The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 24, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 03, 1997
Toshiro Suemune, Tokyo, JP;
Oki Data Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method of cleaning is used for cleaning a print head used in an ink type recording apparatus. The head cleaning operation includes a suction operation in which a head cleaning mechanism performs suction of the tips of ink nozzles and an ejection operation in which ink is ejected through the ink nozzles. A first cleaning operation is performed if the print head is cleaned for the first time after the power-up of the recording apparatus. A second cleaning operation is performed if the print head has been cleaned at least one time after the power-up of the recording apparatus. The first operation includes a combination of cleaning conditions and the second operation includes a combination of cleaning conditions different from the first cleaning operation. There may be a plurality of the first cleaning operations each of which includes a corresponding cleaning condition, and one of the plurality of the first cleaning operations may be selected according to an elapsed time from when the recording apparatus is turned off.