A liquid discharge apparatus includes an apparatus body, a liquid discharge device configured to discharge a liquid, a carriage in the apparatus body, the carriage configured to movably mount the liquid discharge device, a first storage container detachably attached to the carriage, the first storage container configured to store a first liquid, and a second storage container detachably attached to the apparatus body, the second storage container configured to store a second liquid different from the first liquid.

The present disclosure describes ink compositions having a polyurethane binder that can be used for textile printing. In one example, an ink composition can include water, an organic co-solvent, a colorant, and a polyurethane binder. The polyurethane binder can include pre-polymer segments that include polymerized monomers of a diisocyanate, a graft diol, a polymeric diol, and an acid-containing diol. The graft diol can include thioglycerol having a polymer sidechain replacing a hydrogen atom on a sulfur atom of the thioglycerol. The polymer sidechain can include a polymerized monomer of an acrylate ester, a methacrylate ester, a styrene, or a combination thereof. The polyurethane binder can also include chain extenders connecting the pre-polymer segments. The chain extenders can include a polymerized sulfonate-containing diamine.

One embodiment can provide a heating system with thermal-visual-servo control. The system can include a heat source configured to emit localized heat to an object, a thermal camera configured to capture thermal images of the object, and a motion-control module coupled to the heat source and configured to control movement and focus of the heat source based on temperature information extracted from the thermal images, thereby facilitating controlled heating of the object.

A method for preparing a material for use as a surface of a medical device may include printing, with an ink jet printer and using ink that is curable with ultraviolet light, content onto a surface of material that includes woven ticking fabric laminated with polyurethane. The method may also include curing the ink with the ultraviolet light. The method may also include cutting a section of the material in registration to the content printed on the surface for use in a medical device.

An apparatus for stretching a surface of a pair of shoes for digitally printing onto the surface by an external device, the apparatus comprising: a main plate configured to receive the pair of shoes, the main plate comprising a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, and a medial portion extending between the front and the rear ends, the medial portion being laterally offset from an outer edge of each of the front and the rear ends, a pair of curved grooves disposed at the rear end and being adapted to receive an interior of the heel of each shoe of the pair of shoes; a pair of side arms each being adapted to traverse longitudinally along an edge of the medial portion, and having a V-shaped groove; and a pair of motors each configured to independently cause a longitudinal movement of the pair of side arms.

A recording device includes a recording unit configured to perform recording by ejecting a liquid onto a medium configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, a transport unit configured to transport the medium, an imaging unit configured to capture an image of the medium, an ultrasonic wave sensor including a transmission unit configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to the medium and a reception unit configured to receive an ultrasonic wave transmitted by the transmission unit, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the recording unit, based on an imaging result from the imaging unit and a detection result from the ultrasonic wave sensor. The transmission unit and the reception unit are positioned sandwiching the medium.

A drying device positioned between a printing apparatus that performs prints on a first surface of fabric transported in a transport direction, and a receiving device that receives the fabric after the fabric has passed through the printing apparatus, includes a blowing unit capable of blowing out gas to the first surface, and a suctioning unit positioned on a side close to a second surface side of the fabric in a blowing direction of the blowing unit, and capable of suctioning the gas. The blowing unit is configured to blow out gas in a state where the fabric is supported by respective support members in at least one of an upstream position and a downstream position of the blowing unit and the suctioning unit in a transport direction of the medium. Then a blowing direction of the gas faces downstream in the transport direction.

A spray coating apparatus is provided, wherein a nozzle is arranged to traverse a fabric in one direction whilst simultaneously spraying and oscillating in another direction. The fabric is spray coated with a first pass having a spray zone having uneven distribution in the direction of oscillation, and particularly with a greater density of fluid coverage toward the centre of the spray zone than an edge. The nozzle forming a second and subsequent pass that is off-set from the first and each subsequent pass respectively. The second and each subsequent pass being arranged to overlap with a portion of the previous pass, thereby providing an improved distribution of the spray coating. Moreover, because the spray coating is incremental, the method is easily adaptable to integrate with an ink jet printing process.

A transport device includes a transport belt configured to alternately repeat a transport operation of transporting a medium and a non-transport operation of not transporting the medium, a detection mechanism configured to detect a movement amount of the transport belt in the transport operation, and a control section configured to determine a magnitude of tension of the transport belt based on a vibration state of the transport belt when the transport operation ends, the vibration state being detected by the detection mechanism.

A liquid discharge method includes: calculating a first print time to print original image data on a print medium; generating rotated image data by rotating the original image data by a predetermined angle; calculating a second print time to print the rotated image data on the print medium; comparing the first print time and the second print time to determine whether the first print time is larger than the second print time; generating print image data according to the rotated image data in response to a determination in which the first print time is larger than the second print time; generating print image data according to the original image data in response to a determination in which the first print time is smaller than the second print time; and displaying a position and a direction of the print medium based on the print image data.