Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080211862 | INKJET RECORDING DEVICE - An inkjet recording device includes a recording head having a nozzle surface formed with a plurality of nozzle arrays and a wiping mechanism having a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface. The wiping mechanism moves the wiper relative to and in contact with the nozzle surface, in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the plurality of nozzles arrays. | 09-04-2008 |
20080211863 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - The invention is directed to an inkjet recording apparatus having an inkjet head, a cap, and a moving mechanism. The inkjet head has an ejection surface having ink ejection openings. The cap is made of first and second extending portions, each of which has a leading edge closest to the ejection surface. The first and second portions define at least one enclosure. The particular moving mechanism moves one or both of the cap and the inkjet head between a first position and a second position. Each of the first extended portions extends further toward the ejection surface than each of the second extended portions. When the inkjet head and the cap are in the first position, the first extended portions contact the ejection surface, and the leading edges of the second extended portions are a predetermined distance away from the ejection surface. | 09-04-2008 |
20080211864 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SERVICING AN INKJET PRINT HEAD ON A HAND HELD PRINTER - A hand-held printer that includes an inkjet array having a plurality of inkjets is disclosed. The hand-held printer may include an inkjet cap sized to cooperatively engage the inkjet array, wherein the inkjet cap is movable between and open position and a closed position, and a plurality of wipers carried by the inkjet cap, wherein each of the plurality of wipers is configured to engage one of the plurality of inkjets as the inkjet cap moves from the open position to the closed position; and wherein each of the plurality of wipers includes a gasket configured to form a seal adjacent to one of the plurality of inkjets. | 09-04-2008 |
20080218553 | INKJET RECORDING DEVICE - In an inkjet recording device, ink droplets remaining on a nozzle surface are wiped off and the wiped off ink droplets are prevented from being scattered so as to stably form good quality images. When the wiper blade wiping the nozzle surface of the recording heads to wipe off the ink droplets and the like is separated from the nozzle surface and the bend of the wiper blade is straightened to restore to its idle position, a reaction force eliminating member absorbs the reaction force generated and softly restores the wiper blade to its idle position. As a result, the reaction force caused when the bend of the wiper blade is suddenly straightened is controlled, thereby preventing the ink drops and foreign matter on the header of the wiper blade from being scattered and avoiding the contamination of the inside of the inkjet recording device. | 09-11-2008 |
20080218554 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND LIQUID EJECTION SURFACE MAINTENANCE METHOD - A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head which includes a nozzle ejecting liquid, a pressure chamber connected to the nozzle and arranged in a liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head, and a pressure application device applying pressure to the liquid inside the pressure chamber; an internal pressure adjustment device which adjusts an internal pressure of the liquid ejection head; and a pressure control device which controls the internal pressure adjustment device and the pressure application device so as to spread the liquid over the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head. The internal pressure adjustment device adjusts the internal pressure of the liquid ejection head to a positive pressure so as to still hold the liquid on the nozzle while protruding the liquid from the liquid ejection surface. The pressure application device then applies the pressure to the liquid inside the pressure chamber for a pressure application duration so as not to cause the liquid to be ejected from the nozzle but to flow out the liquid from the nozzle onto the liquid ejection surface, while the internal pressure adjustment device is adjusting the internal pressure to the positive pressure. The pressure application device then stops applying the pressure to the liquid inside the pressure chamber after the pressure application duration, while the internal pressure adjustment device is adjusting the internal pressure to the positive pressure. | 09-11-2008 |
20080225078 | PRINTHEAD INCLUDING SEAL MEMBRANE - An inkjet printhead comprising a plurality of nozzle assemblies is provided. Each nozzle assembly has a moving portion for ejection of ink. The printhead includes a seal membrane joining the moving portions to the printhead. | 09-18-2008 |
20080225079 | Printing machine and cleaning method - A printer with the inkjet heads comprises a slideway, a printing mechanism and a maintaining mechanism. The printing mechanism comprises a first inkjet cartridge, a second inkjet cartridge, a first container, and a second container. The second inkjet cartridge has a driving mechanism. The maintaining mechanism comprises a first scraper, a second scraper, a sled and a clutch. When the driving mechanism activates the sled, the sled then drives the scrapers to the cleaning position so as to clean the inkjet heads, respectively, and when the printing mechanism activates the clutch in order to control the sled to drive the scrapers to leave the wiping position. | 09-18-2008 |
20080231656 | INK-JET IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE METHOD THEREOF - An ink-jet image forming apparatus and a maintenance method thereof include an ink-jet head having a nozzle portion to eject ink, a printing medium feeding device to feed a printing medium to face the ink-jet head, a printing medium guide to guide the printing medium, a wiper to move while contacting the nozzle portion to wipe the nozzle portion, and a guide driving unit to tilt the printing medium guide to prevent a foreign substance coming off the wiper from being attached to a printing medium contact portion of the printing medium guide when the wiper wipes the nozzle portion. | 09-25-2008 |
20080238990 | CLEANING APPARATUS AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND LIQUID EJECTION SURFACE CLEANING METHOD - A cleaning apparatus which cleans a liquid ejection surface of a liquid ejection head, has: a liquid storage chamber which stores a first liquid; a vibrating device which converts the first liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber into fine particles of the first liquid; a fine liquid particle outlet port from which the fine particles of the first liquid is sprayed toward the liquid ejection surface; and a wiping device which wipes the liquid ejection surface after the fine particles of the first liquid sprayed from the fine liquid particle outlet port are deposited on the liquid ejection surface. | 10-02-2008 |
20080238991 | Printhead assembly with a printhead, a wicking element and a pad to facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element. - Provided is a printhead assembly including a support structure, and a printhead mounted on the support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face. The assembly also includes a print media guide proximate the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing, and a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide. Further included is a pad with an angled contact surface to operatively facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element. | 10-02-2008 |
20080252685 | Web for printhead - Various embodiments of a web for a printhead are disclosed. | 10-16-2008 |
20080278538 | LIQUID DISCHARGING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A liquid discharging device includes a liquid discharging head and a maintenance-recovery mechanism. In the liquid discharging head, a row of discharge openings is formed on a discharge opening surface. In the maintenance-recovery mechanism, a blade wipes the discharge opening surface. A belt carries the blade in a direction of rotation along the row of discharge openings. A pressing member presses an inner circumferential surface of the belt to move a portion of the belt opposing the liquid discharging head toward the liquid discharging head to maintain a substantially constant gap between the blade and the discharge opening surface. The gap has a length in the direction of rotation of the belt not smaller than a length of the row of discharge openings and not greater than a length of the liquid discharging head. | 11-13-2008 |
20080284816 | Ink-jet recording apparatus - An ink-jet recording apparatus according to this invention has an ink-head unit, a head holder, and a wiper unit. The ink-head unit extends in a direction that intersects at right angles to the direction a recording medium is transported, for a distance equal to or longer than the width of the recording medium. The head holder holds the ink-head unit. The ink-head unit has a nozzle surface having nozzles for ejecting ink. The wiper unit has a wiper blade, which wipes the nozzle surface. | 11-20-2008 |
20080291239 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - This invention discloses an inkjet recording apparatus having an inkjet head with an ejection surface. The ejection surface has a first end, and a second end opposite the first end. The ejection surface also has a first and second control portion, and a contact portion located between the first control portion and the second control portion. Additionally, a number of ejection ports are formed through the ejection surface. The inkjet recording apparatus also includes a wiper and a wiper moving mechanism. The wiper moving mechanism moves the wiper between the first end and the second end. When the wiper is located over the contact portion, the wiper contacts the ejection surface, and when the wiper is located over the first or second control portions, the wiper is located away from the ink ejection surface. | 11-27-2008 |
20080291240 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus executes operations of idle ink ejection in which ink droplets not contributing to forming an image on a recording medium are ejected. When the operations of the idle ink ejection are executed before staring to print an image on a recording medium, the ink droplets are ejected into a cap member; in a case where the operations of the idle ink ejection are executed when a first predetermined period has passed after the last ejection of the ink droplets from the recording head, the ink droplets are ejected into an idle ink droplet receiving section; and in a case where the operations of the idle ink ejection are executed when a second predetermined period longer than the first predetermined period has passed as one of cleaning operations of the recording head, the ink droplets are ejected into the cap member. | 11-27-2008 |
20080291241 | Liquid ejection apparatus and image forming apparatus - The liquid ejection apparatus comprises: a liquid ejection head having an ejection port surface on which ejection ports for ejecting liquid are formed; a wiping device having a blade member which wipes and cleans the ejection port surface; a sliding device which causes the blade member to slide relatively with respect to the ejection port surface; a state identification device which identifies at least one state, of a state of the ejection ports, a state of the ejection port surface, and an operational state of the blade member when sliding over the ejection port surface; and a cleaning capability modification device which modifies a cleaning capability of the wiping device in accordance with a determination result of the state identification device. | 11-27-2008 |
20080316252 | INK-JET IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An ink-jet image forming apparatus includes a main body, an ink-jet head mounted in the main body and provided with a nozzle part, and a cleaning device mounted movably along the nozzle part to clean the nozzle part. The cleaning device includes a roller to supply a cleaning liquid to the nozzle part, and a wiper to wipe the nozzle part. The ink-jet head includes a cleaning liquid nozzle to supply the cleaning liquid to the roller, and a cleaning liquid storage part to store the cleaning liquid. | 12-25-2008 |
20080316253 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF INSPECTING CLEANING APPARATUS OF LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - The liquid ejection apparatus has: a liquid ejection head which includes a nozzle plate forming a nozzle surface in which nozzles ejecting droplets of a first liquid are provided; a wiping member which wipes the nozzle surface; an edge determination device which includes a determination plate with which a front tip portion of the wiping member wiping the nozzle surface can make contact, and determines an edge shape of the front tip portion of the wiping member according to a state of the determination plate; and a judgment device which judges timing of replacing the wiping member, according to the edge shape determined by the edge determination device. | 12-25-2008 |
20090002435 | NOZZLE CHIP CLEANING APPARATUS OF INKJET PRINTER AND INKJET PRINTER WITH THE SAME - A nozzle chip cleaning apparatus of an inkjet printer with an improved supply/return structure for a cleaning solution for cleaning a nozzle chip includes a flexible bag to hold fluid and to contact a nozzle chip of an inkjet head. A lifting apparatus may move the flexible bag to be in contact with a surface of the nozzle chip. The nozzle chip cleaning apparatus employs a method in which a flexible bag wipes a surface of a nozzle chip cleaning solution. | 01-01-2009 |
20090002436 | PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY WITH A WICKING ELEMENT - A printhead maintenance station includes a housing operatively positioned with respect to an ink ejection face to be maintained. The housing defines a pair of slots. A support arm has lugs at each end that are slidably received in respective slots. A support is mounted on the support arm. A pad is mounted on the support and is suitable for wiping ink. A motor is operatively mounted with respect to the housing. A pair of cams is rotatable by the motor and engaged with respective lugs such that the motor can slide the arms with respect to the housing, thereby moving the pad between a first operative position and a second, inoperative position. | 01-01-2009 |
20090002437 | PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY WITH A PRINT MEDIA GUIDE AND A WICKING ELEMENT - Provided is a printhead assembly that includes a printhead mounted on a support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face, and a print media guide mounted on the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing. The assembly also includes a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide, as well as a pad with an angled contact surface to operatively facilitate the transferral of ink from the printhead to the wicking element. The wicking element is formed from an absorbent material and is positioned in a cavity defined between the print media guide and the support structure. | 01-01-2009 |
20090009556 | FLUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS - A fluid discharging apparatus including a head that has a nozzle which discharges fluid from the nozzle and a sheet shaped wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface of the head. The wiping member is moved relative to the nozzle surface so that portions of the wiping member are sequentially in contact with the nozzle surface in order to wipe the nozzle surface. | 01-08-2009 |
20090009557 | METHOD OF MAINTAINING PRINTHEAD WITH CLEANED PAD - A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided in which a pad is moved between a first position in which the pad is sealingly engaged with the printhead, a second position in which the pad is disengaged from the printhead and a third position in which the pad is engaged with a pad cleaner. The pad is biased towards the second position relative to the third position. | 01-08-2009 |
20090015630 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF WIPING LIQUID DISCHARGE HEAD IN LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes two liquid discharge heads, a wiper unit, and an actuating mechanism. Each of the two liquid discharge heads has a nozzle face on which at least one nozzle opening for discharging liquid is formed. The two liquid discharge heads are located so that the nozzle faces of the two liquid discharge heads face each other. The wiper unit is pressed against each of the nozzle faces of the two liquid discharge heads at a position at which the wiper unit is placed between the nozzle faces of the two liquid discharge heads. The actuating mechanism reciprocally moves the wiper unit relatively along the nozzle faces of the two liquid discharge heads. | 01-15-2009 |
20090015631 | PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY WITH PROGRESSIVELY ENGAGING MAINTENANCE PAD AND PRINTHEAD - A printhead assembly is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead assembly includes a printhead having an ink ejection face defining a plurality of nozzle openings from which ink can be ejected. A maintenance station is operatively mounted to the printhead. The maintenance station includes a pad having a contact surface that can be brought into contact with the ink ejection face, and an engagement mechanism configured to progressively engage the contact surface with the ink ejection face. | 01-15-2009 |
20090021553 | WIPING METHOD FOR INKJET RECORDING HEAD - A discharge-port surface of a recording head having a plurality of discharge-port rows from which ink is discharged is wiped with processing liquid applied between the discharge-port surface and the wiper. The amount of processing liquid applied to the discharge-port surface or the wiper differs for each discharge-port row. Alternatively, at least two kinds of processing liquid are applied for the discharge-port rows. Alternatively, the processing liquid to be applied is selected from a plurality of kinds of processing liquid depending on the ambient temperature. | 01-22-2009 |
20090021554 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE STATION WITH SLIDING CONTACT PAD ASSEMBLY - A printhead maintenance station is provided for an inkjet printer. The maintenance station includes an elongate housing defining internal slots at either end. An elongate support arm defines lugs at either end which are complementarily received in the slots so that the support arm is can slide within the slots. A support is mounted to the lugs and defines a recess. A sloping pad is received in the recess and has a contact surface for bringing into contact with an ink ejection face of a printhead. | 01-22-2009 |
20090021555 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE STATION WITH CURVED CONTACT PAD - A printhead maintenance station is provided for an inkjet printer. The maintenance station includes an elongate housing defining internal slots at either end. An elongate support arm assembly can be complementarily received within the slots. The support arm assembly is able to slide within the slots and also defines a pad recess. A pad is received in the recess and has a contact surface defining a curved profile that can be brought into contact with an ink ejection face of a printhead. | 01-22-2009 |
20090027446 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus includes liquid ejection heads, wipers, and a movement means. The liquid ejection heads respectively have ejection faces, and are arranged in such a manner that the ejection faces form two rows extending in one direction and in addition two of the ejection faces included in different rows do not overlap each other along a direction perpendicular to the one direction. The liquid ejection heads are divided into one or more head groups each including two of the liquid ejection heads corresponding to the different rows. The movement means moves two of the wipers associated with two liquid ejection heads belonging to each head group, from inner end portions of the ejection faces in opposite directions along the perpendicular direction while keeping the two wipers in contact with the ejection faces. | 01-29-2009 |
20090027447 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus includes a plurality of liquid ejection heads, and a plurality of wipers. The plurality of liquid ejection heads are divided into a plurality of head groups each including two of the liquid ejection heads. When in a wiper withdrawal position, the wiper associated with one of the liquid ejection heads belonging to each head group is positioned so as to overlap the one liquid ejection head along a direction perpendicular to one direction and in addition overlap the other of the liquid ejection heads along the one direction, while the wiper associated with the other liquid ejection head is positioned so as to overlap the other liquid ejection head along the perpendicular direction and in addition overlap the one liquid ejection head along the one direction. | 01-29-2009 |
20090033714 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a drum which conveys a recording medium, a wiper extended in the axial direction of the drum, and inkjet heads aligned in the circumferential direction of the drum along the outer circumferential surface of the drum. The inkjet heads are moved by a head-moving mechanism to be in a recording position or a wiping position. The wiper-moving mechanism moves the wiper in the circumferential direction along the outer circumferential surface so that the wiper wipes ejection surface of at least one of the inkjet heads while the inkjet heads are in the wiping position. | 02-05-2009 |
20090040268 | MAINTENANCE DEVICE FOR LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A maintenance device for use in a liquid ejection apparatus including a liquid ejection head with a nozzle forming surface provided with nozzle for ejecting a liquid. The maintenance device maintains the liquid ejection head and includes a wiper and an urging member. The wiper includes a wiper member formed from an elastic material. The wiper is movable in a wiping direction that is parallel to the nozzle forming surface in a state in which the wiper member is in contact with the nozzle forming surface to wipe the nozzle forming surface. | 02-12-2009 |
20090046122 | MAINTENANCE APPARATUS, LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND NOZZLE SURFACE MAINTENANCE METHOD - A maintenance apparatus for a nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting a liquid are formed, in an ejection head having a nozzle row in which the nozzles are aligned in a main scanning direction, has: a liquid storage member which is disposed in a position opposing the nozzle surface of the ejection head at a prescribed distance from the nozzle surface, and which has a liquid holding surface which has a length, in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, corresponding to a length in the sub-scanning direction of a region in which the plurality of nozzles are provided; a liquid supply device which supplies a liquid to the liquid holding surface; a movement device which moves the liquid storage member through a whole length of the nozzle row in the main scanning direction, while bringing the liquid held on the liquid holding surface into contact with the nozzle surface; and a wiping device which wipes the nozzle surface that has been wetted by the liquid supplied to the liquid storage member, while moving subsequently to the liquid storage member, to remove adhering material attached to the nozzle surface. | 02-19-2009 |
20090046123 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE APPARATUS - Wiping is performed every time when a predetermined period elapses. With the wiping performed step by step, a density of ink in liquid remaining on a discharge port surface is diluted, and becomes a predetermined density or lower. Accordingly, a condition can be maintained, in which the ink can be reliably discharged from a recording head when a recording operation is newly started, although the wiping is not additionally performed after the above wiping. In this case, even when the recording operation is started again or the recording operation is newly started after the several wiping operations, an amount of cleaning liquid used in the several times of wiping is proper to an intermission period. Thus, the cleaning liquid can be prevented from being wastefully consumed. | 02-19-2009 |
20090051730 | Discharge Surface Cleaning Device for Liquid Discharge Head - A discharge surface cleaning device for a liquid discharge head includes a wiping member, a washing liquid discharge device, and one or more absorbing members. The wiping member cleans the discharge surface by moving relative to the discharge surface while in contact with the discharge surface. The washing liquid discharge device applies a washing liquid directly to the wiping member. The absorbing member absorbs ink, and the washing liquid, on the wiping member. | 02-26-2009 |
20090051731 | MAINTENANCE DEVICE FOR LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A maintenance device for use in a liquid ejection apparatus including a liquid ejection head is disclosed. The maintenance device maintains the liquid ejection head and includes a cap, wiper, and head guide portion. The cap is movable between a capping position, in which the cap contacts the liquid ejection head, and a retreat position, in which the cap is separated from the liquid ejection head. The wiper is capable of wiping a nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejection head by moving in a wiping direction. The head guide portion positions the cap relative to the liquid ejection head so that the cap is parallel to the nozzle forming surface when arranged at the capping position and positions the wiper relative to the liquid ejection head so that the wiper is parallel to the nozzle forming surface during the wiping. | 02-26-2009 |
20090051732 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CLEANING A RECORDING HEAD, AND A COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM ENCODING THE METHOD - An inkjet recording apparatus, method and computer readable medium are provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head comprising a nozzle formation surface having a plurality of ink discharging nozzles formed thereon; a wiper which has elasticity and wipes the nozzle formation surface by pressingly contacting against the nozzle formation surface of the recording head; and a moving unit which moves at least one of the recording head and the wiper to wipe the nozzle formation surface at a first relative speed and moves the at least one of the recording head and the wiper to separate from each other at a second relative speed, which is less than the first relative speed. The method includes moving at least one of the inkjet recording head and the wiper relative to each other so that the wiper wipes the nozzle formation surface at a first relative speed; and separating the wiper from the inkjet recording head at a second relative speed, which is less than the first relative speed. | 02-26-2009 |
20090058927 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - The inkjet recording apparatus includes: a drum which conveys a recording medium, an inkjet head having an ejection surface which faces the outer circumferential surface of the drum, and a cap facing the outer circumferential surface. The inkjet heads are moved by a head-moving mechanism to be in a recording position, wiping position, or a capping position. The cap-moving mechanism moves the cap, in the circumferential direction of the drum along the outer circumferential surface, to: an open position where the cap does not face the ejection surface, or an opposing position in which the cap faces the ejection surface and covers the inkjet head in the capping position. | 03-05-2009 |
