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Jetting Apparatus and Method of Improving the Performance of a Jetting Apparatus

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The present invention is generally related to a jetting device for jetting droplets of viscous medium onto a substrate, said jetting device comprising an ejector element for performing the jetting process and a jetting outlet through which said droplets are jetted. In particular, the invention is related to a method, a measuring device, a jetting device, and a viscous medium container for use in such a jetting device for measuring or monitoring a level or volume of viscous medium during a jetting process and/or measuring electrical properties of the viscous medium to determine characteristics of the medium.

INK JET DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A BIOLOGICAL ASSAY SUBSTRATE BY RELEASING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANCES ONTO THE SUBSTRATE, AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE INK JET DEVICE

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The invention provides an ink jet device for producing a biological assay substrate by releasing a plurality of substances onto the substrate, the device comprising at least a print head comprising a nozzle, the device comprising at least a transducer provided to eject a droplet out of the nozzle, wherein a detection means is assigned to the ink jet device such that the state of the print head can be monitored by means of the detection of the behaviour of to the transducer.

PRINT ELEMENT SUBSTRATE, PRINTHEAD, AND PRINTING APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

This invention is directed to allow efficiently transferring data to each print element (heater) and efficiently laying out circuits in an element substrate including plural heater arrays in which different numbers of heaters are arranged. This substrate includes: a first array having a relatively large number of heaters; and a second array which is equal in length to the first array and has a relatively small number of heaters. These arrays are juxtaposed. The substrate further includes plural shift registers equal in number to the heater arrays of the substrate. The shift registers include a shift register which holds some data for driving the heaters of the first heater array, and data for driving the heaters of the second heater array. The shift registers further include a shift register which holds data other than some data for driving the heaters of the first heater array.

Inkjet Printhead Employing Active And Static Ink Ejection Structures

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet printhead includes a wafer having a droplet ejection side and a liquid supply side opposite the droplet ejection side; a plurality of active ink ejection structures formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer, each active ink ejection structure partially defining a nozzle chamber, and defining an ink ejection port; a plurality of individual fluid passages formed in the wafer, each fluid passage providing fluid to corresponding nozzle chambers; a plurality of static ink ejection structures formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer and inside of corresponding active ink ejection structures, each static ink ejection structure defining a nozzle chamber with a corresponding active ink ejection structure; and droplet ejection actuators respectively corresponding to each active ink ejection structure. The droplet ejection actuators are formed on the droplet ejection side of the wafer and attached to respective active ink ejection structures. The droplet ejection actuators are operable to displace an active ink ejection structures towards a corresponding static ink ejection structure to effect ejection of fluid in the nozzle chamber through the ink ejection port.

INK JET PRINTER CARTRIDGE REFILLING METHOD AND APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The present invention provides an automated system for refilling printer ink cartridges. The system includes a computer with memory provided to store information relating to a plurality of ink cartridges, and a user interface that is connected to the computer and can receive a model number of a particular ink cartridge to be refilled. Moreover, the system employs a vacuum chamber with one or more needles provided to add ink into the ink cartridge. The vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum pump that draws a suction on the vacuum chamber to reduce pressure in the vacuum chamber. In operation, the computer controls the vacuum pump to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber to a specific pressure based on the model number of the ink cartridge, and once this pressure is reached, ink is added to the ink cartridge by the needle accordingly.

Printing control method for a serial inkjet printer, and a serial inkjet printer

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A printing control method for a serial inkjet printer prevents paper dust that is dispersed by the air current produced by a vacuum platen from adhering to the ink nozzle area. An inkjet head that prints while moving along the width of the vacuum platen is moved to a position where the ink nozzle area is outside of a first or second retraction position separated a first distance from the first and second paper edge positions of the recording paper, and the recording paper is then advanced. Paper dust and other dust particulate does not adhere to the ink nozzle area when the paper is advanced because the ink nozzle area does not stop in the first and second paper edge positions of the recording paper where paper dust and other dust particulate can be made airborne by the air current produced by the vacuum platen.

