Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head unit having a first retained portion and one or more nozzle arrays in a nozzle surface thereof, each of the nozzle arrays being formed of a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink onto a recording medium; and a retaining member that retains the recording head unit. The retaining member includes: a first retention portion that retains the first retained portion of the recording head unit to allow the nozzle surface rotate within a plane thereof by using the first retained portion; an inclination adjusting mechanism that moves the recording head unit with respect to the retaining member with the first retained portion being used as the center of rotation; and an urging member that presses and urges the recording head unit against the inclination adjusting mechanism and moves in cooperation with the inclination adjusting mechanism.

Abstract: A switching unit is provided near a tube for connecting an atmosphere communicating section of an ink cartridge to a charge tank. This switching unit comprises: a base; and a pressing mechanism arranged inside the base and capable of individually pressing tubes, so that the switching unit can apply the pressure from the charge tank and the tube pump selectively onto a plurality of the ink cartridges.

Abstract: Three nozzle caps for sealing the surface of a recording head are provided in correspondence to an ink tank group of Y, C, and M, an ink tank group of R, G, and B, and an ink tank group of photo-K and K. Then, ink is sucked for each of the three nozzle caps by a suction pump.

Abstract: An ink supply port sealing cap is to be used in an inkjet recording apparatus including a recording head unit having nozzles for ejecting ink, and first and second ink supply ports for supplying ink from first and second ink cartridges to the nozzles respectively. The ink supply port sealing cap includes: a first cap portion that seals the fist ink supply port; a second cap portion that seals the second ink supply port; and a coupling portion that separably couples the first and second cap portions.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus configured as a multi-function device is provided. The multi-function device can have four ink tanks, which store black ink, cyan ink, yellow ink and magenta ink. The multi-function device may have greater than four sub-tanks, which can be held in a scanning carriage and configured to move with a recording head. By moving the scanning carriage, the positions of the ink tanks can be aligned with the positions of the sub-tanks. In this manner, the basic inks can be supplied from the ink tanks into basic ink sub-tanks, and predetermined combinations of basic inks can be supplied into the other sub-tanks to create mixed inks.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus with color reproducibility is described. A printer including an ink jet recording apparatus according to one or more aspects of the invention has ink tanks for storing basic color inks and sub-tanks. The basic color inks can be supplied to basic color sub-tanks by a pressurizing pump. The basic color sub-tanks can be connected to mixed color sub-tanks. The sub-tanks can have open/closed switch valves for allowing the inflow of ink. In at least one aspect, the ink tanks and the basic color sub-tanks may be connected by connecting pipes.

Abstract: An ink cartridge is provided with a hollow cartridge body which can be attached to and detached from a cartridge attaching unit formed in an ink jet recording device, an ink storage chamber formed inside the cartridge, an ink supply port which can open in order to supply the ink to the ink jet recording device from the ink storage chamber and is sealed by a cap, and a plate-shaped handle which is rotatably provided on a front surface of the cartridge body and can take two postures of a standing posture where the handle stands up with respect to the front surface and a laid-down posture where the handle is laid down with respect to the same. The handle is configured so as to be exposed to outside when the cartridge body is attached to the cartridge attaching unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises: an image reading portion which has a box-shaped first housing with a reading surface, and a scanning device displaceable along the reading surface in the first housing, and reads a first image on a document by relatively displacing the document and scanning device; and an image recording portion which includes a recording medium supply device accommodating a recording medium, a feeding mechanism feeding the recording medium fed out of the supply device, a recording device recording a second image on the recording medium, and a second housing incorporating at least the feeding mechanism and recording device. The apparatus is placed on a rest surface in a substantially upright position, and the reading portion is changeable in position between an upright position in which the reading surface is opposed to the recording portion, and a horizontal position in which the reading surface faces upward.

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with a carriage, a pair of ink cartridges, an ink jet head, an ink tank, and an ink replenishment device. The pair of ink cartridges stores ink of same color. The carriage alternately supports each the ink cartridge. The ink jet head is supported by the carriage. The ink jet head discharges ink supplied from the ink cartridge currently being supported by the carriage. The ink tank stores the ink of the predetermined color. The ink replenishment device replenishes the ink cartridge currently not being supported by the carriage with the ink from the ink tank.

Abstract: An ink jet printer is provided with an ink jet head, a first support device, and a connecting device. The ink jet head is connected with an ink cartridge that stores ink, and the ink jet head discharges the ink supplied from the ink cartridge. The first support device is capable of supporting a plurality of spare ink cartridges that are aligned in a direction in which the ink is discharged. The connecting device disconnects the ink cartridge from the ink jet head, and connects one of the spare ink cartridges to the ink jet head. In the ink jet printer, the first support device is off-set from the ink jet head within a plane that is perpendicular to the direction of ink discharge.

