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. 26, 2013
Filed:
Jul. 24, 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
A fluid droplet discharge device executes a head cleaning process to quickly remove bubbles that have entered the fluid supply path when it is likely that bubbles have entered in a flushing process. If the ink cartridge coveris opened during flushing and it is possible that bubbles have entered the ink supply path, ΔNis added to the count Na of the cleaning intensity setting counter N. If the count Na exceeds a threshold value Nmax in a head cleaning operation performed when a defective nozzle is detected, cleaning (CL) with the highest cleaning intensity level is applied. Because ΔNis added to the count Na if the ink cartridge coveris opened when flushing, the timing when this cleaning operation (CL) is applied is accelerated. Bubbles that have entered the fluid supply path can therefore be removed sooner.