Absorber Patents (Class 347/31)
  • Publication number: 20110032305
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording head that ejects ink; a sheet material that receives ink discarded from the recording head directly from the recording head or indirectly via another member; an ink absorption material that absorbs ink, and includes an ink absorption surface that forms a surface that intersects with an ink receiving surface of the sheet material that receives ink, and faces the ink receiving surface; and a sheet material movement unit that causes the sheet material to slide in at least a direction in which the ink receiving surface approaches the ink absorption surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki SHIOTA
  • Patent number: 7883175
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus according to the invention includes a liquid ejecting head capable of ejecting liquid from nozzle openings provided in a nozzle-forming surface, a nozzle-forming-surface visual-inspection unit for enabling a visual inspection of the nozzle-forming surface, and a liquid receptacle for receiving liquid discharged as waste liquid from the nozzle openings in the liquid ejecting head. The liquid receptacle is movable between a receiving position, where the liquid receptacle is positioned adjacent to the nozzle-forming surface, and a non-receiving position, where the liquid receptacle is positioned away from the receiving position. The liquid receptacle covers the nozzle-forming-surface visual-inspection unit when the liquid receptacle is positioned at the receiving position. The nozzle-forming-surface visual-inspection unit allows the nozzle-forming surface to be visually inspected when the liquid receptacle is positioned at the non-receiving position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobutoshi Otsuka, Nobuhito Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7883177
    Abstract: Tray inserts are disclosed for production printing systems. The tray inserts rest in ink trays and hold ink absorbing elements. The tray inserts and ink absorbing elements collect ink when printheads print outside of the margin of a printable medium, or otherwise discharge ink that does not contact the medium, such as during a cleaning cycle. When the ink absorbing elements become saturated and excess ink collects in the tray inserts, the tray inserts may be lifted vertically out of the ink trays and the ink absorbing elements may be removed from the tray inserts. The excess ink may then be dumped or otherwise cleaned from the tray inserts. In one embodiment, the tray inserts include drains which are used to empty the excess ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Infoprint Solutions Company, LLC
    Inventor: James O'Neal
  • Patent number: 7883178
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising nozzles capable of ejecting a liquid onto a medium, a rotational drum including a circumferential surface having a holding area for holding the medium and a non-holding area provided with an opening, wherein the circumferential surface rotates while facing the nozzles, and an absorptive drum which is provided inside the rotational drum which is capable of absorbing the liquid ejected from the nozzles toward the opening of the outer circumference in order to perform a flushing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Koike, Nobuhito Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110025756
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head which discharges ink, an ink absorbing member which receives ink uselessly ejected by the recording head, directly from the recording head, or indirectly through another member, and a vibration application unit which applies vibration to the ink absorbing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiko TSUYAMA
  • Patent number: 7862144
    Abstract: Provided is a printhead assembly that includes a printhead mounted on a support structure, said printhead having an ink ejection face, and a print media guide mounted on the support structure for guiding print media past the printhead for printing. The assembly also includes a wicking element mounted on the support structure between the support structure and the print media guide, as well as a pad with an angled contact surface to operatively facilitate the transferal of ink from the printhead to the wicking element. The wicking element is formed from an absorbent material and is positioned in a cavity defined between the print media guide and the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: John Douglas Peter Morgan, Kia Silverbrook, Christopher Hibbard, Bruce Gordon Holyoake
  • Patent number: 7845760
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus for applying a liquid on a medium to form an image, includes: a liquid absorbing member which absorbs at least a portion of the liquid applied on the medium; and a liquid recovery device which suctions and recovers the liquid absorbed in the liquid absorbing member while being in contact with the liquid absorbing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: FujiFilm Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20100295894
