Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Jeol Ltd.

Takeyuki Kobayashi

Suguru Masunaga

Tetsu Morino

Kenta Takahashi

Kazuyoshi Matsumoto

Tomomi Katoh

Yoshinori Uchino

Takashi Watanabe

Yoichi Ito

Hiroshi Noda

Ryoh Idehara

Masanori Igarashi

Motohiro Nakamura

Yuuta Aoki

There is provided a scanning electron microscope which has a sample chamber capable of being evacuated to a low vacuum. The scanning electron microscope includes an electron gun for emitting an electron beam, an objective lens for focusing the emitted beam onto a sample, and a sample chamber in which the sample is housed. The objective lens includes an inner polepiece, an outer polepiece disposed outside the inner polepiece and facing the sample chamber, at least one through-hole extending through the inner and outer polepieces, and at least one cover member that closes off the through-hole. An opening is formed between the inner polepiece and the outer polepiece. The objective lens causes leakage of magnetic field from the opening toward the sample. The sample chamber has a degree of vacuum lower than that in an inner space that forms an electron beam path inside the inner polepiece.

Scanning electron microscope and objective lens

A liquid discharge apparatus includes an apparatus body, a liquid discharge head in the apparatus body, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid, and a waste liquid tube coupled to a coupling portion of the apparatus body, the waste liquid tube having flexibility and including a spiral structure portion at least in a part of the waste liquid tube, the waste liquid tube configured to discharge, outside the apparatus body, a waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head.

Liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge head includes a first head tank configured to store a liquid, a first intermediate chamber storing the liquid flowing from the first head tank, a second intermediate chamber storing the liquid flowing from the first intermediate chamber in a flow direction of the liquid, a second head tank storing a liquid flowing from the second intermediate chamber, a first communicating part communicating with the first head tank and the first intermediate chamber, a second communicating part communicating with the second head tank and the second intermediate chamber, and a discharge part configured to discharge a liquid supplied from the first intermediate chamber and the second intermediate chamber.

Liquid discharge head and liquid discharge apparatus

A liquid discharge apparatus includes multiple heads configured to respectively discharge different types of liquids, and multiple liquid containers configured to respectively contain the different types of liquids to be respectively supplied to the multiple heads. Each of the multiple liquid containers includes a first fitting part fittable to each of: a second fitting part of corresponding one of multiple refill bottles respectively containing the different types of liquids to be respectively supplied to the multiple liquid containers; and a third fitting part of a cleaning bottle containing a cleaning liquid to be commonly supplied to each of the multiple liquid containers.

Liquid discharge apparatus, liquid container, and cleaning bottle

A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid, and a liquid container configured to contain the liquid to be supplied to the head. The liquid container includes an inlet from which the liquid is supplied to the liquid container, a first lid configured to cover and openably close the inlet, the first lid having a first fitting part fittable to a first key detachably attached to a refill bottle containing the liquid.

Liquid discharge apparatus, liquid container, and refill container

A liquid discharge apparatus includes an apparatus body, a liquid discharge device configured to discharge a liquid, a carriage in the apparatus body, the carriage configured to movably mount the liquid discharge device, a first storage container detachably attached to the carriage, the first storage container configured to store a first liquid, and a second storage container detachably attached to the apparatus body, the second storage container configured to store a second liquid different from the first liquid.

Liquid discharge apparatus and printer

A printer includes a head configured to discharge a liquid onto a print target, and a platen configured to hold the print target. The platen includes multiple supports arrayed in a first direction and in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and each of the multiple supports is configured to movable between a first position and a second position different from the first position.

Platen and printer

A liquid container configured to store a liquid to be supplied to a liquid discharge head, the liquid container includes a tank case, a first container in the tank case, the first container configured to store the liquid, a second container, separated from the first container, in the tank case, the second container configured to store the liquid, a communication channel connecting the first container and the second container, a first valve configured to open when the liquid is fed to the first container, and a second valve configured to open when the liquid is discharged from the second container.

Liquid container and liquid discharge apparatus

A cloth holder includes a base and a platen to hold a cloth. The platen is movable and includes a flange. A flange cover sandwiches the cloth together with the flange of the platen. The flange cover includes a supported end in a longitudinal direction of the cloth holder that is pivotally supported by the base. The flange cover is opened and closed relative to the base. A cloth stretcher stretches the cloth placed on the platen while the flange cover is moved.

