Seiko Epson Corporation

Tsutomu Yamazaki

Yukihiro Hanaoka

Kazuhiko Sato

Atsushi Nishioka

Toshio Nakata

Hiroki Godo

Masahiro Fujii

Shigeo Sugimura

Masaaki Ito

Atushi Nishioka

An inkjet printer that automatically expels bubbles trapped at a filter&mdash;which removes foreign materials from ink supplied to the inkjet head&mdash;to eliminate ink discharge problems caused by trapped air bubbles. Ink ( ) is supplied through ink-supply-line part ( ), filter ( ), and ink-intake opening ( ) to inkjet head ( ) of inkjet printer ( ). If a bubble ( ) in ink ( ) becomes trapped at the top surface ( ) of filter ( ), the bubble ( ) is separated from the filter top ( ) by the buoyancy of the ink ( ). When the bubble ( ) separates from the filter top ( ), it forms a spherical bubble ( A). This spherical bubble ( A) then rises through conically shaped ink-path-connection part and ink-supply-line part . The internal volume of ink-path-connection part is less than 1.1 times the volume of a sphere internally tangent to ink-supply-line part . Therefore, bubble ( A) freely rises through ink-supply-line part . Print defects that occur when a bubble ( ) is trapped at the filter top are, therefore, prevented.

Inkjet printer having a connection block which automatically eliminates bubbles trapped on a filter

A control method for an ink jet printer capable of a non-discharge nozzle driving operation for stimulating and vibrating an ink meniscus in each ink nozzle of the ink jet head to prevent nozzle clogging does not lead to a drop in print speed. An ink jet head is moved on a carriage Prior to printing on a printing medium (block B ), this non-discharge driving operation (block B ) is performed while the carriage is moving the ink jet head to the print position. Printing is therefore not delayed by the non-discharge driving operation, and nozzle clogging can be prevented without lowering the print speed.

Ink jet printer, control method for the same, and data storage medium for recording the control method

A connection unit for an inkjet head whereby an ink supply passage is formed by bonding an inkjet head component to a case member such that ink ejection problems do not occur, ink does not leak, reliability is high, and manufacturing is simple. A bonding channel,encircling an ink supply opening,is provided between the bonding surfaces of the head component,and head case,. Adhesive is then injected from an adhesive injection opening,to fill the bonding channel to an vent hole

Connection unit for an inkjet head, and an inkjet cartridge and inkjet printer using the same

To provide a highly reliable and easy-to-manufacture ink jet head connection unit, in which ink supply paths are formed by gluing a substrate on which head component is formed to other components, that is free of ink ejection failure and ink leakage. A head component and case component 240 equipped with opening 241 on the bottom of which supply port 257 for supplying ink to head component 210 and concave area 243 to be filled with an adhesive are formed, are provided. Space 248 to be filled with an adhesive for joining head component 210 and case component 240 when case component 240 and head component 210 are coupled, is formed inside the joined case.

Ink jet head connection unit, an ink jet cartridge, and an assembly

An ink jet recording apparatus and printer whereby air bubbles in the ink supply path are easily expelled even where a stagnation point or flow boundary is formed within the ink jet recording apparatus in which air bubbles tend to collect inside the ink supply path. Even when the air bubbles are not completely expelled, occlusion of the ink supply path by an air bubble is also prevented. In particular, the ink jet recording apparatus includes a capillary member which defines plural capillary paths disposed within the ink supply path upstream of the stagnation point or flow boundary occurring at the connection of the recording head to ink supply tube. These capillary paths are separated a distance away from the flow boundary and included angled walls and cross sections to enable fractionation of larger, potentially ink occluding bubbles.

Ink jet recording apparatus and ink supply member therefor

Techniques for packaging inkjet style ink cartridges which prevent ink seepage without dedicated nozzle pressing mechanisms, nozzle sealants, or adhesives. Specifically, the ink cartridge is circumscribed by a flexible, multifaced cartridge holder which is then placed in an aluminum bag and vacuum packed. Integral, ink impermeable nozzle compressing and cartridge terminal coverage components are disposed on the inner periphery of the cartridge holder and engage the respective cartridge ink ejection and terminal areas when the cartridge holder is folded around the ink cartridge. Vacuum packing forces the outer aluminum bag to constrict and compress the cartridge holder, thereby securing the cartridge and sealing off the ejection area through compression of the aforementioned compressing and coverage surfaces. As a result, the ink cartridge can be packaged without the use of any adhesive materials, and the sealing performance can be significantly improved using a simple packing method.

Ink cartridge package, assembly and packing method thereof, and ink

An inkjet cartridge is provided in which by applying an appropriate initial pressure to an ink reservoir or sack at the start of printing does not excessively increase the pressure in an ink reservoir or sack when the remaining ink level is high, and enables effective use of the remaining ink when the remaining ink level is low. The inkjet cartridge comprises an ink reservoir for storing the recording ink, a circuit element for ejecting ink supplied from ink reservoir according to the display data from a host processor to be recorded. A head case and an ink supply case accommodating the ink reservoir. A thick-wall region of the ink reservoir is pressed by a pressure rod via a through-hole. A guide is provided to push the thick-wall region to one side of the ink reservoir is disposed in the top portion of the case or the guide is provided around the thick-wall region of the ink reservoir.

Ink jet cartridge and printer using it

A label tape printer has a more-or-less conventional label tape cassette gear train mechanism except that the main motor has a clutching means that can disengage the motor when the motor is not on and turning. This allows the motor loads to turn the gear trains without any tendency of the motor to hold the gear train frozen by its advantage through the gear reduction. Therefore a pull on the label tape end will result in the entire gear train turning and thereby preventing the ink ribbon from forming a loose loop that can get sucked into an adhesive tape sandwich (with catastrophic results). The label tape cassette is provided with a guide roller having deep grooves, giving the appearance of a piece of machine screw threaded stock, that is positioned to keep the adhesive tape from sticking to the inside walls if the tape reels loosen. The adhesive tape has a reduced surface area on the guide roller to become stuck on it also.

Label tape printing system using thermal head and transfer ink ribbon

Ink ribbon and tape cartridge for a printer

A tape printer for printing on a tape contained within a tape cassette. The tape cassette is insertable in and removable from the tape printer. The tape printer includes a housing and a printing mechanism supported on the housing for selectively printing on the tape. The printer also includes a tape conveying mechanism supported on the housing for conveying the tape across the printing mechanism. The printing mechanism and tape conveying mechanism are displaceable between first operative positions and second disengaged positions. A cover is pivotably supported on the housing. A coupling mechanism couples the cover to the printing and tape conveying mechanisms. The cover is displaceable between a first open position to actuate the coupling mechanism to move the printing and tape conveying mechanisms to their second disengaged positions and a second closed position to actuate the coupling mechanism to move the printing and tape conveying mechanisms to their first operative positions.

Growing community of inventors

Suwa, Japan

Tsutomu Yamazaki