Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head, actuator units with actuators, a power supply that output a main voltage, and linear regulators that reduce the main voltage to drive voltages to be supplied to the relevant actuator units. When a voltage difference between the main voltage and drive voltage is greater than an allowable value for any of the actuator units, the apparatus controls a linear regulator so that the drive voltage supplied to at least one actuator unit is adjusted to a high drive voltage. A small ejection driving waveform is created as the driving waveform to be output to the actuators in the actuator unit to which the high drive voltage is supplied.

Abstract: A printing apparatus, which includes a heating unit for heating a recording medium during printing, determines a pass number for multi-pass printing based on acquired information relating to the duty in each of a plurality of regions in one band of print region. The printing apparatus sets an amount of heat of the heating unit based on the acquired information.

Abstract: A method for printing on a print medium, where the method comprises receiving, into a printing apparatus, a print medium containing preprinted information located on a first portion of the print medium. The method further comprises the printing apparatus printing information on a second portion of the print medium, wherein the second portion is different from the first portion. The method also comprises the printing apparatus marking an indication on the print medium at or near the first portion of the print medium, wherein the indication identifies the preprinted information located on the first portion of the print medium as being distinct from the information located on the second portion of the print medium.

Abstract: A printer is provided to improve the conveying accuracy of a Y-bar, thus improving printed image quality. The printer includes the Y-bar that extends in a first direction above a flatbed on which a medium is mounted, holds an ink droplet ejecting head unit so that the head unit is movable in the first direction, and is held so as to be movable with respect to the flatbed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The printer includes a drive mechanism that conveys the Y-bar in the second direction, a drive control device that carries out a drive control of the drive mechanism, and a measuring device that directly measures an amount of movement of the Y-bar with respect to the flatbed. The drive control device corrects controlled variables of the drive mechanism based on the amount of movement of the Y-bar measured by the measuring device.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a first lookup table storage device which stores a first lookup table; a second lookup table storage device which stores a second lookup table; a halftone table storage device which stores a halftone table; a third lookup table generating device which generates a third lookup table by extracting a portion of the data from the second lookup table; a third lookup table storage device which stores the third lookup table; an evaluation processing device which performs calculation for evaluating a liquid ejection volume, on the basis of the evaluation input signal, the first lookup table, the third lookup table, the halftone table and the liquid volume per dot; and an adjusting device which adjusts the ejection volume on the basis of the evaluation results, in such a manner that the liquid ejection volume does not exceed a specified value.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a printing device, wherein the printing device uses ink including pigment ink and dye ink to form a printed image on a print medium, and discharges an ink quantity according to a voltage value of a drive voltage to form ink dots on the print medium. In this printing device, the voltage value of the drive voltage for creating ink dots is corrected.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing method includes the steps of dividing multiple ink droplet discharging pulses into two or more groups in an ink droplet discharging order, providing the multiple ink droplet discharging pulses to a pressure generator per scan line time, and discharging ink droplets from an ink droplet discharge head in accordance with the multiple ink droplet discharging pulses. The method further includes the steps of combining ink droplets of a former group as a first combined ink droplet, combining ink droplets of a latter group as a second combination droplet, combining the second combined ink droplet of the latter group with that of former group before the ink droplets reach a target, and maintaining a prescribed amount of ink droplets landing on the target by decreasing the number of ink droplet discharging pulses.

Abstract: One of the two flow passages branches from one of two ink cartridges to one of the two discharging portions and one of the two individual discharging portions. The other flow passage branches from the other ink cartridge to the other discharging portion and the other individual discharging portion. A ratio of frequency of use of each of the discharging portions, Ra, and frequency of use of each of the individual discharging portions, Rb, satisfies Ra:Rb=1:1/2.

Abstract: A printer has a plurality of dischargers for discharging ink, a detector for detecting an electric signal SW, and an inspector unit for inspecting the dischargers on the basis of the electric signal SW; and a grounding terminal connecting a drive element of a discharger being inspected is electrically disconnected from another grounding terminal and a grounding line GL when the electric signal SW is detected by the detector.

