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US 6,550,885 B2Granted
Ink jet recording device and ink drop jetting inspection method for the ink jet recording device
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsHitoshi Matsumoto, Hironori Endo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an ink jet recording apparatus, an ink collection unit is disposed on a moving path of a recording head for receiving ink drops ejected from the recording head to which a flushing drive signal is supplied. The ink collecting unit is formed with an aperture through which the ink drops ejected from the recording head pass, and an air flow passage. A ventilation fan is disposed on the way of the air flow passage or a termination end portion of the air flow passage so that ink mist generated when the flushing operation is performed is efficiently collected in the ink collecting unit.
Claims41
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage, which moves in a widthwise direction of recording paper;
- an ink jet recording head, mounted on the carriage and provided with nozzle orifices for ejecting ink drops to form an image on the recording paper;
- and
- an ink collecting unit, placed on a moving path of the recording head for receiving ink drops ejected from the recording head to which a flushing drive signal is supplied;
- the ink collecting unit including:
- an unit box, formed with an aperture through which the ink drops ejected from the recording head to which the flushing drive signal is supplied;
- an air flow passage;
- and
- a ventilation fan, placed on the way of the air flow passage or a termination end portion of the air flow passage.
6 more elements
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage, which moves in a widthwise direction of recording paper;
- an ink jet recording head, mounted on the carriage and provided with nozzle orifices for electing ink drops to form an image on the recording paper;
- and
- an unit box, placed on a moving path of the recording head for receiving ink drops ejected from the recording head to which a flushing drive signal is supplied, the unit box formed with an aperture through which the ink drops ejected from the recording head to which the flushing drive signal is supplied, and an air flow passage, which extends meandering in a plurality of directions.
1 more element
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage, which moves in a widthwise direction of recording paper;
- an ink jet recording head, mounted on the carriage and provided with nozzle orifices for ejecting ink drops to form an image on the recording paper;
- an ejecting condition detector, placed on a moving path of the recording head, the ejecting condition detector including:
- a light emitting module and a light receiving module, which detects an ejecting condition of ink drops ejected from the nozzle orifices;
- and
- an ink ejecting region, placed between the light emitting module and the light receiving module for receiving ink drops ejected from the recording head;
- and
- a unit box, which faces to the ink ejecting region for collecting ink in the ink ejecting region, the unit box formed with an air flow passage therein,
- wherein a plurality of plate members are provided in the air flow passage so as to increase a surface area of the air flow passage.
6 more elements
An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage, which moves in a widthwise direction of recording paper;
- an ink jet recording head, mounted on the carriage and provided with a nozzle forming face on which nozzle orifices are formed;
- a head driver, which drives the recording head so as to eject ink drops from the nozzle orifices to form an image on the recording paper;
- a scanning driver, which moves the recording head in a main scanning direction;
- an ejecting condition detector, which performs an inspection in which it is detected whether ink drops are ejected from the nozzle orifices;
- a cleaner, which performs a cleaning operation in which negative pressure is applied to the nozzle orifices to discharge ink therefrom and the nozzle forming face is wiped with a wiper;
- and
- a controller, which supplies a flushing drive signal to the head driver to eject ink drops from the nozzle orifices, after the cleaner performs the cleaning operation and before the ejecting condition detector performs the inspection.
5 more elements
An inspection method used in a recording apparatus, comprising:
- a carriage, which moves in a widthwise direction of recording paper, an ink jet recording head, mounted on the carriage and provided with a nozzle forming face on which nozzle orifices are formed;
- a head driver, which drives the recording head so as to eject ink drops from the nozzle orifices to form an image on the recording paper, and a scanning driver, which moves the recording head in a main scanning direction, the method comprising the steps of:
- performing a cleaning operation in which negative pressure is applied to the nozzle orifices to discharge ink therefrom and the nozzle forming face is wiped with a wiper;
- supplying a flushing drive signal to the head driver to eject ink drops from the nozzle orifices, after the cleaning operation is performed;
- and
- performing an inspection in which it is detected whether ink drops are ejected from the nozzle orifices, after the flushing operation is performed.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.