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Liquid droplet ejection method and liquid droplet ejection apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A liquid droplet ejection apparatus comprises: a nozzle from which a liquid droplet is ejected; a pressure chamber filled with liquid to which a pressure is applied in order to eject the liquid in a form of the liquid droplet from the nozzle; and a supply port which supplies the liquid to the pressure chamber, wherein inertance Mn of the nozzle, resistance Rn of the nozzle, compliance Cn of a nozzle section due to surface tension, inertance Ms of the supply port, and resistance Rs of the supply port satisfy the following two formulas: 1 Mn + Ms ⁢ Mn + Ms Cn - ( Rn + Rs ) 2 4 > π ⁢ ⁢ f - Rn + Rs 2 ⁢ ( Mn + Ms ) × 1 f < log ⁢ ⁢ 0.01 .

Image recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An image recording apparatus having a plurality of nozzle rows of respective colors each having a plurality of nozzles arranged independently for each of inks of the respective colors, the plurality of nozzles discharging the inks onto a recording medium. A conveyance device performs conveyance of the recording medium in a relative conveyance direction relatively with respect to the plurality of nozzle rows and a fixing device fixes the inks deposited on the recording medium from the plurality of nozzles to the recording medium. A relative conveyance velocity control device controls a relative conveyance velocity V of the recording medium in the relative conveyance with respect to the plurality of nozzle rows and a fixing control device controls a fixing energy of the fixing device in such a manner to satisfy a relationship S/V>t 1 , where t 1 is a fixing time and S is the nozzle row separation distance.

Data processing method, data processing apparatus, mask generation method, and mask pattern

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The present invention provides a mask for divided printing that completes an image by plural scans using inks of different plural inks, the mask being able to suppress possible grains during printing to reduce image degradation resulting from beading. If for example, among the print permitting pixels for which the total repulsive potential is to be calculated, a print permitting pixel Do has the highest total repulsive potential, changes in repulsive potential after movement of the pixels are determined and the print permitting pixel Do is moved to a pixel having the lowest total repulsive potential after the movement. This processing is repeated to enable a reduction in the total energy of the entire plane. Consequently, the print permitting pixels are appropriately dispersed in overlapping plane masks so as to have few low frequency components.

Algorithm for preliminary firing of ink droplets through inkjet nozzles prior to inkjet printing operation

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An algorithm for preliminary firing of ink droplets through inkjet nozzles prior to inkjet printing operation is disclosed. According to this algorithm, a calculation is made of a scheduled time of a next nozzle-cleaning operation which succeeds a time instant at which a last firing operation was implemented, by a predetermined reference-time-interval, and an operation is performed concerning a reduction in a frequency at which the nozzle-cleaning operation is repeated, by monitoring the calculated scheduled-time of nozzle-cleaning operation, on a time-line basis.

Inkjet printing apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet printing apparatus includes an array of inkjet print heads, wherein each print head has at least one ink port for receiving ink, at least one nozzle for directing ink onto a substrate to be printed, and at least one control terminal for receiving a supply voltage and/or control signals. A print head mounting element positions the print heads in a defined orientation relative to each other. An electrical supply unit extending over the array is connected to the control terminals of all of the print heads, and can supply a supply voltage and/or print head specific control signals to all of the print heads in common. A mechanical supply unit extending over the array is connected to the ink ports of all of the print heads, and can supply ink to all of the print heads in common.

Ink cartridge and recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The ink cartridge includes an ink supply port formed at a position, offset to one side, of a wall configuring an ink container body; a positioning projecting portion, formed on one wall out of two opposing walls adjacent the wall, whose upper surface and side portion are regulated in position when the cartridge has been mounted on a recording apparatus; a lever, formed on the other wall out of the two walls, maintaining a normal hinged-open state and having a projection that is forcibly displaced outward when the cartridge is mounted on the recording apparatus; and electrodes that are connected to a memory unit storing information on the ink in an ink container and formed on the positioning projecting portion.

Filter for printhead assembly

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method of supplying liquid ink to a printhead assembly including a carrier, a printhead die mounted on the carrier, and a fluid delivery assembly communicated with the carrier includes communicating a fluid manifold of the carrier with the printhead die, communicating the fluid delivery assembly with the fluid manifold of the carrier, and filling the fluid delivery assembly with a quantity of the liquid ink, including purging air from the fluid delivery assembly through a filter, wherein the filter includes a frame having an opening and a fluid passage communicated with the opening formed therein, filter material enclosing the opening and the fluid passage of the frame, first and second fluid ports communicated with the fluid passage, and a permeable material communicated with the first fluid port.

