Abstract: An ink-jet printing module, positioned in an ink-jet printing mechanism, includes a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, and a guiding bar between the first side and the second side, a print head movable along the guiding bar, a cleaning device, a covering device, and a printing platform. The cleaning device for cleaning the print head is adjacent to an interior of the first side. The covering device for covering the print head is adjacent to an interior of the second side. The printing platform is located at the bottom of the ink-jet printing module and between the cleaning device and the covering device.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is provided with a conveying roller for conveying a recording sheet, and a carriage that enables a recording head for recording on the recording sheet by discharging ink droplets to the recording sheet to reciprocate in the direction intersecting the conveying direction of the recording medium along a guide shaft having a substantially circular lateral section. The bearing portion of the carriage is structured to be in contact with the guide shaft at two points A and B on the upstream side and downstream side in the aforesaid conveying direction with respect to the vertical line running through the center of the guide shaft.

Abstract: A pagewidth inkjet printer is described which includes printhead 11 with a plurality of print nozzles 30 for ejecting ink drops towards a print medium. A space is defined between the nozzles and a nozzle guard 43 with a series of apertures 44 aligned with the nozzles. During printing operation, positive air pressure is supplied to this space, the air exiting the space through the apertures, preventing blockage by paper dust. When not printing, the air supply is closed off by air valve member 66 and a capping member 80 on a rotary platen 14 contacts the printhead to maintain a closed atmosphere at the surface of the nozzles, reducing drying of ink on the nozzles.

Abstract: A printhead assembly for an ink jet printer includes an elongate ink supply assembly which defines a plurality of ink conduits The ink supply assembly is operatively engageable with a supply of ink so that ink can pass through the ink conduits, each ink conduit terminating at an exit hole. At least one printhead chip has a plurality of ink inlets and is mounted on the ink supply assembly such that each ink inlet is in fluid communication with a respective ink conduit. A support structure defines a channel in which the ink supply assembly is received and is configured to impart structural rigidity to the printhead assembly.

Abstract: A capping device (12) for a printhead assembly (10) of a pagewidth drop on demand inkjet printer is formed of spring steel and includes an elastomeric onsert (47) having a series of recesses (56) which create chambers positioned over air inlet and exhaust holes (30) of each printhead module (11) of the assembly. These allow the air to flow from one inlet to the next outlet. When the capping device is moved to its capped position, the airways (32) are sealed off so as to prevent air from drying out and therefore blocking the delicate nozzles (62) of the printheads. Another function of the molding is to cover and clamp against nozzle guards (24) of the assembly to protect against drying out and also to keep foreign particles such as paper dust from entering and damaging the printer nozzles (62).

Abstract: A nozzle guard (80) for an ink jet printer with an array (14) of nozzles (22) and respective ink ejection means for ejecting ink onto media to be printed. The nozzle guard (80) has ink containment formations (146) that stop any misdirected ink droplets or ink leakage from damaged nozzles interfering with the operation of surrounding nozzles or dropping onto the media. To maintain print quality and to stop the supply of ink to damaged nozzles, each containment formation (146) has an ink sensor. The nozzle or nozzles (22) within the containment formation are disabled if a predetermined amount of ink is present.

Abstract: An inkjet printing mechanism includes an elongate chassis which spans a print area. A printhead assembly is mounted on the elongate chassis. The printhead assembly includes an ink distribution assembly and an array of printhead chips mounted on the ink distribution assembly to span the print area. An elongate platen assembly is mounted on the chassis such that the platen assembly spans the print area. The platen assembly includes an elongate body that defines a longitudinal platen surface for supporting a print medium during a printing operation carried out on the print medium. An elongate ink blotting member is arranged on the body. A rotating mechanism rotates the elongate body such that either the platen surface or the ink blotting member is aligned with the array of printhead chips.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes drive device for moving up a cap (9a) of capping device (9) to a nozzle formation face seal position of a record head (12) and moving down the cap to a retreat position vertically downward from the nozzle formation face seal position. The drive device has a rack-pinion mechanism including racks (102a and 103a) disposed on both side parts of a fixed frame and pinions (102b and 103b) fixedly secured to both end parts of a support shaft (9c) for guiding the support shaft in an up and down direction.

Abstract: In one implementation, an aerosol collector for an inkjet printer includes a partial enclosure defining a central cavity. An air passage is defined within a wall forming the partial enclosure to allow air movement into an opening defined on an inside surface of the partial enclosure and out of an exhaust outlet. A fan is configured to remove a mixture of air and aerosol from the central cavity, through the air passage and through the exhaust outlet.

Abstract: A catcher design is provided wherein vacuum channels are added to both sides of the catcher to remove ink from the face of the catcher and from the eyelid seal. An additional fluid port on the catcher allows the additional vacuum channels to maintain an increased level of vacuum. A restriction on the catcher line balances the fluid flow between the catcher and the additional vacuum channels. A scoop can be machined into the catch pan to remove fluid from below the catcher face. A manifold can be used to maintain a vacuum source for the catcher throat and the additional channels, while pulling the unprinted ink back to the fluid system. Finally, a wider eyelid seal can allow purge fluid used during shutdown to clear the channels.

