Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Yoshihiko Fujimura

Nanao Inoue

Koichi Saito

Eiichi Akutsu

Kiyoshi Horie

Jun Takagi

Jun Isozaki

Kazuyuki Oda

Junichi Yoshida

Ichiro Tomikawa

Katsuhide Ogawa

Naoki Morita

Koichi Saitoh

Fumihiko Ogasawara

Hiroshi Fujimagari

Katsuyuki Fujii

Toshinobu Hamazaki

Masahiko Fujii

Yuji Suemitsu

Mitsuhide Soga

Harumi Tamura

Gary Alan Kneezel

Koji Masuda

Eric Alan Merz

Masaki Kataoka

Kazuo Maruyama

Toshiro Yamamoto

Hiroo Soga

Tsuneo Noami

Eduardo Mariano Freire

Yumiko Namba

Ryoki Kato

Yukihisa Koizumi

Koichi Naito

Seiichi Kato

Hisayuki Kinoshita

Harry Anderson Williams

Kouji Ikegami

Mituhide Soga

An optical sensor has a sensor compensation to compensate for sensor degradation due to airborne contaminations in the operating environment. For example, in a thermal ink jet printing environment, the thermal ink jet operation produces misting or splashing of the thermal ink jet droplets, causing a gradual degradation of the sensor sensitivity due to a surface accumulation of the ink jet droplets. The optical sensor device includes an optical emitter emitting an optical signal according to an emitter input, an optical detector disposed to detect the optical signal and output a detector output having an output level according to the detected optical signal, a variable attenuator having an adjustable attenuation setting, and a controller adjusting the attenuation setting of the variable attenuator. During an adjustment operation, the controller determines the attenuation setting at which the output level of the detector output exceeds a predetermined value, and accordingly sets the variable attenuator to operate the detector output at an output level exceeding the predetermined value by a margin. Compensations for the optical emitter and the optical detector are disclosed, including the use of a variable pulse-width modulated signal.

Method and device for optical sensor compensation, and apparatus incorporating the same

A printer with reduced required space for printbar substrates in a printhead is disclosed. A first printbar has of a plurality of first die modules, for applying a first color, spaced apart so as to have gaps between each die module and located on a top surface of a first substrate. A second printbar has of a plurality of second die modules, for applying a second color, different for the first color, spaced apart so as to have gaps between each die module and located on a bottom surface of the first substrate. A third printbar for applying the first color and a fourth printbar for applying the second color, both have die modules, spaced apart on a top surface and a bottom surface of a second substrate, that correspond with the gaps on the top surface and the bottom surface of the first substrate, respectively.

Compact full-width array architecture without satellite and butting errors

A channel wafer has a plurality of nozzle flow channels and a common ink reservoir. Pits communicating with the ink reservoir from above heating elements are formed in a polyimide layer on a heater wafer. Each of the pits has a throttled portion in the rear of the heating element and the terminal of a nozzle flow channel is situated on the throttled portion so as to form the minimum sectional area portion of the flow channel. Stable ink discharge characteristics are attained by means of the flow channel resistance of the minimum sectional area portion and bubble pressure is prevented from being relieved toward the ink reservoir. The pressure propagated to the ink reservoir is made to attenuate internally, so that no crosstalk is produced.

Thermal ink-jet head and recording apparatus

A drying device capable of keeping substantially constant the temperature of a moving recording sheet and evenly drying it without increasing radiation heat. Though the surface temperature of a recording sheet is lower on the upstream in the drying region and the temperature of outside air blown into the drying region is lower, the temperature of the recording sheet moved in the drying region is kept substantially constant by making the output of the upstream halogen lamp larger than that of the downstream halogen lamp. Even if the airflow velocity in the drying region is different, the radiation heat amount is adjusted according to the velocity to keep substantially constant the temperature of the recording sheet moved in the drying region. Thus, the recording sheet can be evenly dried and even if a jam of the recording sheet occurs in the drying region, there is no possibility of scorching, fuming or the like. The opening of a reflector holder is closed by a plate formed of heat resisting glass, and the plate is disposed parallel to a surface of a platen. By the plate, the airflow is kept from entering the reflector to generate a turbulent flow, but the airflow having passed round the reflector holder to be guided to the platen surface passes through a space formed by the plate and the platen to be rectified. Accordingly, the wind velocity in the space becomes constant, thereby the recording sheet can be evenly dried.

