# US 2010/0165064 A1 · Method and apparatus for forming image

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- Number: US 2010/0165064 A1
- Document ID: US20100165064A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/721,120
- Filed: 2010-03-10
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2007-01-04
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Masashi Hiroki; Satoshi Kaiho
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165064A1

## CPC

- B41J 13/14: Aprons or guides {for the printing section}
- B41J 11/00242: {Controlling the temperature of the conduction means}
- B41J 11/00244: {Means for heating the copy materials before or during printing}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a carriage mounted with a recording head of an ink-jet system, a carriage driving mechanism, and a sheet conveying mechanism that conveys a sheet in a predetermined direction. The carriage is moved in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet by the carriage driving mechanism. A sheet guide member is arranged in a position below the recording head and opposed to the recording head. A sheet passes over a guide section of this sheet guide member. A heater is provided in the sheet guide member. This heater heats the guide section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming method of printing an image on a sheet with a head portion of an ink-jet system, the image forming method comprising:
conveying the sheet in a predetermined direction;
moving the head portion in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet;
forming an image on the sheet by ejecting an ink from the head portion to the sheet; and
heating a sheet guide section opposed to the head portion with a heater provided in the head member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet guide section is heated to temperature at which water in ink mist generated by an ink ejected from the head portion evaporates.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet guide section is heated when the head portion is not performing an image forming operation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet guide section is heated to temperature at which a solvent in ink mist generated by an ink ejected from the head section evaporates.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An image forming method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet guide section is heated at a non-print time when the sheet is not conveyed in the predetermined direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

An image forming method according to claim 3, wherein the heater is turned off when a state in which the image forming operation is not performed lasts for a predetermined time.

### Claim 7

An image forming method according to clam 5, wherein the heater is turned off when the non-print state lasts for a predetermined time.

### Claim 8

An image forming apparatus that prints an image on a sheet with recording means of an ink-jet system, the image forming apparatus comprising:
means for conveying the sheet in a predetermined direction;
means for moving the recording means in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet;
means for forming an image on the sheet by ejecting an ink from the recording means to the sheet; and
heating means for heating sheet guide means opposed to the recording means, the heating means being provided in the sheet guide means.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating means heats the sheet guide means to temperature at which water in ink mist generated by an ink ejected from the recording means evaporates.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating means heats the sheet guide means when the recording means is not performing an image forming operation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating means heats the sheet guide means to temperature at which a solvent in ink mist generated by an ink ejected from the recording means evaporates.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the heating means heats the sheet guide means at a non-print time when the means for conveying the sheet in the predetermined direction does not operate.