EP0316198A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink jet recording apparatus with cleaning mode
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1988-11-11
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-11-11
Abstract
Abstract An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a non-contact print mode in which medium to be recorded and conveyed to a region in which printing can be performed is subjected to be recording by discharging ink in a non-contact manner from a recording head (IJH) confronting the medium to be recorded at a predetermined interval; and a contact cleaning mode in which a cleaning sheet (CP) which has been conveyed into the region in which printing can be performed by using at least a part of a conveyance route for the medium to be recorded is brought into contact with the recording head (IJH) and then the cleaning sheet is discharged from the region in which printing can be performed.
Inventors
- 👤 Nobutoshi Mizusawa
- 👤 Ryuichi Ebinuma
- 👤 Yuji Chiba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:02
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/165; B41J2/16517; B41J2/16535; B41J2/16585; B41J2002/1655; G; G03; G03G; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00443; G03G2215/00531
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a non-contact print mode in which a recording head records a medium to be recorded and conveyed into a recordable region by discharging ink, said recording head being not in contact with said recording medium and opposed to said recording medium at a predetermined interval; and a contact cleaning mode in which a cleaning sheet which has been conveyed into said recordable region by using at least a part of a conveyance route for said recording medium is cleaned by bringing into contact with said recording head and then said cleaning sheet is discharged from said recordable region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a non-contact print mode in which a recording head records a medium to be recorded and conveyed into a recordable region by discharging ink, said recording head being not in contact with said recording medium and opposed to said recording medium at a predetermined interval; and a contact cleaning mode in which a cleaning sheet which has been conveyed into said recordable region by using at least a part of a conveyance route for said recording medium is cleaned by bringing into contact with said recording head and then said cleaning sheet is discharged from said recordable region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said contact cleaning mode is arranged in such a manner that, before cleaning said recording head, the surface of said cleaning sheet on which ink has not been discharged is brought into contact with said recording head by moving said cleaning sheet after ink has been discharged from said recording head to said cleaning sheet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the conveyance routes for said recording medium and said cleaning sheet are different in said non-contact print mode and in said contact cleaning mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the conveyance routes for said recording medium and said cleaning sheet are the same in said non-contact print mode and in said contact cleaning mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said recording head is moved in the direction in which said predetermined interval between said recording head and said recording medium is reduced in said contact cleaning mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1 further comprises a platen facing said recording head and being provided for the purpose of forming said predetermined interval, said platen being moved in the direction in which said predetermined interval is reduced in said contact cleaning mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said contact cleaning mode includes conveying means for bringing said cleaning sheet into contact with said recording head by providing said cleaning sheet with a loop.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the thickness of said cleaning sheet is larger than that of said recording medium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said cleaning sheet is accommodated in an exclusive cassette and is capable of being mounted on the main body of said apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said cassette comprises a space for collecting said cleaning sheet which has performed cleaning.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A cleaning sheet for use in a contact cleaning mode in an ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a leading edge portion to be conveyed and having a thickness smaller than the interval between a platen and a recording head through which interval recording medium is guided; and a portion for cleaning having a thickness larger than said interval and capable of being elastically deformed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
A cleaning sheet for use in a contact cleaning mode in an ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a leading edge portion to be conveyed and having a thickness smaller than the interval between a platen and a recording head through which interval recording medium is guided; and a portion for cleaning having a thickness larger than said interval and capable of being elastically deformed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet recording apparatus using said cleaning sheet according to Claim 11 comprises: means for performing recovery treatment by causing said recording head to discharge ink when said leading edge portion faces said recording head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
143 words
An ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head capable of discharging ink and recording on a recording medium conveyed along a conveyance route and in no contact with said recording head, said ink jet recording apparatus comprising: first means for accommodating a sheet-like ink absorber; recovery treatment means for performing discharge recovery treatment by causing said recording head to discharge ink when said ink absorber faces said recording head; second means for accommodating said sheet-like ink absorber which has absorbed said discharged ink; and conveyance means for conveying, in accordance with said discharge recovery treatment, said ink absorber from said first accommodating means through at least a part of said conveyance route so as to make said ink absorber in contact with said recording head and clean said recording head, and then for introducing said ink absorber into said second accommodating means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
143 words
An ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head capable of discharging ink and recording on a recording medium conveyed along a conveyance route and in no contact with said recording head, said ink jet recording apparatus comprising: first means for accommodating a sheet-like ink absorber; recovery treatment means for performing discharge recovery treatment by causing said recording head to discharge ink when said ink absorber faces said recording head; second means for accommodating said sheet-like ink absorber which has absorbed said discharged ink; and conveyance means for conveying, in accordance with said discharge recovery treatment, said ink absorber from said first accommodating means through at least a part of said conveyance route so as to make said ink absorber in contact with said recording head and clean said recording head, and then for introducing said ink absorber into said second accommodating means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein said first accommodating means and said second accommodating means are integrally formed in a cassette member and said cassette member is detachable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ink jet recording apparatus according to Claim 14, wherein said cassette member is arranged to be detachable and replaceable by a cassette accommodating said recording medium at the time of performing said discharge recovery treatment.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of discharge recovery treatment of an ink jet recording apparatus comprising steps of: conveying a sheet-like ink absorber by a mechanism for conveying a recording medium and absorbing ink discharged from a discharge port of a recording head by said ink absorber which has reached a position confronting said discharge port of said recording head; absorbing said ink discharged from said discharge port by bringing said ink absorber into contact with said discharge port; and exhausting said ink absorber which has a region in which said ink is not absorbed.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of discharge recovery treatment of an ink jet recording apparatus comprising steps of: conveying a sheet-like ink absorber by a mechanism for conveying a recording medium and absorbing ink discharged from a discharge port of a recording head by said ink absorber which has reached a position confronting said discharge port of said recording head; absorbing said ink discharged from said discharge port by bringing said ink absorber into contact with said discharge port; and exhausting said ink absorber which has a region in which said ink is not absorbed.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
50 words
A method of cleaning an ink jet head of an ink jet printer having a platen opposed to and spaced from the head, comprising the steps of feeding a cleaning sheet freely between the head and platen, and then causing the sheet to engage the head to clean the head.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
50 words
A method of cleaning an ink jet head of an ink jet printer having a platen opposed to and spaced from the head, comprising the steps of feeding a cleaning sheet freely between the head and platen, and then causing the sheet to engage the head to clean the head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.