# US 10,500,862 B2 · Liquid ejecting apparatus and capping method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,862 B2 - Document ID: US10500862B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/913,217 - Filed: 2018-03-06 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-09 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Ryota Kinoshita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500862B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/16511: {Constructions for cap positioning (B41J2/16547 takes precedence)} - B41J 25/304: Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface - B41J 2/16508: {connected with the printer frame} - B41J 2/16585: {for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a liquid ejecting head that has a nozzle-formed surface; guide shafts that guide the liquid ejecting head in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head is lifted and lowered; a cap that is lifted and lowered in the direction and covers the nozzle-formed surface; and a restrainer that restrains the liquid ejecting head against the cap at a position shifted from the center of the cap when viewed from the direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: a liquid ejecting head that has a nozzle-formed surface; guide shafts that guide the liquid ejecting head in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head is to be lifted and lowered; a cap that is to be lifted and lowered in the direction and configured to cover the nozzle-formed surface; and a restrainer that is configured to restrain the liquid ejecting head against the cap at a position shifted from the center of the cap when viewed from the direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide shafts are provided at a plurality of positions in an elongating direction in a case where the nozzle-formed surface is viewed in the direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid ejecting head is configured to come into contact with the guide shafts in a tilting state, and the liquid ejecting head has the same tilting angle between the plurality of guide shafts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a bearing for each guide shaft, and wherein the bearings are provided at an interval different for each guide shaft in a direction along a line connecting the plurality of guide shafts. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a plurality of bearings having different diameters for the one guide shaft, and wherein the centers of the bearings shift from each other when viewed in the direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a plurality of eccentric cams that are configured to lift and lower the liquid ejecting head. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid ejecting head has a unit base with which the plurality of eccentric cams are configured to come into contact. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a bearing for each guide shaft, and wherein the bearings are provided at an interval different for each guide shaft in a direction along a line connecting the plurality of guide shafts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a plurality of bearings having different diameters for the one guide shaft, and wherein the centers of the bearings shift from each other when viewed in the direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a plurality of bearings having different diameters for the one guide shaft, and wherein the centers of the bearings shift from each other when viewed in the direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a plurality of bearings having different diameters for the one guide shaft, and wherein the centers of the bearings shift from each other when viewed in the direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of eccentric cams that are configured to lift and lower the liquid ejecting head, wherein the liquid ejecting head has a unit base with which the plurality of eccentric cams are configured to come into contact. ### Claim 13 A capping method comprising: preparing a liquid ejecting head that has a nozzle-formed surface, guide shafts that guide the liquid ejecting head in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head is lifted and lowered, a cap that is lifted and lowered in the direction and covers the nozzle-formed surface, and a restrainer that restrains the liquid ejecting head against the cap at a position shifted from the center of the cap when viewed in the direction; and causing the liquid ejecting head to tilt so as to come into contact with the guide shaft by causing the cap to come into contact with the liquid ejecting head in a state in which the restrainer restrains the liquid ejecting head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The capping method according to claim 13, wherein the guide shafts are provided at a plurality of positions in an elongating direction in a case where the nozzle-formed surface is viewed in the direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The capping method according to claim 14, wherein the liquid ejecting head comes into contact with the guide shafts in a tilting state, and the liquid ejecting head has the same tilting angle between the plurality of guide shafts. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The capping method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a bearing for each guide shaft, and wherein the bearings are provided at an interval different for each guide shaft in a direction along a line connecting the plurality of guide shafts. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The capping method according to claim 16, wherein the liquid ejecting head is provided with a plurality of bearings having different diameters for the one guide shaft, and wherein the centers of the bearings shift from each other when viewed in the direction.