Unlock instant, AI-driven research and patent intelligence for your innovation.

Image forming apparatus

By designing a multi-chamber liquid box and connecting path in the image forming device to detect and transfer the remaining liquid, the problem of liquid waste and large equipment volume is solved, and more efficient liquid utilization and smaller equipment volume are achieved, and the equipment can be processed in a timely manner. Notify the user to replace the liquid cartridge.

Active Publication Date: 2012-05-09
BROTHER KOGYO KK
View PDF7 Cites 2 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

As a result, the size of the image forming apparatus becomes larger

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

no. 1 approach

[0042] The overall structure of an inkjet printer

[0043] will refer to figure 1 The overall structure of the inkjet printer 10 according to the first embodiment will be described. The inkjet printer 10 is a line printer that prints image lines on the surface of the sheet P by ejecting different kinds of liquids R1 and R2 on the surface of the sheet P as the conveying unit 12 conveys the sheet P as a recording medium ( line printer). The liquids R1 , R2 are respectively stored in liquid containers 14 a , 14 b which are compartments integrally formed in the liquid cartridge 16 . The liquid cartridge 16 is mounted to the cartridge mounting portion 18 in a movable manner along the cartridge mounting portion 18 . In addition, the inkjet printer 10 includes: a plurality of (for example, 2) liquid applicators (applicator) 20a, 20b that apply liquids R1, R2 to form image lines; and a plurality of (for example, 2) communication paths 22a, 22b, which connects the liquid containe...

no. 2 approach

[0090] will refer to Figure 7 A second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The inkjet printer 110 according to the second embodiment has liquid containers 14 a , 14 b respectively containing the black ink R1 and the treatment agent R2 for coagulating or precipitating the black ink R1 . In addition, the inkjet printer 110 also has a plurality (for example, two) of liquid application sections, which are inkjet heads 20a for ejecting the black ink R1 on the surface of the sheet P, and applying rollers 112 to The treatment agent R2 is applied to the liquid application portion 114 on the surface of the sheet P. As shown in FIG. The application roller 112 is rotatably arranged in the agent storage 116 containing the treatment agent R2. The agent storage unit 116 is connected to a sub-tank 118 temporarily storing the treatment agent R2. Furthermore, a sub-tank 118 is connected to the downstream end of the communication path 22b. Therefore, the processing agent...

no. 3 approach

[0093] will refer to Figure 8 A third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The inkjet printer 120 according to the third embodiment has a plurality of (for example, three) liquid containers 14 a , 14 b , 13 c respectively containing ink R1 , treatment agent R2 , and humidifying liquid R3 . In addition, the inkjet printer 120 also has a plurality (for example, three) of liquid application sections, which are the inkjet head 20 a for ejecting the ink R1 , the spray head 20 b for ejecting the treatment agent R2 , and the humidifying section 125 . The liquid container 14c is similar in construction to the liquid containers 14a, 14b, and components similar to the liquid containers 14a, 14b will use like reference numerals.

[0094] The humidification part 125 includes: a vaporization unit 122 that vaporizes the humidification liquid R3; and a humidification application part 124 that supplies the vaporized humidification liquid R3 to the inkjet head 20a and the s...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a liquid cartridge having a plurality of liquid tanks, a cartridge mount, liquid applicators, communication paths to communicably connect the liquid tanks with the liquid applicators, a subsidiary tank arranged in an intermediate position in one of the communication paths, a first remaining amount detector to detect amounts of liquids remaining in the liquid tanks, a first liquid conveyer to transfer the liquid from the communicably connected liquid tank to the subsidiary tank, and a first liquid conveyer controller to manipulate the first liquid conveyer. When an amount of one of the liquids remaining in one of the liquid tanks is smaller than a first predetermined amount, the first liquid conveyer controller manipulates the first liquid conveyer to transfer the other of the liquids remaining in the other of the liquid tanks to the subsidiary tank.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a liquid cartridge in which a plurality of liquid containers are integrally formed. Background technique [0002] An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting a first kind of liquid (for example, ink) on the surface of the recording medium is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-141841. In this publication, in order to improve the quality of image formation and maintain the appearance of the formed image, a second type of liquid that condenses specific components in the first type of liquid is applied to the surface of the recording medium. ) or deposit. However, when the first kind of liquid and the second kind of liquid are contained in separate containers, respectively, a space for accommodating the separate containers is required in the image forming apparatus. As a result, the image forming apparatus becomes bulky. [00...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): B41J2/01B41J2/175B41J2/165
CPCB41J2/175B41J2/18B41J2/17566B41J2/17553B41J2/1752B41J2/2114B41J2/17509B41J2/16523B41J2/16508
Owner BROTHER KOGYO KK