Abstract: There are provided a purge cap 46 used both for a recovery and a protecting operations and protecting caps 21A-D used only for a protecting operation, in which the number of the protecting caps 21A-C is kept in three, less by one than the number of the ink jet heads. When the carriage is in the recovery area, the purge cap 46 alone is advanced to cover one of the ink jet heads, performing a recovery operation. When the carriage is in a protecting position, the purge cap 46 and the protecting caps 21A-C are obliquely advanced together, thereby covering all of the ink jet heads.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing the printing by scanning a carriage having a plurality of print heads mounted in a predetermined direction relative to the printing medium, so that an image is formed to have a desired color tone and density without decreased throughput. Conversion data for reproducing the color tone and the scan range of the carriage are changed in accordance with the used heads among the mounted heads. Also, the replaceability can be enhanced and the longer life for each group is attained by grouping the heads mounted. Further, the scan range of recording and the scan range for the recovery can be changed by selecting the group for use in accordance with the recording mode. Also, in an ink jet printing apparatus having a longer print length, a printing method for effecting the stable recording is provided.

Abstract: An indexing service station services interchangeable first and second inkjet cartridges when installed with a third inkjet cartridge in a dual-cartridge carriage of an inkjet printing mechanism. For printing graphics and text, the first cartridge usually prints black ink, while the third cartridge prints full-colorant concentrations of colored ink. For printing photographic type images, the black cartridge for printing text is replaced with the second cartridge which is an imaging cartridge. The imaging cartridge carries ink formulations having reduced colorant concentrations, which, when used in conjunction with the full color cartridge, provide near photographic image quality, as well as crisp black text and line art. The service station has three separate sets of servicing tools for independent servicing of the black, full color, and imaging cartridges.

Abstract: An inkjet printer with multiple printheads in a carriage divides service station functions between a first service station and a second service station. In a preferred embodiment, a black ink printhead is carried by the carriage to a stop position in the first service station where a wiper dedicated to the black ink printhead moves across a stationary nozzle array in a first wiping procedure, and color ink printheads are carried by the carriage to a second service station to move a nozzle array across stationary wipers respectively dedicated to each color ink printhead. The first service station provides spittoon services to all printheads, and the second service station provides capping as well as priming services to all printheads.

Abstract: A flexible frame onsert molded capping system has an elastomeric sealing lip onsert molded onto a flexible, flat, springy support frame, preferably with series of these sealing lips being molded on a single flexible frame to simultaneously seal several adjacent inkjet printheads. The frame has a border region with one or more cap bases attached to the frame by plural suspension spring elements. The suspension spring elements have both cantilever and torsional characteristics which allow the bases to tilt and twist independent of one another to seal each printhead, even when the orifice plates of adjacent printheads are not in a coplanar alignment. Use of a single piece frame, and onsert molding of the cap lips thereon, decreases the number of parts required to assemble an inkjet printing mechanism, leading to a more economical unit which is easier to assemble.

Abstract: In the discharge recovery device for use in an ink jet recording apparatus utilizing plural different inks, there are provided caps for covering the recording heads, in a number corresponding to the number of inks, but suction pumps are provided in a fewer number and made selectively connectable to the caps, in order to simplify the recovery device.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording device which carries out flushing of the nozzle holes of color-ink recording heads without suspending the printing operation. When flushing of the color-ink nozzle holes is required, the device determines, using bit-map data, whether or not black ink dots are to be printed in nearby locations that correspond to the nozzle holes requiring flushing. If so, flushing is effected by discharging color-ink drops in the locations where black-ink dots are to be formed. Subsequently, the black-ink dots that are larger than the color-ink dots are superposed over the color-ink dots, thereby concealing the color-ink dots. Alternatively, flushing of the nozzle holes of the color-ink recording heads is effected by discharging each of three colors at a location where a black-ink dot is to be formed, thereby forming a composite black dot and obviating the necessity to superpose a black-ink dot.

Abstract: A color ink jet printing apparatus including a single suction mechanism having a capping member designed to cap any one of the printheads of the apparatus and carrying out a suction recovery of that capped printhead. A plurality of additional caps which are not associated with the suction mechanism are provided for capping the printhead. Various printing moving schemes are devised to provide quick and efficient positioning of selected printheads opposing the suction mechanism to speedily service that printhead.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has a print head mounted on a movable carriage. The print head prints by ejecting drops of ink. A cap is detachably mounted on the print head during non-printing periods. The cap moves together with the print head when the print head and the movable carriage move during the non-printing periods. The cap protects the print head by preventing accumulation of dirt and drying of ink. A cap holder detachably holds the cap. The cap holder carries the cap to the print head after printing ends, and carries the cap away from the print head before printing begins.

