# US 2014/0198161 A1 · Belt cleaning apparatus and recording apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0198161 A1 - Document ID: US20140198161A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/154,232 - Filed: 2014-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-16 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Shuichi KANEMOTO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140198161A1 ## CPC - B41J 29/17: Cleaning arrangements - B41J 11/007: {Conveyor belts or like feeding devices} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A belt cleaning apparatus that is a cleaning apparatus that cleans a surface of a transporting belt with a cleaning solution, the belt cleaning apparatus including a cleaning member that is in contact with the surface in a rotatable manner, the cleaning member cleaning the surface with the cleaning solution; a cleaning solution reservoir that retains the cleaning solution; and a partition portion that protrudes from a bottom portion of the cleaning solution reservoir, the partition portion partitioning the cleaning solution reservoir into a cleaning area where the cleaning member is partially dipped in the cleaning solution and a discharging area from where the cleaning solution is discharged. In the belt cleaning apparatus, a distance between the cleaning member and the partition portion becomes gradually smaller towards an upper end of the partition portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A belt cleaning apparatus that cleans a surface of a transporting belt with a cleaning solution, the belt cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning member that is in contact with the surface in a rotatable manner, the cleaning member cleaning the surface with the cleaning solution; a cleaning solution reservoir that retains the cleaning solution; and a partition portion that protrudes from a bottom portion of the cleaning solution reservoir, the partition portion partitioning the cleaning solution reservoir into a cleaning area in which the cleaning member is partially dipped in the cleaning solution and a discharging area from which the cleaning solution is discharged, wherein a distance between the cleaning member and the partition portion becomes gradually smaller towards an upper end of the partition portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of the partition portion is positioned below a rotating shaft of the cleaning member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning solution supply portion that supplies the cleaning solution to the cleaning area, wherein the cleaning solution supply portion supplies, in the cleaning area, at least a portion of the cleaning solution below the liquid surface of the cleaning solution that is defined by the upper end of the partition portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a rotating direction of the cleaning member is opposite to a running direction of the transporting belt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a distance between the partition portion and the cleaning member in the running direction of the transporting belt is smaller than a distance between a side wall of the cleaning solution reservoir that is on the side provided with the cleaning solution supply portion and the cleaning member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning solution supply portion includes a guide member that guides the cleaning solution that has been supplied to the cleaning area from the cleaning solution supply portion towards the bottom portion of the cleaning area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of grooves that extend from the cleaning solution supply portion towards the partition portion are provided at the bottom portion of the cleaning area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the guide member is formed as a plate-shaped member, and the guide member is provided so as to extend in a direction that intersects the flow direction of the cleaning solution flowing from the cleaning solution supply portion towards the partition portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the guide member includes a plurality of guide ridges for which a distance between each other gradually increases from the cleaning solution supply portion in the direction of intersection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the guide member includes a plurality of guide grooves for which a distance between each other gradually increases from the cleaning solution supply portion in the direction of intersection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 3. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 4. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 5. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 6. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 7. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 8. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 9. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) A recording apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit including a transporting belt that transports an object to be transported; a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, the recording medium being the object to be transported that is on the transporting belt, by ejecting ink from a recording head; and the belt cleaning apparatus according to claim 10.