Abstract: A wiper, a cleaning device, and an inkjet image forming device including the wiper and the cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a carrier moving in a lengthwise direction of a nozzle unit, the length of the nozzle unit corresponding to a width of a printing medium, a driving element moving the carrier forwards and backwards, and a wiper mounted on the carrier and removing ink adhered to the nozzle unit, wherein the wiper includes a belt member which is supported by a plurality of pulleys and circularly moves along a predetermined path and a cleaning member which is attached to an outer circumference of the belt member and removes the ink adhered to the nozzle unit while rotating in contact with the nozzle unit. Accordingly, an absorption capacity of the wiper is increased using the belt type wiper. Furthermore, since the absorption capacity of the wiper is increased, a replacement cycle for replacing the wiper is extended, thereby increasing the life span of the wiper.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead that has a series of printhead modules mounted in an elongate casing. Each module has a printhead IC and an ink distribution arrangement that supplies the printhead IC. The casing also supports a plurality of printed circuit boards for controlling the operation of the printhead ICs. Busbars supported in the casing receive power and data from the printed circuit boards which is in turn transmitted to each of the printhead ICs with a flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: A waste liquid tank is arranged outside a printer. A connection port arranged at an upstream end of a duct extending from the waste liquid tank is connected to a transfer device. The transfer device is connected to a discharge side of a suction pump for drawing in ink from a nozzle of a recording head of the printer through a duct.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus including a liquid ejection head, a liquid receiver, a liquid receiver movement mechanism, and a lid body is provided. The liquid ejection head has a nozzle surface. The nozzle surface includes a nozzle opening. The liquid ejection head ejects a liquid from the nozzle surface. The liquid receiver has an opening provided in correspondence with the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head. The liquid receiver is capable of receiving the liquid ejected as a waste liquid from the nozzle opening of the liquid ejection head through the opening of the liquid receiver. The liquid receiver movement mechanism moves the liquid receiver between a receiving position at which the opening of the liquid receiver opposes the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head and a non-receiving position spaced from the receiving position. The lid body is arranged at the non-receiving position.

Abstract: The ink set for inkjet recording includes: a first liquid which contains at least a water-soluble solvent, water, and pigment particles dispersed and retained in a medium including the water-soluble solvent and the water; and a second liquid which does not contain coloring material but contains at least a water-soluble solvent, water, and a liquid composition which enhances printing characteristics, wherein: an image is formed by making the first liquid and the second liquid come into contact with each other on a recording medium; and a ratio of pigment particles having a particle diameter of not less than 150 nm is not greater than 2 volume percent with respect to a whole of the pigment particles contained in the first liquid.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes: a print head; a maintaining unit; a timing unit; a notifying unit; a maintenance command determining unit; and a maintenance operation executing unit. The print head is formed with one or more ink ejection opening for printing a printing medium by ejecting ink through the ink ejection opening. The maintaining unit restores the ink ejection state of the print head by flowing ink through the ink ejection opening. The timing unit keeps track of an elapsed time after the maintaining unit has executed a maintenance operation. The notifying unit notifies a user when it is time to execute a maintenance operation if the elapsed time measured by the timing unit exceeds a prescribed time. The maintenance command determining unit determines whether or not the user has issued a command to execute a maintenance operation with the maintaining unit after the notifying unit has issued a notification.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet head including a nozzle plate in which a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected are formed. The nozzle plate has a nozzle surface on which nozzle orifices corresponding to the plurality of nozzles are formed. The nozzle surface has surface roughness Rz in a range from 0.3 to 5 ?m formed by a roughening process. The ink has surface tension in a range from 28 to 35 mN/m.

Abstract: The image recording apparatus includes a recording head ejecting ink for image recording, a rotatable platen facing the head and has recording medium support surfaces supporting one or more recording media during the image recording, respectively, a driver rotating the platen and a controller controlling the driver so as to rotate the platen in such a way that a predetermined surface selected from the surfaces is stopped at a position facing the recording head. The surfaces support the one or more recording media transported in accordance with different transport patterns, respectively and have ink receivers receiving the ink having reached outside both sides of each of the one or more recording media transported during the image recording and being disposed in positions corresponding to vicinities of both sides of each of the one or more recording media.

Abstract: An ink supply system for purging an inkjet printhead is provided. The ink supply system comprises: (a) a first ink reservoir for supplying printing ink to the printhead; (b) a second ink reservoir for supplying purging ink to the printhead; and (c) a valve having a plurality of configurations, wherein: in a first configuration the valve provides fluid communication between the printhead and the first ink reservoir via a first ink conduit, and in a second configuration the valve provides fluid communication between the printhead and the second ink reservoir via a second ink conduit.

