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:
Sep. 01, 2015
Filed:
Jul. 09, 2013
Tomomi Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
Tomomi Katoh, Kanagawa, JP;
RICOH COMPANY, LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A droplet ejection device includes a recording head having a nozzle face with nozzles to eject droplets, a maintenance assembly including a cap to seal the nozzle face to form a sealed space therein and a wiper to wipe the nozzle face, a droplet suction channel connected to the cap to collect droplets sucked from the nozzles, and an air release channel connected to the cap to introduce air to return the sealed space to atmospheric pressure. The suction channel and the release channel are communicable with the sealed space to simultaneously perform collection of the droplets sucked from the nozzles and introduction of air into the cap. The suction channel has a flow rate greater than the release channel. When the droplets are sucked from the nozzles into the suction channel, air is introduced from the release channel at a flow rate lower than that of the suction channel.