Method of Inspecting the Nozzle Discharge State, A Discharge State Inspection Method, and a Fluid Discharge Device

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method of inspecting a discharge state of a nozzle prevents wrongly determining that discharge is normal even though fluid droplets are not discharged normally. In a fluid droplet discharge device such as an inkjet printer, a momentary induced current is produced when a charged ink droplet 17 c lands on a head cap 31 with a potential difference. A voltage change detection unit 39 detects the induced current as a voltage change. A decision unit 40 determines that the ink discharge state is normal if the maximum amplitude L of the voltage change detected by the voltage change detection unit 39 in a first period S is greater than or equal to a first threshold value Q. If the amplitude of voltage change detected in a third period U after the specific period has passed goes to a second threshold value R, a decision cancellation unit 41 determines that noise is contained in the voltage change. If the ink discharge state is determined to be normal and noise is determined to be contained in the voltage change, inspection is repeated and the normal discharge decision is cancelled.

SHORT PULSEWIDTH ACTUATION OF THERMAL BEND ACTUATOR

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method of actuating a thermal bend actuator having an active beam fused to a passive beam. The method comprises passing an electrical current through the active beam so as to cause thermoelastic expansion of the active beam relative to the passive beam and bending of the actuator. The current is delivered in an actuation pulse having a pulse width of less than 0.2 microseconds.

LIQUID EJECTING APPARTAUS AND LIQUID EJECTING METHOD

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes pressure chambers that communicate with nozzles and an element that varies liquid pressure inside the pressure chamber in accordance with variation in a potential. An ejection pulse generating unit generates a first ejection pulse applied to the element upon ejecting first liquid droplets from the nozzles and a second ejection pulse applied to the element upon ejecting subsequent, second ejection droplets. The first ejection pulse excites the liquid inside the pressure chamber to pressure vibration and then allows the element to eject liquid droplets from the nozzles when the pressure of the liquid inside the pressure chamber reaches a predetermined pressure. The second ejection pulse excites the liquid to pressure vibration and then allows the element to eject the liquid droplets from the nozzles at certain time when the pressure of the liquid becomes lower than the predetermined pressure.

PRINT ELEMENT SUBSTRATE, PRINTHEAD, AND PRINTING APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

This invention is directed to a print element substrate including a plurality of print element arrays in which different numbers of print elements are arranged. The print element substrate can efficiently transfer data to each print element and efficiently lay out circuits. The print element substrate includes the following arrangement. More specifically, a first print element array having a relatively large number of print elements, and a plurality of second print element arrays which are equal in length to the first print element array and smaller in the number of print elements than the first print element array are juxtaposed. The print element substrate includes one shift register which holds data for driving the print elements of the first print element array, and one shift register which holds data for driving the print elements of the second print element arrays.

PRINT ELEMENT SUBSTRATE, INKJET PRINTHEAD, AND PRINTING APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

This invention is directed to an element substrate including a plurality of print element arrays in which print elements are arranged at different arrayed densities. The element substrate can efficiently transfer data to each print element. The element substrate includes the following arrangement. More specifically, the first print element array having a relatively large number of print elements, and the second print element array which is equal in length to the first print element array and has a relatively small number of print elements are juxtaposed. The element substrate includes one shift register which holds data for driving the print element of the second print element array, and a plurality of shift registers for dividing and holding data for driving the print elements of the first print element array.

LIQUID DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A liquid droplet ejection apparatus comprising: a conveyor portion that conveys a recording medium to a liquid droplet ejection region by the rotational force of a drive roll; liquid droplet ejection heads that eject liquid droplets onto the recording medium conveyed to the liquid droplet ejection region by the conveyor portion; a feed portion that feeds the recording medium to the conveyor portion at a predetermined feed timing; a detection portion that detects a rotational position of the drive roll; and a control portion that controls the feed timing of the feed portion based on the rotational position that the detection portion has detected, so that when the drive roll reaches a predetermined rotational position, the control portion causes the recording medium to be conveyed to the liquid droplet ejection region and causes the liquid droplet ejection heads to start ejecting the liquid droplets onto the recording medium, is provided.

