Absorber Patents (Class 347/31)
  • Patent number: 11840087
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus performs a recording operation by ejecting ink from a recording head. The apparatus includes a first absorber configured to absorb ink, a second absorber disposed apart from the first absorber having a larger ink absorption capacity than the first absorber, and a flow path portion that does not absorb ink. The second absorber has a second lower end portion arranged below a first lower end portion of the first absorber. The flow path portion connects the first lower end portion and a portion of the second absorber below the first lower end portion. As a result, ink is prevented from overflowing from the absorbers, even if an apparatus is arranged at an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11840086
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head having discharge ports for discharging a liquid, a cap configured to cap the discharge ports, a switching unit configured to switch between a communication state where an inside of the cap communicates with the atmosphere and a non-communication state where the inside of the cap does not communicate with the atmosphere, and a depressurization unit configured to depressurize the inside of the cap. After driving of the depressurization unit is started while the cap is at a capping position for capping the discharge ports and is in the non-communication state, the switching unit switches the cap to the communication state and then the driving of the depressurization unit is stopped. Idle suction is performed by driving the depressurization unit while the cap is at the capping position and is in the communication state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Narumi
  • Patent number: 11807008
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to an inkjet service station and methods of servicing an inkjet printer with the inkjet service station. The inkjet service station is disposed in an inkjet printer of an inkjet chamber. The inkjet service station is operable to perform servicing operations on a processing apparatus of the inkjet printer. The servicing operations include at least one of printhead spitting, printhead purging, printhead flushing, printhead cleaning, printhead drying, or vacuum suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daihua Zhang, Kang Luo, Kazuya Daito, Kenneth S. Ledford, Elsa Massonneau, Alexey Stepanov, Ludovic Godet, Mahendran Chidambaram, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Bahubali S. Upadhye, Hemantha Raju
  • Patent number: 11760095
    Abstract: A recording apparatus has a receiving member provided at a carriage having thereon a recording head and reciprocally moving, and receiving a liquid cleared away from a wiper for wiping and cleaning the recording head by a cleaner member. The cleaner member can assume, with respect to the carriage, a first position capable of cleaning the wiper, and a second position allowing the receiving member to receive the liquid cleared away from the wiper by the cleaner member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sho Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11731427
    Abstract: A printer includes an ink head including a nozzle surface including nozzles, a cap including an end portion contactable with the nozzle surface, a suction device, a memory, and a controller. The memory stores a suction position, a free suction position, and a minute open position located between the suction position and the free suction position. The controller performs a suction process in which the cap is located at the suction position and ink is sucked from the nozzles, and a minute open position process in which the cap is moved toward a minute open position and movement of the cap is stopped with the cap located at a minute open position, after the suction process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Morizono, Teppei Sawada, Akifumi Arai
  • Patent number: 11673393
    Abstract: A method of operating a printer supplies an ink solvent or mixture of ink solvents to porous members positioned adjacent printheads. The ink solvent or solvent mixture evaporates from the porous members to provide a solvent vapor environment in the vicinity of the nozzle plates of the printheads. The solvent vapor environment attenuates the evaporation of ink solvent from ink drops on the nozzle plates or from the ink in the nozzles of the printheads. Thus, the ink on the nozzle plates and in the nozzles does not dry out and the operational status of the inkjets is preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Sambhy, Seemit Praharaj, Douglas K. Herrmann, Jason M. LeFevre, Chu-Heng Liu, Linn C. Hoover
  • Patent number: 11491790
    Abstract: A liquid absorber includes a container and an absorbing unit. The container has an opening and collects a liquid. The absorbing unit is an assembly of porous absorbent blocks, each containing fibers and a polymeric absorbent, and is in the container with spaces between the porous absorbent blocks. Each of the porous absorbent blocks has a first component and a second component. The first component is porous and has a density of 0.05 [g/cm3] or more and 0.50 [g/cm3] or less. The second component has a higher polymeric absorbent content than the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naotaka Higuchi, Shogo Nakada, Yoichi Miyasaka, Kaneo Yoda, Nobutaka Urano
