Abstract: A mobile device that as (a) an inkjet printhead, (b) a print media feed path extending past the printhead, (c) a capping mechanism with a capper moveable between a capping position, in which the capper is urged into a capping relationship with the printhead, and an uncapped position, where the capper is spaced from the printhead, and (d) a locking mechanism configured to move the capper to the uncapped position in response to engagement with the media such that the capper returns to the capped position upon disengagement with the media.

Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an inkjet head including a nozzle portion having a length in a main scanning direction that is at least equal to a width of a printing medium, a conveying unit to convey the printing medium, a driving motor to drive the conveying unit, and a cap member to cap and uncap the nozzle portion, and the conveying unit and the cap member are driven by the driving motor.

Abstract: A method is provided of capping duplexed printheads having nozzles arranged to eject ink onto opposite surfaces of print media. In the method linear movement of each printhead is effected in a first direction and linear movement of associated capping members is effected in a second direction to a position at which each capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the associated printhead.

Abstract: To shorten time for an abnormal discharge test and time for cleaning; and to reduce the amount of drain ink used at the time of the abnormal discharge test and the cleaning. A liquid drop discharging apparatus comprising: a plurality of nozzles that discharge liquid drops; a sensor that detects a malfunctioning nozzle at which abnormal discharge occurs when the liquid drop is supposed to be discharged therefrom; and a controller that determines whether the liquid drop is discharged or not from each of the nozzles on the basis of image data, the controller causing the sensor to detect the malfunctioning nozzle among the nozzles that are determined to discharge the liquid drops on the basis of the image data.

Abstract: A service station for a pen that incldues a treadmill belt that has an outer surface and an inner surface and a pen cap positioned on the outer surface of the treadmill belt, wherein the pen cap is positioend between the treadmill belt and the pen. THe service statin further including two rollers upon which the treadmill belt is mounted, wherein the two rollers contact the inner surface of the treatmill belt for driving the treadmill belt. In addition, there is no device positioned between the two rolelrs that engages the inner surface of the treadmill belt so as to move the outer surface toward the pen. THe service statino further includes a drive axle coupled to one of the rollers and a mechanism for switching a direction of travel of the treadmill belt.

Abstract: A method of removing flooded ink from an ink ejection face of a printhead is provided. The method comprises transferring the ink onto a disposable sheet moving past the face, wherein the sheet does not contact the face.

Abstract: A cleansing method of fluid-supply apparatus and cleansing module using the same is disclosed. First, a cleansing module is fixed to the fluid-supply apparatus to be cleansed for disposing the nozzles of the fluid-supply apparatus in the cleansing tank of the cleansing module. Second, a liquid used for cleansing is supplied inside the cleansing tank, and ultrasonic-wave vibration of the liquid is provided to remove plug stuck on the nozzles. Later, plug remained on the nozzles is scraped down and meanwhile the waste liquid is drawn out of the cleansing tank for further improving cleansing efficiency of the cleansing method. By using the cleansing method of the present invention, plug on the nozzles of the fluid-supply apparatus can be effectively removed and consequently lifetime of the fluid-supply apparatus is extended. Additionally, the cleansing method is capable of dramatically reducing working time required and of increasing efficiency of cleansing fabrication process.

Abstract: An ink-jet head includes nozzles which are configured to discharge ink droplets, an ink discharge surface which has ink discharge apertures of the nozzles formed therethrough, and a cap configured to cover the ink discharge surface. The cap includes a base member which opposes the ink discharge surface. The base member has a recess formed therein, and the recess has a communication hole formed therethrough. The cap also may include a damper film which is connected to the base member at an outer periphery of the recess and covers the recess, and a lip which is formed along an outer periphery of the base member and is configured to selectively contact the ink discharge surface. Moreover, the ink-jet head may include a cap holder which is connected to the cap and is configured to selectively apply a force to the cap toward the ink discharge surface.

Abstract: A head capping member for capping an ejection face of a liquid ejecting head which face is provided with a nozzle for ejecting a liquid drop is provided, which includes a contact part which contacts the ejection face of the head and is made of an elastic member and a recess which forms a closed space together with the ejection head when the contact part contacts the ejection head, wherein a flat part is formed around the recess and an absorbing member is provided on the flat part so as to cover the recess.