Method of calculating correction value, method of ejecting liquid, and liquid ejecting apparatus

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method of calculating a correction value includes: forming a test pattern by ejecting a liquid by a liquid ejecting apparatus, which has a first nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting the liquid to a medium are arranged in a predetermined direction and a second nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting the liquid to the medium are arranged in the predetermined direction, the second nozzle row being disposed so that an end portion on one side thereof in the predetermined direction overlaps with an end portion on the other side of the first nozzle row in the predetermined direction, to an area of the medium corresponding to certain pixel data on the basis of the certain pixel data from first nozzles belonging to the end portion on the other side of the first nozzle row and second nozzles belonging to the end portion on the one side of the second nozzle row; acquiring a read-out gray scale value by allowing a scanner to read-out the test pattern; and calculating a correction value used to correct the pixel data corresponding to the area to which the liquid is ejected from the first and the second nozzles on the basis of the read-out gray scale value.

PRINTER WITH DEBRIS CONTROL APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A printer with debris control apparatus which minimizes printer fouling. The printer includes a print head for printing on media, a platen having a side for feeding the media along a path past the print head, and debris control member in contact with the media.

FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A fluid ejecting apparatus includes an ejection head having an ejection surface with a nozzle region and a capping device that contacts the ejection surface. The capping device includes first and second contact members held by a cap body. When the first contact member contacts the ejection surface, a surface of the first contact member surrounds the nozzle region. The second contact member is formed in a closed frame-shape to be disposed outside a surface of the first contact member opposite the surface of the first contact member. The cap body includes first and second suction ports. The first suction port decompresses a first space formed between the first contact member and the ejection surface when the capping device contacts the ejection head. The second suction port decompresses a second space formed between the second contact member and the ejection surface when the capping device contacts the ejection head.

Printhead Maintenance Station Having Contact Pad With Sloping Profile

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance station comprises an elastically deformable pad having a contact surface for sealing contact with nozzles in an ink ejection face of the printhead. The contact surface has a sloping profile. The maintenance station has a motor and cam arrangement for moving the pad substantially perpendicularly with respect to the ink ejection face. The pad moves from a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly contacted with the nozzles to a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face. The movement and the sloping profile of the pad causes the contact surface to be peeled away from the face during disengagement.

IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An image recording apparatus includes an idle ejection receiving part for receiving idle-ejected waste liquid from a liquid jet head and a waste liquid tank provided below the idle ejection receiving part for collecting the waste liquid dropping from the idle ejection receiving part. The image recording apparatus further includes a rotating member having a peripheral surface for rotating and receiving the waste liquid, and a wiping member that contacts or faces the peripheral surface for wiping the waste liquid on the peripheral surface of the rotating member. The wiping member is configured to move in a peripheral direction of the rotating member.

INK-JET PRINTER AND MAINTENANCE METHOD OF INK-JET HEAD THEREOF

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An ink-jet printer of the present invention includes an ink-jet head provided with nozzles for ejecting ink, a downstream tank communicating with the ink-jet head, a pressure pump for producing pressure in the downstream tank to eject ink from the nozzles in a purge operation, a sweep member provided in a maintenance unit, for sweeping away ink and foreign matter remaining around the nozzles after the purge operation, and a control device for keeping the nozzles at a slight positive pressure at the time of ink sweep. Further, the control device produces the slight positive pressure after opening the downstream tank to the atmosphere.

LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A liquid ejection apparatus including a carriage 8 that moves a head capable of ejecting liquid back and forth in a first direction D 1 and a second direction D 2 opposite to the first direction D 1 , a linear scaler 9 that is provided along the first direction D 1 and the second direction D 2 , for recognizing the position of the carriage 8 , and a mist guide 21 that is provided so as to be extended from the carriage 8 so as to face the linear scaler 9 . The mist guide 21 includes the first slope surface 21 b forming the acute slope angle R 2 with respect to the first direction D 1 and the second slope surface 21 a forming the acute slope angle R 1 with respect to the second direction D 2.

PRINT CONTROLLING METHOD AND RELATED PRINTER

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A print controlling method is applied to a printer. The printer includes a plurality of nozzles, wherein each nozzle is respectively driven by one of a plurality of address lines. The print controlling method includes dividing the plurality of address lines into M groups, wherein M is a positive integer; and enabling the address lines belonging to one of the M groups to drive the corresponding nozzles during each slice period, wherein the address lines enabled at adjacent slice periods correspond to different groups.