  • Patent number: 11413873
    Abstract: To provide a liquid consuming device capable of causing liquid to flow smoothly and reducing contamination of the device and its surroundings, a first absorbent provided in a fixed waste liquid storage unit is connected to a second absorbent provided in a movable waste liquid storage unit by mating of a recessed portion with a protruding portion at the connecting portion between the first absorbent and the second absorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryotaro Murakami
  • Patent number: 11400720
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion that has a nozzle opening surface on which a plurality of nozzles open, and that ejects a liquid from the nozzles to a medium in an inclined state in which the nozzle opening surface is inclined, a first cleaning portion that has a wiping member configured to wipe the nozzle opening surface by moving relative to the liquid ejecting portion in a state of being in contact with the nozzle opening surface, and a second cleaning portion that is formed of an absorbing member configured to absorb the liquid and that has an end portion cleaning member configured to wipe a lower end of the nozzle opening surface in the inclined state by moving relative to the liquid ejecting portion in a state of being in contact with the lower end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Numajiri, Satoru Kobayashi, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11396183
    Abstract: Printers and associated printer maintenance methods and apparatus are disclosed. An example printer includes a nozzle to dispense fluid; a wiper to wipe the nozzle during a maintenance event; and a controller to cause the nozzle to dispense fluid during the maintenance event while the wiping material engages or is immediately adjacent the nozzle to deter a substance from being present within the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James D. Plymale, Donnell D. Daniels, Kyle Mannari, Jeffrey A. Wagner, Weiyun Sun, Rachelle Cobb
  • Patent number: 11351788
    Abstract: A liquid absorber includes a container that has an opening and that recovers liquid and a first absorbing unit that is constituted by an aggregate of porous absorbing body blocks and that is housed in the container such that a gap exists between the porous absorbing body blocks. The porous absorbing body blocks have a density of 0.05 [g/cm3] or more and 0.50 [g/cm3] or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Miyasaka, Nobutaka Urano, Kaneo Yoda
  • Patent number: 11059295
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer is provided. The ink-jet printer includes: an ink container containing an ink, where the ink being a clear ink containing a resin; a discharge head having a nozzle configured to discharge the ink to a printing material; a heater configured to heat the printing material; and a cleaner including a wiper configured to wipe a nozzle formation surface of the discharge head. The ink-jet printer has a matte gloss printing mode imparting a matte gloss and a glossy gloss printing mode imparting a glossy gloss, and the ink-jet printer satisfies a formula below: Tmatte>Tgloss where Tmatte represents a temperature (° C.) of the heater during printing in the matte gloss printing mode; and Tgloss represents the temperature (° C.) of the heater during printing in the glossy gloss printing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mio Akima, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takumi Atake
  • Patent number: 11007785
    Abstract: A waste liquid container includes a waste liquid introduction portion being coupled to a discharge portion when the waste liquid container is mounted on a mounting portion, an accommodation portion accommodating waste liquid discharged from the discharge portion, and a restricted portion having a contact portion configured to make contact with a restricting portion and restricting movement of the waste liquid container in a detachment direction opposite to a mounting direction by contact between the contact portion and the restricting portion in a state in which the waste liquid container is mounted on the mounting portion, wherein the contact portion is arranged at a position which does not overlap with a center of an opening of the waste liquid introduction portion in a vertical direction when seen from a side on which the waste liquid introduction portion is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Tojo
  • Patent number: 10933641
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured with capping stations for storing printheads in the printer during periods of printer inactivity so the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles of the inkjets of the printheads does not increase significantly. Each capping station has a printhead receptacle that encloses a volume, a planar member configured to move between a first position at which the planar member is located within the printhead receptacle and a second position at which the planar member is external of the printhead receptacle, a first actuator operatively connected to the planar member, the first actuator being configured to move the planar member from the first position to the second position, and a controller configured to operate the first actuator to move the planar member from the first position to the second position to mate the planar member with a face of a printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David A. VanKouwenberg, Linn C. Hoover, Michael J. Levy, Jason M. LeFevre, Chu-heng Liu, Paul J. McConville, Douglas K. Herrmann, Seemit Praharaj
