# US 6,283,573 B1 · Ink jet-type printer control with ink purging function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,283,573 B1 - Document ID: US6283573B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/024,580 - Filed: 1998-02-18 - Granted: 2001-09-04 - Earliest claimed: 1997-03-28 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hirotake Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6283573B1 ## CPC - B41J 2/1652: {by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head} - B41J 2/17543: {Cartridge presence detection or type identification} - B41J 2/16532: {by applying vacuum only} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An ink jet-type printer apparatus has a purging device which purges ink in an ink cartridge through ink jet nozzles by applying vacuum to the ink jet nozzles at the time of exchange of the ink cartridge and before normal printing operation. It is first determined whether a previous purging operation is an initial one which is performed at the time of the exchange of the ink cartridge. The next purging operation is performed at an earlier timing if the determination is Yes, while it is performed at a later timing if the determination is No. In each instance, the amount of ink to be purged is increased as the time period elapsed from the previous purging operation is longer. The amount of ink to be purged is varied by the number of times of purging in each purging operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ink jet-type printer apparatus comprising: a printer head including an ink cartridge for storing ink therein and nozzles for ejecting the ink stored in the ink cartridge; a purging device that performs a purging operation of purging the ink through the nozzles; a determination part that determines whether the purging operation is initial after an exchange of the ink cartridge or non-initial; and a control part that varies a period of the purging operation so that the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is initial after the exchange of the ink cartridge is greater than the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is non-initial after the exchange of the ink cartridge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printer apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a timer part that measures a non-use time period of the printer head; wherein the period of the purging operation is varied in accordance with both the non-use time period and the determination result of the determination part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the purging device includes a vacuuming member that vacuums the nozzles for the purging operation; and the control part increases a number of times of operation of the vacuuming member so that the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is initial after the exchange of the ink cartridge is greater than the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is non-initial after the exchange of the ink cartridge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The printer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination part determines whether the purging operation is initial or non-initial based on an output of a sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The printer apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sensor is an ink cartridge exchange detecting sensor. ### Claim 6 A control method for an ink jet-type printer apparatus having a printer head including an ink cartridge for storing ink therein and nozzles for ejecting the ink stored in the ink cartridge, the control method comprising the steps of: determining whether a purging operation is initial after an exchange of the ink cartridge or non-initial; and controlling the purging operation so that the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is initial is greater than the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is non-initial. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, wherein: the purging operation includes a vacuuming operation to vacuum the nozzles; and the controlling step increases a time of vacuuming the nozzles when the purging operation is initial to be longer than when the purging operation is non-initial. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control method of claim 7, wherein: the controlling step increases a number of times of vacuuming the nozzles to increase the amount of the ink purged. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The control method of claim 6, wherein it is determined whether the purging operation is initial or non-initial based on an output of a sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The control method of claim 9, wherein the sensor is an ink cartridge exchange detecting sensor. ### Claim 11 A control method for an ink jet-type printer apparatus having a printer head including an ink cartridge for storing ink therein and nozzles for ejecting the ink stored in the ink cartridge, the control method comprising: determining whether a previous purging operation is initial after an exchange of the ink cartridge or non-initial; and performing a purging operation after a predetermined time has elapsed from the previous purging operation, wherein the predetermined time is varied in accordance with whether the previous purging operation is initial or non-initial. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control method of claim 11, wherein: the purging operation includes a vacuuming operation to vacuum the nozzles; and the amount of the ink purged is varied by a period of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control method of claim 12, wherein: the period of vacuuming the nozzles is determined by a number of times of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The control method of claim 11, wherein it is determined whether the purging operation is initial or non-initial based on an output of a sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control method of claim 14, wherein the sensor is an ink cartridge exchangie detecting sensor. ### Claim 16 A program for an ink jet-type printer apparatus having a printer head including an ink cartridge for storing ink therein and nozzles for ejecting the ink stored in the ink cartridge, the program comprising: determining whether a purging operation is initial after an exchange of the ink cartridge or non-initial; and controlling the purging operation so that the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is initial is greater than the amount of the ink purged when the purging operation is non-initial. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The program of claim 16, wherein: the purging operation includes a vacuuming operation to vacuum the nozzles; and a time of vacuuming the nozzles when the purging operation is initial being longer than when the purging operation is non-initial. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The program of claim 16, wherein: the amount of the ink purged is increased by increasing a number of times of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The program of claim 16, wherein it is determined whether the purging operation is initial or non-initial based on an output of a sensor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The program of claim 19, wherein the sensor is an ink cartridge exchange detecting sensor. ### Claim 21 A control method for an ink jet-type printer apparatus having a printer head including an ink cartridge for storing ink therein and nozzles for ejecting the ink stored in the ink cartridge, the control method comprising: determining a time period elapsed from a previous purging operation; and varying a period of a purging operation in accordance with the determined time period. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The control method of claim 21, further comprising the step of: determining whether the purging operation is initial after an exchange of the ink cartridge or non-initial; wherein the period of the purging operation when the purging operation is initial is greater than the period of the purging operation when the purging operation is noninitial. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The control method of claim 21, wherein: the period of the purging operation is increased as the determined time period increases. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The control method of claim 21, wherein: the purging operation includes a vacuuming operation to vacuum the nozzles; and the period of the purging operation is varied by a period of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The control method of claim 24, wherein: the period of vacuuming the nozzles is determined by a number of times of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 26 An ink jet-type printer comprising: a printer head including an ink cartridge for storing ink therein and nozzles for ejecting the ink stored in the ink cartridge; a purging device for performing a purging operation of the printer head when driven; and a controller for determining whether a previous purging operation of the purging device is initial after an exchange of the ink cartridge or non-initial, and driving the purging device to perform the purging operation after a predetermined time has elapsed from the previous purging operation, wherein the predetermined time is varied in accordance with whether the previous purging operation is initial or non-initial. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The ink jet-type printer of claim 26, wherein: the purging operation includes a vacuuming operation to vacuum the nozzles; and an amount of the ink purged is varied by a period of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The ink jet-type printer of claim 27, wherein: the period of vacuuming the nozzles is determined by a number of times of vacuuming the nozzles. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The printer apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller determines whether the purging operation is initial or non-initial based on an output of a sensor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The printer apparatus of claim 29, wherein the sensor is an ink cartridge exchange detecting sensor.