Printhead IC With Filter Structure At Inlet To Ink Chambers

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet printhead that has an array of droplet ejectors supported on a printhead integrated circuit (IC). Each of the droplet ejectors has a nozzle aperture and an actuator for ejecting a droplet of ink through the nozzle aperture. Each of the droplet ejectors has a chamber in which the actuator is positioned, the chamber having an inlet for fluid communication with an ink supply. A filter structure in positioned the inlet to inhibit ingress of contaminants into the chamber.

Printhead IC With Small Ink Chambers

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet printhead that has an array of droplet ejectors supported on a printhead integrated circuit (IC). Each of the droplet ejectors has a nozzle aperture and an actuator for ejecting a droplet of ink through the nozzle aperture. Each of the droplet ejectors also has a chamber in which the actuator is positioned, the chamber having a volume less than 30,000 microns cubed.

Variable-Volume Nozzle Arrangement

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet; a static ink ejecting member extending from the substrate assembly and bounding the ink inlet; an active ink ejecting member having a roof and sidewalls that depends from the roof towards the substrate, the roof defining an ink ejection port and the active ink ejecting member movably located relative to the static ink ejecting member to define a variable-volume nozzle chamber; and an actuator arrangement configured to reciprocate the active ink ejection member relative to the static ink ejecting member to eject ink in the nozzle chamber out through the ink ejection port. The static ink ejecting member is located within bounds delimited by the sidewalls of the active ink ejecting member.

Liquid ejecting head, image forming apparatus, device for ejecting a liquid drop, and recording method

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A liquid ejecting head comprising a nozzle configured to eject a liquid drop of recording liquid, a liquid chamber communicating to the nozzle, and an energy generating device configured to generate energy for pressurizing recording liquid in the liquid chamber is provided, wherein a flow channel forming member configured to form a flow channel for the recording liquid is made of a metal material containing nickel and a peak intensity for a (200) face of nickel is higher than a peak intensity for a (111) face of nickel which intensities are measured by means of X-ray diffraction analysis, or a flow channel forming member configured to form a flow channel for the recording liquid is made of a metal material containing nickel and thallium.

LIQUID JETTING HEAD

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Disclosed is a liquid jetting head which can contribute to downsizing. A head unit 20 has two case channels and a driving substrate 28 arranged between inflow openings 35 of the case channels provided on a base surface of the head unit, which is on the opposite side of a nozzle-formed surface of the head unit, in an erect posture with respect to the base surface of the driving substrate 28.

Inkjet Printhead With Nozzle Chambers Each Holding Two Fluids

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet printhead that has an array of droplet ejectors, each having a chamber with a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting drops of ink through the nozzle. During use, each of the chambers hold ink and a gas, the gas remaining in the chamber during activation and deactivation of the actuator. The actuators each have a part with a hydrophilic coating for contacting ink in preference to other parts of the actuator such that the gas and the ink are in direct contact with each other at an interface within the chamber, and at least part of the actuator is positioned at the interface between the ink and the gas. By insulating at least some of the actuator from the printhead substrate, more heat is directed into the ink that is ejected from the nozzle. If the actuator is a thermal or thermal bend, the insulating fluid allows the resistive elements to heat more quickly and use less power. This reduces the overall power consumption of the printhead.

Printhead Integrated Circuit Comprising Polymeric Cover Layer

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A printhead integrated circuit comprises a substrate having drive circuitry and a plurality of nozzle assemblies positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle assembly has a moving portion moveable relative to a stationary portion for ejection of ink. The printhead integrated circuit is covered with a polymeric layer. The polymeric layer covers a gap defined between each moving portion and each stationary portion.

INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND INK TANK FOR THE SAME

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

In an intermittent ink supplying system, an ink supply base 3 forming a supply-path forming member is made capable of moving along with the movement for joining a sub-joint ( 4 ) with a sub-tank. In addition, an ink-supply-port forming member 8 of a main tank ( 2 ) connected to a main joint ( 8 ) is also made capable of moving in order to allow the ink supply base ( 3 ) to move. This prevents unpreferable stresses from acting on various parts of the supply-path forming member and the main tank, and the preferable joining condition can be obtained even when an inflexible ink-supply-path forming member with a relatively high stiffness is adopted. In addition, this increases a degree of freedom of material selection for the supply-path forming member, and improves the liquid resistance property, durability and gas barrier property.