Drying device

In an ink tank, a main ink chamber is contiguous to a sub ink chamber containing an absorption member, and an air communication hole is formed on the top of the sub ink chamber. The absorption member holds ink pressure constant by capillary attraction of the absorption member. First, ink in the sub ink chamber is consumed with consumption of ink. When ink is consumed in a predetermined amount, air passes through the absorption member and a meniscus forming portion to form bubbles, which then move to the main ink chamber. Ink pressure is held constant by surface tension of the meniscus forming portion. Even if ink remains in a small amount, the ink leading portion makes the meniscus forming portion wet for holding ink pressure.

Ink supply device

An ink jet printer which causes ink to fly to a recording medium to form an image, comprising: plural nozzles functioning as ink ejection ports; plural individual flow paths which are disposed with respectively corresponding to the nozzles, the individual flow paths respectively having driving elements which eject internal ink through the nozzles; a common liquid chamber which communicates with the individual flow paths, the common liquid chamber having an opening portion through which ink is supplied into the chamber; an ink supply path which has a sectional area smaller than a sectional area of the opening portion of the common liquid chamber, the ink supply path being connected to the opening portion to guide ink to the common liquid chamber; and an ink supply source for supplying ink through the ink supply path.

Ink jet printer and ink jet print head

An ink supply passage 16 has a large cross-sectional area and ink tanks 6 are connected to the top of the ink supply passage 16. An ink supply passage 17 is a flow passage shaped like a semicylinder and has a cross-sectional area equal to or smaller than the cross-sectional area of the ink supply passage 16. Even if bubbles are mixed into the ink supply passage 17, they adhere to the upper portion of the flow passage 17 and do not flow into lower corners, so that a flow passage can be provided and the ink flow is not hindered. Since an ink supply passage 19 connected to a head chip 4 has a small diameter, bubbles mixed into the ink supply passage 19 can be removed by maintenance for sucking ink forcibly. Bubbles mixed upstream are not transported to the ink supply passage 19 because of the flow rate difference caused by the cross-sectional area difference.

Ink jet printer and ink jet recording unit

A main ink chamber with a through-hole contains a capillary member. An intermediate ink chamber is provided on the side wall of the main ink chamber. A path communicatively interconnects the main ink chamber and the intermediate ink chamber. A second meniscus forming member is disposed in a joint port, to thereby prevent ink leakage. In a print mode, ink flows from the main ink chamber to the joint port, through a meniscus forming member that is disposed in the through-hole. Air bubbles mingled into the ink move along the slanting upper wall of the path by their buoyant force, and are accumulatively stored in the upper part of the intermediate ink chamber. When ink is reduced to zero in the main ink chamber, air bubbles are introduced into the intermediate ink chamber through the meniscus forming member. As a result, the liquid level of the intermediate ink chamber is quickly reduced, thereby indicating a state that ink is used up.

Method and device for supplying ink to a print head

Considering the differential pressure .DELTA.P between pressures applied to both faces of a meniscus formation member, the differential pressure .DELTA.P becomes the maximum when an ink supply unit is left standing with the meniscus formation member placed upward. At this time, water head PH of ink attempting to fall due to gravity is applied to the inner face of the meniscus formation member in the same direction as negative pressure PR of a capillary member. Thus, the differential pressure .DELTA.P becomes .DELTA.P=PR+PH. The bubble point pressure PB of the meniscus formation member is set greater than the maximum value of the differential pressure, .DELTA.P=PR+PH, whereby air does not enter an ink tank through the meniscus formation member.

