# US 2014/0198152 A1 · Liquid ejecting apparatus and method for detecting foreign matter

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- Number: US 2014/0198152 A1
- Document ID: US20140198152A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/153,980
- Filed: 2014-01-13
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Naoki Hori
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140198152A1

## CPC

- B41J 11/00214: {using UV radiation}
- B41J 2/2117: {Ejecting white liquids}
- B41J 11/0095: {Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end}
- B41J 11/0022: {using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air}
- B41J 2025/008: {comprising a plurality of print heads placed around a drum}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a transportation section that transports a medium in a transportation direction; a head that ejects the liquid on the medium; a support member that supports the medium which is in a position facing the head while abutting a surface of one side of the medium; a heat source that is disposed in a position facing the support member; an abutting member that abuts the surface of the one side of the medium on an upstream side from the support member in the transportation direction; and a detection section that detects presence or absence of the foreign matter on a surface of the other side of the medium in an area of the medium which abuts the abutting member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a transportation section that transports a medium in a transportation direction;
a head that ejects liquid on the medium;
a support member that supports the medium which is in a position facing the head while abutting a surface of one side of the medium;
a heat source that is disposed in a position facing the support member;
an abutting member that abuts the surface of the one side of the medium on an upstream side from the support member in the transportation direction; and
a detection section that detects presence or absence of foreign matter on a surface of the other side of the medium in an area of the medium which abuts the abutting member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a thermal expansion coefficient of the abutting member is smaller than that of the support member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein a material of the support member is aluminum and a material of the abutting member is iron.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the liquid is cured by receiving radiation of light, and
wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus further comprises: an irradiation section of the light as a heat source.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the support member is a cylindrical transportation drum that supports the medium on the peripheral surface thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the abutting member is a first roller that is rotated by abutting the surface of the one side of the medium, and
wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus further comprises: a second roller that is rotated by abutting the surface of the other side of the medium on the upstream side from the abutting roller in the transportation direction.

### Claim 7

A method for detecting a foreign matter in a liquid ejecting apparatus including a transportation section that transports a medium in a transportation direction; a head that ejects liquid on the medium; a support member that supports the medium which is in a position facing the head while abutting a surface of one side of the medium; and a heat source that is disposed in a position facing the support member, the method comprising:
abutting the surface of the one side of the medium to an abutting member on an upstream side from the support member in the transportation direction; and
performing detection of presence or absence of the foreign matter on a surface of the other side of the medium in an area of the medium which abuts the abutting member.