Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090284563 | Ink jet printer having ink maintenance system - An ink jet printer is provided with an ink circulation route in which are arranged an ink jet head for ejecting ink, a first tank for supplying ink to the ink jet head, a second tank for collecting ink which is not consumed by the ink jet heads. The ink jet printer comprises a measuring unit operable to obtain a value indicative of the flow resistance measured when ink flows the first tank to the second tank through the ink jet head; and a control unit operable to select one of maintenance operations on the basis of the value indicative of the flow resistance as obtained. Particularly, when the value indicative of the flow resistance as obtained is lower than a predetermined value, the control unit selects the operation of circulating ink around the ink circulation route as the one of maintenance operations, and the maintenance unit does not perform the maintenance operation which consumes some amount of ink. By this configuration, it is possible to perform maintenance in accordance with the ink viscosity by a simple structure. | 11-19-2009 |
20100315451 | INKJET IMAGE FORMER - A controller works with a measure of temperature of ink at a temperature sensor within a first temperature range to have an inkjet head propel out droplets of ink at a first discharge speed for formation of images, and with a measure of temperature of ink at the temperature sensor within a second temperature range lower than the first temperature range to have the inkjet head propel out droplets of ink at a second discharge speed greater than the first discharge speed for formation of images, and the controller determines that end regions of a frame of images to be formed in regions at transfer-longitudinal ends of a sheet to be transferred in a sheet transfer system have a print ratio within a prescribed range, to execute formation of images. | 12-16-2010 |
20110085004 | INKJET PRINTING APPARATUS - An inkjet printing apparatus includes: an array of inkjet heads; a set of heating elements each in a corresponding one of the inkjet heads and each configured to heat ink; an ink circulation route configured to circulate ink through the inkjet heads; an inlet thermometer configured to measure, as first temperatures, ink temperatures of ink each flowing into a corresponding one of the inkjet heads; an outlet thermometer configured to measure, as second temperatures, ink temperatures of ink each flowing out of a corresponding one of the inkjet heads; a heating unit configured to heat ink being circulated; and a controller configured to work with a temperature difference between a first temperature and a second temperature for each same inkjet head to determine allocation of an available power for heating ink to the heating elements and the heating unit. | 04-14-2011 |
20110242155 | INKJET PRINTER EMPLOYING INK CIRCULATION SYSTEM - An inkjet printer employing an ink circulation system includes an ink temperature adjusting unit configured to adjust temperatures of circulating ink. The ink temperature adjusting unit includes: a first temperature-adjusting path for cooling ink connected to a first ink circulation path and a second ink circulation path; and a second temperature-adjusting path for heating ink connected to the second ink circulation path separately from the first temperature-adjusting path, connected to the first ink circulation path while joining the first temperature-adjusting path, and having a larger flow path resistance than that of the first temperature-adjusting path at least on a side near the first ink circulation path. | 10-06-2011 |
20120019590 | INKJET PRINTER AND INKJET HEAD MAINTENANCE METHOD - An inkjet printer | 01-26-2012 |