Abstract: A printing system includes a printing system component and a wick assembly affixed to the printing system component. The wick assembly includes at least one textile pad for collecting condensation that forms on a surface of the printing system component. A hydrophilic coating can be disposed over the surface of the printing system component.

Abstract: A printing system includes a printing system component and a wick assembly affixed to the printing system component. The wick assembly includes at least one textile pad for collecting condensation that forms on a surface of the printing system component. A heater for heating the wick assembly can be disposed within, adjacent to, or in contact with the wick assembly.

Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting head in which nozzles that eject fluid are provided; a wiper that wipes a nozzle formation face, in which nozzle orifices of the nozzles are formed, in the fluid ejecting head; and a pressurization mechanism which changes the curvature of a concave liquid surface formed in the nozzle, in the nozzle by performing pressurization on the fluid in the fluid ejecting head at the time of the wiping.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head which has a liquid jetting surface being formed with a nozzle to jet a liquid to a recording medium; a wiper which makes contact with the liquid jetting surface to bend and wipes away the liquid adhered to the liquid jetting surface; a movement mechanism which moves the wiper relative to the liquid jetting surface in a wipe direction along the liquid jetting surface; a movement controller which stops the wiper, which has wiped away the liquid adhered to the liquid jetting surface by moving relative to the liquid jetting surface in the wipe direction, at a predetermined stop position; and a separating mechanism which separates the wiper stopped by the movement controller from the liquid jetting surface in a separating direction intersecting the liquid jetting surface.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge head including a discharge surface, a receiving surface which receives discharged liquid, a wiper which wipes the receiving surface, a moving device which moves the wiper, a cleaning device which cleans the wiper, and a control device which controls the moving device to move the wiper while contacting the receiving surface, from a wiping start position at one end of the receiving surface to a wiping end position at the other end and to move the wiper from a cleaning position to the wiping start position. The cleaning position is located at an opposite side to the wiping end position with respect to the wiping start position, and a distance from the cleaning position to the wiping start position is smaller than a distance from the wiping end position to the wiping start position.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including a head including a nozzle surface having a plurality of liquid discharge holes formed thereon, the nozzle surface being directed downward, a liquid receiving part including a liquid receiving surface directed downward to oppose the nozzle surface and configured to receive liquid discharged from the liquid discharge holes, a base, a first blade attached to the base with a tip end thereof being directed upward to wipe the nozzle surface, a second blade attached to the base with a tip end thereof being directed downward to wipe the liquid receiving surface, and a moving mechanism configured to move the base in a predetermined advancing direction between the head and the liquid receiving part. The base is provided with a prevention structure configured to prevent the liquid wiped off by the first blade flowing to the second blade.

Abstract: An inkjet head is provided with an ejection surface on which first and second ejection regions having a plurality of ejection openings ejecting different colors of ink are formed in proximity to each other or to partially overlap each other. A first wiping operation in which, after ink is forcibly ejected only from the first ejection region, the first ejection region is wiped by relative movement of the wiping member in a direction from the second ejection region toward the first ejection region, and a second wiping operation in which, after ink is forcibly ejected only from the second ejection region, the second ejection region is wiped by relative movement of the wiping member in a direction from the first ejection region toward the second ejection region are selectively performed.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a printing apparatus capable of reliably performing a driving switching operation using movement of a carriage. In the printing apparatus, it sometimes cannot be determined to which of a clutch lever or the cap of a printhead the carriage abuts against. In this case, even if the carriage abuts against the cap, a position where the abutment was detected is regarded as the temporary home position of the carriage. When a conveyance motor is driven to transfer its driving force to a desired engaging destination, the cap is retracted from the moving path of the carriage. The driving force of the conveyance motor can thereby be transferred to the desired engaging destination.

