Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080298851 | Image Formation Apparatus and Image Formation System - The invention provides, as an aspect thereof, an image formation apparatus that includes: an image carrier that carries a latent image; a toner carrier that has, on a surface of the toner carrier, a concave portion arrayed in a regular pattern so as to carry toner, and develops the latent image that is carried on the image carrier by means of the toner carried in the concave portion; and a voltage application section that applies a development voltage to the toner carrier for the purpose of the development of the latent image. In the configuration of an image formation apparatus according to the above-described aspect of the invention, immediately after that the toner carrier has developed the latent image, which is carried on the image carrier, by means of the toner carried in the concave portion in response to the application of the development bias to the toner carrier by the voltage application section, at least one layer of the toner remains carried in the concave portion. | 12-04-2008 |
20080298852 | Developing Device, Image Forming Apparatus, and Image Forming System - A developing device is provided with a toner bearing member that bears toner having core particles and a particulate external additive externally added to the core particles, and that develops a latent image borne on an image bearing member using the toner, the toner bearing member being rotatable and having projecting sections arranged in a regular manner on a surface of the toner bearing member; and a regulation member that regulates an amount of toner borne on a surface of the toner bearing member by coming into contact with that surface at a contact section, the regulation member being arranged so that a longitudinal direction of the regulation member runs along an axial direction of the toner bearing member, and so that a leading edge of the regulation member in a lateral direction and a thickness direction faces an upstream side in a rotating direction of the toner bearing member, wherein in the case where a volume mean particle size of the toner is set to a toner particle size A, a volume mean particle size of the external additive is set to an external additive particle size B, a ten-point average roughness of the projecting sections is set to a protrusion roughness C, and a distance between the leading edge and the projecting sections in the case where the leading edge of the regulation member faces the projecting sections is set to a distance D, a relationship among sizes of the toner particle size A, the external additive particle size B, the protrusion roughness C, and the distance D is so that the protrusion roughness C12-04-2008 | |
20080298853 | Developing Device, Image Forming Apparatus, Image Forming System, Developing Method, and Toner Bearing Member - The present invention provides a developing device that includes a toner bearing member that includes regularly arranged projection sections and depressed sections for bearing toner, and that develops a latent image borne on an image bearing member with the toner borne on the projection sections and the depressed sections, wherein the latent image is developed in a state in which a projection section covering ratio at which toner contacting the projection sections covers the projection sections is smaller than a depressed section covering ratio at which toner contacting the depressed sections covers the depressed sections. | 12-04-2008 |
20080298855 | Developing Device, Image Forming Apparatus, and Image Forming System - A developing device includes a rotatable toner bearing roller and a regulation blade. The toner bearing roller has regularly-arranged projecting sections and non-projecting sections, bears toner whose volume average particle diameter is smaller than a depth of the non-projecting section relative to the projecting section, and develops a latent image borne on an image bearing member with the toner borne on the toner bearing roller. The regulation blade is for regulating an amount of the toner borne on the toner bearing roller, and abuts, with a predetermined width, against a circumferential surface of the toner bearing roller in a circumferential direction thereof in such a manner that a longitudinal direction of the regulation blade is along a direction of a rotation axis of the toner bearing roller. A tip edge of the regulation blade in a lateral direction and a thickness direction thereof is located within an abutting section having the predetermined width. The predetermined width is larger than a maximum width, in the circumferential direction, of the non-projecting section. | 12-04-2008 |
20090110428 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus, includes: an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; a toner carrier roller that is provided, on a surface thereof, with a plurality of convex sections and a concave section which surrounds the convex sections, is shaped approximately like a cylinder, is arranged opposed to the image carrier, and rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner on the surface thereof; a bias applier that applies a developing bias voltage to the toner carrier roller; a toner collector that collects the toner carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller at a place downstream to an opposed position facing the image carrier in a rotation direction of the toner carrier roller; a seal member that is interposed between the toner carrier roller and the toner collector, and abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller to prevent leakage of toner from the toner collector; and a controller that is adapted to perform a toner removal operation which removes toner adherent to the seal member by rotating the toner carrier roller while the toner carrier roller abuts on the seal member, in a condition that at least a part of respective surfaces of the convex sections do not carry toner so as to be exposed. