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. 16, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Atsushi Suzuki, Tagata-gun, JP;
Takuro Ito, Sunto-gun, JP;
Assignee:
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B41J 1/165 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B41J 1/165 ;
Abstract
A discharge port is formed in a bottom surface of ink tank. The ink tank is made to communicate with a waste ink tank by connecting the discharge port to the waste ink tank in a position lower than the discharge port, and a part of connection member is openable/closable by a valve. If the connection member is opened, ink is discharged from the discharge port of the ink tank to the waste ink tank. If impurities are deposited on the bottom surface of the ink tank, the impurities can be discharged with ink from the discharge port to the waste ink tank, thereby clogging in the nozzle head due to impurities can be reliably prevented.