  • Patent number: 10906333
    Abstract: A lamp array for drying liquid ink on a media in a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a transport system arranged to move the media through the printing apparatus in a process direction. The lamp array includes a plurality of lamps, each lamp of the plurality of lamps having a longitudinal axis arranged in a direction parallel to the process direction and adjacent to the transport system, wherein the plurality of lamps are equidistantly positioned substantially across a cross process width of the transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Leighton, Paul M. Fromm, Robert P. Herloski
  • Patent number: 10875312
    Abstract: A method of maintaining an elongate inkjet printhead includes the steps of: positioning a suction nozzle opposite inkjet nozzles of the printhead; positioning a wiper offset from the inkjet nozzles; and moving the suction nozzle and the wiper together along a length of the printhead. The wiper contacts only a non-printing part of the printhead while the suction nozzle is spaced apart from the inkjet nozzles of printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventor: Vesa Karppinen
  • Patent number: 10807370
    Abstract: A cap includes a lip portion, and an inner bottom wall and an atmosphere communication wall that, when an opening with the lip portion as an edge is covered by a member, form a recessed portion that forms a space with the member, the atmosphere communication wall being provided at a position between the opening and the inner bottom wall in a depth direction of the recessed portion, the atmosphere communication wall having a communication port of an atmosphere communication portion that opens the space to the atmosphere, the communication port being formed in the atmosphere communication wall toward the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Kanazawa, Masaaki Ando
  • Patent number: 10807368
    Abstract: A printer mechanism having multiple hosts on a common platform, the printer mechanism comprising: a conveying platform (100) used for conveying a printing substrate, and an inkjet system (200) composed of a number of relatively independent hosts (210) connected to each other, the host (210) comprising at least a main cabinet (211) and an upper cabinet (212) extending from a side of the main cabinet (211), and the upper cabinets (212) of the whole inkjet system (200) being distributed in parallel above the conveying platform (100); and the printer mechanism further comprising a spray carriage system (300) composed of a number of relatively independent spray carriages (310) installed with a spray nozzle module and connected to each other, the spray carriage system (300) being disposed between the inkjet system (200) and the conveying platform (100), and the spray carriages (310) being correspondingly connected to the hosts (210) one by one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU CRYSTALJET INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhenhua Tang
  • Patent number: 10759170
    Abstract: The ink jet printing apparatus includes: an ink jet head having a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are arranged and a nozzle guard with an opening at a portion corresponding to the nozzle row, provided at a position via a gap with respect to an ink ejection surface of the nozzle row; a sheet shaped absorbing member having a size that covers a range of the opening of the nozzle guard; and a capping unit that presses the absorbing member onto the opening of the nozzle guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotaka Yamamoto, Ami Nakata
  • Patent number: 10710370
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is configured with capping stations for storing printheads in the printer during periods of printer inactivity so the viscosity of the ink in the nozzles of the inkjets of the printheads does not increase significantly. Each capping station has a printhead receptacle that encloses a volume, a planar member configured to move between a first position at which the planar member is located within the printhead receptacle and a second position at which the planar member is external of the printhead receptacle, a first actuator operatively connected to the planar member, the first actuator being configured to move the planar member from the first position to the second position, and a controller configured to operate the first actuator to move the planar member from the first position to the second position to mate the planar member with a face of a printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David A. VanKouwenberg, Linn C. Hoover, Michael J. Levy, Jason M. LeFevre, Chu-heng Liu, Paul J. McConville, Douglas K. Herrmann, Seemit Praharaj
  • Patent number: 10703110
