Abstract: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises an inkjet head which includes a nozzle plate where a plurality of nozzles that shoot ink are arranged in a column and an ink chamber which retains ink and is connected to the plurality of nozzles, at least one maintenance suction section which has a suction area larger than the nozzles, a suction section driving mechanism which causes the suction area to face the nozzles and moves the suction section relatively in the nozzle arrangement direction; and a positive pressure applying section which applies a positive pressure to the ink chamber. The maintenance suction section sucks in ink near the nozzles as moving in the nozzle arrangement direction, while the positive pressure is being applied to the ink chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is an image recording apparatus comprising an image recording unit which records an image by ejecting ink drops with respect to an recording medium, a conveyance unit conveys the recording medium at the time of image recording by the conveying driving means, a recording medium feeding unit which feeds the recording medium to the conveyance unit, and a particulate dust preventing unit which has a partitioning member partitioning space in the image recording apparatus into an image recording region GR at which image recording is carried out by the image recording unit, and a paper feeding region FR at which the recording medium is fed by the recording medium feeding unit, and which can carry out image recording in high image quality and with high reliability, without deteriorating the conveying ability for a recording medium.

Abstract: There is disclosed a compact and inexpensive image forming apparatus which includes a head for discharging inks, an ink supply path fixed in parallel to the head to supply the inks to the head, a recording medium conveying section arranged to face the head, thereby conveying a recording medium, and a maintenance mechanism arranged above the recording medium conveying section and below the ink supply path to perform maintenance of the head during image nonformation.

Abstract: A maintenance apparatus of a recording head is appressed against a head main body of a recording head during cleaning processing, and an air current which performs suction and removal flows in a direction crossing an ink discharge direction and travels along a nozzle surface to suck foreign particles or a residual ink.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises an inkjet head which includes a nozzle plate where a plurality of nozzles that shoot ink are arranged in a column and an ink chamber which retains ink and is connected to the plurality of nozzles, at least one maintenance suction section which has a suction area larger than the nozzles, a suction section driving mechanism which causes the suction area to face the nozzles and moves the suction section relatively in the nozzle arrangement direction; and a positive pressure applying section which applies a positive pressure to the ink chamber. The maintenance suction section sucks in ink near the nozzles as moving in the nozzle arrangement direction, while the positive pressure is being applied to the ink chamber.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises an inkjet head which includes a nozzle plate where a plurality of nozzles that shoot ink are arranged in a column and an ink chamber which retains ink and is connected to the plurality of nozzles, at least one maintenance suction section which has a suction area larger than the nozzles, a suction section driving mechanism which causes the suction area to face the nozzles and moves the suction section relatively in the nozzle arrangement direction, and a positive pressure applying section which applies a positive pressure to the ink chamber. The maintenance suction section sucks in ink near the nozzles as moving in the nozzle arrangement direction, while the positive pressure is being applied to the ink chamber.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an ink jet head which ejects ink toward a recording medium to record an image thereon, a paper feed unit which feeds the recording medium, a recording medium conveyance unit which conveys the recording medium, an intake fan provided at the recording medium conveyance unit to adsorb the recording medium by negative pressure, and an exhaust fan to remove dust from between the paper feed unit and the recording medium conveyance unit. The image recording apparatus prevents the ink jet head from not discharging ink drops and discharging ink drops curvedly because of paper dust and dust in the air, and prevents ink drops from failing to land in a proper position because of an airflow to form a new flow path in the apparatus, thereby recording a high-quality image with high reliability.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a carriage which holds a recording head, and a scanning unit which moves the carriage in relation to a recording medium. The recording head ejects ink while the carriage moves in relation to the medium so as to record an image on the medium. A measuring unit measures a moving distance of the carriage in relation to the medium, and a counting unit counts the number of ink drops ejected from the head. A control unit calculates an image recording duty based on the measured relative moving distance of the carriage and the number of ink-drops ejected during the relative movement of the carriage, when the carriage moves in relation to the medium for a predetermined distance, and the control unit controls ink ejection energy applied to the head in accordance with a value of the calculated duty.

Abstract: There is disclosed a compact and inexpensive image forming apparatus which includes a head for discharging inks, an ink supply path fixed in parallel to the head to supply the inks to the head, a recording medium conveying section arranged to face the head, thereby conveying a recording medium, and a maintenance mechanism arranged above the recording medium conveying section and below the ink supply path to perform maintenance of the head during image nonformation.

Abstract: A maintenance apparatus of a recording head is appressed against a head main body of a recording head during cleaning processing, and an air current which performs suction and removal flows in a direction crossing an ink discharge direction and travels along a nozzle surface to suck foreign particles or a residual ink.