Ink Reservoir

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An ink reservoir includes a first portion defining one or more channels each for providing ink to a respective output port; a second portion bearing one or more ink bladders each containing a respective type of ink, each ink bladder adapted to be in fluid communication with a respective channel; and a third portion adapted to couple with the first portion to form a pressurived cavity containing the second portion. The first, second and third portions are adapted to be received within a former of a printer roll such that the first, second, and third portions remain stationary while the printer roll rotates.

PRINTER

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A printer includes a set cover pivotally movably provided on a carriage. The cover can be set in a closed state in which the cover presses a head of the cartridge housed in the housing portion and an open state in which the cover opens the housing portion when the cartridge is replaced. A release lever is subjected to a bias force so as to protrude from an inner wall surface of the housing portion. The release lever is movable against the bias force. The release lever comes into contact with an end of the cartridge which faces the bottom surface when the cartridge is inserted into the housing portion. The release lever contacts the rear surface of the cartridge housed in the housing portion. The bias force is stronger when the cover is in the open state than when the cover is in the closed state.

Inlet Structure and Assembly Method

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

In one embodiment, a fluid ejector assembly includes: an inlet structure having an opening therein through which fluid may enter the assembly, the inlet structure having a rim generally defining an outer perimeter of the inlet structure around the opening; a conduit through which fluid may pass from the opening in the inlet structure to an ejector structure; and a filter supported on the inlet structure and spanning the opening such that fluid passing through the opening in the inlet structure to the conduit passes through the filter, a peripheral edge of the filter surrounded by the rim of the inlet structure and the peripheral edge of the filter encapsulated by the inlet structure.

Inkjet apparatus

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet apparatus is disclosed. The inkjet apparatus for printing a solder resist can include: a first reservoir storing a monomer composition, a second reservoir storing a hardening agent composition, and an inkjet head, which can be connected to the first reservoir and the second reservoir to eject the monomer composition and the hardening agent composition. By utilizing an inkjet apparatus according to certain embodiments of the invention as set forth above, the occurrence of blockage in the nozzles caused by ink solidified inside the inkjet head and reservoir can be prevented. Also, the problem of spreading of the ink during printing can be resolved, and the thermal resistance, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance of the solder resist after inkjet printing can be improved.

CONVEYING APPARATUS AND RECORDING APPARATUS

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A conveying apparatus is provided, the conveying apparatus comprising a lever swinging in contact with a recording medium conveyed along a conveying path in a conveying direction, a sensor detecting the swinging of the lever, a moving unit for moving the lever from a position where the lever is allowed to contact the recording medium in the conveying path to a position where the lever is retracted from the conveying path, a guide unit being movable between a first position and a second position, the guide unit guiding the recording medium conveyed in a direction opposite to the conveying direction, to the conveying path when the guide unit is located in the second position and a transmitting unit for transmitting the movement of the guide unit to the moving unit through motion of at least one member to link the movement of the guide unit from the first position to the second position with the movement of the lever to the position where the lever is retracted from the conveying path, the movement of the lever being performed by the moving unit.

Pattern Forming Method, Pattern Forming Apparatus, Method for Manufacturing a Recording Medium and Method of Manufacturing Patterned Member

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

In order to realize a pattern forming method for more precisely controlling a reacting area of photosensitive resin during formation of a fine pattern on a substrate and also for simplifying thickness management of the photosensitive resin a fine pattern can be formed through reaction of the photosensitive resin layer by particularly condensing an ultra-short pulse laser to a location where the focal point of the laser is at the interface between the substrate and the photosensitive resin. In this case, the ultra-short pulse laser is radiated through the substrate.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING INKJET PRINTHEAD AND INKJET PRINTHEAD MANUFACTURED USING THE SAME

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method of manufacturing an inkjet printhead includes forming a heater and an electrode on a substrate, forming a flow path forming layer by coating a first negative photoresist composition on the substrate, forming a sacrifice layer, planarizing the flow path forming layer and the sacrifice layer, forming a nozzle layer by coating a second negative photoresist composition on the flow path forming layer, forming an ink feed hole in the substrate, and eliminating the sacrifice layer, wherein the first and second negative photoresist compositions include a prepolymer which comprises one selected from the group consisting of a glycidyl ether functional group, a ring-opened glycidyl ether functional group, and an oxytein functional group in a monomer repeat unit, and one selected from the group consisting of a phenol novolac resin-based backbone, a bisphenol-A-based backbone, a bisphenol-F-based backbone, and an alicyclic backbone; a cationic initiator; a solvent; and a plasticizer.

