Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet head having nozzles for discharging ink into a recording medium to perform printing, and a cap connectable to the ink jet head to cover the ends of the nozzles. To prevent ink from drying on surfaces of the nozzles, the nozzle ends are covered with the cap after completion of printing, and the interior of the cap is filled with ink a predetermined period of time after covering the nozzle ends with the cap. After the elapse of another predetermined period of time from filling the interior of the cap with ink, the interior of the cap is again filled with ink to replenish ink lost from the cap through evaporation. The interior of the cap is filled with ink when power to the ink jet printer is turned off or when no printing is performed for a fixed period time.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes a liquid jetting head which ejects an liquid droplet from a nozzle thereof, a cap member, which seals a nozzle forming face of the liquid jetting head, and a suction device, which applies a negative pressure to the nozzle forming face of the liquid jetting head in a state that the nozzle forming face is sealed with the cap member so that the liquid in the liquid jetting head is discharged. A volume of the cap member is a volume of liquid sucked by the suction device in one suction operation or larger.

Abstract: Flushing regions for receiving ink droplets to be ejected when flushing signal is supplied to a recording head are provided in both of non-print regions situated at both sides of print region in order to prevent throughput during the flushing operation from deteriorating. A guide member having a slant surface is disposed between the recording head and an ink absorbing member to which the ink landed on the slant surface flows in order to reduce in size of the ink absorbing member. A porous sheet member closely faced to nozzle orifices of the recording head for receiving the ink droplets ejected therefrom is provided in order to prevent undesired mist of fine ink droplets from generating. A plurality of plate members closely faced to the nozzle orifices are provided at a predetermined angle with respect to the flight direction of the ink droplets in order to prevent the undesired mist from generating. The flushing operation is performed so as to prevent solidification of the ejected ink.

Abstract: A printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet conduits. A plurality of nozzle assemblies is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle assembly defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet conduit and a nozzle opening from which ink is ejected. A guard member is positioned on the substrate and is spaced from the nozzle assemblies. The guard member defines a plurality of apertures that are aligned with respective nozzle openings. A plurality of containment walls are disposed about respective nozzle assemblies and interposed between the substrate and the guard member to define a plurality of containment chambers. Each nozzle assembly is positioned in a respective containment chamber.

Abstract: In printing with black ink ejected through ejection openings of a corresponding ejection opening array of a printing head for reacting with other color inks ejected through ejection openings of color ejection opening arrays, during wiping, the respective ejection opening arrays or the group of ejection opening arrays and the vicinities thereof are wiped using two blades corresponding to the black and other color ejection opening arrays, respectively, and each forming a predetermined angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to a wiping direction. Thus, the wiped-away ink or the like is collected in a portion between the black ejection opening array and the color ejection opening arrays so as to be away from the corresponding ejection opening arrays, and is then wiped by another blade.

Abstract: A system for servicing a non-scanning printhead includes a servicing plate, a servicing component mounted on the servicing plate and adapted to service the non-scanning printhead, and a drive system adapted to move the servicing plate between a storage position and a service position such that the servicing component is spaced from the non-scanning printhead when the servicing plate is in the storage position and the servicing component is adapted to service the non-scanning printhead when the servicing plate is in the service position.

Abstract: A carrier locking apparatus of an inkjet printer having: a latch groove on a moving carrier carrying an ink cartridge; a locking lever, installed at a home position of the carrier, with a first end having a latch, and a second end having a pivoting lever; and a toggle spring joined to the locking lever's second end selectively applying elastic force to the locking lever to maintain each of two pivoted states. When the carrier moves to the home position, the carrier pushes the pivoting lever to pivot the locking lever in a first direction, inserting the latch into the latch groove to lock the carrier. When the carrier moves from the home position, the locking lever pivots in a second direction opposite the first direction, the latch disengages from the latch groove to unlock the carrier, and the locking lever pivots in the second direction.

Abstract: An ink-jet head comprises pressure chambers arranged along a first flat face, and nozzles each open in a second flat face opposing to the first flat face. The nozzles are connected to the respective pressure chambers. The ink-jet head further comprises a common ink chamber extending along an arrangement of the nozzles. The common ink chamber is connected to each pressure chamber to supply ink to the pressure chamber. The ink-jet head further comprises a wall provided between the second flat face and a wall surface of the common ink chamber. The wall comprises a bottom at a distance not less than a predetermined distance from the second flat face, and a reinforcement portion at a distance more than the predetermined distance from the second flat face.

Abstract: A printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet conduits. A plurality of nozzle assemblies is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle assembly defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with a respective ink inlet conduit and a nozzle opening from which ink is ejected. A plurality of alignment formations is positioned on the substrate to extend from the substrate. A guard member is positioned on the substrate and spaced from the nozzle assemblies. The guard member defines a plurality of apertures that correspond with respective nozzle openings. A plurality of struts is positioned on the guard member and is engageable with respective alignment formations. The struts and the alignment formations are positioned so that, when each strut engages an alignment formation, the apertures are aligned with respective nozzle openings.

Abstract: After purging an inkjet print head, large drops are formed on the nozzle plate of the inkjet printer. In order to provide sufficient wiping before printing, drops are first removed by skimming the print head. A skimmer, such as a wiper of A wiping system, just touches the drops that are drained from the print head.