20090073219 | Purging fluid from fluid-ejection nozzles by performing spit-wipe operations - Fluid is purged from a plurality of fluid-ejection nozzles of a fluid-ejection mechanism. A first series of spit-wipe operations is performed. A second series of spit-wipe operations is then performed. | 03-19-2009 |
20090073220 | BIDIRECTIONAL PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS - Embodiments of the invention can provide systems, methods, and apparatus for bidirectional printhead maintenance. One embodiment of the invention can provide a method for providing maintenance to a printhead comprising one or more ink nozzles for dispensing ink. The method can include providing a wiper for a printhead, wherein the wiper can include at least a first edge and a second edge. In addition, the method can include manipulating the first edge of the wiper in a forward or rearward direction across some or all of the ink nozzles during printing, wherein at least a portion of the nozzles can be cleaned by the first edge. Furthermore, the method can include manipulating the second edge of the wiper in a forward or rearward direction across some or all of the ink nozzles based at least in part on a maintenance-type command, wherein at least a portion of the nozzles can be cleaned by the second edge. | 03-19-2009 |
20090073221 | PRINTING APPARATUS - The invention prevents and suppresses wasteful expenditure of ink which occurs when recovering nozzles. In greater detail, a plurality of head units arranged in a direction which intersects a transportation direction of a printing medium is provided, a plurality of cleaning units is disposed to face the plurality of head units, and at least one of the plurality of cleaning units is selected and moved so as to be in close contact with the corresponding cleaning unit. By such a method, only the cleaning head unit which faces the head unit of which nozzles need to be recovered is selected and is brought into contact with the head unit, and liquid is sucked in from the nozzles of the head unit. | 03-19-2009 |
20090073222 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus which forms an image includes: an intermediate transfer body which is conveyed in a conveyance direction; a washing liquid application device which applies a washing liquid on the intermediate transfer body; a first wiping device which is arranged on a downstream side of the washing liquid application device in terms of the conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer body, the first wiping device abutting against the intermediate transfer body to wipe away the washing liquid on the intermediate transfer body; a second wiping device which is arranged on a downstream side of the first wiping device in terms of the conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer body, the second wiping device abutting against the intermediate transfer body to wipe away the washing liquid on the intermediate transfer body; and a control device which controls the first and second wiping devices so that the first wiping device abuts against the intermediate transfer body when the image is being formed, and the first wiping device separates from the intermediate transfer body while the second wiping device abuts against the intermediate transfer body when the image is not being formed. | 03-19-2009 |
20090073223 | Inkjet image forming apparatus having a nozzle unit and method of using the same - Provided is an inkjet image forming apparatus having a nozzle unit cleaning and capping means and a method of cleaning and capping the nozzle unit. The inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head including a nozzle unit with a length corresponding to a width of a sheet of paper, and a body having an opening formed at one side thereof, wherein the inkjet head slides through the opening in a main scanning direction to be mounted in or removed from the body. The nozzle unit is cleaned by a wiper and capped when the inkjet head is removed from the body. | 03-19-2009 |
20090085969 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND RECORDING HEAD - An inkjet recording apparatus is provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a nozzle formation surface, the nozzle formation surface including a plurality of nozzles formed thereon for discharging ink to record an image on a recording medium conveyed to a position opposing the nozzle formation surface; a wiper blade configured to contact the nozzle formation surface to wipe the nozzle formation surface; and an introducing portion formed on a side surface of the recording head intersecting the nozzle formation surface, the introducing portion configured to introduce ink attached to the wiper blade or the nozzle formation surface to the side surface to hold the introduced ink at the side surface. | 04-02-2009 |
20090109258 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, WIPING METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTING HEAD, AND PRINTING APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head capable of ejecting liquid from a plurality of ejection ports by driving a plurality of ejection energy generation elements corresponding to the plurality of ejection portions. The apparatus includes a wiping mechanism capable of wiping an ejection port face in which a plurality of ejection ports is arranged in the liquid ejecting head. The ink ejection from the plurality of ejection ports is performed in a manner of a plurality of divisions. A time interval from a last wiping to a next wiping is adjusted according to an interval of the ejection energy generating elements corresponding to an adjacent ejection port. | 04-30-2009 |
20090122105 | Wiping unit and inkjet printer - Provided is a wiping unit capable of reliably removing contamination of ink or the like adhering to a wiping blade after being wiped in spite of a simple configuration. Provided is a wiping unit having a wiping blade that performs wiping cleaning with respect to a recording head, including a first cleaning portion that cleans the wiping blade after performing the wiping cleaning, a second cleaning portion that performs secondary cleaning after passing through the first cleaning portion, and a blade transport portion that allows the wiping blade to move between the recording head, and the first cleaning portion and the second cleaning portion, in which the first cleaning portion and the second cleaning portion respectively include a cleaning tank which is filled with a detergent and in which the wiping blade is soaked in the detergent, and a blade wiping portion having a blade wiping member containing the detergent, which wipes a surface of the wiping blade having passed through the cleaning tank. | 05-14-2009 |
20090135226 | INK JET PRINT HEAD AND INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS - When paper dirt that could not be removed completely by the wiping gets trapped in the recessed portions formed in the ejection port face, the paper dirt may interfere with ejection ports, giving rise to a possibility of image impairments. To deal with this problem, the ejection ports and the recessed portions in the print head are shifted from each other so that their positions are not aligned in the wiping direction. | 05-28-2009 |
20090141076 | DEVICE FOR KEEPING AN INKJET PRINT HEAD CLEAN - In a device for cleaning an inkjet print head (in particular the surface with nozzle exit openings) for a franking and/or addressing machine in which the print substrates are directed along a stationary but pivotably arranged inkjet print head, the entire nozzle exit surface is cleaned in a short time and a contamination of the transport region is avoided, with a small apparatus expenditure, by a wiping device formed by a driven wiping roller that is transversally, non-positively directed along the nozzle exit surface in a cleaning operation, and that continuously, non-positively rests on an associated cleaning element. The nozzle surface is repeatedly wiped off and the wiping roller is simultaneously cleaned in a single pass. An actuator of the wiping roller can be selectively coupled with an actuator for a cleaning and sealing device that operates the cleaning element, or can be autonomous. The cleaning element can be a stripper for the wiping roller that rests parallel to and positively on the wiping roller. | 06-04-2009 |
20090147045 | INK JET APPARATUS - An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having an ink ejection surface; a blade for wiping the ink ejection surface; blade cleaning means for cleaning the blade by collecting contamination liquid deposited on the blade and including at least ink; cleaning liquid supplying means for supplying, to the blade, cleaning liquid mainly comprising liquid having a volatility lower than the ink; a residual ink absorbing material provided at such a position that it is out of contact to the blade; and a discharge path for discharging the contamination ink collected by the blade cleaning means to the residual ink absorbing material. | 06-11-2009 |
20090147046 | METHOD OF UNUBLOCKING NOZZLES IN A PRINTHEAD - A method of unblocking nozzles in a printhead is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing an elastically deformable pad having a contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead; and (b) moving the pad from a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face to a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from said face. The movement causes the contact surface to be peeled away from the face during disengagement. | 06-11-2009 |
20090153615 | LIQUID EJECTION DEVICE - A liquid ejection device includes: a conveyance mechanism which conveys a recording medium in one direction; a plurality of liquid ejection heads each having an ejection face which has a plurality of ejection openings for ejecting liquid and faces the conveyance mechanism, the liquid ejection heads being arranged along the one direction; a plurality of wipers which respectively wipe the ejection faces; a holder which holds the wipers; a support which supports the holder; and a movement mechanism which moves the holder in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. The holder is displaceable in the one direction relative to the support. The holder has an intruder which intrudes into a gap between two liquid ejection heads adjacent to each other. | 06-18-2009 |
20090160902 | PRINTING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus for printing on a medium through which ink ejected onto the surface of the medium is allowed to seep to the back side of the medium. The printing apparatus includes an inkjet head for ejecting ink in accordance with an inkjet method, an ink receiver that is arranged at a position facing the inkjet head across the medium during printing to receive the ink dripping from the back of the medium, and a wiper member as an ink removing device for removing the ink in the ink receiver from the ink receiver. | 06-25-2009 |
20090160903 | INK RECEIVING UNIT AND INKJET PRINTER INCLUDING THE SAME - An ink receiving unit for an inkjet printer includes an ink receiver and an ink removing device. The inkjet printer has an inkjet head configured to eject ink onto a first surface of a medium. The ink receiver is provided to face the inkjet head via the medium. The ink receiver is configured to receive ink dripping from a second surface opposite to the first surface of the medium during printing. The ink removing device is configured to remove the ink from the ink receiver. The ink receiver unit is detachably mounted to a main body to which the inkjet head is mounted. | 06-25-2009 |
20090179943 | PRINTHEAD NOZZLE WIPER AND DOCTOR BLADE FOR INK REMOVAL - A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printhead, having a wiper member for contacting a nozzle face on the inkjet printhead, the wiper member having a resilient blade with the distal edge configured to flex upon contact with the nozzle face, a doctor blade and, a maintenance drive configured to wipe the wiper member over the nozzle face and then past the doctor blade. The resilient blade flexes to pass the doctor blade and, upon disengagement of the resilient blade and the doctor blade, the resilient blade springs back to its quiescent shape thereby projecting contaminants from its surface. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179944 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILTY WITH ELONGATE NOZZLE FACE WIPER - A maintenance facility for an inkjet printer having a printhead and a media path for feeding sheets of media substrate in a media feed direction. The printhead has an elongate array of nozzles and the maintenance facility has a wiper member extending at least the length of the nozzle array. The wiper member mounted in the printer adjacent the media path and, the maintenance facility has a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member such that it wipes the array of nozzles in a direction normal to its longitudinal extent. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179945 | ROTATING PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILITY WITH TUBULAR CHASSIS - A maintenance facility for an inkjet printer having a pagewidth printhead and a media path for feeding sheets of media substrate in a media feed direction. The pagewidth printhead has an elongate array of nozzles extending the printing width of the media substrate and the maintenance facility has a tubular chassis mounting in the printer such that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis and a plurality of maintenance stations mounted to an exterior surface of the tubular chassis. At least one of the maintenance stations is a wiper member positioned for wiping contact with the elongate array of nozzles. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179946 | ROTATING PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILITY WITH SYMMETRICAL CHASSIS - A maintenance facility for an inkjet printer with a pagewidth printhead and a media path for feeding sheets of media substrate in a media feed direction. The pagewidth printhead has an elongate array of nozzles extending the printing width of the media substrate and the maintenance facility has an elongate chassis for mounting in the printer such that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis and a plurality of maintenance stations mounted to an exterior surface of the elongate chassis. The elongate chassis is symmetrical about at least one plane extending through the longitudinal axis. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179947 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILITY WITH NOZZLE FACE WIPER HAVING INDEPENDENT CONTACT BLADES - A maintenance facility for an inkjet printer that has a printhead with an array of nozzles defined in a nozzle face. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member having a plurality of blades mounted for movement independent of each other and a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member over the printhead in the media feed direction such that the plurality of blades wipe all the nozzles defined in the nozzle face. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179948 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILITY WITH NOZZLE FACE WIPER HAVING A SINGLE CONTACT BLADE - A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printer that has a printhead with the nozzle face defining an array of nozzles. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member for wiping the nozzle face, and a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member across the array of nozzles in the nozzle face. The wiper member has a single blade dimensioned to wipe all the nozzles in a single traverse across the nozzle face. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179949 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILITY WITH NOZZLE FACE WIPER HAVING MULTIPLE CONTACT BLADES - A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printer that has a printhead with the nozzle face defining an array of nozzles. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member for wiping the nozzle face, and a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member across the array of nozzles in the nozzle face. The wiper member has a plurality of parallel blades, each of the plurality of blades being dimensioned to wipe all the nozzles in a single traverse across the nozzle face. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179950 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE FACILITY WITH NOZZLE FACE WIPER HAVING SINGLE SKEW BLADE - A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printer that has a printhead with a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member for wiping the nozzle face and a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member across the array of nozzles in a wiping direction. The wiper member has a single blade extending in a line skew to the wiping direction. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179951 | PRINTHEAD NOZZLE FACE WIPER WITH MULTIPLE OVERLAPPING SKEW BLADES - A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printer that has a printhead with a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member for wiping the nozzle face and a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member across the array of nozzles in a wiping direction. The wiper member has a plurality of blades for wiping contact with the nozzle face, each of the plurality of blades being skew to the wiping direction and positioned such that each one wipes a corresponding portion of the array of nozzles. | 07-16-2009 |
20090179952 | PRINTHEAD NOZZLE FACE WIPER WITH ARRAY OF PADS - A maintenance facility for an inkjet printer that has a printhead with an array of nozzles defined in a nozzle face. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member having an array of contact pads mounted for movement independent of each other and a maintenance drive for moving the wiper member over the printhead in the media feed direction such that the array of contact pads wipe all the nozzles defined in the nozzle face. | 07-16-2009 |
20090184998 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a medium conveying mechanism which conveys a medium in a first direction; a head pair composed of two liquid ejecting heads respectively having liquid ejection surfaces in which liquid ejection areas are respectively formed, the two heads having respective one end portions overlapping each other as viewed in the first direction, and disposed such that the respective one end portions are adjacent to each other in the first direction; two wipers for wiping the respective ejection surfaces; and a wiper moving mechanism configured to move the two wipers in mutually opposite directions, wherein the ejection areas partly overlap each other as viewed in the first direction, wherein, when each wiper is placed by the wiper moving mechanism at a wiping start position at which each wiper does not face the corresponding ejection surface, the two wipers partly overlap each other as viewed in the first direction, and wherein, when each wiper is placed at a wiping complete position at which each wiper does not face the corresponding ejection surface, the two wipers overlap each other as viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. | 07-23-2009 |
20090189945 | LIQUID DROPLET EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus includes a liquid droplet ejecting head that includes nozzles that eject liquid droplets in accordance with image information, a nozzle surface thereof being inclined so as to correspond to a peripheral surface of a rotating member; and a wiping member that wipes and cleans the nozzle surface that has been moistened by liquid that has been exuded from the nozzles of the liquid droplet ejecting head, and whose wiping direction is a direction from a downstream side to an upstream side of a direction in which the liquid that has been exuded from the nozzles flows along the nozzle surface due to the force of gravity. | 07-30-2009 |
20090189946 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid delivering apparatus including: a liquid ejecting head having an ejection surface; a maintenance unit including a roller, a sheet member having a liquid receiving section; a sheet-member moving mechanism configured to move the sheet member; and a wiper configured to wipe the ejection surface while moving in a first direction; and a maintenance-unit moving mechanism configured to move the maintenance unit between a maintenance position and a retracted position; a maintenance-unit controller configured to control the maintenance-unit moving mechanism to move the maintenance unit; and a sheet-member-movement controller configured to control the sheet-member moving mechanism to move the liquid receiving section between a receive position and a non-receive position at the maintenance position, wherein, when the maintenance unit is located at the maintenance position, the liquid receiving section is moved from the receive position to the non-receive position without being covered with the sheet member per se while the wiper wipes the liquid ejection region. | 07-30-2009 |
20090213173 | LIQUID INJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid injecting apparatus includes an injection head for injecting liquid that is cured by irradiation of an energy ray to a target, an irradiation unit that solidifies the liquid injected to the target by irradiating the energy ray, and a removal unit that removes the liquid adhering to a light emitting part of the irradiation unit. | 08-27-2009 |
20090213174 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus including an ejection head capable of ejecting liquid that may be cured by irradiation of an energy ray, a wiping member that is capable of wiping a nozzle forming face of the ejection head, an irradiation unit that is capable of curing and solidifying the liquid adhering to the wiping member by irradiating the energy ray after the nozzle forming face is wiped by the wiping member, and a removal unit that removes the solidified liquid from the wiping member. | 08-27-2009 |
20090219335 | Cleaning method and cleaning unit of ink ejection section, and image forming apparatus - A method of cleaning an ink ejection section in an image forming apparatus that forms an image by ejecting an ink from the ink ejection section. The method includes the steps of: an ink wiping step for wiping off the ink on the surface of the ink ejection section; a first cleaning step for cleaning the surface of the ink ejection section with a water-soluble organic solvent; a second cleaning step for cleaning with water the surface of the ink ejection section cleaned with the water-soluble organic solvent; and a liquid wiping step for wiping off the liquid on the surface of the ink ejection section cleaned through the second cleaning step. | 09-03-2009 |
20090219336 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a sub-tank which stores a certain volume of liquid; a liquid ejecting head which ejects the liquid supplied from the sub-tank; a sheet feeding drum which feeds an ejection target medium to be ejected with the liquid by rotation; a liquid container which stores the liquid to be supplied to the sub-tank; and a supply passage which connects the sub-tank to the liquid container so that the liquid is supplied from the liquid container to the sub-tank. The sheet feeding drum includes a liquid container receiving chamber receiving the liquid container and the liquid container receiving chamber communicates with the supply passage. | 09-03-2009 |
20090237447 | INKJET PRINTHEAD HAVING WIPED NOZZLE GUARD - An inkjet printhead is provided having a substrate, a plurality of inkjet nozzles arranged on the substrate, an apertured nozzle guard positioned over the nozzles so that apertures in the nozzle guard are aligned with each nozzle, and a wiper blade for wiping an exterior surface of the nozzle guard relative to the nozzles. The exterior surface has recesses around each aperture. | 09-24-2009 |
20090244172 | METHOD FOR PREVENTING NOZZLE CONTAMINATION DURING WARM-UP - A method of operating a print head comprises heating the print head from a first temperature below a melting temperature of the phase change ink to a second temperature above the melting temperature. The print head has a nozzle plate with plurality of nozzles for ejecting the phase change ink onto an ink receiver. A first pressure is applied to an interior of the print head as the temperature of the print head increases from the first temperature to the second temperature. The first pressure is configured to prevent phase change ink from entering into the print head through the nozzles of the print head. The first pressure is removed from the print head in response to the print head being at approximately the second temperature. | 10-01-2009 |
20090244173 | Nozzle plate, liquid ejection head and image forming apparatus - The nozzle plate has: a plurality of nozzles which eject a liquid; and a plurality of projecting sections formed in a broken line shape or an island shape about periphery of the plurality of nozzles on a liquid ejection surface of the nozzle plate. | 10-01-2009 |
20090244174 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including an ink-jet head having four ink supply passages, manifold passages communicating with the respective ink supply passages, and individual ink passages extending from the common passages to nozzles open in an ink ejecting surface, wherein groups of the nozzles communicating with the respective manifold passages are open in respective unit areas u | 10-01-2009 |
20090244175 | INK JET PRINTER AND METHOD OF CLEANING PLATEN - An ink jet printer feeds a sheet of recording medium onto a platen, and record an image by ejecting droplets of ink from a print head attached to the platen. The ink jet printer has a media deforming section for deforming a part of the recording medium into a downward projection. The media deforming section includes a wedge above a recording media feeding path, and a wedge receiver below the feeding path to fit with the wedge. The wedge and the wedge receiver are joined together to press the recording medium from above and below, and form the downward projection. While the recording medium passes the platen, the downward projection wipes off ink stain on ribs of the platen. | 10-01-2009 |
20090244176 | DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE - A droplet discharge device includes an inkjet head including a nozzle plate having a nozzle, the inkjet head aligned so that a droplet of a function liquid discharged from the nozzle is placed on a surface of a target, a heater applying heat to the function liquid at the inkjet head, and an insulating member having an opening corresponding to the nozzle, the insulating member positioned between the target and the nozzle plate so as to prevent heat transmission from the inkjet head to the target. | 10-01-2009 |
20090267987 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The liquid ejection apparatus comprises: a liquid ejection head having an ejection port surface on which ejection ports for ejecting liquid are formed; a wiping device having a blade member which wipes and cleans the ejection port surface; a sliding device which causes the blade member to slide relatively with respect to the ejection port surface; a state identification device which identifies at least one state, of a state of the ejection ports, a state of the ejection port surface, and an operational state of the blade member when sliding over the ejection port surface; and a cleaning capability modification device which modifies a cleaning capability of the wiping device in accordance with a determination result of the state identification device. | 10-29-2009 |
20090273630 | Cleaning device for ink wiper - A cleaning device for ink wiper is disclosed. The cleaning device is arranged in a position adjacent to the ink wiper. The cleaning device includes a stand and an ink-absorbing unit disposed on the stand. The ink-absorbing unit is constantly in contact with at least one face of the wiper. In the reciprocation travel of the wiper, the ink-absorbing unit serves to clean off the ink stagnating on the wiper. Therefore, the wiper is prevented from being stained with the ink so as not to affect the ink-wiping effect of the wiper. | 11-05-2009 |
