Droplet discharge apparatus
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorNoriyasu Takeuchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A droplet discharge apparatus includes a discharger, a suction device, a connector, and a collector. The discharger discharges droplets. The suction device sucks generated matter when the discharger discharges droplets. The connector connects the discharger with the suction device and includes a path through which the generated matter is to be sent in a suction direction from the discharger toward the suction device. The collector in the path collects the generated matter. The collector has a larger cross-sectional area to collect the generated matter than a cross-sectional area of the connector in at least one of the suction direction or in a direction orthogonal to the suction direction.
Claims20
A droplet discharge apparatus comprising:
- a head array to discharge droplets;
- a suction device to suck generated matter when the head array discharges the droplets from discharge ports;
- a duct disposed at the head array that defines a path through which the generated matter is to be sent in a suction direction from the discharge ports toward the suction device;
- and
- a filter disposed in the path formed by the duct to collect the generated matter;
- wherein the filter is disposed at a second position closer to a first position at which the head array discharges droplets than a third position at which the suction device is disposed in the path formed in the suction direction;
- wherein the filter has a shape such that an area of surfaces of the filter is larger than a cross-sectional area of the duct at the second position.
A droplet discharge apparatus comprising:
- a head array to discharge droplets from discharge ports;
- a connector comprising a duct disposed at the head array, wherein the duct forms a path within the head array in a suction direction that extends from an intake port at a first position adjacent to where the head array discharges the droplets, to a suction device;
- and
- a filter disposed in the path formed by the duct;
- wherein the filter is disposed at a second position closer to the first position than a third position at which the suction device is disposed in the path formed in the suction direction;
- wherein the filter has a shape such that an area of surfaces of the filter is larger than a cross-sectional area of the duct at the second position.
A droplet discharge apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of head arrays each comprising multiple heads arranged in a width direction;
- a duct disposed at each of the head arrays, wherein the duct forms a path in a suction direction that extends from an intake port disposed in the width direction at a first position adjacent to the multiple heads, to a suction device;
- and
- a filter disposed in the path formed by the duct;
- wherein the filter is disposed at a second position closer to the first position than a third position at which the suction device is disposed in the path formed in the suction direction;
- wherein the filter has a shape such that an area of surfaces of the filter is larger than a cross-sectional area of the duct at the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.