Abstract: A nozzle protecting device 30 of an ink jet type recording apparatus has a cap 46 which covers nozzles of a recording head and a cap support member 47 which is connected to the cap 45 via a spring member 80. The distance between the cap 46 and the cap support member 47 can be changed by elastic deformation of the spring member 80. A vent hole 54 is formed in the cap 46. A valve seat 56 which covers the terminal portion of the vent hole 54 is provided. A valve body 58 is rotatably attached to the lower portion of the cap 46. The valve body 58 selectively abuts on and parts from the valve seat 56 in accordance with the distance between the cap 46 and the cap support member 47. As a result, the inside of the cap 46 is opened and closed to air via the vent hole 54.

Abstract: The liquid ejection apparatus comprises: a liquid ejection head which has nozzles ejecting liquid in a downward-facing state and pressure chambers connected to the nozzles; a turning device which turns the liquid ejection head to switch the nozzles of the liquid ejection head between the downward-facing state and an upward-facing state; and a sealing device which seals the nozzles when the nozzles of the liquid ejection head are in the upward-facing state.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head including a nozzle portion having a length in a main scanning direction that is at least equal to a width of a printing medium, a conveying unit to convey the printing medium, a driving motor to drive the conveying unit, and a cap member to cap and uncap the nozzle portion, and the conveying unit and the cap member are driven by the driving motor.

Abstract: A blade engagement apparatus for metering release agent onto an image forming device associated moving surface, such as a Solid Ink Jet drum. The blade engagement apparatus includes a blade positioning mechanism having a blade holder rotated about a fixed pivot point disposed a distance LD from the moving surface. A plurality of metering blades extending from the blade holder each include a blade tip disposed a distance LB from the pivot point such that LB is greater than LD. A replacement blade is brought into a working position in deflected engagement with the moving surface for metering a release agent onto the surface while the used blade is moved into a non-operational suspended position. Various blade replacement strategies are used to initiate a blade replacement operation.

Abstract: A method of removing flooded ink from an ink ejection face of a printhead is provided. The method comprises transferring the ink onto a disposable sheet moving past the face, wherein the sheet does not contact the face.

Abstract: An image device includes a movable member, a guide shaft, and a shaft bearing. The movable member moves back and forth inside the device along a guide shaft when reading or recording image information. The guide shaft includes an arc portion in at least part of a cross-section. The shaft bearing is penetrated by the guide shaft at two locations in the movement direction that differ from the center of gravity in the movable member. The shaft bearing includes two inclined faces contacted by the arc portion of the guide shaft in the cross-section. The respective two inclined faces of the shaft bearing are at an angle ?f (rad) and an angle ?r (rad) with the perpendicular direction. The angle ?f (rad) and the angle ?r (rad) satisfy the following inequality: cos {?/2?(?f+?r)}>0.

Abstract: An ink-jet head includes nozzles which are configured to discharge ink droplets, an ink discharge surface which has ink discharge apertures of the nozzles formed therethrough, and a cap configured to cover the ink discharge surface. The cap includes a base member which opposes the ink discharge surface. The base member has a recess formed therein, and the recess has a communication hole formed therethrough. The cap also may include a damper film which is connected to the base member at an outer periphery of the recess and covers the recess, and a lip which is formed along an outer periphery of the base member and is configured to selectively contact the ink discharge surface. Moreover, the ink-jet head may include a cap holder which is connected to the cap and is configured to selectively apply a force to the cap toward the ink discharge surface.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus having an inkjet type printer is configured to prevent ink from being wastefully consumed through a purge processing. Before next purge processing is executed, test printing is carried out. The user looks at the result of the test printing and inputs instruction indicating whether or not the next purge processing is to be executed. If the inputted instruction indicates that immediate purge processing is unnecessary, execution of the purge processing is prolonged. In this manner, a purge processing is not automatically executed but executed only when the test printing indicates that an ejection condition of ink is no good.

Abstract: A modular printhead module is disclosed. The printhead module includes a carrier. An elongate ink delivery member is mounted in the carrier and defines a plurality of longitudinal conduits, each for carrying a respective type of ink. The elongate ink delivery member further defines a plurality of sets of apertures, each set including a plurality of apertures which are each in register with a corresponding conduit. A single printhead including a plurality of inkjet nozzles is also provided. Each inkjet nozzle engages with a respective set of apertures so that each inkjet nozzle is engaged in fluid communication with a respective conduit.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head having a nozzle unit having a length in a main scanning direction corresponding to a width of a printing medium, a capping unit to move to a capping position to cap the nozzle unit and an uncapping position for a printing. The capping unit includes a cap member having a spitting hole and covering the nozzle unit, an absorbing member to absorb an ink passing through the spitting hole, and a support member disposed at a position where the cap member and the absorbing member are installed, the support member receiving the ink spitted.