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110442 | Developer Apparatus, Image Forming Apparatus and Developing Method - A developer apparatus, includes: a container which houses toner; a toner carrier roller which is provided, on a surface thereof, with a plurality of convex sections which are regularly arranged and a concave section which surrounds the convex sections, is shaped approximately like a cylinder, and rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner supplied from the container on the surface thereof; and a restriction member which abuts on the toner layer on the surface of the toner carrier roller to restrict a thickness of the toner layer, and restricts the toner layer carried by the convex sections within the surface of the toner carrier roller to one layer or less. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110443 | Developer Apparatus, Image Forming Apparatus and Developing Method - A developer apparatus, includes: a container which houses toner; a toner carrier roller that is provided, on a surface thereof, with a plurality of convex sections which are regularly arranged and a concave section which surrounds the convex sections, is shaped approximately like a cylinder, and rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner supplied from the container on the surface thereof, and a restriction member that abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller to form a restriction nip, restricts a thickness of the toner layer carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller in the restriction nip, and removes the toner layer on the convex sections from among the toner layer carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller at an upstream-side end of the restriction nip in a rotation direction of the toner carrier roller. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110444 | Developer Apparatus, Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - A developer apparatus, includes: a toner carrier roller which rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner on its surface, the toner carrier being shaped approximately like a cylinder and being provided, on a surface thereof, with a plurality of convex sections, which are regularly arranged along a width direction parallel to a rotation shaft of the toner carrier roller and a circumferential direction which is along a circumferential surface of the toner carrier roller, and concave sections which surround the convex sections; and a restriction member which abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller, thereby restricting the toner layers which are carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller, the restriction member including an elastic abutting member formed by an elastic material, the elastic abutting member which includes an edge part which extends along the width direction parallel to the rotation shaft of the toner carrier roller and abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller, wherein within a restriction nip which is created as the toner carrier roller and the restriction member abut on each other, a plurality of abutting segments where the edge part abuts on the plurality of convex sections and opening segments where the edge part and the concave sections are opposed each other with a gap between each other appear alternately along the width direction, and in the opening segments, the edge part of the elastic abutting member bulges toward bottom of the concave sections beyond linear lines which connect top surfaces of two adjacent convex sections which are on both sides to the concave sections which are opposed to the edge part. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110445 | Developer Apparatus, Image Forming Apparatus and Developing Method - A developer apparatus, includes: a container which houses toner; a toner carrier roller that is provided, on a surface thereof, with a plurality of convex sections which are regularly arranged and a concave section which surrounds the convex sections, is shaped approximately like a cylinder, and rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner on the surface thereof; and a restriction member that abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller to form a restriction nip, restricts a thickness of the toner layer carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller in the restriction nip, and removes the toner layer on the convex sections from among the toner layer carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller at an upstream-side end of the restriction nip in a rotation direction of the toner carrier roller, wherein a part of toner carried by the concave section moves to the convex sections to cover the convex sections with the toner at a downstream side to the restriction nip in the rotation direction of the toner carrier roller. | 04-30-2009 |
