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:
Oct. 15, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 16, 2011
Fumitaka Kikkawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoichi Ito, Tokyo, JP;
Tomomi Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Mitsuya Matsubara, Kanagawa, JP;
Kuniyori Takano, Kanagawa, JP;
Soyoung Park, Kanagawa, JP;
Honriku JO, Kanagawa, JP;
Satoshi Endoh, Saitama, JP;
Yuji Tanaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Akiyoshi Tanaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Fumitaka Kikkawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoichi Ito, Tokyo, JP;
Tomomi Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Mitsuya Matsubara, Kanagawa, JP;
Kuniyori Takano, Kanagawa, JP;
Soyoung Park, Kanagawa, JP;
Honriku Jo, Kanagawa, JP;
Satoshi Endoh, Saitama, JP;
Yuji Tanaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Akiyoshi Tanaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a recording head; a cap member capping the nozzle surface of the recording head and including a release port and a suction port; a suction unit in communication with the suction port; a switch unit opening and closing the release port to the air and capable of adjusting the opening amount of the release port to at least a first opening amount and a second opening amount larger than the first opening amount; and a control unit that controls the suction unit and the switch unit so that the release port is opened to the first opening amount to have a predetermined amount of air flow into the cap member after the cap member is suctioned by the suction unit, and the release port is then opened to the second opening amount.