A microfluidic device for continuous ejection of fluids includes: a semiconductor body that laterally delimits chambers; an intermediate structure which forms membranes each delimiting a top of a corresponding chamber; and a nozzle body which overlies the intermediate structure. The device includes, for each chamber: a corresponding piezoelectric actuator; a supply channel which traverses the intermediate structure and communicates with the chamber; and a nozzle which traverses the nozzle body and communicates with the supply channel. Each actuator is configured to operate i) in a resting condition such that the pressure of a fluid within the corresponding chamber causes the fluid to pass through the supply channel and become ejected from the nozzle as a continuous stream, and ii) in an active condition, where it causes a deformation of the corresponding membrane and a consequent variation of the pressure of the fluid, causing a temporary interruption of the continuous stream.

A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head configured to eject liquid; a liquid storage container including a storage portion configured to store liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejection head, an opening configured to supply liquid from a liquid refill container to the storage portion, and a cover member configured to be in a first state to cover the opening and a second state to expose the opening; and a regulation unit configured to regulate transition from the first state to the second state of the cover member. Regulating by the regulation unit is released when a first portion, of the liquid refill container, configured to prevent misfilling the storage portion with an incorrect liquid, is fitted into a second portion of the liquid ejection apparatus.

A liquid storage container includes a storage chamber that stores a liquid, a filter chamber that is provided with a filter and receives the liquid from the storage chamber to filter the liquid by the filter, and a partition wall that separates the storage chamber and the filter chamber. The partition wall is provided with a communication hole structure that allows the storage chamber and the filter chamber to communicate with each other. A shape of one or more openings of the communication hole structure in the storage chamber is a shape in which a distance from a center of gravity of an entirety of the one or more openings to the closest point in a contour defining the one or more openings is smaller than a radius of a circle having the same area as an area of the entirety of the one or more openings.

A valve assembly and an ink cartridge with the valve assembly are provided. The valve assembly includes a valve cover, a valve base, a diaphragm and a transfer column. The valve cover is disposed on the valve base to define a valve cavity, and the diaphragm is disposed between the valve cover and the valve base and configured for separating the valve cavity into a first deformable cavity and a second deformable cavity independent with each other. The transfer column is fixed in the valve cavity and penetrates through the diaphragm, and at least one of the transfer column and the diaphragm is provided with a passage. The diaphragm moves relative to the transfer column due to a pressure difference between the first deformable cavity and the second deformable cavity, resulting in opening or cutting off communication between the first deformable cavity and the second deformable cavity by the passage.

An aerosol-based printing apparatus is provided capable of producing an aerosol stream at a constant rate and constant material deposition to a substrate to provide high-definition, high-resolution traces. The aerosol-based printing apparatus provides production, transport, and delivery of an aerosol stream at a constant rate for a period of time of at least 8 hours and other instances more than 24 continuous hours of constant operation. By inhibiting bulging and necking of the deposited trace, superior line width tolerances are achieved, and such tolerances are maintained for extended periods of time, thereby allowing for both the deposition of complex traces as well as consistent manufacture of duplicate articles that maintain the tolerances across a production ran. The accumulation of fluids in the aerosol and gas transport conduits are eliminated, thereby eliminating the need for purge or cleaning cycles and allowing for uninterrupted operation for a minimum of 24 hours.

A printing apparatus includes a support member having a bearing portion, and includes a locking member including a shaft portion fitted to the bearing portion and a biasing member arranged to bias the support member and the locking member in a first direction. The support member supports a printing member that prints on a printing medium. The locking member is pivotally mounted to the support member. The shaft portion is a pivot center. The locking member fixedly holds the printing member relative to the support member. The first direction forms an angle from 0 degree to smaller than 45 degrees relative to an upper surface of the printing member in a first state in which the printing member is fixedly held relative to the support member by the locking member. Movement of the shaft portion fitted to the bearing portion in the first direction is restricted by the biasing member.

A cartridge includes a liquid container and an adaptor. The liquid container has a liquid storage containing a liquid to be supplied to a printing apparatus, a liquid supply section configured to supply the liquid contained in the liquid storage to a liquid introduction section, and an adaptor mounting section. The adaptor is mounted on the adaptor mounting section and has a terminal placement section in which a cartridge-side terminal electrically connected to an apparatus-side terminal is disposed and an insertion aperture through which the liquid introduction section passes. The adaptor mounting section is provided with a mounting mechanism for mounting the adaptor, which has a predetermined constant shape.

A liquid discharge head includes an electric connecting portion between a flexible wiring substrate and a contact wiring substrate. The contact wiring substrate has a first surface on which a contact pad is provided and a second surface opposite the first surface. The electric connecting portion is disposed on the second surface side of the contact wiring substrate.

In a board that includes a plurality of contact portions that are arranged to contact corresponding apparatus-side terminals when the board is mounted in a printing apparatus, some contact portions are disposed in a first region, and the remaining contact portions are disposed in a second region. The some contact portions include a first contact portion, a second contact portion, a third contact portion, and a fourth contact portion. The remaining contact portions include a fifth contact portion. The some contact portions are arranged in a first pattern in the first region and the remaining contact portions are arranged in a second pattern in the second region, and the first pattern is asymmetrical to the second pattern with respect to a first virtual line.

A fluid cartridge and a method for eliminating mechanical stresses on an ejection head chip. The fluid cartridge includes a plastic fluid body having a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, left and right side walls attached to the front wall and to the rear wall, a bottom wall attached to the front wall and the rear wall, and to the left and right side walls. A die bond member is attached to the plastic fluid body adjacent to the bottom wall and an ejection head chip is disposed on the die bond member so that the die bond member is between the bottom wall and the ejection head chip.