Print device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9878542-B2
Application number	US-201715465074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A print device includes a processor, and a memory. The processor performs processes. The processes include a covering control processing controlling the cap into a covering state in which the cap covers the nozzle. The processes include supply processing supplying, after the covering control processing, the cleaning liquid to the cap from the supply flow path. The processes include hold processing holding, after the supply processing and in a state in which the cleaning liquid has soaked the nozzle face, the cleaning liquid in the cap. The processes include first determination processing determining, after the hold processing, whether a print request has been received. The processes include discharge processing discharging, in a case where a power on signal has been detected or in a case where the first determination processing has determined that the print request has been received, the cleaning liquid that has been held in the cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A print device comprising:
a head provided with a nozzle face having a nozzle;
a cap configured to be affixed to the nozzle face and cover the nozzle;
a supply flow path connected to the cap and configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the interior of the cap;
a supply valve provided in the supply flow path and configured to open and close the supply flow path;
a waste liquid flow path connected to the cap and configured to drain off the cleaning liquid that has been supplied to the interior of the cap;
a pump connected to the waste liquid flow path;
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, perform processes including:
covering control processing controlling the cap into a covering state in which the cap covers the nozzle;
supply processing supplying, after the covering control processing, the cleaning liquid to the cap from the supply flow path by opening the supply valve and operating the pump;
hold processing holding, after the supply processing and in a state in which the cleaning liquid has soaked the nozzle face, the cleaning liquid in the cap by closing the supply valve and stopping the pump;
first determination processing determining, after the hold processing, whether a print request has been received; and
discharge processing discharging, in a case where a power on signal has been detected or in a case where the first determination processing has determined that the print request has been received, the cleaning liquid that has been held in the cap to the waste liquid flow path by operating the pump.

2. The print device according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processes including:
second determination processing determining whether a first time period has elapsed since an ink was discharged from the nozzle,

wherein
the covering control processing includes controlling the cap into the covering state in a case where the second determination processing has determined that the first time period has elapsed.

3. The print device according to claim 2 , wherein
the second determination processing includes determining that the first time period has elapsed in a case where printing has not been performed for at least a second time period and purging has not been performed for at least a third time period.

4. The print device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply configured to supply electric power,
wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processes including:
third determination processing determining whether a power off command to turn off the power supply has been received,

wherein
the covering control processing includes controlling the cap into the covering state in a case where the third determination processing has determined that the power off command has been received.

5. The print device according to claim 1 , wherein
the hold processing includes holding, in the state in which the cleaning liquid has soaked the nozzle face, the cleaning liquid in the cap by closing the supply valve after stopping the pump.

6. The print device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a gas flow path connected to one of the cap and the supply flow path; and
an air valve configured to open and close the gas flow path,
wherein
the discharge processing includes discharging the cleaning liquid by opening the air valve and operating the pump.

7. The print device according to claim 6 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further perform processes including:
purge processing closing the air valve and the supply valve and operating the pump at a second rotation speed after the discharge processing and before printing processing, the second rotation speed being faster than a first rotation speed of the pump during the supply processing.

8. The print device according to claim 6 , wherein
the hold processing includes:
discharging the cleaning liquid that has been held in the cap in a case where a fourth time period has elapsed;
resupplying a cleaning liquid to the cap after discharging the cleaning liquid that has been held in the cap; and
holding the resupplied cleaning liquid inside the cap.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Mizutani Toshiaki
• Nishida Katsunori
• Hyakudome Takao
• Kobayashi Haruo
• Okada Goro

Classifications

• B41J2/16523

  Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction (Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721) · CPC title

• B41J2/16508

  connected with the printer frame · CPC title

• B41J2/19 Primary

  for removing air bubbles · CPC title

• B41J2/16505 Primary

  Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out · CPC title

• B41J2/17596

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title