Abstract: An ink ejectability maintenance device maintains an ink ejectability of at least one recording head which ejects ink droplets to a recording medium. A first wiper wipes a nozzle formation face of the recording head in a first direction. A second wiper wipes the nozzle formation face in a second direction which is different from the first direction. The first direction is a direction in which the recording head reciprocately moves, and the second direction is a direction in which the recording medium is fed. The first wiper and the second wiper are disposed on a single base member.

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: Methods and arrangements are provided to service multiple staggered printheads in a color inkjet-imaging device. Multiple cleaning units are attached to a service station. Each cleaning unit includes multiple components to service a particular one printhead. Each cleaning unit is offset from an adjacent cleaning unit to form a staggered configuration to service the staggered printheads. The staggered printheads are moved from/to the service station to/from a print zone. The staggered cleaning unit configuration in combination with component positioning provides substantially unhindered access to move the staggered printheads into and out of the service station. Responsive to moving the staggered printheads into the service station, the cleaning units service the staggered printheads.

Abstract: A waste ink accumulation system in an ink jet printer includes a rotatable body having an ink-collecting surface and a plurality of projections extending from the ink-collecting surface. An actuating mechanism rotates the body.

Abstract: A cap device is for capping a head of an ink jet printer. The cap device includes a cap, an ink absorption member, and a lid. The cap is for developing a seal around the ink ejection surface of the head. The ink absorption member is disposed in the cap to absorb ink that was ejected or sucked from the head into the cap. The lid covers an ink-ejection-surface-confronting portion of the ink absorption member, except at least a nozzle-confronting portion of the ink absorption member. The lid is connected to an inner peripheral surface of the cap with a fluidly tight connection.

Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus characterized by a mounting portion for mounting thereon a liquid discharging head provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, a cap for covering the discharge port, suction means for effecting suction from the discharge port when the cap covers the discharge port, and control means for causing the cap to cover the discharge port when the liquid discharging head is mounted on the mounting portion, and causing the suction means to effect first suction from the discharge port by negative pressure having a first negative pressure curve, and then causing the suction means to effect second suction from the discharge port by negative pressure in a second negative pressure curve which is different than the first negative pressure curve with the cap caused to cover the discharge port.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for enabling vapor handling in printing. In certain implementations, for example, one or more volatiles emitted during an ink-based printing process may be condensed into one or more liquids. The one or more liquids may be directed into absorbent materials such that the combined liquids and absorbent materials form a substance that qualifies as a solid, as determined by a given solid definition or regulatory standard. In certain (alternative but non-exhaustive) implementations, the volatiles emitted during printing may include water and oil, with the oil vapor being condensed into a liquid and added to the absorbent materials while the water vapor is being forwarded under the force of, e.g., negative air pressure.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head according to the present invention includes a single liquid supplying port to which a liquid is supplied, a plurality of liquid supplying passages having one end in communication with the liquid supplying port, a plurality of common liquid chambers that are in communication with the other ends of the liquid supplying passages, respectively, and a plurality of ejection port groups which are in communication with the common liquid chambers via liquid channels and from which liquid droplets are ejected. A cross sectional area or length of the liquid supplying passage in communication with the ejection port group having a larger sum of opening areas of the ejection ports is set smaller than that of the liquid supplying passage that is in communication with the ejection port group having a smaller sum of opening areas of the ejection ports.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus comprises an energy generating element for generating energy to be utilized for discharging liquid, a wiper for wiping in succession plural discharge ports for discharging liquid, utilizing the energy generated by the energy generating element, control device for starting liquid discharge, utilizing the energy generated by the energy generating element, among the plural discharge ports, in succession from a discharge port immediately prior to being wiped by the wiper and from a discharge port in the vicinity of the immediately prior discharge port at the downstream side in the wiping direction by the wiper.

Abstract: A wiping member for wiping the nozzle forming surface of a recording head is mounted on a holding member and is constituted to be moved in a vertical direction. On the other hand, a capping device is provided with a wiper cleaner for abutting on the side wall of the wiping member. By the wiping operation of the recording head, a waste ink sticking to the wiping member is wiped away by the wiper cleaner with the fall of the wiping member and is removed from the wiping member.

Abstract: A fluid ejection cartridge includes an ejector head having at least one nozzle and a fluid reservoir containing an ejectable fluid, fluidically coupled with the at least one nozzle. The fluid ejection cartridge has a tape that includes a thermoplastic polymer film in contact with and releasably bonded to the nozzles.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus for effecting recording using an ink-jet recording head is capable of forming large dots and small dots. The number of times of discharge operation for forming large dots and the number of times of discharge operation for forming small dots are separately counted, and a total ink discharge amount is calculated on the basis of these count values. The total ink discharge amount which is compared with a predetermined value to perform appropriate suction processing. According to the invention, an ink suction operation from a discharge port is started with appropriate timing, thereby controlling consumption of ink.