Abstract: A scrapping unit and an image forming apparatus having the same, and cleaning methods thereof to improve a maintenance performance. The scrapping unit cleans a polluted member disposed in an image forming apparatus and stained by a polluting material. The scrapping unit may include an endless belt to circulate between an exposed position where a surface of the endless belt is exposed toward the polluted member, and a non-exposed position where the surface of the endless belt is not exposed with respect to the polluted member, and a belt support frame which includes a belt support surface to support the endless belt so that the endless belt can be unfolded in the exposed position, and a storing space to store the endless belt so that the endless belt can be folded in the non-exposed position.

Abstract: A printing system includes one or more printing system components positioned opposite a moving print media. A wick assembly can be attached to a printing system component to wick condensation away from a surface of the printing system component that is opposite the moving print media. A heating element can be in contact with one or both of the wick assembly and a printing system component. A protective layer can be attached to the surface of a printing system component that is opposite the moving print media to prevent condensation from forming on the component. A vacuum assembly can be positioned opposite the moving print media to produce suction over the print media that pushes humid air or some condensation into the vacuum assembly.

Abstract: Ratchets which regulate a rotation of either a reeling-out roller around which one end of a long wiping member which wipes ink attached to a recording head which ejects ink is wound, or a winding-up roller around which the other end of the wiping member is wound to which tension is applied due to a friction force which acts on the wiping member when performing wiping are provided.

Abstract: A sun gear which is rotationally driving according to power which is transmitted from a driving motor, a planetary gear which can be displaced in the circumferential direction of the sun gear in a state of being engaged with the sun gear, and a winding-up gear which transmits a rotational driving power to a winding-up roller are provided, and the planetary gear is released from an engagement with a rack gear unit, rotates the winding-up roller by being engaged with the winding-up gear, and winds up a wiping member after the planetary gear moves a wiper holder in the wiping direction by being engaged with the rack gear unit of the wiper holder.

Abstract: A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member extends from the ink receptacle and through the opening. The member is configured to contact a faceplate of a printhead to enable liquid ink emitted onto the faceplate to move from across the member into the ink receptacle.

Abstract: A maintenance unit used in an ink-jet recording apparatus including a plurality of recording heads having ink ejection surfaces includes a plurality of wipers, a carriage, a support frame, a drive mechanism, and a lifting and lowering mechanism. The plurality of wipers may be positioned so as to correspond to the plurality of recording heads, and are configured to wipe ink ejection surfaces of the plurality of recording heads. The drive mechanism is configured to reciprocate the carriage along the support frame. The lifting and lowering mechanism is configured to lift and lower the support frame together with the carriage toward and away from the ink ejection surfaces. By reciprocating and lifting and lowering the plurality of wipers, the ink ejection surfaces of the plurality of recording heads may be wiped by the plurality of wipers. The maintenance unit may be used in an ink-jet recording apparatus.

Abstract: A system for maintaining an elongate stationary print head is disclosed. The system has a carriage movable lengthwise along the elongate stationary print head. The carriage has a roller urged against the print head during movement in at least one direction. The system also has two reels, with a strip of material fed from one of the reels, around the roller of the carriage and onto the other reel. The carriage is moved lengthwise along the elongate stationary print head causing the strip around the roller of the carriage to wipe the print head when the roller is urged against the print head.

Abstract: A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member extends from the ink receptacle and through the opening. The member is configured to contact a faceplate of a printhead to enable liquid ink emitted onto the faceplate to move from across the member into the ink receptacle.

Abstract: A printhead has a nozzle plate, having an array of nozzles through which ink is expelled, a low adhesion, oleophobic polymer coating on a front face of the nozzle plate. A printer has a source of solid ink, a heater arranged to-heat the solid ink and convert it to liquid ink, and a printhead, the printhead having a nozzle plate, having an of nozzles through which ink is expelled, a low adhesion, oleophobic polymer coating on a front face of the nozzle plate, the coating selected to dispel the liquid ink prior to the liquid ink returning to solid form, and a wiper positioned to wipe the front face of the nozzle plate.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus determines the timing of executing discharge recovery processing based on the discharge amount of ink for each predetermined region discharged from a recording head, and controls the discharge recovery processing to be executed at the determined timing. Thereby, the discharge performance of the ink can be kept to be good, and the discharge recovery processing can be executed at the suitable timing without producing any deterioration of the image quality of a recorded image, and with the deterioration of throughput reduced.

