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:
Nov. 05, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2012
Kazuhito Hori, Azumino, JP;
Toshio Kumagai, Shiojiri, JP;
Kaoru Koike, Matsumoto, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An outgoing path port and a returning path port of a circulation path are at a position that is lower than a printing head. The outgoing path port and a discharge port of a discharge path are at a position that is lower than the returning path port. When ink droplets are ejected from the printing head, ink is pumped from a main tank to a sub tank using a supply pump, and ink is pumped from the outgoing path port to the printing head using a circulation pump with an opening and closing valve open and an opening and closing valve closed. In a case where discharge of ink in the sub tank and a circulation path is instructed before replacing of an ink unit, ink is pumped from the outgoing path port to a junction side using the circulation pump with both of the valves open.