Cloth holder, fabric printing apparatus, and heating device

A liquid container includes a first chamber and a second chamber to contain liquid to be supplied to a head and a liquid path to connect the first chamber and the second chamber so that liquid communicates between the first chamber and the second chamber. Each of the first chamber and the second chamber has a flexible wall. The first chamber includes a first spring inside the first chamber to press the flexible wall of the first chamber outward. The second chamber includes a second spring inside the second chamber to press the flexible wall of the second chamber outward. A pressing force of the first spring is greater than a pressing force of the second spring. A first feeler disposed outside the first chamber and in contact with the flexible wall of the first chamber, and the first feeler is displaced according to a movement of the flexible wall of the first chamber.

Liquid container and liquid discharger

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body; a printhead to discharge droplets; a sub tank to hold a liquid to be supplied to the printhead for discharge as droplets; a movable carriage for scanning, including the printhead and the sub tank; a main tank to contain the liquid to be supplied to the sub tank; a liquid supply pump, disposed on the carriage, to supply the liquid from the main tank to the sub tank; a first liquid supply tube that connects the main tank to the liquid supply pump; and a second liquid supply tube that connects the liquid supply pump to the sub tank. A fluid resistance of the first liquid supply tube is greater than a fluid resistance of the second liquid supply tube. The liquid supply pump includes a deformable portion that shrinks and expands in a carriage scanning direction, by scanning movement of the carriage, to take the liquid in and pump the liquid out, and the volume of liquid supplied to the sub tank being greater than the volume of liquid supplied to the main tank when the liquid supply pump supplies the liquid to the sub tank.

Image forming apparatus

In an image forming apparatus, a first detection part and a second detection part, each for detecting a position of a displacement member that changes its position according to a remaining amount of liquid in a sub-tank, are provided to a carriage carrying the sub-tank and a recording head, and a body of the image forming apparatus, respectively. A first position is a position of the displacement member detected by the first detection part such that the remaining amount of liquid in the sub-tank is smaller than that at a second position detected by the second detection part. The liquid is supplied to the sub-tank of a differential supply amount, corresponding to a displacement amount of the displacement member between a position detected by the first detection part and a position detected by the second detection part, after the first detection part detects the displacement member.

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a sub tank, a carriage, a main tank, a liquid feed device, a displacement member, a first detector, a second detector, a detection retainer, a liquid consumption amount measuring device, and a supply controller. The measuring device measures a consumption amount of liquid in the sub tank when the displacement member displaces from a first position in a direction in which the consumption amount of liquid in the sub tank decreases. When a detection output of the first detector continues to be, for a predetermined time or number of times, in a detection state in which the first detector detects the displacement member and shifts from the detection state to a non detection state in which the first detector does not detect the displacement member, the measuring device starts measuring the consumption amount of liquid in the sub tank.

Image forming apparatus including recording head for ejecting liquid droplets

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a head tank, a carriage, a main tank, a liquid feed device, a supply controller, a displacement member, a first detector, and a second detector. When a consumption amount of liquid in the head tank reaches a threshold value, the controller controls the feed device to start supplying the liquid from the main tank to the head tank. When printing operation is not performed and the displacement member is at a position at which a remaining amount of the liquid in the head tank is smaller than when the displacement member is at a first position, the controller controls the feed device to supply the liquid until the displacement member is placed at the first position or a position at which the remaining amount of the liquid is greater than when the displacement member is at the first position.

Image forming apparatus including recording head and head tank

An image forming apparatus includes: a print head; a head tank; a carriage; a main tank; a pump; a displaceable member or feeler; a first sensor; a second sensor; a controller to supply an amount of liquid ink corresponding to the displacement difference amount of the feeler to the head tank; and an environmental condition detector. The controller stores the environmental condition when the displacement difference amount is stored; corrects the stored displacement difference amount when a change in a current environmental condition relative to the stored environmental condition is more than a previously set first threshold amount and below a previously set second threshold amount being larger than the first threshold amount; and detects and stores the displacement difference amount again when the change in the current environmental condition relative to the stored environmental condition exceeds the second threshold amount.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Takeyuki Kobayashi