20090278886 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus includes an idle ejection receiving part for receiving idle-ejected waste liquid from a liquid jet head and a waste liquid tank provided below the idle ejection receiving part for collecting the waste liquid dropping from the idle ejection receiving part. The image recording apparatus further includes a rotating member having a peripheral surface for rotating and receiving the waste liquid, and a wiping member that contacts or faces the peripheral surface for wiping the waste liquid on the peripheral surface of the rotating member. The wiping member is configured to move in a peripheral direction of the rotating member. | 11-12-2009 |
20090278887 | INK-JET PRINTER AND MAINTENANCE METHOD OF INK-JET HEAD THEREOF - An ink-jet printer of the present invention includes an ink-jet head provided with nozzles for ejecting ink, a downstream tank communicating with the ink-jet head, a pressure pump for producing pressure in the downstream tank to eject ink from the nozzles in a purge operation, a sweep member provided in a maintenance unit, for sweeping away ink and foreign matter remaining around the nozzles after the purge operation, and a control device for keeping the nozzles at a slight positive pressure at the time of ink sweep. Further, the control device produces the slight positive pressure after opening the downstream tank to the atmosphere. | 11-12-2009 |
20090284564 | Device for cleaning out residual ink - A device for cleaning out residual ink. The device includes an assembly of a bed and a slide mount. The bed has an oblique rail. The slide mount is equipped with a wiping blade. The slide mount is drivable by an ink cartridge carrier to reciprocally move along the oblique rail on the bed. Accordingly, the wiping blade can move componentially along y-axis to wipe off residual ink remaining on a printhead of the ink cartridge. | 11-19-2009 |
20090289992 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes an ejecting head including a nozzle from which an ink is ejected; a wiper member configured to wipe ink from a surface of the nozzle of the ejecting head; a wiper cleaning portion configured to remove an ink attached to the wiper member when the wiper member is pressed against the wiper cleaning portion, a scraping member actuated in a longitudinal direction of the wiper cleaning portion reciprocatively, and configured to scrape ink attached to the wiper cleaning portion; and a cleaning member configured to remove ink accumulated on the top portion of the scraping member. | 11-26-2009 |
20090289993 | LIQUID DISCHARGING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE LIQUID DISCHARGING DEVICE - A liquid discharging device includes a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid, a liquid discharging head having a nozzle row in which each of the nozzles is arranged in one direction, an endless cleaning belt for cleaning a liquid discharging surface of the liquid discharging head, an installation roller on which the cleaning belt is rotatably installed, a supporting frame that supports the installation roller so that a widthwise direction of the cleaning belt is set at an angle with the arrangement direction of the nozzles, and so that the cleaning belt positioned around the installation roller is capable of contacting the liquid discharging surface, a moving unit that moves the supporting frame in the arrangement direction of the nozzles, and a rotationally driving unit that rotationally drives the installation roller. | 11-26-2009 |
20090289994 | MAINTAINABLE COPLANAR FRONT FACE FOR SILICON DIE ARRAY PRINTHEAD - A full width array printhead is provided having a continuous maintainable printhead surface and method of forming the same. The printhead includes a substrate and an array of die modules mounted thereon with a front face of each die module exposed. A hardened fill material surrounds the array of die modules to define a continuous surface coplanar with the front face of the array of die modules. | 11-26-2009 |
20090303283 | Device for feeding liquid to inkjet heads and device for wiping inkjet heads - When liquid materials are fed to inkjet heads, fluid pressures of liquid materials to be fed to inkjet heads are equalized so that a gas does not remain in liquid feed pipe lines without causing structures of the liquid feed pipe lines to be complicated. Separate liquid feed pipe lines ( | 12-10-2009 |
20090303284 | DEVICE FOR CLEANING WIPER ELEMENTS FOR AN INKJET PRINT HEAD - In a device to clean wiper elements of an inkjet print head of an ink dispenser of a printing apparatus having a chassis, a maintenance station is mounted on the chassis to allow travel of the maintenance station in at least one direction that causes the maintenance station to move past the inkjet print head. The maintenance station carries wiper elements that wipe ink from the surface of the inkjet print head as the maintenance station moves past the inkjet print head. An ink uptake unit is mounted at the chassis at a position past which the maintenance station travels, after traveling past the inkjet print head. The ink uptake unit includes material that transfers ink from the wipers to the material. | 12-10-2009 |
20100002046 | INKJET IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An inkjet image forming apparatus includes a device to protect an ink sensing device operated without use of a separate drive source. The inkjet image forming apparatus includes at least one protecting device having a protecting member to protect the ink sensing device from impurities or to release the ink sensing device from protection, the protecting member being operated in linkage with the maintenance device to thereby be moved between the first position and the second position. | 01-07-2010 |
20100026757 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD UNIT, LIQUID EJECTION HEAD MODULE, AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection head unit has a carriage, a liquid ejection head for discharging liquid droplets through a nozzle opening of a nozzle formation surface, and a wiping member. The liquid ejection head and wiping member are moved relative to each other to allow the wiping member to come in contact and slide across the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejection head so as to wipe the nozzle formation surface. An adhesion prevention plate is provided in the carriage on the downstream side in the wiping direction of the liquid ejection head. | 02-04-2010 |
20100033532 | SURFACE CLEANING USING A FILAMENT - A cleaning apparatus for use in an inkjet imaging device comprises a wiper filament carriage; a wiper filament; and a filament tensioning system supported by the wiper filament carriage. The filament tensioning system is operably coupled to opposing ends of the wiper filament and configured to tension the wiper filament to form a substantially straight line therebetween. | 02-11-2010 |
20100045734 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus includes a recording head having an ejection surface which includes an ejection area and non-ejection areas, an elastic blade, a first moving device, a second moving device, and a controller. During a first predetermined period of time, the controller controls the second moving device so as to cause a relative movement of the blade and the ejection surface in the direction perpendicular to the ejection surface and in a direction in which the blade relatively moves toward the ejection surface and controls the first moving device so as to cause the relative movement of the blade to the ejection surface in the one direction, and during a second predetermined period of time, the controller controls the second moving device such that the blade is in contact with the ejection surface and the first moving device such that the blade wipes at least the ejection area by a relative movement of the blade to the ejection surface in the one direction. | 02-25-2010 |
20100053260 | WEB - A web has a surface layer integrally extending between opposite transverse edges. The surface layer includes absorbent agreed in separated by at least one nonabsorbent region. | 03-04-2010 |
20100053261 | BLADE ENGAGEMENT APPARATUS FOR IMAGE FORMING MACHINES - A blade engagement apparatus for metering release agent onto an image forming device associated moving surface, such as a Solid Ink Jet drum. The blade engagement apparatus includes a blade positioning mechanism having a blade holder rotated about a fixed pivot point disposed a distance L | 03-04-2010 |
20100073422 | Inkjet Printer With Maintenance Assembly Having Non-Absorbent Roller - An inkjet printer having a printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance assembly comprises a maintenance roller having an elastically-deformable non-absorbent contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead. An engagement mechanism moves the roller between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face. | 03-25-2010 |
20100079539 | DROPLET EJECTING DEVICE - A droplet ejecting device includes: a droplet ejecting head having a nozzle surface at which plural nozzles that eject droplets are formed; an applying member applying a cleaning liquid to the nozzle surface; a wiping member disposed so as to be spaced apart from the applying member, and moving relative to the nozzle surface while contacting the nozzle surface, and wiping-off the cleaning liquid applied to the nozzle surface; and a unit for moving that moves both the the droplet ejecting head, and the applying member and the wiping member, relative to one another. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079540 | MAINTENANCE METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A maintenance method of a liquid ejection head including a nozzle forming surface where a plurality of nozzles having a polygonal planar shape including a plurality of corners which each have two sides and an angle between the two sides are formed, includes the step of causing a relative movement of a sweep member and the head so as to sweep the nozzle forming surface of the liquid ejection head in such a manner that the sweep member is moved in a direction making an angle within π/8 radian with respect to a direction in which any of the sides extends. | 04-01-2010 |
20100103219 | Inkjet Printer With Maintenance Roller Mounted On Chassis - An inkjet printer has an inkjet printhead and a printhead maintenance station. The maintenance station includes a maintenance roller which is rotatable and moveable between a first position in which a capping portion is sealingly engaged with the printhead and a second position in which the capping portion is disengaged from the printhead. The maintenance roller is mounted on a chassis which is reciprocally moveable between the first and second positions. The printer includes an engagement mechanism for moving the chassis between the first and second positions by complementary engagement with engagement formations on the chassis. | 04-29-2010 |
20100128085 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE ASSEMBLY WITH MOVABLE CHASSIS AND MAINTENANCE ROLLER - A maintenance assembly for maintaining an ink ejection face of a pagewidth inkjet printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance assembly comprises: a chassis movable between a first position and a second position relative to the printhead; a maintenance roller for receiving ink from the face; a first mechanism for moving the chassis between the first position and the second position; and a second mechanism for rotating the maintenance roller when the chassis is positioned in the second position. | 05-27-2010 |
20100149253 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus for forming an image includes a recording head, a nozzle, an ink repellent layer, and an elastic wiper blade. The nozzle is provided in the recording head and includes an ink discharge surface including a substantially elongated discharge opening from which ink is ejected. The ink repellent layer is formed on the ink discharge surface of the nozzle. The elastic wiper blade moves over the ink discharge surface to wipe away ink adhering to the ink discharge surface while slidably contacting the ink discharge surface. The wiper blade moves in a long axis direction of the ink discharge opening as the wiper blade wipes away ink adhering to the ink discharge surface of the nozzle. | 06-17-2010 |
20100171790 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE SYSTEM FOR STATIONARY PAGEWIDTH PRINTHEAD - A printhead maintenance system comprises: a stationary pagewidth printhead having an ink ejection face; an elastically deformable roller having a contact surface for contacting the ink ejection face; and a mechanism for rolling the roller across the face. In use, the printhead remains stationary when the roller is rolled across the face. | 07-08-2010 |
20100177141 | CROSS-WIPE CLEANING OF PAGE-WIDE ARRAY PRINTING - Methods and means for wiping a page-wide print array are provided. An installable and removable cartridge includes a quantity of web material. The web material traverses a serpentine pathway and is driven by a motor such that fresh web material can be provided to a cleaning zone. The web material within the cleaning zone is wiped across the ink discharge surface of an array of printing dies to remove debris. Wiping action is performed perpendicular to a lengthwise aspect of the page-wide print array. Various embodiments of compact and effective cleaning mechanisms are thus provided in modular, replaceable forms. | 07-15-2010 |
20100177142 | INKJET PRINTER HAVING IMPROVED WIPER CLEANING FUNCTION - Provided is an inkjet printer having an improved wiper cleaning function, the inkjet printer including a tool to directly scrape ink on a wiper, suctioning the ink, and collecting the ink into a waste ink can. | 07-15-2010 |
20100182373 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE STATION HAVING NON-POROUS ROLLER - A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises an elastically deformable roller having a contact surface for contacting an ink ejection face of the printhead, and a mechanism for rolling the roller across the face. The contact surface of the roller is configured so as to avoid trapping of ink on or in the roller surface. | 07-22-2010 |
20100188460 | NON-CONTACT METHOD OF REMOVING FLOODED INK FROM PRINTHEAD FACE - A method of removing flooded ink from an ink ejection face of a printhead. The method comprises moving a surface past said face and transferring the flooded ink onto the moving surface, wherein no part of the surface contacts the face. | 07-29-2010 |
20100201741 | LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS - A liquid discharge apparatus includes: nozzles that discharges liquid; a liquid discharge head including nozzle arrays where the nozzles are arranged in one direction; cleaning belts formed in the shape of a Mobius strip and cleaning a portion of the liquid discharge head where the nozzle arrays are formed by adsorbing liquid attached to the portion of the liquid discharge head; installation rollers around which the cleaning belts are rotatably installed; a support frame supporting the installation rollers so that an angle is formed between the width direction of the cleaning belt and the arrangement direction of the nozzles and the cleaning belts positioned on the peripheral surface of the installation roller come into contact with the portion of the liquid discharge head; a moving means for moving the support frame in the arrangement direction of the nozzles; and a rotational drive means for rotationally driving the installation roller. | 08-12-2010 |
20100201742 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE METHOD WITH PURGING, INK REMOVAL AND PRINTING STEPS - A method of purging and printing from an inkjet printhead. The method comprises the steps of: (i) purging the printhead using a purging ink, thereby flooding an ink ejection face of the printhead; (ii) removing the flooded ink from the ink ejection face by feeding a transfer surface past the printhead, wherein no part of the transfer surface makes contact with the printhead; and (iii) printing from the printhead using a printing ink. | 08-12-2010 |
20100207993 | Ink Collection For Printers - An exemplary printer system may include a print head for dispensing ink during a printing operation. A roller is positioned beneath a platen to collect excess ink from the print head. A scraper is positioned against the roller to remove ink from the roller. | 08-19-2010 |
20100207994 | FLUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A fluid ejection apparatus ejects a fluid from a nozzle and includes a nozzle opening surface in which the nozzle is formed. A fluid removal unit removes fluid adhering to the nozzle opening surface. The fluid removal unit includes a plate-shaped wiper member that is formed from an elastic material. The wiper member moves from one end of the nozzle opening surface to the other as the ejection head or the wiper member moves while in a state where the wiper member makes contact with the nozzle opening surface and elastically deforms. A splash catching member is erected in front of the wiper member when the wiper member moving relative along the nozzle opening surface separates from the nozzle opening surface and returns to its original shape. The splash catching member catches objects that had been adhering to the nozzle opening surface and are scattered by the wiper member. | 08-19-2010 |
20100220144 | METHOD OF MAINTAINING INKJET PRINTHEAD USING NON-CONTACT ROLLER - A method of maintaining an ink ejection face of an inkjet printhead. The method comprises the steps of: (i) flooding the ink ejection face with ink from nozzles in the printhead; and (ii) rotating a roller adjacent the face, such that flooded ink is transferred from the face onto an outer surface of the roller. The outer surface of the roller does not contact the face during rotation of the roller. | 09-02-2010 |
20100225699 | Rotary wiper assembly for fluid-ejection printhead - A rotary wiper assembly for a fluid-ejection printhead that has fluid-ejection nozzles includes one or more wipers and a rotatable shaft to which the wipers are at least indirectly attached. The rotatable shaft is to rotate the wipers to a static wiping position. While the wipers are stationary in the static wiping position, the fluid-ejection printhead is to move back and forth in relation to the wipers while the wipers are not to move, to cause the wipers to come into contact with the fluid-ejection nozzles to wipe material from the fluid-ejection nozzles. | 09-09-2010 |
20100238234 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - The inkjet recording apparatus includes: an inkjet head having a nozzle surface in which inkjet nozzles are arranged, the nozzle surface being oblique to a horizontal plane; and a cleaner which wipes the nozzle surface. The cleaner includes: a supply spindle and a take-up spindle of which axes are horizontal; a band-shaped wiping member which is wound in a form of a roll and installed on the supply spindle, travels along a prescribed path of travel and is taken up onto the take-up spindle; a pressing roller of which axis is arranged in parallel with the nozzle surface, the wiping member being wrapped about a circumferential surface of the pressing roller; a front-stage guide device which is disposed between the supply spindle and the pressing roller and guides the wiping member supplied from the supply spindle so as to travel in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pressing roller; and a rear-stage guide device which is disposed between the pressing roller and the take-up spindle and guides the wiping member wrapped about the pressing roller so as to travel in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the take-up spindle. The nozzle surface is cleaned by abutting the wiping member wrapped about the pressing roller against the nozzle surface. | 09-23-2010 |
20100245467 | Print Head Maintenance System For An Ink-Jet Printer Using Phase-Change Ink Printing On A Continuous Web - A maintenance assembly for cleaning a plurality of printheads in a printing machine comprises two or more cleaning members, each of the cleaning members sized and positioned to clean at least one but less than all of the plurality of printheads when in a cleaning position. A drive mechanism associated with each of the two or more cleaning members is configured to selectively move an associated cleaning member to and from the cleaning position and a retracted position. The cleaning members are supported on a frame with a mechanism provided for translating the frame into position juxtaposed with the plurality of printheads and a further mechanism to swipe the cleaning members across the printheads. The maintenance assembly is operable to clean only selected printheads in a single operation. | 09-30-2010 |
20100253740 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head having a nozzle row in which nozzles are arrayed and eject liquid. A wiping member moves relative to a nozzle-forming surface of the liquid ejecting head and wipes the nozzle-forming surface along a direction that intersects a nozzle row direction. Caulking portions are exposed to the nozzle-forming surface. Insertion portions are exposed to the nozzle-forming surface and allow positioning members to be inserted therethrough. The nozzle-forming surface includes a first region ranging from a wiping start position for the wiping member to a nozzle row forming region in which the nozzle row is formed and a second, opposite, region. A first caulking portion is formed in the first region outside the nozzle row along the nozzle row direction, and a second caulking portion is formed in the second region inside the insertion portions along the nozzle row direction. | 10-07-2010 |
20100253741 | PRINTER WITH PRINT HEAD AND INK TRANSFER ROLLER - A printer that has a chassis, a retractable print media tray assembly mounted on the chassis, an ink ejecting printhead assembly configured to eject ink onto an associated ink transfer roller, and at least one cleaning station for removing residual ink from the ink transfer rollers after transfer of ink from the transfer roller onto the print media. | 10-07-2010 |
20100259580 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An ink jet recording apparatus may include a recording head that extends in a direction perpendicular to a recording-medium-conveying direction. In some embodiments, the recording head may eject ink to a recording medium. An embodiment may include a recovery device that performs recovery processing of the recording head, the recovery device having a cap portion that covers an ink ejection surface of the recording head, and a wiping portion that wipes the ink ejection surface. In some embodiments, the recovery device may move along the recording-medium-conveying direction. When the recovery device moves along the recording-medium-conveying direction, the wiping portion wipes the ink ejection surface while moving along the recording-medium-conveying direction. | 10-14-2010 |
20100271423 | External Particle Mitigation without Exceeding Drooling Limitations - A method of performing maintenance on a printhead of an imaging device includes the application of a purge pressure to ink in an on-board reservoir of the printhead to cause ink to be burped through a plurality of apertures in an aperture plate of the printhead. A wiper blade is then dabbed on the aperture plate at least once after the application of the purge pressure. After the dabbing, the wiper blade is drawn across the aperture plate. The wiper blade is then dabbed against the dabbing position at least once after wiping the aperture plate. | 10-28-2010 |
20100271424 | Selective Purging of Ink Jets to Limit Purge Mass - A method of performing maintenance on a printhead of an imaging device includes the detection of at least one contaminated ink jet in a printhead. A first pressure is applied to ink in the printhead in response to the detection of the at least one contaminated ink jet. The first pressure is configured to prevent ink from entering a plurality of apertures in an aperture plate of the printhead and to prevent ink from drooling from the plurality of apertures unless the apertures are wiped by a wiper blade. A first portion of apertures in the plurality of apertures in the aperture plate is wiped with a wiper blade while leaving a second portion of the apertures untouched by the wiper blade while the first pressure is applied to the ink in the printhead. The wiping of the first portion of apertures enables ink to drool from the first portion of apertures. The first portion of apertures includes the at least one detected contaminated ink jet. | 10-28-2010 |
20100277543 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE STATION HAVING ONE-PIECE ELASTOMER PAD FOR PEELING ENGAGEMENT WITH NOZZLES - A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance station has an elastically deformable pad coextensive with the printhead. The pad is a one-piece elastomer pad having a uniform contact surface configured for sealing contact with all nozzles in an ink ejection face of the printhead. A mechanism is configured for reciprocally moving the pad between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly contacted with all nozzles in the ink ejection face, and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face. The pad and the mechanism cooperate such that the contact surface is progressively contacted with the face during sealing engagement and peeled away from the face during peeling disengagement. | 11-04-2010 |
20100277544 | INKJET PRINTER WITH MAINTENANCE STATION HAVING NON-CONTACT FILM - An inkjet printer has a carrier frame supporting an ink supply manifold; a pagewidth printhead with an ink ejection surface; an encapsulant defining a film guide and a maintenance station. The maintenance station includes: a chassis; a plurality of rollers mounted on the chassis; a film wound in a loop around the rollers; and a drive motor operatively connected to one of the rollers such that actuation of the drive motor rotates the film around said rollers. The chassis is moveable between a printing position in which the film is remote from the printhead and a cleaning position in which the film engages the film guide so that a cavity is defined by the film, the encapsulant and the ink ejection surface. | 11-04-2010 |
20100295895 | INKJET RECORDING DEVICE - An inkjet recording device is provided, which includes a recording head, a cleaning unit and a wiper cap member. The recording head includes a nozzle face on which an ink-injecting nozzle is formed. The cleaning unit includes a wiper case and a wiper member. The wiper case has a wiper accommodating portion and a wiper opening. The wiper member is configured to be accommodated in the wiper accommodating portion, protrude out of the wiper accommodating portion via the wiper opening and move relatively to the recording head to clean the recording head. The wiper cap member shuts the wiper opening of the wiper case. | 11-25-2010 |
20100309251 | MAINTENANCE UNIT FOR PRINT HEAD - The present invention generally relates to a printing apparatus including one or more print heads for depositing printing fluid onto a substrate, wherein the apparatus comprises a maintenance unit for the one or more print heads. The present invention further relates to a method for cleaning one or more print heads from adhering printing fluid. The present invention also relates to the use of said apparatus in the automated manufacture of a contact lens, in particular a silicone hydrogel contact lens. | 12-09-2010 |
20100315463 | SERVICING PRINT HEADS IN PRINTING SYSTEMS - Systems and methods for servicing print heads of a printing system are disclosed. The printing system may include a print head, a web impregnated with a liquid configured to form a protective coating on the print head when the print head contacts the web, and a roller configured to place the web adjacent the print head, wherein the print head is configured to move among a plurality of positions including a proximal position in which the print head contacts the web, and a distal position in which the print head is spaced from the web. | 12-16-2010 |
20110012957 | WEB - An apparatus includes a web for wiping and receiving fluid ejected from a printhead. | 01-20-2011 |