    Abstract: A liquid holding container includes a top face portion having an opening portion, a bottom face portion facing the top face portion, a first ink absorber being disposed near the opening portion and layered in a first direction from the bottom face portion to the top face portion, the first ink absorber being configured to absorb a liquid introduced from the opening portion, and a second ink absorber being disposed outside the first absorber in a second direction that intersects the first direction and layered in the second direction, the second ink absorber being configured to absorb the liquid moving from the first ink absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Aoki, Masakazu Nagashima, Ryohei Maruyama, Toshiaki Yamaguchi, Naoaki Wada, Tomohito Abe, Daigo Kuronuma
  • Patent number: 10479111
    Abstract: A lamp array for drying liquid ink on a media in a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a transport system arranged to move the media through the printing apparatus in a process direction. The lamp array includes a plurality of lamps, each lamp of the plurality of lamps having a longitudinal axis arranged in a direction parallel to the process direction and adjacent to the transport system, wherein the plurality of lamps are equidistantly positioned substantially across a cross process width of the transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Leighton, Paul M. Fromm, Robert P. Herloski
  • Patent number: 10449769
    Abstract: A maintenance system for maintaining an elongate inkjet printhead. The maintenance system includes: a carriage movable longitudinally along the printhead, the carriage including a maintenance member having a primary suction nozzle facing inkjet nozzles of the printhead and a wiper adjacent the primary suction nozzle; a traversing mechanism for traversing the carriage longitudinally along the printhead; and an engagement mechanism for urging the wiper and the printhead into engagement with each other. During use, the wiper contacts a non-printing part of the printhead and the primary suction nozzle is spaced apart from the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventor: Vesa Karppinen
  • Patent number: 10391780
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head having an ejection port surface provided with ejection ports for ejecting ink, an ink receiving portion, an ink return path, and an ink storage container that includes an ink containing chamber, an air communication port, and a buffer chamber located below the ink containing chamber and provided between the ink containing chamber and the air communication port. The recording head performs a recording operation. The ink receiving portion receives the ink ejected from the ejection ports. The ink containing chamber contains ink to be supplied to the recording head. The air communication port communicates with air. The ink storage container is integrally formed with a buffer chamber that can temporarily retain ink. The ink return path connects the ink receiving portion and the buffer chamber and causes the ink to be returned from the ink receiving portion to the buffer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Takenaga
  • Patent number: 10338517
    Abstract: A waste liquid container includes a waste liquid vessel having a mounting face, a first side face, and a bottom face that are outer surfaces intersecting each other, a waste liquid inlet disposed on the mounting face, a circuit board having a connection terminal disposed along the first side face, and a first recess portion that opens in the mounting face and the bottom face below the waste liquid inlet. In the waste liquid container, when a width direction is defined as a direction in which both the mounting face and the bottom face extend, the first recess portion is disposed at a position between the waste liquid inlet and the connection terminal in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 10173430
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus which performs printing by ejecting ink from a nozzle, including: a wiper blade that abuts on a nozzle surface on which an opening of the nozzle is formed, and moves in a first direction to wipe the ink adhering to the nozzle surface; and a cleaner that abuts on the moving wiper blade and scrapes off the ink adhering to the wiper blade, in which the wiper blade includes a blade member which protrudes in a second direction which is substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and in which the cleaner includes a scraping member which protrudes in a third direction which is a direction opposite to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Urabe, Kazushi Arafuka, Ken Inoue
  • Patent number: 10166799
    Abstract: A service station for servicing a handheld jet dispensing apparatus includes a fluid jet cartridge carrying a composition and a camera for capturing an image of a surface includes a body having a docking portion that is sized to receive the jet dispensing apparatus. A servicing portion is located adjacent the docking portion. The servicing portion is configured to receive a servicing cassette and to position the servicing cassette for interaction with nozzles of fluid jet cartridge of the jet dispensing apparatus for a cartridge servicing operation. An actuator is configured to move the servicing cassette during the cartridge servicing operation relative to the fluid jet cartridge of the handheld treatment apparatus with the handheld treatment apparatus in the docking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Thomas Elliot Rabe, Paul John Edward Vernon, Grant Edward Anders Striemer, Janette Villalobos Lingoes, Rebecca Ashley Kolakoski, Brian Lee Floyd
