Abstract: The present invention provides a method of non-contact, ink jet print head nozzle plate surface cleaning. The method disclose, enables simultaneous non-contact cleaning of all nozzles of a print head nozzle plate having a major and minor dimension and ink ejecting nozzles spanning most of the major dimension. The simultaneous non-contact cleaning of all nozzles of the print head is achieved by providing a print head cleaning arrangement having a pressurized air flow emerging from an air exit slit of length exceeding nozzle plate major dimension.

Abstract: A charge/deflecting electrode is provided on an orifice surface of an inkjet head near nozzle orifices formed in the orifice surface. A suction tube is pressed against the orifice surface and the electrode to retain a space therebetween. When a negative pressure is generated in a suction hole of the suction tube, ink and foreign matter are sucked from the nozzle orifices. The space is asymmetric on left and right sides so the negative pressure develops a whirlpool-shaped flow including a mixture of air and ink near the suction hole.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which performs recording by ejecting ink toward a recording medium, the apparatus including: a first and a second nozzle group formed in a nozzle surface so as to be adjacent to each other with a boundary area interposed therebetween, from which are respectively ejected a first ink and a second ink, and each of which consists of a plurality of nozzles; and, a wiping device including a first and a second wiping member which move along the boundary area while being held in abutting contact with the nozzle surface so as to respectively wipe the first ink and the second ink adhering to the nozzle surface. Each of the first and second wiping members is inclined relative to a line perpendicular to a moving direction in which the first and second wiping members move, such that one end of each of the first and the second wiping members located within the boundary area is located frontward of the other end thereof remote from the boundary area, in the moving direction.

Abstract: An ink supply port is opened in an Si substrate on which an ink discharge energy generating element is formed, by anisotropic etching, from a back surface opposite to a surface on which the ink discharge energy generating element is formed. When the anisotropic etching is effected, OSF (oxidation induced laminate defect) is remained on the back surface of the Si substrate with OSF density equal to or greater than 2×104 parts/cm2 and a length of OSF equal to or greater than 2 ?m.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing droplets on a substrate, the apparatus includes a support for the substrate, a droplet ejection assembly positioned over the support for depositing the droplets on the substrate on the support, an enclosure structure defining with the support an enclosed region through which the droplets are ejected onto the substrate, the enclosure structure also defining with the support an inlet gap and an outlet gap through which the substrate travels and a source of pressurized gas connected to the enclosure structure to provide a flow of gas from the enclosure structure through the gaps.

Abstract: Print is made on a recording paper by running an ink carriage along the supporting axis in a reciprocating motion. The ink carriage includes ink heads respectively provided with a front ink nozzle and a back ink nozzle facing their respective directions, so that print is made simultaneously at two portions on the recording paper along the transportation direction in which the recording paper is transported through a single transportation path one by one. Consequently, there can be provided an ink jet printer which can improve printing efficiency by increasing a printing rate and printing resolution, and realizing printing of an overstrike character, simultaneous printing of mixed information, double-side printing, etc.

Abstract: A printing assembly has a printing unit and an inert gas supply that supplies an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to components of the printing unit during a printing operation. The inert gas environment prevents oxidation of any high temperature components of the printing unit, such as thermal actuators of a printhead chip.

Abstract: A head cap is reciprocally movable between a capping position for covering nozzles of a print head and a retracted position separated from the nozzle surface. A pump is connected to the head cap. A pump gear is rotated by a drive source to drive the pump. A cylindrical cam is reciprocally rotatable between a first position and a second position to reciprocally move the head cap. A frictional clutch rotates the cylindrical cam together with the pump gear, but rotates only the pump gear when the cylindrical cam reaches each one of the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A printing assembly that comprises a printing unit including at least one thermally actuated ink jet printhead comprising a thermal bend actuator; and an inert gas supply that is connected to the printing unit to provide the at least one thermal bend actuator with an inert gas during a printing operation to prevent oxidation of the thermal bend actuator.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a less costly print head maintenance mechanism featuring a compact, simple construction and negating the need for a widthwise increase of space for permitting vertical movement of the print head maintenance mechanism. The mechanism is designed to utilize the rotation of first cams and second cams for switching cap holders and wiper holders to a printing mode position for permitting a normal printing operation, a capping mode position for sealing a nozzle surface at a print head with the cap, and a wiping mode position for cleaning by wiping the nozzle surface with the wiper.

Abstract: A printhead chip includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet conduits. A plurality of nozzle assemblies is positioned on the substrate and defines nozzle chambers in fluid communication with respective ink inlet conduits and nozzle openings in fluid communication with respective nozzle chambers. A nozzle guard is positioned on the substrate, is spaced from the nozzle assemblies and defines a plurality of apertures in alignment with respective nozzle openings. A plurality of containment walls is interposed between the substrate and the guard member to define a plurality of containment chambers with at least one nozzle assembly being positioned in each containment chamber.

