Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Ryo Tashiro

Osamu Machida

Akira Shimofuku

Atsushi Takeuchi

Takayuki Ito

Kenichiroh Hashimoto

Yasuhiro Watanabe

Kimito Abe

Yoshikazu Akiyama

Eiichi Ohta

Masahiro Kido

Xianfeng Chen

Kenichi Ogata

A printer includes a liquid discharge head and a processor. The liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles. The plurality of nozzles include a line of first nozzles to discharge first liquid and a line of second nozzles to discharge second liquid. The processor is configured to change a print speed in a print mode in which a preceding image is formed with at least the first liquid and a subsequent image to be superimposed on the preceding image is formed with the second liquid, in accordance with an amount of liquid applied to a recording medium to form the preceding image.

Printer and printing method which varies area printable in one-pass printing

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.

An electro-mechanical transducer element is disclosed. The electro-mechanical transducer element includes a first electrode formed on a substrate; an electro-mechanical transducer film formed on at least a part of the first electrode; and a second electrode formed on at least a part of the electro-mechanical transducer film. In at least one cross section of the electro-mechanical transducer film, a film thickness distribution shape is convex to the second electrode side.

Electro-mechanical transducer element, liquid droplet ejecting head, image forming apparatus, and electro-mechanical transducer element manufacturing method

A method of making a liquid discharge head which includes a nozzle to discharge liquid, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle, a pressure chamber substrate to form surfaces of the pressure chamber, and a piezoelectric actuator to apply pressure to liquid in the pressure chamber having a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film, and an upper electrode, includes a silicon wafer supplying process, a position adjustment process, a surface treatment process to reform a surface of the lower electrode, a liquid applying process to apply ferroelectric precursor on the lower electrode by an inkjet method, a heating process to heat the ferroelectric precursor film, and a cooling process. A series of processes from the position adjustment process to the cooling process is iterated to form a ferroelectric film having a predetermined thickness. The series of processes is performed with certain waiting times inserted between key processes.

Method of making liquid discharge head, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge apparatus having liquid discharge head, and manufacturing apparatus of liquid discharge head

Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer element including a first electrode disposed on a substrate; an electromechanical transducer film disposed on a first portion of the first electrode; and a second electrode disposed on a second portion of the electromechanical transducer film, wherein an actuator portion formed by laminating the substrate, the first electrode, the electromechanical transducer film, and the second electrode has a stiffness such that, in a cross section of the actuator portion, the stiffness gradually increases from an end portion of the actuator portion to a center portion of the actuator portion.

Electromechanical transducer element, liquid discharge head, liquid discharge device, and image forming apparatus

A thin film forming apparatus which automatically forms, on an electrode layer formed on a substrate, a functional thin film which is crystallized from a precursor layer is disclosed, including a water-repellant film forming unit which forms, on a region other than a region on which is to be formed the functional thin film on the electrode layer, a water-repellant film which includes a self-assembled monolayer; an inkjet coating unit which coats, on the region on which is to be formed the functional thin film on the electrode layer, the precursor layer by an inkjet method; and a controller which controls, to within a predetermined time, a time from forming the water-repellant film with the water-repellant film forming unit to coating the precursor layer with the inkjet coating unit.

Thin film forming apparatus, thin film forming method, electro-mechanical transducer element, liquid ejecting head, and inkjet recording apparatus

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an electromechanical transducer element including a first process of hydrophobizing a first area of an electrode by forming a self-assembled monolayer film; a second process of applying a sol-gel solution onto a predetermined second area of the electrode so as to produce a complex oxide; a third process of producing the complex oxide by calcining the electrode; a fourth process of acid-washing the electrode on which the complex oxide has been produced; a fifth process of hydrophobizing the first area of the acid-washed electrode by forming the self-assembled monolayer film; a sixth process of applying the sol-gel solution onto the predetermined second area; and a seventh process of producing the complex oxide by calcining the electrode.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Ryo Tashiro