Abstract: A head cap, including: a cap including (a) a bottom plate portion and (b) 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 a liquid-droplets ejecting surface of a liquid-droplets ejecting head so as to enclose the liquid-droplets ejecting area; a holder configured to support the cap; a groove formed in at least one of a first surface of the bottom plate portion which is opposed to the holder and a second surface of the holder which is opposed to the bottom plate portion so as to partly constitute an air communicating channel that communicates the recessed portion and an outside with each other; and a channel wall provided between the first surface and the second surface so as to enclose the groove as seen in a direction perpendicular to one of the first surface and the second surface by contacting with at

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.

Abstract: A rotatable locking lever is provided in a slider and is movable in a direction intersecting a moving direction of a carriage, and the slider is made to stop in a wiping position by the locking lever being locked by an apparatus main body side when the slider moves to a wiping position. It is possible to regulate an approach amount of a wiper to a recording head with a high degree of accuracy even if horizontal portions are not provided on cam surfaces for restricting a position of the slider mounting the wiper.

Abstract: A document processor for capturing data and images from checks and other financial and payment-related documents includes a document track and a plurality of processing devices located along the document track. The plurality of processing devices includes an ink jet rear endorser. A manual ink jet cleaning and capping station is built into the track wall directly in front of the ink jet rear endorser. The station includes a movable track wall portion that is movable between first and second positions and includes an opening and a cap. When the track wall portion is in the first position, the cap engages the endorser to prevent any liquid ink on the endorser from drying. When the track wall portion is in the second position, the opening aligns with the endorser to allow the endorser to print on passing documents.

Abstract: A printer is provided having confronting pagewidth printheads, each printhead having a plurality of nozzles arranged to print on opposite surfaces of print media, pagewidth capping members, and an actuator for moving the capping members and the printheads in non-parallel linear directions between a capped position at which the capping members cap the nozzles of the respective printheads and a non-capped position at which the capping members are spaced from the respective printheads.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a print head that reciprocates along a guide rail includes a carriage on which the print head is mounted. The print head is supplied with ink through a tube from an ink cartridge that is arranged outside the carriage. The carriage includes an engaging portion that slidably engages the carriage with the guide rail, an urging portion that presses the guide rail against the engaging portion, and a base portion on which the urging portion is mounted. The urging portion includes an elastic member that is in contact with the base portion at one end thereof, and a wedge-shaped member that is connected to the other end of the elastic member and urged in a direction in which the guide rail is pressed against the engaging portion by the elastic force of the elastic member.

Abstract: A droplet jetting applicator includes: a droplet jetting head which freely moves and includes a nozzle surface with a plurality of nozzles formed, from which droplets are jetted; a suction section which sucks the droplets jetted by the droplet jetting head from a facing position facing the nozzle surface; a support/transfer section which supports the suction section, freely moves together with the droplet jetting head, and moves the supported suction section to the facing position and a non-facing position which is apart from the facing position; and an exhaust section which evacuates the suction section to give the suction section a suction force.

Abstract: A removing member for use in an image forming apparatus removes foreign materials from a nozzle face of a discharge head provided in the image forming apparatus. The removing member includes a base material, and fine particles disposed to the base material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus raise and lower a web support and move a cap over and above the web support.

Abstract: A capping sheet that seals a nozzle surface of a liquid jet head having a liquid jet nozzle that ejects liquid onto a target, the capping sheet includes: a sheet body including an opposite surface facing the nozzle surface of the liquid jet head, the sheet body being provided separately from a capping-sheet carrying mechanism that carries the sheet body from a non-capping position where the opposite surface does not face the nozzle surface to a capping position where the opposite surface faces the nozzle surface; and on the opposite surface, a sealing part that seals the nozzle surface with a sealed space therebetween if the capping sheet is carried to the capping position by the capping-sheet carrying mechanism and relatively moved in a way that the opposite surface comes close to the nozzle surface at the capping position.

Abstract: A printhead cartridge for an inkjet printer is provided. The cartridge is removably receivable in the printer. The cartridge comprises: (a) a printhead; (b) an ink delivery system for supplying ink to the printhead; and (c) a maintenance station for maintaining the printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance station comprises a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface and an ink removal system for removing ink from the contact surface when the maintenance roller is rotated.

Abstract: A printer functioning as a liquid ejection apparatus includes a recording head having nozzles, a flushing sheet feeding mechanism, and a cleaning mechanism. The flushing sheet feeding mechanism feeds a flushing sheet for absorbing ink, which is ejected from the nozzles, from a non-flushing position separated from the recording head to a flushing position facing the recording head and from the flushing position to the non-flushing position during flushing. The cleaning mechanism removes the ink absorbed in the flushing sheet after flushing.

