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:
Nov. 23, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1996
Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In the ink jet holder, a plurality of cap members are disposed in such a manner that they can be contacted with a plurality of record heads, respectively. Each of the cap members includes an air-communication passage which allows the interior of the cap member to communicate with the air, while the air-communication passage can be closed or opened by the corresponding closing member for each of the record heads. With the cap members respectively contacted with the record heads, and also with the air-communication passages respectively closed by the closing members, if suction pumps are operated, then the ink jet holder executes a first suction step of sucking ink from the record heads. On the other hand, with the cap members respectively contacted with the record heads, and also with the closing members separated from the air-communication passages, if the suction pumps are operated, then the ink jet holder executes a second suction step of sucking ink from the cap members. For each of the record heads, by carrying out the same suction steps or different suction steps at the same time, a necessary suction step is executed for the necessary record head, thereby being able to recover the ink jet port of the record head.