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet printhead and a servicing assembly. The servicing assembly includes a rotatable elongate servicing member arranged to rotate about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the printhead. The rotatable elongate servicing member integrally comprises a plurality of radially disposed elongate working surfaces which rotate with the servicing member to service the printhead. One of the working surfaces comprises a blotting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun
  • Patent number: 7832833
    Abstract: A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead assembly and a capping mechanism. The printhead assembly has a single pagewidth printhead and a plurality of nozzles located along the printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto print media as it is transported past the printhead. The capping mechanism has a capping member having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printhead and located in a non-capping first position spaced-apart from the printhead, and an actuating mechanism arranged to move the printhead between a first and second printhead positions and to move the capping member along an arcuate path from the first position to a second position at which the capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the printhead when the printhead is at the second printhead position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Norman Micheal Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7828409
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inkjet printer and an inkjet printing method, which enable an ink that overflowed to the outside from the edge of a printing medium to be fully absorbed by a platen. More specifically, the present invention provides an inkjet printer, including a platen, which absorbs a pigment ink that overflows to the outside of a printing medium when edgeless printing is carried out on the printing medium by using an ink that employs a pigment as a colorant, moving a printing head along a guide shaft, and ejecting the pigment ink from the printing head, and also an inkjet printing method, wherein the platen is impregnated with a humecant, a base, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiko Komatsu, Hitoshi Ota, Daisuke Ishihara
  • Patent number: 7823997
    Abstract: A droplet ejection device includes a carriage capable of moving back and forth, a droplet ejection head which is mounted on the carriage and has a plurality of nozzles, and a droplet receiver positioned capable of receiving liquid ejected from the nozzles. The nozzles which eject a droplet of a second liquid is positioned, in a flushing region, farthest from a printing region compared to the other nozzles. The droplet ejection device is configured to move the carriage after flushing operation so that the nozzles for ejecting a droplet of the second liquid are brought to a position where the nozzles face a part of the droplet receiver where a droplet of the first liquid has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisaki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 7824005
    Abstract: A liquid ejection device includes: a liquid ejection head which includes an ejection surface and an ejection port formed at the ejection surface, ejects a droplet of liquid from the ejection port, and allows the liquid to land on an object; an elastic absorbing member which comes into contact with the ejection surface of the liquid ejection head, and absorbs the liquid adhering to the ejection surface; and moving means for moving the absorbing member with respect to the ejection surface while the absorbing member is in contact with the ejection surface, in which the absorbing member has a surface layer which is impregnated with a solution containing a surfactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Yakura, Masahiro Koike, Shota Nishi, Yasuhiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100271421
    Abstract: A maintenance assembly for a pagewidth printer mounted between posts of a main body of the printer and positioned adjacent a printhead assembly of the printer includes a maintenance chassis defining tongue portions and having ends shaped to fit over the posts of the main body to secure the maintenance assembly in position; a retainer element operatively engaging the chassis; and a lower molding and an upper molding operatively fast with each other to sandwich an absorbent insert between them, the moldings in turn sandwiched between the chassis and retainer element, the maintenance assembly for wiping the printhead of the printer. The lower maintenance molding is made from a plastic material and forms a body having closed ends and an open top, the ends of the lower maintenance molding defining air vents to facilitate ventilation of the maintenance assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard
  • Patent number: 7819499
    Abstract: A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes: a head having a jetting port surface in which a jetting port is formed; and a maintenance unit having a cap in which a discharge port is formed, an absorber arranged in the cap, and a suction mechanism which communicates with the discharge port. The absorber includes a first absorbing portion covering the discharge port, and a second absorbing portion arranged to be in contact with the first absorbing portion. A channel resistance of the first absorbing portion with respect to a liquid is higher than that of the second absorbing portion. Accordingly, when an idle suction is performed, it is possible to discharge uniformly a liquid absorbed in the first and absorbing portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisaki Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20100265285
