A liquid discharge method includes: calculating a first print time to print original image data on a print medium; generating rotated image data by rotating the original image data by a predetermined angle; calculating a second print time to print the rotated image data on the print medium; comparing the first print time and the second print time to determine whether the first print time is larger than the second print time; generating print image data according to the rotated image data in response to a determination in which the first print time is larger than the second print time; generating print image data according to the original image data in response to a determination in which the first print time is smaller than the second print time; and displaying a position and a direction of the print medium based on the print image data.

A card processing system includes a drop-on-demand card printing system that has at least one drop-on-demand print head with a nozzle plate. An automated cleaning mechanism is provided in the drop-on-demand card printing system that is configured to clean the nozzle plate without the cleaning mechanism physically contacting the nozzle plate. Since the nozzle plate is not physically contacted by the cleaning mechanism, damage to the nozzle plate during cleaning is avoided thereby avoiding degrading the resulting print quality of the print head.

A recording apparatus includes a switching mechanism which switches a motive force transmission state from a motive force source, includes a sun gear which is driven by the motive force source, a planet gear which performs planetary motion around the sun gear, a rotational movement member which causes the planet gear to perform planetary motion by rotationally moving, and a regulating member which engages with a regulated portion which is provided in the rotational movement member to restrict the rotational movement of the rotational movement member.

A method for maintaining an ink jet head according to the invention includes at least one of a maintenance step of attaching a maintenance liquid to a nozzle surface of an ink jet head, which ejects a reaction solution including an aggregating agent for aggregating or thickening components of an ink composition, to clean the nozzle surface, and a maintenance step of covering and moisturizing the nozzle surface with a head moisturizing cap supplied with the maintenance liquid, in which the maintenance liquid includes a water-soluble organic solvent having a boiling point of 280? C. or less and water.

A service station for servicing a handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes a fluid jet cartridge carrying a composition and a camera for capturing an image of a surface includes a body having a docking portion that is sized to receive the jet dispensing apparatus. A servicing portion is located adjacent the docking portion. The servicing portion is configured to receive a servicing cassette and to position the servicing cassette for interaction with nozzles of fluid jet cartridge of the jet dispensing apparatus for a cartridge servicing operation. An actuator is configured to move the servicing cassette during the cartridge servicing operation relative to the fluid jet cartridge of the handheld treatment apparatus with the handheld treatment apparatus in the docking portion.

A printing assembly includes: a print chassis having a fixed sleeve and a print module slidably and releasably mounted in a respective sleeve. The print module has a supply module and replaceable printhead cartidge, the printhead cartridge being slidably and releasably mounted to the supply module. The printhead cartridge is removable from the print module only when the print module is released from the fixed sleeve.

A printer includes: a media support defining a media feed path; and a pagewide printing unit for printing onto media fed along the media feed path. The printing unit includes: a maintenance chassis fixedly positioned over the media feed path, the maintenance chassis having a maintenance module fixedly mounted thereto; a print bar chassis movably mounted on the maintenance chassis, the print bar chassis including a print module having a printhead; and a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the print bar chassis relative to the maintenance chassis between a maintenance position a printing position. The printhead extends and retracts through a space defined by the maintenance module in the printing and maintenance positions, respectively.

There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus capable of efficiently performing print preparation in a standby state. For this purpose, the inkjet printing apparatus includes: a cap moving unit for bringing a cap member for protecting an ejection opening surface of a print head into or out of intimate contact with the ejection opening surface; and a positioning unit for positioning the print head so as to achieve a printing operation. The positioning unit allows a reference portion disposed at the print head to abut against a distance defining member for defining a predetermined distance between the ejection opening surface 8a and the platen so as to position the print head. At this time, the distance defining member is inserted into a portion at which the reference portion can abut in association with operation in which the cap moving unit separates the cap member from the ejection opening surface.

A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a head unit including nozzles; a cap which covers the nozzles in a state of being in contact with the head unit at a capping position; and a cap movement device including a cam having a slide surface and a cam follower which is slid on the slide surface. One of the cam and the cam follower is provided integrally with the cap, and the other of the cam and the cam follower is moved in a slide direction. The slide surface includes a first inclined surface inclined by a first angle relative to the slide direction and a second inclined surface inclined by a second angle greater than the first angle relative to the slide direction.

A printhead capping system includes: a mounting bracket having a fixed shaft; a cap assembly mounted on the mounting bracket; and an arm hingedly connected to the shaft, the arm moving the cap assembly between a capping position and a printing position. The shaft is a drain shaft for receiving fluid drained from the cap assembly.