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:
Mar. 22, 2011
Filed:
Jun. 07, 2007
Kenji Samoto, Nagoya, JP;
Toshio Sugiura, Anjo, JP;
Kenji Samoto, Nagoya, JP;
Toshio Sugiura, Anjo, JP;
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
An image recording apparatus including a housing; a recording head which ejects droplets of ink; a carriage which is provided in the housing and which carries the recording head and reciprocates in opposite directions; an ink supply tube which is connected, at one end thereof, to a tube connection portion of the carriage so as to supply the ink to the recording head, and is fixed, at a fixed portion thereof, to the housing such that an intermediate portion thereof located between the one end thereof and the fixed portion thereof forms a curved portion convex in one of the opposite directions, wherein the ink supply tube has a flexibility assuring that when the carriage reciprocates, the ink supply tube follows reciprocation of the carriage while the curved portion thereof changes a shape thereof; a pivotable support member which is supported by the housing such that the support member is pivotable about a supporting point, wherein the support member includes an arm portion having a support portion that supports a portion of the curved portion of the ink supply tube; and a stopper member which is fixed to a predetermined portion of the ink supply tube that is located between the support portion and the tube connection portion, and which, when the ink supply tube moves relative to the support portion, engages the support portion so as to inhibit an excessive movement of the ink supply tube relative to the support portion.