Methods for on-demand printing discrete entities including, e.g., cells, media or reagents to substrates are provided. In certain aspects, the methods include manipulating qualities of the entities or biological components thereof. In some embodiments, the methods may be used to create arrays of microenvironments and/or for two and three-dimensional printing of tissues or structures and/or for in situ printing for microsurgeries. Systems and devices for practicing the subject methods are also provided.

Methods for printing using printing systems comprising a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) disposed around a plurality of guide rollers at which encoders are installed, and an image-forming station at which ink images are formed by droplet deposition by print bars onto the ITM, can include measuring a local velocity of the ITM under one of the print bars, determining a stretch factor for a portion of the ITM based on a relationship between an estimated stretched length fixed physical distance between print bars, controlling an ink deposition parameter according to the stretch factor so as to compensate for stretching of the reference portion of the ITM.

Methods for printing using printing systems comprising a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) disposed around a plurality of guide rollers at which encoders are installed, and an image-forming station at which ink images are formed by droplet deposition by print bars onto the ITM, can include measuring a local velocity of the ITM under one of the print bars, determining a stretch factor for a portion of the ITM based on a relationship between an estimated stretched length fixed physical distance between print bars, controlling an ink deposition parameter according to the stretch factor so as to compensate for stretching of the reference portion of the ITM.

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 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 discharge method of discharging a liquid from a nozzle of a liquid discharge head by applying a drive pulse to a drive element of the liquid discharge head includes an acquisition step of acquiring a recording condition including a first discharge characteristic and a second discharge characteristic of the liquid from the liquid discharge head, a determination step of determining the drive pulse to be applied to the drive element, based on the recording condition, and a driving step of applying the drive pulse determined in the determination step to the drive element. In the liquid discharge method, in the determination step, the drive pulse is determined by a determination method subjected to weighting in which a weight of the first discharge characteristic is greater than a weight of the second discharge characteristic.

A liquid discharge method of discharging a liquid from a nozzle of a liquid discharge head by applying a drive pulse to a drive element of the liquid discharge head includes an acquisition step of acquiring a recording condition including a first discharge characteristic and a second discharge characteristic of the liquid from the liquid discharge head, a determination step of determining the drive pulse to be applied to the drive element, based on the recording condition, and a driving step of applying the drive pulse determined in the determination step to the drive element. In the liquid discharge method, in the determination step, the drive pulse is determined by a determination method subjected to weighting in which a weight of the first discharge characteristic is greater than a weight of the second discharge characteristic.

Provided is a sealing member to be used as a valve in a pressure adjustment mechanism. The sealing member includes a base member having high strength, and has high reliability. The sealing member includes an elastic member (valve portion) having an annular abutment portion (valve distal end portion) formed as an annular protrusion and the base member (lever portion). When a held portion having a tubular shape extending from the annular abutment portion is held in an annular groove formed in the base member, the elastic member is fixed to the base member. A holding length over which an annular groove holds the held portion along a depth direction of the base member is set longer than a width of the annular groove.

A liquid ejecting head includes a channel forming body including a plurality of individual channels, a first manifold and a second manifold. The plurality of individual channels includes: a nozzle; a pressure chamber which is arranged to be apart from the nozzle in a first direction; a descender communicating the pressure chamber and the nozzle with each other, and extending in the first direction; a return channel including a first return channel and a second return channel, extending in a direction crossing the first direction, and having one end connected to the descender; and a communicating channel including a first communicating channel, and connecting the other end of the return channel to the second manifold. The first communicating channel connects the first return channel to the second manifold and connects the second return channel to the second manifold.

A liquid ejecting head includes a channel forming body including a plurality of individual channels, a first manifold and a second manifold. The plurality of individual channels includes: a nozzle; a pressure chamber which is arranged to be apart from the nozzle in a first direction; a descender communicating the pressure chamber and the nozzle with each other, and extending in the first direction; a return channel including a first return channel and a second return channel, extending in a direction crossing the first direction, and having one end connected to the descender; and a communicating channel including a first communicating channel, and connecting the other end of the return channel to the second manifold. The first communicating channel connects the first return channel to the second manifold and connects the second return channel to the second manifold.