20090148197 | Developer Apparatus, An Image Forming Apparatus and An Image Forming Method - A developer apparatus, includes: a toner carrier roller that is shaped approximately like a cylinder, rotates while carrying a toner layer of charged toner on a surface thereof, and is provided, on the surface thereof, with plural convex section rows, each of which has plural convex sections arranged in a row in a width direction parallel to a rotational axis of the toner carrier roller and which are arranged in a circumferential direction orthogonal to the width direction and parallel to a circumferential surface of the toner carrier roller, the convex sections being so constructed and arranged that top surfaces of the convex sections coincide with a part of a curved surface of a single cylinder; and a restriction member that abuts on the surface of the toner carrier roller to restrict the toner layer carried on the surface of the toner carrier roller, includes an elastic abutting member which is made of an elastic material and has an edge part which extends in the width direction, the edge part being pressed into contact with the surface of the toner carrier roller, wherein a virtual surface which is obtained by extending the top surface of each convex section in the width direction and forms a part of the curved surface of the single cylinder is defined as a convex section extending surface of each convex section, and the convex section extending surfaces overlap each other between the convex sections belonging to the same convex section row, whereas the convex section extending surfaces do not overlap each other between the convex sections belonging to mutually different convex section rows. | 06-11-2009 |
20090208255 | Development Roller, Development Device, and Image Forming Apparatus - A development roller includes a base unit having a base recess and a base projection formed in a predetermined area of a circumference surface of the base unit, and a surface layer formed on the circumference surface of the base unit and having a recess and a projection formed respectively in accordance with the base recess and the base projection of the base unit. | 08-20-2009 |
20090208256 | Development Roller, Development Device, and Image Forming Apparatus - A development roller includes a base unit having a base recess and a base projection that are formed in a predetermined area of a circumference surface of the base unit by pressing a regular pattern in pressure machining, and a surface layer formed on the circumference surface of the base unit and having a recess and a projection formed respectively in accordance with the base recess and the base projection of the base unit. A thickness of the surface layer is larger than a maximum height of a base swollen portion close to the side edge of the base projection from a regular surface of the base projection. | 08-20-2009 |
20090214271 | Development Roller, Development Device, Image Forming Apparatus, and Method of Manufacturing Development Roller - A development roller includes a base unit having a base recess and a base projection that are formed in a predetermined area of a circumference surface of the base unit, and a surface layer formed on the circumference surface of the base unit and having on the circumference thereof a recess and a projection formed respectively in accordance with the base recess and the base projection of the base unit. Surface hardness of the projection is higher than surface hardness of the recess. | 08-27-2009 |
20090290900 | Developing Device, Image Forming Apparatus, and Method of Manufacturing Developing Device - A developing device includes: a housing that stores toner therein; a toner carrying roller that is attached to the housing by a shaft and is rotated in a predetermined rotation direction while carrying charged toner on a surface of the toner carrying roller to transport the toner to the outside of the housing; and a seal member that extends in a direction of a rotation axis of the toner carrying roller and has one end fixed to the housing and the other end in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller to prevent the toner from leaking out of the housing, wherein a plurality of convex portions having top surfaces constituting a part of the same cylindrical surface are formed on the surface of the toner carrying roller, and at least a part of the seal member in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller is made of a material having a contact angle of 105° or more with respect to water. | 11-26-2009 |
20100008699 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; an exposure device; a developing device that develops the latent image on the image carrier by using a toner charged to a predetermined polarity and having an external additive; a transfer device that transfers a toner image developed on the image carrier to a transfer medium; a first charging member that charges the external additive and the transfer residual toner remaining on the image carrier and the image carrier after transfer to the same polarity as a polarity of the toner; a cleaning member that electrostatically attracts the external additive and the transfer residual toner charged by the first charging member; and a second charging member that charges the image carrier to an electric potential smaller in absolute value than an electric potential of the image carrier generated after the image carrier passes the cleaning member. | 01-14-2010 |
20100014890 | Image Forming Apparatus - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a rotatable image carrier; a protective agent supplying unit supplying a protective agent to the image carrier; a first charging unit charging the image carrier to the same polarity as a regular charging polarity of a toner; a second charging unit charging the protective agent supplied to the image carrier to the opposite polarity to the regular charging polarity of the toner; an exposure unit forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a development unit developing the electrostatic latent image of the image carrier; and a transfer unit transferring the image of the image carrier, wherein the second charging unit is disposed between the protective agent supplying unit and the development unit. | 01-21-2010 |
