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:
Jul. 14, 2015
Filed:
Sep. 22, 2011
Takaharu Yamamoto, Kyoto, JP;
Ryoichi Naoe, Kyoto, JP;
Katsuaki Takeuchi, Kyoto, JP;
Screen Holdings Co., Ltd., Kyoto, JP;
Abstract
A controller in the example of this invention operates to perform flushing by ejecting three types in size of ink droplets, i.e., smaller, middle and larger ink droplets, from each of nozzles. Then the controller operates an ink-droplet detector to perform an ejection test to detect ejection conditions. Thereafter, the controller operates an ink supply section to perform cleaning in accordance with results of the test. A combination in size of unejected ink droplets indicates a defective condition of the nozzle. Consequently, varying the degree of cleaning the nozzles in accordance with the size of the unejected ink droplets may achieve cleaning in a shorter time of period. As a result, time for cleaning the nozzle can be suppressed. This leads to a decreased proportion of maintenance to a starting time in an apparatus and increased availability of the apparatus.