Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Kenichiroh Hashimoto

Kiyoshi Yamaguchi

Takayuki Ito

Makoto Tanaka

Takahiko Kuroda

Kiyoshi Tsukamura

Mitsugu Irinoda

Shuya Abe

Ryo Tashiro

Manabu Nishimura

Kimito Abe

Tadashi Mimura

Takahiro Yoshida

Yuji Nagatomo

Takafumi Sasaki

Masahiro Kido

Kunihiro Yamanaka

Hideyuki Makita

Takuei Nishio

Kohzoh Urasaki

Kaori Fujii

Kunihiro Miura

Yuta Hiratsuka

Hisataka Takagi

A fabricating apparatus includes a powder layer forming device, a fabrication liquid discharge device, and processing circuitry. The powder layer forming device is configured to form a powder layer. The fabrication liquid discharge device is configured to discharge fabrication liquid onto the powder layer. The processing circuitry is configured to control the fabrication liquid discharge device to discharge the fabrication liquid with a first kinetic energy and then discharge the fabrication liquid with a second kinetic energy higher than the first kinetic energy.

Fabricating apparatus and method for altering the kinetic energy of liquid droplets

A liquid discharging unit includes a first color nozzle group that includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a second color nozzle group that is provided on upstream side in the sub scanning direction with respect to the first color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction; and at least one auxiliary nozzle group that is provided between the first color nozzle group and the second color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which holes for discharging liquids of colors different from the process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction. The nozzle groups are respectively arranged to be shifted from each other in the main scanning direction.

Liquid discharging unit and liquid discharging device

A liquid discharging unit includes a first color nozzle group that includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction; a second color nozzle group that is provided on upstream side in the sub scanning direction with respect to the first color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which nozzle holes for discharging liquids of process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction; and at least one auxiliary nozzle group that is provided between the first color nozzle group and the second color nozzle group and includes nozzle arrays each in which holes for discharging liquids of colors different from the process colors are arranged in the sub scanning direction, wherein the nozzle groups are respectively arranged to be shifted from each other in the main scanning direction.

A printing apparatus includes a liquid discharge device, a carriage, and a controller. The liquid discharge device includes a first nozzle row to discharge a first liquid to form an image and a second nozzle row to discharge a second liquid of a type different from the first liquid. The carriage is mounted with the liquid discharge device and reciprocally movable in a main scanning direction. The controller is configured to control the liquid discharge device to discharge the second liquid onto a region of a medium including another region onto which the first liquid is discharged. The controller includes a control unit to control the liquid discharge device to discharge the second liquid from the second nozzle row in both of forward movement and backward movement of the carriage and discharge the first liquid from the first nozzle row in one of the forward movement and the backward movement.

Printing apparatus, recording medium storing program, and printing method

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a recording head to discharge a liquid on a recording medium while scanning in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction relative to the recording medium. The recording head includes a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array. The first nozzle array discharges the liquid in a first discharge amount per unit time per unit length in a longitudinal direction. The second nozzle array discharges the liquid in a second discharge amount per unit time per unit length in the longitudinal direction. The second nozzle array is shorter than the first nozzle array in the longitudinal direction and disposed not overlapped with the first nozzle array in the main scanning direction. The second discharge amount is larger than the first discharge amount.

Image forming apparatus

A liquid ejection head includes a nozzle formation member having a liquid repellent layer disposed on a droplet ejection face of a nozzle substrate in which one or more nozzle orifices is formed to eject droplets. The liquid repellent layer includes a first sub-layer and a second sub-layer. The first sub-layer contains a higher proportion of low-molecular-weight molecules than the second sub-layer. The second sub-layer contains a higher proportion of high-molecular-weight molecules than the first sub-layer. Both the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer are exposed on a surface of the nozzle formation member.

