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. 06, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 04, 2009
Kiyomi Kuroda, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hiroyuki Motoyama, Nagano-ken, JP;
Kiyomi Kuroda, Nagano-ken, JP;
Hiroyuki Motoyama, Nagano-ken, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An inkjet printer and a head cleaning method for an inkjet printer reduce the time required for head cleaning while also reducing needless ink consumption. The control unitof the printerconfirms if a timer AID flag, impact detection flag, startup process flag, AID hold flag, or cover closed flag is set before executing the cleaning process a first time. If any one of the flags is set, the possibility that there are numerous defective nozzles in the printeris high, and a stronger or more intense cleaning process (CLor CL) is executed. Whether cleaning process CLor CLexecutes is determined according to the number of defective nozzles detected in the first nozzle check. If no flag is set, the weakest cleaning process (CL) is executed.