Abstract: In a liquid discharging apparatus for discharging droplets from a liquid discharge nozzle to a discharge object to be discharged and in a method for controlling the liquid discharging apparatus, cleaning effects for the ink discharge nozzle and the adjacent areas can be enhanced, and the time required for a series of performance maintaining operations can be reduced. The apparatus includes a platen plate for supporting recording paper as the discharge object, defining a positional relationship between the discharge object and the liquid discharge head, and receiving the droplets discharged from the liquid discharge head. Ink droplets are preliminarily discharged from the ink discharge nozzle to the platen plate.

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.

Abstract: A tuning element having a second inclined plane interacts with a pushing element having a first inclined plane to accomplish adjusting the position of a printhead. The tuning element rotates relative to a printhead carrier and produces displacement in a second direction and the second inclined plane of the tuning element then pushes the first inclined plane of the pushing element and produces displacement in a first direction in a linear way corresponding to the rotation of the tuning element. Meanwhile, the printhead closely in contact with the pushing element also produces displacement in the first direction so that the tuning apparatus is endowed with highly accurate and linear adjustability.

Abstract: An ink jet printer for discharging ink drips to a printing medium mounted on a conveying belt and conveyed from a plurality of nozzles, in which the printing quality is improved and the printed speed is raised. A printing medium conveying section has first and second conveying portions connected in the conveying direction of the printing medium and a plurality of conveying belts are arranged by mutually keeping a predetermined interval, in which the conveying belts of the first and second conveying portions are set so that an other-hand conveying belt is located between one-hand conveying belts, and a printing head is constituted of first head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the first conveying portion and a second head set to a position facing the gap between the conveying belts of the second conveying portion.

Abstract: When recording heads are away from caps, a black ink recording head is first set into a capping state and a color ink recording head is subsequently set into a capping state from this state. When the recording heads are adhered to the caps, the capping state of the color ink recording head is first cancelled and the capping state of the black ink recording head is subsequently cancelled from this state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that has a carriage with a recording head having a nozzle for ejecting an ink includes a capping member configured to cover the nozzle of the recording head, a locking member configured to lock the carriage at a predetermined position, and an interlocking mechanism configured to perform one of locking and unlocking the carriage with the locking member according to one operation of contacting and separating the nozzle with the capping member.

Abstract: A method of capping a pagewidth printhead assembly is provided. The printhead assembly has two confronting pagewidth printheads and a plurality of nozzles located along each printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto opposite surfaces of print media as it is transported past the printheads. In the method linear movement of each printhead is effected in a first direction and linear movement of associated capping members is effected in a second direction to a position at which each capping member is located in nozzle capping engagement with the associated printhead. The first and second directions are non-parallel.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance station comprises a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface for sealing engagement with an ink ejection face of the printhead. The roller is rotatable and moveable between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly engaged with the face and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from face. An ink removal system removes ink from the contact surface when the maintenance roller is rotated.

Abstract: A printer is provided having a printhead assembly and a capping mechanism. The printhead assembly has two confronting pagewidth printheads and a plurality of nozzles located along each printhead and arranged in use to deliver ink onto opposite surfaces of print media as it is transported past the printheads. The capping mechanism has capping members having a length corresponding substantially to that of the printheads and actuating means arranged to effect linear movement of the capping members in a first direction and linear movement of the printheads in a second direction to a position at which nozzle capping engagement is effected between the capping members and respective ones of the printheads. The first and second directions are non-parallel.

Abstract: A mobile device including: (a) an inkjet printhead; (b) a print media feed path for directing print media past the printhead in a feed direction during printing; (c) a capping mechanism including a capper moveable between: a capping position in which the capper is urged into a capping relationship with the printhead; and an uncapped position in which the printhead is able to print onto the print media, wherein in the uncapped position the capper is displaced away from the printhead; (d) a locking mechanism configured to hold the capper in the uncapped position until after a trailing edge of the media is clear of the printhead.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the printhead-to-media spacing in an inkjet printer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a carriage rod that is fixed in position relative to a media support and a carriage for supporting at least one printhead. The carriage has a contact surface that abuts the carriage rod to allow the carriage to be supported thereon and moveable laterally along the length of the carriage rod. The apparatus further includes an actuating means that moves the carriage relative to the carriage rod along an axis transverse to a longitudinal axis of the carriage rod. During the movement, the contact surface of the carriage remains in abutment with the carriage rod to thereby allow the carriage to continue to be supported on the carriage rod. A method of printhead-to-media spacing adjustment, implementable using the apparatus, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A pagewidth modular printhead assembly comprises an elongate pagewidth support structure; an elongate ink distribution member positioned on the support structure, the distribution member defining a number of longitudinally extending ink conduits, the distribution member further defining sets of apertures, each aperture of a set being in fluid communication with respective conduits; a plurality of inkjet printhead modules mounted end-to-end on the support structure, each inkjet printhead module including an ink distribution assembly in fluid communication with a respective set of apertures and a printhead integrated circuit mounted on the ink distribution assembly; a plurality of capping devices mounted on the support structure and displaceable between an operative position capping the printhead integrated circuits and an inoperative position exposing the printhead integrated circuits; and a capping device actuating mechanism for displacing the capping devices into and out of the operative and inoperative posi

