. Moreover, in the first positional relationship, the head unit and the second substrate are connected to each other to form an electric signal supply path from the second substrate to the head unit, and, conversely, in the second positional relationship, the connection between the head unit and the second substrate is released such that the head unit is dismountable from the support member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inkjet printing apparatus that includes at least one print head jetting coating inks, several print heads jetting color inks and a control system controlling print heads, wherein the print heads jetting coating inks and those jetting color inks are in three rows with print heads jetting color inks in the first and third row and those jetting coating inks in the second row, and print heads jetting the same color ink are the same in number. The control system controls all print heads in the three rows to jet inks at the same time to realize double-image printing. The inkjet printing apparatus in the present invention can realize pre-coat printing, post-coat printing, double-image printing and double-speed printing by controlling different rows of print heads to eject ink droplets. In the double-image printing mode, the two images can be the same or different. If the two images are the same, transparency of one of the images can be adjusted.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a drive signal generation section which generates a drive signal and a liquid ejecting head. The drive signal is a periodic signal. One period of the drive signal has two durations of (i) a droplet ejection duration with a waveform part used to eject the droplet from the nozzle and (ii) a droplet non-ejection duration without the waveform part used to eject the droplet from the nozzle, and the droplet non-ejection duration is equal to or longer than the droplet ejection duration.

Abstract: A method for aligning multi-channel digital image data for a digital printer having a plurality of printheads is described. A test pattern including test pattern indicia printed using individual printheads is scanned and analyzed to detect locations of the printed test pattern indicia. One of the printheads is designated to be a reference printhead, and one or more of the other printheads are designated to be non-reference printheads. Spatial adjustment parameters are determined for each of the non-reference printheads responsive to the detected test pattern indicia locations. Digital image data for the non-reference printheads is modified by designating an input pixel neighborhood within which an image pixel should be inserted or deleted, comparing the image pixels in the input pixel neighborhood to a plurality of predefined pixel patterns to identify a matching pixel pattern; and determining a modified pixel neighborhood responsive to the matching pixel pattern.

Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus which communicates with a plurality of cartridges without increasing its circuit dimension. To accomplish this, the apparatus includes a control circuit having an output terminal for outputting a clock signal and data signal used to generate a transmission signal to the cartridge, and an input terminal for receiving a transmission signal from the cartridge. The apparatus includes N connectors each having the first electrode which is connected to the first electrode surface of each cartridge, and the second electrode which is connected to the second electrode surface. The apparatus includes a 1-to-N first signal line for connecting the input terminal to the N first electrodes, and a 1-to-N second signal line for connecting the output terminal to the N second electrodes. The apparatus includes N switching units which are interposed between 1-to-N branch points and the second electrodes on the second signal line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge liquid droplets; a recording head including a pressure generator to generate a pressure to cause the nozzles to discharge liquid droplets; a droplet discharge status sensor unit to detect a droplet discharging status from each nozzle; and a maintenance controller to control a maintenance operation by a dummy discharge of liquid droplets not contributing to image formation. In such an image forming apparatus, the droplet discharge status sensor unit compares a detection result of the droplet discharge status and a preset reference threshold and determines whether the nozzle discharges normally or defectively; and the maintenance controller outputs a dummy discharge drive waveform corresponding to a difference between the detected droplet discharge status and the reference threshold to the pressure generator of the nozzle determined to be defective to cause the nozzle to discharge droplets for dummy discharging.

Abstract: A density correction system includes a conveyance unit that conveys a recording medium, a first ink ejection unit that ejects ink in a multi-drop driving system to the recording medium based on image data, a second ink ejection unit that ejects ink in the multi-drop driving system to the recording medium based on the image data and in which a volume per one drop is smaller than that of the first ink ejection unit, and a control unit that corrects number of drops from the first ink ejection unit and number of drops from the second ink ejection unit, which constitute a droplet amount for one pixel on the recording medium subjected to image formation.

Abstract: There is provided a flush box in an area other than a recording area in an end portion of a range in which a recording head can be driven in a main scanning direction. A control circuit performs control such that it is determined whether or not a flag is turned on for flushing operation in step S3; in a case where the flag is turned on, in step S4, it is determined whether final path is already finished or is about to be finished; when it is determined that the recording head is on the final path, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the stop position is on the side of the flush box. Then, maintenance operation is started in step S6 and paper feeding operation is executed in step S7 only when the stop position is on the side of the flush box. In addition, only the paper feeding operation is executed in step S7 when the stop position is on a side opposite to the side of the flush box.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge section, a charge supply source, first and second signal paths, and a connection path selection section. The connection path selection section uses the first or second signal path to electrically connect a piezoelectric element and the charge supply source. The charge supply source include a number n (where n is a plurality) of capacitive elements, and a switching section configured and arranged to switch between a series state where the n capacitive elements are electrically connected in series and a parallel state where the n capacitive elements are electrically connected in parallel. In the series state, a given first point out of connection points between the n capacitive elements is connected to the first signal path, and a second point higher than the first point out of the connection points of the n capacitive elements is connected to the second signal path.

