Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1993-09-20
2001-03-06
Pendegrass, Joan (Department: 2852)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
C347S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196655
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus and a recovery process method of the same.
2. Related Background Art
In an ink-jet recording apparatus, an ink discharge port, such as an orifice provided in a printing head, may be clogged, or bubbles may be mixed in an ink supply path connected to the ink discharge port. This degrades ink droplet discharge performance and causes poor ink discharge.
In conventional ink-jet printing apparatuses, a suction means is provided outside a discharge port to oppose it, and ink is absorbed from the discharge port. Alternatively, pressure is applied to the interior of the ink supply path, to cause the ink to flow at a certain velocity, thus discharging the ink from the discharge port. In this manner, the above-described factors causing poor discharge are eliminated.
In ink-jet recording apparatuses, however, many structures are provided in and along the ink flow path such as the discharge port, a corner or step in the printing head or ink supply path, or a filter provided midway along the supply path for removing foreign material from the supply path. Such structures have a large flow path resistance, and sufficient flow velocity cannot be obtained due to these structures. Therefore, if bubbles are present in these portions, they are not discharged but only ink is discharged, and the factors causing poor discharge cannot be eliminated.
In order to eliminate these poor discharge factors, it has also been proposed to increase the suction force of a suction means or the pressure of a pressure means thus achieving sufficient flow velocity. For this purpose, however, the overall apparatus is inevitably increased in size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein the above-described problems are solved to maintain a sufficient flow velocity without increasing its size, thus reliably performing ink discharge and recovery processes, and a recovery process method of the same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein foreign material in an ink supply path connected to a discharge port, such as bubbles or dust present in the filter in the supply path or a step or corner of the supply path, can be appropriately removed by a high-velocity fluid, and a recovery process method of the same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein foreign material in an ink supply path connected to a discharge port, such as bubbles or dust present in the filter in the supply path or a step or corner of the supply path, can be appropriately removed by causing ink to flow without flowing through a discharge port having a high flow path resistance, and a recovery process method of the same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein a gas is introduced from an opening to an ink supply path to cause ink to flow at a high velocity together with the gas introduced into the ink supply path, thereby discharging the ink quickly and reliably, and a recovery process method of the same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein ink is caused to flow at a high velocity together with a gas introduced into an ink supply path inside a discharge port, in order to eliminate factors causing poor discharge, such as clogging of the discharge port, as well as to appropriately remove foreign material in the ink supply path connected to the discharge port, such as bubbles or dust present in a filter in the supply path or a step or corner of the supply path, and a recovery process method of the same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein, once air is introduced by connection, it is appropriately introduced into an ink supply path without being absorbed back even when the discharge path is released and when the ink is to be discharged, it is caused to flow at a high velocity together with the gas introduced into the ink supply path inside the discharge port, so that factors causing poor discharge, such as clogging of the discharge port, can be eliminated, as well as foreign material in the ink supply path connected to the discharge port, such as bubbles or dust present in the filter on the supply path or in a step or corner of the supply path, can be appropriately removed, and a recovery process method of the same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein, before a gas is introduced into an ink supply path by means of repeated connection/disconnection of the discharge port, ink is discharged to fill a connection means, so that an increased pressure sufficient for air introduction can be obtained, and the ink is caused to flow at a high velocity and is discharged together with the gas introduced into the ink supply path inside the discharge port, so that factors causing poor discharge, such as clogging of the discharge port, can be eliminated, as well as foreign material in the ink supply path connected to the discharge port, such as bubbles or dust present in the filter in the supply path or in a step or corner of the supply path, can be appropriately removed,.and a recovery process method of the same.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus wherein one ink discharge process is performed to discharge ink from a discharge port in order to restore discharge, and a simple operation of holding an ink-containing member at a second mount position (a position for blocking the supply path) is performed in association with the ink discharge process, so that the ink supply path can be reliably blocked, thus assisting a discharge recovery process for increasing the flow velocity of a fluid in the supply path, and a recovery method of the same.
It is further object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink from a recording head,
characterized in that said apparatus comprises;
a branch path branching from a middle point of an ink supply path through which ink is supplied to said recording head; and
removing means for removing a foreign material in said ink supply path by flowing the ink through said branch path.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
a recording head having a discharge port for discharging ink therethrough;
introducing means for introducing air from said discharge port into the interior of said recording head, said introducting means including a connecting part convering said discharge port by the connection thereof to said recording head, transfer means for connecting or separating said connecting portion to or from said recording head, and control means for controlling said connection or separation operation performed by said transfer means to cause said transfer means to repeatedly perform said operation plural times; and
discharge means for discharging the ink and/or the introduced air from said discharge port.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus for discharging ink from a recording head to a recording meidum to effect recording comprising:
a connecting part connectable to said recording head;
transfer means for performing the connection and separation of said connecting part to and from said recording head;
control means for controlling said transfer means to perform said connection and separation of said connecting portion to and from said recording head;
said control means introducing gas from said discharge port of said recording head into the interior of said recording head by the connection of said connecting part to said recording head;
opening/closing means for communicating the interior of said connecting portion with the atmosphere prior to the rel
Abe Tsutomu
Hattori Yoshifumi
Hirasawa Shin'ichi
Miyakawa Akira
Sato Koichi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Pendegrass Joan
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