Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a capping member sealing a nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head, and a suction unit applying a negative pressure to the nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head in a state that the nozzle forming face is sealed with the capping member so that the liquid in the liquid ejecting head is exhaust through a suction port of the capping member. The liquid ejecting head includes the nozzle forming face having a plurality of nozzle opening arrays, a plurality of pressure generating chambers communicating with the nozzle openings respectively, and a plurality of pressure generating members applying pressure to liquid in the pressure generating chambers respectively so as to eject the liquid from the nozzle openings. Each of the nozzle opening arrays has plural nozzle openings.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a capping member sealing a nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head, and a suction unit applying a negative pressure to the nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head in a state that the nozzle forming face is sealed with the capping member so that the liquid in the liquid ejecting head is exhaust through a suction port of the capping member. The liquid ejecting head includes the nozzle forming face having a plurality of nozzle opening arrays, a plurality of pressure generating chambers communicating with the nozzle openings respectively, and a plurality of pressure generating members applying pressure to liquid in the pressure generating chambers respectively so as to eject the liquid from the nozzle openings. Each of the nozzle opening arrays has plural nozzle openings.

Abstract: To provide a liquid ejecting apparatus which makes it possible to surely restrain ejection trouble of liquid at liquid ejection start time and a maintenance method thereof. The ink jet type printer is equipped with a recording head for ejecting ink including humectant and water from a nozzle formed on a nozzle forming surface and a cap which can seal the nozzle forming surface of the recording head. Further, the ink jet type printer is equipped with a control section for detecting an amount of the ink discharged into the cap from the nozzle, for calculating an available water amount which is a water amount except water absorbed by humectant in the ink in the cap based on the detected ink amount, and for performing maintenance control for forcibly discharging ink into the cap from the nozzle so that the amount of the ink discharged from the nozzle becomes smaller when the calculated available water amount is large than when small.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: an ejection head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle; a cap that can seal an opening of the nozzle; an absorber that is disposed in the inside of the cap; a first ejection unit that allows to perform a first ejection toward the cap for maintenance of the nozzle; a suction unit that sucks the liquid from the cap; a second ejection unit that allows to perform a second ejection toward the cap for supplementing the liquid to the inside of the cap, before the suction; and a history managing unit that manages information on an accumulated ejection amount of a moisturizing component of the first ejection, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection on a condition based on the information.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: an ejection head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle; a cap that can seal an opening of the nozzle; an absorber disposed in the cap; a first ejection unit that allows to perform a first ejection operation toward the cap for maintenance of the nozzle; a suction unit that sucks the liquid from the cap; a second ejection unit that allows to perform a second ejection operation for replenishing the cap with a liquid before the suction, and a capping unit that covers the opening of the nozzle by the cap after the second ejection operation is performed.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes a liquid ejecting head for moving in a first direction and ejecting droplets, a fixation medium supply device for transporting a fixation medium in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a platen for supporting the fixation medium horizontally in the move range of the liquid ejecting head, and a liquid absorbing member for absorbing the droplets and being positioned so as to be opposed to a move path of the liquid ejecting head. A plurality of first through holes are formed in the liquid absorbing member so as to gather the droplets absorbed in the liquid absorbing member, and are placed in at least either of both end areas of the liquid absorbing member in the first direction.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a capping member sealing a nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head, and a suction unit applying a negative pressure to the nozzle forming face of the liquid ejecting head in a state that the nozzle forming face is sealed with the capping member so that the liquid in the liquid ejecting head is exhaust through a suction port of the capping member. The liquid ejecting head includes the nozzle forming face having a plurality of nozzle opening arrays, a plurality of pressure generating chambers communicating with the nozzle openings respectively, and a plurality of pressure generating members applying pressure to liquid in the pressure generating chambers respectively so as to eject the liquid from the nozzle openings. Each of the nozzle opening arrays has plural nozzle openings.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flushing process for an ink jet recording apparatus that employs inks using pigments as coloring agents and moves a recording head along a guide shaft to flush the inks to flushing portions of a platen, in which a first flushing for flushing one of dark pigment ink(s) and light pigment ink(s) and a second flushing for flushing the other of the dark pigment ink(s) and the light pigment ink(s) are performed onto the same positions of the platen. Also provided is an ink jet recording apparatus that performs the flushing process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flushing process for an ink jet recording apparatus that employs inks using pigments as coloring agents and moves a recording head along a guide shaft to flush the inks to flushing portions of a platen, in which a first flushing for flushing one of dark pigment ink(s) and light pigment ink(s) and a second flushing for flushing the other of the dark pigment ink(s) and the light pigment ink(s) are performed onto the same positions of the platen. Also provided is an ink jet recording apparatus that performs the flushing process.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes a liquid ejecting head for moving in a first direction and ejecting droplets, a fixation medium supply device for transporting a fixation medium in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a platen for supporting the fixation medium horizontally in the move range of the liquid ejecting head, and a liquid absorbing member for absorbing the droplets and being positioned so as to be opposed to a move path of the liquid ejecting head. A plurality of first through holes are formed in the liquid absorbing member so as to gather the droplets absorbed in the liquid absorbing member, and are placed in at least either of both end areas of the liquid absorbing member in the first direction.