Abstract: A position of a nozzle forming surface 15a of a recording head is varied by an adjusting operation of a platen gap. Accordingly, an amount of interference (L1, L2) of a wiping member (11), which wipes the nozzle forming surface (15a), against the nozzle forming surface (15a), varies. With this, a sliding contact of the wiping member (11) against the nozzle forming surface (15a) varies. When the platen gap is large, the wiping effect decreases. Accordingly, when the platen gap is large, the wiping speed is decreased, and the decrease of the wiping effect is compensated for by increasing the number of wiping operations.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus which performs printing by using a print head. The print head has at least a predetermined number of nozzles to eject ink. The apparatus includes a first prefiring mechanism for causing the print head to perform a prefiring operation to eject ink from nozzles of the print head for maintaining printing quality after a first time interval during a printing operation. The apparatus also includes a driving mechanism for driving nozzles of the print head based on data to be printed, and a second prefiring mechanism for causing the print head to perform the prefiring operation in a case where a number of the nozzles to be driven is changed. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a shifting mechanism for causing the driving mechanism to drive the nozzles of the print head based on the first time interval during the printing operation so as to enhance a power of ejecting ink and continue the printing operation after the first time interval without performing the prefiring operation.

Abstract: A tube pump is continuously driven to set an interior of a cap at a target negative pressure, and then driving and stopping of the tube pump is repeated to maintain a predetermined suction pressure. Therefore, a suction operation can be performed without mixing bubbles in a liquid chamber or wasting inks.

Abstract: A wiping mechanism removing foreign substances adhered to a nozzle surface without deteriorating durability of an ink-repellent coating applied on the nozzle surface. A wiper has first and second wiping members that are integrated into one piece. During normal wiping operation, the nozzle surface is wiped to remove the foreign substances therefrom, using the first wiping member, with a wiping force that is weaker than that required during a powerful wiping operation. Therefore, the normal wiping operation has little effect on the ink-repellent coating on the nozzle surface, thereby increasing the durability of the ink-repellant coating. During the powerful wiping operation, the nozzle surface is wiped, with a force stronger than that during the normal wiping operation, using the second wiping member, so that stubborn foreign substances, such as ink solidifying on the nozzle surface 24a, can be surely removed therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention provides a capping mechanism for protecting a recording head for effecting recording by discharging ink toward a recording medium, comprising a cap movable in directions along which the cap can be contacted with and separated from a discharge port face of the recording head, a cam mechanism for controlling a position of the cap, a shifting mechanism for shifting the cap in said directions, and a biasing mechanism for biasing the cap to be separated from the discharge port face, and wherein the cam mechanism includes first and second cams and the shifting mechanism includes first and second engagement portions so that the first cam is normally engaged with the first engagement portion, and, when the first cam is disengaged from the first engagement portion, the second cam is engaged with the second engagement portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes cap members for capping ejection outlets of an ejection portions for ejecting liquid to a recording material; pump diviec including suction inlets in fluid communication within the cap members; discharging outlets for discharging the liquid; cylinder member including a plurality of cylinders having the suction inlets and the discharging outlets, respectively; a seal member for dividing inner space in the cylinder divice into the cylinders; and a plurality of pistons reciprocable in the spaces in contact with the inner surfaces of the cylinders to produce pressure change in the inner spaces; wherein in each of the cylinders, the suction inlet is disposed more away from seal member than the discharging outlet.

Abstract: The ink jet printing apparatus has an ink moving device for returning almost all of the ink in the sub ink tank to the main ink tank. The method of supplying ink has a first step of returning the ink in the sub ink tank to the main ink tank, a second step of discharging bubbles in the sub ink tank out of the sub ink tank, and a third step of, after the first step, supplying a predetermined amount of ink from the main ink tank to the sub ink tank. The method of recovering the ink jet print head has a first step of returning the ink in the sub ink tank to the main ink tank, and a second step of discharging the ink from the print head by, after the first step, applying an external pressure against any part of the ink supply path.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes a number of nozzle devices formed on a substrate. Each nozzle device has a nozzle chamber, a nozzle opening through which ink from the nozzle chamber is ejected, a movable element in contact with ink in the nozzle chamber to cause the ejection of ink and thermal bend actuator. The thermal bend actuator has a proximal end anchored to the substrate and a distal end connected to the movable element. The actuator includes a first portion adjacent the proximal end and having a conducting heating circuit layer for heating the actuator. A second end portion of the actuator extends to the movable element and is in contact with ink in the chamber. A dielectric slot electrically isolates the first and second portions so that electric energy in the heating circuit layer is not conducted by the actuator to the ink in the chamber.