# US 7,410,238 B2 · Ink recording apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,410,238 B2 - Document ID: US7410238B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/312,455 - Filed: 2005-12-21 - Published: 2006-06-29 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-24 - Assignees: Pfu Limited - Inventors: Yuukichi Morita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7410238B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/20: for preventing or detecting contamination of compounds - B41J 2/1714: {Conditioning of the outside of ink supply systems, e.g. inkjet collector cleaning, ink mist removal (B41J2/08, B41J2/16517, B41J2/18 take precedence)} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An ink recording apparatus is operable to eject ink to a medium transported in a transport path in a transport direction. An ink head includes a nozzle on a bottom surface opposed to the transport path, and is operable to eject the ink from the nozzle to the medium. A holder is adapted to hold the ink head and to cover the bottom surface, and includes a first opening corresponding to the nozzle. An absorber is adapted to cover a part of the holder which is opposed to the transport path and is adjacent to the first opening, and includes a second opening corresponding to the nozzle. The second opening is adjacent to the first opening. A mask is adapted to be arranged between the absorber and the transport path, and includes a third opening corresponding to the nozzle. At least one of an end portion of the second opening and an end portion of the third opening protrudes greater than an end portion of the first opening at least in the transport direction and an opposing direction opposed to the transport direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ink recording apparatus, operable to eject ink to a medium transported in a transport path in a transport direction, the ink recoding apparatus comprising: an ink head, including a nozzle on a bottom surface opposed to the transport path, and operable to eject the ink from the nozzle to the medium; a holder, adapted to hold the ink head and to cover the bottom surface, and including a first opening corresponding to the nozzle; an absorber, adapted to cover a part of the holder which is opposed to the transport path and is adjacent to the first opening, and including a second opening corresponding to the nozzle; and a mask, adapted to be arranged between the absorber and the transport path, and including a third opening corresponding to the nozzle, wherein at least one of an end portion of the second opening and an end portion of the third opening protrudes greater than an end portion of the first opening at least in the transport direction and an opposing direction opposed to the transport direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end portion of the second opening protrudes greater than the end portion of the first opening and the end portion of the third opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink recording apparatus includes an in-printer that performs printing on paper processed by an image scanner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a roller, comprised of a conductive material, and adapted to transport the medium, the roller located at an upstream side of the ink head in the transport direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ink recoding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conductive material includes urethane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The ink recoding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conductive material includes metal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide, provided along the transport path, and including a static electricity remover operable to remove static electricity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the static electricity remover includes at least one of a static electricity removing bar provided at at least a part of the guide and a grounding member by which at least a part of the guide is grounded. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a pair of rollers, adapted to transport the medium, and located at an upstream side of the ink head in the transport direction, wherein the rollers are arranged at opposite sides of the transport path so that a line connecting axes of the rollers is inclined with respect to the transport path. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the absorber is comprised of an insulating felt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the absorber is comprised of insulating and hydrophilic continuous foam urethane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the absorber is comprised of conductive and hydrophilic continuous foam urethane. ### Claim 13 An ink recording apparatus, operable to eject ink to a medium transported in a transport path in a transport direction, the ink recoding apparatus comprising: an ink head, including a nozzle opposed to the transport path, and operable to eject the ink from the nozzle to the medium; a holder, holding the ink head, and including a first opening corresponding to the nozzle; an absorber, including a second opening corresponding to the nozzle and the first opening; and a mask, including a third opening corresponding to the nozzle, the first opening and the second opening, wherein the first, second and third openings are arranged in this order from the nozzle toward the transport path, and at least one of the second opening and the third opening is smaller than the first opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the at least one of the second opening and the third opening is smaller than the first opening at least in the transport direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The ink recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second opening is smaller than the first opening and the third opening.