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. 28, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 10, 2003
Applicants:
Takahiro Yamada, Hitachinaka, JP;
Hitoshi Kida, Hitachinaka, JP;
Hidetoshi Fujii, Hitachinaka, JP;
Inventors:
Assignee:
Ricoh Printing Systems Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B41J 2/165 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A charge/deflecting electrode is provided on an orifice surface of an inkjet head near nozzle orifices formed in the orifice surface. A suction tube is pressed against the orifice surface and the electrode to retain a space therebetween. When a negative pressure is generated in a suction hole of the suction tube, ink and foreign matter are sucked from the nozzle orifices. The space is asymmetric on left and right sides so the negative pressure develops a whirlpool-shaped flow including a mixture of air and ink near the suction hole.