Inkjet recording apparatus and method

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The inkjet recording apparatus includes a first ejection device which ejects a droplet of a first ink; and a second ejection device which ejects a droplet of a second ink, the first and second inks being of a same color type, a density of coloring material in the first ink being lower than a density of coloring material in the second ink, wherein a diameter of a first dot formed by the droplet ejected from the first ejection device is smaller than a diameter of a second dot formed by the droplet ejected from the second ejection device.

Method for identifying an installed cartridge

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method for identifying an installed cartridge in a cartridge carrier of an imaging apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus communicates with the installed cartridge over at least one line, includes sending an ID command to the installed cartridge via an ID line; and monitoring the ID line for an affirmative response from the installed cartridge, wherein the affirmative response over the ID line indicates that the installed cartridge is a perforator cartridge.

Exposure system and production method for exposure system

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The invention is directed to the provision of an exposure apparatus in which is stored an electric current value appropriately determined for supply to a light-emitting device, and a method for producing such an exposure apparatus. The production method according to the invention comprises the steps of supplying a reference electric current to the light-emitting device, and measuring the amount of light from each of the plurality of pixels of the light modulating device, determining whether a minimum value among the amounts of light measured from the plurality of pixels lies within a predetermined range, and determining the value of the electric current to be supplied to the light-emitting device so that the minimum value of the amounts of light falls within the predetermined range when the minimum value of the amounts of light is outside the predetermined range.

Vent seal

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

One embodiment of a vent seal includes a vent that defines a vent channel and a seal positioned within the channel in both a closed vent condition and in an open vent condition.

Pen fault check circuit for ink jet printer

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A pen fault check circuit for an ink jet printer that includes a comparator that further includes a pen signal input, and a switch array coupled to the pen signal input, where the switch array includes a high voltage diode. Also, a method of checking for faults in a pen of an ink jet printer that includes the steps of generating a pen signal from a first constant current source and a pulse line resistance from a pulse line of an ink jet nozzle, generating a reference signal from a second constant current source and an external resistance from a external resistor, where the first current source and the second current source generate equal currents, and comparing the pen signal and the reference signal to determine if the ink jet nozzle is in a fault state.

Inkjet printer and inkjet head with modification of driving waveform data

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A testing method includes sorting inkjet heads into a plurality of groups on the basis of known information about ink flow, preparing basic driving waveform data corresponding to each of the groups and modification data that partially modifies the basic driving waveform data to individually store them in advance in a storing section, creating individual waveform information that instructs combinations of the basic driving waveform data with the modification data with respect to an inkjet head to be tested to apply a modified driving waveform, and repeating the modification of the individual waveform information until a recording state becomes good.

Printhead assembly with dual power input

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A printhead assembly is provided comprising at least one printhead module comprising at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media, a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the at least two printhead integrated circuits, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the at least two printhead integrated circuits. The assembly further comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending electrical conductors for providing power from a power supply to the at least two printhead integrated circuits, being arranged as two groups of electrical conductors respectively connected to the power supply at respective ends of the printhead assembly, respective ones of electrical conductors of the two groups of electrical conductors being connected together at abutting regions intermediate the ends of the printhead assembly.

Printing apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A low cost printing device where a document sheet and a recording paper sheet are transferred by a single drive motor. A facsimile device as a printing device with an inkjet printer section has a single drive motor for producing a driving force for transferring a document sheet or a recording paper sheet. Transmission means for transmitting a rotational force of drive motor is switched by controlling the movement of an ink carriage. This enables the single drive motor to alternatively transfer a document sheet or a recording paper sheet.

Liquid application device and ink jet recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The present invention provides an inkjet recording apparatus and a recording apparatus capable of reducing wear of a roller for application, even if liquid (for example, application liquid) is insufficient in a case where liquid is applied to recording media. In an embodiment of the present invention, in a case where it is determined that the application liquid is sufficient in a storage tank, the application liquid is filled in a liquid retention space, the application liquid is applied to the recording medium, and thus recording is performed. In a case where it is determined that the liquid application is insufficient in the storage tank, recording with application is prohibited.

