# US 8,740,340 B2 · Printing device

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- Number: US 8,740,340 B2
- Document ID: US8740340B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/412,769
- Filed: 2012-03-06
- Published: 2012-09-13
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-09
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Hiroshi Umetsu; Yoshitake Kobayashi
- Inventors: Hiroshi Umetsu; Yoshitake Kobayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740340B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/04505: {aiming at correcting alignment}
- B41J 2/2142: {Detection of malfunctioning nozzles (generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers B41J2/045, B41J2/05; jet deflection sensors B41J2/125; for cleaning purposes B41J2/16579)}
- B41J 3/407: for marking on special material
- B41J 11/42: Controlling {printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering}
- B41J 11/46: by marks or formations on the paper being fed
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A printing device includes a camera position control mechanism is configured to control a position of a camera to switch between a first state, a second state, and a third state for photographing an alignment mark furnished on a substrate or a landing face for a liquid on a liquid landing member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing device comprising:
a stage configured and arranged to support a substrate onto which droplets of liquid are ejected from nozzles of an ejection head;
a supporting section configured and arranged to support a liquid landing member on which droplets ejected from the nozzles of the ejection head are caused to land;
a camera configured and arranged to photograph an alignment mark furnished to the substrate, or to photograph a face of the liquid landing member on which the liquid lands; and
a camera position control mechanism configured and arranged to control a position of the camera to switch between a first state enabling photographing of the alignment mark, and a third state enabling photographing of the face of the liquid landing member on which the liquid lands.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, further comprising
a nozzle dropout determining section configured and arranged to determine a state of the nozzles of the ejection head based on a result of photographing by the camera of the face of the liquid landing member on which the liquid lands.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
the liquid landing member includes a sheet member that moves together with the stage, with respect to the ejection head.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The printing device according to claim 1, wherein
in the first state, the camera is configured and arranged to photograph the alignment mark furnished to a back face of the substrate via a through-hole formed in the stage.