Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of image sensors imaging a sheet to be conveyed, and a direct sensor unit performing the signal processing of the outputs of the image sensors to detect the movement of the sheet. Here, the plurality of image sensors are provided on the carriage at least at two positions with at least the recording element array diagonally put between the two positions. The plurality of image sensors can image the sheet at two positions separated in a main scan direction and a sub-scan direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes stacker for stacking a sheet material; a feed roller for separating the sheet material stacked on the stacker; a rotatable separation roller rotatable by being driven by the feed roller; and a torque limiter for controlling rotation of the separation roller; wherein a second or subsequent sheet material staying in a nip between the feed roller and the separation roller is separated from the separation roller by a rotational direction of the feed roller being changed from a forward rotational direction to a backward direction and by a rotational direction of the separation roller being changed to a backward direction by the feed roller during a first sheet material which is in contact to the feed roller being nipped by the nip; and a first sheet material is fed toward downstream of the nip by the rotational direction of the feed roller being changed from the backward direction to the forward direction.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet in a predetermined direction, a printing unit configured to print an image on the sheet, a direct sensor having an image pickup device configured to image the sheet, which is used to sense movement of the sheet by signal processing of an output from the image pickup device, a movement mechanism configured to move the image pickup device in a direction including a component of the predetermined direction, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance mechanism, the printing unit, and the movement mechanism.

Abstract: In order to stabilize a performance of a pump employed for processing in an inkjet printing apparatus such as sucking ink from a printing head with a low cost configuration and without the need of using any specific detecting unit, the following configuration is employed. Namely, a tube pump having a member with a curved surface aligned with a flexible tube for supporting the tube and a roller which moves while pressing (squeezing) the flexible tube is driven with a DC motor. To keep revolutions always constant, a current PWM control is employed for changing a power applied to the motor according to load fluctuations, and a phase of the roller is determined based on the current PWM value to manage a pressure generated by the pump and a discharge rate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes stacker for stacking a sheet material; a feed roller for separating the sheet material stacked on the stacker; a rotatable separation roller rotatable by being driven by the feed roller; and a torque limiter for controlling rotation of the separation roller; wherein a second or subsequent sheet material staying in a nip between the feed roller and the separation roller is separated from the separation roller by a rotational direction of the feed roller being changed from a forward rotational direction to a backward direction and by a rotational direction of the separation roller being changed to a backward direction by the feed roller during a first sheet material which is in contact to the feed roller being nipped by the nip; and a first sheet material is fed toward downstream of the nip by the rotational direction of the feed roller being changed from the backward direction to the forward direction.

Abstract: A compact sheet material feeding device with a small height is provided. The device includes a lower sheet material stacking unit, an upper sheet material stacking unit disposed above and movable relative to the lower sheet material stacking unit, a feeding mechanism swingable between a first position relatively near to the lower sheet material stacking unit and a second position away from the lower sheet material stacking unit, a holding member configured to hold the feeding mechanism at the second position, and a pressing plate configured to move sheet material stacked in the upper sheet material stacking unit toward the feeding mechanism so that the sheet material is pressed against the feeding mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording apparatus that helps to achieve a reduction in size and cost. The recording apparatus has a U-turn sheet feeding mechanism for reversing and feeding a recording medium and a duplex transport mechanism for reversing the recording medium and performing printing on both sides thereof, in which the same transport path serves as a transport path for transporting the recording medium from a U-turn sheet feeding roller to a main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to a printing portion and as a transport path for reversal in duplex transport. Further, a transport roller provided in the transport path from the U-turn sheet feeding roller to the main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to the printing portion is the same as a transport roller for duplex transport. A single transport roller serves both as the U-turn transport roller and as the duplex transport roller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording apparatus that helps to achieve a reduction in size and cost. The recording apparatus has a U-turn sheet feeding mechanism for reversing and feeding a recording medium and a duplex transport mechanism for reversing the recording medium and performing printing on both sides thereof, in which the same transport path serves as a transport path for transporting the recording medium from a U-turn sheet feeding roller to a main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to a printing portion and as a transport path for reversal in duplex transport. Further, a transport roller provided in the transport path from the U-turn sheet feeding roller to the main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to the printing portion is the same as a transport roller for duplex transport. A single transport roller serves both as the U-turn transport roller and as the duplex transport roller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording apparatus that helps to achieve a reduction in size and cost. The recording apparatus has a U-turn sheet feeding mechanism for reversing and feeding a recording medium and a duplex transport mechanism for reversing the recording medium and performing printing on both sides thereof, in which the same transport path serves as a transport path for transporting the recording medium from a U-turn sheet feeding roller to a main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to a printing portion and as a transport path for reversal in duplex transport. Further, a transport roller provided in the transport path from the U-turn sheet feeding roller to the main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to the printing portion is the same as a transport roller for duplex transport. A single transport roller serves both as the U-turn transport roller and as the duplex transport roller.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a tube pump for generating negative pressure in a tube, the tube pump being provided with a tube disposed along an arcuate guide portion, a pressing roller for squeezing the tube, a rotary member to which the pressing roller is rotatably journalled, and a supporting member to which the rotary member is rotatably journalled. The tube, the pressing roller, the rotary member and the rotary member supporting member are assembled to thereby form a pump unit, and are separable from the guide portion in the state of the pump unit. Thereby, the incorporation of the tube becomes easy, and the erroneous incorporation of the tube in its buckled state or its twisted state can be eliminated easily.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, in which ink is ejected from a recording head to a recording medium to carry out recording, includes a cap which covers an ink ejection port of the recording head, a cap holder which holds the cap, a cap base which rotatably and vertically movably supports the cap holder, and a base member which rotatably supports the cap base. When the cap is separated from the recording head by a predetermined distance, a position of the cap holder is controlled in a state in which the cap holder is oblique at a predetermined angle relative to the cap base so that an abutting plane of the cap is substantially parallel to an ink ejection port surface of the recording head. According to the apparatus, the structure is compact and inexpensive, the cap member can be surely held in close contact with the ejection port surface of the recording head with a constant pressing force, and the ejection port surface can be covered while surely maintaining airtightness.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which comprises a recording material or tray conveying roller, a carriage lifting mechanism for changing an interval between the recording unit and the recording material, and a cleaning unit. In the apparatus, in accordance with a separation instruction, an interval between the recording unit and the recording material is changed before a recording operation is started. Further, in the apparatus, a position of the recording unit is returned to a predetermined position before a cleaning operation is started by the cleaning unit. Thereby, a recording apparatus has a simple configuration, and, by performing a simple control process, the function of the cleaning unit is used to ensure the function of the recording unit, even when the interval between the recording unit and the recording material is changed for the recording of a CD, for example.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording apparatus that helps to achieve a reduction in size and cost. The recording apparatus has a U-turn sheet feeding mechanism for reversing and feeding a recording medium and a duplex transport mechanism for reversing the recording medium and performing printing on both sides thereof, in which the same transport path serves as a transport path for transporting the recording medium from a U-turn sheet feeding roller to a main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to a printing portion and as a transport path for reversal in duplex transport. Further, a transport roller provided in the transport path from the U-turn sheet feeding roller to the main transport roller for transporting the recording medium to the printing portion is the same as a transport roller for duplex transport. A single transport roller serves both as the U-turn transport roller and as the duplex transport roller.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus having a stable recovery means capable of absorbing discharged ink by a discharged ink holding means, preventing ink discharge openings from clogging and maintaining eject recovery performance. For that purpose the ink-jet recording apparatus is arranged as follows. A recording means having a plurality of nozzles and nozzle rows for ejecting ink, a reciprocatingly moving carriage on which the recording means is mounted, a recovery means for recovering or maintaining an ink eject status, and a discharged ink holding means for absorbing discharged ink from the recovery means and for keeping discharged ink from flowing out of the apparatus, where pigment ink and dye ink discharge openings are arranged closely so that both discharged inks are mixed so as to dissolve a stuck deposition of the pigment ink or to suppress the stuck deposition.