Ink supply unit and recorder

An ink supply device for use in an ink jet printer comprising a main ink chamber in communication through a communication hole with a sub-ink chamber containing an ink absorbing member therein. A meniscus film forming member covering the communication hole and communicating the main ink chamber with the sub-ink chamber; the member having a first surface facing the interior of the main ink chamber and an opposite second surface. An ink guide member extending into a lower portion of the main chamber and also being in contact with the first surface of the film forming member, wherein as ink in the main ink chamber is consumed a differential pressure between the first and second surfaces of the film forming member causes a gradual expansion of a liquid meniscus film into an air bubble on the film forming member to maintain a constant negative pressure in the main ink chamber.

Ink supply device ink jet printer and ink supply method

A thermal ink-jet head of the present invention is so designed as to improve operating frequency by surely trapping foreign substances and reducing the influence of a cross stroke. In the thermal ink-jet head of the present invention, a channel wafer is provided with a nozzle channel, a coupling flow channel, and an ink reservoir. A protective layer and a polyamide layer are formed on a heater wafer. The polyamide layer is provided with pits extending from a heating element up to the coupling flow channel and a bypass pit for coupling the ink reservoir and the coupling flow channel. Foreign substances are trapped at the entry port of the bypass pit and the entry port of the coupling flow channel. The pit controls the growth of the bubble by eating away the front end of the heating element and reducing its rear end. Moreover, the polyamide wall at the end of the pit is made semicircular to suppress the propagation of the pressure toward the coupling flow channel and to reduce the cross stroke by means of the coupling flow channel. The channel pressure wall at the end of the nozzle channel is used to reduce the flow channel resistance.

Thermal ink-jet head

Ink-jet recording apparatus to reduce the change of the pressure of ink in the inside of ink discharge nozzles in an ink-jet recording apparatus as well as to improve the efficiency of use of ink. In the condition where an ink tank is used in an ink-jet recording apparatus, an ink joint provided in the lower end portion of the ink tank communicates with ink discharge nozzles of a head tip. Upon reception of air pressure from above, ink kept by a porous ink keeper stored in the inside of the ink tank is permitted to be supplied to the head tip. The ink tank is formed so that the internal volume of the ink tank increases in order from the lower portion to the upper portion. Accordingly, when the initial residual quantity of ink is relatively large, the change of the pressure (negative pressure) of ink in the inside of the head tip as caused by consumption of ink can be reduced. Further, when the residual quantity of ink is small, ink is collected into a small sectional area region in the lower portion of the ink tank. Accordingly, the finally residual quantity of ink can be reduced.

Ink tank, ink-jet cartridge and ink-jet recording apparatus

A print storage medium comprises a heat-generating layer for generating heat with an electrical signal input in accordance with a picture, the signal being supplied from a printing signal applying electrode to which the heat-generating layer is in pressure contact, an electrically conductive layer, an ink layer provided on the heat generated layer. The print storage medium is further provided with a plurality of microscopic electrodes on the storage medium with which the printing signal-applying electrode is in pressure contact, each of the microscopic electrodes being isolated from others. The electrically conductive layer may be formed of striped electrodes. The isolated microscopic patterns may be formed of electrically conductive ceramics or of electrically conductive resin.

Print storage medium

A current-conducting thermosensitive recording media used for non-impact recording which attains better energy efficiency and higher printing speeds through a thermosensitive recording ink medium comprising: a stratified ink support in which electrical conductivity in the direction of the thickness is greater than the electrical conductivity in the direction of the surface; a thermogenetic resistor layer for producing heat; a return electrode layer; a thermally melting ink layer; and an ink separating layer. The thermogenetic resistor layer, the electrode layer, the ink separating layer, and the thermally melting ink layer are laminated on the ink support in that order.

Thermal transfer recording media

An ink jet recording head wherein both electric and thermal energies are applied to an ink located in the area to which both energies are applied and employing a plurality of heating resistors for heating the ink, an electric field forming electrode, a heat resistant insulating layer on the surface of the heating resistors and wherein the electric field forming electrode is positioned on the heat resistant insulating layer.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Yoshihiko Fujimura