# US 11,440,324 B2 · Ink discharge device and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,324 B2 - Document ID: US11440324B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/192,772 - Filed: 2021-03-04 - Published: 2021-07-08 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-21 - Assignees: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. - Applicants: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Kikunosuke Tsuji - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440324B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} - B41J 2/17513: {Inner structure} - B41J 2/17596: {Ink pumps, ink valves} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An ink discharge device includes one or more recording heads discharging an ink and a damper. The recording head includes a head side coupling. The damper includes a damper side coupling which is connected to the head side coupling along a connecting direction. The damper side coupling is provided so as to be movable along the connecting direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ink discharge device comprising: one or more recording heads discharging an ink; and a damper, wherein the recording head includes a head side coupling, the damper includes a damper side coupling which is connected to the head side coupling along a connecting direction, the damper side coupling is provided so as to be movable along the connecting direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ink discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more recording heads are a plurality of recording heads, the damper is one damper which is provided in common to the plurality of recording heads. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ink discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the damper further includes: a damper body having a damper chamber; and a film deforming according to pressure variation of an ink in the damper chamber, and making a volume of the damper chamber change, the damper side coupling is provided so as to be movable along the connecting direction with regard to the damper body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ink discharge device according to claim 3, wherein the damper body has an insertion chamber communicated to the damper chamber, the damper side coupling includes: a cylindrical piece having an insertion part inserted into the insertion chamber; and a seal piece being in contact with an outer circumference face of the insertion part and an inner circumference face of the insertion chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ink discharge device according to claim 4, wherein on the outer circumference face of the insertion part, an annular fitting gap is provided, the seal piece is fitted into the fitting gap. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The ink discharge device according to claim 4, wherein the damper further includes a pair of sandwiching plates sandwiching the film, the cylindrical piece passes through through holes respectively provided in the sandwiching plates, the insertion part is positioned at a deep side in an inserting direction of the insertion part than each of the sandwiching plates, an outside diameter of the insertion part is larger than a hole diameter of the through hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The ink discharge device according to claim 6, wherein on an outer circumference face of the cylindrical piece, a depression is provided at a front side in the inserting direction than the insertion part, a position in the inserting direction of the depression is matched a position in the inserting direction of the through hole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ink discharge device according to claim 1 further comprising: an ink container containing an ink, wherein the damper supplies an ink supplied from the ink container to the recording head. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ink discharge device according to claim 1, wherein in the recording head, an ink flow path in which an ink flows is provided, the head side coupling is connected to an end part at an upstream side of the ink flow path. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ink discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the head side coupling includes a stopper which is movable in a direction orthogonal to the connecting direction, the damper side coupling includes an engaging gap which is larger than the stopper in the connecting direction, the stopper is engaged with the engaging gap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus body having a conveying path of a recording medium; and the ink discharge device according to claim 1, which discharges the ink to the recording medium conveyed on the conveying path. ### Claim 12 An ink discharge device comprising: one or more recording heads discharging an ink; and a damper, wherein the recording head includes a head side coupling, the damper includes a damper side coupling which is connected to the head side coupling along a connecting direction, the head side coupling is provided, in a state being connected to the damper side coupling, so as to be movable along the connecting direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ink discharge device according to claim 12, wherein the one or more recording heads are a plurality of recording heads, the damper is one damper which is provided in common to the plurality of recording heads. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The ink discharge device according to claim 12, wherein the damper further includes: a damper body having a damper chamber; and a film deforming according to pressure variation of an ink in the damper chamber, and making a volume of the damper chamber change, the head side coupling is provided so as to be movable along the connecting direction with regard to the damper body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The ink discharge device according to claim 14, wherein the damper body has an insertion chamber communicated to the damper chamber, the damper side coupling includes: a cylindrical piece having an insertion part inserted into the insertion chamber; and a seal piece being in contact with an outer circumference face of the insertion part and an inner circumference face of the insertion chamber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The ink discharge device according to claim 12 further comprising: an ink container containing an ink, wherein the damper supplies an ink supplied from the ink container to the recording head. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The ink discharge device according to claim 12, wherein in the recording head, an ink flow path in which an ink flows is provided, the head side coupling is connected to an end part at an upstream side of the ink flow path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The ink discharge device according to claim 12, wherein the head side coupling includes a stopper which is movable in a direction orthogonal to the connecting direction, the damper side coupling includes an engaging gap which is larger than the stopper in the connecting direction, the stopper is engaged with the engaging gap. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) An image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus body having a conveying path of a recording medium; and the ink discharge device according to claim 12, which discharges the ink to the recording medium conveyed on the conveying path.