    Abstract: A blotting fillister structure including a first side, a second side and a blotting area is provided. The first side has a first lead-angle surface. The second side opposite to the first side has a second lead-angle surface. The blotting area is located between the first side and the second side. A width of the first lead-angle surface is greater than a width of the second lead-angle surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: KINPO ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Fu Kao, Chih-Hwa Wang, Chin-Chang Ho
  • Patent number: 7806507
    Abstract: A capping device provided in a liquid ejection apparatus having a liquid ejection head is provided. The liquid ejection head has a nozzle-forming surface in which a nozzle for ejection liquid is formed. The capping device includes a cap, a liquid absorber, and a fixing member. The cap is capable of contacting the liquid ejection head in such a manner as to encompass the nozzle. The liquid absorber is accommodated in the cap. The fixing member fixes the liquid absorber accommodated in the cap to the cap. The fixing member is arranged in the cap such that an upper end of the fixing member is at the same height as or lower than an upper surface of the liquid absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Atsushi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20100245466
    Abstract: A head cleaning method of wiping and cleaning a nozzle surface of a head with a band-shaped liquid absorbing body by, while pressing and abutting a pressing member on which the liquid absorbing body that travels is wrapped against the nozzle surface of the head, sliding the pressing member over the nozzle surface of the head, includes: a first cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with a non-wet region of the liquid absorbing body; a wet region forming step of forming a wet region on the liquid absorbing body; and a second cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with the wet region of the liquid absorbing body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventor: Hiroshi INOUE
  • Publication number: 20100245462
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head having a nozzle formation surface with a nozzle that discharges a liquid. A cleaning member wipes the nozzle formation surface to remove liquid that has adhered thereto. An absorption member of a porous material deforms under pressure and includes an absorption surface that contacts the cleaning member to absorb liquid that has adhered thereto. A pressure member moves between a pressure position, in which the pressure member applies pressure to the absorption surface of the absorption member, and a non-pressure position, in which the pressure member does not apply pressure to the absorption surface. A movement mechanism moves the pressure member from the non-pressure position to the pressure position to cause the absorption member to deform, thereby dispersing the liquid absorbed by the absorption member from the cleaning member via the absorption surface into the interior of the absorption member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo Seino, Taisuke Yamamoto, Shuhei Harada, Naoyoshi Hashimoto, Yoshihiro Koizumi
  • Patent number: 7798601
    Abstract: An amount of deposit in an ink receiving portion can be controlled using an inexpensive configuration which does not require any complicated mechanisms or control and which avoids increasing ink consumption. An ejection control section controls ejecting of ink from a printing section into an ink receiving portion. The printing section has a first ink ejecting portion that ejects ink that accumulates easily in the ink receiving portion and a second ink ejecting portion that ejects ink that is hard to accumulate in the ink receiving portion. The ejection control section changes the landing position, in the ink receiving portion, of the ink ejected from the ink ejecting portions depending on the status of accumulation of the ink in the ink receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Yoshito Mizoguchi, Daisaku Ide
  • Publication number: 20100231640
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that performs liquid ejection with respect to an ejection target medium, a carriage that reciprocates with the liquid ejecting head being mounted, a linear encoder that has a linear encoder scale extending in a movement direction of the carriage and a detector which detects the linear encoder scale, a cleaning member that cleans the linear encoder scale, and a recovery unit that recovers the liquid adhered to the cleaning member in a non-ejection area other than an ejection area for performing ejection with respect to the ejection target medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakazu TSUZUKI
  • Patent number: 7794045