20100014901 | Image Carrier Cleaning Device, Image Carrier Cleaning Method, and Image Forming Apparatus - An image carrier cleaning device includes: a first charging member which charges an image carrier to the same polarity as that of a toner after a transfer operation of a toner image formed by the toner charged to a predetermined polarity and having an external additive added thereto; a cleaning member which comes into contact with the image carrier charged by the first charging member; and a second charging member which applies an electric charge having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the toner to the image carrier having passed through the cleaning member. | 01-21-2010 |
20100021190 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - An image forming method includes supplying a protective agent to an image carrier, and charging the image carrier by a plurality of charging units, wherein degrees of discharge deterioration of the surface of the image carrier in the plurality of charging units are different, and wherein, in the amounts of protective agent supplied to charging portions of the plurality of charging units, the amount of protective agent supplied to a charging portion, in which a degree of discharge deterioration of the surface of the image carrier is high, is large. | 01-28-2010 |
20100061764 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier; a first charging unit which charges the latent image carrier; a second charging unit which supplies a charge having a reverse polarity of the charged polarity of the toner; a toner carrying roller which carries a toner layer containing both a contact toner which comes in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller and a non-contact toner which comes in contact with the contact toner and does not come in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller; an electric field forming unit which develops the electrostatic latent image by the toner by generating an alternate electric field as a toner fly electric field between the latent image carrier and the toner carrying roller; and a transfer unit which transfers a toner image formed by developing the electrostatic latent image to a transfer medium. | 03-11-2010 |
20100061775 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image holder that holds on its surface an electrostatic latent image in which an image portion and a non-image portion have different potentials; a toner carrying roller that carries a toner layer including both contact toner which directly contacts a surface of the roller and non-contact toner which contacts the contact toner but does not contact the surface of the roller; and an electric field forming unit that forms an alternating electric field to cause an electric field strength exerted between the non-image portion on the surface of the latent image holder and the surface of the toner carrying roller to be lower than a contact toner fly start electric field strength and higher than a non-contact toner fly start electric field strength, between the latent image holder and the toner carrying roller, as a toner fly electric field. | 03-11-2010 |
20100143004 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit; a transferring unit; and a control unit that performs an image forming process by controlling the latent image carrier, the charging unit, the latent image forming unit, the developing unit and the transferring unit, wherein, during execution of the image forming process, the latent image carrier circulates by passing through the charging position, the developing position and the transferring position in a state in which at least one of toner, which is charged with a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity, and external additive agent, which is separated from the toner and charged with a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity, is distributed and adhered to the surface of the latent image carrier. | 06-10-2010 |
20100143005 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit; a transferring unit; and a cleaning unit, wherein a voltage of the non-image portion of the latent image carrier is Vo, a voltage of the developing bias at the time when a force generated to bias the toner charged with the regular charging polarity in a direction from the latent image carrier to the toner carrier is maximum is Vmax, and a voltage of the developing bias at the time when a force generated to bias the toner charged with the regular charging polarity in a direction from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier is maximum is Vmin, in the developing position, an equation |Vmax−Vo|>|Vmin−Vo| is satisfied. | 06-10-2010 |
20100143006 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit that has a toner carrier; a transferring unit that transfers the toner image on the transfer medium; and a cleaning unit that removes a toner that remains to be adhered to the latent image carrier, wherein the toner carrier carries a toner layer including a contact toner that is directly in contact with the surface of the toner carrier and a non-contact toner that is not directly in contact with the surface of the toner carrier on the surface thereof, and wherein a voltage of the transferring bias is a DC voltage that does not generate discharge between the image portion of the latent image carrier and the transfer medium but generate discharge between the non-image portion of the latent image carrier and the transfer medium. | 06-10-2010 |