Abstract: The present invention includes as one embodiment a printhead including a flat panel substrate made of a non-crystalline material, an array of inkjet drop generators formed onto the flat panel substrate to define an inkjet printhead and thin film transistors formed on the flat panel substrate that are electrically coupled to the array of ink jet drop generators.

Abstract: An ink ejection type printhead assembly includes a plurality of printhead modules, each of which includes a U shaped shutter that is mounted on the module with the arms of the shutter engaging the upper and lower surfaces of the module. The upper arm of the shutter has a pad that in the closed position blocks the outlets of the printhead. The shutter slides between open and closed positions under the influence e of a rotatable cam. The shutter includes a resilient leg flexible arm that carries a pad that engages a nozzle guard of the printhead when in the closed position. The flexible arm is moved away from the nozzle guard during opening and closing operations.

Abstract: A printer comprises an inkjet printhead capping assembly that raises up on an elevator to seal the printheads between uses. Such sealing prevents drying of the ink on the printhead nozzles that would otherwise cause clogging and poor operation. The elevator rides up and down on four ramps located at each corner of a cap carriage platform. A rack and pinion gear pushes pins riding on each ramp laterally to translate into the needed up and down elevator motion.

Abstract: In an inkjet recording apparatus, a suction channel is defined between a concave groove-like channel of an ink guide member and a cap member. An ink discharge port is open to the suction channel while the suction channel communicates with the atmosphere through a plurality of communication holes. The distance between a bottom surface of the cap member and a surface of the concave groove-like channel facing the bottom surface is reduced in accordance with the distance from the ink discharge port. The ink discharge port is entirely covered with one longitudinal end portion of the ink guide member. The horizontal sectional area of each communication hole increases in accordance with the distance from the ink discharge port.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a printhead of an ink-jet printer includes a cleaning blade, a cleaning blade reciprocating system, a cap member, a cap member moving system, and a first driving force supplying system. The cleaning blade reciprocating system reciprocates the cleaning blade near the printhead so that the cleaning blade wipes an ink ejecting surface of the printhead. The cap member is formed to cover at least a part of the ink ejecting surface and receive waste ink discharged from the printhead. The cap member is moved by the cap member moving system toward and away from the printhead. The cap member comes into close contact with the ink ejecting surface when moved toward to the printhead. The first driving force supplying system is selectively connected to one of the cleaning blade reciprocating system and the cap member moving system to supply driving force thereto.

Abstract: A conveyor cleaner according to the present invention comprises an adhesive layer formed by a viscous body, and a cleaning roller whose circumferential surface is covered with the adhesive layer. The cleaning roller is rotatable with the adhesive layer being in contact with a conveyor face of a conveyor belt. When the conveyor belt 8 is moved downward, the conveyor face of the conveyor belt and the adhesive layer gets into contact with each other. As the cleaning roller is pushed down by the conveyor belt, the insertion member comes to be inserted into the adhesive layer. Driving the conveyor belt in this state rotates the cleaning roller, and dust on the conveyor face is transferred to the surface of the adhesive layer to be removed. Also, the cleaning roller is rotated with the insertion member being inserted into the adhesive layer. Thereby, dust having transferred to the surface of the adhesive layer is caught in the interior of the adhesive layer.

Abstract: A head recovery device for an ink jet recording apparatus is provided with a pigment ink discharge port for discharging pigment ink and a dye ink discharge port for discharging dye ink. The device comprises a pigment ink cap for capping the pigment ink discharging port and a dye ink cap for capping the dye ink discharge port, and, in a predetermined recovery operation, a preliminary discharge is executed from the dye ink discharge port to the pigment ink cap.

Abstract: A wet-wiping printhead cleaning system for inkjet printer incorporating a wiper for wiping the printhead including a treatment fluid applicator configured for placing treatment fluid onto at least one element of the printhead and wiper elements involved in wiping the printhead orifice plate surface, the treatment fluid being placed on said at least one element by direct contact of the applicator, subsequently the wiper wipes the printhead, the treatment being available to enhance cleaning effectiveness, the treatment fluid lubricating the wiper so as to lengthen wiper service life and enhance wiping performance, as well as acting to render unwanted accumulations on the printhead more removable by wiping.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for servicing a printhead. In one exemplary technique, the printhead is moved along a path away from a printing position adjacent a drum to a service position away from the drum. A service operation is conducted on the printhead at the service position. The printhead is then moved back to the printing position to reposition the printhead adjacent the drum.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting head is operable to move in a first direction. A platen is opposed to the liquid ejecting head to support an object to which a liquid droplet is ejected from the liquid ejecting head and to define a gap between the liquid ejecting head and the object. The platen is formed with a groove hole to which a liquid droplet deviated from an edge of the object is disposed, and through holes formed in a bottom portion of the groove hole and arranged in the first direction. A tray member is arranged below the platen to receive liquid dropped through the through holes. A first liquid absorber is provided in the groove hole. A second liquid absorber is provided in the tray member. At least one liquid leading member extends through at least one of the through holes to lead liquid absorbed by the first liquid absorber to the second liquid absorber.