A production system such as an inkjet printer system includes a plurality of communication distribution devices connected in a daisy chain arrangement. A plurality of secondary devices, such as printhead electronics boards for inkjet printheads, is connected to each of the communication distribution devices. A first communication distribution device which is connected to a system controller assigns a communication address to itself from a first set of communication address and assigns communication addresses to its connected secondary devices from a second set of communication addresses. It then communicates information to the next communication distribution device specifying the next available communication addresses. This process continues down the chain of communication distribution devices. The assigned communication addresses are then transmitted to the system controller. The assigned communication addresses enable the system controller to determine the relative physical locations of the communication distribution devices and secondary devices.

A production system such as an inkjet printer system includes a plurality of communication distribution devices connected in a daisy chain arrangement. A plurality of secondary devices, such as printhead electronics boards for inkjet printheads, is connected to each of the communication distribution devices. A first communication distribution device which is connected to a system controller assigns a communication address to itself from a first set of communication address and assigns communication addresses to its connected secondary devices from a second set of communication addresses. It then communicates information to the next communication distribution device specifying the next available communication addresses. This process continues down the chain of communication distribution devices. The assigned communication addresses are then transmitted to the system controller. The assigned communication addresses enable the system controller to determine the relative physical locations of the communication distribution devices and secondary devices.

In an inkjet printer of the present invention, an air blowing outlet is formed around a slit through which ink droplets pass in a cap of a head cover, and air is blown toward a printing object from the blowing outlet. The air blowing outlet is formed independent of the slit, and the direction in which the air is blown is substantially parallel to the flight direction of ink droplets, and thus hardly any blown air meets the ink droplets that have passed through the slit and are flying toward the printing object. On the other hand, ink particles that have rebounded off the printing object are repelled by the air blown from the blowing outlet, and thus the amount of ink particles entering the head cover via the slit is suppressed.

In an inkjet printer of the present invention, an air blowing outlet is formed around a slit through which ink droplets pass in a cap of a head cover, and air is blown toward a printing object from the blowing outlet. The air blowing outlet is formed independent of the slit, and the direction in which the air is blown is substantially parallel to the flight direction of ink droplets, and thus hardly any blown air meets the ink droplets that have passed through the slit and are flying toward the printing object. On the other hand, ink particles that have rebounded off the printing object are repelled by the air blown from the blowing outlet, and thus the amount of ink particles entering the head cover via the slit is suppressed.

A method of fabricating a charging device for an inkjet printing system includes providing a charging device body having at least one conductive trace passing through the interior of the charging device body connecting between a charging face of the charging device body and an interconnection region remote from the charging face. A portion of the at least one conductive trace is exposed on the charging face. A vapor deposition process is used to deposit a conductive base layer through a shadow mask onto the charging face, wherein the deposited conductive base layer contacts the exposed portion of at least one conductive trace. One or more conductive metallic layers are plated onto the deposited conductive base layer to form a charging electrode.

An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink container. The ink container stores an ink for printing on a printing object. The inkjet recording apparatus also includes a stirring mechanism. The stirring mechanism stirs the ink stored in the ink container. The stirring mechanism includes a stationary shaft and a rotating body. The rotating body rotates around the stationary shaft. The stationary shaft and rotating body are placed in a lower part of the ink container.

An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink container. The ink container stores an ink for printing on a printing object. The inkjet recording apparatus also includes a stirring mechanism. The stirring mechanism stirs the ink stored in the ink container. The stirring mechanism includes a stationary shaft and a rotating body. The rotating body rotates around the stationary shaft. The stationary shaft and rotating body are placed in a lower part of the ink container.

A print head of a continuous ink jet printer, including, in a cover: means for producing at least one ink jet; means for separating drops of jets intended for printing from those that do not serve for printing; a slot, enabling drops intended for printing to get out; a recovery gutter (7) for drops not intended for printing, the recovery gutter comprising an ink recovery volume (12); at least one detection conductor (20), arranged inside the head; means (16) for detecting a variation in impedance of at least one of the detection conductors when ink (21) is present in contact with the conductor or with a dielectric layer (22) in contact therewith.

A continuous ink jet print head (10), including: an ink droplet generator (116) configured to emit an ink droplet (158) along an undeflected droplet flight path (30); a charge electrode (118) configured to impart a charge to the ink droplet; deflector plates (120A, 120B) adjacent the undeflected droplet flight path, downstream from the charge electrode, and configured to deflect the ink droplet to a deflected droplet flight path that lies within a range of deflected flight paths bounded by at least deflected droplet flight path and a most deflected droplet flight path; a gutter (122) configured to receive an ink droplet traveling along the undeflected droplet flight path; and an ink buildup sensor (102) configured to detect an accumulation of ink (140) relative to a droplet flight path disposed within the range of deflected flight paths.

A continuous ink jet print head (10), including: an ink droplet generator (116) configured to emit an ink droplet (158) along an undeflected droplet flight path (30); a charge electrode (118) configured to impart a charge to the ink droplet; deflector plates (120A, 120B) adjacent the undeflected droplet flight path, downstream from the charge electrode, and configured to deflect the ink droplet to a deflected droplet flight path that lies within a range of deflected flight paths bounded by at least deflected droplet flight path and a most deflected droplet flight path; a gutter (122) configured to receive an ink droplet traveling along the undeflected droplet flight path; and an ink buildup sensor (102) configured to detect an accumulation of ink (140) relative to a droplet flight path disposed within the range of deflected flight paths.