Abstract: A method of removing flooded ink from an ink ejection face of a printhead. The method comprises moving a surface past the ink ejection face and transferring the flooded ink onto the moving surface, where no part of the surface contacts the face. The surface can be a surface of a disposable sheet. The disposable sheet can be absorbent. The disposable sheet can be different from print media used for printing.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: (a) a recording head; (b) a cap movable along a movement path between an extracted position and a retracted position, such that the cap covers a nozzle-opening surface of the recording head, when being positioned in the extracted position, and such that cap is located in an adjacent space adjacent to the recording head without covering the nozzle-opening surface, when being positioned in the retracted position; (c) a guide movable between a closing position and an opening position. The guide guides the recording sheet to be conveyed through a sheet conveyance space, and closes the movement path of the cap, when being positioned in the closing position. The guide opens the movement path of the cap, when being positioned in the opening position. The guide is positioned in the opening position when the cap is moved between the extracted and retracted positions, and is positioned in the closing position when the cap is positioned in the retracted position.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus to record an image by discharging ink includes a recording head, a processing-liquid transferring unit, a wiper, and a control unit. The recording head includes, at a discharge surface, a first discharge-port row configured to discharge a first ink and a second discharge-port row configured to discharge a second ink. The processing-liquid transferring unit provides processing liquid. The wiper wipes the discharge surface, wherein the wiper includes a first wiper segment positioned to wipe the first discharge-port row and a second wiper segment positioned to wipe the second discharge-port row. The control unit moves the wiper into and out of contact force engagement with the processing-liquid transferring unit, wherein the first wiper segment receives a quantity of processing liquid from the processing-liquid transferring unit that is greater than a quantity of processing liquid received by the second wiper segment from the processing-liquid transferring unit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus may comprise a recording head which has an ejection surface, and a wiping device configured to move in a wiping direction. The wiping device may comprise a wiper and a wiper holder. The wiping device may comprise a cam mechanism configured to support the wiper holder and change the height of the wiper holder, such that the wiper is positioned at a contacting height when the cam mechanism is moving in the wiping direction, and such that the wiper is positioned at a separation height when the cam mechanism is moving in the retracting direction. The wiping device may comprise a guide mechanism. The wiping device may comprise a moving device configured to move the wiper and the wiper holder together with the cam mechanism by moving the cam mechanism selectively in either the wiping direction or a retracting direction.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a head having an ejection face for ejecting liquid; a sealing mechanism which establishes a sealing state in which a sealed space is sealed; a humid-air supply/discharge mechanism which supplies a humid air into the sealed space via an air inlet and discharges the air from the sealed space via an air outlet; and a control device which controls an ejection-face wiper to wipe the liquid from the ejection face by causing its parallel movement with respect to the ejection face in a wiper moving direction directed from a first end area of the ejection face toward its second end area with the ejection-face wiper contacting the ejection face. The air inlet is provided at a position nearer to a downstream end of a moving path of the ejection-face wiper than to an upstream end thereof in the wiper moving direction.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a printing apparatus including one or more print heads for depositing printing fluid onto a substrate, wherein the apparatus comprises a maintenance unit for the one or more print heads. The present invention further relates to a method for cleaning one or more print heads from adhering printing fluid. The present invention also relates to the use of said apparatus in the automated manufacture of a contact lens, in particular a silicone hydrogel contact lens.