Micro-fluid ejection head having adaptive thermal control

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A method of controlling a micro fluid ejection device by sensing a middle zone temperature, and selectively applying an amount of power to a middle zone heater to achieve a target temperature. An edge zone temperature is also sensed and power is selectively applied to edge zone heaters to achieve a target temperature for the edge zones, whereby uniform ejection of fluid droplets along an ejector array may be achieved.

Automatic identification system and method for printer recordable media

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An automatic identification system and method for printer recordable media, which detects two or more different record media to be printed by a printer. The different record media have different load features. The system includes a transport device, a driving device, a photo encoder, a photosensor and a processor. The transport device delivers different record media. The driving device drives the transport device. The photo encoder is implemented on the transport device such that when the transport device delivers the different record media, the photo encoder can produce a position signal respectively of the different record media. The photosensor detects the position signals. The processor receives and processes the position signals to thus identify the different record media.

Wiper device of liquid ejection apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A wiper device includes a wiper member, a wiper cleaner, and an ink absorbing material. The wiper member wipes a nozzle opening surface of a recording head of a printer. The wiper cleaner always contacts the portion of the wiper member other than the distal end of the wiper member. The wiper cleaner scrapes off the ink adhered to the wiper member and absorbs the ink. The wiper cleaner guides the absorbed ink to the ink absorbing material. The ink absorbing material has an ink absorbability higher than that of an absorption body of the wiper cleaner. The wiper cleaner is thus prevented from becoming saturated with the ink.

Inkjet recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An inkjet recording apparatus having a plurality of inkjet heads arranged along a paper conveyance line is disclosed, which is capable of collecting an ink mist efficiently without making the inkjet heads intricate in makeup. To this end, an air suction and blast unit is disposed in a space between the upstream and downstream inkjet heads which are successive and includes a housing, an air suction port provided at one side of the housing, an air blast nozzle provided at the other side of the housing, a fan provided between the air suction port and the air blast nozzle in the housing for creating an air flow flowing from the air suction port to the air blast nozzle and a mist filter in the housing for catching an ink mist in the air flow created by the fan, wherein the air suction port is opposed from a downstream side to a gap between an under surface of the upstream inkjet head and the paper conveyance line while the air blast nozzle is opposed from an upstream side to a gap between the downstream inkjet head and the paper conveyance line.

Printing system, controller for printing apparatus, method of executing printing process, and program for flushing ejection

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

For a low saturation and high density region in a printed sheet identified based on rasterized data, flushing ejection is executed, with landing positions dispersed in the region. For a region being low in saturation but not high in density, an edge portion of the region is determined as landing positions. During these processes, adjustment is made to the ejection from inkjet nozzels for color components which are not to be subjected to the flushing ejection, to maintian the original hue of the region. This achieves the flushing ejection minimizing the degradation of the quality of the printed sheet. Further, in the variable printing, necessity of the flushing ejection is judged based on details to be printed on a base page. This causes the evacution of the flushing ejection whenever individual printed sheets are produced. Therefore, the print quality is held uniform during the production of different printed sheets.

Recording head chip, recording head employing recording head chip, and recording apparatus employing recording head

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A recording head substrate includes a plurality of groups of recording elements arranged in arrays; a number, corresponding to a number of the groups, input contacts for receiving driving pulse signals; signal lines for supplying the driving pulse signals to the groups of recording elements from the input contacts, respectively, wherein in a region between two of the groups of recording elements are adjacent to each other, the signal lines are connected to the recording elements such that areas in which the groups of recording elements are disposed, respectively, have respective driving pulse signal change areas which are overlapped with each other.

Liquid ejection head, manufacturing method thereof, and image forming apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The liquid discharge head comprises: a plurality of ejection ports which eject liquid; a plurality of pressure chambers which communicate respectively with the plurality of ejection ports; a plurality of piezoelectric elements which deform the plurality of pressure chambers respectively and are provided on a side of the pressure chambers opposite to a side on which the ejection ports are formed; a common liquid chamber which supplies the liquid to the plurality of pressure chambers and is formed on a side of the piezoelectric element opposite to the pressure chambers; and a plurality of electric wires which stand upright from and substantially perpendicular to a surface on which the piezoelectric elements are mounted, the electric wires passing through a partition wall of the common liquid chamber and being electrically connected to the piezoelectric elements, the electric wires being formed by inserting wiring material for forming the electric wires into holes provided in the partition wall of the common liquid chamber.

