Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a priming fluid in ink jet printers and in particular, to the use of an aqueous priming fluid used in conjunction with aqueous based ink jet inks in ink jet printers using ink jet printheads, such as, piezo ink jet printer heads.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording head which has an ink discharge nozzle to discharge ink and an ink non-discharge nozzle to eliminate bubbles, a suction unit which makes suction for maintenance by moving a suction nozzle on the ink discharge side of the recording head, contacting with or closing to the ink discharge nozzle surface of the recording head, and a control unit which controls the suction unit to make suction by a first suction force when the suction nozzle is in the position corresponding to the ink discharge nozzle and by a second suction force when the suction nozzle is in the position corresponding to the ink non-discharge nozzle.

Abstract: A start-up and shutdown system for removing unwanted ink from a continuous inkjet printer comprises a porous element in flow communication with a cleaning chamber, both positioned adjacent to an ink supply chamber and nozzle plate. The porous element absorbs the unwanted ink from the surface of the nozzle plate. A negative pressure source is further provided to draw the absorbed ink from the porous element via the cleaning chamber. In one embodiment, fluid valve porous elements are provided to form a transient barrier to errant ink fluid in the form of a fluid bridge during start-up and shutdown of the printer.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus adjusts at least one of a preliminary discharge time representing a time until the subsequent preliminary discharge is performed and a compensated time determined on the basis of the time elapsed since the previous preliminary discharge, so that the preliminary discharge is performed at a predetermined preliminary discharge hole. Accordingly, the ink jet recording apparatus is capable of recording on different kinds of recording media in a manner suitable for each of them without using a complex control process, and of performing the preliminary discharge according to the size of the recording media. In addition, a reduction in the throughput is prevented by using the ink jet recording apparatus.

Abstract: While a head scanning mechanism and a sheet feed mechanism are being operated, ink droplets are ejected from nozzle openings of a recording head, whereby a liquid ejecting apparatus performs recording on recording medium. Further, just below the scanning region of the recording head, a liquid absorption part is laid on a surface of a platen supporting the recording medium; and a height of the absorption member located in the portion corresponding to a medium width edge portion of each of print recording media to be printed having different width dimensions is made larger than height of the absorber located in another portion.

Abstract: This apparatus has a liquid jet head for ejecting liquid drops from nozzle openings of a nozzle plate, a scanning mechanism for scanning the head in the head scanning direction, a feed mechanism for feeding an object to be processed in the direction perpendicular to the head scanning direction, an absorption member arranged in the area, which is on the rear side of the object during processing and opposite to the head, for absorbing liquid drops ejected in the area outside the object, and a potential difference generation unit for generating a potential difference between at least one of the absorption member and the member neighboring the absorption member and the nozzle plate. According to this apparatus, liquid drops ejected from the head into the area outside the object can be prevented from misting.

Abstract: The liquid-jetting apparatus has a liquid-jetting head with nozzle openings through which liquid particles are jetted. The liquid-jetting head performs a flushing operation to remove the thickened liquid from the nozzle openings to recover its normal liquid-jetting ability. The flushing operation jets liquid particles having a weight of 10 ng or below successively through the nozzle openings at a jetting speed of 8 m/s or above. The liquid-jetting apparatus is capable of achieving a satisfactory flushing operation to ensure a satisfactory liquid-jetting characteristic by recovering from a thickened state in a liquid in the nozzle openings even if the liquid is un-uniformly thickened in the nozzle openings.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a print head in an ink jet printer, in which the print head is disposed under a carriage, includes a movable plate reciprocally sliding under the carriage, a wiper supported by the movable plate to clean the print head in a state that the wiper is overlapped with the print head by a desired height when the wiper is reciprocally moved, a pivot bar pivotally mounted on the movable plate and having one end supporting the wiper, and a driving mechanism adjusting the height of the wiper by driving the pivot bar to pivot such that the overlapping of the wiper relative to the print head is constantly maintained.

Abstract: Both a cleaning fluid jet apparatus and method for cleaning an array of inkjet nozzles in a printhead is provided. The fluid jet apparatus includes a cleaning head having an array of cleaning nozzles registrable with the array of inkjet nozzles in the printhead, and a mounting assembly that mounts the cleaning head in opposition to the printhead with the cleaning nozzles in substantial alignment with the inkjet nozzles. A supply of pressurized cleaning fluid is connected to the cleaning nozzles such that the cleaning nozzles discharge a stream of high velocity cleaning droplets that impinges the inkjet nozzles. Both a droplet sizing mechanism and a droplet speed controller are provided so that the size, frequency, and velocity of the cleaning droplets may be selected for maximum cleaning efficiency. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for changing a location of cleaning droplet impingement so that both the inkjet nozzles and the areas immediately surrounding the nozzles may be effectively cleaned.

Abstract: A printing assembly has a printing unit. An inert gas supply is connected to the printing unit to provide components of the printing unit with inert gas.