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus capable of high-quality recording without smudging recording media and the interior of the recording apparatus even when a frameless recording operation using reactive ink that coheres with each other when mixed together is performed. The ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array, and an ink absorbent facing the nozzle arrays. The first nozzle array discharges a first ink, and the second nozzle array discharges a second ink. The first and second ink is a reactive ink that coheres with each other when mixed together. During the frameless recording operation on a front edge of the recording medium, some of the first and second ink discharged from the respective nozzle arrays of the recording head adheres to the front edge, and some of the ink adheres to separate positions on the ink absorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Nakano
  • Publication number: 20100201724
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a plurality of nozzles that discharges liquid; a liquid discharge head that includes nozzle arrays where the respective nozzles are arranged in one direction; a liquid adsorbent that adsorbs liquid attached to a portion of the liquid discharge head where the nozzle arrays are formed; a moving means for relatively moving the liquid adsorbent in an arrangement direction of the nozzles; and a liquid suction means for sucking liquid adsorbed in the liquid adsorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunji YAMAGUCHI, Hitoshi KAMODA, Shigeyoshi HIRASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20100201738
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: nozzles discharging liquid; a liquid discharge head including nozzle arrays where the nozzles are arranged in one direction; a liquid adsorbent adsorbing liquid attached to a portion of the liquid discharge head where the nozzle arrays are formed; a moving means for relatively moving the liquid adsorbent in an arrangement direction of the nozzles; support rollers supporting the liquid adsorbent so as to allow the liquid adsorbent to rotate; a rotating shaft corresponding to the axis of rotation of the support roller and being rotated in a normal or reverse direction by using the relative movement of the liquid adsorbent, which is caused by the moving means, as a source of power; and a reverse rotation preventing means for transmitting the normal rotation of the rotating shaft to the support roller and not transmitting the reverse rotation of the rotating shaft to the support roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shunji YAMAGUCHI, Shigeyoshi Hirashima
  • Patent number: 7771002
    Abstract: A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printer having a pagewidth printhead and a media path for feeding sheets of media substrate in a media feed direction, wherein the pagewidth printhead has an elongate array of nozzles extending the printing width of the media substrate. The printhead maintenance facility has an inner chassis for mounting in the printer such that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis, an outer chassis mounted to the inner chassis, the outer chassis having a plurality of maintenance station mounting sites and a plurality of maintenance stations mounted to the outer chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Paul Ian Mackey, Attila Bertok, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7771003
    Abstract: A printer is provided which has a printhead having a plurality of ejection nozzles, a capping member for capping the ejection nozzles, a purging member for receiving material that is purged from the nozzle environment of the printhead, a first actuating mechanism for moving the printhead along a first arcuate path from first to second to third printhead positions, and a second actuating mechanism for moving the capping and purging members along a second arcuate path from a first position to a second position at which the capping member caps the nozzles of the printhead when the printhead is in the second printhead position and the purging member is able to receive the purged material when the printhead is in the third printhead position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Norman Micheal Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20100194820
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a rotating body which rotates while holding a medium at its circumferential surface; a fluid ejecting section which ejects fluid toward the medium such that a margin is not formed at an end portion of the medium on the circumferential surface in an axial direction of the rotating body; an absorber which absorbs fluid which has come out of the end portion of the medium on the circumferential surface in the axial direction, out of fluid ejected from the fluid ejecting section, at a position further outside than the end portion; and a rotating body driving mechanism for rotating the rotating body, which drives the rotating body such that driving force by the rotating body driving mechanism is not transmitted to the absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenori USUDA, Shinichi KAMOSHIDA, Kaoru KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20100188459
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for liquid-phase dispensing of layers onto a substrate of an electronic device. An absorbent material reduces or eliminates splatter of printing material on the substrate during continuous printing operations. The absorbent material can be regenerated by exposure of new surface area or vacuum drawing of printing material through the absorbent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY.