Cartridge for feeding ink to an ink duct of a printing machine and device for filling said cartridge

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The cartridge ( 1 ) for feeding ink to an ink duct of a printing machine comprises, for containing ink, a hollow casing ( 2 ) presenting a base ( 4 ) provided with an ink dispensing valve ( 4 a ) and a piston ( 5 ) slidable within the hollow casing ( 2 ) to cause the ink to be dispensed by the dispensing valve ( 4 a ). The piston ( 5 ) presents a non-return valve ( 7 ) for feeding ink into the hollow casing ( 2 ), to enable the cartridge to be recharged. The cartridge filling device ( 30 ) comprises a housing ( 32 ) for the cartridge ( 1 ) and a filling head ( 33 ) associable with the piston and supported by actuator means ( 34 ) for its movement. The head ( 33 ) is connected to an ink feed pump ( 35 ) and presents at least one opening element ( 37 ) for opening the non-return valve ( 7 ) of the piston ( 5 ), to deliver ink into the cartridge ( 1 ).

Liquid jetting device

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

The present invention is a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a carriage that reciprocates in a main scanning direction; a liquid ejecting head mounted on the carriage, having a plurality of head-liquid-supplying ports and a plurality of nozzles; and a sub-tank member mounted on the carriage, having a plurality of liquid-storing-room openings that are respectively communicated with the plurality of head-liquid-supplying ports of the liquid ejecting head. The sub-tank member is formed as a single integral member. Each of the plurality of liquid-storing-room openings is closed by an elastic partition having a predetermined area in order to form a liquid storing room. The plurality of liquid-storing-room openings are respectively communicated with a plurality of liquid-communication ways provided in the sub-tank member. The plurality of liquid-communication ways are respectively communicated with a plurality of sub-tank-liquid-supplying ports provided at an outside of the sub-tank member.

Ink cartridge

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An ink cartridge having a container for storing ink therein and having an ink supply port formed at a leading end side in an insertion direction of the container, a memory device disposed on a first of two opposite surfaces parallel to the insertion direction of the container, the memory device having an electrode for electrical connection to the recording device; a retaining member disposed on the first surface and located at a trailing end side relative to the memory device in the insertion direction, the retaining member serving to selectively engage with the recording device; and another retaining member disposed on the second surface and which also serves to selectively engage with the recording device.

Thermal printhead

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A thermal printhead (A) according to the present invention includes a substrate ( 1 ) having an obverse surface on which a glaze layer ( 2 ) is formed, an electrode ( 4 ) formed on the glaze layer ( 2 ) and a clip connector ( 5 ) attached to an edge of the substrate ( 1 ) for connection to an external device and connected to the electrode ( 4 ) via solder ( 8 ). An input wiring portion ( 33 ) as a buffer layer is provided between the glaze layer ( 2 ) and the electrode ( 4 ), and the input wiring portion ( 33 ) protrudes from the electrode ( 4 ) at least at an end adjacent to the edge of the substrate ( 1 ).

Color filter

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

A main object of the present invention is to provide a high-quality color filter wherein the shapes of colored layer, as individual pixels, are even in the whole. To achieve the object, the present invention provides a color filter comprising: a base material; a light shielding part formed on the base material and containing a light shielding material and a resin; a photocatalyst containing layer formed to cover the base material and the light shielding part and containing a photocatalyst and an organopolysiloxane; and a colored layer formed on the photocatalyst containing layer in opening portions made in the light shielding part, wherein regarding ten pixels out of its pixels, the film thickness of a maximum film thickness portion where the film thickness from the surface of the base material to the surface of the colored layer in the opening portion in the pixel is maximum and the film thickness of a minimum film thickness portion where the film thickness from the surface of the base material to the surface of the colored layer in the opening portion is minimum are measured in each pixel, and the ratio α between the average A of the film thicknesses of the maximum film thickness portions and the average B of the film thicknesses of the minimum film thickness portions in the ten pixels (=B/A) is in the range of 0.5 to 1.0.