  • Patent number: 10118409
    Abstract: A lamp array for drying liquid ink on a media in a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a transport system arranged to move the media through the printing apparatus in a process direction. The lamp array includes at least one lamp having a longitudinal axis arranged in a direction parallel to the process direction and adjacent to the transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Leighton, Paul M. Fromm, Robert P. Herloski
  • Patent number: 10029470
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer with a print assembly includes an ink jet print head, the print assembly configured to be movable between a first position in which print head is positioned over a substrate to be printed upon and a second position in which the print head is positioned away from the substrate. The print head purges ink at the second position. A wiper assembly is positioned between the first position and the second position of the print assembly. The wiper assembly has a first orientation in which the wiper assembly does not contact the print head when the print assembly moves between the first position and the second position. The wiper assembly has a second orientation in which the wiper assembly contacts the print head when the print assembly moves between the second position and the first position. A fluid distribution device provides fluid to clean the wiper assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Dover Europe Sàrl
    Inventor: Sven Kerpe
  • Patent number: 10005284
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid from a nozzle that is disposed on a nozzle surface, and an absorption member which is able to contact the nozzle surface, in which it is possible to perform a first contact operation which causes the absorption member to contact the nozzle surface at a position which corresponds to a nozzle region that includes an opening region of the nozzle, and a second contact operation which causes the absorption member to contact the nozzle surface at a position which corresponds to a non-nozzle region that is a region outside of the nozzle region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Suzuki, Koji Harada, Tsuyoshi Hayashi, Kazuhiko Hara, Yasunori Koike, Ryo Oguchi
  • Patent number: 9962944
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a second flow-path-member comprising a second flow-path in communication with first and third flow-paths provided in first and second flow-path-members, the second flow-path-member stacked with the third flow-path-members in a stacking direction. A boundary between the first and second flow-path is tightly sealed by a first sealing-member. A boundary between the second and third flow-path is tightly sealed by a second sealing-member. The second flow-path-member includes a first substrate for positioning itself to the third flow-path-member in first and second directions intersecting with the stacking direction, and a second substrate for positioning itself to the third flow-path-member in the stacking direction. The first substrate is pressed against in the first and second directions by one of the first and second sealing-member. The second substrate is pressed against in the stacking direction by another one of the first and second sealing-member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Kanegae
  • Patent number: 9956781
    Abstract: A maintenance member includes a plate, an absorption member, and a protection plate. The plate includes a first face and is configured to be mounted in a print device. The absorption member is fixed on the first face and has absorbed a liquid. The edge surface of the absorption member is exposed in an extension direction of the first face. The protection plate is fixed in place such that a gap is provided between the protection plate and the absorption member. The protection plate is configured to protect the absorption member from contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Haruo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9943886
    Abstract: A cleaning cart for a three-dimensional object printing system wipes an ejector head to remove debris from the ejector head. The cleaning cart includes a platform having a plurality of bearings configured to move the platform on rails of the printing system. A cleaning mechanism is movably mounted to the platform, and an actuator is mounted to the platform. The actuator is configured to move the cleaning mechanism relative to the platform to enable the cleaning mechanism to clean an ejector head that is positioned opposite the rails of the printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Atwood, James J. Spence
  • Patent number: 9889669
