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:
May. 22, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 14, 2008
Hiroshi Inoue, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Inoue, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Fujifilm Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A maintenance apparatus for a nozzle surface in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting a liquid are formed, in an ejection head having a nozzle row in which the nozzles are aligned in a main scanning direction, has: a liquid storage member which is disposed in a position opposing the nozzle surface of the ejection head at a prescribed distance from the nozzle surface, and which has a liquid holding surface which has a length, in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, corresponding to a length in the sub-scanning direction of a region in which the plurality of nozzles are provided; a liquid supply device which supplies a liquid to the liquid holding surface; a movement device which moves the liquid storage member through a whole length of the nozzle row in the main scanning direction, while bringing the liquid held on the liquid holding surface into contact with the nozzle surface; and a wiping device which wipes the nozzle surface that has been wetted by the liquid supplied to the liquid storage member, while moving subsequently to the liquid storage member, to remove adhering material attached to the nozzle surface.