A liquid discharge apparatus includes a recording head configured to discharge a liquid to form a pattern on a recording medium and a reading device configured to read the pattern. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to form at least two first markers while moving the recording head relative to the recording medium in a head movement direction; form a second marker at one of positions of the at least two first markers, to form a pattern including a reference marker formed with one of the at least two first markers and a measurement marker in which the second marker is overlaid on another of the at least two first markers; and measure a distance between the reference marker and the measurement marker in the head movement direction based on information obtained by the reading device.

An example fluidic micro electromechanical system may include a substrate and a first layer supported by the substrate. The first layer forms sides of a chamber, a passage through one of the sides and a chamber and a check valve leaf. The check valve leaf is pivotable about an axis nonparallel to the substrate to open and close the passage. The system may further include a second layer over the chamber, an opening into the chamber and a resistor supported within the chamber.

A member transfer method includes sticking a member supported at a support to an object, thinning the support after the sticking of the member to the object, and removing the support from the member after the thinning of the support.

A liquid discharging head includes a discharge port that discharges a liquid, a pressure chamber that communicates with the discharge port, and an energy generating element that is disposed in the pressure chamber. In the liquid discharging head, the discharge port is provided with a plurality of projections that project towards a central portion of the discharge port from an inner peripheral edge of the discharge port, and an interval between the projections at a location where the projections are closest to each other is 5 m or less.

In a liquid ejection head, an ejection unit of a channel member includes an ejection hole, a pressurizing chamber connected to the ejection hole, a first channel and a second channel each connecting the pressurizing chamber and a first common channel, and a third channel connecting the pressurizing chamber and a second common channel. The first common channel, in the channel direction, includes a plurality of first portions, and a plurality of second portions each located between each two of the plurality of first portions and having smaller cross-sectional areas than those of the first portions in front and back of the same. In each of the plurality of ejection units, the first channel and the second channel are individually connected to two positions in the first common channel which sandwich at least one of the second portions between them.

A fluid discharging apparatus includes an accommodation unit that accommodates a fluid, a discharge port that communicates with the accommodation unit, a moving object that moves in a first direction toward the discharge port and in a second direction away from the discharge port in the accommodation unit, and a control unit that controls driving of the moving object. The control unit performs discharging processing and moving processing. In the discharging processing, the discharge port is opened by moving the moving object from a closed position at which the discharge port is closed, in the second direction, and then the fluid is extruded and discharged from the discharge port by moving the moving object in the first direction. In the moving processing, the moving object is moved in the second direction during a period when the fluid is discharged from the discharge port in the discharging processing.

A first supporting member includes a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion that respectively engage with a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion that are provided in a second supporting member. The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are configured to apply force in directions opposite to the directions in which the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion move when an opening opens.

A fluid ejection head includes a pressure chamber and a nozzle plate including a nozzle group. The nozzle plate has a discharge face with an upstream side and a downstream side. The nozzle group is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber and includes a first nozzle on the upstream side of the discharge face, a second nozzle on the downstream side of the discharge face, and a third nozzle between the first and second nozzles. Central axes of the first and second nozzles are inclined with respect to a central axis of the third nozzle such that the central axes of the first and second nozzles intersect the central axis of the third nozzle. A flow channel dimension of the third nozzle is different from flow channel dimensions of the first and second nozzles.

An actuator device includes: an actuator including a first element contact; and a wire member including (a) a first contact connected to the first element contact and (b) a first wire configured to conduct with the first contact. A first wide portion is formed at a distal end portion of the first wire at an edge portion of the wire member. The first wide portion is disposed beyond the first element contact in a wire direction of the first wire. The first contact is disposed at a basal end portion of the first wire. The basal end portion is located further from the edge portion of the wire member than the first wide portion. The first contact is connected to the first element contact.

In an embodiment of this invention, a carriage includes a first lever that is operated by an operator to attach or detach a printhead and rotates about a first rotating shaft. The carriage also includes a second lever that rotates about a second rotating shaft parallel to the first rotating shaft and, if the printhead is attached, contacts part of the printhead and presses the printhead in accordance with the rotation. The carriage further includes a spring having one end hung on an end portion of the second lever and the other end hung on part of the carriage. If the printhead is attached, the press force of the spring acts to press the printhead against the carriage in accordance with the rotation of the first lever. If the printhead is detached, no press force acts.