Abstract: Calculating a difference between a hue angle of a colorimetric value of a printed object with respect to diffuse reflection and the hue angle of a colorimetric value of the printed object with respect to specular reflection, calculating the difference between a standard chroma with respect to an observational light source and the chroma of the colorimetric value of the printed object with respect to specular reflection under the observational light source, and calculating a bronzing index value on the basis of a value obtained by multiplying the calculated difference of the hue angles by the calculated difference of the chromas.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing method in which in a full line type inkjet printer using a connecting head having an overlap region, even if a conveyance direction of a print medium is more or less inclined, a density change or degradation of graininess is not introduced. Therefore, an image data in a non-overlap region is distributed to a plurality of nozzle arrays such that ink is ejected from all the plurality of the nozzle arrays. On the other hand, a region where a print allowance rate changes in the overlap region is divided into plural regions, and the image data is distributed to the plurality of the nozzle arrays such that these regions are located to be shifted.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head for ejecting liquid, a cap unit for sealing an ejection surface of the head, a humidified air supply mechanism including a storing part for storing humidifying liquid and for performing a humidifying operation, a discharge unit discharges liquid from the head, a control unit for controlling the humidifying operation and a liquid discharge operation, and a detection unit for detecting whether the humidifying liquid is stored in the storing part. When the detection unit detects that no humidifying liquid is stored in the storing part, the control unit controls the discharge unit such that a liquid discharge amount from the head in the liquid discharge operation is larger than that of a case where the detection unit detects that the humidifying liquid is stored in the storing part.

Abstract: An element substrate includes a plurality of terminals, a first receiving circuit and a second receiving circuit each receiving a differential signal via one of the terminals included in the plurality of terminals, a driving circuit including a first input unit for inputting a first signal and a second input unit for inputting a second signal and driving a driving element based on the first signal and the second signal, and a setting circuit for setting a first connection state of connecting an output from the first receiving circuit to the first input unit and connecting an output from the second receiving circuit to the second input unit, and a second connection state of connecting an output from the first receiving circuit to the second input unit and connecting an output from the second receiving circuit to the first input unit based on an externally input signal.

Abstract: A fluid-ejection device includes physical data lines, a controller, and a fluid-ejection mechanism. The physical data lines communicatively connect the controller and the fluid-ejection mechanism. The controller is to assert a logical and virtual nozzle-fire-restart line to denote that a first data sub-packet of a new data packet of nozzle data for a predetermined sequence of fluid-ejection nozzles of the fluid-ejection mechanism is being transmitted over the physical data lines. The fluid-ejection mechanism is to listen for the controller to assert the logical and virtual nozzle-fire-restart line, to discern that the first data sub-packet of the new data packet is being transmitted over the physical data lines.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and printing method are provided that can, without the addition of a special structure, suppress density imbalance between the print images formed by ink ejected from each of the ejection ports formed on a print head. As for the plurality of ejection ports, one portion of them are established as multiple impact ejection ports that form multiply impacted pixels at which the number of times ink is impacted at the same area is greater than at other pixels of the print area. And, print control is carried out such that more multiply impacted pixels are printed at print areas printed using ejection ports at the ends of the print head than at print areas printed without using ejection ports at the ends of the print head.

Abstract: In a system having an inkjet printer and a toner printer, the ink jet printer forms an ink jet image and the toner printer forms a toner image conforming to the inkjet image and transfers the toner image onto the inkjet image. Colorant in the ink is electrostatically attracted to the toner. The toner is fixed. After fixing the colorant attracted to the toner is bound to the toner so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.

Abstract: The present invention reduces an uneven color of a color having two or more colors of inks, the uneven color occurring due to manufacturing variations of ink ejection nozzles and so on. Each of a plurality of correction tables that is assigned to each predetermined number of nozzles that are used for printing on a common region in the print medium, of a plurality of nozzle arrays formed on a print head, each of the nozzle arrays ejecting a plurality of inks including a first ink and a second ink whose color is different from the color of the first ink, is generated on the basis of at least an ink ejection property of nozzles ejecting the first and second inks.