Abstract: According to an inkjet recording apparatus as an aspect of the present invention, the nozzle surface is wiped by a wiping member which rotates about an axle perpendicular to the nozzle surface. Consequently, the nozzle surface can be wiped in multiple directions and it is possible effectively to prevent deterioration of the lyophobic film, or adhering material being pushed inside the nozzles, due to wiping in one direction only. Furthermore, since a composition which rotates only the wiping member is adopted, then the composition of the wiping apparatus can be made compact.

Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a fluid ejecting head in which nozzles are formed on a nozzle forming surface and corresponding maintenance devices. A supporting member supports each of the maintenance devices in a disposition state that corresponds to the fluid ejecting head. A simultaneous transfer mechanism moves the supporting member between a maintenance position, which is a position state where each of the maintenance devices approaches the corresponding fluid ejecting head, and a retracted position, which is a position state where each of the maintenance devices is separated from the corresponding fluid ejecting head. An individual transfer mechanism individually moves each of the maintenance devices on the supporting member, for each of a plurality of maintenance device groups including at least one maintenance device, along approaching and separating directions with respect to the fluid ejecting head that corresponds to the maintenance device included in the maintenance device group.

Abstract: A wiping device for an inkjet printer includes a wiper mount moveable between a wiping position and a non-wiping position. A slider coupled to the wiper mount, translates between a retracted position and a deployed position. A first translation of the slider to the deployed position causes the wiper mount to move into the wiping position. A trigger, operable between a cocked position and an un-cocked position is coupled to the slider. In the cocked position, the trigger locks the wiper mount in the wiping position. When actuated, the trigger moves to the un-cocked position and the wiper mount moves to the non-wiping position. The wiping device includes logic to control the actuation and non-actuation of trigger.

Abstract: Wet wiping processing is performed on an ink ejection opening forming surface of a print head by use of a wiper. Then, as bubble removal processing, the print head is heated by use of either an electrothermal conversion element or a heat generating element located inside the print head, and then a control unit causes the print head to perform preliminary ejection K1 and preliminary ejection K2.

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.

Abstract: A method of maintaining a fluid applicator unit of an image forming apparatus in which the fluid applicator unit includes a nozzle surface having nozzles is disclosed. The method includes ejecting fluid through nozzles of a fluid applicator unit of an image forming apparatus during a maintenance mode to maintain flow paths therethrough such that the fluid is emitted from the nozzles in a form of fluid drops. The method also includes receiving the fluid drops emitted from the nozzles during the maintenance mode on a receiving member to form waste liquid therefrom and directing the waste liquid from the receiving member to a waste receiving unit through a liquid passage. The method also includes directing aerosol formed from the fluid drops emitted from the nozzles to the aerosol receiving unit through an aerosol passage such that the aerosol passage is separate from the liquid passage and receiving the aerosol directed to the aerosol receiving unit.

Abstract: In the state in which a position of a movable member relative to the unit base portion is in a first displacement position, a first regulation portion provided in a seal member comes into contact with a unit base portion by the elastic force of a elastic member, whereby the posture of the seal member is regulated so that a sealing surface becomes parallel to a head surface of a liquid ejecting head, and wherein, in the state in which the position of the movable member relative to the unit base portion is in a second displacement position, a second regulation portion provided in the seal member comes into contact with the movable member, whereby the posture of the seal member is regulated so that the sealing surface is tilted with respect to the head surface.

Abstract: During a cleaning operation, the following steps are executed. The steps includes a first step of pressurizing ink in a supply path to overflow the ink from a nozzle, a second step of stopping the pressurization, a third step of executing wiping while the pressurization is stopped and a negative pressure is not applied, and a fourth step of applying a negative pressure to the ink at the nozzle to generate a meniscus.

