Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A fixing unit and an image forming apparatus including the fixing unit. The fixing unit includes a heating roller having an internal space in which a heating source is disposed and a pressurizing roller facing the heating roller. The heating roller has a circular hollow pipe shape and includes a fixing nip forming part which forms a fixing nip between the fixing nip forming part and the pressurizing roller. The nip forming part can have a slim part disposed at a center thereof and a pair of deformation preventing parts formed at both ends of the slim part, each deformation preventing part having a thickness thicker than a thickness of the slim part.

Abstract: A surface heating type heating unit for a fixing device, and a fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the same. The surface heating type heating unit includes a planar heating element on an outer circumferential surface of a supporter having cylindrical shape, a power feeding terminal at each end of the supporter, and a connector disposed between the planar heating element and the power feeding terminal. The connector is formed on a first region on the power feeding terminal, and includes an adhesive material for adhering the planar heating element and the power feeding terminal, and a conductive material formed on a second region of the power feeding terminal excluding the first region.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge which ejects an ink, a chamber having an inlet unit which inhales a fog generated when the ink is ejected from the cartridge and an outlet unit which exhales the inhaled fog, an air pressure generating unit which is connected to the chamber to generate an air pressure to inhale and exhale the fog from the chamber, and a valve unit which selectively opens and closes the inlet unit and the outlet unit by the air pressure which is generated in the air pressure generating unit.

Abstract: A wiper, a cleaning device, and an inkjet image forming device including the wiper and the cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a carrier moving in a lengthwise direction of a nozzle unit, the length of the nozzle unit corresponding to a width of a printing medium, a driving element moving the carrier forwards and backwards, and a wiper mounted on the carrier and removing ink adhered to the nozzle unit, wherein the wiper includes a belt member which is supported by a plurality of pulleys and circularly moves along a predetermined path and a cleaning member which is attached to an outer circumference of the belt member and removes the ink adhered to the nozzle unit while rotating in contact with the nozzle unit. Accordingly, an absorption capacity of the wiper is increased using the belt type wiper. Furthermore, since the absorption capacity of the wiper is increased, a replacement cycle for replacing the wiper is extended, thereby increasing the life span of the wiper.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus including an inkjet head including a nozzle portion having a length in a main scanning direction that is at least the same as a width of a paper to be fed therein, a platen to move between a printing position facing the nozzle portion and to support a rear surface of paper and a maintenance position that is apart from the printing position in a sub-scanning direction, and including a receiving portion to receive waste ink, a waste ink container, and a pumping unit to operate by linking with a moving operation of the platen to pump the waste ink from the receiving portion to the waste ink container.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes a cap member, a wiper, a nozzle unit, and a platen. The cap member and the wiper face the nozzle unit and are located at a position lower than an upper surface of the platen that constitutes a paper delivery path. The platen is moveable to a printing position constituting a paper delivery path and a maintenance position that leaves the printing position such that the wiper and the cap member can access the nozzle unit.

Abstract: An ink ejection device, an image forming apparatus having the same, and a method thereof. The ink ejection device includes a print head including at least one head chip in which a plurality of nozzles is arranged to eject ink on a printing medium at a predetermined angle inclined with respect to a printing line extending along a widthwise direction of the printing medium, and a gap controlling unit to control a gap size between the printing medium and the plurality of nozzles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge which ejects an ink, a chamber having an inlet unit which inhales a fog generated when the ink is ejected from the cartridge and an outlet unit which exhales the inhaled fog, an air pressure generating unit which is connected to the chamber to generate an air pressure to inhale and exhale the fog from the chamber, and a valve unit which selectively opens and closes the inlet unit and the outlet unit by the air pressure which is generated in the air pressure generating unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling a driving of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an ink cartridge including a plurality of printheads which form an image on a printing material, a capping unit movable between a first position to cover the printheads and a second position which is located away from the printheads, a wiping unit which moves in a direction of printing material conveyance, and wipes the printheads, and a cleaning member provided in the capping unit to clean an ink of the wiping unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of driving the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes, an ink cartridge including a plurality of print heads arranged in a width direction of a paper sheet crossing a direction along which the printing medium is transferred, a wiping unit moving in the transfer direction to wipe nozzle surfaces of the plurality of print heads, and a controller independently driving the plurality of print heads which have been wiped by the wiping unit, so that color nozzles of the plurality of print heads spray predetermined amounts of inks.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes a printhead including a nozzle array having a plurality of nozzles arranged in a main scanning direction, an auxiliary printhead having an auxiliary nozzle to fire ink to assist the nozzles to print the image and capable of reciprocating in the main scanning direction, and a detecting unit formed integrally with the auxiliary printhead, and a control method of the inkjet image forming apparatus includes firing ink onto an ink firing position between ink dots printed by two neighboring nozzles in a high-resolution mode, and/or firing ink onto an ink firing position where a missing dot caused by a defective nozzle exists in a compensation mode.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus including an inkjet head including a nozzle portion having a length in a main scanning direction that is at least the same as a width of a paper to be fed therein, a platen to move between a printing position facing the nozzle portion and to support a rear surface of paper and a maintenance position that is apart from the printing position in a sub-scanning direction, and including a receiving portion to receive waste ink, a waste ink container, and a pumping unit to operate by linking with a moving operation of the platen to pump the waste ink from the receiving portion to the waste ink container.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head including a nozzle portion having a length in a main scanning direction that is at least equal to a width of a sheet of paper, a platen to move between a printing position where the platen faces the nozzle portion and supports a rear surface of the paper, and a maintenance position spaced-apart from the printing position in a sub-scanning direction, a wiping unit including a wiper to clean the nozzle portion, and a link arm having a first end portion that is rotatably connected to the wiping unit, and a second end portion that is rotatably connected to the platen. A first angle formed by a first line that connects the wiper to the first end portion and a second line that connects the first end portion and the second end portion when the platen is located at the printing position is smaller than a second angle between the first line and the second line when the platen is located at the maintenance position.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus. The inkjet image forming apparatus includes a platen to support a bottom side of paper. The platen includes a plurality of supporting portions facing the inkjet head to support a bottom side of a paper and a plurality of depressed portions depressed with a downward slope from sides of the supporting portions.

Abstract: An ink-jet image forming apparatus includes an ink-jet head having a nozzle unit having a length in a main scanning direction corresponding to a width of a printing medium, a platen to face the nozzle unit, to support a rear side of the printing medium, and to form a paper conveying path, and a wiping unit to clean the nozzle unit. The platen has a printing location in which the paper conveying path is formed, a maintenance location different from the printing location, and a replacement location in which the wiping unit is replaced.