Abstract: A liquid supply apparatus includes a reservoir for storing a liquid therein, a supply path for supplying the liquid from the reservoir to a liquid consuming apparatus, a pump for feeding the liquid from the reservoir to the supply path, and a controller for outputting a driving signal to the pump to control the supply of the liquid. The controller acquires a target feed volume of the liquid from the pump to gradually change a feed volume of the liquid from the pump from a current feed volume to the target feed volume, based on a request signal from the liquid consuming apparatus serving as a destination to which the liquid is supplied. This suppresses an abrupt change in pressure in the liquid consuming apparatus serving as the destination to which the liquid is supplied.

Abstract: A control section of a printing device has a print instruction receiving section configured to receive print instructions to a printing medium including a plurality of pages, and an ink use analyzing section configured to analyze image forming dots formed on each page and to output each of ink use information and ink non-use information for each page. The control section is configured to acquire the ink non-use information of a given first page of continuous pages of the plurality of pages and the ink use information of a second page that is a next page of the first page, and to determine to use ink, that is not used in the first page shown by the ink non-use information and is used in the second page shown by the ink use information, at least for flushing dots to the first page.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus that includes a head unit which can form a plurality of dots of different sizes including a first dot and a second dot. The printing apparatus includes: a first print mode having a plurality of gradation reproduction regions including a first gradation reproduction region of a first print mode and a second gradation reproduction region of the first print mode; and a second print mode having a plurality of gradation reproduction regions including a first gradation reproduction region of a second print mode and a second gradation reproduction region of the second print mode. In the printing apparatus, a print speed in the first print mode is lower than a print speed in the second print mode, and the first gradation reproduction region of the first print mode is larger than the first gradation reproduction region of the second print mode.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a printing section which discharges the ink to print an image; a storage section in which an image data of the image to be printed by the printing section is stored; a judgment section which judges as to whether or not a flushing condition to execute a flushing, in which the ink is discharged from the printing section irrespective of the printing of the image, is satisfied; and a controller which controls the printing section to execute the flushing in a case that the judgment section judges that the flushing condition is satisfied and that the image data is not stored in the storage section, and which controls the printing section to print the image instead of the flushing in a case that the judgment section judges that the flushing condition is satisfied and that the image data is stored in the storage section.

Abstract: In a printing device, a first control unit prints, by a first print method, an image on a first region of a recording sheet in a first state in which a recording sheet is clamped by both an upstream and downstream clamping portions. A second control unit prints, by a second print method, an image on a second region of the recording sheet in a second state in which the recording sheet is clamped either one of the upstream and downstream clamping portions. A third control unit prints, by a combination of the first and second print methods, an image on a third region of the recording sheet between the first and second regions. When the third control unit prints the image on the third region, a state of the recording sheet is set to be changed from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: A method of increasing a dynamic range of grey-scale printing by a first print head of a drop on demand inkjet printer, the first print head having a droplet orifice, the method comprising in addition to selectively supplying no signal for not ejecting a drop of ink, or a first signal for ejecting a first droplet size, further comprises optionally supplying a second signal for ejecting a second droplet size.

Abstract: A duplex printer system includes a double-sided label web and a duplex printer operable to print both sides of the label web. The label includes exposed adhesive on a first side thereof. The duplex printer includes a printer frame and a pair of print heads arranged to print respective sides of the label web. One of the print heads is shiftably mounted relative to the printer frame for movement into and out of a printing position, in which the print head is operable to print within a printable region of the first side. The print head is selectively shifted out of the printing position so as to avoid contact with exposed adhesive during label web advancement.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow path formation substrate provided with a pressure generation chamber communicated with at least one nozzle opening through which liquid is ejected; and an actuator apparatus including a vibration plate provided at one face side of the flow path formation substrate and a plurality of piezoelectric elements being formed on the vibration plate. The actuator apparatus includes two first piezoelectric elements arranged at positions facing edge portions in at least one direction of the pressure generation chamber and a second piezoelectric element arranged between the two first piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage reciprocally movable in a main scanning direction in the image forming apparatus; a recording head mounted on the carriage to eject droplets; a carriage circuit board mounted on the carriage and equipped with a circuit; a control circuit board provided in the image forming apparatus and equipped with a control circuit; a board mount provided in the carriage on which the carriage circuit board is horizontally disposed; and a flexible flat cable connecting the control circuit board and the carriage circuit board and movable in the main scanning direction below the board mount. The flexible flat cable is extended below the carriage circuit board, bent back toward the carriage circuit board, and connected to the carriage circuit board from the main scanning direction.

Abstract: The invention involves application of a clear, low-density after-layer of high gloss ink onto a printed substrate to reduce or eliminate negative printing effects, such as gloss banding. Some embodiments of the invention involve a method of applying colored ink, curing the colored ink, applying a clear ink layer in a pattern, and curing the clear layer.