Abstract: A printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage chamber, a first communicating portion through which an ink tank communicates with the storage chamber, a second communicating portion through which a printhead is communicates with the storage chamber, and side walls arranged facing each other so as to form a channel in which ink flows from a side of the first communicating portion to a side of the second communicating portion in the storage chamber. The storage chamber includes a first space, and a second space located closer to the side of the second communicating portion than the first space, in which a distance between the side walls is set larger than in the first space. The apparatus includes a detecting unit arranged in the second space and detecting a liquid surface of ink.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a first holding unit configured to hold an ink cartridge, and capable of moving between a first position which allows attachment and detachment of the ink cartridge and a second position which allows to supply ink from the ink cartridge to an ink passage in an apparatus body; a first biasing unit configured to bias the first holding unit in a first direction from the second position toward the first position; a restricting unit configured to restrict movement of the first holding unit at the second poson in the first direction; and a second holding unit configured to move as the first holding unit moves, and hold the ink cartridge at the second position by sandwiching the ink cartridge between the second holding unit and the first holding unit.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink passage member capable of supplying ink from an ink storage unit to a carriage, a passage connecting member capable of connecting the ink passage member to a recording head, an operating member capable of switching the passage connecting member between a connection state where the ink passage member is connected to the recording head and a disconnection state where the ink passage member is disconnected from the recording head, and an operating-member regulating member regulating the operating member. The operating-member regulating member is capable of switching the operating member between a state where switching to the disconnection state by the operating member is permitted and a state where this switching is prevented.

Abstract: There are provided an inkjet printing apparatus and a wiping method which are capable of reducing the load on a wiper. A wetting liquid retaining unit 140 including a transferring portion 221 making contact with the wiper 120 to transfer the wetting liquid is moved to a first position where contact with the wiper is possible and a second position where contact with the wiper is impossible. Drag generated by movement of the wiper 120 does not act on it and the transferring portion 221 can make contact with the wiper 120 in the Z direction (vertical direction). So, while the wiper 120 is not almost acted upon by drag in the thickness direction (Y direction) and the width direction (X direction) and rubbing against the transferring portion, the wetting liquid can be transferred with drag in the height direction (Z direction) alone in which relatively flexible deformation is allowed.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink passage member capable of supplying ink from an ink storage unit to a carriage, a passage connecting member capable of connecting the ink passage member to a recording head, an operating member capable of switching the passage connecting member between a connection state where the ink passage member is connected to the recording head and a disconnection state where the ink passage member is disconnected from the recording head, and an operating-member regulating member regulating the operating member. The operating-member regulating member is capable of switching the operating member between a state where switching to the disconnection state by the operating member is permitted and a state where this switching is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention suppresses deformation of a cap that protects a recording head when a negative pressure is generated, thereby enabling an appropriate capping operation. An ink jet recording apparatus includes a cap having a bottom, the bottom facing an ejection port surface of a recording head, and a side wall surrounding the bottom, the ejection port surface having ejection ports; and a retaining member configured to retain the cap on the inkjet recording apparatus. A restricting member that covers the bottom is provided inside the side wall of the cap, and the restricting member is fixed to the retaining member.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink passage member capable of supplying ink from an ink storage unit to a carriage, a passage connecting member capable of connecting the ink passage member to a recording head, an operating member capable of switching the passage connecting member between a connection state where the ink passage member is connected to the recording head and a disconnection state where the ink passage member is disconnected from the recording head, and an operating-member regulating member regulating the operating member. The operating-member regulating member is capable of switching the operating member between a state where switching to the disconnection state by the operating member is permitted and a state where this switching is prevented.

Abstract: Even if a liquid is attached and solidified on a peripheral surface of a coating roller, application of the liquid on a medium is uniformly performed. At least a part of contacting member is separated from the coating roller and the coating roller is rotated in a second direction as a reverse direction to a first direction to pull out the liquid from a liquid retaining space onto the coating roller. Next, by interrupting the above separation and rotating the coating roller in the first direction, a liquid reservoir is formed in the periphery of a contacting portion between the coating roller and the contacting member.

Abstract: A liquid application mechanism includes a liquid application unit that applies liquid to an application medium, and a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid to the liquid application unit from a storage unit. The liquid supply unit recovers a portion of the liquid to the storage unit, the portion of the liquid being a portion that has been supplied to the liquid application unit and has not been applied to the application medium. At a bottom portion of the storage unit, a plurality of trap space sections separated from each other by ribs are formed. The trap space sections have continuous rectangular shapes, and are open upward in the direction opposite to gravity. The rib height of the trap space sections is equal to or greater than 3 mm, and the rib interval of the trap space sections is in the range from 2 mm to 10 mm.

Abstract: In a liquid ejection recording apparatus including a recording head capable of ejecting liquid and a cap capable of coming into contact with an ejection-port-formed surface, the recording head is caused to eject liquid from the recording head on to at least part (cap ribs) of the cap which comes into contact with the ejection-port-formed surface before bringing the cap into contact with the ejection-port-formed surface of the recording head.

