# US 8,783,827 B2 · Fluid ejecting apparatus

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- Number: US 8,783,827 B2
- Document ID: US8783827B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/155,668
- Filed: 2011-06-08
- Published: 2011-12-15
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-11
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Naoto Hirabayashi
- Inventors: Naoto Hirabayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783827B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor}
- B41J 2/16523: {Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction (Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721)}
- B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
- B41J 2/16508: {connected with the printer frame}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A fluid ejecting apparatus has a configuration in which the volume of a reference space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid outlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a first state for ejecting the fluid from the fluid ejecting head to the fluid receiving unit is smaller than the volume of a space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid inlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a second state that is inclined by 90 degrees with respect to the first state.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid ejecting apparatus comprising:
a fluid ejecting head that ejects fluid;
a fluid receiving unit that receives the fluid ejected from the fluid ejecting head;
a suction unit that applies a suction force to the fluid receiving unit; and
a fluid tank having a fluid inlet unit through which the fluid which has been received in the fluid receiving unit flows into a fluid chamber via a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet unit through which the fluid in the fluid chamber flows into the suction unit via a fluid outlet port, wherein a maximum volume of the fluid contained in the fluid chamber having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid outlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a first state for ejecting the fluid from the fluid ejecting head to the fluid receiving unit is smaller than a volume of a space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid inlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a second state that is inclined by 90 degrees with respect to the first state, wherein the second state includes when the fluid inlet is positioned above the fluid outlet and when the fluid inlet is positioned below the fluid outlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the volume of a space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid inlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a third state that is inclined by 180 degrees with respect to the first state is larger than the maximum volume of the fluid contained in the fluid chamber in the first state.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the volume of a space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid outlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in the second state is larger than the maximum volume of the fluid contained in the fluid chamber in the first state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the volume of a space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid outlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in the third state is larger than the maximum volume of the fluid contained in the fluid chamber in the first state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid tank stores the fluid therein.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid ejecting head is arranged so that the ejection surface that ejects the fluid is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fluid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid receiving unit is provided so as to be capable of forming a sealed space between the fluid receiving unit and the ejection surface and wherein the fluid receiving unit has an air release port that is capable of allowing communication between the sealed space and air.