Abstract: Provided are a wiping mechanism, a liquid droplet jetting apparatus, and a wiping method capable of securing an absorption capacity of a wiping member which absorbs a liquid adhered to a nozzle surface while preventing infiltration of bubbles into a nozzle when the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiping member. The nozzle surface is wiped by the wiping member which has one surface 200A that comes into contact with the nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles through which liquid droplets are jetted are formed, and has a plurality of voids M that form capillaries from the one surface 200A side to the other surface 200B side, the voids M being greater in size on the other surface 200B side than on the one surface side 200A among the plurality of voids M.

Abstract: A plurality of recording elements included in a printed head are grouped into a plurality of groups, a test order is set in units of groups, and a test of the recording elements is periodically performed in units of groups in the set test order. In a case where an abnormality is detected in the recording element as a result of the test, the recording element in which an abnormality is detected is recognized as a retest target, an order of tests is changed through interruption, and a retest of a group including the recording element recognized as a retest target is performed. In a case where an abnormality is detected again in the recording element that is a retest target as a result of the retest, the recording element that is a retest target is recognized as an abnormal recording element.

Abstract: Provided are a wiping mechanism, a liquid droplet jetting apparatus, and a wiping method capable of preventing infiltration of bubbles into a nozzle when a nozzle surface is wiped by a wiping member. A wiping member (200) comes into contact with a nozzle surface (78) with a nozzle through which liquid droplets are jetted and is formed by weaving weft yarns (220) and warp yarns (210), in which the wiping member (200) in which the weft yarns (220) are further exposed to the nozzle surface (78A) side than the warp yarns (210) is moved relative to the nozzle surface (78A) along the warp yarns (210).

Abstract: Provided are a nozzle wiping sheet, a nozzle wiping unit, and an image forming apparatus capable of preventing occurrence of streaks during printing immediately after maintenance. A wiping member (120) wipes a nozzle surface (57K) of a jetting head (56K) provided with a nozzle through which liquid droplets are jetted, in which a shape of the liquid droplet added dropwise to the wiping member (120) after a cleaning liquid (108) is added to the wiping member (120) satisfies the following condition when an aspect ratio of the liquid droplet after 40 seconds after the addition of the cleaning liquid (108) is assumed to be R, and the R is 1.3 or more.

Abstract: Provided are a wiping mechanism, a liquid droplet jetting apparatus, and a wiping method capable of securing an absorption capacity of a wiping member which absorbs a liquid adhered to a nozzle surface while preventing infiltration of bubbles into a nozzle when the nozzle surface is wiped by the wiping member. The nozzle surface is wiped by the wiping member which has one surface 200A that comes into contact with the nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles through which liquid droplets are jetted are formed, and has a plurality of voids M that form capillaries from the one surface 200A side to the other surface 200B side, the voids M being greater in size on the other surface 200B side than on the one surface side 200A among the plurality of voids M.

Abstract: Provided are an image recording apparatus that efficiently detects defective recording elements causing image defects in a plurality of recording heads and a method of detecting the defective recording elements. An image recording apparatus including: a plurality of recording heads; an indicator acquisition unit for acquiring an indicator which relatively indicates how easily image defects are visually perceived for each color, an appearance ratio setting unit for setting an appearance ratio of a test pattern as a higher value as the indicator of each color becomes higher; a recording unit for recording the test pattern of each color on a recording medium at the appearance ratio; an imaging unit for capturing an image of the test pattern which is recorded on the recording medium; and an analysis unit for analyzing the captured test pattern and detecting a defect of a recording element in the recording head.

Abstract: Provided are an ink jet recording apparatus and an abnormality detection method of an ejector which are capable of performing high-accuracy abnormality detection and suppressing the generation of excessive abnormality detection with respect to a required image quality. An ink jet recording apparatus (10) includes an ink jet head (20C, 20M, 20Y, 20K) having a plurality of ejectors, a medium transport unit (22), a calculation unit (34) that calculates an index value relevant to a droplet ejection amount for each ejector on the basis of printing data, a threshold determination unit (40) that determines a threshold for ejection abnormality determination for each ejector in accordance with the index value, a threshold storage unit (44) that stores the threshold determined for each ejector, and an abnormality determination unit (54) that determines the presence or absence of ejection abnormality by comparing the threshold with a measurement amount for each ejector.