Abstract: There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus in which ink is ejected from recording means to a recording medium to carry out recording, including a cap which covers an ink ejection port of the recording means, a cap holder which holds the cap, a cap base which rotatably and vertically movably supports the cap holder, and a base member which rotatably supports the cap base, wherein, when the cap is separated from the recording means by a predetermined distance, a position of the cap holder is controlled in a state in which the cap holder is oblique at a predetermined angle relative to the cap base so that an abutting plane of the cap is substantially parallel to an ink ejection port surface of the recording means. According to the apparatus, the structure is compact and inexpensive, the cap member can be surely in close contact with the ejection port surface of the recording means with constantly pressing force, and the ejection port surface can be covered while the airtightness is surely held.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus having a tube pump for generating negative pressure in a tube, the tube pump being provided with a tube disposed along an arcuate guide portion, a pressing roller for squeezing the tube, a rotary member to which the pressing roller is rotatably journalled, and a supporting member to which the rotary member is rotatably journalled, wherein the tube, the pressing roller, the rotary member and the rotary member supporting member are assembled to thereby form a pump unit, and are separable from the guide portion in the state of the pump unit. Thereby, the incorporation of the tube becomes easy, and the erroneous incorporation of incorporating the tube in its buckled state or its twisted state can be eliminated easily.

Abstract: A recording apparatus which comprises a recording material or tray conveying roller, a carriage lifting mechanism for changing an interval between the recording unit and the recording material, and a cleaning unit. In the apparatus, in accordance with a separation instruction, an interval between the recording unit and the recording material is changed before a recording operation is started. Further, in the apparatus, a position of the recording unit is returned to a predetermined position before a cleaning operation is started by the cleaning unit. Thereby, a recording apparatus has a simple configuration, and, by performing a simple control process, the function of the cleaning unit is used to ensure the function of the recording unit, even when the interval between the recording unit and the recording material is changed for the recording of a CD, for example.

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 ink jet recording apparatus comprises a carriage having mounted thereon a recording device provided with discharge port surface with discharge ports for discharging ink to a recording material, a wiper blade for wiping and cleaning the discharge port surface of the recording device, and a blade cleaner for wiping off ink adhering to the wiper blade. For this ink jet recording apparatus, the side face portion of the carriage blocks or reduces ink spreading to the recording material conveyance area when wiper blade moves out from the blade cleaner. With the structure thus arranged, this ink jet recording apparatus can prevent ink adhering to the wiper blade from spreading to the recording material conveyance area by resilient restoring force of the wiper blade when the wiper blade moves out from the blade cleaner, hence preventing a recording material from being stained by spreading ink.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus comprises a carriage having mounted thereon recording means provided with discharge port surface with discharge ports for discharging ink to a recording material, a wiper blade for wiping and cleaning the discharge port surface of the recording means, and a blade cleaner for wiping off ink adhering to the wiper blade. For this ink jet recording apparatus, the side face portion of the carriage blocks or reduces ink spreading to the recording material conveyance area when the wiper blade moves out from the blade cleaner. With the structure thus arranged, this ink jet recording apparatus can prevent ink adhering to the wiper blade from spreading to the recording material conveyance area by resilient restoring force of the wiper blade when the wiper blade moves out from the blade cleaner, hence preventing a recording material from being stained by spreading ink.