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid from a nozzle that is disposed on a nozzle surface, a first wiping portion which is able to wipe away the liquid that is adhered to the nozzle surface, and a second wiping portion which is able to hold the liquid that is adhered to the nozzle surface by contacting the nozzle surface, wherein it is possible to perform a first maintenance operation in which the nozzle surface is wiped using the first wiping portion and a second maintenance operation in which the second wiping portion is caused to contact the nozzle surface due to the second wiping portion being biased by the first wiping portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Nakagawa, Keiji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9878544
    Abstract: An ink jet printer with a print assembly includes an ink jet print head, the print assembly configured to be movable between a first position in which print head is positioned over a substrate to be printed upon and a second position in which the print head is positioned away from the substrate. The print head purges ink at the second position. A wiper assembly is positioned between the first position and the second position of the print assembly. The wiper assembly has a first orientation in which the wiper assembly does not contact the print head when the print assembly moves between the first position and the second position. The wiper assembly has a second orientation in which the wiper assembly contacts the print head when the print assembly moves between the second position and the first position. A fluid distribution device provides fluid to clean the wiper assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Dover Europe Sarl
    Inventor: Sven Kerpe
  • Patent number: 9855753
    Abstract: A waste liquid absorber is adapted to absorb waste liquid discharged from an outlet configured to eject ink in an accommodated state when the waste liquid absorber is accommodated in an accommodation portion. The waste liquid absorber includes a first portion and a second portion having different densities in a thickness direction of a single piece of the waste liquid absorber, and the first portion has higher density than the second portion. Each of the first portion and the second portion includes a fiber and solid flame retardant powders. The fiber of the first portion is formed of material that is the same as material of which the fiber of the second portion is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Takano, Shunichi Seki, Yoshiyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 9809029
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid from a nozzle that is disposed on a nozzle surface, and an absorption member which is able to contact the nozzle surface, in which it is possible to perform a first contact operation which causes the absorption member to contact the nozzle surface at a position which corresponds to a nozzle region that includes an opening region of the nozzle, and a second contact operation which causes the absorption member to contact the nozzle surface at a position which corresponds to a non-nozzle region that is a region outside of the nozzle region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Suzuki, Koji Harada, Tsuyoshi Hayashi, Kazuhiko Hara, Yasunori Koike, Ryo Oguchi
  • Patent number: 9757946
    Abstract: An inkjet print device includes a maintenance device wherein a mesh system and a waste liquid receiver are mounted. The liquid is applied during maintenance on the top of the mesh system and a waste liquid receiver receives the liquid dripping from the back of the mesh system. The mesh system is characterized by including a liquid spreading mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Luc De Roeck, Paul Wouters
  • Patent number: 9701124
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a line head which ejects liquid from a plurality of nozzles with respect to a medium, a wiping member that is able to wipe a nozzle forming surface on which the nozzles are formed, and an electronic mounting member that governs an electronic control, in which the wiping member is attachable and detachable with respect to the liquid ejecting apparatus, and the electronic mounting member is disposed at a location which is different from below an attachment/detachment path when the wiping member is attached and detached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ono, Kazuhiko Sato, Toru Tanjo, Yuichi Segawa
  • Patent number: 9623662
    Abstract: A cleaning module includes an actuator device, a fluid chamber, and a wiper member. The actuator device may enter an activation state based on a movement of at least a portion of the actuator device in response to an engagement with the printhead. The fluid chamber may store and supply fluid to the porous wipe material in response to the activation state of the actuator device. The wiper member may apply pressure to a porous wipe material including the fluid therein to wipe the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Mauricio Seras Franzoso, Marta Coma Vives, Antonio Gracia Verdugo
  • Patent number: 9573395
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a case; a recording head that performs recording by ejecting liquid to a medium provided in the case; a base portion provided in a position that faces the recording head and has a medium supporting portion that supports the medium; a protruding portion that is provided in any one of an area facing a bottom portion of the case in the medium supporting portion or an area facing the base portion in the bottom portion in the case, protrudes to the other one, and extends in a first direction intersecting a transportation direction of the medium; and a receiving portion that is provided in any one of an area facing the bottom portion of the case in the medium supporting portion and an area facing the medium supporting portion in the bottom portion of the case, and receives the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Anami, Kazuhiko Tsuyama