Abstract: A universal capping system seals the printhead of either a single-chamber or a multi-chamber style inkjet cartridge, such as a black ink cartridge or a multi-color ink cartridge installed in an inkjet printing mechanism. In an imaging inkjet cartridge system, the normal single-chamber black cartridge for printing text is replaced with a multi-chamber imaging cartridge. Some imaging cartridges carry ink formulations having reduced colorant concentrations, which, when used in conjunction with a full color cartridge carrying full colorant concentrations of color inks, provides near photographic image quality, as well as crisp black text and line art. The printing mechanism is provided with a universal capping system, including several banks of flexible sealing sublips, capable of sealing either style cartridge when installed. One sublip has an asymmetrical cross section selected to control the direction of bending. The cap is spring-biased to push the sealing lips into engagement with the installed printhead.

Abstract: An inkjet printer priming system having a variable volume chamber in a closed fluid system for each print head, the volume of said variable volume chamber being varied by manual actuation of a button-like surface identified as priming a particular print head, said actuatable surface being coupled to a movable wall incorporated in said variable volume chamber, said movable wall being biased to a position maximizing the volume of said variable volume chamber and said priming system providing tactile and audio feedback to an operator actuating said surface indicating proper priming functions.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus has discharge openings for discharging yellow, cyan, magenta and black inks. Suction recovery in the apparatus is performed using a cap which caps all of the discharge openings collectively. A suction opening is located in the cap closer to the discharge openings for dark (e.g. black) ink than to the discharge openings for light (e.g. yellow) ink. When suction is applied to the cap, ink is drawn from all the discharge openings, and mixing of inks close to discharge openings for light-color inks is minimized.

Abstract: A suction recovery mechanism for an ink jet recording apparatus for recording by selectively supporting a different ink jet recording head on a carriage includes a single cap member capable of covering the entire ink discharge port area of each of the different ink jet recording heads selectively supported on the carriage, and a suction mechanism communicating section provided for the cap member in order to perform suction recoveries of each of the ink jet recording heads selectively supported on the carriage. This suction mechanism communicating section is conductively connected with a suction mechanism for sucking ink retained in the cap member. With this arrangement, it becomes possible to widen the range of kinds of images which can be recorded by the apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-finned wiping system is provided for wiping an inkjet printhead that accumulates ink residue when used in an inkjet printing mechanism. A service station supports a wiper that contacts and wipes ink residue from the printhead. The service station also supports a cleaner that contacts and cleans the wiper. Either the wiper or the cleaner maybe constructed is of a resilient material comprising plural fins arranged to define an interstice between adjacent fins to capture the ink residue in the interstice. Interaction of the wiper and cleaner during the cleaning process pumps ink residue from the interstice to ready the fins for the next cleaning cycle. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a finned wiping system is also provided, along with a method of wiping accumulated ink residue from an inkjet printhead installed in an inkjet printing mechanism.

Abstract: A service station for a single-cartridge inkjet printing mechanism interchangeably receives different types of inkjet cartridges, with each type of cartridge having different servicing needs. To hermetically seal each cartridge printhead during periods of inactivity, two caps are gimbal-mounted at opposing ends of a retaining sleeve. The caps are spring-biased away from one another by a single spring, which may be compressed during printhead capping to accommodate for variations in printhead height between different cartridges. Gimbal mounting the caps allows each cap to compensate for any tilting of the printhead face when the cartridge is installed, which insures an adequate seal. The sleeve is rotated to bring the proper cap into alignment with the installed printhead. The service station also has two wipers, a spittoon, and a carriage locking mechanism. A method is also provided of servicing different types of cartridges in a single-cartridge inkjet printing mechanism.

Abstract: An inkjet printing mechanism has n printheads with nozzle sections and a carriage to carry the n printheads, where n.gtoreq.2. The carriage is movable through a print zone to one of two servicing positions at a service station beside the print zone. A wiper assembly is mounted at the service station to clean the nozzle sections of the printheads. The wiper assembly has n+m wipers where m wiper(s) clean at least one printhead when the carriage is located at a first servicing position, and the n wipers clean all n printheads simultaneously when the carriage is located at a second servicing position.

Abstract: An inkjet printing mechanism has multiple inkjet printheads which controllably eject multiple ink droplets, and has a carriage to carry the printhead. The carriage is designed to move the printhead through a print zone to a service station where the printhead is serviced. During a servicing mode of operation, the printheads eject ink droplets at the service station to clear the orifices of the nozzles of the printheads prior to printing. A reservoir is provided at the service station to collect the ink droplets ejected from the printheads during the servicing mode. Multiple chimneys receive ink from the multiple printheads and guide ink from different printheads to different areas of the reservoir. Precipitates that may form when different inks combine are kept away from the chimneys.

