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:
Dec. 10, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 08, 1998
Youichi Sonobe, Kawasaki, JP;
Canon Aptex, Mitsukaido, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus prevents foreign matter, such as dust or the like, from being sucked into an ink passage from an ejection opening when a liquid ejection head ejecting a liquid is elevated from an image forming position to a recovery process position located above the image forming position. The image forming apparatus includes a liquid supply passage connected to the liquid ejection head which is provided with ejection openings for ejecting liquid, a liquid supply device for supplying liquid to the liquid ejection head via the liquid supply passage, a recovery process device for recovering the ejecting condition of liquid from the liquid ejection head, a head moving device for moving the liquid ejection head between the recovery process position for performing recovery process of the liquid ejection head by the recovery process device and an image forming position for forming an image on the printing medium by the liquid ejection head, and a closing device for closing the liquid supply passage during movement of the liquid ejection head into the recovery process position by the head moving device.