Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and a printing method, in which a very thick and rigid printing medium such as board paper can be conveyed with stable conveyance accuracy, and in which a high-quality image can be printed thereon. In order to achieve this, paper on a front tray is conveyed onto a rear tray approximately along a plane containing a position on a platen, and then the paper is conveyed onto the front tray through the position on the platen. When the paper passes through the position on the platen, an image is printed on the paper.

Abstract: A recording apparatus has a media tray on which a recording medium is mounted, and which has a rib along an inserting direction into a main body of the recording apparatus, the rib being formed on an opposite surface of the media tray to the recording medium; a feed tray on which the media tray is set, and which has a groove along the inserting direction, the groove being engageable with the rib; and a regulating member which regulates a height from the feed tray when the media tray is inserted into the main body of the recording apparatus. The regulated height is a height that prevents the insertion of the media tray into the main body of the recording apparatus in a state where the rib of the media tray does not engage with the groove of the feed tray.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a media tray on which a recording medium is mounted, and which has a rib along an inserting direction into a main body of the recording apparatus, the rib being formed on an opposite surface of the media tray to the recording medium; a feed tray on which the media tray is set, and which has a groove along the inserting direction, the groove being engageable with the rib; and a regulating member which regulates a height from the feed tray when the media tray is inserted into the main body of the recording apparatus. The regulated height is a height that prevents the insertion of the media tray into the main body of the recording apparatus in a state where the rib of the media tray does not engage with the groove of the feed tray.

Abstract: A discharge recovery device and an ink-jet recording apparatus incorporating the same. The discharge recovery device includes a wiper reciprocating to wipe a discharging surface of a recording head. The wiper touches a pivotable wiper cleaner while moving in a forward direction, and is thereby cleaned of ink. The wiper cleaner is fixed and rubs against the wiper when the wiper moves forward. A cleaner holder also covers the wiper to prevent ink scatter when the wiper in the forward direction. As the wiper moves in a backward direction, the wiper cleaner is pivoted out of contact with the wiper via a retracting device. This reliably prevents ink from scattering during the backward movement of the wiper without reducing cleaning performance of the wiper cleaner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and a printing method, in which a very thick and rigid printing medium such as board paper can be conveyed with stable conveyance accuracy, and in which a high-quality image can be printed thereon. In order to achieve this, paper on a front tray is conveyed onto a rear tray approximately along a plane containing a position on a platen, and then the paper is conveyed onto the front tray through the position on the platen. When the paper passes through the position on the platen, an image is printed on the paper.

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: An ink jet recording apparatus, capable of preventing defective idle suction, comprises a cap movable toward/away from an ejection port surface of a recording head for capping/uncapping the ejection port surface, an absorbing member chamber opened to the ejection port surface, a suction port formed through the bottom of the absorbing member chamber, an ink suction device connected to the suction port, and an ink absorbing member disposed in the absorbing member chamber. In the apparatus, the absorbing member comprises a first absorbing portion covering approximately the entire region in the absorbing member chamber and a second absorbing portion in intimate contact with the suction port.

Abstract: A discharge recovery device and an ink-jet recording apparatus incorporating the same. The discharge recovery device includes a wiper reciprocating to wipe a discharging surface of a recording head. The wiper touches a pivotable wiper cleaner while moving in a forward direction, and is thereby cleaned of ink. The wiper cleaner is fixed and rubs against the wiper when the wiper moves forward. A cleaner holder also covers the wiper to prevent ink scatter when the wiper in the forward direction. As the wiper moves in a backward direction, the wiper cleaner is pivoted out of contact with the wiper via a retracting device. This reliably prevents ink from scattering during the backward movement of the wiper without reducing cleaning performance of the wiper cleaner.

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: An ink jet recording apparatus capable of preventing defective idle suction, comprises a cap movable toward/backward an ejection port surface of a recording head for capping the ejection port surface, an absorbing member chamber opened to the ejection port surface, a suction port formed through the bottom of the absorbing member chamber, an ink suction means connected to the suction port, and an ink absorbing member disposed in the absorbing member chamber. In the apparatus, the absorbing member comprises a first absorbing portion covering approximately the entire region in the absorbing member chamber and a second absorbing portion in intimate contact with the suction port.

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: An area on the printing sheet which can be printed through a single scanning operation of a printing head is divided into a plurality of smaller areas. The printing sheet is transported a distance corresponding to each divided area to print the image using different nozzles of the printing head for each divided area. When a back end portion of the printing sheet is printed, the distance transported is reduced to set inoperative nozzles that are not used for the printing operation. Then, when the printing sheet slips out from the upstream roller pair and it is then detected that the printing sheet is to be transported a distance longer than predetermined amount of rotation of the roller, the inoperative nozzles are used to shift an operative nozzle range depending on the extra amount of rotation. Thus, the extra transportation of the printing sheet is corrected.

Abstract: A recoverying unit for maintenance and recovery of ink ejection performance of an ink ejecting device includes an elastic tube; a guide member for supporting the tube; a roller for pressing the tube; and a roller holding member, wherein the roller holding member is provided with a guide groove which connects a first position in which the roller presses the tube for substantially hermetically closing the tube, a second position in which the roller presses the tube with a greater pressing degree, and a third position in which the tube is opened, the guide groove is effective to guide movement of the roller between the first position and the third position.

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 area on the printing sheet which can be printed through a single scanning operation of a printing head is divided into a plurality of smaller areas. The printing sheet is transported a distance corresponding to each divided area to print the image using different nozzles of the printing head for each divided area. When a back end portion of the printing sheet is printed, the distance transported is reduced to set inoperative nozzles that are not used for the printing operation. Then, when the printing sheet slips out from the upstream roller pair and it is then detected that the printing sheet is to be transported a distance longer than predetermined amount of rotation of the roller, the inoperative nozzles are used to shift an operative nozzle range depending on the extra amount of rotation. Thus, the extra transportation of the printing sheet is corrected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a capping mechanism for protecting recording means 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 means, cam means for controlling a position of the cap, shifting means for shifting the cap in said directions, and biasing means for biasing the cap to be separated from the discharge port face, and wherein the cam means includes first and second cams and the shifting means 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: recovery of ink ejection performance of ink ejecting means includes an elastic tube; a guide member for supporting the tube; a roller for pressing the tube; and a roller holding member, wherein the roller holding member is provided with a guide groove which connects a first position in which the roller presses the tube for substantially hermetically closing the tube, a second position in which the roller presses the tube with a greater pressing degree, and a third position in which the tube is opened, the guide groove is effective to guide movement of the roller between the first position and the third position.