20110025757 | Apparatus for Wiping - An apparatus for wiping is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus for wiping includes a wiper arm, including a wiping end and a first track, a pin engaging the first track, a second track engaging the pin, and an appendage engaging the pin. | 02-03-2011 |
20110032306 | System for Reducing Metering Blade Wear in a Drum Maintenance Unit - A drum maintenance system for use in an imaging device includes a reservoir having a supply of release agent, and an applicator configured to receive release agent from the reservoir and to apply the release agent to an intermediate imaging surface of an imaging device moving in a process direction. A metering blade is positioned to meter the release agent on the intermediate imaging surface applied by the applicator. The metering blade has a longitudinal axis extending in a cross-process direction transverse to the process direction. A driver is operably coupled to the metering blade that is configured to translate the metering blade between a first position and a second position along the longitudinal axis. | 02-10-2011 |
20110043567 | WIPING ASSEMBLY AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - An inkjet image forming apparatus includes a main body frame, a medium supplying unit which is coupled to the main body frame and supplying a print medium, an image forming cartridge which is coupled to the main body frame, forms an image on the supplied print medium, and including a nozzle to eject ink, and a wiping assembly which wipes the nozzle. The wiping assembly includes a wiping sheet storage unit in which the wiping sheet is stored as being wound, a transfer shuttle which moves along arrangement of the nozzle by a driving force of a driving source, a pressing member which is provided in the transfer shuttle and presses a region of the wiping sheet against the nozzle to perform wiping using the wiping sheet, and a wiping sheet support unit which is provided in the transfer shuttle and restricts move of the wiping sheet while the nozzle is wiped. | 02-24-2011 |
20110043568 | SCRAPPING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME, AND CLEANING METHODS THEREOF - A scrapping unit and an image forming apparatus having the same, and cleaning methods thereof to improve a maintenance performance. The scrapping unit cleans a polluted member disposed in an image forming apparatus and stained by a polluting material. The scrapping unit may include an endless belt to circulate between an exposed position where a surface of the endless belt is exposed toward the polluted member, and a non-exposed position where the surface of the endless belt is not exposed with respect to the polluted member, and a belt support frame which includes a belt support surface to support the endless belt so that the endless belt can be unfolded in the exposed position, and a storing space to store the endless belt so that the endless belt can be folded in the non-exposed position. | 02-24-2011 |
20110050801 | CLEANING DEVICE, LIQUID APPLICATION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The cleaning device includes: a wiper blade which is arranged along an axial direction of a pressure drum holding and conveying a medium on which liquid is applied, the pressure drum holding the medium on a pressure drum circumferential surface of the pressure drum and conveying the medium in a prescribed medium conveyance direction, the wiper blade wiping and removing the liquid adhering to the pressure drum circumferential surface, the wiper blade being disposed in such a manner that a wiper blade face of the wiper blade is inclined from a normal to the pressure drum circumferential surface at a contact position with the wiper blade face to form an angle of smaller than 90° between the wiper blade face and the pressure drum circumferential surface on an upstream side from the contact position in terms of the medium conveyance direction; a movement device which moves the wiper blade so as to separate the wiper blade from the pressure drum circumferential surface when a gripping member arranged on the pressure drum to hold an end portion of the medium passes a wiping process position of the wiper blade; and a liquid pool removal device which removes at least a portion of the liquid in a liquid pool formed by the liquid that has been wiped by the wiper blade immediately before the wiper blade is separated from the pressure drum circumferential surface and that has not slid completely down the wiper blade face. | 03-03-2011 |
20110057990 | PRINT HEAD MAINTENANCE APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - An image-forming apparatus includes a print head unit including a plurality of head chips disposed in a widthwise direction of a supplied printing medium to eject ink to form an image, a wiping unit including a plurality of wiper members disposed in the widthwise direction of the printing medium, and a support member supporting the plurality of wiper members and located below the print head unit to move upwardly and downwardly. The image-forming apparatus also includes an ink discharging unit which accommodates and discharges ink spitted from the print head unit, an elevating driving unit which moves the wiping unit upwardly and downwardly between at least two positions of a first forward position which is a wiping standby position, a second forward position which is a scrapping position, and a retracted position, and a widthwise direction driving unit which reciprocates the wiping unit positioned in the first or second forward positions by the elevating driving unit. | 03-10-2011 |
20110063366 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus efficiently recovers defective discharge while reducing the amount of waste ink, acquires position information of a defective discharge nozzle and, based on the position information, determines whether the defective discharge has been caused by a bubble or a dust particle, and selects an ink circulation mode or a wiping mode. | 03-17-2011 |
20110080449 | Non-wetting Coating on Die Mount - Printing devices are described that have a printing die with a coplanar adjacent layer. The coplanar adjacent layer is sufficiently non-wetting to fluids that the layer can be easily wiped clean of fluid that is inadvertently deposited thereon. A non-stick surface is optionally applied to the adjacent layer which can withstand both mechanical and chemical abrasion that can be caused by corrosive ejection fluids or wiping mechanisms. | 04-07-2011 |
20110090282 | HEAD REPAIRING APPARATUS AND FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A head repairing apparatus for repairing a liquid ejecting head of a liquid ejecting apparatus, including one or two more repairing units which are supported by an apparatus base body so as to be displaceable in a predetermined displacement direction becoming a direction intersecting the head surface of the liquid ejecting head, wherein the repairing units have a unit base portion that is supported by the apparatus base body so as to be displaceable in the displacement direction; a wiper support member which is supported by the unit base portion so as to be displaceable in the displacement direction; and a wiper that is attached to the wiper support member, wherein the wiper support member has a wiper attachment portion that can attach and detach the wiper by a snap-fit mechanism. | 04-21-2011 |
20110090283 | HEAD REPAIRING APPARATUS AND FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A repairing units have a unit base portion that is supported so as to be displaceable in a displacement direction; a seal member capable of sealing a liquid ejecting head; a guide member which is supported so as to be displaceable in the displacement direction with respect to the unit base portion, and regulates a relative positional relationship between the liquid ejecting head and the seal member in a direction along the liquid ejecting head, in a state of being engaged with the liquid ejecting head; and a wiper that is supported so as to displaceable in the displacement direction with respect to the unit base portion to remove the affixed matter attached to the liquid ejecting head, and wherein a removal portion, which comes into slide-contact with the wiper to remove the affixed matter attached to the wiper, is provided in the guide member. | 04-21-2011 |
20110102502 | TOUCH-FREE NOZZLE SEALANT REMOVAL - A method for automatic removal of a sealant member from a nozzle plate that includes applying a sealant member to a surface of the nozzle plate, attaching the sealant member with a pull tab, one end of the pull tab being attached to a maintenance sled of a maintenance mechanism at a first position, the maintenance sled moves from a first position to a second position thereby removing the sealant member at a 180 degree angle and with a speed of about 10 mm/sec. | 05-05-2011 |
20110109691 | RECORDING APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a recording head having a sealing portion arranged in proximity to nozzle arrays and protruding beyond a nozzle surface. A wiper unit configured to wipe the nozzle surface of the recording head has a first wiper blade and a second wiper blade, and the first wiper blade is arranged to be inclined by an angle θ | 05-12-2011 |
20110122192 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - In a cap mode where a cap member covers a nozzle surface, a controller controls a second movement mechanism so that the cap member is disposed opposite to the nozzle surface. In an ejection recovery mode where ink is ejected from a plurality of nozzles and the ink adhered to the nozzle surface is wiped off by a wiping member, the controller controls a first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism so that the nozzle surface, a wiping tray and the cap member are arranged downward in this order. | 05-26-2011 |
20110134185 | RECOVERY PROCESSING METHOD FOR PRINT HEAD, AND INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - Wet wiping processing is performed on an ink ejection opening forming surface of a print head by use of a wiper. Then, as bubble removal processing, the print head is heated by use of either an electrothermal conversion element or a heat generating element located inside the print head, and then a control unit causes the print head to perform preliminary ejection K1 and preliminary ejection K2. | 06-09-2011 |
20110134186 | FLUID EJECTION APPARATUS - There is provided a fluid ejection apparatus for ejecting a fluid including a head for ejecting the fluid and a moisture retention head cap device for retaining moisture of the head. The moisture retention head cap device is disposed so as to surround a periphery of the head to cover the whole of the head when retaining moisture of the head. | 06-09-2011 |
20110193914 | FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND WIPING METHOD - A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting head in which nozzles that eject fluid are provided; a wiper that wipes a nozzle formation face, in which nozzle orifices of the nozzles are formed, in the fluid ejecting head; and a pressurization mechanism which changes the curvature of a concave liquid surface formed in the nozzle, in the nozzle by performing pressurization on the fluid in the fluid ejecting head at the time of the wiping. | 08-11-2011 |
20110199429 | FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a fluid ejecting head having nozzle rows formed by a plurality of nozzles, in which a fluid is ejected from the nozzle rows. The fluid ejecting apparatus includes an absorbing member which extends along the nozzle rows in a movable manner, a moving mechanism which moves the absorbing member in a direction intersecting the nozzle rows, and a running mechanism which runs the absorbing member. The moving mechanism includes a moving member movably provided, a positioning member movably provided on the moving member and having the absorbing member in a movable manner, and a first biasing member for biasing the positioning member in a predetermined direction. A tension applying mechanism apply a tension to the absorbing member is provided. | 08-18-2011 |
20110205294 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of recording heads that record an image on a recording medium by ink ejected from the inkjet nozzles and a plurality of wiper members, each arranged corresponding to each recording head, and performing cleaning of a nozzle face of each recording head by moving relative to each recording head. Timing at which at least one of the wiper members abuts against one recording head is different from another timing at which another wiper member differing from the one wiper member abutting against the one recording head abuts against another recording head. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205295 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND WIPING DEVICE - A recording apparatus may comprise a recording head which has an ejection surface, and a wiping device configured to move in a wiping direction. The wiping device may comprise a wiper and a wiper holder. The wiping device may comprise a cam mechanism configured to support the wiper holder and change the height of the wiper holder, such that the wiper is positioned at a contacting height when the cam mechanism is moving in the wiping direction, and such that the wiper is positioned at a separation height when the cam mechanism is moving in the retracting direction. The wiping device may comprise a guide mechanism. The wiping device may comprise a moving device configured to move the wiper and the wiper holder together with the cam mechanism by moving the cam mechanism selectively in either the wiping direction or a retracting direction. | 08-25-2011 |
20110205296 | PRINTER WITH A CONTINUOUS JET PRINTING HEAD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING THE HEAD - The invention relates to a continuous jet printer ( | 08-25-2011 |
20110211015 | FULL FUNCTION MAINTENANCE STATION - An apparatus and method of operating a maintenance station in a printer are provided. The method includes providing a feed roller shaft including an end, the feed roller shaft being connected to a motor; providing a maintenance station disposed near the end of the feed roller shaft, the maintenance station comprising a first pinion; a second pinion; and a maintenance sled including a rack with the rack including teeth positioned along a length dimension of the rack to provide a travel path for the maintenance sled; and using the motor that is connected to the feed roller shaft to cause the maintenance sled to travel back and forth along the travel path by separately engaging the first and second pinions, respectively, with the rack teeth. | 09-01-2011 |
20110216127 | PRINTHEAD WIPING SYSTEM - A maintenance system for maintaining a stationary printhead is disclosed. The maintenance system includes a porous wiper element movable longitudinally past the printhead. The wiper element contacts the printhead during movement in at least one direction of longitudinal movement. A pump is included for pumping liquid into the wiper element. A rotating means is included for spinning the wiper element to thereby spin liquid and contaminants from the wiper element. By spinning the wiper element the wetness thereof is reset to a known condition. Advantageously the wetness of the wiper element is then set to a desired level by controlling the amount of liquid pumped by the pump into the wiper element. In order to clean the wiper element, the wiper element is saturated with liquid before spinning the wiper element again, followed by another spinning operation. Other levels of wetness include a level for rehydrating the printhead, and another level for wiping the printhead. | 09-08-2011 |
20110234694 | CONTROL METHOD FOR A FLUID EJECTION DEVICE, AND A FLUID EJECTION DEVICE - A control method for a fluid ejection device and a fluid ejection device reliably eliminate dropped dots while reducing consumption of ink droplets ejected from the nozzles. A fluid ejection device that performs at least one of a cleaning operation that suctions fluid from the nozzles and a wiping operation that wipes the nozzle surface when dropped dots occur determines if an elimination history of removing dropped dots by the wiping operation is stored when dropped dots are detected as a result of testing for dropped dots and determining if dropped dots occur. When a history of eliminating dropped dots by means of a wiping operation is not stored, the fluid ejection device performs the wiping operation. When a history of eliminating dropped dots by means of a wiping operation remains in memory, the cleaning operation is performed without the wiping operation. | 09-29-2011 |
20110234695 | INK JET RECORDING DEVICE - An ink jet recording device is provided which includes an ink jet head which has a nozzle surface where a plurality of nozzle opening ends are arranged and which ejects water-based ink from the nozzles to a recording medium and a wiping device that executes a wiping operation where the nozzle surface and a wiping member are brought into contact and the nozzle surface is wiped, where oleic acid and a dispersant for dispersing the oleic acid into water by emulsifying the oleic acid are added to the water-based ink. | 09-29-2011 |
20110234696 | DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS - A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a droplet ejection head which includes a nozzle surface having a non-nozzle forming region and a nozzle forming region of a prescribed width in a prescribed direction, a nozzle row being formed in the nozzle forming region; and a nozzle surface cleaning apparatus which cleans the nozzle surface of the droplet ejection head and includes: a wiping device which presses a wiping member having absorbency against the nozzle surface and wipes the nozzle surface with the wiping member by moving the wiping member relatively in the prescribed direction with respect to the nozzle surface; and a sweeping device which sweeps excess liquid from the non-nozzle forming region before the wiping member wipes the nozzle surface, by pressing a sweeping member having elasticity against the non-nozzle forming region and moving the sweeping member relatively in the prescribed direction with respect to the nozzle surface. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242208 | LIQUID JETTING APPARATUS - A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head which has a liquid jetting surface being formed with a nozzle to jet a liquid to a recording medium; a wiper which makes contact with the liquid jetting surface to bend and wipes away the liquid adhered to the liquid jetting surface; a movement mechanism which moves the wiper relative to the liquid jetting surface in a wipe direction along the liquid jetting surface; a movement controller which stops the wiper, which has wiped away the liquid adhered to the liquid jetting surface by moving relative to the liquid jetting surface in the wipe direction, at a predetermined stop position; and a separating mechanism which separates the wiper stopped by the movement controller from the liquid jetting surface in a separating direction intersecting the liquid jetting surface. | 10-06-2011 |
20110279530 | MAINTENANCE SYSTEM HAVING CLEANABLE WIPER FOR PRINTHEAD - An apparatus for maintaining a printhead is provided having a rotatable wiper roller having a shaft and a porous material about the shaft, a rotatable transfer roller in rotatable contact with the wiper roller, and a mechanism for rotating the wiper roller so that the porous material rotates against the printhead such that the porous material absorbs fluid from the printhead during the rotation, and for rotating the transfer roller against the wiper roller so that the fluid absorbed by the porous material is transferred to the transfer roller. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279531 | MAINTENANCE APPARATUS HAVING CLEANER FOR ROTATABLE WIPER - An apparatus for maintaining a printhead is provided having a rotatable porous roller, a rotatable non-porous roller in rotatable contact with the porous roller, a scraper in contact with the non-porous roller, and a mechanism for rotating the porous and non-porous rollers so that the porous roller rotates against the printhead and the non-porous roller is rotated against the porous roller and the scraper. The porous roller is configured to absorb fluid and particulates from the printhead during rotation. The non-porous roller is configured to transfer the absorbed fluid and particulates from the porous roller. The scraper is configured to clean the transferred fluid and particulates from the non-porous roller during rotation. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279532 | WIPING DEVICE HAVING ON-BOARD MECHANISM FOR ROTATING WIPER ROLLER FOR PRINTHEAD - A wiping device for maintaining a printhead is provided having a body supported within a maintenance unit of the printer, a porous roller rotatably mounted to the body, and a mechanism mounted to the body for rotating the porous roller. The body is configured to be lifted from the maintenance unit so as bring the porous roller into contact with a printhead of the printer. The mechanism rotates the porous roller so that the porous roller rotates against the printhead wiping the printhead clean. The mechanism is connectable to a power supply of the printer and is configured to be lifted from the maintenance unit together with the body whilst connected to the power supply. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279533 | MAINTENANCE SYSTEM HAVING TRANSLATABLE AND ROTATABLE WIPER AND CLEANER FOR PRINTHEAD - A maintenance system for a printhead is provided having a sled, a wiper module supported by the sled, a lift mechanism for lifting the wiper module from the sled the wiper module, a rotation mechanism, and a sliding mechanism for sliding the sled relative to the printhead. The wiper module has rotatable porous and non-porous rollers in contact with one another. The rotation mechanism rotates the porous and non-porous rollers so that the porous roller of the lifted wiper module rotates against the printhead and the non-porous roller rotates against the porous roller. The porous roller is configured to absorb fluid from the printhead during rotation and the non-porous roller is configured to clean the absorbed fluid from the porous roller. The sliding mechanism slides the sled so that the rotating porous roller is wiped across the printhead. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279534 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE SYSTEM HAVING WIPER MODULE - A maintenance system for a printhead is provided having a support frame, a wiper module supported by the support frame, a lift mechanism for lifting the wiper module from the support frame, and a rotation mechanism. The wiper module has a wiper roller on a rotatable shaft and a porous material about the shaft, and a transfer roller in rotatable contact with the wiper roller. The lift mechanism lifting the wiper module to position the porous material of the wiper roller against the printhead. The rotation mechanism rotates the wiper and transfer rollers so that the porous material of the wiper roller rotates against the printhead. The porous material is configured to absorb fluid from the printhead during rotation, and so that the fluid absorbed by the porous material of the wiper roller is transferred to the transfer roller. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279535 | MAINTENANCE APPARATUS HAVING ROTATABLE WIPER AND TRANSFER ROLLERS FOR PRINTHEAD - An apparatus for maintaining a printhead is provided having a rotatable wiper roller having a shaft and a porous material about the shaft, a rotatable transfer roller in rotatable contact with the wiper roller, and a mechanism for rotating the wiper roller so that the porous material rotates against the printhead such that the porous material absorbs fluid from the printhead during the rotation, and for rotating the transfer roller against the wiper roller so that the fluid absorbed by the porous material is transferred to the transfer roller. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279536 | METHOD OF MAINTAINING PRINTHEAD WITH MODULAR SLED - A method of maintaining a printhead and the method having when printing with the printhea, translating a modular sled relative to the printhead so as to align a media platen module supported by the sled with the printhead after printing with the printing, translating the sled relative to the printhead so as to align a wiper module supported by the sled with the printhead and operating a wiper roller of the wiper module so as to wipe a printing face of the printhead; and after the wiping and prior to commencement of printing with the printhead, translating the sled relative to the printhead so as to align a capper module supported by the sled with the printhead so as to cap the printing face of the printhead. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279537 | MAINTENANCE SYSTEM HAVING TRANSLATABLE AND ROTATABLE WIPER FOR PRINTHEAD - A maintenance system for a printhead, the system having a sled; a wiper module supported by the sled, the wiper module comprising a rotatable shaft and a porous material about the shaft; a lift mechanism for lifting the wiper module from the sled to position the porous material against the printhead; a rotation mechanism for rotating the shaft so that the porous material rotates against the printhead, the porous material being configured to absorb fluid from the printhead during the rotation; and a sliding mechanism for sliding the sled relative to the printhead so that the rotating porous material is wiped across the printhead. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279538 | METHOD OF WIPING PRINTHEAD WITH TRANSLATABLE AND ROTATABLE WIPER - A method of wiping a printhead, the method having: controlling a lift mechanism to lift a wiper module from a supporting sled to position a porous material of the wiper module against the printhead; controlling a rotation mechanism to rotate a shaft of the wiper module about which the porous material is provided so that the porous material rotates against the printhead, the porous material being configured to absorb fluid from the printhead during the rotation; and controlling a sliding mechanism to slide the sled relative to the printhead so that the rotating porous material is wiped across the printhead. | 11-17-2011 |
20110298862 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SERVICING AN INKJET PRINT HEAD ON A HAND HELD PRINTER - A hand-held printer that includes an inkjet array having a plurality of inkjets is disclosed. The hand-held printer may include an inkjet cap sized to cooperatively engage the inkjet array, wherein the inkjet cap is movable between and open position and a closed position, and a plurality of wipers carried by the inkjet cap, wherein each of the plurality of wipers is configured to engage one of the plurality of inkjets as the inkjet cap moves from the open position to the closed position; and wherein each of the plurality of wipers includes a gasket configured to form a seal adjacent to one of the plurality of inkjets. | 12-08-2011 |
20110310171 | Dual print head wiper apparatus for a two-pen ink jet printer and method for cleaning ink pen faces of a two-pen ink jet printer - Apparatus and methods are provided for simultaneously cleaning both ink pen faces of a two-pen ink jet printer. Two print head wipers are provided, each print head wiper being adapted to wipe a respective ink pen face of a corresponding ink pen. Linkage connects the two print head wipers together. A solenoid is connected to the linkage for actuating the two print head wipers simultaneously. | 12-22-2011 |
20110316928 | WIPING DEVICE FOR INKJET PRINTERS - A wiping device for an inkjet printer includes a wiper mount moveable between a wiping position and a non-wiping position. A slider coupled to the wiper mount, translates between a retracted position and a deployed position. A first translation of the slider to the deployed position causes the wiper mount to move into the wiping position. A trigger, operable between a cocked position and an un-cocked position is coupled to the slider. In the cocked position, the trigger locks the wiper mount in the wiping position. When actuated, the trigger moves to the un-cocked position and the wiper mount moves to the non-wiping position. The wiping device includes logic to control the actuation and non-actuation of trigger. | 12-29-2011 |