Abstract: A plurality of recording elements included in a printed head are grouped into a plurality of groups, a test order is set in units of groups, and a test of the recording elements is periodically performed in units of groups in the set test order. In a case where an abnormality is detected in the recording element as a result of the test, the recording element in which an abnormality is detected is recognized as a retest target, an order of tests is changed through interruption, and a retest of a group including the recording element recognized as a retest target is performed. In a case where an abnormality is detected again in the recording element that is a retest target as a result of the retest, the recording element that is a retest target is recognized as an abnormal recording element.

Abstract: In an image recording device, in a case where a J-th nozzle (H2 [3]) of a certain image recording head (H2) among plural image recording heads (H1, H2) is in a discharge defect state, a dot size of an image recording droplet discharged from a J-th nozzle (H1 [3]) of an image recording head (H1) other than the image recording head (H2) is changed to a size within dot sizes used in normal image recording in a high-speed image recording mode, which is larger than a dot size of an image recording droplet to be discharged from the discharging nozzle (H2 [3]). In a low-speed image recording mode, the dot size of the image recording droplet discharged from the discharging nozzle (H1 [3]) is changed to a size which is larger than the largest dot size among dot sizes used in the normal image recording.

Abstract: In an image recording device, in a case where a J-th nozzle (H2 [3]) of a certain image recording head (H2) among plural image recording heads (H1, H2) is in a discharge defect state, a dot size of an image recording droplet discharged from a J-th nozzle (H1 [3]) of an image recording head (H1) other than the image recording head (H2) is changed to a size within dot sizes used in normal image recording in a high-speed image recording mode, which is larger than a dot size of an image recording droplet to be discharged from the discharging nozzle (H2 [3]). In a low-speed image recording mode, the dot size of the image recording droplet discharged from the discharging nozzle (H1 [3]) is changed to a size which is larger than the largest dot size among dot sizes used in the normal image recording.

Abstract: Provided are an ink jet recording apparatus and an abnormality detection method of an ejector which are capable of performing high-accuracy abnormality detection and suppressing the generation of excessive abnormality detection with respect to a required image quality. An ink jet recording apparatus (10) includes an ink jet head (20C, 20M, 20Y, 20K) having a plurality of ejectors, a medium transport unit (22), a calculation unit (34) that calculates an index value relevant to a droplet ejection amount for each ejector on the basis of printing data, a threshold determination unit (40) that determines a threshold for ejection abnormality determination for each ejector in accordance with the index value, a threshold storage unit (44) that stores the threshold determined for each ejector, and an abnormality determination unit (54) that determines the presence or absence of ejection abnormality by comparing the threshold with a measurement amount for each ejector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording material applying member configured to apply a recording material to a recording medium; a fixing member configured to fix a recording material to the medium; a first transportation unit configured to transport the medium to the recording material applying member and the fixing member; a discharge unit configured to discharge the medium; a second transportation unit configured to return the medium to the recording material applying unit; a reverse unit configured to reverse front and back surfaces of the recording medium provided in the second transportation unit; a transportation path switching unit configured to transport the medium to the discharge unit or the second transportation unit; and a control device configured to control the transportation path switching unit so as to transport the medium to the discharge unit when a fixing ability of the fixing member is decreased.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharge disabling unit configured to disable a discharge operation of a defective nozzle, which is in a defective discharge state, among a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge liquid droplets to a recording medium, when a value obtained by quantifying a degree of defective state of the defective nozzle is greater than a discharge disable threshold value; a complement unit configured to complement an image defect using two nozzles on either side of the defective nozzle of which discharge operation is disabled; and a threshold value change unit configured to change the discharge disable threshold value depending on a discharge order between the nozzles which complement the image defect and nozzles adjacent to the nozzles which complement the image defect.