Abstract: A sensor cleaning apparatus for an ink-jet printer is capable of preventing a sensing error by wiping scattered ink from a surface of a sensor that is attached to a carriage. The sensor cleaning apparatus has a sensor wiper wiping the surface of the sensor, and a wiper driving portion driving the sensor wiper. As the carriage is moved, and thus the sensor is positioned above the sensor wiper, the sensor wiper is oscillated by the wiper driving portion in a predetermined amplitude, thereby cleaning the surface of the sensor. The sensor wiper oscillates in a perpendicular or parallel direction with respect to an advancing direction of the carriage.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing device, which is provided with an inkjet head and an ejection restoring system. The ejection restoring system includes a sucking device, a sucking device moving mechanism, a wiping member, a wiping member moving mechanism, and a driving system that drives the sucking device and the wiping member through the sucking device moving mechanism and the wiping member moving mechanism so that one of the sucking device and the wiping member is not driven if the sucking device and the wiping member interfere with each other. The driving system includes a first position detecting system that outputs a first state signal indicating that the sucking device and the wiping member interfere with each other and outputs a second state signal indicating that the sucking device and the wiping member do not interfere with each other, and a controller that controls at least one of the sucking device and the wiping member based on an output of the first position detecting system.

Abstract: Hot-melt Seal For Nozzles on Print Cartridges And Method. A layer of hot-melt is adhesively bonded to a print cartridge to seal the nozzles through which ink is jetted. In another aspect, a layer of hot-melt seals the electrical contacts and leads mounted on the print cartridge. The hot-melt adhesive can be either laminated with a moisture retardant (preferably impermeable) base film or block coated on moisture retardant (preferably impermeable) pouch material. These materials are thereafter adhesively bonded to the print cartridge, sealing the nozzles and preferably the electrical contacts and leads as well. In one application process, a hot-melt moisture retardant laminate tape is cut to size, releasably captured, positioned over the nozzles, and heat staked to seal the nozzles of the print cartridge. In a second application process, a layer of hot-melt is directly applied over the nozzles and a layer of moisture retardant material is heat staked to the hot-melt.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprises a recording head having a plurality of nozzles for jetting ink, and an ink wiping device for wiping ink adhered on a surface of a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, the ink wiping device including an ink absorber for absorbing ink, a moving device for moving the ink absorber and a pressing member to press a surface of the ink absorber toward the surface of the plurality of nozzles, wherein, the pressing member moves along the surface of the plurality of nozzles.

Abstract: A printhead assembly for an ink jet printer includes an elongate ink supply structure that defines at least one longitudinally extending ink passage and at least one set of holes in fluid communication with the at least one ink passage. A first ink chamber defining structure defines at least one ink chamber formation on one side and at least one set of ink inlet openings on an opposite side in fluid communication with the at least one ink chamber formation. The first ink chamber structure is engaged with the ink supply structure so that each ink inlet opening is in fluid communication with a respective hole of the ink supply structure. A second ink chamber defining structure defines at least one ink chamber formation on one side and at least one set of exit holes on an opposite side in fluid communication with the at least one ink chamber. The first and second ink chamber structures are engaged with each other so that respective ink chamber formations define at least one ink chamber.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, in which ink is ejected from a recording head to a recording medium to carry out recording, includes a cap which covers an ink ejection port of the recording head, a cap holder which holds the cap, a cap base which rotatably and vertically movably supports the cap holder, and a base member which rotatably supports the cap base. When the cap is separated from the recording head by a predetermined distance, a position of the cap holder is controlled in a state in which the cap holder is oblique at a predetermined angle relative to the cap base so that an abutting plane of the cap is substantially parallel to an ink ejection port surface of the recording head. According to the apparatus, the structure is compact and inexpensive, the cap member can be surely held in close contact with the ejection port surface of the recording head with a constant pressing force, and the ejection port surface can be covered while surely maintaining airtightness.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus performs recording by using an inkjet head having a depression between a nozzle member and a wiring member in a direction in which the inkjet head and a wiper relatively move. In the inkjet recording apparatus, the wiper can perform good wiping of the surface of the wiring member and the surface of the nozzle member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a print head having ink-discharge surfaces having the ink-discharge openings therein; a cylindrical cleaning roller composed of an elastic material; moving means for moving the cleaning roller and the print head relative to each other while keeping the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller in contact with the ink-discharge surfaces; drive control means for controlling the moving means; a head cap for protecting the ink-discharge surfaces; cap opening/closing means for opening and closing the head cap. When the head cap is opened by the cap opening/closing means, by driving the moving means with control of the drive control means so as to move the cleaning roller relative to the print head while keeping the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller in contact with the ink-discharge surfaces, ink in the ink-discharge openings is sucked.

Abstract: A method for maintaining the inkjet chip of an inject device. The inkjet device comprises an ink cartridge, a carrier, a wiper and a wiper stage. The carrier is used to load the ink cartridge. The wiper stage is used to load the wiper. The ink cartridge contains ink and has an inkjet chip. The inkjet chip has at least a set of inkjet nozzles. The method comprises the steps of: (a) relatively moving the carrier onto the wiper stage to locate the wiper to a position where the wiper can wipe the inkjet chip; (b) spraying the ink contained in the ink cartridge onto the wiper to moisturize the wiper; and (c) relatively reciprocating the wiper stage and the carrier to make the wiper wipe the inkjet chip.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus comprises a cleaning member cylindrically formed of a material having elasticity, a moving mechanism for moving both the peripheral face of the cleaning member and the ink discharge face of the print head relative one to another, with both in contact one with another, and a driving control unit for controlling the driving of the moving mechanism. Each time a predetermined number of sheets of the recording medium have images formed thereupon, or each time a predetermined amount of time elapses, following starting of the operations for forming images, the image formation operations are temporarily interrupted, and the moving mechanism is driven under the control of the driving control unit, and the peripheral face of the cleaning member is moved over the surface of the ink discharge face while in contact therewith, thereby suctioning the ink within the ink discharge orifices.