RESTRAINT DEVICE AND RECORDING DEVICE

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An ink jet printer includes a restraint device which applies a restraining force, applied to a support surface used for supporting a recording sheet, to the recording sheet transported from an upstream side to a downstream side in a transport direction. The restraint device includes a second support member which includes the support surface and a suction hole opened to the support surface and generating a negative pressure therein and which is capable of sucking the recording sheet supported to the support surface toward the support surface on the basis of the negative pressure generated inside the suction hole and a shield belt which is disposed to face the support surface.

OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An optical scanning apparatus effectively blocks undesirable-light generated in opposed scanning units, and forms high-quality image with simple configuration. The apparatus includes two scanning units disposed with a polygon mirror therebetween, each scanning unit including: an incident optical system guiding a beam from a light source to the polygon mirror; and an imaging optical system including an imaging optical element to cause the deflected beam form an image on a scanning surface. One of the scanning units includes a member to block an undesirable light reflected on optical surfaces of the imaging optical element of the other scanning unit and traveling toward the scanning surface of said one scanning unit. rp

LIGHTSCRIBE OPTICAL DISC DRIVE

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An optical disc drive for marking a label side of a lightscribe disc is provided. The optical disc drive includes a spoke detecting device, a traverse assembly frame, a spindle motor PCB and an insulating base. The spoke detecting device is used for detecting spoke patterns on the lightscribe disc. The spindle motor PCB is communicated with the spoke detecting device through a flexible cable. The insulating base is coupled with the frame for supporting the spoke detecting device such that the spoke detecting device is separated from the lightscribe disc by a specified gap.

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SIDE DETERMINATION OF OPTICAL DISC

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A side determination apparatus of an optical disc includes a light source illuminating one side of the optical disc having a data side and a non-data side obliquely; a sensor receiving a reflected light from the optical disc illuminated by the light source; and a determination unit determining that an incident light into the sensor is a reflected diffracted light from the data side of the optical disc based on a distribution of an output of the sensor onto a surface of the disc to determine the one side.

Thermal Transfer Dyesheet and Printer

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A thermal transfer dyesheet comprising a substrate bearing a region of a thermally transferable dye, the region including a first printable portion within the region having a first optical density, a second printable portion within the region having a second optical density, the difference in optical density between the first and second optical densities being detectable by a detection means on a dyesheet printer, and a third printable portion within the region having an optical density substantially the same as that of the first printable portion is provided, together with a method for manufacture of the dyesheet and an associated printer.

Targeted And Individualized Cosmetic Delivery

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A system and methods are provided for targeted and individualized delivery of multiple skin benefit agents to the skin of a user. The image of a predetermined treatment area of the user's skin is first captured by an imaging device. The captured image data is then analyzed by a computing device to generate a unique skin profile for the user, which is indicative of the skin conditions at the predetermined treatment area. Based on such skin profile, a printing device prints out one or more cosmetic delivery sheets that can be applied to the predetermined treatment area. Each of the cosmetic delivery sheets contains a substrate with multiple isolated, discrete regions, while at least two of the regions are imprinted with different skin benefit agents for treating different skin conditions of the predetermined treatment area according to the unique skin profile of the user. Targeted delivery of one or multiple skin benefit agents to the skin of a user may be achieved by applying and conforming to the skin a flexible cosmetic delivery sheet having associated therewith, on a first surface, one or multiple cosmetic treatment compositions provided in isolated, discrete regions, while an opposite surface of the sheet is provided with imprinted, predetermined regions corresponding to respective isolated, discrete regions on the first surface of the sheet. The user manipulates the sheet at the imprinted predetermined regions in a manner indicated by the imprinted predetermined regions to release one or multiple skin treatment compositions from the isolated, discrete regions and deliver effective amounts of one or multiple skin benefit agents to the targeted areas of the skin underlying the isolated, discrete regions of the sheet.