Abstract: A liquid ejection device may include a liquid ejection head, a conveyor mechanism, a liquid discharging device, and a control device. The control device may be configured to determine a dimension of a recording medium, and determine one or more first ejection nozzles of the liquid discharging device, which correspond to an edge of the recording medium, based on the dimension. The control device may be further configured to control the liquid discharging device to perform a liquid discharging process after the liquid ejection head records an image onto the recording medium, wherein in the liquid discharging process, an amount of liquid discharged from each of the one or more first ejection nozzles is larger than an amount of liquid discharged from each of one or more second ejection nozzles, which correspond to a more inward area of the recording medium than an area corresponding to the one or more first ejection nozzles.

Abstract: Printing methods are provided. In one method an inkjet image is printed using an ink having a colorant with an electrical charge of a first polarity dispersed in a hydrophilic liquid carrier fluid with an electrical charge of a second polarity that is the opposite polarity of the first polarity. A colorant attracting toner image conforming to the inkjet image is generated using toner particles of the second polarity. The colorant attracting toner image is transferred in registration with an unabsorbed volume of the ink jet image on the receiver. The difference in polarity between the toner particles and the colorant attracts the colorant and the toner particles. The toner particles are fixed to the receiver. After fixing colorant attracted to the toner particles is bound to the toner particles so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of heads, each of which includes a capacitive load used as an actuator for discharging ink; a drive-voltage generating circuit that outputs a drive voltage to be applied to the actuator and includes a plurality of current amplifying circuits; and a plurality of head drivers that control the actuators of the heads. Each of the current amplifying circuits is configured to include a plurality of bipolar transistors and to operate so as to equalize output current loads of the bipolar transistors included in the current amplifying circuits, and waveforms of the drive voltages output from the current amplifying circuits are combined to form a combined waveform of the drive voltages to be applied to each of the head drivers.

Abstract: Provided are method of controlling nozzles of an inkjet head and an apparatus for measuring the amounts of ink ejected from the nozzles of the inkjet head. The method includes: preparing a mass measuring device, which measures the mass of ink by using an oscillation change, in a pixel; ejecting ink into the pixel from a nozzle of the inkjet head, and measuring the amount of ink ejected from the nozzle by using the mass measuring device; and adjusting a voltage waveform applied to the nozzle of the inkjet head.

Abstract: A computer network system and method for printing purchase transaction receipts includes a novel printer physical structure, data structure, and control logic for printing on both sides of a register receipt, business rules designed to facilitate the two sided printing, and print paper designed to facilitate two sided printing.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a switching driving method used for a driving system. The driving system transforms any type of waveforms to switching signal array by switching strategy modulation, and transmits to switching circuit. Any type of driving waveforms can be generated through high-speed switching the switching circuit. The waveforms can be generated by operating the switching circuit with the switching strategy. The losses of the switch can be reduced, and the modulation ability of driving signal having several waveforms and multi-channels can be improved.

Abstract: When power is turned “ON”, power starts to be supplied to a reading unit and a display unit so that images stored in a storage unit can be displayed, and when the images are instructed to be displayed, a viewing system screen is displayed. The power starts to be supplied to an image forming mechanism at a timing when an instruction for switching the viewing system screen to a formation screen, and when an instruction for forming the image being displayed on the formation screen is provided, the image is formed by the image forming mechanism. In this manner, it is possible to prevent wasteful power consumption caused when the power is supplied to the image forming mechanism while the image is displayed on the viewing system screen.

Abstract: A liquid ejection device comprising a plurality of ejection parts for ejecting liquid in cavities, an inspection part for inspecting the ejection parts. The ejection parts are classified into a plurality of ranks according to the characteristics of individual ejection parts. The inspection part performs inspection in accordance with a determination reference corresponding to the ranks. The inspection is performed consecutively on those among the plurality of ejection parts that are classified in the same rank.