20120019591 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus includes a fluid receiving member having fluid receiving cells in which the fluid receiving cells are configured to receive at least one of an ink repellant and an ink, a fluid ejector unit configured to eject the ink repellant to a first set of the fluid receiving cells, and an inking unit configured to apply the ink to a second set of the fluid receiving cells. | 01-26-2012 |
20120026241 | PRINTHEAD CLEANER - In one embodiment, a container or housing includes a body, a cavity and an aperture. A first and a second rotatable spindle are positioned within the cavity such that their long axes are substantially parallel, the first spindle to unwind unused wiping material, and the second spindle to wind used wiping material. A plurality of suspension devices connect to the body. A plurality of wipers are each connected to a discreet suspension device, each wiper including a wiping surface protruding through the aperture and each wiper to engage and wipe a discreet printhead during a wiping operation. | 02-02-2012 |
20120026242 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid ejection head including: an inside channel; and ejection openings; a supply channel; a return channel; a supply device; an adjusting device; and a controller, wherein the controller performs a liquid circulation control for circulating liquid through the supply channel, the inside channel, and the return channel in order by controlling (i) the adjusting device such that a channel resistance value of the return channel is less than a predetermined maximum value and (ii) the supply device to supply the liquid into the inside channel, wherein, when the liquid is circulated by the liquid circulation control, the controller starts a liquid discharge control for discharging the liquid by making the channel resistance value larger than that in the liquid circulation control, and wherein the controller controls the supply device such that an amount of the liquid supplied to the inside channel per unit time in the liquid discharge control is larger than that in the liquid circulation control. | 02-02-2012 |
20120026243 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head including: an element substrate; a first recess having inner walls including a first side surface of the element substrate, a second side surface facing thereto, and a part of a fitting surface to which the element substrate is fitted; and a second recess having inner walls including a third side surface of the element substrate, which is a rear surface of the first side surface, a fourth side surface facing the third side surface, and another part of the fitting surface; and the liquid ejection apparatus also includes a wiping member configured to move from the second recess toward the first recess to wipe the ejection port surface. The first recess is provided with a sealing material to a level higher than the level of a sealing material in the second recess, in a direction of ejecting liquid. | 02-02-2012 |
20120026244 | NOZZLE SURFACE WIPING APPARATUS AND DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS - A nozzle surface wiping apparatus wipes a nozzle surface of a droplet ejection head while moving relatively with respect to the head. The apparatus includes: a band-shaped wiping web; a pay-out spindle which pays out the web; a take-up spindle which is rotated to take up the web; a pressing device which causes the web travelling between the pay-out spindle and the take-up spindle to be pressed against the nozzle surface; a drive roller around which the web travelling between the pressing device and the take-up spindle is wrapped, the drive roller being rotated to apply conveyance force to the web toward the take-up spindle; and a driving device which drives the drive roller and the take-up spindle in such a manner that a velocity at which the web is taken up by the take-up spindle is faster than a velocity at which the drive roller applies the conveyance force to the web. | 02-02-2012 |
20120038706 | Line Head Wiping Method - A method of wiping a line blade with a blade is disclosed that prevents premature wear and break of the blade and preserving its elastic deformation from soiling the environment. Accordingly, in the method of wiping the line head | 02-16-2012 |
20120038707 | NOZZLE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS AND DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS - A nozzle surface cleaning apparatus is configured to clean a nozzle surface of a droplet ejection head while moving relatively with respect to the droplet ejection head. The apparatus includes: a cleaning liquid deposition device which deposits cleaning liquid to the nozzle surface; a blade which is pressed against the nozzle surface to wipe the nozzle surface; a drip guiding member which guides waste liquid wiped by the blade to drip to a predetermined drip position set inside of the blade than an end of the blade; and a receptor which receives the waste liquid dripping from the drip guiding member. | 02-16-2012 |
20120056935 | INKJET RECORDING DEVICE, INKJET RECORDING METHOD, AND INKJET HEAD CLEANING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, an inkjet recording device includes a cleaning member which faces a nozzle surface of an inkjet head and moves along a row of nozzles, a control device which controls ones of the nozzles to partially discharge ink, the ones of the nozzles positioning in an area which the cleaning member faces when the cleaning member moves, and an ink retaining part which retains the ink between the cleaning member and the nozzle surface of the inkjet head which faces the cleaning member. | 03-08-2012 |
20120120151 | Inkjet Head Cleaning Apparatus And Method - According to an example embodiment, an inkjet head cleaning apparatus that removes ink residue from an inkjet head after a purging operation in a non-contact manner includes a cleaning blade and a drive unit. The cleaning blade is at a distance from a bottom of the inkjet head. The drive unit is configured to move the cleaning blade in a direction parallel to the inkjet head bottom. The cleaning blade includes a flat upper surface parallel to the inkjet head bottom, and an ink film is produced between the flat upper surface of the cleaning blade and the inkjet head bottom. The cleaning blade also includes an elongated groove longitudinally in the upper surface of the cleaning blade. | 05-17-2012 |
20120147091 | INKJET HEAD MAINTENANCE DEVICE - An inkjet head maintenance device includes a power gear and a sliding seat. The sliding seat includes a rack, a first one-way gear and a second one-way gear. The first one-way gear and the second one-way gear are arranged at two ends of the rack, respectively. The power gear is engaged with the rack. In addition, through the first one-way gear and the second one-way gear, the sliding seat is driven by the power gear to move between a standby position and a maintenance position in a reciprocating manner. When the sliding seat is driven by the power gear to move to the maintenance position, the power gear is engaged with the second one-way gear, so that the sliding seat is stayed in the maintenance position to the clean an inkjet head. | 06-14-2012 |
20120154485 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONTROLLER USED IN RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus comprises a conveyor, a head including an ejection surface, a UV irradiator positioned downstream of the head in a conveyance direction, a wiper, a first shading member, and first and second controllers. The first shading member is movable in a cross direction crossing the ejection surface, and shades an opposed space being opposed to the ejection surface from ultraviolet light applied by the UV irradiator in a state where the first shading member is taking a protruding position. The first controller controls the first shading member to take the protruding position. The second controller controls the wiper to move relatively to the ejection surface while causing the wiper to contact the ejection surface in a state where the wiper is positioned in the opposed space and the first shading member is taking the protruding position, when the wiping is performed. | 06-21-2012 |
20120162312 | Coating For An Ink Jet Printhead Front Face - A coating for an ink jet printhead front face, wherein the coating comprises a low adhesion coating, wherein when the low adhesion coating is disposed on an ink jet printhead front face surface, jetted drops of ultra-violet gel ink or jetted drops of solid ink exhibit a low sliding angle with the printhead front face surface, wherein the low sliding angle is less than about 1° to less than about 30°. In embodiments, the low adhesion coating is an oleophobic coating that exhibits a contact angle of greater than about 35° with ultra-violet gel ink or solid ink. The coating can further be used for an ink jet printhead flexure chute. | 06-28-2012 |
20120162313 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONVEYANCE MEMBER USED THEREFOR - A recording apparatus including: a recording portion configured to record an image on a recording medium; an annular conveyance member having a face opposed to the recording portion, the face being capable of moving in a circumferential direction of the annular conveyance member while supporting the recording medium to convey the recording medium; and a first wiper configured to wipe the face by moving relative to the face, while contacting the face, in an intersecting direction that intersects the circumferential direction, wherein the face has a first area as a part of the face, the first area being an area at least a part of which is wiped by the first wiper, the first area having a grinding mark extending in the intersecting direction. | 06-28-2012 |
20120176446 | MULTICOLOR PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE STATION - A maintenance station apparatus for an ink jet printhead is provided. The printhead includes a plurality of jetting modules disposed side by side in a row and inclined relative to a direction of print media motion, each of the plurality of jetting modules including a nozzle face, each nozzle face including a first nozzle array configured to eject a first liquid and a second nozzle array configured to eject a second liquid. The maintenance station apparatus includes a wiping unit including a first wiper, a second wiper, and a wiper moving mechanism, the first wiper being associated with the first nozzle array of each jetting module and the second wiper being associated with the second nozzle array of each jetting module, and a capping unit including a plurality of cap pairs corresponding to the plurality of jetting modules, one cap of each cap pair being associated with the first nozzle array of the corresponding jetting module, the other cap of the cap pair being associated with the second nozzle array of the corresponding jetting module. | 07-12-2012 |
20120188307 | INKJET PRINTHEAD WITH PROTECTIVE SPACER - An inkjet printhead comprising a printhead die including an array of nozzles and a plurality of bond pads disposed on a first surface; a support surface for the printhead die; a flexible circuit disposed adjacent the printhead die, the flexible circuit including: a first surface; a flexible base layer including an attachment surface opposite the first surface; and a plurality of leads and corresponding contact pads disposed on the flexible base layer; a plurality of electrical interconnections connecting the bond pads of the printhead die to the plurality of contact pads of the flexible circuit; a spacer member affixed to the first surface of the flexible circuit; and an encapsulating material in contact with the first surface of the printhead die, the plurality of bond pads of the printhead die, the plurality of contact pads of the flexible circuit, and the spacer member. | 07-26-2012 |
20120194609 | APPARATUS FOR REMOVING INK FROM SURFACES OF COMPONENTS IN A PRINTER - A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member has a first end positioned in the ink receptacle and a second end that extends out of the opening in the housing. The member is configured to contact a drip bib and provide a path for liquid ink to move from the drip bib to the ink receptacle. | 08-02-2012 |
20120194610 | NOZZLE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - A nozzle surface cleaning apparatus cleans a nozzle surface of an inkjet head. The nozzle surface cleaning apparatus includes: a wiping device which performs a wiping operation on the nozzle surface with a wiping member having permeability; an observation device which observes a soiled state of the wiping member having been used in the wiping operation; and a judgment device which makes a judgment on appropriateness of a setting of the wiping operation on a basis of the soiled state observed by the observation device. | 08-02-2012 |
20120212542 | INKJET HEAD CLEANING DEVICE AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - A cleaning device that cleans a nozzle surface of an inkjet head in which plural nozzles for ejecting ink are opened includes: a cleaning head that includes a supply port opposed to the nozzle surface and is movable along the nozzle surface; and a supplying section configured to supply liquid for cleaning the nozzle surface to the supply port of the cleaning head, the supplying section bulging the liquid from the supply port to the nozzle surface to form, in the supply port, a liquid wipe section that can be contact with the nozzle surface. | 08-23-2012 |
20120218346 | NOZZLE SURFACE CLEANING DEVICE AND INK-JET RECORDING DEVICE - The dripping of washing liquid and the infiltration of washing liquid from a nozzle surface of a head when the nozzle surface is wiped is suppressed and discharge stability is improved. A wiping unit includes a conveying portion that conveys a wiping web, a washing liquid supplying portion that supplies washing liquid to the wiping web, and a washing liquid collecting portion that collects washing liquid from the wiping web to which washing liquid has been supplied. After washing liquid is supplied to the wiping web, which is conveyed by the conveying portion, at washing liquid supplying portion, surplus washing liquid is collected from the wiping web at the washing liquid collecting portion. The wiping web from which washing liquid has been collected is wound on a pressure roller and comes into press contact with the nozzle surface of the head, thereby wiping web wipes and cleans the nozzle surface. | 08-30-2012 |
20120229564 | INKJET PRINT HEAD WIPER FOR PARTIALLY WETTING AND ANTI-WETTING NOZZLE SURFACES, CLEANING UNIT AND AN INKJET PRINTER COMPRISING SAID WIPER - In a printer, an inkjet print head is equipped with a wiper for partially wetting and non-wetting nozzle faces, for wiping excess ink off a nozzle face, wherein the wiping surface is shaped such that the wiping surface in operation contacts the wetting area and such that the wiping surface in operation is arranged at a predetermined distance from the non-wetting area. A printer including the wiper is also provided. | 09-13-2012 |
20120249673 | INKJET HEAD, INKJET HEAD CLEANING SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE METHOD OF INKJET HEAD - An inkjet head includes: a plurality of nozzle plates which are arranged in a width direction of a recording medium and each of which has a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink and has a hydrophobic property; and cleaning liquid holding members which are provided respectively on both sides of the plurality of nozzle plates in terms of a direction perpendicular to a direction of arrangement of the plurality of nozzle plates so as to extend substantially in parallel with the direction of arrangement of the plurality of nozzle plates, and which have a lower hydrophobic property than the plurality of nozzle plates, wherein the cleaning liquid holding members include a cleaning liquid holding mechanism for holding cleaning liquid. | 10-04-2012 |
20120274702 | ANGLED SCRAPER - A cleaning system for an inkjet printhead is disclosed. The cleaning system has a wiper and a scraper. The wiper has a wiper blade that has a top edge that is scraped by the bottom edge of the scraper when the wiper moves past the scraper. The top edge of the wiper blade forms and angle with respect to the bottom edge of the scraper. | 11-01-2012 |
20120299994 | INK JET PRINTER WIPER BLADE - An ink jet printer wiper blade includes a base, and a blade plate extending from the base. The blade plate includes a support portion and a lead edge portion proximate to the support portion, the lead edge portion is configured for scraping waste ink. The blade plate comprises a plurality of elongate protrusions protruding from the support portion. The protrusions are configured for creating a Coanda effect to attract the scraped ink to the support portion. | 11-29-2012 |
20120299995 | DEVICE FOR SERVICING AN INKJET PRINT HEAD ON A HAND HELD PRINTER - A hand-held printer that includes an inkjet array having a plurality of inkjets is disclosed. The hand-held printer may include an inkjet cap sized to cooperatively engage the inkjet array, wherein the inkjet cap is movable between and open position and a closed position, and a plurality of wipers carried by the inkjet cap, wherein each of the plurality of wipers is configured to engage one of the plurality of inkjets as the inkjet cap moves from the open position to the closed position; and wherein each of the plurality of wipers includes a gasket configured to form a seal adjacent to one of the plurality of inkjets. | 11-29-2012 |
20120299996 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS - An ink jet printing apparatus is disclosed that can more appropriately clean the nozzle faces of line-type print heads. The apparatus includes: a print head having nozzle chips, each having nozzle arrays arrayed on a common chip mounting face of the print head; a first cleaning unit configured to wipe the chip mounting face including wiping nozzle faces of the nozzle chips; a second cleaning unit configured to suction the chip mounting face including suctioning nozzle faces; a moving mechanism configured to move the first and second cleaning units relative to the print head in a first cleaning direction and in a second cleaning direction opposite to the first cleaning direction; and a selection unit configured to select a cleaning unit to be used for cleaning in the first and second cleaning directions from the first and second cleaning units, respectively. | 11-29-2012 |
20120327159 | LIQUID JETTING APPARATUS - There is provided a liquid jetting apparatus including: a liquid jetting head which has a liquid jetting surface on which a plurality of nozzles are open to jet the liquid; a wiper which moves, relative to the liquid jetting surface, in a wiping direction along the liquid jetting surface, while being brought in contact with the liquid jetting surface, to wipe the liquid adhered on the liquid jetting surface; a wiper moving mechanism which moves the wiper in a direction orthogonal to the liquid jetting surface to approach to or separate from the ink jetting surface; a stopper which makes contact with the wiper which is separated from the ink jetting surface; and an impact-absorbing member which is formed in the wiper or the stopper and absorbs impact generated in a case that the wiper collides with the stopper. | 12-27-2012 |
20130002756 | WIPER SYSTEM - A wiping system is disclosed. The wiping system has a wiper blade and a web wipe. The wiper blade forms an angle with the surface to be cleaned. The wiper blade has a tip formed in the front end of the wiper blade. The wiper blade moves in a wiping direction with the front end leading the rest of the blade when the wiper blade is moving in the wiping direction. The web wipe is placed between the tip and the surface to be cleaned, with the web wipe contacting both the tip and the surface to be cleaned. | 01-03-2013 |
20130002757 | INK SET AND DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS USING THE INK SET - The ink set according to the invention includes a first ink containing water, pigments, and first metal ions as counter-ions of the pigments; and a second ink containing water, specific dyes, and second metal ions as counter-ions of the dyes, in which the maximum equivalent conductivity [S·cm | 01-03-2013 |
20130016158 | LIQUID JETTING APPARATUSAANM IKEDA; AyumuAACI Nagoya-shiAACO JPAAGP IKEDA; Ayumu Nagoya-shi JP - A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head configured to have a liquid jetting surface on which a plurality of nozzles, from which liquid is jetted, are open; a wiper configured to move, relative to and along the liquid jetting surface, while being brought in contact with the liquid jetting surface and to wipe the liquid adhered on the liquid jetting surface; a wiper movement mechanism configured to move the wiper in a direction orthogonal to the liquid jetting surface and to make the wiper approach to or separate from the liquid jetting surface. The wiper moving mechanism includes: a cam configured to have a cam surface; an axis configured to extend along the liquid jetting surface; and an arm member configured to make the wiper approach to the liquid jetting surface by pushing and moving the wiper in accordance with movement of the cam. | 01-17-2013 |
20130021409 | WIPER FOR AN INKJET PRINTER - In an inkjet printer having a small print head assembly and a large print head assembly, a wiper includes a first wiper section having a width approximately equal to a width of an orifice area of the small print head assembly, a decoupler adjacent to the first wiper section, a second wiper section adjacent to the decoupler, where the first and the second wiper sections and the decoupler combined have a width approximately equal to a width of an orifice area of the large print head assembly, and a squared tip at an extremity of the single, segmented wiper to impede wicking action. A tab holds the wiper oriented so as to wipe the print head assemblies in a direction of a printing operation. | 01-24-2013 |
20130033543 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head for ejecting liquid, a cap unit for sealing an ejection surface of the head, a humidified air supply mechanism for performing a humidifying operation; a forcible discharge mechanism for performing a forcible discharge operation of forcibly discharging liquid from the ejection ports, a measuring unit for measuring a lapse time after a power supply becomes off and until the power supply becomes on, and a control unit for controlling the humidifying operation when the power supply becomes off, and controlling the forcible discharge operation when the power supply becomes on. When the power supply becomes on, the control unit controls the humidifying operation before performing the forcible discharge operation based on whether the lapse time measured by the measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time. | 02-07-2013 |
20130038662 | PRINTHEAD MAINTENANCE ASSEMBLY HAVING FIRST AND SECOND TRANSFER ROLLERS - A printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining an ink ejection face of an inkjet printhead. The printhead maintenance assembly includes: a first transfer roller having a transfer surface for receiving ink from the ink ejection face; a drive mechanism configured for rotating the first transfer roller; and a second transfer roller for engagement with the first transfer roller. During use, the second transfer roller receives ink from the first transfer roller. | 02-14-2013 |
20130044159 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a carriage with a recording head, a wiper holder that holds a wiper to wipe a discharge port surface of the recording head, a latch member arranged on the wiper holder that moves between a latch position where the wiper holder is held at a wiping position and a release position where the wiper holder is released, and a latch release member that moves the latch member from the latch position to the release position. | 02-21-2013 |
20130057613 | Head Cleaning Method and Head Cleaning Apparatus - A head cleaning method of wiping and cleaning a nozzle surface of a head with a band-shaped liquid absorbing body by, while pressing and abutting a pressing member on which the liquid absorbing body that travels is wrapped against the nozzle surface of the head, sliding the pressing member over the nozzle surface of the head, includes: a first cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with a non-wet region of the liquid absorbing body; a wet region forming step of forming a wet region on the liquid absorbing body; and a second cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with the wet region of the liquid absorbing body. | 03-07-2013 |
20130076830 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - According to an inkjet recording apparatus as an aspect of the present invention, the nozzle surface is wiped by a wiping member which rotates about an axle perpendicular to the nozzle surface. Consequently, the nozzle surface can be wiped in multiple directions and it is possible effectively to prevent deterioration of the lyophobic film, or adhering material being pushed inside the nozzles, due to wiping in one direction only. Furthermore, since a composition which rotates only the wiping member is adopted, then the composition of the wiping apparatus can be made compact. | 03-28-2013 |
20130083123 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND WIPING METHOD - A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a head having an ejection face for ejecting liquid; a sealing mechanism which establishes a sealing state in which a sealed space is sealed; a humid-air supply/discharge mechanism which supplies a humid air into the sealed space via an air inlet and discharges the air from the sealed space via an air outlet; and a control device which controls an ejection-face wiper to wipe the liquid from the ejection face by causing its parallel movement with respect to the ejection face in a wiper moving direction directed from a first end area of the ejection face toward its second end area with the ejection-face wiper contacting the ejection face. The air inlet is provided at a position nearer to a downstream end of a moving path of the ejection-face wiper than to an upstream end thereof in the wiper moving direction. | 04-04-2013 |
20130093814 | SELF CLEANING PRINTHEAD - A printhead has a nozzle plate, having an array of nozzles through which ink is expelled, a low adhesion, oleophobic polymer coating on a front face of the nozzle plate. A printer has a source of solid ink, a heater arranged to-heat the solid ink and convert it to liquid ink, and a printhead, the printhead having a nozzle plate, having an of nozzles through which ink is expelled, a low adhesion, oleophobic polymer coating on a front face of the nozzle plate, the coating selected to dispel the liquid ink prior to the liquid ink returning to solid form, and a wiper positioned to wipe the front face of the nozzle plate. | 04-18-2013 |
20130093815 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND DISCHARGE RECOVERY METHOD - An ink jet recording apparatus determines the timing of executing discharge recovery processing based on the discharge amount of ink for each predetermined region discharged from a recording head, and controls the discharge recovery processing to be executed at the determined timing. Thereby, the discharge performance of the ink can be kept to be good, and the discharge recovery processing can be executed at the suitable timing without producing any deterioration of the image quality of a recorded image, and with the deterioration of throughput reduced. | 04-18-2013 |
20130100203 | SYSTEM FOR INK REMOVAL FROM A PRINTHEAD ASSEMBLY - A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member extends from the ink receptacle and through the opening. The member is configured to contact a faceplate of a printhead to enable liquid ink emitted onto the faceplate to move from across the member into the ink receptacle. | 04-25-2013 |
20130106951 | PRINT HEAD MAINTENANCE SYSTEM | 05-02-2013 |
