There is provided a head bar unit including a head bar, an adjuster and a movement. The head bar includes a plurality of heads. The adjuster is supported by the head bar, and is configured to adjust positions in a vertical direction of the heads. The movement is configured to move the head bar and the adjuster in the vertical direction. The adjuster includes a motor, a rotator and a stopper. The rotator includes a plurality of contact portions. The rotator is configured to be rotated by the motor around a rotating shaft. The stopper is located at a position facing the rotator in the vertical direction, and is configured to position the rotator in the vertical direction, by making contact with one of the contact portions.

An actuator drive circuit of a liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge waveform generating circuit, a sleep waveform generating circuit, and a wake waveform generating circuit. The discharge waveform generating circuit is configured to generate a plurality of drive waveforms to be applied to actuators of the liquid discharge apparatus for liquid discharge. The drive waveforms correspond to gradation values of gradation scale data. The sleep waveform generating circuit is configured to generate a sleep waveform to be applied to the actuators. The sleep waveform causes a voltage of the actuators to transition to a first voltage without liquid discharge. The wake waveform generating circuit is configured to generate a wake waveform to be applied to the actuators. The wake waveform causes the voltage of the actuators to transition to a second voltage higher than the first voltage without liquid discharge.

A droplet ejector for a printhead comprises: a substrate having a mounting surface and an opposite nozzle surface; a nozzle-forming layer formed on at least a portion of the nozzle surface of the substrate; a fluid chamber defined at least in part by the substrate and at least in part by the nozzle-forming layer, the fluid chamber having a fluid chamber outlet defined at least in part by a nozzle portion of the said nozzle-forming layer, the said nozzle portion comprising an inner portion located closer to the fluid chamber outlet and an outer portion located closer to a periphery of the nozzle portion; and either or both of an inner actuator arrangement formed on the inner portion of the nozzle portion of the nozzle-forming layer and an outer actuator arrangement formed on the outer portion of the nozzle portion of the nozzle-forming layer.

A printhead for a thermal transfer printer comprising a plurality of printing elements, each of the printing elements being configured to transfer ink from an ink carrying ribbon to a substrate, and at least one sensor arranged to sense ink carrying ribbon. The at least one sensor comprises at least one emitter arranged to emit radiation towards the ribbon and a plurality of receivers. Each of the plurality of receivers is arranged to receive a respective reflected signal reflected by the ribbon, each reflected signal is based upon radiation emitted by the at least one emitter.

A droplet ejector for a printhead comprises: a substrate having a mounting surface and an opposite nozzle surface; a nozzle-forming layer formed on at least a portion of the nozzle surface of the substrate; a fluid chamber defined at least in part by the substrate and at least in part by the nozzle-forming layer, the fluid chamber having a fluid chamber outlet defined at least in part by a nozzle portion of the said nozzle-forming layer, the said nozzle portion comprising an inner portion located closer to the fluid chamber outlet and an outer portion located closer to a periphery of the nozzle portion; and either or both of an inner actuator arrangement formed on the inner portion of the nozzle portion of the nozzle-forming layer and an outer actuator arrangement formed on the outer portion of the nozzle portion of the nozzle-forming layer.

According to one embodiment, an actuator of a liquid ejection head is supplied with a drive signal including a first waveform and at least one second waveform. First waveform includes a first change from a first voltage to a second voltage, and a second change from the second voltage to a third voltage less than the first voltage. A second waveform begins after a time equal to one half of the natural oscillation period of liquid in a pressure chamber of the liquid ejection head. The second waveform includes a change from the third voltage to the second voltage and a change from second voltage to the third voltage after a time less than one half of the natural oscillation period.

A thermal bend actuator includes: a thermoelastic beam for connection to drive circuitry; and a passive beam mechanically cooperating with the thermoelastic beam, such that when a current is passed through the thermoelastic beam, the thermoelastic beam expands relative to the passive beam resulting in bending of the actuator. The thermoelastic beam wherein the thermoelastic beam is comprised of an aluminium alloy. The aluminium alloy comprises a first metal which is aluminium, a second metal, and at least 0.1 at. % of a third metal selected from the group consisting of: copper, scandium, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, titanium, silicon and magnesium.

There is provided a head bar unit including a head bar, an adjuster and a movement. The head bar includes a plurality of heads. The adjuster is supported by the head bar, and is configured to adjust positions in a vertical direction of the heads. The movement is configured to move the head bar and the adjuster in the vertical direction. The adjuster includes a motor, a rotator and a stopper. The rotator includes a plurality of contact portions. The rotator is configured to be rotated by the motor around a rotating shaft. The stopper is located at a position facing the rotator in the vertical direction, and is configured to position the rotator in the vertical direction, by making contact with one of the contact portions.

Provided is a liquid droplet discharging apparatus that can maintain stable discharging even when a liquid containing particles or cells adheres to a nozzle surface.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge unit. The liquid discharge unit includes a liquid chamber member defining a liquid holding portion to hold a liquid, a film having a nozzle hole from which the liquid is discharged and a surface facing the liquid holding portion, and a holder supporting the film. The surface of the film has a contact angle with water of less than 90 degrees.