Seiko Epson Corporation

Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Nobutoshi Otsuka

Zenta Kosaka

Seiji Mochizuki

Atsushi Yamazaki

Hitotoshi Kimura

Nobuhito Takahashi

Masahiro Nakamura

Jun Shimazaki

Shigemi Sato

Kiyoomi Mitsuki

Kazuaki Morozumi

Taeko Nishimura

Kiyoshi Suyama

Mayumi Takamiya

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid supply path through which liquid is supplied to a liquid ejecting head, a liquid discharge path through which the liquid is discharged from the liquid ejecting head, a supply-side pressure adjustment mechanism that adjusts a pressure in a supply-side liquid chamber provided in the liquid supply path to a first pressure at which a gas-liquid interface formed at a nozzle of the liquid ejecting head is maintained, a discharge-side pressure adjustment valve that introduces fluid into a discharge-side liquid chamber when a pressure in the discharge-side liquid chamber provided in the liquid discharge path becomes a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure and at which the gas-liquid interface formed at the nozzle is maintained, and a flow mechanism that discharges the liquid in the liquid ejecting head toward the liquid discharge path via the discharge-side liquid chamber.

Liquid ejecting apparatus

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles which eject liquid; a common liquid chamber which supplies liquid to the plurality of nozzles; a liquid flow path for supplying liquid which is accommodated in a liquid accommodation unit to the common liquid chamber; a deaeration unit which deaerates liquid in the liquid flow path; a liquid flow unit which causes liquid in the liquid flow path to flow; a return flow path which connects the common liquid chamber and the liquid accommodation unit; and an on-off valve which closes the return flow path by being in a closed state.

An ink storing container (liquid storing container) includes a memory device configured to store electronic data, an ink containing body (liquid containing body) configured to contain ink, an inner lid configured to cover an ink inlet and outlet formed in the ink containing body, and an outer lid configured to cover the ink inlet and outlet from outside of the inner lid. The memory device is configured to be stored in a storage space formed between the inner lid and the outer lid. Accordingly, without any special additional work to the ink containing body, the memory device can be held by the ink containing body. Also, the memory device is easily removed from the storage space by opening the outer lid.

Liquid storing container

A liquid ejecting apparatus according to the invention includes a liquid ejecting head capable of ejecting liquid from nozzle openings provided in a nozzle-forming surface, a nozzle-forming-surface visual-inspection unit for enabling a visual inspection of the nozzle-forming surface, and a liquid receptacle for receiving liquid discharged as waste liquid from the nozzle openings in the liquid ejecting head. The liquid receptacle is movable between a receiving position, where the liquid receptacle is positioned adjacent to the nozzle-forming surface, and a non-receiving position, where the liquid receptacle is positioned away from the receiving position. The liquid receptacle covers the nozzle-forming-surface visual-inspection unit when the liquid receptacle is positioned at the receiving position. The nozzle-forming-surface visual-inspection unit allows the nozzle-forming surface to be visually inspected when the liquid receptacle is positioned at the non-receiving position.

A timing signal generator generates an ejection timing signal each time a printing paper travels a predetermined distance relative to a head, and a driving signal generator inputs a driving signal based on writing data to the head each time an ejection timing signal is generated. In the course of printing, when an interval between two continuous ejection timing signals is equal to or longer than twice a basic time period of input of driving signal which is fixed for a head, a non-ejection driving signal which is a driving signal indicating a non-ejecting operation is input to the head between two driving signals respectively associated the two continuous ejection timing signals. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably and properly perform ejection of ink based on writing data with a time period equal to or longer than the basic time period.

Printing method and printing apparatus

Ink bag

A heat-conductive frame () is provided extending between a holder frame () and a fixing member () of an optical device (). Additionally, a heat-conductive member () is provided, which abuts on a dust-proof glass on the light-irradiation side of a liquid crystal panel () and the fixing member (). The holder frame () and the fixing member () are fixed by a heat-conductive agglutinate. Besides, a heat-conductive member () is attached extending between a light-irradiation surface of a transparent member (A) of an irradiation-side polarization plate () and the fixing member (). A heat-radiation fin () having a plurality of fin members (B) is attached to an upper plate body (C) of the fixing member ().