Abstract: Ink for ink jet recording includes a coloring material and alkylpolyols, wherein the alkylpolyols include two or more types of first alkylpolyols having a log P value of greater than or equal to ?0.7 and less than or equal to 0.01, and a normal boiling point of greater than or equal to 180° C. and lower than or equal to 250° C., and the content of the alkylpolyols is greater than or equal to 5% by mass and less than or equal to 30% by mass.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an inkjet printing apparatus that can realize both high quality image formation and improvement of a device life caused by the reduction of a mist amount of a processing liquid. The present invention is provided with a control unit that can independently control an ink ejection condition in an ink ejection unit and a processing-liquid ejection condition in a processing-liquid ejection unit. The control unit controls the ejection condition in each ejection unit so that the mist amount of the processing liquid ejected from the processing-liquid eject unit is smaller than that of the ink ejected from the ink eject unit.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, the generating unit generates print data indicating whether a dot having one of a plurality of sizes is formed or not, by performing a halftone process on original image data. The correcting unit generates corrected print data by correcting the print data. The dividing unit divides the edge part data of the print data into a plurality of block data. The index value determining unit determines, for each block data, an index value relating to an amount of ink to be used based on the plurality of dot data included in the each block data. The changing unit changes, for each block data, the size information of at least one dot data among the plurality of dot data included in the each block data based on the index value such that the amount of ink to be used becomes reduced.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to a reflex printing system with improved image quality. A media transport moves a media substrate or an intermediate belt along a media path in a process direction past the two or more print heads, which deposit inks onto the media substrate or the intermediate belt. A velocity measuring device directly measures and transmits the speed of the surface of belt or media that is to receive the image to a controller, which sends print commands to the two or more print heads to control the frequency of the printing. The inks deposited on the media substrate or intermediate belt have a color registration of from 10 to 20 microns.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a driving method of an ink jet head includes applying a first pulse for expanding volume of a pressure chamber in which an ink is accommodated to an actuator for applying oscillation to the pressure chamber and applying a second pulse for reducing volume of the pressure chamber to the actuator immediately before ink drops discharged from a nozzle which is communicated with the pressure chamber are separated from the nozzle.

Abstract: A printhead includes a nozzle and a jet control element. The jet control element includes a continuous heater element positioned to surround the nozzle and a plurality of three or more electrical contacts in electrical communication with the continuous heater element. The plurality of three or more electrical contacts define a plurality of three or more continuous heater element portions that are actuatable with sufficient independence so as to control jet steering. The number of the continuous heater element portions equals the number of electrical contacts.

Abstract: A method for printing an image on an image receiving member is provided, in which a print head having an array of print elements moves in a scanning direction to print image lines and the image receiving member is advanced in a transport direction after printing a swath. In order to obtain various contiguous swaths of print lines without a light or dark line between the swaths, the position of a prior swath printed preceding to a current swath is determined during the printing of the current swath. A digital mask is applied to the print data that is associated with the print elements at the to the prior swath adjoining edge of the current swath in dependence on the determination of the position of the prior swath.

Abstract: A method for performing duplex printing with improved throughput has been developed. The method includes forming an image of a back side of a first duplex page and an image of a front side of a second duplex page on an image receiving member. Two recording media sheets are serially passed through a nip to transfer the image of the first duplex page back side to a bare side of a recording media sheet that also bears the image of the front side of the first duplex page on an obverse side and to transfer the image of the second duplex page to a bare side of a recording media sheet that has not been previously printed.

Abstract: A drop emitting device that includes a drop generator and a drive signal waveform that includes in sequence a pulse of a first polarity, a first pulse of a second polarity, a delay interval, and a second pulse of the second polarity that includes a high frequency segment.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image processing unit acquiring image data, performing image processing, and generating color image data for respective colors; plural toner image forming units each forming and developing an electrostatic latent image on the basis of the color image data, and forming a color toner image; and a toner image holding member moving while holding each color toner image. Each electrostatic latent image has pixel rows arranged in a slow scan direction, with pixels aligned in a fast scan direction. The image processing unit performs, on the color image data, image processing to add or delete the pixel rows for a position of the electrostatic latent image in the slow scan direction. The number of the pixel rows corresponds to the amount of change in a moving velocity of the toner image holding member when each color toner image formed at the position is held.

