Abstract: An ink-jet image forming apparatus includes an ink-jet head having a printbar provided with a plurality of nozzles to eject ink droplets, a steam sprayer to spray steam onto the printbar, and a wiper movable relative to the ink-jet head to wipe the printbar sprayed with the steam.

Abstract: An ink-jet image forming apparatus includes an ink-jet head including a printbar having a plurality of nozzle plates, and a cap member including a base facing the printbar, a boundary wall disposed against the base to seal the printbar, and a protector protruding from the base to prevent the printbar from contacting the base.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding documents in a facsimile includes a pickup roller for picking up documents one by one, a white roller that faces a read module and rotates, the read module for reading data from the documents transferred by the pickup roller, a discharge roller for discharging the documents after the documents are passed through the white roller and the read module, a driving unit, a power transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting a power of the driving unit either only to the pickup roller, or to all of the pickup roller, the white roller and the discharge roller simultaneously, and a controller for controlling the power transmission mechanism to selectively transmit the power either one of the pickup roller, the white roller, and the discharge roller.

Abstract: A drive roller releasing apparatus for an ink-jet printer includes a drive roller separating mechanism at a drive roller to transport a printing material to a feed roller, to separate a pinch roller from the drive roller, and a controller to control the drive roller separating mechanism to separate the pinch roller from the drive roller when the printing material is moved into the feed roller. The drive roller separating mechanism includes a releasing cam to contact a pinch roller shaft. The cam surface is such that the pinch roller is gradually separated from the drive roller due to a rotation of the drive roller shaft. A one-way clutch allows the releasing cam to be rotated in one direction, and a torsion spring to bias the releasing cam to rotate in one direction in order for the cam surface thereof to be contacting with the pinch roller shaft.

Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided including a printing head which includes a nozzle unit with a length that corresponds to a width of paper to eject ink on the paper at a fixed position for printing an image. A capping unit ascends and descends between capping and uncapping positions. A guiding element is located below the printing head to support the paper and has an aperture through which the capping unit may access the nozzle unit. A moving guide moves between a first position to open the aperture such that the capping unit may be moved to the capping position and a second position to block the aperture.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing module that prints an image on a medium. A transfer unit transfers the medium. A rotating unit rotates the transfer unit such that first and second surfaces of the medium selectively face the printing module when the medium is pinched in the transfer unit.

Abstract: A thermal image forming apparatus and method of printing a color image by heating a medium having ink layers that react with heat to represent different colors with a single thermal printhead (TPH), includes transferring the medium in a first direction, heating a first surface of the medium using the TPH to represent an image of one or more ink layers, moving a holding unit to an inlet of the TPH in a state where a terminal portion of the medium is engaged with the holding unit installed at an outlet of the TPH to dispose a second surface of the medium to face the TPH, and heating the second surface of the medium to represent an image of the remaining one or more ink layers.

Abstract: A thermal image forming apparatus is provided adapted to form images on both sides of a recording medium. The thermal image forming apparatus includes an image forming part having a recording head for forming an image on the recording medium and a support member facing the recording head and supporting the recording medium with respect to the recording head. The recording medium has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. A position changing unit rotates the recording head around a shaft of the support member to move the recording head to first and second locations respectively facing the first and second sides of the recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus to remove an ink cartridge of an ink-jet printer. The apparatus includes a carriage having a supporting frame movably supported by a guide rail, and a receptacle connected to the supporting frame, an ink cartridge removable from the receptacle, the ink cartridge having a latching protrusion formed at an upper end thereof, a latching unit disposed at the supporting frame, being compressible and de-compressible to an original form, the latching unit in a compressed state latching the latching protrusion of the ink cartridge and the latching unit in a de-compressed state, is released from the latching protrusion, and a moving unit having a joint portion which pivots at a predetermined angle. The moving unit is pivotally disposed at the supporting frame, the moving unit to pivot in a first direction to completely mount the ink cartridge from a temporary mounting position in the receptacle and to compress the latching unit.

Abstract: A drive roller releasing apparatus for an ink-jet printer includes a drive roller separating mechanism at a drive roller to transport a printing material to a feed roller, to separate a pinch roller from the drive roller, and a controller to control the drive roller separating mechanism to separate the pinch roller from the drive roller when the printing material is moved into the feed roller. The drive roller separating mechanism includes a releasing cam to contact a pinch roller shaft. The cam surface is such that the pinch roller is gradually separated from the drive roller due to a rotation of the drive roller shaft. A one-way clutch allows the releasing cam to be rotated in one direction, and a torsion spring to bias the releasing cam to rotate in one direction in order for the cam surface thereof to be contacting with the pinch roller shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding documents in a facsimile is provided. The document feeding apparatus includes a pickup roller for picking up documents one by one, a white roller that faces a read module and rotates, the read module for reading data from the documents transferred by the pickup roller, a discharge roller for discharging the documents after the documents are passed through the white roller and the read module, a driving unit, a power transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting a power of the driving unit either only to the pickup roller, or to all of the pickup roller, the white roller and the discharge roller simultaneously, and a controller for controlling the power transmission mechanism to selectively transmit the power either one of the pickup roller, the white roller, and the discharge roller.

Abstract: An apparatus to remove an ink cartridge of an ink-jet printer. The apparatus includes a carriage having a supporting frame movably supported by a guide rail, and a receptacle connected to the supporting frame, an ink cartridge removable from the receptacle, the ink cartridge having a latching protrusion formed at an upper end thereof, a latching unit disposed at the supporting frame, being compressible and de-compressible to an original form, the latching unit in a compressed state latching the latching protrusion of the ink cartridge and the latching unit in a de-compressed state, is released from the latching protrusion, and a moving unit having a joint portion which pivots at a predetermined angle . The moving unit is pivotally disposed at the supporting frame, the moving unit to pivot in a first direction to completely mount the ink cartridge from a temporary mounting position in the receptacle and to compress the latching unit.

Abstract: A roller assembly used for the image reading unit of a facsimile machine, comprises a white roller assembly made of an extruded pipe. The white roller assembly (which can be a rubber roll) is directly extruded so as to be formed to a cylindrical pipe which doesn't need to be subjected to an additional machining process. The assembly is provided with hooking grooves on the insides of both ends. Both shafts support the rotating white roller and are separately formed by molding so as to be each inserted into the respective ends on both sides of the white roller. One of the shafts is integrally formed with a gear without requiring an E-ring, and a hooking jaw is formed on both shafts so as to be fitted into the hooking groove formed inside both ends of the white roller.