Abstract: In an inkjet recording apparatus, a suction channel is defined between a concave groove-like channel of an ink guide member and a cap member. An ink discharge port is open to the suction channel while the suction channel communicates with the atmosphere through a plurality of communication holes. The distance between a bottom surface of the cap member and a surface of the concave groove-like channel facing the bottom surface is reduced in accordance with the distance from the ink discharge port. The ink discharge port is entirely covered with one longitudinal end portion of the ink guide member. The horizontal sectional area of each communication hole increases in accordance with the distance from the ink discharge port.

Abstract: At a predetermined position during the lateral movement of a carriage 10, a gap switching mechanism 30 for switching a gap between a recording head 15 and a recording medium is provided. The recording head 15 is mounted facing downward on the carriage 10. A part close to one side on a lower end of the carriage is slidably and pivotably supported by a guide shaft 11 of a round shaft shape. A switching block member 13 provided with several abutment portions 52 and 53 with different heights, which are positioned so as to be opposed to a slide portion 12a at an upper end of a frame 12 extending in a vertical direction along a back of the carriage. The A switching block member 13 is pivotably supported by the carriage. A first pushing portion 56 is located at a left end of the frame so as to abut against the switching block member 13.

Abstract: An ink supply port sealing cap is to be used in an inkjet recording apparatus including a recording head unit having nozzles for ejecting ink, and first and second ink supply ports for supplying ink from first and second ink cartridges to the nozzles respectively. The ink supply port sealing cap includes: a first cap portion that seals the fist ink supply port; a second cap portion that seals the second ink supply port; and a coupling portion that separably couples the first and second cap portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head that forms an image onto a recording medium; a guide shaft disposed to extend in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording medium; a carriage on which the recording head is mounted and includes a support portion formed integrally with the carriage; and a bearing unit attached to an inner surface of the support portion and allows the carriage to be moved along the guide shaft, and includes plate-shaped bearing portions that are disposed to have a contained angle that allows the bearing portions to contact with a circumferential surface of the guide shaft at two points.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head unit having a first retained portion and one or more nozzle arrays in a nozzle surface thereof, each of the nozzle arrays being formed of a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink onto a recording medium; and a retaining member that retains the recording head unit. The retaining member includes: a first retention portion that retains the first retained portion of the recording head unit to allow the nozzle surface rotate within a plane thereof by using the first retained portion; an inclination adjusting mechanism that moves the recording head unit with respect to the retaining member with the first retained portion being used as the center of rotation; and an urging member that presses and urges the recording head unit against the inclination adjusting mechanism and moves in cooperation with the inclination adjusting mechanism.

Abstract: A device comprising a pair of lower and upper bodies respectively accommodating an image scanner and a printer. The upper body is hinged at one end thereof to the lower body so that the other end thereof is allowed to move between open and close positions. A biasing mechanism is provided for biasing the upper body not to fall down toward the second body due to the weight thereof and keep it at an arbitrary position between the open and close positions. The biasing mechanism includes a spring member and applies a first biasing force to the upper body by linearly stretching the spring member. When the upper body is in the vicinity of the lower body, the biasing mechanism further generates a second biasing force to be applied to the upper body by bending the linearly stretched spring member.

Abstract: In an inkjet recording apparatus, a suction channel is defined between a concave groove-like channel of an ink guide member and a cap member. An ink discharge port is open to the suction channel while the suction channel communicates with the atmosphere through a plurality of communication holes. The distance between a bottom surface of the cap member and a surface of the concave groove-like channel facing the bottom surface is reduced in accordance with the distance from the ink discharge port. The ink discharge port is entirely covered with one longitudinal end portion of the ink guide member. The horizontal sectional area of each communication hole increases in accordance with the distance from the ink discharge port.

Abstract: A device comprising a pair of lower and upper bodies respectively accommodating an image scanner and a printer. The upper body is hinged at one end thereof to the lower body so that the other end thereof is allowed to move between open and close positions. A biasing mechanism is provided for biasing the upper body not to fall down toward the second body due to the weight thereof and keep it at an arbitrary position between the open and close positions. The biasing mechanism includes a spring member and applies a first biasing force to the upper body by linearly stretching the spring member. When the upper body is in the vicinity of the lower body, the biasing mechanism further generates a second biasing force to be applied to the upper body by bending the linearly stretched spring member.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink ribbon cartridge which ensures proper, reliable mounting of an ink ribbon. The ink ribbon cartridge of the invention includes a pair of spools, an ink ribbon including a band-like sheet wound around the pair of spools and provided with a layer of ink formed on one surface thereof, four spindles which have disk-shaped sections at one end and can be placed, for a specific length in both ends of the pair of spools, and a cover covering the pair of spools around which the sheet is wound and having four round holes in which the disk-shaped sections of each of the spindles are loosely fitted. In one of the four ends of the pair of spools, only the other end of a specific one of the four spindles can be inserted for a specific length, and one of the four round holes formed in the cover is formed such that only the disk-shaped section on one side of the specific spindle can be loosely fitted.