Abstract: A device and a method for managing a piezo inkjet head. The device includes: a piezo actuator connected to an inkjet head to generate pressure; a driver that controls driving of the piezo actuator; a sensing resistor connected between the driver and the piezo actuator, a signal amplifier connected across the sensing resistor to amplify the signal applied to the sensing resistor; a signal processor that removes noise of the signal output from the signal amplifier; a controller that determines a signal passing through the signal processor as a reference signal in a state in which bubbles are not introduced into the inkjet head; and a storage unit that stores the signal determined as the reference signal in the controller. The controller calculates a difference between the signal passing through the signal processor and the reference signal to generate a detection signal and determine a state of the inkjet head.

Abstract: To reduce the tendency of glossiness to vary according to the ink ejection quantity, a printing device includes a color ink head for ejecting color ink to a medium, a clear ink head for ejecting transparent clear ink to the medium, and a controller for controlling ejection of the clear ink so that the clear ink is ejected to a region in which an ejection quantity of the color ink per unit area of the medium is less than a predetermined quantity, and the clear ink is not ejected to a region in which the ejection quantity of the color ink per unit area of the medium is greater than the predetermined quantity.

Abstract: When printing is to be performed on sheets by switching a plurality of sheet storage units and feeding the sheets, a user confirms, before the designated number of sheets is printed, whether the sheet matches a designated sheet type, and then instructs printing to be continued. Two or more sheet storage units among the plurality of sheet storage units are set as one group, and one sheet is conveyed from each of the two or more sheet storage units set as one group. An image is printed on the conveyed sheets which are then discharged to a sheet discharge unit, and printing is interrupted. If an instruction to continue the interrupted printing is received, control is performed to resume the interrupted printing.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a light irradiation unit including a light emitting element row having therein a plurality of light emitting elements aligned in the same direction as a nozzle row, and a fault detection unit that detects whether there is a fault in each of the light emitting elements. The light emitting elements apply light to a photoreactive liquid discharged onto a recording target material. The light irradiation unit includes a plurality of the light emitting element rows arranged therein. When the fault detection unit detects a fault in a light emitting element, operation enters a fault mode where the light emitting element row to which the faulty light emitting element belongs is turned off and recording is performed with the remaining light emitting element rows.

Abstract: An embodiment of this invention is directed to preventing a decrease in the number of media printable with ink in an ink tank owing to an increase in waste ink in aging processing, and an increase in aging processing time. According to the embodiment, aging processing is executed as follows in a printing apparatus in which a printhead including a plurality of nozzles and a nozzle array formed from these nozzles and discharge ink is reciprocally scanned in a direction different from the direction of the nozzle array, and an image is printed by forward printing and backward printing. The aging processing is performed by changing the count at which the aging processing is performed, between nozzles at the edge side portion of the nozzle array and nozzles at the center side portion of the nozzle array.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus is provided that reduces a period required for detection of the ink ejection state for the individual ejection ports of a print head. The inkjet printing apparatus includes a carriage moving unit for moving a carriage in the main scan direction that crosses a conveyance direction in which a printing medium is to be conveyed. The inkjet printing apparatus also includes an LED and a photodiode, for receiving light emitted by the LED, both of which are employed to detect the ink ejection state for the ejection ports to be examined. The inkjet printing apparatus moves the LED and the photodiode in the main scan direction to move the inspection position, at which the ink ejection state is to be examined.

Abstract: A printing apparatus that includes printing element substrates which are provided with printing elements that discharge ink. A plurality of temperature sensors, each of which is provided with one of the printing element substrates, measures a temperature of a corresponding printing element substrate. A selection unit selects any one of the temperature sensors, and a determination unit performs a determination operation to determine a state of the printing element substrate based on the temperature measured by the selected temperature sensor in a case when only the printing elements of a substrate that corresponds to the selected temperature sensor are driven. The determination unit performs the determination operation on a first substrate and then on a second non-adjacent substrate.

Abstract: A printhead and a method of ejecting liquid droplets are provided. The method includes providing a printhead operable to eject liquid drops having a plurality of drop volumes Vi, for i equal to 1 through n, where n?2, with Vj>Vi when j>i. One of the plurality of drop volumes is a minimum drop volume Vmin, and a difference in drop volumes between successively larger drops equals (Vk+1?Vk) which is less than Vmin, for k equal to 1 through n?1. The method also includes ejecting liquid drops through the printhead.

