# US 12,214,597 B2 · Inkjet recording device maintaining valve at closing position to close air communication opening formed in ink storage portion during execution of printing process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,597 B2 - Document ID: US12214597B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/504,524 - Filed: 2023-11-08 - Published: 2024-02-29 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-31 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa; Yoshinori Osakabe; Taichi Shirono; Sosuke Kuroyanagi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214597B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/17556: {Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge} - B41J 2/16508: {connected with the printer frame} - B41J 2/16523: {Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction (Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721)} - B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract There is provided an inkjet recording device including a head, a support member, a storage portion, a valve, an actuator, and a controller. The head includes a nozzle and is configured to eject ink from the nozzle. The support member supports the head. The storage portion storing therein ink. The storage portion has a part positioned above the nozzle. The storage portion has an air communication opening allowing an interior of the storage portion to be communicated with an outside of the storage portion. The valve is movable between an opening position in which the valve opens the air communication opening and a closing position in which the valve closes the air communication opening. The actuator is configured to move the valve. The controller configured to control, while the head is ejecting ink from the nozzle toward a recording medium, the actuator to maintain the valve at the closing position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inkjet recording device comprising: a head comprising a nozzle and configured to eject ink from the nozzle; a support member supporting the head; a storage portion configured to store therein ink, the storage portion having a part positioned above the nozzle, the storage portion having an air communication opening allowing an interior of the storage portion to be communicated with atmosphere; a valve movable between: an opening position in which the valve opens the air communication opening; and a closing position in which the valve closes the air communication opening; an actuator configured to move the valve; and a controller configured to perform: controlling, while the head is ejecting ink from the nozzle toward a recording medium, the actuator to maintain the valve at the closing position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing therein an ink count value, a reference value, and an ink threshold value, the ink count value being updated on the basis of an amount of ink that is ejected from the head, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: executing a printing process of controlling the head to eject ink from the nozzle while moving the support member in a scanning direction; and in a case where a difference between the ink count value and the reference value reaches the ink threshold value, controlling the actuator to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position; and storing a specific ink count value in the memory as the reference value, the specific ink count value being the ink count value at the time of the completion of the printing process that is executed immediately before the controlling the actuator to move the valve is performed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The inkjet recording device according to claim 2, wherein the storage portion comprises a plurality of storage portions, wherein the air communication opening comprises a plurality of air communication openings corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of storage portions, wherein all of the plurality of air communication openings are open when the valve is at the opening position, and all of the plurality of air communication openings are closed when the valve is at the closing position, wherein the ink count value comprises a plurality of ink count values corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of storage portions, and wherein the controlling the actuator to move the valve is performed in a case where at least one of differences between the plurality of ink count values and the reference value reaches the ink threshold value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The inkjet recording device according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: calculating a residual ink amount on the basis of a volume of the storage portion and the ink count value, the residual ink amount being an amount of ink remaining in the storage portion; and setting the ink threshold value to a larger value as the calculated residual ink amount is smaller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The inkjet recording device according to claim 2, wherein the executing the printing process is repeatedly performed by the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to further perform: estimating an ink ejection amount on the basis of received print data, the ink ejection amount being an amount of ink to be ejected in the next printing process; and updating the ink count value on the basis of the estimated ink ejection amount. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing therein an ink count value, an initial value, and an ink threshold value, the ink count value being updated on the basis of an amount of ink that is ejected from the head, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: in a case where the ink count value reaches the ink threshold value, resetting the ink count value to the initial value; and controlling the actuator to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inkjet recording device according to claim 6, wherein the storage portion comprises a plurality of storage portions, wherein the air communication opening comprises a plurality of air communication openings corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of storage portions, wherein all of the plurality of air communication openings are open when the valve is at the opening position, and all of the plurality of air communication openings are closed when the valve is at the closing position, wherein the ink count value comprises a plurality of ink count values corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of storage portions, and wherein the controlling the actuator to move the valve is performed in a case where at least one of the plurality of ink count values reaches the ink threshold value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The inkjet recording device according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: executing a printing process of controlling the head to eject ink from the nozzle while moving the support member in a scanning direction, and wherein the resetting is performed at a predetermined timing within a period of time from the time of the completion of the printing process that is executed immediately before the controlling the actuator to move the valve is performed to the time of the start of the printing process that is executed immediately after the controlling the actuator to move the valve is performed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is movable in a scanning direction, and wherein the controller is configured to further perform: repeatedly executing a printing process of controlling the head to eject ink from the nozzle while moving the support member in the scanning direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The inkjet recording device according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: controlling, after the preceding printing process is completed and before the next printing process is started, the actuator to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The inkjet recording device according to claim 10, further comprising a conveying unit configured to convey the recording medium, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: executing a conveying process of controlling the conveying unit to convey the recording medium by a predetermined amount of line feed, wherein the conveying process and the printing process are alternately performed, and wherein the conveying process and the controlling the actuator to move the valve are performed in parallel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: controlling, in a case where a specific time period becomes longer than a predetermined time period, the actuator to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position, the specific time period being a time period based on a period of time for which the valve stays at the closing position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The inkjet recording device according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: executing a printing process of controlling the head to eject ink from the nozzle while moving the support member in a scanning direction, and wherein the specific time period is an elapsed time period that has elapsed since a specific timing, the specific timing being a predetermined timing within a period of time from the time of the start of movement of the valve from the opening position to the closing position to the time of the start of the printing process performed immediately after the movement of the valve from the opening position to the closing position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, wherein the head is configured to eject ink downward, and wherein the controller is configured to further perform: controlling, in a state where the recording medium does not face the nozzle in an up-down direction, the actuator to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The inkjet recording device according to claim 14, wherein the support member is movable in a scanning direction, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: executing a printing process of controlling the head to eject ink from the nozzle while moving the support member in the scanning direction, and wherein the controlling the actuator to move the valve is performed in a state where the nozzle is positioned outward of a medium passing region in the scanning direction, the medium passing region being a region through which the recording medium passes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, further comprising a cap configured to cover the nozzle and receive ink ejected from the nozzle, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: controlling, in a state where the nozzle faces the cap, the actuator to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is movable in a scanning direction, wherein the actuator comprises: an urging member urging the valve toward the closing position; and an abutment member positioned outward of a medium passing region in the scanning direction and configured to abut on the valve, the medium passing region being a region through which the recording medium passes, wherein the controller is configured to further perform: moving the support member to an outside of the medium passing region, and wherein, when the moving the support member to the outside of the medium passing region is performed, the abutment member abuts on the valve to move the valve from the closing position to the opening position against an urging force of the urging member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The inkjet recording device according to claim 1, wherein the storage portion is supported by the support member.