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:
Feb. 03, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2002
Masahito Yoshida, Saitama, JP;
Hiroyuki Inoue, Kanagawa, JP;
Takashi Nojima, Tokyo, JP;
Shusuke Inamura, Tokyo, JP;
Yasufumi Tanaami, Tokyo, JP;
Takeshi Iwasaki, Kanagawa, JP;
Noriko Sato, Kanagawa, JP;
Yasuyuki Hirai, Kanagawa, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus for forming an image by discharging liquid from a recording head onto a recording medium, comprising a carriage to which the recording head and a sub-tank for storing the liquid to be supplied to the recording head are mounted and which can be shifted reciprocally, a main tank disposed out of the carriage and adapted to store the liquid, a liquid flow passage connected between the main tank and the sub-tank in order to supply the liquid from the main tank to the sub-tank, a flow passage opening/closing valve disposed in the liquid flow passage on the way and adapted to open and close the liquid flow passage, and control means for controlling opening/closing of the flow passage opening/closing valve in accordance with an image forming condition during image formation using the recording head.