Optical device and rear projector

A method of controlling an ink jet recording apparatus ensures safety in replacing main tanks or the like and at the same time enables stable supply of ink from main tanks to sub-tanks. The apparatus includes a main tank having an information storage section and accommodated in a pressure tank, a sub-tank communicating with an ink jet head for storing ink, a tank-accommodating block for accommodating the main tank, and a control section capable of storing ink information. Valve control is performed in response to respective signals indicative of an ink shortage condition and an ink fill-up condition of the sub-tank, to thereby supply ink to the sub-tank. During operation of the apparatus, in response to a signal indication of opening of a door of the tank-accommodating block, the driving of a pressure source for pressurizing the pressure tank is stopped and the inside of the pressure tank is opened to the atmosphere. At the same time, ink information stored in the control section is written into the storage section of the main tank.

Method of controlling ink jet recording apparatus

There are provided an ink jet head unit which is capable of incorporating a large number of ink jet heads with ease and precision, and an ink jet printing apparatus incorporating the ink jet head unit. The ink jet head unit performs printing color printing by using a plurality of ink nozzle arrays each for use in printing one line, the plurality of ink nozzle arrays corresponding to a plurality of basic colors. A plurality of head groups are each formed by a plurality of ink jet heads, and have the plurality of ink nozzle arrays arranged therein such that the plurality of ink nozzle arrays are divided among the plurality of head groups. A plurality of sub-carriages have respective ones of the plurality of head groups mounted thereon. A unitizing carriage has the plurality of sub-carriages mounted thereon.

Ink jet head unit and ink jet printing apparatus incorporating the same

There is provided a printing apparatus which is capable of increasing the printing speed by employing a multi-head structure while maintaining or enhancing print quality. The printing apparatus prints on a print medium by using N print heads, where N is an integer equal to or larger than 2, assuming that two axes orthogonal to each other on a two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system are set to an X axis and a Y axis, each of the print heads being capable of printing M dots in a direction along the Y axis simultaneously, where M is an integer equal to or larger than 3, and at the same capable of printing M dot lines each extending in a direction along the X axis, by relative scan on the print medium in the direction along the X axis, the M dot lines being arranged side by side in the direction along the Y axis. At least two print heads of the N print heads are arranged in a manner such that selected ones of the M dot lines that can be printed by one of the at least two print heads overlap selected ones of the M dot lines that can be printed by another of the at least two print heads.

Printing apparatus

There are provided a waste ink reservoir and an ink jet printer incorporating the waste ink reservoir. A waste ink absorber has a top surface, for receiving waste ink from the print head at the top surface, and then absorbing the waste ink for storage therein. The waste ink absorber has a plurality of ink absorbent boards arranged in a vertically layered structure and formed with respective through holes vertically extending therethrough, such that adjacent through holes of absorbent boards at each pair of respective adjacent layers are displaced from each other, thereby allowing the adjacent through holes to partially communicate with each other. A waste ink container accommodates the waste ink absorber.

Waste ink reservoir for ink jet printer and ink jet printer incorporating the same

There is provided a DC motor control system and method which is capable of carrying out an accurate rotation control of a DC motor even when the power supply voltage thereof is reduced. A detection signal indicative of a detected number of rotations of the DC motor is delivered. Stop control is carried out for stopping the DC motor by braking rotation of the DC motor when the number of rotations of the DC motor indicated by the detection signal has reached a predetermined number of rotations.

DC motor control system and method

In an ink jet recording apparatus and method recording is performed by using a replaceable ink cartridge mounted in the ink jet recording apparatus, and includes a recording head for delivering ink therefrom. Cleaning of the recording head is carried out by sucking ink from the recording head. A cartridge absence time period is detected over which continues a cartridge-unmounted state of the ink jet recording apparatus in which the ink cartridge is removed from the ink jet recording apparatus. An amount of ink to be sucked for the cleaning is set, based on the cartridge absence time period, when the ink cartridge is mounted in the ink jet recording apparatus.

Ink jet recording apparatus and method of controlling the same based on cartridge absence time period

An ink jet recording apparatus and a method of flushing a recording head of the same are provided. A recording medium is fed along a predetermined feeding passage in a predetermined feeding direction. An ink jet recording head is arranged in a manner movable along a with of the recording medium, in directions orthogonal to the predetermined feeding direction, for effecting printing on the recording medium while moving within a range of printing motion which is larger than a width of the recording medium. Further, the ink jet recording head is controlled such that the ink jet recording head ejects ink droplets toward an area aside from the recording medium within the range of printing motion to carry out a flushing operation of ejecting ink droplets regardless of contents to be printed during a printing process.

Growing community of inventors

Hotaka-machi, Japan

Nobutoshi Otsuka