Abstract: A vacuum platen assembly for a fluid-ejection device of one embodiment of the invention is disclosed includes a platen that has a number of vacuum holes. Each of at least one of the vacuum holes has sidewalls with anti-clog profiles at least substantially prevent collection of media debris and aerosol on the sidewalls.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink jet recording apparatus which performs printing on a recording medium to be subjected to processing such as pasting and folding after the printing, including an ink jet head in which a plurality of ink discharge nozzles are arranged to cross with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording medium, a spit position determining unit which determines a spit position based on size information and unexposed region information of the recording medium, and a spit control unit which controls spit of the ink jet head based on a spit position determining result of the spit position determining unit. Here, the unexposed region information defines regions on the recording medium surface which are unexposed or cut away after printing and processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flushing process for an ink jet recording apparatus that employs inks using pigments as coloring agents and moves a recording head along a guide shaft to flush the inks to flushing portions of a platen, in which a first flushing for flushing one of dark pigment ink(s) and light pigment ink(s) and a second flushing for flushing the other of the dark pigment ink(s) and the light pigment ink(s) are performed onto the same positions of the platen. Also provided is an ink jet recording apparatus that performs the flushing process.

Abstract: A resealed inkjet printer cartridge and method of manufacture in which an ink cartridge is reconditioned, recharged and resealed by a centrifugation process which substantially eliminates “air lock” or interruption of ink flow to the printer head due to entrained air; which provides for welding together recharged cartridge subassemblies without the use of consumable adhesive or glue; and having a keyless cap adapted for use in various keyed cartridge receptacle inkjet printers.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance cap includes a base and a wall portion. The wall portion is defined by a plurality of adjoining walls, and has a proximal end and a distal end, the plurality of adjoining walls defining an interior region. The proximal end is coupled to the base. A first lip extends from the distal end of the wall portion by a first extent in a direction non-orthogonal to the base, the first lip defining a first perimetrical sealing surface. A second lip extends from the distal end of the wall portion by a second extent, the second lip being spaced apart from the first lip, the second lip defining a second perimetrical sealing surface.

Abstract: A substrate for a recording head includes a circuit through which current flows upon impression of a source voltage, irrespective of the operating state of an energy converting element, and a current cutoff means for cutting off current to the circuit in response to an entered control signal. A reset signal for achieving a standby state of the printing operation serves as the control signal. The current cutoff circuit is operated when the reset signal is active in an H state, and it cuts off the constant current. By cutting off the constant current, the leak current of a heater power source VH may be accurately measured, permitting determination of whether the source voltage wiring is properly insulated from other circuit elements of the substrate. The constant current may also be cut off in the standby state, in which printing is not performed, so as to reduce power consumption.

Abstract: A capping device for a printhead assembly of a pagewidth drop on demand ink jet printer is formed of spring steel and includes an elastomeric onsert having a series of recesses which create chambers positioned over air inlet and exhaust holes of each printhead module 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 are sealed off so as to prevent air from drying out and therefore blocking the delicate nozzles of the printheads. Another function of the molding is to cover and clamp against nozzle guards 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.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a technique for reducing the likelihood that cleaning will cause nozzle clogging. In periodic automatic cleaning of a printer that is not being used, the ejecting of ink droplets from each nozzle is tested prior to the cleaning to determine whether each nozzle is an operating nozzle capable of ejecting ink droplets or a non-operating nozzle incapable of ejecting ink droplets. The nozzles are only cleaned if non-operating nozzles are detected. The testing of the nozzles is also automatically carried out after cleaning.

Abstract: A printhead interposing maintenance method and apparatus are provided for maintaining a printhead assembly within a relatively tight space in an image producing machine.

Abstract: A bulldozer-type cleaning system is provided for removing ink residue from an electrostatic drop detecting sensor which detects ink droplets contacting the detector. A scraper head scrapes the ink residue from the sensor, and then contacts a flexible, compliant cleaning member, illustrated as a coil spring. The spring is secured at each end and is stretched when pushed by the scraper head. This stretching flexation allows the spring to trap the ink residue between the coils. As the scraper head retracts, the resulting contracting flexation of the spring squeezes the ink residue from between the coils. Any ink residue remaining on the coils dries and then flakes off the coils when the spring is stretched again during the next cleaning stroke of the scraper head. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a cleaning system, and a method of cleaning a sensor are also provided.