Abstract: A nozzle surface (13) is sealed by a cap member (44) in a state in which an ink solution is accumulated in a sealed hollow portion (45). After the nozzle surface (13) is sealed, piezoelectric vibrators (35) are driven by applying thereto a high-frequency drive signal of a frequency higher than a drive frequency for ejecting the ink solution toward recording paper, thereby causing cavitation in the ink solution. The firmly adhering thickened ink and solidified ink occurring in nozzle openings (29) are broken or exfoliated by bubbles caused by this cavitation. Subsequently, the suction operation is performed to remove the thickened ink and the solidified ink from the nozzle portions.

Abstract: A nozzle surface (13) is sealed by a cap member (44) in a state in which an ink solution is accumulated in a sealed hollow portion (45). After the nozzle surface (13) is sealed, piezoelectric vibrators (35) are driven by applying thereto a high-frequency drive signal of a frequency higher than a drive frequency for ejecting the ink solution toward recording paper, thereby causing cavitation in the ink solution. The firmly adhering thickened ink and solidified ink occurring in nozzle openings (29) are broken or exfoliated by bubbles caused by this cavitation. Subsequently, the suction operation is performed to remove the thickened ink and the solidified ink from the nozzle portions.

Abstract: An ink jet printing device supplies first and second signals to cause a pressure generating chamber to jet out ink droplets. A third signal is applied to the pressure generating chamber to effectively attenuate the kinetic energy of the meniscus and to hold the meniscus at a position suitable for jetting out the next ink droplet to provide a stable print output. Also, an ink-jet recording apparatus is provided with a control means for controlling the timing of the start of the second signal and the timing of the start of the third signal according to the environmental temperature. In the ink-jet recording apparatus, the discharge speed of ink drops is made constant by regulating the start time of the second signal so as to make constant the drawing position of a meniscus when the ink drops are discharged.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording head for an ink-jet recording apparatus, includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers, a nozzle plate in which a plurality of nozzle apertures which communicate with the pressure generating chambers are formed, and a protective layer formed in the vicinity of the nozzle apertures, wherein when a cleaning blade for cleaning the nozzle plate of leavings of at least ink, comes in contact with the nozzle apertures when the blade is pressed on the nozzle plate, the blade elastically contacts the protective layer and the nozzle plate without damaging an ink-repellent layer disposed around the nozzle apertures, as the blade is moved in a direction toward an open exhaust port disposed on a side of an end of the nozzle plate, such that the leavings are exhausted through the open exhaust port by movement of the blade.

Abstract: An ink jet printing device supplies first and second signals to cause a pressure generating chamber to jet out ink droplets. A third signal is applied to the pressure generating chamber to effectively attenuate the kinetic energy of the meniscus and to hold the meniscus at a position suitable for jetting out the next ink droplet to provide a stable print output. Also, an ink-jet recording apparatus is provided with a control means for controlling the timing of the start of the second signal and the timing of the start of the third signal according to the environmental temperature. In the ink-jet recording apparatus, the discharge speed of ink drops is made constant by regulating the start time of the second signal so as to make constant the drawing position of a meniscus when the ink drops are discharged.

Abstract: An inkjet recording head including a head cover for protecting the recording head. The head cover includes a notch formed at a top portion thereof which exposes a side portion of the nozzle plate of the ink-jet recording head so that a wiping blade can effectively wipe a top surface of a nozzle plate without interference by the head cover.