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:
Jan. 27, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2012
Tomomi Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoichi Ito, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Noda, Kanagawa, JP;
Jun Ichinowatari, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomomi Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoichi Ito, Tokyo, JP;
Hiroshi Noda, Kanagawa, JP;
Jun Ichinowatari, Kanagawa, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a liquid ejection head, a head tank, a liquid storage container, a liquid feed device, a supply valve, an exhaust passage, a float valve, an air release valve, and a suction device. The exhaust passage is disposed in the head tank and communicated with an ambient air. The float valve is disposed in the head tank to close the exhaust passage in response to an amount of liquid in the head tank. The air release valve opens and closes the exhaust passage of the head tank. When the suction device exhausts air from the exhaust passage with the air release valve open, the liquid feed device is driven to pressurize and feed the liquid.