Image recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An image recording apparatus has a recording head, a transporting passage, a paper support section, a pair of discharge rollers and a reverse-transporting mechanism. The paper support includes a main supporting member and an auxiliary supporting member disposed on the upstream side of the main supporting member. An opening can be formed between the two supporting members. The pair of discharge rollers can be rotated reversely, and one of the supporting members can be inclined. This makes it possible to transport backward, through the opening to the reverse-transporting mechanism, a recording medium with an image recorded on one side of the medium. The reverse-transporting mechanism leads the medium to the transporting passage and transports it again toward the recording head. Having a small number of parts and a simple structure, the image recording apparatus enables double-sided image recording.

Ink, ink jet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and ink jet recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

It is an object to provide an ink that forms an image which is superior in color developability, has high environmental gas resistance, and further has superior bronze resistance. The ink comprising at least a coloring material is wherein the coloring material comprises a compound represented by a following general formula (I) or a salt thereof; the coloring material comprises a compound represented by a following general formula (I) or a salt thereof; and the maximum absorption wavelengths obtained by measuring an absorbance of a liquid prepared by diluting 2,000 times the ink with 90 mass % of N,N-dimethylformamide aqueous solution are respectively in a range of 580 nm or more and 640 nm or less and in a range of 650 nm or more and 700 nm or less; and a ratio B/A of 0.75 or more and 0.90 or less, wherein A is an absorbance at a maximum absorption wavelength in the range of 580 nm or more and 640 nm or less, and B is an absorbance at the maximum absorption wavelength in a range of 650 nm or more and 700 nm or less.

Ink jet recording method and ink jet recording apparatus

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

An ink jet recording method utilizing an ink set for ink jet recording which includes at least two types of liquids including an ink that contains at least a colorant, and a liquid composition that contains at least a component for aggregating and/or thickening the ink. The relation represented by the following formula (1) is satisfied: b 2 /a 2 wherein a 1 and b 1 represent the respective amounts of the ink and the liquid composition applied per unit area, when the ink is applied to the recording material before the liquid composition is applied; a 2 and b 2 represent the respective amounts of the ink and the liquid composition applied per unit area, when the liquid composition is applied to the recording material before the ink is applied; and a 1 and b 1 satisfy the relation a 1 >b 1 and a 2 and b 2 satisfy the relation a 2 >b 2 .

Head support structure, printing device, thermally activating device, and printer

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
Provided is a head support structure including: a thermal head ( 11 ) for heating a sheet material ( 5 ); a platen roller ( 12 ) for transporting the sheet material ( 5 ) being pressed by the thermal head ( 11 ); a head support member ( 13 ) for supporting the thermal head ( 11 ), which is capable of moving in a direction in which the head support member ( 13 ) is brought into close contact with or moved away from the platen roller ( 12 ); and a head biasing member ( 14 ) for biasing the head support member ( 13 ) to a side of the platen roller ( 12 ). Further, the head biasing member ( 14 ) is formed of an elastic material and includes a pressing part ( 14 a ) for pressing the head support member ( 13 ) against the side of the platen roller ( 12 ) and holding parts ( 14 b ) provided at each end of the pressing part ( 14 a ), for holding the platen roller ( 12 ). Accordingly, a structure of the head support structure is simplified and an entire apparatus to which the head support structure is mounted can be downsized.

Process of producing key units wherein marking on their tops made of light-transmitting material can be completed later on

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
A method is provided for marking a key top made of a translucent material with a character, a symbol, or the like, and a process is provided for quickly producing an illumination key unit. The inside of a transparent plastic key top is irradiated intermittently with focused laser light having a wavelength belonging to near infrared region of 1064 nm or less, visible region or near ultraviolet region to form an aggregation of multiple fine carbonization black points and an aggregation of points whitened by fine cracks or bubbling representing a character, a symbol, or the like. After a process capable of being carried out without determining a destination has ended, production is interrupted temporarily or ended and marking is performed by irradiating the top surface of the key top with laser light upon determination of a character, a symbol, or the like, related with the destination.

Apparatus discriminating type of recording medium and method of discriminating type of recording medium

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
A method of discriminating a type of recording medium and a discriminating apparatus in which the type of recording medium is discriminated based on a temperature change of the recording medium when the recording medium is heated. A type of recording medium is discriminated based on a phase difference between a pulse signal input to a heating device and a pulse signal output by a detecting device detecting a temperature of a recording medium.