Abstract: The present invention suppresses deformation of a cap that protects a recording head when a negative pressure is generated, thereby enabling an appropriate capping operation. An ink jet recording apparatus includes a cap having a bottom, the bottom facing an ejection port surface of a recording head, and a side wall surrounding the bottom, the ejection port surface having ejection ports; and a retaining member configured to retain the cap on the inkjet recording apparatus. A restricting member that covers the bottom is provided inside the side wall of the cap, and the restricting member is fixed to the retaining member.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink passage member capable of supplying ink from an ink storage unit to a carriage, a passage connecting member capable of connecting the ink passage member to a recording head, an operating member capable of switching the passage connecting member between a connection state where the ink passage member is connected to the recording head and a disconnection state where the ink passage member is disconnected from the recording head, and an operating-member regulating member regulating the operating member. The operating-member regulating member is capable of switching the operating member between a state where switching to the disconnection state by the operating member is permitted and a state where this switching is prevented.

Abstract: There are provided an inkjet printing apparatus and a wiping method which are capable of reducing the load on a wiper. A wetting liquid retaining unit 140 including a transferring portion 221 making contact with the wiper 120 to transfer the wetting liquid is moved to a first position where contact with the wiper is possible and a second position where contact with the wiper is impossible. Drag generated by movement of the wiper 120 does not act on it and the transferring portion 221 can make contact with the wiper 120 in the Z direction (vertical direction). So, while the wiper 120 is not almost acted upon by drag in the thickness direction (Y direction) and the width direction (X direction) and rubbing against the transferring portion, the wetting liquid can be transferred with drag in the height direction (Z direction) alone in which relatively flexible deformation is allowed.

Abstract: Even if a liquid is attached and solidified on a peripheral surface of a coating roller, application of the liquid on a medium is uniformly performed. At least a part of contacting member is separated from the coating roller and the coating roller is rotated in a second direction as a reverse direction to a first direction to pull out the liquid from a liquid retaining space onto the coating roller. Next, by interrupting the above separation and rotating the coating roller in the first direction, a liquid reservoir is formed in the periphery of a contacting portion between the coating roller and the contacting member.

Abstract: A liquid application mechanism includes a liquid application unit that applies liquid to an application medium, and a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid to the liquid application unit from a storage unit. The liquid supply unit recovers a portion of the liquid to the storage unit, the portion of the liquid being a portion that has been supplied to the liquid application unit and has not been applied to the application medium. At a bottom portion of the storage unit, a plurality of trap space sections separated from each other by ribs are formed. The trap space sections have continuous rectangular shapes, and are open upward in the direction opposite to gravity. The rib height of the trap space sections is equal to or greater than 3 mm, and the rib interval of the trap space sections is in the range from 2 mm to 10 mm.

Abstract: A self-lighting type push-button input device according to the presently disclosed subject matter can include a button base portion formed of a transparent material. Holes can be formed in predetermined positions of the button base portion, and spring portions can be formed integrally with the holes by molding transparent silicone rubber with a light diffusing agent incorporated therein. The button base portion serves as a light conducting portion, and the spring portions can uniformly diffuse the light distributed thereto by the light conducting portion, whereby lighting can be effected by a reduced number of light sources, effecting a reduction of size and cost.

Abstract: In conventional self-lighting type push-button input devices there is adopted a construction wherein push-button portions and a base plate are formed using the same material. Since a light conducting function cannot be expected of the base plate, it is necessary to provide the same number of lamps as the number of push-button portions, with consequent increase of size and cost. In a self-lighting type push-button input device according to the present invention, a button base portion can be formed of a transparent material, holes can be formed in predetermined positions of the button base portion, and spring portions can be formed integrally with the holes by molding with use of transparent silicone rubber with a light diffusing agent incorporated therein.

Abstract: A twin belt continuous casting machine for producing thin slabs includes a pair of belts and a pair of edge dams for forming a metal pool, which are movable in the transverse direction of the belt. A plurality of cooling/heating chambers partitioned in the transverse direction of the belt are provided on the rear surface of the belt in the vicinity of respective side end portions of the belts. A plurality of supporting members which are capable of pressing the rear surface of the belt are respectively provided in the plurality of cooling/heating chambers. The movement of the edge dams is synchronized with the operation of the plurality of supporting members. A fluid introduced into each of the cooling/heating chambers is changed into a heating fluid or a cooling fluid in synchronism with the movement of the edge dams.

Abstract: A continuous casting mold having the wall thickness of each of parts corresponding to a point where molten steel begins to solidify during continuous casting is arranged to be locally thinner than other parts of the mold. High frequency oscillation is applied to the locally thinned parts to vibrate them to a sufficient amplitude to prevent the seizure of a cast steel piece from taking place due to the heat thereof for improvement in the surface quality thereof.

Abstract: Process for continuous casting of a steel slab free from surface defects, which comprises oscillating a mold under an oscillation condition which restricts the deformation of a meniscus portion of a strand shell so as to prevent oscillation defects.