20100150617 | DEVELOPING ROLLER MANUFACTURING METHOD, DEVELOPING ROLLER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A method of manufacturing a developing roller, including: a first rolling process for forming a first inclined groove which is continuous in a helical shape, by rotating a first die having blades inclined with respect to an axial direction and a circumferential direction, and a non-bladed die, and feeding an unprocessed developing roller between the first die and the non-bladed die; and a second rolling process for forming a second inclined groove which is continuous in a helical shape and intersects with the first inclined groove, by rotating a second die having blades inclined with respect to an axial direction and a circumferential direction in the direction opposite to that of the first die, and the non-bladed die in the same direction opposite to that in the first rolling process, and feeding the developing roller between the second die and the non-bladed die. | 06-17-2010 |
20100150618 | DEVELOPING ROLLER, DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DEVELOPING ROLLER MANUFACTURING METHOD - A developing roller having a first inclined groove and a second inclined groove, which are continuous in a helical shape inclined with respect to an axial direction and a circumferential direction and which intersect with each other, formed in the surface thereof, wherein the first inclined groove and the second inclined groove have different groove depths. | 06-17-2010 |
20100150619 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a development device including: a development roller in which continuous spiraling inclined grooves having different inclinations with respect to an axial direction are formed so as to cross each other; and a feed roller which is in contact with the development roller and feeds toner to the development roller, wherein transportation force, which is used for transporting the toner on the development roller from one side to the other side of the axial direction of the development roller, is generated by the rotation of the feed roller. | 06-17-2010 |
20100239326 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A developing device, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method are disclosed. The developing device includes a housing that stores toner therein; a toner carrying roller that has a plurality of convex portions and concave portions surrounding the convex portions are formed on the surface of the toner carrying roller; and a conductive regulation blade having a free end comes in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller. The toner includes a conductive external additive as an external additive. The toner carrying roller carries both contact toner which is in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller and non-contact toner which is not in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller, on the concave portion. The regulation blade is applied with a regulation bias voltage of the same polarity as a normal charge polarity of the toner. | 09-23-2010 |
20100239327 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A development device includes a housing having toner housed therein; a toner carrying roller that has a plurality of convex portions and concave portions surrounding the convex portions, formed on a surface thereof; and a conductive restriction blade in which a free end or an adjoining region adjacent to the free end abuts the surface of the toner carrying roller, thereby restricting the amount of the toner carried on surface of the toner carrying roller, wherein the toner has an external additive including a metal oxide, the restriction blade is applied with a restriction bias voltage of the same polarity as the regular electrification polarity of the toner, and a gap between the front end of the free end and the convex portion of the toner carrying roller is smaller than a volume average particle diameter of the toner. | 09-23-2010 |
20100239328 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND TONER - A developing apparatus includes: a housing which contains toner; a toner supporting roller; and a regulating blade, wherein bias voltage is applied to the regulating blade, the toner includes, an insulating external additive and an electrically-conductive external additive, satisfies any of the following first to third conditions, the first condition: a volume average grain diameter of the electrically-conductive external additive is larger than a volume average grain diameter of the insulating external additive, the second condition: a volume average grain diameter of the electrically-conductive external additive is larger than a volume average grain diameter of the insulating external additive in which coverage in the toner is higher than that of the electrically-conductive external additive, and the third condition: coverage of the electrically-conductive external additive in the toner is higher than coverage of the insulating external additive that is larger in volume average grain diameter than the electrically-conductive external additive. | 09-23-2010 |
20100247187 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier which circumferentially rotates in a predetermined rotational direction; a lubricant applying unit which applies a lubricant on a surface of the latent image carrier in a predetermined application position; a developing unit which adheres a toner including an additive having an abrasion effect onto the surface of the latent image carrier on which the lubricant is coated to form a toner image, in a development position located on a downstream side of the application position in the rotational direction; and a conductive blade which cleans and removes the toner on the surface of the latent image carrier in contact with the surface of the latent image carrier, and charges the surface of the latent image carrier, in a cleaning and charging position located on an upstream side of the development position in the rotational direction. | 09-30-2010 |