    Inventors: James Daniel Tremel, Matthew Stainer, Matthew Dewey Hubert
  • Patent number: 7758150
    Abstract: The present invention provides a capture member for directly capturing ink droplets ejected to an area other then a recording medium, among ink droplets ejected from a printer head for ink jet recording, wherein said member comprises a porous plastic produced by sinter molding of plastic particles, and contains an impregnating agent impregnated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiko Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7753473
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus has a movement mechanism, a pressurized purge unit, and a liquid discharge restriction mechanism. The movement mechanism moves at least one of a liquid ejecting head and a cap so as to allow the cap to take a capping position where the cap covers a liquid ejection face of the head or an uncapping position where the cap is spaced away from the liquid ejection face and capable of receiving liquid ejected from nozzles formed on the liquid ejection face. The pressurized purge unit makes liquid forcibly ejected from the nozzles into the cap. The liquid discharge restriction mechanism restricts liquid from being discharged through a discharge port of the cap when the cap is in the capping position, and permits liquid to be discharged through the discharge port when the cap is in the uncapping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuhisa Nakashima
  • Patent number: 7753468
    Abstract: A cap 41 is used for nozzle inspections for clogging on the basis of a waveform of an output signal at a print head 24 when, in a state in which a potential difference has been generated among the print head 24, a regulating member 143 that is the opposing electrode opposite to the print head 24, or an ink-absorbing member 142, an operation is performed of ejecting ink from the nozzles 23 of the print head 24 to an opposing electrode. The cap 41 comprises a box member 141 in which the regulating member 143 and the ink-absorbing member 142 are contained and an electrode pin 145 that penetrates the box member 141 in a liquid-tight manner, and that is electrically connected with the regulating member 143. Thus, even when ink accumulates in the box member 141 after a nozzle inspection for clogging has taken place, no ink will leak from the part that the electrode pin 145 penetrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Endo, Jun Shimazaki
  • Publication number: 20100171789
    Abstract: Provided is a nozzle capping device of an inkjet printer including a cap covering a nozzle chip of an inkjet head, and a humidity supply unit supplying humidity to an inner space formed by the cap covering the nozzle chip and the inkjet head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Il-jun MUN, Karp-sik YOUN, Sung-wook KANG
  • Patent number: 7748820
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles which are open in a surface thereof so as to provide a nozzle opening surface and through which ink is ejected; and a cap which is operable to cover the nozzle opening surface of the ink-jet head so as to surround the plurality of nozzles and which includes (a) a peripheral portion that comes into close contact with the nozzle opening surface at an end thereof when the cap covers the nozzle opening surface and (b) an outlet formed at a part of the peripheral portion, the part being located at a lower position when the image recording apparatus is kept in a posture for transportation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Shindo
  • Patent number: 7740348
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head is adapted to eject liquid toward a target medium, A transporter is adapted to transport a tray on which the target medium is mounted toward a region facing the liquid ejecting head via a transporting path. A tray guide is disposed in a front side of the liquid ejecting apparatus, and having a supporting face adapted to support the tray thereon. The tray guide is movable between a first position connecting the supporting face with the transporting path to allow the transporter to transport the tray to the transporting path and a second position escaping the supporting face from the transporting path. The supporting face is kept being parallel to the transporting path when the tray guide is moved between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Miyashita, Takashi Akahane, Hiroki Nakashima, Satoshi Noda
  • Patent number: 7735958
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for effecting recording on a recording material by ejecting ink from an array of ejection outlets provided in an ejection side surface of a recording head, includes a cleaning mechanism, including an absorbing member for absorbing and removing the ink deposited on the ejection side surface, for cleaning the ejection side surface by moving the absorbing member in contact with the ejection side surface in a direction in which the array of the ejection outlets extends; wherein the absorbing member comprises a plurality of absorbing materials having average pore sizes different from each other and contacted with each, and an absorbing material having a larger average pore size is contacted to the ejection outlet to absorb the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Murayama
  • Publication number: 20100141705
    Abstract: A waste ink absorber and evaporator for an inkjet printing system includes a body of porous capillary medium that wicks liquid ink to an outer surface having several corrugations that form an evaporative outer surface area of the body of porous capillary medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventor: Juan M. Jimenez
  • Publication number: 20100134557
