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:
Apr. 29, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 03, 2011
Daisuke Matsumoto, Matsumoto, JP;
Masaru Kobashi, Nagano, JP;
Yoichi Yamada, Shiojiri, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method for cleaning a fluid ejecting apparatus is provided. The fluid ejecting apparatus includes a fluid ejecting head that has a plurality of nozzle openings through which fluid is ejected, a fluid supply passage through which the fluid is supplied toward the fluid ejecting head, an open/close valve that is provided on the fluid supply passage, and a pressure reduction mechanism that generates negative pressure in a space outside the nozzle openings. The cleaning method includes a valve-closing operation of putting the open/close valve into a closed state and a pressure reduction operation of generating negative pressure in the space by using the pressure reduction mechanism after the valve-closing operation to cause the fluid to bulge outward at the nozzle openings.