Abstract: A method is described for removing residue from a fluid deposited on the interior surface of an inkjet printhead after the printhead has contained or dispensed the fluid at least once. The method makes use of a reverse flushing technique optionally used in combination with sonication. A cleaning station for flushing an inkjet printhead with a wash fluid, rinse fluid, and/or inert gas is provided as well.

Abstract: Before starting printing and/or after finishing printing, a preliminary ejection of ink is performed for a cap, which covers a recording head, until the cap is almost filled (S17, S23, S38). Then, a sucking operation (S18, S24, S39) is performed to suck ink stored in the cap. Alternatively, based on a predetermined criterion such as the accumulated number of printed dots, the number of printed pages, or a print time (S71, S72), a first print operation (S73), which preliminarily ejects a predetermined amount of ink at least before starting printing or after printing, and a second print operation (S74), which preliminarily ejects more ink than the predetermined amount at least before starting printing or after printing, are alternately performed. This prevents ink from adhering to a restoring system of an ink-jet recorder and allows the sucking operation and the preliminary ejection operation to be performed smoothly.

Abstract: An ink jet recording device is provided comprising a head recovering unit for operating for recovering a discharge function of an ink jet recording head, a cap member disposed on the head recovering unit to tightly close ink discharge ports, a recording medium conveying mechanism for conveying a recording medium, and a connecting unit for switching transmission and non-transmission of a driving force to the head recovering unit in conjunction with a capping operation of the cap member, and makes it possible to provide a drive switching mechanism which is convenient and highly reliable, reduce a number of driving source and realize a recording apparatus having a high reliability at a low cost while saving a space.

Abstract: A capping system for a printhead includes a handheld printjet printing device having a printhead and a cap including a flexible wiper. The cap is structured to be manually placed on the printing device so that the wiper wipes the printhead during placement thereon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for removing contaminates from ink jet printer components. The normal output from a Nd-YAG laser is frequency multiplied to be capable of removing particulates and films from ink jet printer components. The laser cleaning technique provides a dramatic effect on yields.

Abstract: A cap for a recording head capable of covering a nozzle of the recording head in a securely enclosed state during sucking of ink is provided for an inkjet recording apparatus. The cap for the recording head includes an elastically deformable contact section and an abutting section. When a nozzle-forming surface of the recording head is pressed into contact with the contact section so that the contact section deforms to have a predetermined amount of deformation, the abutting section abuts against the nozzle-forming surface so as to restrict the deformation of the contact section. Therefore, the contact section cannot deform excessively, enabling to properly maintain the close contact to the nozzle-forming surface and preventing ink from being dried and increased in viscosity.

Abstract: A maintenance system for an inkjet printhead is relocated to a position proximate the printhead to maintain the printhead. The relocation is performed by temporarily attaching the maintenance station to the media carrier of the inkjet printer. The maintenance station may be stowed in a docking station when it is not in use.

Abstract: A method of cleaning spaced nozzles in a printhead of a drop-on-demand inkjet printer in which a slight negative pressure is desired in an ink reservoir in order to prevent ink drool from the nozzles, comprises: deforming a compliant pressure regulator membrane that covers an opening in an ink reservoir, inwardly at the opening, to decrease the ink holding volume of the reservoir; deforming a compliant valve membrane that covers an opening in the ink reservoir and caps an ink conduit projecting into the reservoir, outwardly at the opening and away from the ink conduit, to uncap the ink conduit in order that the ink conduit can provide ink delivery at a positive pressure into the reservoir and out through the nozzles to clean the nozzles; returning the compliant valve membrane inwardly towards the ink conduit to recap the ink conduit in order to terminate ink delivery into the reservoir; and returning the compliant pressure regulator membrane outwardly to increase the ink holding volume of the reservoir in ord

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus changes ink suction forces of a purge device according to amounts of ink remaining in an ink cartridge. As it is determined that the amount of ink remaining in the ink cartridge is less than a predetermined amount for a purge operation, second pulse signals which output the smaller number of pulses than first pulse signals, are output to a line feed motor. Accordingly, high viscous ink is sucked from nozzles by a suction pump with a weaker suction force than that when the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount. Therefore, even when the amount of ink remaining in the ink cartridge is less than the predetermined amount, that is, when a considerable amount of air is contained in the ink cartridge, the purge operation can be performed without the air being pulled into the ink jet print head by the suction force of the suction pump. Consequently, ink can be stably ejected for subsequent print operation.

Abstract: A phase change waste ink control apparatus and method are provided and are suitable for use in a phase change ink image producing machine including a printhead system. The apparatus for the method includes (a) devices for producing phase change waste ink such as from a printhead system; (b) a waste ink gutter assembly, including a heating device, for collecting, accumulating and coalescing the phase change waste ink. The apparatus also includes (c) a controller for periodically turning the heating device on to heat and melt coalesced phase change waste ink within the waste ink gutter assembly; and (d) a waste ink collection container for collecting melted phase change waste ink from the waste ink gutter assembly.