    Abstract: A platen for supporting a reverse surface of a recording medium under a recording head capable of performing image recording with ink droplets on the recording medium, which is conveyed along a specified direction in a main body of an inkjet recording apparatus. The platen comprises an ink receiving portion which receives ink and an ink guiding portion. The ink guiding portion guides the ink received by the ink receiving portion to an ink absorbing member. Specifically, the ink guiding portion guides the ink to an ink guide groove provided in an upper surface of a placement portion, on which the ink absorbing member is placed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusaku Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20100118084
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting head which includes nozzle rows each having a plurality of nozzles and ejects a fluid onto a medium, the fluid ejecting apparatus being capable of performing a flushing operation in which the fluid is ejected to an absorbing member used to absorb the fluid ejected from the nozzles, wherein the absorbing member is a linear member which extends along the nozzle row and is capable of relatively moving to a position retracted from a flying path of the fluid ejected from the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya SESHIMO
  • Publication number: 20100118083
    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: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsutomu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7712865
    Abstract: There are provided a sucking unit having a recording medium transportation surface including a plurality of sucking holes, a decompression chamber communicating with the sucking holes and a sucking device for sucking air in the decompression chamber, and a delivering device for sucking a recording medium supplied onto the recording medium transportation surface of the sucking unit onto the recording medium transportation surface through the sucking hole by the sucking device, and delivering the recording medium from an upstream side of the sucking unit to a downstream side thereof. Each sucking hole of the sucking unit is formed by a through hole section communicating with the decompression chamber and a sucking chamber having a larger area of a sucking surface opposed to the recording medium than a sectional area of the through hole section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Ishii, Yoshitaka Shimada
  • Patent number: 7708376
    Abstract: A device cleans an inkjet printhead in a franking and/or addressing machine. The inkjet printhead is disposed in a stationary manner such that it can be pivoted in a printing window of a guide plate for the print carrier. A cleaning and sealing device is disposed behind the guide plate such that it can be displaced toward and away from the inkjet printhead. This improves the print quality, prolongs service life, and provides a high throughput rate. Spraying clear is possible both during the print carrier transport and in a rest position without the letter run being soiled. The cleaning and sealing device is disposed underneath the inkjet printhead to be displaced by an associated displacement device. A matched baffle piece is disposed underneath the inkjet printhead such that it can pivot and is coupled to the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Francotyp Postalia GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Hübler, Wolfgang Muhl, Wolfgang von Inten
  • Patent number: 7699431
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus is provided in which ink absorbers, capable of performing their function to the fullest extent to quickly absorb an ink that tends to coagulate, are installed to prevent an interior of the printing apparatus and the back of a print medium from being contaminated. To this end, the printing apparatus has an ink absorber that contains a coagulation inhibitor capable of inhibiting the coagulation of colorant contained in the ink. This arrangement inhibits the coagulation of the colorant on the surface or in the interior of the absorber, allowing the colorant to be absorbed quickly and uniformly into the interior of the absorber. Therefore, problems caused by a deposition of the colorant on the surface of the absorber or by a degraded absorbing capability can be alleviated, thus keeping the image output in good condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Nakazawa, Nobuhito Yamaguchi, Takuei Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7695096
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inkjet printer and an inkjet printing method, which enable an ink that overflowed to the outside from the edge of a printing medium to be fully absorbed by a platen. More specifically, the present invention provides an inkjet printer, including a platen, which absorbs a pigment ink that overflows to the outside of a printing medium when edgeless printing is carried out on the printing medium by using an ink that employs a pigment as a colorant, moving a printing head along a guide shaft, and ejecting the pigment ink from the printing head, and also an inkjet printing method, wherein the platen is impregnated with a humecant, a base, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiko Komatsu, Hitoshi Ota, Daisuke Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20100085399
    Abstract: Tray inserts are disclosed for production printing systems. The tray inserts rest in ink trays and hold ink absorbing elements. The tray inserts and ink absorbing elements collect ink when printheads print outside of the margin of a printable medium, or otherwise discharge ink that does not contact the medium, such as during a cleaning cycle. When the ink absorbing elements become saturated and excess ink collects in the tray inserts, the tray inserts may be lifted vertically out of the ink trays and the ink absorbing elements may be removed from the tray inserts. The excess ink may then be dumped or otherwise cleaned from the tray inserts. In one embodiment, the tray inserts include drains which are used to empty the excess ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventor: James O'Neal