  • Patent number: 9573376
    Abstract: A waste liquid recovery apparatus includes a container body; a liquid absorbing body which is accommodated in the container body and absorbs liquid discharged as a waste liquid; and a sealing member which seals the container body, wherein a first space into which liquid is discharged from a liquid ejecting head and a second space which links with the outside through a ventilation hole formed in the sealing member are formed in a space closed by the container body and the sealing body, and the first space and the second space are connected with each other at the ventilation hole side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9464199
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes an ejection head having nozzles that eject liquid, a strap member that holds the liquid ejected from the ejection head, a feeding roller and a winding roller around which the strap member is wound, and a driving source that rotates the winding roller, wherein a flash point of the liquid that is held in the strap member is 95 degrees Celsius or more, and the driving source is disposed at a position closer to the winding roller than to the feeding roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Uchiyama, Keitaro Nakano, Nobuhito Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9452622
    Abstract: In one example, a platen system for a printer includes a group of interchangeable platens each configured to support a different type of print substrate in the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPNY, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlos Chover López, Lluis Hierro Domenech, Emilio Angulo Navarro, Francisco Javier Pérez Gellida
  • Patent number: 9340027
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head configured to discharge ink, a first waste ink retaining member configured to absorb ink discharged from the recording head, a second waste ink retaining member arranged below the first waste ink retaining member, a first inclined surface configured to flow waste ink overflowing the first waste ink retaining member downward, a waste ink receiving surface connected with a bottom end of the first inclined surface and including a porous body sheet for absorbing waste ink, and a second inclined surface configured to flow waste ink overflowing the porous body sheet to the second waste ink retaining member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiji Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 9211718
    Abstract: In one example, a shroud to protect a printhead in a print bar includes: an elongated body having an opening therein through which a printhead may dispense liquid past the shroud when the shroud is affixed to the print bar; and a bump on an exterior surface of the body next to the opening. The bump is configured to guide a leading edge of print media away from the printhead during printing when the shroud is affixed to the print bar and the print bar is installed in a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Timothy Jacob Luedeman, James D. Plymale
  • Patent number: 9145002
    Abstract: In one example, a platen system for a printer includes a group of interchangeable platens each configured to support a different type of print substrate in the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlos Chover Lopez, Lluis Hierro Domenech, Emilio Angulo Navarro, Francisco Javier Perez Gellida
  • Patent number: 9056473
    Abstract: A printing system includes: a fixed printhead assembly having an array of printheads and vacuum platen assembly. The vacuum platen assembly includes a fixed vacuum platen and a plurality of rotatable service modules embedded in the fixed vacuum platen. Each service module is positioned opposite a respective printhead, and each service module comprises a respective vacuum platen module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Mernjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Rosati, David Petch, David Burney, Jim Sykora, Kenneth A Regas, Andy Bound, Neil Doherty, Scott Dennis, Ben Jones, Oksana Buyda, Locson Tonthat, Andrew Buyda, Patrick Kirk, Loren Hunt, Jason Dewey, Jim Trinchera, Bill Cressman, Ron Zech
  • Patent number: 9039135
    Abstract: A liquid absorbent for ink contains a cellulose fiber, a heat-fusible material, and a flame-retardant material. The absorbent satisfies the relation ?1??0?500, where ?0 [?S/cm] is the electric conductivity of the ink and ?1 [?S/cm] is that of a mixture of 5 g of the ink and 1 g of the flame-retardant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ken Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9039136
    Abstract: A waste ink absorber for absorbing waste ink discharged from a head for ejecting ink includes layers the same in density and different in flame retardant content ratio, which are stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Takano, Toshiaki Yamagami, Shunichi Seki