Ink composition, ink cartridge including the same and ink jet recording apparatus including the ink cartridge

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
An ink composition including a compound having a triester structure that has alternately a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group, a coloring agent and a solvent. The compound having the triester structure reduces mobility of the coloring agent and increases adhesion to paper, thereby minimizing bleeding between colors of printed images. The triester compound also improves water fastness of printed images and dry and wet rub fastness to have good colorfastness on paper. In addition, the ink composition improves image quality of printed images and has good long-term storage stability so that it can be widely used in inkjet ink, printing ink, paints, textile printing, paper manufacture, cosmetic manufacture, the ceramic industry and the like.

Recording apparatus with movable discharge tray

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
A recording apparatus has a recording medium feeding mechanism for feeding a recording medium by one at a time, a recording head for performing recording, a discharging roller having a discharging driven roller and a discharge driving roller and a recording medium stacker capable of being changed to a first position in which recording is performed on a hard recording medium and a second position in which recording is performed on a recording medium fed by the recording medium feeding mechanism, wherein the discharging driven roller is in contact with the discharge driving roller in case the recording medium stacker is in second position, and the discharging driven roller is separated from a recording medium transfer path in case the recording medium stacker is in first position.

Image forming apparatus having a recessed part in outer covering

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body having an image forming part that forms an image by scanning a recording head discharging droplets of a recording liquid. A paper eject part is located in an upper portion of the apparatus body for stacking recording papers having the image formed thereon by the image forming part. An image reading part is located above the paper eject part. The apparatus body accommodates a maintenance and recovery mechanism and a waste discharge receiving part therein on both ends of a scanning range of the recording head. An outer covering of the apparatus body has a shape in which a portion corresponding to at least one of the maintenance and recovery mechanism and the waste discharge receiving part is recessed relative to other portions of the outer covering.

Compound and method for synthesizing the same, ink, ink cartridge, recording unit, ink-jet recording apparatus, recording method, liquid composition, pattern generating method, article, environmental history-detecting method

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
Provided is a solubility-controallable compound being soluble in a solvent due to a solvent-philic group thereof, of which solubility in the solvent is irreversibly lowered when the group is removed by retro-Diels-Alder reaction.

Image processing method and apparatus, threshold value matrix creating method, image forming apparatus, sub-matrix creating method and program

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
The image processing method comprises: a recording failure position determination step of determining a recording failure position on an image corresponding to a malfunctioning recording element; a basic threshold value matrix storage step of storing a basic threshold value matrix set with threshold values used for halftoning of converting multiple-value input image data into dot data of a number of tonal graduations smaller than that of the multiple-value input image data by quantizing the multiple-value input image data; a sub-matrix storage step of storing a plurality of sub-matrices in association with recording failure positions in the basic threshold value matrix, each of the sub-matrices being set with threshold values which are substituted for the threshold values in a partial region of the basic threshold value matrix, the partial region including a pixel position corresponding to the recording failure position and having a width of a prescribed number of pixels; a replacement region determination step of determining a corresponding region with the width of the prescribed number of pixels including the recording failure position in the basic threshold value matrix, according to the pixel position in the input image data and the recording failure position determined in the recording failure position determination step; a sub-matrix selection step of selecting one of the sub-matrices stored in the sub-matrix storage step to use for substituting for the corresponding region determined in the replacement region determination step; a threshold value replacement step of creating a reformed threshold value matrix by replacing the threshold values of the corresponding region including the recording failure position in the basic threshold value matrix, with the one of the sub-matrices selected in the sub-matrix selection step; and a quantization processing step of quantizing the input image data by selectively using the basic threshold value matrix and the reformed threshold value matrix.

Method of manufacturing piezoelectric element and method of manufacturing liquid-jet head

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
While a piezoelectric element is being formed by sequentially laminating a lower electrode whose uppermost layer is made of iridium, a titanium layer, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode to each other on a substrate, the piezoelectric layer is formed, by an MOD method, on the titanium layer with an contact angle of water to the surface thereof which is no less than 40°.

Metallic inkjet ink and method for forming the same

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST
A metallic inkjet ink includes a silver metallic colorant, another colorant and at least one ink vehicle. The other colorant is selected from a pigment, a dye, and combinations thereof. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming the metallic inkjet ink including providing an ink vehicle, adding the silver colorant to the ink vehicle, and adding the other colorant to the ink vehicle.