Abstract: A driver circuit is used for driving a plurality of switch elements connected between a power supply terminal and a common terminal. Each switch element includes an anode connected to the power supply terminal, a cathode, and a gate. The cathode is connected to a common terminal. The gate controls electrical conduction between the anode and the cathode. The driver circuit includes a switch circuit connected between the power supply terminal and the common terminal, and a driver into which a drive current flows. The switch circuit is in parallel with the switch elements, and electrically connects or disconnects the power supply terminal and the common terminal in response to a control signal supplied thereto. A transmission line, having a specific characteristic impedance, is connected between the common terminal and the driver circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting method, including: ejecting a liquid from a liquid ejecting head, wherein the viscosity of the liquid is in a range from 6 mPa·s to 20 mPa·s, wherein the liquid ejecting head includes: nozzles which eject the liquid; a pressure chamber which applies a pressure variation to the liquid in order to eject the liquid from the nozzles; and a supply unit which communicates with the pressure chamber and supplies the liquid to the pressure chamber, and wherein the opening area of the nozzles on the side in which the liquid is ejected is 1/10 or less of the opening area of the opening of the supply unit on the pressure chamber side.

Abstract: A defective recording element detecting apparatus includes: an image signal acquiring device which acquires read image signals obtained by reading, a linear test pattern recorded by an image recording apparatus having: a recording head and a medium conveying device which causes relative movement between a recording medium and the recording head in a signal decomposing device which sequentially assigns reading pixel numbers 0 to n to the acquired read image signals, divides the reading pixel numbers by an analysis pitch unit PS to obtain remainders, and decomposes the read image signals into an image signal of each of the obtained remainders; a fluctuation signal calculating device which calculates a fluctuation signal of each of the remainders; and an identifying device which identifies a defective recording element among the plurality of recording elements based on the fluctuation signal of each of the remainders.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method, whereby high-permeation ink and low-permeation ink are employed to prevent a reduction in optical density is provided. The ink jet printing apparatus controls ejection of ink from print heads, so that only low-permeation ink is ejected onto the edge area of a print medium that is adjacent to a non-printing area, and this time, high-permeation ink is not employed. Further, the ink jet printing apparatus controls ejection of ink from the print heads, so that both low-permeation ink and high-permeation ink are employed for the non-edge area that is adjacent to the edge area, and to perform printing, the low-permeation ink is ejected onto the non-edge area prior to the high-permeation ink.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus that prints each raster in a multi-pass printing mode by causing a printhead having a plurality of nozzles forming a nozzle array to scan in a direction intersecting with the nozzle array is provided, in which the nozzles are divided into groups, each including adjacent nozzles, one nozzle selected from each group is united into one block, drive of nozzles is controlled such that drive timings of nozzles differ among a plurality of blocks in each group, and a sequence in which nozzles are driven is determined for each scan in the multi-pass printing mode such that printed dots are most equally printed in the raster.

Abstract: Printing methods and systems that provide both a secure value label printing mode of operation and a non-secure mode of operation that allows generic printing of non-value items without compromising the security feature of the secure printing mode are described. If the printing system determines the image is a non-secure image such as an address label or other non-value graphic, the printing system utilizes the non-secure mode and disables the use certain printhead elements. In such a system, the enforced print disabled white bands are enforced in non-secure mode such as by actually disabling the print drive mechanism that allows a row to be printed or by populating certain regions of the print buffer with zero values.

Abstract: A liquid ejection device includes: a drive waveform generator generating a drive waveform signal; a modulator performing pulse modulation on a signal from the drive waveform generator to provide a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier performing power amplification on the modulated signal to provide an amplified digital signal; a Lowpass Filter smoothing the amplified digital signal to provide a drive signal of an actuator; a compensator advancing the phase of the drive signal to provide a negative feedback signal; and a subtractor providing a differential signal between the drive waveform signal and the negative feedback signal as an input signal to the modulator.