  • Publication number: 20100085400
    Abstract: Production printing systems are disclosed. The production printing system comprises a printhead array operable to discharge ink to print on a printable medium, and an ink tray that is affixed in the printing system facing the printhead array. The ink tray has a bottom section that is open. The production printing system further comprises a tray insert adapted to rest in the ink tray and to be lifted from the ink tray, and an ink absorbing element adapted to rest in the tray insert and operable to absorb ink that is discharged from the printhead array when the ink does not contact the printable medium. With the tray insert removed from the ink tray, the printhead array is visible through the bottom of the ink tray so that the printheads may be inspected or cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventor: James O'Neal
  • Patent number: 7690784
    Abstract: A plate-shaped main body, has a first face formed with a recess portion defined by a bottom face and side walls and a second face which is opposite to the first face. The plate-shaped main body is formed with a through hole connecting the bottom face and the second face. An overhanging portion, is provided on at least one of the side walls in the vicinity of the first face, and is located so as to at least partially hang over the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nishi, Seiji Kawabata, Kazuhiro Hashii, Kazumasa Harada, Keiichiro Fukumasu, Hirohisa Adachi
  • Publication number: 20100079537
    Abstract: A head cap, including: a bottom plate portion which has a bottom surface opposed to a liquid-droplets ejecting surface of a liquid-droplets ejecting head and through which a through hole is formed; a projecting portion which functions as a side wall, which extends from the bottom plate portion so as to define a recessed portion with the bottom plate portion, and whose distal end contacts with a surrounding of a liquid-droplets ejecting area formed in the liquid-droplets ejecting surface so as to enclose the liquid-droplets ejecting area; a liquid holding member which covers at least a part of the bottom surface and which holds a liquid by a holding force determined on the basis of a frictional force with respect to the liquid and a capillary force, wherein the liquid holding member includes (a) a first area contacting with an opening portion of the through hole in the bottom surface and (b) a second area located further from the opening portion than the first area, and wherein the holding force of the first a
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidetoshi WATANABE
  • Patent number: 7686418
    Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head having a nozzle unit having a length in a main scanning direction corresponding to a width of a printing medium, a capping unit to move to a capping position to cap the nozzle unit and an uncapping position for a printing. The capping unit includes a cap member having a spitting hole and covering the nozzle unit, an absorbing member to absorb an ink passing through the spitting hole, and a support member disposed at a position where the cap member and the absorbing member are installed, the support member receiving the ink spitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-woo Ha
  • Patent number: 7673963
    Abstract: An ink unit having: an ink utilized for an inkjet recorder; and a wetted member that contacts with the ink, wherein the ink includes a pigment dispersedly held in a medium, and the pigment contains particles having a size of 200 nm or larger in 2 volume percent or less, and wherein a principal component of the ink-wetted member is [1] a compound of specific hydrotalcite; [2] a fatty acid and/or a fatty acid derivative; [3 ] a phenolic antioxidant having an isocyanurate skeleton; or [4] a polyolefin including an alkyl-substituted benzylidene sorbitol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7669999
    Abstract: A recording apparatus has a recording head, a platen, and a first hole. The recording head includes a dot formation element array, and the platen holds a recording medium opposite the recording head. The first hole is disposed in an area of the platen opposite a downstream portion of the dot formation element array and guides ink discarded outside an end of the recording medium when the end is printed without a margin. Alternatively or additionally, a second hole is formed in an area of the platen opposite an upstream portion of the dot formation element array, and the platen guides ink, which is discarded outside an end of the recording medium when the end is printed without a margin, to the second hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kodama, Koichiro Yokoyama, Kiyoto Komuro, Takuya Yasue, Takashi Akahane, Masahiro Isono
  • Patent number: 7661790
    Abstract: First, second, and third ink absorbing bodies are accommodated in a container of a recovery reservoir in this order from the side corresponding to a bottom surface of the container, so that an introduction chamber is defined in the middle of a recovery space. A lid having a shutter plate and a communication hole is located over the third ink absorbing body. The upper side of the introduction chamber is covered by the shutter plate to suppress volatilization of solvent element of waste ink introduced into the introduction chamber. In addition, the communication hole is located in a portion of the upper surface of the third ink absorbing body, so that solvent element of ink absorbed by the third ink absorption body volatilizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Harada, Keiji Matsumoto, Manabu Yamada