US 2017/0001445 A1Published application

Liquid applying apparatus and method for maintaining liquid applying apparatus

AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.

InventorTetsuya MATSUMOTO

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Abstract

A liquid applying apparatus includes a feeding container; first and second liquid-supply containers for supplying a liquid to the feeding container; a switch for switching a supply source between the first and second liquid-supply containers; a first storage for storing a supply start time of a supply operation; a second storage for storing supply information including a supply source or a supply route; a third storage for storing a liquid level in the feeding container at the supply start time; a fourth storage for storing a supply operation time of the supply operation; a controller that determines a condition of the liquid applying apparatus based on the supply operation time, and determines the supply source or the supply route as an inspection-required spot based on the supply information when the liquid applying apparatus is in a potentially-abnormal condition; and a fifth storage for storing the inspection-required spot.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A liquid applying apparatus comprising:

at least one application unit including a feeding container configured to contain a liquid, the application unit being configured to apply the liquid to an object;
a first liquid-supply container configured to supply the liquid to the feeding container;
a second liquid-supply container configured to supply the liquid to the feeding container;
a switch configured to switch a supply source of the liquid between the first liquid-supply container and the second liquid-supply container;
a first storage configured to store a supply start time when a supply operation to supply the liquid to the feeding container is started, the supply operation being performed to fill the feeding container with the liquid up to a predetermined supply level;
a second storage configured to store supply information including one of supply source information indicating the supply source of the liquid and supply route information indicating a supply route through which the liquid is supplied;
a third storage configured to store a liquid level of the liquid in the feeding container at a start of the supply operation;
a fourth storage configured to store a supply operation time from the start of the supply operation until the liquid in the feeding container reaches the predetermined supply level;
a controller configured to
determine, after the supply operation is completed, a condition of the liquid applying apparatus based on the supply operation time stored in the fourth storage as one of a normal condition, an abnormal condition requiring a repair, and a potentially-abnormal condition that is different from both of the normal condition and the abnormal condition, and
determine the supply source or the supply route as an inspection-required spot based on the supply information stored in the second storage when the liquid applying apparatus is determined to be in the potentially-abnormal condition;
and
a fifth storage configured to store the inspection-required spot determined by the controller.

10 more elements

A method for maintaining a liquid applying apparatus, the method comprising:

performing a supply operation to supply a liquid from one of a first liquid-supply container and a second liquid-supply container to a feeding container of an application unit of the liquid applying apparatus for applying the liquid to an object, the supply operation being performed to fill the feeding container with the liquid up to a predetermined supply level;
controlling a switch to switch a supply source of the liquid between the first liquid-supply container and the second liquid-supply container;
storing, in a first storage of the liquid applying apparatus, a supply start time when the supply operation is started;
storing, in a second storage of the liquid applying apparatus, supply information including one of supply source information indicating the supply source of the liquid and supply route information indicating a supply route through which the liquid is supplied;
storing, in a third storage of the liquid applying apparatus, a liquid level of the liquid in the feeding container at a start of the supply operation;
storing, in a fourth storage of the liquid applying apparatus, a supply operation time from the start of the supply operation until the liquid in the feeding container reaches the predetermined supply level;
after the supply operation is completed, determining a condition of the liquid applying apparatus based on the supply operation time stored in the fourth storage as one of a normal condition, an abnormal condition requiring a repair, and a potentially-abnormal condition that is different from both of the normal condition and the abnormal condition;
when the liquid applying apparatus is determined to be in the potentially-abnormal condition, determining the supply source or the supply route as an inspection-required spot based on the supply information stored in the second storage;
and
storing, in a fifth storage of the liquid applying apparatus, the determined inspection-required spot.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.