20100248129 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier which circumferentially rotates in a predetermined rotational direction; a conductive blade which cleans a surface of the latent image carrier by being in contact with the surface of the latent image carrier, and charges the surface of the latent image carrier at a first electric potential having the same polarity as normal charged polarity of a toner according to application of direct current voltage having the same polarity as the normal charged polarity of the toner, in a predetermined cleaning and charging position; and a charger which provides electric charge having reverse polarity to the normal charged polarity and adjusts an electric potential of the surface of the latent image carrier to a second electric potential, in a secondary charging position located on a downstream side of the cleaning and charging position in the rotational direction. | 09-30-2010 |
20100248131 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a lubricant applying unit configured to bring a conductive contact member into contact with a surface of the latent image carrier; a development unit configured to attach toner to the surface of the latent image carrier; and a conductive blade brought into contact with the surface of the latent image carrier at a cleaning position, wherein a bias is applied to at least one of the conductive contact member and the conductive blade such that the surface of the latent image carrier is electrified, and wherein, as the durability of the conductive blade is prolonged, a ratio of the electrification of the surface of the latent image carrier by the conductive blade and the electrification of the surface of the latent image carrier by the conductive contact member is changed. | 09-30-2010 |
20100261111 | TONER, IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner includes at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. The toner contains base toner particles having an average volume particle size of 2 μm to 6 μm, small particle silica having an average volume particle size of 7 nm to 15 nm, large particle silica having an average volume particle size of 50 nm to 400 nm, small particle transition alumina having an average volume particle size of 7 nm to 20 nm, and large particle α-type alumina having an average volume particle size of 50 nm to 400 nm or large particle cerium oxide having an average volume particle size of 50 nm to 400 nm. | 10-14-2010 |
20100261112 | TONER, METHOD FOR FORMING IMAGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner includes toner base particles containing at least a binder resin, a coloring agent, and a release agent and having a volume-average particle size of 2 to 6 μm; at least two types of silica each having a different average particle size; at least one type of electron-conductive oxide semiconductor fine particles selected from titania, transition alumina, zinc oxide, and tin oxide; and at least one type of ion-conductive oxide semiconductor fine particles selected from cerium oxide and stabilized zirconia. | 10-14-2010 |
20100261113 | TONER, METHOD FOR FORMING IMAGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner includes toner base particles containing at least a binder resin, a coloring agent, and a release agent and having a volume-average particle size of 2 to 6 μm; a small particle size silica having an average particle size of 7 to 15 nm; a large particle size silica having an average particle size of 50 to 400 nm; and a small particle size transition alumina obtained by a dawsonite method and having an average particle size of 7 to 20 nm. | 10-14-2010 |
20110102490 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a potential controller that is capable of switching states between a same potential state where potentials at a predetermined portion at the side of the liquid ejecting unit and a predetermined portion at the side of the ejected medium supporting unit are the same and a potential difference generation state where a potential difference is generated between the predetermined portion at the side of the liquid ejecting unit and the predetermined portion at the side of the ejected medium supporting unit. The potential controller forms the same potential state while the ejected medium is transported by the ejected medium transportation unit, and the potential controller forms the potential difference generation state in at least appropriate period while the ejected medium is not transported by the ejected medium transportation unit. | 05-05-2011 |
20110102506 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus including: an ejection target medium supporting section that is disposed to face the liquid ejecting section, and supports the ejection target medium and wherein in at least one of plural types of ejection target mediums having different thicknesses, a gap between the first surface of the ejection target medium supporting section and a rear surface facing the first surface in the ejection target medium is set to be smaller than a gap between a second surface facing the ejection target medium in the liquid ejecting section and a front surface facing the second surface in the ejection target medium. | 05-05-2011 |
20110102507 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A region of the predetermined portion of the medium-to-be-ejected supporting unit in the second direction has a position corresponding to at least one lateral end of the medium to be ejected in the second direction, and extends towards the inside and outside of the medium to be ejected from the position. The at least one lateral end of the medium to be ejected in the second direction is configured such that a line connecting a terminal end position of the predetermined portion of the medium-to-be-ejected supporting unit which is further inside than an end portion of the medium to be ejected, and a terminal end position of the predetermined portion of the liquid ejecting unit which is further outside than the end portion of the medium to be ejected, intersects with the medium to be ejected. | 05-05-2011 |
