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:
Feb. 03, 2015
Filed:
Mar. 13, 2013
Sumiaki Aoki, Kanagawa, JP;
Kohta Akiyama, Tokyo, JP;
Sumiaki Aoki, Kanagawa, JP;
Kohta Akiyama, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Gyeonggi-do, KR;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head including multiple nozzles and multiple piezoelectric elements that generate pressure for causing droplets to be ejected from the nozzles; a driving-waveform generating unit that generates a driving waveform to be applied to the piezoelectric elements; first switching devices each disposed between the driving-waveform generating unit and respective one of the piezoelectric elements; second switching devices each disposed between a predetermined voltage and respective one of the piezoelectric elements; and a slight-vibration control unit. The slight-vibration control unit causes slight vibrations to be applied to a non-ejection nozzle by placing the second switch device for the non-ejection nozzle in a conduction state, and, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after shift to the conduction state, placing the second switch device in a non-conduction state and the first switch device for the non-ejection nozzle in a conduction state.