Abstract: An image formation device of the present invention has: a recording medium supplying section that supplies a recording medium; a conveying section that conveys the recording medium supplied from the recording medium supplying section; an image formation section that ejects droplets and forms an image on the recording medium that is being conveyed; an image conversion section that converts an inputted image into dot data; a printing processing section that, from inputted print information, outputs continuously printed number of sheets information that causes the image formation section to continuously print output images, and prints the recording media corresponding to the continuously printed number of sheets, and, thereafter, carries out processing that temporarily stops printing of the output images; and a control section that, during a stoppage time of the printing, stops at least formation of images at the image formation section, and continues to drive the conveying section.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes: a conveyance device which conveys paper; an inkjet head which ejecting droplets of colored ink onto the paper conveyed by the conveyance device so as to form an image on the paper; a transparent liquid deposition device which deposits a transparent liquid onto a blank background portion of the paper conveyed by the conveyance device; a transparent liquid deposition volume determination device which determines a deposition volume of the transparent liquid to be deposited onto the paper, according to printing information that is required for printing the image on the paper; and a transparent liquid deposition control device which controls the transparent liquid deposition device in such a manner that the transparent liquid with the deposition volume determined by the transparent liquid deposition volume determination device is deposited onto the blank background portion of the paper.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a conveying section that accelerates a long-length recording medium to a predetermined speed, conveys the long-length recording medium, and decelerates the long-length recording medium to a stopped state; a recording section that records an image on the recording medium, and forms a first test pattern on the recording medium after the image is recorded at a time of deceleration of the recording medium; a reading section that reads the image that the recording section has recorded and the first test pattern that the recording section has formed; an image converting section that converts inputted image data into image data that the recording section outputs; a maintenance section that performs maintenance of the recording section; and a controller that decides, on the basis of first data obtained by reading the first test pattern, whether or not the maintenance is needed and the content thereof.

Abstract: An image forming device has: a supporting/conveying member that supports a sheet-shaped recording medium from a bottom surface of the recording medium, and conveys the recording medium while rotating; an abutment member that abuts a leading end portion of the recording medium and stops the leading end portion of the recording medium; and a pushing roller that is provided at an upstream side in a conveying direction of the recording medium so as to face the supporting/conveying member, and pushes the leading end portion of the recording medium against the abutment member by rotating while contacting the recording medium and sliding on the recording medium.

Abstract: A conveying device comprising a conveying body that conveys a recording medium; and a press roller comprising a large diameter portion that is formed at an axial direction central portion of the press roller and makes contact with the conveying body, and small diameter portions formed at both axial direction sides of the large diameter portion with a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion. Only a width direction central portion of the recording medium is pressed against the conveying body by the large diameter portion.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a conveyance unit conveying a recording medium; inkjet recording heads jetting ink droplets onto a recording medium surface while scanning in a recording direction intersecting a conveyance direction; a first image converter converting image data, which have been inputted, into ink data based on the color of ink; a second image converter converting the ink data into dot data on the basis of which each inkjet recording head jets the ink droplets; a drying unit disposed on a conveyance direction downstream side of the inkjet recording heads and drying the ink droplets while moving in a drying direction differing from the conveyance direction; and a drying unit movement controller deciding and controlling a moving speed of the drying unit on the basis of at least one of the inputted image data, the ink data, or the dot data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharge disabling unit configured to disable a discharge operation of a defective nozzle, which is in a defective discharge state, among a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge liquid droplets to a recording medium, when a value obtained by quantifying a degree of defective state of the defective nozzle is greater than a discharge disable threshold value; a complement unit configured to complement an image defect using two nozzles on either side of the defective nozzle of which discharge operation is disabled; and a threshold value change unit configured to change the discharge disable threshold value depending on a discharge order between the nozzles which complement the image defect and nozzles adjacent to the nozzles which complement the image defect.