Abstract: An ink head includes an ink head module and a nozzle plate. The ink head module has a plurality of ink chambers in which ink is retained. The nozzle plate is attached to the ink head module. The nozzle plate has at least one nozzle to jet ink inside the ink chamber. The surface of the nozzle plate opposing to a recording medium has a first region coming in contact with an opening of the nozzle and a second region other than the first region. Water repellency of the first region is higher than that of the second region.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes ink jet heads for recording an image on a recording medium, an ink bottle for holding ink, an ink supply path connecting the ink bottle to each ink jet head, and an electromagnetic valve provided on the path. In the printer, the bottle, the valve and the heads are arranged downward in this order in the vertical direction, the path constantly exists upwards in the vertical direction in such a manner that air entered into the path moves up above the valve due to a difference in the specific gravity between the air and the ink, the path is provided with a branching portion provided between the valve and the heads, and a sub ink tank is provided at an end of the branching portion so as to be positioned lower than the heads in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an ink jet head which ejects ink toward a recording medium to record an image thereon, a paper feed unit which feeds the recording medium, a recording medium conveyance unit which conveys the recording medium, an intake fan provided at the recording medium conveyance unit to adsorb the recording medium by negative pressure, and an exhaust fan to remove dust from between the paper feed unit and the recording medium conveyance unit. The image recording apparatus prevents the ink jet head from not discharging ink drops and discharging ink drops curvedly because of paper dust and dust in the air, and prevents ink drops from failing to land in a proper position because of an airflow to form a new flow path in the apparatus, thereby recording a high-quality image with high reliability.

Abstract: The present invention is an image recording apparatus comprising an image recording unit which records an image by ejecting ink drops with respect to an recording medium, a conveyance unit conveys the recording medium at the time of image recording by the conveying driving means, a recording medium feeding unit which feeds the recording medium to the conveyance unit, and a particulate dust preventing unit which has a partitioning member partitioning space in the image recording apparatus into an image recording region GR at which image recording is carried out by the image recording unit, and a paper feeding region FR at which the recording medium is fed by the recording medium feeding unit, and which can carry out image recording in high image quality and with high reliability, without deteriorating the conveying ability for a recording medium.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises an inkjet head which includes a nozzle plate where a plurality of nozzles that shoot ink are arranged in a column and an ink chamber which retains ink and is connected to the plurality of nozzles, at least one maintenance suction section which has a suction area larger than the nozzles, a suction section driving mechanism which causes the suction area to face the nozzles and moves the suction section relatively in the nozzle arrangement direction, and a positive pressure applying section which applies a positive pressure to the ink chamber. The maintenance suction section sucks in ink near the nozzles as moving in the nozzle arrangement direction, while the positive pressure is being applied to the ink chamber.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a carriage which holds a recording head; and a scanning unit which moves the carriage in relation to a recording medium, the head ejecting ink while the carriage moves in relation to the medium and recording an image on the medium. The apparatus further includes a measuring unit which measures a moving distance of the carriage in relation to the medium; a counting unit which counts the number of ink drops ejected from the head; and a control unit which calculates an image recording duty on a basis of the measured relative moving distance of the carriage and the number of ejected ink-drops during the relative movement of the carriage, when the carriage moves in relation to the medium for a predetermined distance, and which controls ink ejection energy applied to the head in accordance with a value of the caluculated duty.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes ink jet heads for recording an image on a recording medium, an ink bottle for holding ink, an ink supply path connecting the ink bottle to each ink jet head, and an electromagnetic valve provided on the path. In the printer, the bottle, the valve and the heads are arranged downward in this order in the vertical direction, the path constantly exists upwards in the vertical direction in such a manner that air entered into the path moves up above the valve due to a difference in the specific gravity between the air and the ink, the path is provided with a branching portion provided between the valve and the heads, and a sub ink tank is provided at an end of the branching portion so as to be positioned lower than the heads in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An ink head includes an ink head module and a nozzle plate. The ink head module has a plurality of ink chambers in which ink is retained. The nozzle plate is attached to the ink head module. The nozzle plate has at least one nozzle to jet ink inside the ink chamber. The surface of the nozzle plate opposing to a recording medium has a first region coming in contact with an opening of the nozzle and a second region other than the first region. Water repellency of the first region is higher than that of the second region.

Abstract: An optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus is provided. The apparatus detects the level of a focus error signal output from an optical pickup and a peak of the focus error signal occurred before the focus is obtained while an objective lens of the optical pickup moves in the focusing direction, discriminates a type of the loaded optical disc based on a first reference level or a second reference level, and actuates a focus servo before the objective lens moving in the focusing direction reaches a focalized position. Thus, a read only disc or a recordable disc can be rapidly reproduced.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes four plate-like piezoelectric bodies each having a primary surface having a plurality of parallel grooves formed therein in a predetermined direction, a end surface on which a one end of the groove is open, and an electrode formed on the inner surface of the groove. These piezoelectric bodies are stacked one upon the other on the primary surfaces under the state that the openings of these piezoelectric bodies are allowed to face the same direction, and that the primary surfaces of these piezoelectric bodies are allowed to face the same direction. Further, formed is a common liquid supply path allowing the plural grooves of the piezoelectric bodies to communicate with each other to form ink flow path.