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:
Jul. 09, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 14, 2011
Katsuhiko Nishizaka, Kitakyushu, JP;
Katsuhiko Nishizaka, Kitakyushu, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an ejection head having a plurality of nozzle arrays arranged in an orthogonal direction to an array direction thereof, a carriage on which the ejection head is loaded, and a moving unit that moves the carriage. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit that controls the moving unit and the ejection head such that, when flushing is to be performed while the image is formed on a sheet as the carriage reciprocates, a liquid is ejected to an image forming region of the sheet from the plurality of nozzle arrays, the liquid is ejected to a first receiving area from a first nozzle array group disposed adjacent to an outward side, and the liquid is ejected to a second receiving area from a remaining second nozzle array group excluding the first nozzle array group and disposed adjacent to a homeward side.