Abstract: A liquid reservoir includes: an inflow portion configured to have a liquid flow therethrough; a storage portion configured to store the liquid flowing in through the inflow portion; an outflow portion configured to have the liquid in the storage portion flow out therethrough; a first channel having one end coupled to the outflow portion and the other end opening into the storage portion; a second channel having one end coupled to the outflow portion and the other end opening into the storage portion; and an opening/closing portion configured to open and close the first channel, in which the other end of the first channel opens at a position higher than the other end of the second channel.

Abstract: A damper unit includes a damper chamber which has a wall partially composed of a flexible membrane with a rubber elasticity and which is configured to store a liquid; a gas chamber partitioned from the damper chamber by the flexible membrane; a communication portion provided for the gas chamber so that the gas chamber is in communication with an outside of the damper unit; and a one-way valve provided in the communication portion to allow a gas to flow into the gas chamber from the outside of the damper unit and to restrict a gas to flow from the gas chamber to an outside thereof.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes ejecting an ultraviolet-ray curable ink of which a viscosity at 28° C. is 8 mPa·s or more from a head to a recording medium, and curing the ultraviolet-ray curable ink attached to the recording medium, wherein, in the ejecting of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink, the ultraviolet-ray curable ink is heated such that a temperature of the ejected ultraviolet-ray curable ink becomes 28° C. to 40° C., and a viscosity of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink at the temperature is 15 mPa·s or less.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid supply path coupled to a liquid ejection portion to supply a liquid thereto; a liquid discharge path coupled to the liquid ejection portion to discharge the liquid to be supplied thereto; an upstream damper portion which is provided as a part of the liquid supply path and which includes an upstream damper chamber having a wall partially composed of a flexible membrane with a rubber elasticity; and a downstream damper portion which is provided as at least one of a part of the liquid supply path between the upstream damper portion and the liquid ejection portion and a part of the liquid discharge path and which has a flexible wall composed of a resin film.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a pump which is provided for a liquid supply path to supply a liquid stored in a liquid storage portion to a liquid ejection portion; a filter portion which is provided between the pump and the liquid ejection portion as a part of the liquid supply path and which includes a filter and a filter chamber defined by the filter into an upstream filter chamber and a downstream filter chamber; a return path coupled to the upstream filter chamber and the liquid storage portion; and a discharge valve located at the return path. While the pump is driven in a non-communication state between the upstream filter chamber and the liquid storage portion, the non-communication state is switched to a communication state therebetween through the return path using the discharge valve.

Abstract: A duckbill valve is disclosed that stably operates for a long time even when high pressure is applied to fluid. The duckbill valve includes a first flow path formation part including a first flow path and a second flow path formation part including a second flow path having a width increasing gradually toward the first flow path formation part. The second flow path formation part has a slit formed at a tip end part, and the second flow path communicates with a downstream flow path FP2 when the slit is opened. The communication between the second flow path and the downstream flow path is blocked when the slit is closed. The first wall part and the second wall part do not make contact with each other when the pressure difference of the second flow path with respect to the pressure of the downstream flow path FP2 is ?75 kPa.

Abstract: A damper unit includes a damper chamber which has a wall partially composed of a flexible membrane with a rubber elasticity and which is configured to store a liquid; a gas chamber partitioned from the damper chamber by the flexible membrane; a communication portion provided for the gas chamber so that the gas chamber is in communication with an outside of the damper unit; and a one-way valve provided in the communication portion to allow a gas to flow into the gas chamber from the outside of the damper unit and to restrict a gas to flow from the gas chamber to an outside thereof.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a pump which is provided for a liquid supply path to supply a liquid stored in a liquid storage portion to a liquid ejection portion; a filter portion which is provided between the pump and the liquid ejection portion as a part of the liquid supply path and which includes a filter and a filter chamber defined by the filter into an upstream filter chamber and a downstream filter chamber; a return path coupled to the upstream filter chamber and the liquid storage portion; and a discharge valve located at the return path. While the pump is driven in a non-communication state between the upstream filter chamber and the liquid storage portion, the non-communication state is switched to a communication state therebetween through the return path using the discharge valve.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid supply path coupled to a liquid ejection portion to supply a liquid thereto; a liquid discharge path coupled to the liquid ejection portion to discharge the liquid to be supplied thereto; an upstream damper portion which is provided as a part of the liquid supply path and which includes an upstream damper chamber having a wall partially composed of a flexible membrane with a rubber elasticity; and a downstream damper portion which is provided as at least one of a part of the liquid supply path between the upstream damper portion and the liquid ejection portion and a part of the liquid discharge path and which has a flexible wall composed of a resin film.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes ejecting an ultraviolet-ray curable ink of which a viscosity at 28° C. is 8 mPa·s or more from a head to a recording medium, and curing the ultraviolet-ray curable ink attached to the recording medium, wherein, in the ejecting of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink, the ultraviolet-ray curable ink is heated such that a temperature of the ejected ultraviolet-ray curable ink becomes 28° C. to 40° C., and a viscosity of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink at the temperature is 15 mPa·s or less.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a hollow housing with an aperture; a liquid ejecting head; and a supply mechanism. The liquid ejecting head has a nozzle through which liquid is to be discharged. The liquid ejecting head is supported in the housing with the nozzle exposed through the aperture. A gap is reserved between the liquid ejecting head and an inner circumferential surface of the aperture. The supply mechanism supplies dry gas to an inner space of the housing.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes ejecting an ultraviolet-ray curable ink of which a viscosity at 28° C. is 8 mPa·s or more from a head to a recording medium, and curing the ultraviolet-ray curable ink attached to the recording medium, wherein, in the ejecting of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink, the ultraviolet-ray curable ink is heated such that a temperature of the ejected ultraviolet-ray curable ink becomes 28° C. to 40° C., and a viscosity of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink at the temperature is 15 mPa·s or less.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a head including a nozzle disposed on a nozzle surface and configured to discharge ultraviolet-curable ink onto a recording medium; first and second irradiation units as an ultraviolet irradiation unit configured to irradiate the ultraviolet-curable ink discharged onto the recording medium with an ultraviolet ray; and a smoke supply unit configured to supply smoke to a part of an advancing path from the first and second irradiation units to the nozzle surface of an ultraviolet ray irradiated from the first and second irradiation units and entering the nozzle surface.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a hollow housing with an aperture; a liquid ejecting head; and a supply mechanism. The liquid ejecting head has a nozzle through which liquid is to be discharged. The liquid ejecting head is supported in the housing with the nozzle exposed through the aperture. A gap is reserved between the liquid ejecting head and an inner circumferential surface of the aperture. The supply mechanism supplies dry gas to an inner space of the housing.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a head including a nozzle disposed on a nozzle surface and configured to discharge ultraviolet-curable ink onto a recording medium; first and second irradiation units as an ultraviolet irradiation unit configured to irradiate the ultraviolet-curable ink discharged onto the recording medium with an ultraviolet ray; and a smoke supply unit configured to supply smoke to a part of an advancing path from the first and second irradiation units to the nozzle surface of an ultraviolet ray irradiated from the first and second irradiation units and entering the nozzle surface.