Abstract: In a method for independently wiping a first and a second printhead of an inkjet printing mechanism, a first and a second wiping assembly separated from each other are provided in the printing mechanism. Furthermore, the wiping of the first printhead by the first wiper and the wiping of the second printhead by the second wiper are separately controlled.

Abstract: A ganged inkjet printhead sealing system maintains inkjet printhead health in an inkjet printing mechanism during periods of printing inactivity. In multi-printhead printing mechanisms, separate caps seal against each of the printheads. The caps each have an outlet vent. The vents are all ganged together and fluidically coupled to a single, common pressure regulation chamber that isolates the environment adjacent the printhead nozzles from the external environment when the printheads are capped. A fluid in a U-shaped manometer tube, or an elastomeric bladder are used to isolate the pressure chamber environment. The bladder may be constructed as a thin-walled sheet, a spring-biased bag, or as a bellows. The pressure chamber volume changes to accommodate pressure spikes during the capping process, as well as environmental changes in temperature, elevation, barometric pressure, etc. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a ganged capping system, along with associated capping methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention includes as one embodiment a cleaning system for an inkjet printhead, including a wiper and a media detection device coupled to the wiper for activating engagement of the wiper with the printhead when no media is detected and for deactivating the wiper when media contacts the media detection device.

Abstract: A scraper system having coarse and fine cleaning components is provided for cleaning ink residue from a wiper after wiping ink residue from a printhead in an inkjet printing mechanism. The scraper system includes a stationary coarse scraper bar which the wiper passes over to remove the ink residue from the wiper body. The system a fine scraper of a foam material which may be impregnated with an ink solvent. The fine scraper foam is sliced to form segments separated by slits. As the wiper passes over the fine scraper, the wiper tip plunges into the slits to remove ink residue from the important wiper tips, leaving them clean for the next printhead wiping stroke. The fine scraper may be cam actuated to selectively engage the wiper or mounted stationarily. A method of cleaning printheads and inkjet printing mechanisms having scraper system are also provided.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead cleaning station for cleaning a movable inkjet printhead assembly comprises; a housing structure for the cleaning station; a wiper element having a free end portion; a pivotable carriage assembly secured to the wiper element and adapted to rotate the wiper and bend the free end portion of the wiper element; and a hook element positioned on the movable inkjet printhead assembly and adapted to engage the pivotable carriage and thereby rotate and bend the free end position of the wiper against the housing thereby removing ink from the wiper.

Abstract: An alternative ink/cleaner cartridge includes an egress snout from which an ink supply or a cleaner supply is discharged from the cartridge. The snout and a collar that mates with the snout are mutually configured to permit the collar to mate with the snout only when the collar is in any one of a number of allowable orientations, to provide an identification of an ink supply to be discharged from the cartridge. Alternatively, the snout mates with a cap in place of the collar to prevent a cleaner supply from being discharged from the cartridge.

Abstract: For the sake of achieving both the size and weight reductions of a printing apparatus and increasing the reliability thereof, an ink tank is provided with a gas-permeable member that permits air to pass without permitting ink. The ink tank is capable of introducing ink through an ink inlet by negative pressure introduced in the ink tank through a common suction port.

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 recording apparatus that comprises a cap, an idle suction device for exhausting the cap to the outside, a predischarge device for pre-discharging ink to the cap at designated time intervals, an accumulating device for accumulating the ink by the predischarge, a first comparison device for comparing the accumulated ink with a first threshold value, a first predischarge control device for reducing ink discharge in accordance with the first comparison result, a second comparison device for comparing the accumulated ink with a second threshold value, a predischarge prohibition device for prohibiting predischarge in accordance with the second comparison result, and a second predischarge control device for resuming predischarge in accordance with the period of time defined by the predischarge operation prohibition device, and increasing the ink for predischarge.

Abstract: A head maintenance control method of an inkjet printer includes receiving a printing command performing a printing operation, calculating a time difference between an input time of the printing command and a final time that the printing operation of the inkjet printer has been most recently performed before the printing command is input, displaying a message requesting the maintenance operation when the time difference is greater than a predetermined time, and performing the maintenance when an execution command for performing the maintenance is input. An intensity of the maintenance operation varies in accordance with the time difference. The maintenance operation is performed in response to an actually required degree when the maintenance should be performed, thus an unnecessary maintenance operation is avoided or an incomplete maintenance operation is prevented.