Liquid ejection head, image forming apparatus employing the liquid ejection head, and method of manufacturing the liquid ejection head

An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a liquid discharger including a liquid discharge head configured to discharge a droplet of liquid so as to form an image. The liquid discharge head includes multiple individual channels communicating with corresponding nozzles from which the liquid is discharged; a common channel configured to supply the liquid to the individual channels; a deformable member configured to form at least one wall face of the common channel; and a vibration damping member formed of a viscoelastic material, the vibration member being provided in contact with the deformable member.

A liquid ejecting print head, which may be included in a liquid ejecting device and/or an image forming apparatus, includes a plurality of print head units arranged across a longitudinal direction of the liquid ejecting print head and aligned in a zigzag manner in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the liquid ejecting print head, a plurality of nozzle arrays mounted on each print head unit and including a plurality of nozzle orifices for ejecting a droplet of ink, an energy generating element mounted on each print head unit and provided for each nozzle orifice for generating energy for ejecting the droplet of ink, and a wiring member including a plurality of wirings formed to run in an identical direction with respect to each print head unit and configured to transmit respective signals to the energy generating element.

Liquid ejecting print head, liquid ejecting device including the same, and image forming apparatus including the same

A liquid ejecting head includes multiple nozzles to eject liquid droplet, a vibration unit including a vibration plate, the vibration plate forming at least one wall face of multiple liquid paths that communicate with the respective nozzles, a driving member to move the vibration plate, and the vibration unit formed of laminated multi-layered member that includes a resin layer to form the vibration plate, a first metal layer located on one side of the resin layer, and a second metal layer located on the other side of the resin layer, and wherein the first and second metal layers are formed of different metals, that is, the first metal layer has an ionization tendency higher than that of hydrogen, the second metal layer has an ionization tendency lower than that of hydrogen.

Liquid ejecting head, image forming apparatus, and method for manufacturing liquid ejecting head

An approach applying a semiconductor manufacturing process in the manufacturing of an electrostatic actuator, such as for a droplet discharging head, liquid supply cartridge, inkjet recording apparatus and/or liquid jet apparatus, is provided. Such electrostatic actuator has high-reliability and less variation in characteristics.

Liquid discharge head, liquid supply cartridge, and liquid jet apparatus having electrostatic actuator formed by a semiconductor manufacturing process

A piezoelectric actuator is disclosed. The piezoelectric actuator includes a base member and three or more piezoelectric element members in which plural piezoelectric elements are formed by slits. The three or more piezoelectric element members are arrayed in a line on the base member and a gap is formed at the connection position between two adjacent piezoelectric element members.

Piezoelectric actuator and manufacturing method thereof, liquid ejecting head, and image forming apparatus

A liquid drop discharge head includes a chipthat is formed by separation of a silicon wafer. The silicon waferhas a first direction and a second direction which are mutually intersected. The chipis separated from the silicon waferby etching the wafer along a separation lineparallel to the first direction of the wafer and by dicing the waferalong a separation lineparallel to the second direction of the wafer.

Liquid drop discharge head and manufacture method thereof, micro device, ink-jet head, ink cartridge, and ink-jet printing device

A liquid discharge head comprises a base member, a plurality of nozzles which discharge drops of a liquid, a plurality of liquid chambers which communicate with the plurality of nozzles respectively, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements generating a pressure to pressurize the liquid in each of the plurality of liquid chambers. In the liquid discharge head, a plurality of piezoelectric element members in which the plurality of piezoelectric elements are formed with grooves in columns by slot processing are arranged on the base member in rows along a direction of the columns of the plurality of piezoelectric elements.

Liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and image forming device

An electrostatic actuator has high-reliability and less variation in characteristics. An electrode () is formed on a substrate (), and a plurality of partition parts () are formed on the electrode. A vibration plate () is formed on the partition parts (), and is deformable by an electrostatic force generated by a voltage applied to the electrode () so that an air gap () is formed between the partition parts () by etching a part of a sacrifice layer () formed between the electrode () and the vibration plate (). The partition parts () are formed of remaining parts of the sacrifice layer () after the etching.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Kenichiroh Hashimoto