20110102513 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus, including an electric potential control unit capable of switching between an identical electric potential state which sets a predetermined region of the liquid ejection unit side and a predetermined region of the ejecting medium support unit side to the identical electric potential and an electric potential difference generating state which generates the electric potential difference between both of them, wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus includes a configuration in which, when the ejecting medium passes through a liquid ejecting area to which the liquid is ejected by the liquid ejection unit, the electric potential control unit forms the identical electric potential state, and when the ejecting medium does not pass through the liquid ejecting area, the electric potential control unit forms the electric potential difference generating state for at least a proper period. | 05-05-2011 |
20110109709 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting unit that ejects liquid toward a target ejection medium and a target ejection medium support member that is disposed so as to oppose the liquid ejecting unit and supports the target ejection medium, includes a conductive shielding member that covers a first side of the target ejection medium, which opposes the liquid ejecting unit, at an edge area including an edge perpendicular to a feeding direction of the target ejection medium. | 05-12-2011 |
20110115865 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit that ejects liquid onto a medium serving as an ejection target, a medium support unit that is disposed so as to face the liquid ejecting unit and supports the medium, a medium transportation unit that is first located at an upstream side of the liquid ejecting unit in a transportation direction of the medium and transports the medium to a downstream side, a medium contact section that makes contact with the medium between the medium transportation unit and the liquid ejecting unit in the transportation direction of the medium, and a same potential setting unit that sets the medium contact section and a predetermined section of the liquid ejecting unit to have the same potential. | 05-19-2011 |
20110122200 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection unit that ejects a liquid onto an ejection target medium, a conductive brush provided adjacent to the liquid ejection unit and whose tip opposes the ejection target medium, and a same potential formation unit that sets the conductive brush and a predetermined portion of the liquid ejection unit to the same potential. | 05-26-2011 |
20110192913 | CLEANING METHOD AND FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A method for cleaning a fluid ejecting apparatus is provided. The fluid ejecting apparatus includes a fluid ejecting head that has a plurality of nozzle openings through which fluid is ejected, a fluid supply passage through which the fluid is supplied toward the fluid ejecting head, an open/close valve that is provided on the fluid supply passage, and a pressure reduction mechanism that generates negative pressure in a space outside the nozzle openings. The cleaning method includes a valve-closing operation of putting the open/close valve into a closed state and a pressure reduction operation of generating negative pressure in the space by using the pressure reduction mechanism after the valve-closing operation to cause the fluid to bulge outward at the nozzle openings. | 08-11-2011 |
20110193914 | FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND WIPING METHOD - A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting head in which nozzles that eject fluid are provided; a wiper that wipes a nozzle formation face, in which nozzle orifices of the nozzles are formed, in the fluid ejecting head; and a pressurization mechanism which changes the curvature of a concave liquid surface formed in the nozzle, in the nozzle by performing pressurization on the fluid in the fluid ejecting head at the time of the wiping. | 08-11-2011 |
20110193918 | FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND CLEANING METHOD - A printer includes: a fluid ejecting head provided with multiple nozzles that eject ink; an ink supply tube that supplies the ink to the fluid ejecting head; and a pressure application mechanism that pressurizes the ink to swell from the nozzles by pressurizing the ink within the ink supply tube and then depressurizes the interior of the ink supply tube while the ink is swelling from the nozzles. | 08-11-2011 |
20110199411 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a recording medium; a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid onto the recording medium; a carriage that holds the liquid ejecting head; a charge amount detection unit that detects a charge amount on the recording medium; and a driving control unit. In the case where the charge amount detected by the charge amount detection unit has exceeded a predetermined value, the driving control unit performs at least one of the following: controls the transport unit so that the transport speed of the recording medium becomes relatively slower. | 08-18-2011 |