20130106952 | MAINTENANCE UNIT HAVING A PLURALITY OF WIPERS, AND INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS | 05-02-2013 |
20130120494 | REDUCING CONDENSATION ACCUMULATION IN PRINTING SYSTEMS - A printing system includes one or more printing system components positioned opposite a moving print media. A wick assembly can be attached to a printing system component to wick condensation away from a surface of the printing system component that is opposite the moving print media. A heating element can be in contact with one or both of the wick assembly and a printing system component. A protective layer can be attached to the surface of a printing system component that is opposite the moving print media to prevent condensation from forming on the component. A vacuum assembly can be positioned opposite the moving print media to produce suction over the print media that pushes humid air or some condensation into the vacuum assembly. | 05-16-2013 |
20130120495 | WIPER UNIT AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - Ratchets which regulate a rotation of either a reeling-out roller around which one end of a long wiping member which wipes ink attached to a recording head which ejects ink is wound, or a winding-up roller around which the other end of the wiping member is wound to which tension is applied due to a friction force which acts on the wiping member when performing wiping are provided. | 05-16-2013 |
20130120496 | WIPER UNIT AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A sun gear which is rotationally driving according to power which is transmitted from a driving motor, a planetary gear which can be displaced in the circumferential direction of the sun gear in a state of being engaged with the sun gear, and a winding-up gear which transmits a rotational driving power to a winding-up roller are provided, and the planetary gear is released from an engagement with a rack gear unit, rotates the winding-up roller by being engaged with the winding-up gear, and winds up a wiping member after the planetary gear moves a wiper holder in the wiping direction by being engaged with the rack gear unit of the wiper holder. | 05-16-2013 |
20130135385 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet head is provided with an ejection surface on which first and second ejection regions having a plurality of ejection openings ejecting different colors of ink are formed in proximity to each other or to partially overlap each other. A first wiping operation in which, after ink is forcibly ejected only from the first ejection region, the first ejection region is wiped by relative movement of the wiping member in a direction from the second ejection region toward the first ejection region, and a second wiping operation in which, after ink is forcibly ejected only from the second ejection region, the second ejection region is wiped by relative movement of the wiping member in a direction from the first ejection region toward the second ejection region are selectively performed. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135386 | LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS - A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge head including a discharge surface, a receiving surface which receives discharged liquid, a wiper which wipes the receiving surface, a moving device which moves the wiper, a cleaning device which cleans the wiper, and a control device which controls the moving device to move the wiper while contacting the receiving surface, from a wiping start position at one end of the receiving surface to a wiping end position at the other end and to move the wiper from a cleaning position to the wiping start position. The cleaning position is located at an opposite side to the wiping end position with respect to the wiping start position, and a distance from the cleaning position to the wiping start position is smaller than a distance from the wiping end position to the wiping start position. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135387 | LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS - There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including a head including a nozzle surface having a plurality of liquid discharge holes formed thereon, the nozzle surface being directed downward, a liquid receiving part including a liquid receiving surface directed downward to oppose the nozzle surface and configured to receive liquid discharged from the liquid discharge holes, a base, a first blade attached to the base with a tip end thereof being directed upward to wipe the nozzle surface, a second blade attached to the base with a tip end thereof being directed downward to wipe the liquid receiving surface, and a moving mechanism configured to move the base in a predetermined advancing direction between the head and the liquid receiving part. The base is provided with a prevention structure configured to prevent the liquid wiped off by the first blade flowing to the second blade. | 05-30-2013 |
20130155147 | REDUCING CONDENSATION ACCUMULATION IN PRINTING SYSTEMS - A printing system includes a printing system component and a wick assembly affixed to the printing system component. The wick assembly includes at least one textile pad for collecting condensation that forms on a surface of the printing system component. A heater for heating the wick assembly can be disposed within, adjacent to, or in contact with the wick assembly. | 06-20-2013 |
20130155148 | REDUCING CONDENSATION ACCUMULATION IN PRINTING SYSTEMS - A printing system includes a printing system component and a wick assembly affixed to the printing system component. The wick assembly includes at least one textile pad for collecting condensation that forms on a surface of the printing system component. A hydrophilic coating can be disposed over the surface of the printing system component. | 06-20-2013 |
20130176362 | NOZZLE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - According to the present invention, firstly, since the cleaning liquid is deposited onto the nozzle surface by the nozzle surface cleaning liquid deposition device, then it is possible to raise the dissolving effect, which is a chemical effect of dissolving adhering material which is adhering to the nozzle surface. Consequently, it is possible to remove the adhering material readily by subsequently wiping the nozzle surface with the wiping member, and hence the physical effects can also be improved. Furthermore, since the cleaning liquid is deposited so as to wet the wiping member, then it is possible to suppress the drawing out of liquid from the nozzles due to the absorbing characteristics of the wiping member, and therefore ejection defects due to solidification of drawn out liquid can be prevented. Consequently, it is possible to improve ejection stability of the droplet ejection head. | 07-11-2013 |
20130182038 | Maintenance Unit for Print Head - The present invention generally relates to a printing apparatus including one or more print heads for depositing printing fluid onto a substrate, wherein the apparatus comprises a maintenance unit for the one or more print heads. The present invention further relates to a method for cleaning one or more print heads from adhering printing fluid. The present invention also relates to the use of said apparatus in the automated manufacture of a contact lens, in particular a silicone hydrogel contact lens. | 07-18-2013 |
20130182039 | INKJET PRINTER WITH WEB FEED MAINTENANCE ASSEMBLY - An inkjet printer includes: (a) a pagewidth inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles for delivering ink onto print media fed past the printhead; and (b) a maintenance assembly for maintaining the printhead. The maintenance assembly includes: (i) an elongate web of material; (ii) rollers for supporting the web; (iii) a maintenance member positioned opposite the printhead; (iv) a web-feeding mechanism for advancing the web past the printhead; and (v) an actuating mechanism for configuring the printer in either one of a maintenance position and a printing position. A gap is defined between the web and the printhead in the printing position. | 07-18-2013 |
20130187979 | WIPING DEVICE FOR AN INK JET FRANKING MACHINE - A wiping device ( | 07-25-2013 |
20130187980 | NOZZLE SURFACE WIPING APPARATUS AND DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS - A nozzle surface wiping apparatus wipes a nozzle surface of a droplet ejection head while moving relatively with respect to the head. The apparatus includes: a band-shaped wiping web; a pay-out spindle which pays out the web; a take-up spindle which is rotated to take up the web; a pressing device which causes the web travelling between the pay-out spindle and the take-up spindle to be pressed against the nozzle surface; a drive roller around which the web travelling between the pressing device and the take-up spindle is wrapped, the drive roller being rotated to apply conveyance force to the web toward the take-up spindle; and a driving device which drives the drive roller and the take-up spindle in such a manner that a velocity at which the web is taken up by the take-up spindle is faster than a velocity at which the drive roller applies the conveyance force to the web. | 07-25-2013 |
20130194346 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head with multiple nozzles on a surface of the recording head to discharge droplets, the surface with the nozzles facing in a horizontal direction or in a direction leaning upward or downward with respect to the horizontal direction, a wiper to wipe the surface with the nozzles of the recording head from top to bottom, a guide member attached to the recording head at the lower end of the surface with the nozzles, to have contact with the wiper, and a cleaning member attached to a main body of the apparatus to clean the guide member. | 08-01-2013 |
20130215191 | MAINTENANCE STATION FOR AN IMAGING APPARATUS - A maintenance station for servicing a printhead mounted on a carrier includes mechanisms that separate a wiping function from a capping function. The maintenance station includes a housing mounting a maintenance sled that is movable between a wiping position and a capping position. The capping position follows the wiping position along a direction of travel by the carrier when it enters the maintenance station. As the carrier enters the maintenance station, a latch pivotably mounted to the maintenance sled selectively locks the maintenance sled in the wiping position without engaging the capping position based on a stop position of the carrier upon initial entrance into the maintenance area. | 08-22-2013 |
20130215192 | LIQUID EJECTING HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting head including: a head unit having a nozzle forming surface on which a plurality of rows of nozzles ejecting a liquid are arranged and of which the nozzle forming surface is wiped by a wiping member along an arrangement direction of the nozzle rows; and a fixing member, wherein the fixing member has a fixing plate section on which an exposure opening section exposing the nozzles of the nozzle forming surface is formed and of which an upper surface is joined to the nozzle forming surface as a fixing reference surface in a state where the nozzle is exposed into the exposure opening section, and a cutout section, which opens the exposure opening section in the wiping direction and exposes an edge portion of the nozzle forming surface, is formed downstream of the wiping member in the wiping direction in the exposure opening section. | 08-22-2013 |
20130215193 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - When a jam detector detects jamming, forced discharging from a head and wiping of an ejection surface are performed after a recording medium jammed is removed from a conveyor. When the count on a jam counter matches with any of one or more thresholds, at least the number of times the wiping is executed after the jammed recording medium is removed from the conveyor is greater than that executed when the count on the jam counter does not match with any of one or more thresholds. | 08-22-2013 |
20130222474 | VARIABLE FORCE WIPER FOR MAINTENANCE STATION OF IMAGING DEVICE - A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device includes a foundational body and a flexible blade. The body rigidly attaches to the maintenance station. The blade attaches to the body. The blade scrapes fluid and debris from a printhead during use. The blade comprises a flexible material having terminal sections intervened by a central section. Each terminal section connects to the body with a thicker expanse of flexible material, whereas the central section connects to the body with a thinner expanse. The connection provides the terminal sections with a higher wiping force and a shorter effective beam length for wiping an encapsulant of the printhead and gives while the central section a lower wiping force and a longer effective beam length for wiping a nozzle plate of the printhead. The embodiments note curved surfaces with variable radiuses where the expanses of flexible material connect to the body. | 08-29-2013 |
20130222475 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS, CLEANING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID EJECTION HEAD, AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head; a long wiping member configured to come in contact with and wipe a liquid ejection face of the head; a wiping member conveyance device configured to drive the wiping member to be conveyed in a lengthwise direction of the wiping member; a pressing member configured to cause the wiping member to come in contact and pressed against the liquid ejection face when the pressing member is placed at a first position; and a slack elimination mechanism configured to push down the pressing member to a second position lower than the first position before the wiping member is brought into contact with the liquid ejection face, and to stop pushing the pressing member so as to move the pressing member along with the wiping member to the first position to bring the wiping member into contact with the liquid ejection face. | 08-29-2013 |
20130222476 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS, CLEANING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID EJECTION HEAD, AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a liquid ejection head; a long wiping member configured to come in contact with and wipe a liquid ejection face of the head; a wiping member conveyance device configured to convey the wiping member in a lengthwise direction of the wiping member; an elastic member configured to elastically deform and apply a force to cause the wiping member to be pressed against the liquid ejection face through a pressing member when the wiping member comes in contact and pressed against the liquid ejection face; and a slack eliminating member arranged in a front side of the head in a direction of travel of the head with respect to the wiping member, the slack eliminating member being configured to eliminate slack in the wiping member caused by elastic deformation of the elastic member when the wiping member comes in contact with the slack eliminating member. | 08-29-2013 |
20130222477 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus including: first cleaning which performs non-recording ejection of ink for ink jet recording to an ink receiving medium and cleans a nozzle and a nozzle surface of a print head; second cleaning which moves the print head to the ink receiving medium, performs non-recording ejection of the ink for ink jet recording from the print head to the ink receiving medium under a condition that the amount of the ink for ink jet recording is smaller than an amount of the ink ejected in the non-recording ejection by the first cleaning and an execution frequency is higher than that in the first cleaning, and cleans the nozzle of the print head; and a wiping mechanism which wipes the nozzle surface by using a wiping member. | 08-29-2013 |
20130222478 | HEAD MAINTENANCE DEVICE AND INKJET RECORDER - A head maintenance device includes a wiping section which wipes a nozzle plane, on which a plurality of nozzles to eject ink are provided, of an inkjet head. The wiping section includes a wiping member including a cloth, an elastic body and a support, in the order named from a side where the wiping section comes into contact with the inkjet head. The cloth is moved parallel to the nozzle plane at a relative moving velocity of not less than RMV×0.2 and not more than RMV×0.9 with respect to the nozzle plane so as to wipe the nozzle plane. | 08-29-2013 |
20130250000 | DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS - A droplet ejection apparatus includes a droplet ejection head configured to eject droplets from nozzles formed in a nozzle face; and a wiping unit configured to move relative to the droplet ejection head to thereby wipe the nozzle face of the droplet ejection head with a wiping member. The wiping member includes nap-like or brush-like projections and recesses on a wiping surface, and the projections of the wiping surface enter the nozzles during wiping of the nozzle face by the wiping member. | 09-26-2013 |
20130257976 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PRINTING APPARATUS - To provide an ink jet printing apparatus which can reduce waste ink as much as possible and shorten the amount of time spend on the following wiping process, and a recovery operation method therefor, whereby a first process and a second process are carried out, the first process for discharging ink that does not contribute to the printing from the print head while supplying ink from the ink reservoir portion to the print head by way of the first ink passage connected to one end of the print head, and the second process for discharging ink that does not contribute to the printing from the print head while supplying ink from the ink reservoir portion to the print head by way of the second ink passage connected to the other end of the print head. | 10-03-2013 |
20130257977 | PRINTING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus includes a print head, a scanning unit, a sheet-form member, a winding device, and a determining unit. The print head includes an orifice face having an ejection orifice to eject a liquid. The scanning unit performs scanning while reciprocating the print head. The sheet-form member performs a wiping operation of the orifice face of the print head, wherein the wiping operation includes a first wiping operation and a second wiping operation. The winding device performs a winding operation of the sheet-form member. The determining unit determines a length of the sheet-form member that is to be wound by the winding device in accordance with a length of time between the first wiping operation performed by the sheet-form member and the second wiping operation performed by the sheet-form member that follows the first wiping operation. | 10-03-2013 |
20130257978 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a carriage, a wiping unit, and a controller. The recording head has a discharge port face with a plurality of discharge ports to discharge ink. The carriage has the recording head mounted thereon and performs reciprocal scanning. The wiping unit includes a sheet-shaped wiping member to wipe the discharge port face and a conveying unit to convey the wiping member. The controller controls an amount of conveyance of the wiping member by the conveying unit. The controller performs control so that the conveyance amount in a first case, where a time elapsed since a last conveyance operation of the wiping member is greater than or equal to a certain time, becomes greater than the conveyance amount in a second case, where the time elapsed since the last conveyance operation of the wiping member is less than the certain time. | 10-03-2013 |
20130257979 | INKJET RECORDING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head which includes an ejection surface having a plurality of ejection ports which eject ink, a wiping unit which includes a wiping member which wipes the ejection surface and a reeling unit which reels the wiping member, a remaining amount obtaining unit which obtains a remaining amount of the wiping member, and a use amount estimation unit which estimates a use amount of the wiping member in accordance with recording data. The inkjet recording apparatus controls a wiping operation performed by the wiping unit in accordance with the remaining amount and the estimated use amount. | 10-03-2013 |
20130265365 | System and Method For Cleaning Inkjet Cartridges - A printing system includes a print unit and a cleaning unit. The print unit comprises a carrier for a plurality of inkjet cartridges. The cleaning unit includes a wiping unit, a cleaning bay, and a wiper washer unit. The wiping unit includes wiper blades and the wiper washer unit includes a plurality of spray nozzles that spray a fluid. A controller is adapted to transport the carrier into the cleaning bay, transport the wiping units such that the wiper blades clean the inkjet cartridges, and actuate the spray nozzles to wash the wiper blades. The carrier may be positioned in the cleaning bay when the inkjet cartridges are not used for printing and the controller controls at least one of humidity and temperature in the cleaning bay when the carrier plate is positioned therein. | 10-10-2013 |
20130265366 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head on which a liquid ejecting nozzle is provided; and a wiping section which wipes the liquid ejecting head by relative moving a liquid absorption body which absorbs the liquid while abutting the liquid absorption body to the liquid ejecting head, wherein the liquid ejecting head has a surface constituted of first region surface on which the nozzle is formed and a second region surface which is continuous to the first region surface with a step, as a wiping surface which is wiped by the wiping section, and wherein on the wiping surface, the second region surface is a surface having lower liquid-repellency than the first region surface with respect to the liquid. | 10-10-2013 |
20130278673 | LIQUID DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LIQUID DROPLET DISCHARGE DEVICE - In a liquid droplet discharge head, a liquid repellent layer is continuously formed from a liquid droplet discharge surface to a middle position in a thickness direction of an end surface of a nozzle plate. | 10-24-2013 |
20130286089 | METHODS FOR IN SITU APPLICATIONS OF LOW SURFACE ENERGY MATERIALS TO PRINTER COMPONENTS - In an inkjet printer, a low surface energy material is applied to a printhead face and a drip bib during a printhead maintenance operation. The low surface energy material forms a thin layer on the printhead face and drip bib to resist adhesion of ink to the printhead. The low surface energy material can be a layer of silicone oil. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286090 | METHODS FOR IN SITU APPLICATIONS OF LOW SURFACE ENERGY MATERIALS TO PRINTER COMPONENTS - In an inkjet printer, a low surface energy material is applied to a printhead face and a drip bib during a printhead maintenance operation. The low surface energy material forms a thin layer on the printhead face and drip bib to resist adhesion of ink to the printhead. The low surface energy material can be a layer of silicone oil. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286091 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND RECORDING APPARATUS - A liquid ejection head includes a substrate that carries thereon a plurality of ejection energy generating elements arranged in rows to generate energy necessary for ejecting liquid and an ejection port plate that is laid on the substrate and has a plurality of ejection ports formed therein and arranged vis-a-vis the respective ejection energy generating elements. The ejection port plate has a groove, or an oblong recess, formed on the surface thereof where the plurality of ejection ports are formed such that the groove surrounds the region where the ejection ports are formed and has a corrugated inner lateral surface and a flat outer lateral surface arranged oppositely relative to the inner lateral surface. | 10-31-2013 |
20130300800 | THREE POSITION PRINTHEAD WIPER ASSEMBLY - A printhead wiper assembly includes an elongated member having a first and second wiper, a linkage, and an actuator. The linkage includes a clutch that enables the elongated member to move to a plurality of positions in response to the actuator activating a plurality of times. The sequence of positions enables first wiper and then the other wiper to contact the printhead face to remove purged ink from the face. | 11-14-2013 |
20130307901 | MECHANISM FOR WIPING INK EJECTION SURFACE OF RECORDING HEAD - The wiping mechanism of a recording head has a wiper and driving mechanism. The driving mechanism moves the wiper bidirectionally along an ink ejection surface and raises and lowers the wiper toward and away from the ink ejection surface. After the top of the wiper passes through a nozzle area, which is part of the ink ejection surface, on which the ejection nozzles are open, and before the top of the wiper passes through the edge of the ink ejection surface on the downstream side in the wiping direction, the driving mechanism moves the wiper away from the ink ejection surface with the top of the wiper in contact with the ink ejection surface. | 11-21-2013 |
20130321527 | INK CLEANING APPARATUS FOR PRINTERS - An ink cleaning apparatus for a printer, includes a case and a cleaning arm. The case is adapted to slide on a shaft. The cleaning arm is movably mounted on the case. The brush is pivotally mounted on the cleaning arm. The brush includes a cleaning portion. The cleaning arm is adapted to move out of the case with the brush located above the shaft. The cleaning portion is engaged with the shaft by rotating the brush. The cleaning portion is configured to clean the shaft by sliding the case on the shaft. | 12-05-2013 |
20130328966 | Method for Positioning a Metering Blade With Reference to Roller and Blade Wear - A method has been developed to enable a controller to select between two angles at which to position a wiper configured to wipe release agent from an image drum. The controller selects the position of the wiper with reference to the number of times the wiper has wiped the image drum and the number of media sheets that have contacted the image drum. | 12-12-2013 |
20140002542 | Cleaning Member and Liquid Ejecting Apparatus | 01-02-2014 |
20140035996 | PRINT HEAD SERVICING UNITS AND METHODS - A print head servicing unit comprises a cassette which is removably insertable in a hard copy apparatus and comprises some or all of a moveable web of absorbent colour material for receiving waste ink from the print head; a storage compartment for accommodating received waste ink; a cap for the print head; and a filter for filtering air-borne particles in the region of the print head. The path of the web through the cassette is such that a region thereof for receiving spat ink from the print head is arranged downstream of a region thereof for wiping ink from the print head. | 02-06-2014 |
20140055523 | HEAD CLEANING APPARATUS AND DROPLET EJECTION APPARATUS - A head cleaning apparatus is configured to move relatively along a nozzle surface of a droplet ejection head to clean the nozzle surface. The head cleaning apparatus includes: a web configured to wipe the nozzle surface; a web driving unit configured to cause the web to travel; a pair of rigid body pressing members configured to press both end portions of the web in a width direction to the nozzle surface; an elastic body pressing member provided between the pair of rigid body pressing members and provided to further protrude to a nozzle surface side than the pair of rigid body pressing members, the elastic body pressing member being configured to press a center portion of the web in the width direction to the nozzle surface; and a support member configured to support the pair of rigid body pressing members and the elastic body pressing member. | 02-27-2014 |