Abstract: A printhead cleaning device includes a housing having an opening and an ink receptacle positioned within the opening. A member has a first end positioned in the ink receptacle and a second end that extends out of the opening in the housing. The member is configured to contact a drip bib and provide a path for liquid ink to move from the drip bib to the ink receptacle.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance system for maintaining a printhead having an ink ejection face is provided. The maintenance system comprises: (a) a foaming system for providing liquid foam on the face, (b) a foam transfer surface for receiving the foam from said face, (c) a transport mechanism for feeding said transfer surface through a transfer zone and away from said printhead, and (d) a valve configurable in first and second positions, the first position for establishing fluid communication between said printhead and an ink supply system and the second position for establishing fluid communication between said printhead and said foaming system. The transfer zone is adjacent to and spaced apart from said ink ejection face.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a carriage with a recording head, a wiper holder that holds a wiper to wipe a discharge port surface of the recording head, a latch member arranged on the wiper holder that moves between a latch position where the wiper holder is held at a wiping position and a release position where the wiper holder is released, and a latch release member that moves the latch member from the latch position to the release position.

Abstract: A hand-held printer that includes an inkjet array having a plurality of inkjets is disclosed. The hand-held printer may include an inkjet cap sized to cooperatively engage the inkjet array, wherein the inkjet cap is movable between and open position and a closed position, and a plurality of wipers carried by the inkjet cap, wherein each of the plurality of wipers is configured to engage one of the plurality of inkjets as the inkjet cap moves from the open position to the closed position; and wherein each of the plurality of wipers includes a gasket configured to form a seal adjacent to one of the plurality of inkjets.

Abstract: An apparatus for wiping is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus for wiping includes a wiper arm, including a wiping end and a first track, a pin engaging the first track, a second track engaging the pin, and an appendage engaging the pin.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance assembly for maintaining an ink ejection face of an inkjet printhead. The printhead maintenance assembly includes: a first transfer roller having a transfer surface for receiving ink from the ink ejection face; a drive mechanism configured for rotating the first transfer roller; and a second transfer roller for engagement with the first transfer roller. During use, the second transfer roller receives ink from the first transfer roller.

Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head for ejecting liquid, a cap unit for sealing an ejection surface of the head, a humidified air supply mechanism for performing a humidifying operation; a forcible discharge mechanism for performing a forcible discharge operation of forcibly discharging liquid from the ejection ports, a measuring unit for measuring a lapse time after a power supply becomes off and until the power supply becomes on, and a control unit for controlling the humidifying operation when the power supply becomes off, and controlling the forcible discharge operation when the power supply becomes on. When the power supply becomes on, the control unit controls the humidifying operation before performing the forcible discharge operation based on whether the lapse time measured by the measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time.

Abstract: An inkjet head maintenance device includes a power gear and a sliding seat. The sliding seat includes a rack, a first one-way gear and a second one-way gear. The first one-way gear and the second one-way gear are arranged at two ends of the rack, respectively. The power gear is engaged with the rack. In addition, through the first one-way gear and the second one-way gear, the sliding seat is driven by the power gear to move between a standby position and a maintenance position in a reciprocating manner. When the sliding seat is driven by the power gear to move to the maintenance position, the power gear is engaged with the second one-way gear, so that the sliding seat is stayed in the maintenance position to the clean an inkjet head.

Abstract: A maintenance assembly for cleaning a plurality of printheads in a printing machine comprises two or more cleaning members, each of the cleaning members sized and positioned to clean at least one but less than all of the plurality of printheads when in a cleaning position. A drive mechanism associated with each of the two or more cleaning members is configured to selectively move an associated cleaning member to and from the cleaning position and a retracted position. The cleaning members are supported on a frame with a mechanism provided for translating the frame into position juxtaposed with the plurality of printheads and a further mechanism to swipe the cleaning members across the printheads. The maintenance assembly is operable to clean only selected printheads in a single operation.