Abstract: A modular printhead assembly includes an elongate carrier. An elongate ink conduit is positioned in the carrier and is configured to feed ink along a length of the carrier. A plurality of printhead modules is serially arranged along and engaged with the ink conduit. The ink conduit is in fluid communication with the printhead modules and each printhead module includes a printhead integrated circuit for carrying out a printing operation. A pair of supports is fastenable to respective ends of the carrier. The printhead modules are located between the supports. At least one capping mechanism is arranged to cap the printhead integrated circuits. A camshaft is operatively engaged with the supports and extends between the supports and is arranged to move the, or each, capping mechanism so that the printhead integrated circuits can be capped.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance system for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The maintenance system comprises: (a) a printhead having an ink ejection face; (b) a foaming system for providing a liquid foam on the face; and (c) a foam transport assembly comprising: a transfer surface for receiving the foam or a collapsed foam from the face and a transport mechanism for feeding the transfer surface through a transfer zone and away from the printhead. The transfer zone is adjacent to and spaced apart from the face.

Abstract: A maintenance device used for cleaning a print head of an ink cartridge includes a housing including a stopper, and a wiper holder installed inside the housing in a rotatable manner. The wiper holder includes a gear. The maintenance device further includes a wiper fixed on the wiper holder, and a sled installed on the housing in a slidable manner. The sled includes a rack geared with the gear of the wiper holder for driving the wiper holder to rotate when a carrier of the ink cartridge pushes the sled. The maintenance device further includes a lock lever pivoted to the sled for wedging the stopper so as to fix the sled, and a first elastic component connected to the housing and the sled for pulling the sled when the lock lever departs from the stopper.

Abstract: A printer includes a cleaning mechanism that reliably performs an operation of cleaning a liquid ejecting head with a small amount of driving energy. The cleaning mechanism includes a cap manufactured by coinjection molding of a core part and an elastic part. The cap includes a bottom surface, an outer wall, and a partition wall dividing a cap inner space surrounded by the outer wall into two. A ratio of the elastic part in the partition wall is higher than that in the outer wall. With this structure, the partition wall is more elastically deformable than the outer wall. When the cap comes into contact with a nozzle surface of a recording head and covers nozzle rows, the outer wall comes into contact with the nozzle surface with a larger stress compared with the partition wall, and seals chambers where the nozzle rows on the nozzle surface are exposed.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an encoder, a storage section, a difference calculating section, a threshold value determining section, a correction amount calculating section, and a controlling section. The storage section stores a capping target position and threshold value. The difference calculating section calculates a difference between a stopping position where a carriage is stopped for capping the recording head and a carriage position after passage of a predetermined time from when the carriage is stopped at the stopping position. The stopping position and carriage position are detected by the encoder. The threshold value determining section compares the threshold value and difference with each other. When the difference is greater than the threshold value, the correction amount calculating section calculates a correction amount of the capping target position. The controlling section moves the carriage to the capping target position corrected on the basis of the correction amount.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle for ejecting liquid and a sealing unit that seals the nozzle. The sealing unit moves between a sealing position for sealing the nozzle in a direction of movement and an off position. A slider guides the sealing unit to the sealing position by moving rectilinearly in one of two opposite directions. The slider guides the sealing unit to the off position by moving in the other of the two directions. A drive mechanism performs first and second movements for moving the slider in the one and the other directions, respectively by a drive force from a motor. A drive force transmitting unit transmits the drive force to the drive mechanism by rotating while engaging the drive mechanism. The drive force transmitting unit rotates in the same direction while transmitting the drive force as the drive mechanism performs the first and second movements.

Abstract: An ink supplier for an ink jet recorder is provided. The ink supplier includes a recording head, a main ink reservoir, and a subsidiary ink reservoir connected to the main ink reservoir for replenishment with ink from the main ink reservoir. A position head of the ink liquid level in the subsidiary ink reservoir is maintained substantially constant relative to a printing head face of the recording head.

