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:
Apr. 28, 2009
Filed:
Mar. 17, 2006
Shigenori Fukasawa, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hitoshi Hayakawa, Nagano-ken, JP;
Shigenori Fukasawa, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hitoshi Hayakawa, Nagano-ken, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A printer includes a recording head having a nozzle through which ink is ejected onto a paper sheet and a waste tank in which the ink is retained as waste liquid after having been drained from the recording head. A deposit of the waste liquid is formed in the waste tank. The printer has a suction pump used for forcibly drawing and draining the ink from the nozzle. The suction pump functions also as a gas blasting device that blasts gas to the deposit in the waste tank for blowing off the deposit. This suppresses the amount of the ink consumed in maintenance of the printer.