20110292136 | MAINTENANCE DEVICE, FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE METHOD - A printer includes a fluid ejecting head having a plurality of nozzles, an ink supply channel and a maintenance device. The maintenance device includes a pressure regulating mechanism configured to reduce the pressures in the interiors of the ink supply channels at a position of pressure reduction, and a tight cap being brought into abutment with the fluid ejecting head so that the nozzle openings of the nozzles which receives a supply of ink through flow channels which are subject to relatively small pressure losses first by priority according to the magnitudes of the pressure losses in the respective flow channels extending from the position of pressure reduction to the respective nozzles. | 12-01-2011 |
20110298865 | EJECTION LIQUID DRYNESS SUPPRESSING DEVICE, LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, AND EJECTION LIQUID DRYNESS SUPPRESSING METHOD - There is provided a nozzle contact unit capable of realizing a contact state, where a contact surface comes into close contact with a nozzle formation surface to block a plurality of nozzle openings, and a separated state, where the contact surface is separated from the nozzle formation surface. The nozzle contact unit separates the contact surface from the nozzle formation surface to sequentially open the nozzle openings preferentially from the nozzle opening of the nozzle with a shorter flow passage length of ink flowing from a supply port to the nozzle via a common ink chamber among the plurality of nozzle openings in a procedure from the contact state to the separated state. | 12-08-2011 |
20110298875 | MAINTENANCE APPARATUS, LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, AND MAINTENANCE METHOD - A maintenance apparatus that removes bubbles from a nozzle is provided in a printer that includes a recording head having a nozzle capable of ejecting ink from a nozzle opening formed in a nozzle formation surface. The maintenance apparatus includes: a pressurizing pump that pressurizes the ink in the nozzle in a direction in which the ink is discharged from the nozzle opening; and a contact member having an upper surface that makes contact with the nozzle formation surface so as to cover the nozzle opening, and that has, formed therein, a flow channel whose pressure loss is greater than that of the nozzle and that allows air to pass through from the side of the upper surface. The ink within the nozzle is pressurized by the pressurizing pump in a state in which the contact member is in contact with the nozzle formation surface. | 12-08-2011 |
20120132231 | CLEANING METHOD, CLEANING APPARATUS, AND LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - In the printer, after ink is discharged from nozzle openings by making a closed space area, formed by bringing a cap into contact with a recording head, enter into a negative pressure state due to negative pressure accumulated in a discharge flow path by driving a pump, when making the negative pressure state of the closed space area be subjected to a pressure change in a direction of coming to an atmospheric pressure state, after the air flows into the closed space area by making a second opening and closing valve provided at an inflow flow path which makes the closed space area and an aerial space communicate with each other be in an opened state, the inflow of the air into the closed space area through the inflow flow path is stopped in a state where negative pressure remains in the closed space area. | 05-31-2012 |
20120263505 | Toner-Particle Bearing Roller, Developing Device, and Image Forming Apparatus - A developing device includes a toner particle-bearing roller that bears toner particles on its surface and develops a latent image borne by an image-bearing member with those toner particles, the toner particle-bearing roller has a projection portion disposed on its surface, the projection portion having a top surface having a flat portion, and a width of the top surface being equal to or more than a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles. | 10-18-2012 |
20130147873 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects ink as a liquid, a detection unit including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, and a transparent cover member that covers the detection unit. The cover member possesses the same charge polarity with respect to air as the charge polarity of ink mist which is mist generated from the ink ejected from the liquid ejecting head. | 06-13-2013 |
20130187995 | LIQUID HOLDING CONTAINER AND LIQUID CONSUMING APPARATUS - In a liquid holding container configured so that a first liquid holding section in which a liquid outflow opening and an air intake opening are provided communicates with a second liquid holding section in which a liquid injection opening is provided, a divider member, capable of switching between a state in which the first liquid holding section and the second liquid holding section communicate and a state in which the stated sections are separated from each other in an airtight state, is provided in an area where the first liquid holding section and the second liquid holding section communicate with each other. If the first liquid holding section and the second liquid holding section are separated from each other in an airtight state, a negative pressure within the first liquid holding section can be maintained even if the injection opening is opened. | 07-25-2013 |
20140022315 | FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS AND CLEANING METHOD - A printer includes: a fluid ejecting head provided with multiple nozzles that eject ink; an ink supply tube that supplies the ink to the fluid ejecting head; and a pressure application mechanism that pressurizes the ink to swell from the nozzles by pressurizing the ink within the ink supply tube and then depressurizes the interior of the ink supply tube while the ink is swelling from the nozzles. | 01-23-2014 |