Abstract: A mobile telecommunications device is provided having a body, a printhead arranged in the body to print on a print media, and a drive shaft arranged in the body to feed the print media past the printhead for printing. The printhead is arranged within 2 millimeters from the drive shaft.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead assembly with a printhead integrated circuit formed on a wafer substrate, the printhead integrated circuit having an array of ink ejection nozzles, the array having a first section with nozzles for ejecting ink of a first color, and a second section with nozzles for ejecting ink of a second color. The assembly also having an integrated circuit support structure for mounting in the printer adjacent a media feed path, the integrated circuit support structure having conduits for supplying the printhead integrated circuit with ink of the first color and the second color and, a polymer sealing film between the integrated circuit support structure and the printhead integrated circuit for fixing the printhead integrated circuit to the integrated circuit support structure.

Abstract: A printhead includes a jetting module, a catcher, a drop deflection mechanism, and a capping mechanism. The jetting module includes an array of nozzles and is operable to form liquid drops from liquid emitted through the nozzles of the nozzle array. The catcher collects some of the liquid drops. The drop deflection mechanism deflects the liquid drops such that some of the liquid drops contact the catcher while other liquid drops are allowed to contact a print media. The capping mechanism includes a capping member located between the nozzle array of the jetting module and the drop deflection mechanism. The capping member has a first position covering the nozzle array and a second position removed from the nozzle array.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided. The printing apparatus includes at least two print heads, at least two print head drive units, and a cooperation controlling system to control printing operations in the printing apparatus. When a first printing operation and a second printing operation are conducted successively, the cooperation controlling system controls at least one of a second print head and the second print head drive unit so that a second pre-print operation is conducted at least partially simultaneously with the first printing operation and a first after-print operation is conducted at least partially simultaneously with the second printing operation, and the first print head and the first print head drive unit so that a first pre-print operation is conducted at least partially simultaneously with the second printing operation and a second after-print operation is conducted at least partially simultaneously with the first printing operation.

Abstract: A printer module includes an elongate body. A motor assembly is operatively mounted to an end of the body. A quartet of rollers is rotationally mounted with respect to the body and extends along the inside of the body. The rollers include a pair of driven rollers coupled to the motor assembly and a pair of free rotation neutral rollers. The rollers are arranged in pinching pairs with each pair including a respective driven and neutral roller. An elongate printhead is operatively mounted to extend along the body, and is configured to print ink upon print media passing through the body and between the pairs of rollers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a recording head for discharging an ink includes a fuel cell unit and a water supply unit. The fuel cell unit generates power for the image forming apparatus and water when the power is generated in the fuel cell unit. The water supply unit supplies the water, generated by the fuel cell unit, to an ink accumulation area in the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising: a body; a first gear assembly mounted to the body so as to cooperate with a motor gear for driving rotation of the first gear assembly, the first gear assembly having a code feature; and a second gear assembly mounted to the body so as to cooperate with the first gear assembly to be rotatable therewith, the second gear assembly, in use, cooperating with a capper for capping a printhead so that the rotation of the second gear assembly moves the capper out of and into its capping position, wherein the code feature of the first gear assembly is arranged to cooperate with a holding feature of a mounting arrangement used to mount the second gear assembly to the body, the code feature being configured so that the cooperation with the holding feature maintains the first gear assembly at a predetermined position during the mounting of the second gear assembly.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface (ii) moving the roller into a first position in which a clean part of said contact surface is sealingly engaged with an ink ejection face of printhead; (iii) moving the roller into a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face; and (iv) rotating the roller to clean ink from the contact surface.

Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising a printhead for allowing ink to be ejected from a nozzle portion to form an image on a recording medium, a cap member switchable between a sealing position for sealing nozzle surfaces of the nozzle portion and a free position where the cap member is moved away from the nozzle surfaces, and a closing mechanism for closing an opening of the cap member located in the free position.

Abstract: An inkjet printer has a body mounting first and second gear assemblies. The first assembly cooperating with a motor gear and having a code feature. The second assembly rotatably cooperating with the first assembly and a capper for capping a printhead. The code feature cooperates with a holding feature of a mounting arrangement used to mount the second assembly so that the cooperation maintains the first assembly at a predetermined position during the mounting of the second assembly. The first assembly has first and second gears connected by a common shaft. The first gear meshes with the motor gear and the second gear meshes with the second assembly. The second assembly has a third gear mounted to the body by a pin which meshes with the second gear. The third gear is an eccentric gear.