20140055524 | LIQUID EJECTION DEVICE AND LIQUID EJECTION METHOD - A liquid ejection device includes a head, a medium supporting section and a first member. The head has a nozzle configured to eject a liquid onto a recording medium. The head is configured to move in a head travel direction. The medium supporting section is configured to support the recording medium. The first member has a curving face. The first member is disposed in a position overlapping the head travel direction and not overlapping the medium supporting section and the recording medium supported on the medium supporting section in a plan view. The first member is arranged so that the curving face faces a nozzle face of the head on which the nozzle is formed when the first member faces the head. The head is further configured to eject the liquid onto the curving face of the first member when the head faces the first member. | 02-27-2014 |
20140055525 | Inkjet head storage and cleaning - Inkjet head cleaning and storage includes cleaning an orifice plate by inserting a tip of a shaped wiper into a slit of a printing mask, such that one or more shoulders of a handling end of the shaped wiper are in contact with respectively one or more edges of the slit. The shoulders of the shaped wiper facilitate the tip applying a predetermined pressure to an orifice surface during wiping. Preventing sediment buildup during extended periods of non-printing includes placing at least the orifice plate of the printing head in a protecting liquid that avoids evaporation of the volatile liquid from the nozzles. An innovative “night plate” can be used to seal the slit of a printing mask and ink purged from the printing head used to fill a gap between the printing head and the mask, thereby covering at least the orifice plate with the purged ink | 02-27-2014 |
20140063122 | BELT CLEANING DEVICE, MEDIUM FEEDING DEVICE, AND INKJET RECORDING DEVICE - To provide a belt cleaning device and the like by which a more compact apparatus overall can be configured without compromising the ability to replace a secondary wiping member or the like, the invention is provided with a wiper which is provided on an inner side of a cleaning vessel and further downstream than a rotating brush in a direction of travel of a conveyance belt, and wipes off in a relative fashion a cleaning solution that has attached to the conveyance belt. The wiper includes a primary wiping blade and a secondary wiping blade which are in contact with the surface of the conveyance belt, and a primary fixation plate and a secondary fixation plate which are attached to the inner side of the cleaning vessel and to which the primary wiping blade and the secondary wiping blade, respectively, are fixed. An axis line of a fixation section formed in the secondary fixation plate is tilted toward the upstream side in the direction of travel and is prevented from intersecting with the primary fixation plate. | 03-06-2014 |
20140085376 | METHOD FOR CLEANING INKJET RECORDING HEAD, AND METHOD FOR FORMING IMAGE - Provided is an inkjet image forming method which is superior in jetting stability, and by which a repelling-free high quality image having good image durability and superior glazing can be obtained. The method for washing a recording head, having: forming an image by ejecting an inkjet ink containing at least water, a coloring material, a binder resin and a water soluble organic solvent represented by general formula (1) from a recording head to form an image on a recording medium; and washing the recording head, after forming the image, using an ink absorbing member that absorbs the inkjet ink and a wiping member that wipes a nozzle surface of the recording head using a wipe unit wherein the ink absorbing member holds a cleaning liquid containing an organic solvent: | 03-27-2014 |
20140085377 | INKJET RECORDING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING SAME - There are provided an inkjet recording device that can stably secure liquid-repellent performance on a surface of a liquid-repellent film formed on a nozzle surface for a long term, and a maintenance method thereof. The inkjet recording device includes: an inkjet head that has a nozzle surface in which a nozzle opening of a nozzle to eject a liquid is formed and on which a liquid-repellent film is formed with an amorphous fluorine resin material; a cleaning portion that wipes off and cleans a surface of the liquid-repellent film by a wiping member; and a liquid-repellent performance recovery processing portion that performs liquid-repellent performance recovery processing to recover liquid-repellent performance on the surface of the liquid-repellent film by heating the liquid-repellent film. | 03-27-2014 |
20140111577 | MAINTENANCE APPARATUS AND INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, there is provided a maintenance apparatus for removing ink from a nozzle surface of an inkjet head including a first region where a first nozzle is provided, a second region where a second nozzle is provided, and a third region located between the first region and the second region. The maintenance apparatus includes a first positioning section, a first wiping blade, and a second wiping blade. The first positioning section comes into contact with the third region and removes the ink present in the third region. When the first positioning section comes into contact with the third region, the first and second wiping blades come into contact with the first and second regions and remove the kinds of ink present in the first and second regions. | 04-24-2014 |
20140125733 | CLEANING AND PROTECTING DEVICE AND OFFICE MACHINE USING THE SAME - A cleaning and protecting device suited for a cartridge is provided. The cartridge moves back and forth along a first axis and has a print head. The cleaning and protecting device includes a cap, a scraper, and a transmission assembly. The cap moves back and forth along a second axis. When the cartridge moves to a first position and the cap moves to a second position, the cap leans against the cartridge to cover the print head. The transmission assembly is coupled to the cap and the scraper. When the cartridge is located at the first position and the cap moves away from the second position, the cap drives the transmission assembly to move the scraper to a third position to scrape the residual ink on the print head. An office machine is also provided. | 05-08-2014 |
20140125734 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that includes a nozzle formation surface on which a plurality of nozzles which eject a liquid are formed to be lined up in one direction to form nozzle columns, a belt-shaped member that is brought into contact with the nozzle formation surface, and a belt-shaped member contact portion that brings the belt-shaped member into contact with the nozzle formation surface in both a first contact state where the belt-shaped member is brought into contact with a partial area of the nozzle formation surface and a second contact state where the belt-shaped member is in contact with an area corresponding to the nozzle column in a direction along the nozzle column on the nozzle formation surface. | 05-08-2014 |
20140132667 | WIPER CASSETTE, WIPER UNIT AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A wiper cassette includes a long wiping member which wipes a liquid adhered to a liquid ejecting head which ejects the liquid; a feed roller around which an end of the wiping member is wound in a longitudinal direction; and a winding roller around which other end of the wiping member is wound in the longitudinal direction, and the wiper cassette is mounted so as to be freely detachable and attachable into a wiper holder. Furthermore, the wiper cassette further includes a winding gear supported by the winding roller; and a power point acting portion on which a load acts in a removal direction when the wiper cassette is removed from the wiper holder, in which the power point acting portion is positioned closer to the removal direction side than the winding gear in a mounted state in which the wiper cassette is mounted into the wiper holder. | 05-15-2014 |
20140132668 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, an ejection detector, and a cleaner. The ejection detector detects ejection or non-ejection of droplets from the head and has an electrode member disposed in an area in which the electrode member is opposable to the head. The cleaner cleans the electrode member after ejection or non-ejection of droplets from nozzles of the head is detected by detection of electric changes of the electrode member generated when the droplets ejected from the nozzles land on the electrode member with a potential difference created between a nozzle face of the head and the electrode member and the nozzle face opposed to the electrode member. The cleaner includes a wiping member to wipe droplets adhering to the electrode member. The wiping member and the electrode member are configured to be relatively moved in parallel to a nozzle array direction to clean the electrode member. | 05-15-2014 |
20140139588 | WIPER UNIT AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - Ratchets which regulate a rotation of either a reeling-out roller around which one end of a long wiping member which wipes ink attached to a recording head which ejects ink is wound, or a winding-up roller around which the other end of the wiping member is wound to which tension is applied due to a friction force which acts on the wiping member when performing wiping are provided. | 05-22-2014 |
20140198154 | WIPING ASSEMBLY FOR A FLUID EJECTION DEVICE - A wiping assembly includes an endless belt and a plurality of rollers about which the belt is mounted. A first roller mounts a first end of the belt adjacent a first end of a belt zone while a second roller is adjacent at an opposite, second end of the belt zone. A third roller mounts a second end of the belt and is located at an intermediate position along a first orientation between the respective first and second ends of the belt zone. The third roller is translatable along the first orientation while the first roller and the second roller are non-translatable along the first orientation. The third roller is biased toward the first end of the belt zone to apply tension on the belt. | 07-17-2014 |
20140198155 | GUIDE FOR A WIPING ASSEMBLY - A wiping assembly includes a pair of guide elements located at opposite ends of a headland region of a fluid ejection assembly to extend in a second orientation generally perpendicular to a first orientation through which the opposite ends extend. Each guide element includes at least one first portion and a second portion. The at least one first portion selectively receives biased releasable engagement from a non-wiping portion of a wiping element extending along the first orientation to cause a wiping portion of the wiping element to be in generally parallel relation to, and spaced apart from, the headland region. The second portion causes the non-wiping portion to no longer be in biased releasable engagement against the guide element and causes the wiping portion to be biased in wiping relation against the headland region. | 07-17-2014 |
20140198156 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE METHOD - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle toward a target which is positioned away from a nozzle forming surface where the nozzle is formed; a wiping member that is capable of wiping the nozzle forming surface; a movement mechanism that relatively moves the liquid ejecting head and the wiping member when wiping is carried out; and a control portion that controls the movement mechanism so as to cause a relative moving velocity between the liquid ejecting head and the wiping member to be lower when wiping is carried out in a case where the liquid is ejected at a second distance of which an opposing distance between the nozzle forming surface and the target is longer than a first distance compared to a case where the liquid is ejected at the first distance of the opposing distance. | 07-17-2014 |
20140210908 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS - An ink jet printing apparatus prints an image by employing a print head capable of ejecting ink through an ejection opening. The ink jet printing apparatus comprises: a blade having a distal end portion which wipes an ejection opening face of the print head where the ejection opening is formed; and a blade cleaner having a face which moves relatively to the bade in a predetermined direction while being in contact with the distal end portion of the blade. The face of the blade cleaner includes a plurality of inclined faces which are located by being shifted in the predetermined direction and inclined in the predetermined direction. The plurality of inclined faces have different inclination angles in the predetermined direction. | 07-31-2014 |
20140218440 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND CLEANING METHOD THEREOF - An embodiment of the present invention provides a wiping method capable of preventing a problem such as color mixing or a discharge failure in a wiping operation during the reciprocating motion of a carriage. According to the embodiment, one or a plurality of orifice arrays out of a plurality of orifice arrays included in a printhead are wiped by making a sheet-like wiping member contact to the orifice surface of the printhead. After that, the wiping member is separated from the orifice surface of the printhead, and the used wiping member is wound. Then, the wiping member is made to contact to the orifice surface of the printhead again, and the next one or more orifice arrays are wiped. | 08-07-2014 |
20140232784 | Inkjet Recording Apparatus - An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion. | 08-21-2014 |
20140247305 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An ink jet recording apparatus has a first discharge port array in which discharge ports of a plurality of nozzles which discharge an ink composition containing an inorganic pigment are disposed side by side, a second discharge port array in which discharge ports of a plurality of nozzles which discharge an ink composition containing a coloring material other than the inorganic pigment are disposed side by side, a nozzle plate having the first discharge port array and the second discharge port array, a liquid repellent film provided on the nozzle plate, a wiping member which wipes the surface of the nozzle plate and has absorbability of the ink composition, in which, in a series of operations in which the surface of the nozzle plate is wiped by the wiping member, the second discharge port array is wiped in priority to the first discharge port array. | 09-04-2014 |
20140253632 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting unit that has a liquid ejecting head moving back and forth in a scanning direction, the liquid ejecting head being provided with a nozzle surface in which nozzles capable of ejecting liquid are formed; a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle surface; a liquid receiving portion that is capable of receiving the liquid ejected through the nozzles; and a maintenance portion that performs maintenance on the liquid ejecting head. Further, a receiving area where the liquid receiving portion is provided is disposed at a position that is adjacent to a wiping area where the wiping portion is provided and is more distanced from a landing area where the liquid ejected through the nozzles toward an ejection target medium lands than the wiping area in the scanning direction. | 09-11-2014 |
20140253633 | LIQUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING DISCHARGE HEAD - There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus which includes a discharge head that includes a nozzle forming surface on which nozzles for discharging liquid are formed; a wiping member that performs wiping by relatively moving on the nozzle forming surface while abutting on the nozzle forming surface; a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies cleaning liquid provided for the wiping; and a control unit that performs reciprocating wiping control which performs the wiping by causing the wiping member for holding the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply unit to perform a reciprocating operation in which, after relative movement is performed in a first direction along the nozzle forming surface, relative movement is performed in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. | 09-11-2014 |
20140253634 | LIQUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING DISCHARGE HEAD - There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus which includes: a discharge head that includes a nozzle forming surface on which nozzles for discharging liquid are formed; a wiping member that performs wiping by relatively moving on the nozzle forming surface in a state in which a wiping surface abuts on the nozzle forming surface; a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies cleaning liquid to a liquid supplied surface which is a different surface from the nozzle forming surface and with which the wiping surface can come into contact; and a control unit that causes the wiping surface to abut on the liquid supplied surface to which the cleaning liquid is supplied, and then causes the wiping surface to relatively move on the nozzle forming surface in a state in which the wiping surface abuts on the nozzle forming surface. | 09-11-2014 |
20140267494 | LIQUID EJECTING DEVICE - A liquid ejecting head is accommodated in a first casing. A supporting section is accommodated in a second casing. The first casing is pivotally movable relative to the second casing about a predetermined axis. Pivotal movement allows the first casing to take a first position at which an ejection surface confronts the supporting section and a second position at which the ejection surface is farther away from the supporting section than at the first position. The predetermined axis is closer to a first side surface than to a second side surface, and extends in parallel with the first side surface. The second side surface is formed with: a first opening through which a first medium tray is inserted or removed; a second opening through which a first tank is inserted or removed; and a third opening through which a waste-liquid tank is inserted or removed. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267495 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - An inkjet printer includes a cleaning unit to be brought into contact with a head lower surface of an ejection head, and a unit movement mechanism for moving the cleaning unit. The cleaning unit includes a base part, a cleaning liquid ejecting part protruding above the base part, and a pair of positioning parts. The positioning parts are brought into contact with a block lower surface of a head fixation block on opposite sides of the cleaning liquid ejecting part to keep an under-head gap for holding the cleaning liquid between the cleaning liquid ejecting part and the head lower surface. Since the positioning parts are spaced from the cleaning liquid ejecting part, it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid that has spread from the under-head gap to the surrounding area from adhering to the block lower surface via the positioning parts. | 09-18-2014 |
20140285573 | CLEANING OF FLUID EJECTION ASSEMBLY - A method includes applying a nominal back pressure to a fluid ejection assembly and nozzles to form a first amount of back pressure therein by a back pressure regulator. The method also includes applying a first pressure to lower the first amount of back pressure within the fluid ejection assembly and the nozzles to form a second amount of back pressure therein by a pressurization module in response to an activation of a cleaning operation. The method also includes moving at least one of the fluid ejection assembly and a wicking member against each other to perform the cleaning operation. The wicking member moves relative to the fluid ejection assembly against and across the nozzle surface to transfer fluid residue from at least one of the nozzle surface and the nozzles to a portion of the wicking member to form a used wicking member portion. | 09-25-2014 |
20140292914 | LIQUID EJECTING HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - An end section part of a cover member is bent across a predetermined length toward a wiping direction, and a bending angle with respect to a plane is between 45° and 80°. When the wiper relatively begins to abut against the end section of the cover member, a top of the wiper first abuts against the bent end section of the cover member and then is gradually bent and wipes a lower surface of the cover member and a surface of a nozzle plate to wipe contamination such as ink. The ink that remains on the wiper is likely to be attached to a vicinity of the bent end section against which the wiper abuts first, but is likely to come off because a water-repellent treatment is performed in both the wiper and the bent end section. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292915 | HEAD CLEANING METHOD AND LIQUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS - In a liquid discharging apparatus that includes a circulation flow path, a head cleaning method includes a first process in which a flow rate of the liquid flowing through the circulation flow path per unit time is set at a first flow rate; a second process in which, after the first process is completed, a wiping unit carries out a wiping operation in a state where the liquid is discharged from the nozzle; a third process in which, after the second process is completed, the wiping unit carries out the wiping operation in a state where the liquid is not discharged from the nozzle; and a fourth process in which, after the third process is completed, a flow rate of the liquid flowing through the circulation flow path per unit time is set at a second flow rate that is lower than the first flow rate. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292916 | HEAD CLEANING METHOD AND LIQUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS - There is provided a head cleaning method in a liquid discharging apparatus which includes a head, a storage section that stores liquid, a circulation flow path that includes a first flow path which supplies the liquid from the storage section to the head and a second flow path which refluxes the liquid from the head to the storage section, a circulation pump, and a wiping section. The head cleaning method includes: a first step of setting a flow rate per unit time of the liquid which flows through the circulation flow path to a first flow rate which is greater than a flow rate in a case in which the liquid is discharged to the recording medium; a second step of the wiping section performing the wiping process after the first step; and a third step of setting the flow rate per unit time of the liquid which flows through the circulation flow path to a second flow rate which is lower than the first flow rate after the second step. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292917 | LIQUID JETTING APPARATUS - A liquid jetting apparatus includes a liquid jetting head having a liquid jetting surface formed with nozzles, a wiping unit wiping the liquid jetting surface of the liquid jetting head, and a drive section configured to move at least one of the wiping unit and the liquid jetting head such that the wiping unit moves relative to the liquid jetting head toward one side in a predetermined direction along the liquid jetting surface. The wiping unit has a first wiping portion and a second wiping portion which are arranged in the predetermined direction with an interval therebetween, and each of which has a leading end configured to contact with the liquid jetting surface, and extends in a direction intersecting the liquid jetting surface, and the leading end of the first wiping portion has a greater surface roughness than that of the leading end of the second wiping portion. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292918 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING HEAD - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head in which a nozzle ejecting liquid onto a recording medium is provided; a first wiping member which performs a first wiping process of wiping off foreign materials adhered to a nozzle opening surface of the head by moving a relative position thereof with respect to the head to the other side from one side in a predetermined direction, in a state of being in contact with the nozzle opening surface; and a second wiping member which performs a second wiping process of removing the foreign materials adhered to a side surface of the head at the other side in the predetermined direction. | 10-02-2014 |
20140292919 | WIPER DEVICE AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A wiper device allows a liquid ejecting head that ejects a dispersion liquid in which solid particles are dispersed in a liquid from nozzles and a wiping member to move relative to each other so as to wipe the dispersion liquid that adheres to a nozzle formation surface using the wiping member. The wiping member includes a first layer positioned on the nozzle formation surface side, and a second layer positioned on the opposite side to the nozzle formation surface with respect to the first layer. The first layer guides liquid droplets which are dispersion media of the dispersion liquid that adheres to the nozzle formation surface to the second layer through a capillary action and has voids that are able to capture and accommodate a dispersoid of the dispersion liquid. The second layer absorbs the dispersion media. | 10-02-2014 |
20140307026 | Printer Inkjet Head Cleaning System for Waste Ink Collection and Inkjet Head Cleaning and Protection - A printer inkjet head cleaning system for waste ink collection and inkjet head cleaning and protection comprises a frame, a pushing device and a cleaning device. An accommodating space is disposed inside the frame. A horizontal rail and an elevating rail are correspondingly disposed on two lateral sides of the frame respectively. A cover used for protecting an inkjet head is disposed on the pushing device. Two sides of the pushing device are movably coupled on the horizontal rails so that the pushing device can displace on the horizontal rails horizontally. A scraper is disposed on the cleaning device. Two sides of the cleaning device are movably coupled on the elevating rails. An end of the cleaning device is connected with the pushing device so that the cleaning device can displace on the elevating rails when the pushing device moves forward and backward. | 10-16-2014 |
20140307027 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection head includes a recording element substrate having an ejection port, a support member having a recessed portion, and supporting the recording element substrate by a bottom portion of the recessed portion, wiring electrically connected to the recording element substrate and extending between the recording element substrate and a side surface of the recessed portion, a sealant with which the wiring is covered, and a passage formed in the support member, and allowing a first region where the sealant is placed, and a second region different from the sealed region to communicate with each other. | 10-16-2014 |
20140340446 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - While a wiping operation for keeping a satisfactory ejection opening surface of an inkjet recording head is performed, a usage amount of a sheet-like member is to be reduced. An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a sheet-like member, a reeling roller that reels the sheet-like member | 11-20-2014 |
20140340447 | LIQUID JETTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING WIPER - There is provided a liquid jetting apparatus including: a liquid jetting head including a liquid jetting surface; a wiper including first and second wiping portions; a moving mechanism; a liquid discharge mechanism; and a controller configured to perform: controlling the moving mechanism to cause the first wiping portion to wipe the liquid jetting surface in a state that the first wiping portion is brought into contact with the liquid jetting surface; controlling the moving mechanism to cause the second wiping portion to wipe the liquid jetting surface in a state that the second wiping portion is brought into contact with the liquid jetting surface; and controlling the liquid jetting head to jet the liquid from the nozzles such that the liquid makes a contact with the second wiping portion to clean the second wiping portion. | 11-20-2014 |