Abstract: An on-page inkjet printhead spitting system purges the printhead nozzles across the printed page, and occasionally in the conventional service station spittoon. In addition to the image-forming droplets, extra purging droplets are fired to maintain pen health. To determine when to purge each nozzle, the number of times each nozzle is fired to print the image is counted or estimated, or printhead characteristics are monitored. The purging dots may be located on the page, in the spittoon, or both. On the page, the purging dots may be hidden from view, in the image background or over the image dots, or hidden in plain sight adjacent image dots, in speed bars, in a watermark type design, or in a repeating pattern. Use of this on-page spitting system conserves ink and improves throughput of the printing mechanism, without requiring any sacrifice in the print quality appearance to the naked eye.

Abstract: A service station includes a sled that is mounted to the printer's chassis having caps and wipers mounted on the sled for each of the printer's movable carriage-mounted printheads. The sled and the chassis, and the sled and carriage, are each cam-coupled so that movement of the carriage produces slight vertical and lateral movement of the sled out of a nominal position to automatically place the sled in one of three primary positions relative to the carriage: an elevated position for capping the printheads, an intermediate position for wiping the printheads and a lowered position for free reciprocal movement of the carriage without interference between the printheads and either the caps or the wipers. In one embodiment, wiping structure according to the invention includes a wiper, a wiper mount on which the wiper is mounted, and a wiper frame on which the wiper mount is mounted.

Abstract: A service station for use with an inkjet printer is described. The service station includes a sled that is mounted to the printer's chassis. Caps and wipers can be mounted on the sled for each of the printer's movable carriage-mounted printheads. The sled and the chassis, and the sled and carriage, are each cam-coupled so that movement of the carriage produces slight vertical and lateral movement of the sled out of a nominal position to automatically place the sled in one of three primary positions relative to the carriage: an elevated position for capping the printheads, an intermediate position for wiping the printheads and a lowered position for free reciprocal movement of the carriage without interference between the printheads and either the caps or the wipers. According to the invention, wipers are biased against corresponding print cartridges such that the wipers that wipe the printhead of a print cartridge dispensing pigmented ink are biased against the printhead in a different manner, e.g.

Abstract: A recovery device is equipped with a tube pump which performs suction or pressurization by utilizing deformation of a tube applicable to a liquid jet recording apparatus. The recovery device comprises a mechanism which acts on a tube between the acting portion side acting on the discharge portion of the liquid jet recording head of the aforesaid tube pump and the aforesaid tube pump to effect communication and closing between the acting portion side and tube pump.

Abstract: A maintenance station for maintaining either a monochrome or a multi-color printhead in an ink-jet printer includes a single flexible wiper having a first wiping edge for wiping the ink-jet nozzle surface of a monochrome printhead and a plurality of second wiping edges for wiping the ink-jet nozzle surface of a multi-color printhead. Wiping of a monochrome printhead is accomplished by moving the printhead to one side of the wiper, raising the wiper into the path of travel of the nozzle surface, and moving the printhead past the wiper. Wiping of a multi-color printhead is accomplished in a similar manner but the printhead is first positioned on the opposite side of the wiper. The flexibility of the wiper is chosen to apply an optimum wiping force to a multi-color printhead as the printhead is moved past the wiper. A backstop is provided at one side of the wiper to brace it against deflection, so that the wiper applies a greater wiping force to a monochrome printhead than it does to a multi-color printhead.

Abstract: An color ink jet recording apparatus with a plural recording heads, comprises: a plural caps corresponding to the recording heads; a plural cap opening/closing drive units; a single negative pressure suction unit communicating with the respective caps through ink suction passages; a plural passage communicate/interrupt units for communicating or interrupting the respective ink suction passages; a plural air open/interrupt units; a capping control unit for controlling each passage communicate and interrupt unit to communicate the ink suction passage corresponding to the recording head to be capped and controlling the corresponding air open/interrupt unit to open the corresponding air opening passage, and in this state, for controlling the corresponding cap opening/closing drive unit to cover the nozzle surface of the recording head to be capped with its corresponding cap; and jet performance recovery control unit, after the nozzle surface of the recording head to be capped is covered by the capping control uni

Abstract: A thermal ink jet printhead cartridge priming apparatus that includes a plurality of caps respectively associated with a plurality of printhead nozzle arrays for controllably sealing printhead nozzle arrays pursuant to engagement thereof against the printhead cartridge to surround the nozzle arrays, a plurality of vacuum conveying elements respectively associated with the caps for individually conveying priming vacuum to an associated cap, a manually actuated selector assembly for connecting a selected one of the vacuum conveying elements to a source of priming vacuum, and a source of priming vacuum spaced apart from the manually actuated selection means for selectively engaging the selector assembly for application of vacuum thereto, such that a selected printhead cartridge is primed without removal thereof from the carriage and without use of a motorized vacuum pump.

