An ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic transceiver that transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave, and that outputs a reception signal by receiving the ultrasonic wave, and a position detection unit that detects a position of a target facing the ultrasonic transceiver, based on the reception signal. A plurality of the ultrasonic transceivers are arranged along a first direction. The position detection unit detects inclination of the target with respect to the first direction, based on the reception signals output from a plurality of the ultrasonic transceivers.

An image forming apparatus includes: a first image former that forms a first image in an image forming region of a recording medium; and a second image former that forms a second image in a margin region to cause a height difference between the image forming region where the first image is formed and the margin region to be reduced.

An image recording apparatus, having a discharging head, a fan, and a controller, is provided. The discharging head includes a discharging surface and a plurality of nozzles arranged along a sub-scanning direction, which intersects orthogonally with a main scanning direction. The discharging head is configured to move in the main scanning direction. The fan is configured to generate an airflow for collecting mist of ink discharged through the nozzles. The controller is configured to obtain a droplet size of the ink to be discharged through the nozzles from one of a print job and a printing mode set in advance, obtain a distance between the discharging surface and a printable medium, and control a rotation speed of the fan based on the droplet size and the distance.

A printing apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a tray on which a printing medium is placed, a printing unit configured to perform printing on a print surface of a printing medium on the tray based on a print job, and a first detection unit configured to detect a relative position relationship between the tray and a printing medium placed on the tray. In addition, a control unit is configured to control the printing unit not to perform printing in a case where the first detection unit detects that the printing medium is not placed at an appropriate position, and a selecting unit is configured to select whether to continue printing irrespective of results of the detection by the first detection unit.

Examples are provided to methods to dynamically control the timing of a printing fluid drop ejection to deposit printing fluid on a print zone of a substrate. The examples may also provide measuring a height profile of a pre-print zone.

A liquid ejection apparatus includes a first control unit, a light projection unit, a light reception unit, a determination unit, and a liquid ejection head. The first control unit is configured to change a threshold for determining a lifting of a recording medium conveyed along a conveyance path according to thickness of the recording medium. The light projection unit is configured to emit a detection beam for detecting the lifting of the recording medium. The light reception unit is configured to receive the detection beam. The determination unit is configured to determine the lifting of the recording medium, when the recording medium is detected with a height greater than the threshold by the detection beam. The liquid ejection head is configured to eject liquid to the recording medium.

A conveyer conveys an ejection target in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path including a facing position facing a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head. A distance sensor outputs a distance signal that changes depending on a distance between the nozzle surface and a surface of the ejection target. A controller performs: receiving the distance signal outputted from the distance sensor and positional information relating to a position of the ejection target on the conveyance path; and during ejecting liquid from the nozzle to record an image on the ejection target, changing at least one of a determination condition and a coefficient based on the positional information, the determination condition being a condition for determining whether to interrupt recording of the image by referring to the distance signal, the coefficient being multiplied by a value of the distance signal when determining whether to interrupt recording.

There are provided a liquid jetting apparatus and a method of coping with the floating of a medium that enable the originally required moving distance of a liquid jet head to be set in a case where the contact between the liquid jet head and a medium caused by the floating of the medium is to be avoided. The liquid jetting apparatus includes a first medium floating detection unit (140) that detects the floating of a medium, a first head raising/lowering unit (400) that moves a first liquid jet head, a first movement parameter setting unit (142) that sets a first movement parameter, a first head raising/lowering control unit (120) that controls the first head raising/lowering unit, a second head raising/lowering unit (400) that moves a second liquid jet head, a second movement parameter setting unit (142) that sets a second movement parameter separately from the first movement parameter, and a second head raising/lowering control unit (120) that controls the second head raising/lowering unit.

A conveyer conveys an ejection target in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path including a facing position facing a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head. A distance sensor outputs a distance signal that changes depending on a distance between the nozzle surface and a surface of the ejection target. A controller performs: receiving the distance signal outputted from the distance sensor and positional information relating to a position of the ejection target on the conveyance path; and during ejecting liquid from the nozzle to record an image on the ejection target, changing at least one of a determination condition and a coefficient based on the positional information, the determination condition being a condition for determining whether to interrupt recording of the image by referring to the distance signal, the coefficient being multiplied by a value of the distance signal when determining whether to interrupt recording.

A characteristic value of a printing medium to be printed is measured with an optical sensor. A type of a printing medium is extracted based on reference characteristic values and a measured value, and the type of the printing medium is informed by an input/output unit. The reference characteristic value associated with the type of the printing medium determined to be used in a printing apparatus is changed.