20140368577 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR WIPING UNIT - While a wiping operation for keeping a satisfactory ejection opening surface of an inkjet recording head is performed, a usage amount of a sheet-like member is to be reduced. A contamination state of a wiping area after the wiping operation is determined, and a timing of reeling the sheet-like member in a wiping unit is controlled in accordance with a determination result of the contamination state. | 12-18-2014 |
20150022586 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - In a case in which a cumulative value ΣNure of wetting coefficients is less than a wetting threshold value THNure, printing is carried out on a unit area through a print mode in which an image is completed through a first number of instances of a scan, and in a case in which the cumulative value ΣNure is equal to or greater than the wetting threshold value THNure, printing is carried out on a unit area through a print mode in which an image is completed through a second number of instances of the scan, where the second number is greater than the first number. | 01-22-2015 |
20150029261 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that includes a nozzle formation surface on which a plurality of nozzles which eject a liquid are formed to be lined up in one direction to form nozzle columns, a belt-shaped member that is brought into contact with the nozzle formation surface, and a belt-shaped member contact portion that brings the belt-shaped member into contact with the nozzle formation surface in both a first contact state where the belt-shaped member is brought into contact with a partial area of the nozzle formation surface and a second contact state where the belt-shaped member is in contact with an area corresponding to the nozzle column in a direction along the nozzle column on the nozzle formation surface. | 01-29-2015 |
20150035900 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND WIPING METHOD - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit which includes a nozzle forming surface having nozzle openings for ejecting liquid formed thereon, a wiper which is contactably disposed on the nozzle forming surface, a movement unit which is able to relatively move the liquid ejecting unit and the wiper, and a control unit which controls the movement units such that an interference amount of the wiper and the nozzle forming surface in a position of the wiper which comes in contact with the liquid ejecting unit, is smaller than an interference amount of the wiper and the nozzle forming surface when the wiper is relatively moved through a nozzle region which is a region including the nozzle openings of the nozzle forming surface in a direction along the nozzle forming surface. | 02-05-2015 |
20150042720 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An inkjet printing apparatus comprises a cleaning unit configured to perform a cleaning operation of moving at least one of a printhead and a wiper, and wiping an orifice face including an orifice array of the printhead by the wiper; a detection unit configured to detect relative positions of the printhead and the wiper during the cleaning operation; and a control unit configured to switch between first control of controlling a speed to be constant when the printhead and the wiper are moved, and second control of controlling a driving force to be constant when the printhead and the wiper are moved in accordance with the relative positions detected by the detection unit. | 02-12-2015 |
20150042721 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection unit including a nozzle formation surface in which an opening of a nozzle for ejecting liquid is formed; a wiper disposed so that the wiper can come in contact with the nozzle formation surface; and a liquid collection portion, which is capable of collecting liquid adhered to the wiper, disposed on an end side of the nozzle formation surface of the liquid ejection unit so as to be spaced apart from the nozzle formation surface in a wiping direction. The liquid collection portion includes a scraper having a scraping surface that scrapes off the liquid adhered to the wiper by coming in contact with the wiper, and a liquid absorbing material disposed at a position that does not come in contact with the wiper and at a position that comes in contact with an end portion of the scraping surface. | 02-12-2015 |
20150062242 | INKJET PRINTER - Hitherto, the tip of a wiper blade is always brought into contact with a specific position of an inkjet head, and hence a wear amount of the tip of the wiper blade varies, and the life of the wiper blade is determined depending on cleaning performance at a position where the wear amount is large. Only a part of the wiper blade has a large wear amount, and the life is limited because of the deterioration in cleaning performance. To deal with this, the positions of the wiper blade and the print head are varied in a given area in wiping, to thereby prevent the tip of the wiper blade from being always brought into contact with a specific position of the inkjet head, and prevent a specific portion from being damaged due to a specific cause. | 03-05-2015 |
20150091980 | RECORDING-HEAD RECOVERY SYSTEM, INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME, AND RECORDING-HEAD RECOVERY METHOD - A recording-head recovery system includes a wiper, a drive mechanism, and a control portion. The control portion is capable of performing a recording-head recovery operation which performs successively: a purged ink placing operation in which ink is forcibly pushed out of a ejecting nozzle and the purged ink is placed onto a nozzle region; a ejecting wipe operation in which the purged ink is wiped away by moving the wiper along an ink ejecting surface, applying and spreading the ink over the ink ejecting surface by ejecting the ink from an ejecting nozzle in synchronization with timing when the wiper is passing the nozzle region; and a ejected ink wiping operation in which the ejected ink applied and spread over the ink ejecting surface is wiped away. | 04-02-2015 |
20150116423 | NOZZLE FACE CLEANING DEVICE AND IMAGE RECORDING DEVICE - A nozzle face cleaning device and an image recording device includes: a wiping member; cleaning liquid adding means which adds a cleaning liquid to the wiping member; pressing means that brings the wiping member to which the cleaning liquid has been added, into pressure-contact with a nozzle face; and wiping means which makes the wiping member and an ejection head relatively move, and wipes the nozzle face. A cleaning liquid supply flow channel is opened to the air in a connected portion of the cleaning liquid supply flow channel and a cleaning liquid adding nozzle. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124023 | CLEANING DEVICE FOR LIQUID EJECTING HEAD, AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS WITH THE SAME - The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a cleaning member that is brought into contact with a region including a nozzle face of the liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid from nozzles formed in the nozzle face such that the cleaning member is capable of cleaning the liquid ejecting head, the cleaning member having a pile section in which a plurality of pile elements are raised in a portion of the cleaning member in contact with the region of the liquid ejecting head. | 05-07-2015 |
20150306879 | RECORDING HEAD RECOVERY MECHANISM, INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING HEAD RECOVERY METHOD - A recovery mechanism for a recording head includes a wiper and a drive mechanism. The recovery mechanism performs a residual ink attachment operation of attaching residual ink from a tip of the wiper at a first position. After the residual ink attachment operation, the recovery mechanism performs an ink wiping operation of wiping away the residual ink and purged ink by moving the wiper along an ink discharge surface toward the first position from a second position at an opposite side of a nozzle region relative to the first position. | 10-29-2015 |
20150321478 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE METHOD - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle toward a target which is positioned away from a nozzle forming surface where the nozzle is formed; a wiping member that is capable of wiping the nozzle forming surface; a movement mechanism that relatively moves the liquid ejecting head and the wiping member when wiping is carried out; and a control portion that controls the movement mechanism so as to cause a relative moving velocity between the liquid ejecting head and the wiping member to be lower when wiping is carried out in a case where the liquid is ejected at a second distance of which an opposing distance between the nozzle forming surface and the target is longer than a first distance compared to a case where the liquid is ejected at the first distance of the opposing distance. | 11-12-2015 |
20150328897 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE THEREOF - A maintenance method of an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording of images on a recording medium using a non-aqueous ink, in which the ink jet recording apparatus includes a nozzle forming surface in which nozzles that discharge the non-aqueous ink are provided; and a wiping member with liquid absorbency, the method including wiping the nozzle forming surface with the wiping member using an impregnating solution, and in which the impregnating solution contains at least one organic solvent selected from a group consisting of compounds represented by the following General Formula (I), esters, and dibasic acid esters. | 11-19-2015 |
20150352847 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTING HEAD, AND CONTROL METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A flushing process is performed in which a nozzle surface of a recording head is wiped with a wiper and then an ejecting operation is performed by driving an actuator with a flushing pulse within 3.5 [s]. The flushing pulse in the flushing process is preferably a driving waveform which does not actively draw a meniscus in the nozzle toward a pressure chamber side, and makes the ink be ejected from the nozzle by extruding the meniscus toward an ejecting side. | 12-10-2015 |
20150352848 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus capable of suppressing ink from remaining on a nozzle surface. | 12-10-2015 |
20150360471 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTING HEAD, AND CONTROL METHOD OF LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - When a length of a central axis direction of a straight part is L [μm], and a floating speed of a bubble set according to a diameter d of a nozzle, a density ρ of ink, and the diameter r of the bubble is Vr [μm/s], a flushing process is performed by driving an actuator with a flushing pulse within (L+5)/Vr [s] after a nozzle surface is wiped with a wiper so as to perform an ejecting operation. The flushing pulse in the flushing process is preferably a driving waveform which does not actively draw a meniscus in the nozzle toward a pressure chamber side from the initial position, and makes the ink be ejected from the nozzle by extruding the meniscus toward an ejecting side. | 12-17-2015 |
20150367646 | VARIABLE FORCE WIPER FOR MAINTENANCE STATION OF IMAGING DEVICE - A wiper for a maintenance station of an imaging device, including a foundational body that attaches to the maintenance station and a blade on top of the foundational body for scraping fluid and debris from a printhead of the imaging device, the blade being formed of a flexible material having two terminal sections and a central section defining a longitudinal extent of the blade, wherein each of the two terminal sections connects to the foundational body with a thicker expanse of the flexible material compared to the central section that connects to the body with a thinner expanse of the flexible material. | 12-24-2015 |
20160023467 | PRINTING HEAD MODULE - A printing head module includes a bracket, a plurality of printing heads, a pivot shaft, a wiper unit, and a control unit. The bracket includes a plurality of through holes. The printing heads are parallely aligned with each other, each of the printing heads a nozzle for extruding the modeling material. The pivot shaft connected to the bracket is adapted to rotate the printing heads to a target position. The wiper unit includes a holder, a plurality of wipers, and a wiper opener. The holder is connected to the pivot shaft to be rotated with the bracket and the printing heads. The wipers rotatably connected to the holder and disposed correspondingly to the openings. The wiper opener is disposed at the target position to interfere with the wiper rotated to the target position, so as to drive the corresponding wiper to rotate to the opening position. | 01-28-2016 |
20160031219 | INKJET IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CLEANING METHOD FOR INKJET IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An inkjet image forming apparatus includes inkjet heads each of which has two or more nozzle rows from which ink of different colors is injected (each of the nozzle rows includes nozzle holes), a wipe unit that includes wipers and carries out a wipe process to wipe away ink remained on a surface on which the nozzle rows are formed by the wipers, and a flush unit that carries out a flush process after the wipe process by injecting ink from nozzle holes into which ink of different color from color of ink that is injected from the nozzle holes flows during the wipe process. According to the apparatus, an amount of ink consumed in the flush process can be reduced and a replacement cycle of a mist-absorbing material for absorbing ink mists generated during the flush process can be prolonged. | 02-04-2016 |
20160031220 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE METHOD - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit which has an opening face to which nozzles are open; a wiping member which can wipe off the opening face; and a movement mechanism which relatively moves the liquid ejecting unit and the wiping member in a wiping direction, in which as a wiping operation in which wiping of the opening face is performed by relatively moving the liquid ejecting unit and the wiping member at a speed, and it is possible to execute a movement operation in which the liquid ejecting unit and the wiping member are caused to relatively move in a state in which the liquid ejecting unit and the wiping member do not come into contact with each other at a speed higher than the speed. | 02-04-2016 |
20160031221 | PRINTHEAD CLEANING ASSEMBLY - System and methods for cleaning printheads and printhead wipers. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes a belt configured to rotate in a loop, and a wiper attached to the belt configured to wipe ink from a printhead. The apparatus also includes a tank configured as a reservoir for a cleaning solution, and a controller configured to drive the belt so that an end of the wiper drags across the printhead when in an upper portion of the loop and submerges in the cleaning solution of the tank when in a lower portion of the loop. | 02-04-2016 |
20160039207 | Inkjet head storage and cleaning - Inkjet head cleaning and storage includes cleaning an orifice plate by inserting a tip of a shaped wiper into a slit of a printing mask, such that one or more shoulders of a handling end of the shaped wiper are in contact with respectively one or more edges of the slit. The shoulders of the shaped wiper facilitate the tip applying a predetermined pressure to an orifice surface during wiping. Preventing sediment buildup during extended periods of non-printing includes placing at least the orifice plate of the printing head in a protecting liquid that avoids evaporation of the volatile liquid from the nozzles. An innovative “night plate” can be used to seal the slit of a printing mask and ink purged from the printing head used to fill a gap between the printing head and the mask, thereby covering at least the orifice plate with purged ink. | 02-11-2016 |
20160046128 | INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS - An ink-jet recording apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a recording portion, a wipe unit, a cleaning mechanism, a wipe moving-up/down mechanism, a transfer surface moving mechanism, and a control portion. The wipe unit has a wipe blade that wipes purged ink that is forcibly discharged from an ejecting nozzle. The cleaning mechanism has a cleaning member onto which ink adhering to a tip end surface of the wipe blade is transferred. The control portion controls the wipe moving-up/down mechanism to force the wipe blade to repeat contacting and leaving a plurality of times the transfer surface of the cleaning member substantially vertically to remove the ink present on the tip end surface of the wipe blade, and controls the transfer surface moving mechanism in such a manner that the tip end surface of the wipe blade contacts a clean portion of the transfer surface. | 02-18-2016 |
20160052279 | PRINTING DEVICE - A printing device able to suppress the leakage of head fluid is provided. The printing device includes: a print head having an ejection opening face on which are formed ejection openings that eject ink; a wiper that wipes the ejection opening face; a holding member that holds head fluid; a transfer member that transfers the head fluid held in the holding member to the wiper; and a switching unit configured to switch between a communicating state in which the holding member and the transfer member communicate, and a non-communicating state in which the holding member and the transfer member do not communicate. | 02-25-2016 |
20160052280 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head in which a plurality of head units which eject an ink from a nozzle which is formed in an ejection surface are arranged, and a brush which includes a plurality of bristle members for cleaning a gap which is formed by the head units which are adjacent to each other. | 02-25-2016 |
20160052281 | PRINTER - A printer includes a head portion, a wiper, a wiper support portion, an urging portion, an inclined portion, an engagement portion, and a guide wall portion. The head portion includes a nozzle surface including a nozzle configured to eject liquid. The nozzle surface extends in a first direction and an orthogonal direction. The wiper is configured to contact with the nozzle surface. The wiper support portion supports the wiper. The urging portion is configured to urge the wiper in a second direction. The first protrusion portion is provided on the wiper support portion. The inclined portion is configured to move the wiper between a contact position and a separated position in accordance with movement of the inclined portion. The engagement portion is configured to engage with the first protrusion portion. The guide wall portion is configured to guide the movement of the wiper. | 02-25-2016 |
20160089888 | LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS - There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus, including: a liquid discharge head; a wiper; a wiper cleaner cleaning a liquid adhering to a first surface of the wiper and including a first contact part, which makes contact with the first surface of the wiper, and a second contact part, which is disposed to face the first contact part and makes contact with the second surface of the wiper; a movement mechanism moving the wiper and the wiper cleaner relative to each other, and a space expansion part expanding a space between the first contact part and the second contact part. | 03-31-2016 |
20160096371 | SUPPLY FLUID FROM A FLUID CHAMBER TO A POROUS WIPE MATERIAL TO WIPE A PRINTHEAD - A cleaning module includes an actuator device, a fluid chamber, and a wiper member. The actuator device may enter an activation state based on a movement of at least a portion of the actuator device in response to an engagement with the printhead. The fluid chamber may store and supply fluid to the porous wipe material in response to the activation state of the actuator device. The wiper member may apply pressure to a porous wipe material including the fluid therein to wipe the printhead. | 04-07-2016 |
20160101626 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that includes a nozzle formation surface on which a plurality of nozzles which eject a liquid are formed to be lined up in one direction to form nozzle columns, a belt-shaped member that is brought into contact with the nozzle formation surface, and a belt-shaped member contact portion that brings the belt-shaped member into contact with the nozzle formation surface in both a first contact state where the belt-shaped member is brought into contact with a partial area of the nozzle formation surface and a second contact state where the belt-shaped member is in contact with an area corresponding to the nozzle column in a direction along the nozzle column on the nozzle formation surface. | 04-14-2016 |
20160114586 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head that has an ink discharge surface and that discharges ink onto a recording medium, a wiper blade that cleans the ink discharge surface of the recording head, and a controller. The controller causes the wiper blade to wipe ink off the ink discharge surface by causing the wiper blade to be pushed against the ink discharge surface and move in a predetermined movement direction. The wiper blade includes a protrusion protruding in the predetermined movement direction. The protrusion has an ink retaining surface that faces the ink discharge surface at a predetermined distance while the wiper blade wipes ink off the ink discharge surface. | 04-28-2016 |
20160114587 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head having an ink discharge surface, a wiper blade that cleans the ink discharge surface of the recording head, and a controller. The controller causes the wiper blade to wipe ink off the ink discharge surface by causing the wiper blade to be pushed against the ink discharge surface and move. The wiper blade includes an ink carrying surface and a protrusion having an ink retaining surface. The ink retaining surface inclines at a predetermined angle relative to the ink carrying surface and is connected to the ink carrying surface. The ink retaining surface curves such that a distance from the ink retaining surface toward a tip end of the wiper blade increases from a central part toward opposite ends of the wiper blade in a width direction of the wiper blade. | 04-28-2016 |
20160129694 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND WIPING METHOD THEREOF - There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting unit that has a nozzle row configured to have a plurality of nozzles lined up along a first direction, and a wiping portion that moves in a second direction intersecting the first direction such that the liquid ejecting unit is wiped, in which the liquid ejecting unit includes a plurality of nozzle rows configured to have space therebetween in the second direction, a convex portion placed between the nozzle rows in the second direction, and flat portions placed at both sides of the convex portion in the first direction, and the wiping portion wipes at a first relative travel speed to collect liquid attached to the liquid ejecting unit to the flat portion, and then wipes at a second relative travel speed faster than the first relative travel speed to move liquid attached to the flat portion. | 05-12-2016 |
20160129695 | WIPER DEVICE AND FLUID EJECTION DEVICE - A wiper device of a printer has four wiper units arranged in a line to wipe the nozzle faces of an inkjet head. Each wiper unit has a first intermittent gear and a second intermittent gear which sequentially mesh with first and second drive gears and sequentially transverse axis X a wiping operation and a cleaning operation. The wipers move vertically to the nozzle faces. A wiper cleaner lever rocks between a closed position covering the wiper and an open position not touching the wiper, moves through a path not interfering with the wiper in an opening operation, and through a path wiping the wiper and removing ink and other accretions from the wiper in a closing operation. | 05-12-2016 |
20160136959 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion provided with a nozzle opening area in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting liquid onto a medium are open; and a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle opening area in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, in which the nozzle opening area includes a first wiping target area and a second wiping target area which are at different positions in a direction intersecting with the first direction, and the wiping portion wipes the first wiping target area in the first direction, and wipes the second wiping target area in the second direction. | 05-19-2016 |
20160152031 | RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR RECORDING HEAD AND INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME | 06-02-2016 |
20160152032 | METHOD OF MAINTAINING PRINTHEADS USING WIPERS MOVING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS | 06-02-2016 |
20160159097 | INK-JET PRINTER WITH WIPER ASSEMBLY - An ink jet printer with a print assembly includes an ink jet print head, the print assembly configured to be movable between a first position in which print head is positioned over a substrate to be printed upon and a second position in which the print head is positioned away from the substrate. The print head purges ink at the second position. A wiper assembly is positioned between the first position and the second position of the print assembly. The wiper assembly has a first orientation in which the wiper assembly does not contact the print head when the print assembly moves between the first position and the second position. The wiper assembly has a second orientation in which the wiper assembly contacts the print head when the print assembly moves between the second position and the first position. A fluid distribution device provides fluid to clean the wiper assembly. | 06-09-2016 |
20160167387 | PRINT DEVICE | 06-16-2016 |
20160185121 | RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR RECORDING HEAD AND INK-JET RECORDING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A recovery system for a recording head according to the present disclosure includes a wiper, a drive mechanism, and a control portion. The control portion is able to execute a recovery operation for a recording head that includes a first ink pushing-out operation that forcibly pushes out ink, a first wiping operation that wipes away purged ink, and a second wiping operation that moves the wiper in a direction opposite to the first direction. The wiper includes a first wiping surface, a second wiping surface, and an upper surface. The upper surface is provided with a first step portion that becomes higher from a first upper end portion of the first wiping surface to a second upper end portion of the second wiping surface. | 06-30-2016 |
20160193840 | STORE WEB MATERIAL IN A MULTI-FOLDED STATE | 07-07-2016 |
20160193841 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS | 07-07-2016 |
20160375702 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a medium supporting unit which supports a medium that is transported along a transport path; a liquid ejecting head which includes a nozzle for ejecting liquid onto a medium that is supported by the medium supporting unit; a heating part which heats the medium; and a space forming member which forms a closed space at which the nozzle is opened. The space forming member is configured to move between a space forming position in which the space forming member is disposed when forming the closed space, and a retracted position which is further separated from the heating part than the space forming position. | 12-29-2016 |
20170232750 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS | 08-17-2017 |
20190143701 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS | 05-16-2019 |