Abstract: A printhead maintenance assembly for an inkjet printer includes a movable chassis arranged in a housing; an endless belt mounted on the chassis, the endless belt having a contact surface reciprocally movable between a first position in which the contact surface is engaged with the printhead and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the printhead; a pair of spools mounted on the chassis and on which the belt is mounted, one of the spools being a toothed drive spool and the other being an idler spool; a drive gear driven by a drive motor and engaged with the drive spool, the drive gear, the drive spool, and the drive motor forming a conveyor mechanism for conveying the belt in a direction substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the printhead; and a cleaning station mounted on the chassis and positioned to clean the belt as the belt moves past. The contact surface is sloped with respect to the printhead.

Abstract: In an inkjet printer having a small print head assembly and a large print head assembly, a wiper includes a first wiper section having a width approximately equal to a width of an orifice area of the small print head assembly, a decoupler adjacent to the first wiper section, a second wiper section adjacent to the decoupler, where the first and the second wiper sections and the decoupler combined have a width approximately equal to a width of an orifice area of the large print head assembly, and a squared tip at an extremity of the single, segmented wiper to impede wicking action. A tab holds the wiper oriented so as to wipe the print head assemblies in a direction of a printing operation.

Abstract: A method of minimizing ink consumption during printhead priming in an inkjet printer. The printhead has a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles for ejecting ink on to a media substrate. The method includes the steps of: providing a porous pad having a contact face dimensioned so that it can encompass all the nozzles in the array; moving the porous pad such that the contact face engages the nozzle face to cover the array of nozzles; forcing ink into the printhead under pressure until ink flows out the nozzles in the array and into the porous pad engaged with the nozzle face; and withdrawing the porous pad such that the contact face disengages the nozzle face.

Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head configured to have a liquid jetting surface on which a plurality of nozzles, from which liquid is jetted, are open; a wiper configured to move, relative to and along the liquid jetting surface, while being brought in contact with the liquid jetting surface and to wipe the liquid adhered on the liquid jetting surface; a wiper movement mechanism configured to move the wiper in a direction orthogonal to the liquid jetting surface and to make the wiper approach to or separate from the liquid jetting surface. The wiper moving mechanism includes: a cam configured to have a cam surface; an axis configured to extend along the liquid jetting surface; and an arm member configured to make the wiper approach to the liquid jetting surface by pushing and moving the wiper in accordance with movement of the cam.

Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank.

Abstract: In a cap mode where a cap member covers a nozzle surface, a controller controls a second movement mechanism so that the cap member is disposed opposite to the nozzle surface. In an ejection recovery mode where ink is ejected from a plurality of nozzles and the ink adhered to the nozzle surface is wiped off by a wiping member, the controller controls a first movement mechanism and the second movement mechanism so that the nozzle surface, a wiping tray and the cap member are arranged downward in this order.

Abstract: A wiping system is disclosed. The wiping system has a wiper blade and a web wipe. The wiper blade forms an angle with the surface to be cleaned. The wiper blade has a tip formed in the front end of the wiper blade. The wiper blade moves in a wiping direction with the front end leading the rest of the blade when the wiper blade is moving in the wiping direction. The web wipe is placed between the tip and the surface to be cleaned, with the web wipe contacting both the tip and the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: The invention prevents and suppresses wasteful expenditure of ink which occurs when recovering nozzles. In greater detail, a plurality of head units arranged in a direction which intersects a transportation direction of a printing medium is provided, a plurality of cleaning units is disposed to face the plurality of head units, and at least one of the plurality of cleaning units is selected and moved so as to be in close contact with the corresponding cleaning unit. By such a method, only the cleaning head unit which faces the head unit of which nozzles need to be recovered is selected and is brought into contact with the head unit, and liquid is sucked in from the nozzles of the head unit.

Abstract: The ink set according to the invention includes a first ink containing water, pigments, and first metal ions as counter-ions of the pigments; and a second ink containing water, specific dyes, and second metal ions as counter-ions of the dyes, in which the maximum equivalent conductivity [S·cm2/eq] of the first metal ions is greater than the maximum equivalent conductivity [S·cm2/eq] of the second metal ions.