Abstract: In an ink jet apparatus of the type which includes an ink jet head having a plurality of ejection openings for ejecting ink and adapted to print by ejecting ink from the ejection openings onto a print material, a carrying device carrying the ink jet head and provided such that it is movable in main scanning directions for the print material, and a cleaning device for cleaning that surface of the ink jet head on which the ejection openings are provided by abutting against this surface as the carrying device moves along, the cleaning device is a cleaning blade adapted to generate different abutting forces with respect to that surface of the ink jet head on which the ejection openings are provided. With this ink jet apparatus, it is possible to reduce the amount of ink left unwiped on the ejection surfaces of various types of ink jet heads, thereby realizing a high-quality-printing ink jet apparatus that is free from defective ink ejection, color mixing or the like.

Abstract: Wiping and capping method and apparatus for use with an inkjet printer are described. The apparatus includes a sled that is mounted to a printer's chassis. Caps and wipers can be mounted on the sled for each of the printer's movable carriage-mounted printheads. The wipers are mounted by a friction-fit connection and deformed around the wiper mounts such that wiping edges of the wipers are concave. The sled and the chassis are cam-coupled for controlled, relative movement therebetween. The sled and the carriage are also cam-coupled for controlled, relative movement therebetween. Movement of the carriage produces slight vertical and lateral movement of the sled out of its nominal position to place it in three primary positions relative to the carriage: an elevated position for capping the printheads, an intermediate position for wiping the printheads and a lowered position for free reciprocal movement of the carriage without interference between the printheads and either the caps or the wipers.

Abstract: A pneumatically powered toner delivery system for a hard copy machine is disclosed which is particularly adaptable to color printing and plotting in which liquid toner is used to produce electrophotographic images. A diaphragm pump is connected by a controllable rotary valve (or a manifold) to each toner reservoir of the system. Pneumatic pressure is selectively applied to the cartridges. The cartridges are connected to respective developer subsystems where toner of a particular color under pneumatic pressure from a reservoir is delivered to a developer subsystem for transfer to a photoconductor bearing a latent image.

Abstract: In order to avoid the ink drying up in the nozzle apertures of the print head (80) of an ink printer (1) during lengthy pauses in printing and to prevent the nozzle apertures from becoming dirty, the printer (1) described has a cleaning and sealing station (6). Designed as an independent unit, the cleaning and sealing station (6) is located in the overshoot region (OV) of the print head carriage (7). The fact that the carriage (7) no longer requires a separate service and parking position, enables the width of the printer (1) to be reduced.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink from a recording head to a recording medium includes a cap for enclosing a discharge port of the recording head, which is attached to a cap holder. The cap is brought into direct contact with the recording head with the cap holder being swingable as a fulcrum at a position corresponding to a substantially central portion of the recording head.

Abstract: A cap for capping the single surface of a recording head that is formed with a plurality of groups of ejection holes for inks of different colors so as to maintain an ink-ejectable condition of the recording head has an interior divided into a plurality of spaces individually corresponding to the plurality of ejection hole groups for different-color inks. The spaces include at least a first space corresponding to the ejection hole group for a black ink, and a second space corresponding to the ejection hole groups for yellow, magenta and cyan inks. The plurality of spaces are integrated in a single cap. When an ink-jet recording apparatus includes such a cap, a condition for proper ejection of ink is maintained in the apparatus and requires only a small system.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, including a plurality of recording heads each having an ink outlet, a liquid passage communicating with the outlet and an ejection energy generating element for generating energy for ejecting ink through the outlet; a refresher for refreshing the ink in the passage by driving the ejection energy generating element to eject the ink when a recording operation of the apparatus is not performed; and a controller for changing a driving condition for the ejection energy generating element by the refresher for the recording heads.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is provided with a carriage carrying a recording head, and which scans both recording and non recording areas, a cleaning member contacting the recording head so as to clean a discharge port forming surface of the head, the cleaning member having plural cleaning elastic blades, and recording mode setting means for setting the apparatus' recording mode to either a first mode in which plural colors are used for recording, or a second mode where a single color is used, and which single color differs from the plural colors. The discharge port surface is cleaned by the plural blades when the first recording mode is set, and by a single such cleaning blade when the second mode is set.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for forming a record by discharging ink from a recording head onto a recording material, has a tube pump for ink discharge recovery, by suction or pressurization, through deformation, with pressure rollers, of plural tubes communicating with discharge openings of the recording head. The timings of pressing of the tubes by the pressure rollers or the timings of release of the tubes from the pressed state by the pressure rollers are different from tube to tube.

Abstract: An ink jet apparatus for discharging a plurality of kinds of ink to a recording medium to thereby effect color recording has a plurality of recording head for discharging the inks to thereby effect recording, a carriage carrying the plurality of recording head thereon to be scanned along the recording medium, and forwardly and backwardly moving members for moving the plurality of recording heads carried on the carriage forwardly and backwardly independently of one another.