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. 30, 2008
Filed:
May. 12, 2004
Yutaka Akahori, Nagano-ken, JP;
Yutaka Akahori, Nagano-ken, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, , JP;
Abstract
A tube valveof the present invention includes a tubedefining a flow path therein through which a fluid flows, the tubebeing arranged so that a part of the tubeforms at least one curved portion; and an opening/closing mechanism which closes the flow path by folding the tubeat the at least one curved portion and opens the flow path by releasing the fold of the tubeThe curved portion has a bendable part (bending portion)where the tubecan be bent, and the tubeis folded by bending the bendable partFurther, a tube valve apparatus may include the tube valveof the present invention. Furthermore, a head cleaning apparatus for cleaning a head of a printer of the present invention may has one or more tube valveor tube valve apparatus.