Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a setting portion on which a recording medium is set; a feeder which feeds the recording medium from the setting portion in a feed direction; a recording head which ejects ink so that an image is recorded on the recording medium fed by the feeder; a gap changing device which changes a gap between the recording head and the recording medium; a judgment portion which judges a setting direction of the recording medium on the setting portion; and a changing control portion which controls the gap changing device to change the gap between the recording head and the recording medium, according to the judged setting direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall. The ink cartridge also includes an ink chamber, an ink supply portion extending from the first wall in a first direction, and a communication path coupled to the ink supply portion and to the ink chamber. The ink cartridge includes a third wall which is substantially perpendicular to each of the first wall and the second wall, and a fourth wall which is substantially perpendicular to the first wall, the second wall and the third wall. The third wall has a recess formed therein, and the recess extends from the first wall towards the second wall in a second direction opposite the first direction. A plane which is parallel to the first direction and the fourth wall intersects at least a portion of the recess and at least a portion of the communication path.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer according to an aspect, a print head includes a nozzle and ejects ink through the nozzle. A maintenance unit performs a maintenance operation to recover an ejection state of the nozzle. A sealing unit selectively exposes and seals the nozzle. A first timer unit measures a sealing time when the sealing unit seals the nozzle. A second timer unit measures an exposing time when the sealing unit exposes the nozzle. A dryness obtaining unit obtains a dryness level of the nozzle based on the sealing time and the exposing time. A limit level storing unit stores a predetermined dryness level as a limit level. A control unit activates the maintenance unit when the obtained dryness level is equal to or above the limit level.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a cartridge body including an ink storage chamber and a wall having an ink introduction hole formed therethrough. The ink introduction hole is configured to receive an ink supply tube of an inkjet printer when the ink cartridge is mounted to the inkjet printer, and the ink supply tube is configured to communicate with an ink supply channel of the inkjet printer via a communication path. The ink cartridge also includes a first valve member configured to selectively open and close the ink introduction hole, and a first urging member configured to apply a first force to the first valve member to urge the first valve member to close the ink introduction hole. The first valve member includes a valve body configured to receive a second force from the ink supply tube when the ink cartridge is mounted to the inkjet printer. The second force urges the first valve member to open the ink introduction hole, and the second force is greater than the first force.

Abstract: A feeder device for feeding media sheets along a feed path, including: (a) an accommodator for accommodating the media sheets; (b) a feed mechanism including (b-1) a roller that is to be held in contact with the media sheets accommodated in the accommodator and (b-2) a motor that is controllable based on a variable so as to rotate the roller, so that the media sheets can be fed along the feed path by the roller; (c) a detector operable to detect an amount of rotation of the roller or the motor; (d) a controller operable to adjust the variable on the basis of the amount of rotation detected by the detector such that feed movement of each media sheet can be achieved substantially as desired; (e) a monitor operable to monitor the variable that is adjusted by the controller; and (f) a media-related information obtainer operable to obtain information related to the media sheets fed by the feed mechanism, based on the actual value of the adjusted variable monitored by the monitor.

Abstract: An ink cartridge loading device has: a casing, a door, and a guiding member. The casing has a chamber that accommodates an ink cartridge, and an opening communicated with the chamber for loading and unloading the ink cartridge therethrough. The door is provided at the casing. The door is movable between a first position and a second position. The door closes the opening at the first position. The door opens the opening at the second position. The guiding member is provided on the door. The guiding member partially guides the ink cartridge from the chamber through the opening to outside when the door moves from the first position to the second position. The guiding member supports the ink cartridge together with the door when the door is at the second position. The guiding member guides the ink cartridge into the chamber when the door moves from the second position to the first position.

Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall. The ink cartridge also includes an ink chamber, an ink supply portion extending from the first wall in a first direction, and a communication path coupled to the ink supply portion and to the ink chamber. The ink cartridge includes a third wall which is substantially perpendicular to each of the first wall and the second wall, and a fourth wall which is substantially perpendicular to the first wall, the second wall and the third wall. The third wall has a recess formed therein, and the recess extends from the first wall towards the second wall in a second direction opposite the first direction. A plane which is parallel to the first direction and the fourth wall intersects at least a portion of the recess and at least a portion of the communication path.

Abstract: A discharge roller for discharging a sheet member having a predetermined width includes a shaft member and a pair of support members. The shaft member extends in a longitudinal direction. The pair of support members are disposed on the shaft member. One end of each support member in the longitudinal direction has a diameter equal to that of the shaft member. The other end of each support member has a diameter larger than that of the shaft member.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an accommodation section, an image recording section, an outer arcuate guide member, an inner arcuate guide member, and a feeding section. Recording media are stacked on the accommodation section. The image recording section forms an image on a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction. The outer arcuate guide member connects in a U-shape the accommodation section with the image recording section. The outer arcuate guide member guides the recording medium from a downstream end portion of the accommodation section to an insertion port of the image recording section. The inner arcuate guide member is disposed to be separate from the outer arcuate guide member. A passage is defined between the outer arcuate guide member and the inner arcuate guide member. The passage allows the recording medium to displace in a thickness direction thereof.

Abstract: A recorder includes a housing and a key entry area, which is adjacent to the front end of the housing. The recorder also includes a recording unit for recording on a sheet of paper. The distance between the front end of the housing and the recording unit is equal to or longer than the length between the top of a cut sheet of letter size and the bottom of the print area in the cut sheet of letter size. The recorder further includes a tray fitted to the bottom of the housing to receive a sheet of paper fed from the recording unit. At least while the recorder is recording on a cut sheet of letter size being fed to the recording unit, the front end of the sheet does not protrude, through the space between the housing and the tray, from the front end of the housing. If the sheet end protruded, it would interfere with the operator's key entry operation.

Abstract: A key switch device including a key top including a first holding portion and a second holding portion; a holding member including a third holding portion in confrontation with the first holding portion and a fourth holding portion in confrontation with the second holding portion, the holding member formed with an open portion adjacent to at least one of the third holding member and fourth holding member; and a scissor-like guide support member disposed between the key top and the holding member and including a first link member supported by the first holding portion and the fourth holding portion, a second link member supported by the second holding portion and the third holding portion, and a shaft portion pivotally supporting the first link member and the second link member, the guide support member guiding the key top in a vertical direction by switching between an open-scissor condition and a closed-scissor condition according to scissor-like movements of the first link member and second link member pivo

Abstract: A carrying handle includes an opening section provided in the vicinity for electronic equipment of a front face nearly at a central part, in a width-wise direction, of the bottom of a body casing of the equipment. A rib wall extends from the rear side of an open edge of the opening section towards the back side of the keyboard in the body casing, and extends towards the front of the body casing, to cover the opening. A partition wall protrudes from the bottom of the lower cover in the body casing, to enclose a part before the rib wall. A handle section within the front side of the open edge of the opening extends as a circular arc in cross-section into the body. Preferably, these components are molded of a plastic material in one body.