Abstract: In an ink jet printer, a print head having a plurality of nozzles, ink cartridges that accommodate respective inks for printing, and ink supply tubes that connect the respective ink cartridges to the print head are provided. The ink cartridges have ink accommodation chambers and air chambers (on which air pressure is exerted) that are separated from each other by flexible film members, respectively. Also provided are an air pump for producing pressurized air, an air supply tube for guiding the pressurized air produced by the air pump to the air chambers, and an orifice for exhausting part of the pressurized air. The orifice is provided in the vicinity of the air-pump-side end of an air supply tube.

Abstract: Microelectromechanical pagewidth printheads include a very large number of ink ejection nozzles fabricated upon a silicon wafer. Ink stored in the printhead subsequent to a printing operation is vulnerable to becoming undesirably viscous thereby causing inconsistent printing. In order to address this problem the present invention provides a printhead recapping mechanism. The mechanism includes a base portion, that includes a solenoid coil and a movable capping portion which incorporates magnetically attractive material responsive to the coil. A spring biases the capping portion to a quiescent capping position when the printhead is not in use. During printing operations a current is applied to the solenoid coil to overcome the biasing spring and draw the capping portion from the capping position.

Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided comprising an ink supply structure, two ink path defining structures and a printhead integrated circuit. The supply structure defines an ink passage and holes in fluid communication with the passage. The first ink path structure defines an ink path formation and ink inlet openings on opposite sides which are in fluid communication. The first ink path and supply structures are engaged so that respective inlet openings and holes are in fluid communication. The second ink path structure defines an ink path formation and exit holes on opposite sides which are in fluid communication. The ink path structures are engaged so that the path formations define a tortuous ink path. The printhead integrated circuit has ink inlets that are mounted on the second ink path structure so that each inlet is in fluid communication with a respective exit hole.

Abstract: A valve unit in an ink supply channel of an ink-jet recording apparatus, the ink supply channel having an upstream side and a downstream side, the valve unit comprising a diaphragm valve having a thin elastic diaphragm operating in response to pressure difference between an upstream side and a downstream side of the diaphragm, a valve body formed on the surface of the thin elastic diaphragm and having an opening therein, and an elastic support portion integrally formed with the valve body for urging the valve body toward the upstream direction, a valve seat disposed in the ink supply channel upstream of the diaphragm and kept in elastic contact with the opening, and a flow-channel forming plate for forming a flow channel disposed on the downstream side of the valve seat, the flow channel, extending in a longitudinal direction of the elastic portion and the flow channel forming plate having an end portion side extending in an upstream direction to form a flow channel whose sectional area decreases in the longi

Abstract: A printer is disclosed which has— (a) a pagewidth printhead assembly having a pagewidth printhead and a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead for delivering ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead, and (b) a capping mechanism associated with the printhead. The capping mechanism comprises— (i) a capping member formed from a flexible sheet-like material having a width corresponding substantially to the length of the printhead and being provided as a replaceable roll from which a portion of the material is in use drawn to locate in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead, and (ii) a take-up reel arranged to take-up spent capping material following a capping operation. Also disclosed is a printer in which, as an optional aspect, a platen is positioned adjacent the printhead and arranged to engage with and position the capping member in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly includes a carrier. An ink supply assembly is mounted on the carrier and defines a plurality of printhead chip receiving formations that are each dimensioned to engage a printhead chip and a plurality of ink supply conduits that terminate at the formations to supply ink to printhead chips engaged with the formations. A plurality of inkjet printhead chips is engaged with respective said formations to receive the ink via passages defined by the printhead chips in fluid communication with respective ink supply conduits. The ink supply assembly further defines a gas flow path that terminates at each formation, the ink supply assembly being connectable to a pressurized gas supply so that gas can be directed over each printhead chip to inhibit the build-up of dust and debris on the printhead chips.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having capping control means which, if a dot number counted by a count means reaches or exceeds a second threshold value smaller than a first threshold value and if a waiting time measured by a measuring means reaches or exceeds a first predetermined waiting time, covers an ink discharge surface of an ink jet recording head with a cap, and wiping control means which, if the dot number counted by the count means exceeds the first threshold value, wipes the ink discharge surface of the ink jet recording head with a wiper, and, if the waiting time measured by the measuring means reaches or exceeds a second predetermined waiting time longer than the first predetermined waiting time during the capping, wipes the ink discharge surface of the ink jet recording head with the wiper.

Abstract: An inkjet carriage for holding an inkjet pen includes an airflow reducing member configured and positioned to at least partially block airflow between an inkjet ejection nozzle of a pen on the carriage and an object to be printed upon during carriage movement.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium includes a conveying belt for supporting and conveying the recording medium, and a recording head for recording the image by jetting ink onto the recording medium. The apparatus further includes a plurality of cleaning rollers for cleaning the conveying belt, the cleaning rollers being in pressure-contact with the conveying belt, and a plurality of cleaning liquid baths for respectively storing cleaning liquid to be used to remove dirt deposited on the respective cleaning rollers and for dipping the respective cleaning rollers into the cleaning liquid. The apparatus uses liquid waste as cleaning liquid in a cleaning liquid bath on an upstream side of the conveying belt, the liquid waste having become unable to be used in a cleaning liquid bath on a downstream side of the conveying belt any longer as cleaning liquid.