A liquid discharge apparatus is provided, which comprises a head, a maintenance mechanism which has a cap and which is movable to a maintenance position and a waiting position, a first support mechanism which supports the maintenance mechanism disposed at the maintenance position, and a second support mechanism which supports the maintenance mechanism disposed at the waiting position. One of the first and second support mechanisms is relatively movable to a first position and a second position with respect to the other. When the one of them is disposed at the first position, both of them is configured to support the maintenance mechanism simultaneously. When the one of them is disposed at the second position, the other of them is separated away from the maintenance mechanism.

A single pass inkjet printer that utilizes a modular printing system with one or more self-contained printing modules, where each printing module is easy to remove and replace from a large printing machine, thus resulting in an overall system that is easy to service and maintain Each module is a self-contained printer including an ink supply, printhead drive electronics, and printhead assembly in order to provide one color or fluid of inkjet printing capability. Each module includes a precise three-point compliant self-aligning mount system to obtain accurate printhead positioning, and a unique integrated printhead tending system that includes a compact movable vacuum knife for cleaning the printheads, and a printhead capping station for sealing and protecting the printheads from the ambient environment when not in use.

A channel member of a liquid ejection head includes an ejection surface, an outer peripheral surface that is connected to an outer edge of the ejection surface and that faces outside of the ejection surface in a direction along the ejection surface, and a plurality of ejection holes that open in the ejection surface. The channel member includes a plurality of concave portions in the outer edge of the ejection surface, the plurality of concave portions being recessed in the ejection surface and being recessed in the outer peripheral surface. With the configuration, it is possible to collect, in the concave portions, a liquid (such as ink mist) that has leaked out from the ejection holes.

Provided is a method of controlling a liquid ejecting device. The liquid ejecting device includes a liquid ejecting unit configured to eject a liquid containing an inorganic pigment from a nozzle provided at a nozzle surface, a wiper unit including a band-like member configured to absorb the liquid and a pressing unit configured to move the band-like member in a first direction, and a wiper moving unit configured to move the wiper unit in a second direction opposite to the first direction to wipe the nozzle surface using the band-like member. The method includes performing first wiping in which, to wipe the nozzle surface, the wiper moving unit moves the wiper unit at a first velocity while the pressing unit moves the band-like member at a first velocity.

A liquid ejecting apparatus executing a print operation of ejecting liquid to a medium when a print job is input includes nozzles configured to eject liquid, piezoelectric elements corresponding to the nozzles, and driving circuits configured to supply a micro vibration pulse for generating micro vibration in the liquid included in the nozzles without ejection of the liquid from the nozzles to the piezoelectric elements. Strength of the micro vibration generated by the micro vibration pulse varies based on the print job.

The invention relates to a capping unit (1) for capping at least one printhead (311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 321.1, 321.2, 321.3) of a printer (300), in particular an inkjet printer. The capping unit (1) includes a belt element (2.1, 2.2) having an elongated extent, wherein the belt element (2.1, 2.2) includes at least one flexible cap (3.1, 3.2) for capping the at least one printhead (311.1, 311.2, 311.3, 321.1, 321.2, 321.3), wherein the belt element (2.1, 2.2) features a resting setting and a capping setting and is displaceable from the resting setting to the capping setting and back. The belt element (2.1, 2.2) provides a self-stability section (5.1, 5.2) extending over at least a portion of the belt element (2.1, 2.2)'s elongated extent, wherein in the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) is bendable in a movement plane (13.1, 13.2). In the capping setting, at all positions within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), a course of the elongated extent follows a straight line (14.1, 14.2) in the movement plane (13.1 13.2). Furthermore, in the capping setting, at each position within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) provides a self-stability against bending of the belt element (2.1, 2.2) in a self-stability direction being oriented perpendicular to the straight line (14.1, 14.2) and being aligned in the movement plane (13.1, 13.2). At at least one position within the self-stability section (5.1, 5.2), the belt element (2.1, 2.2) is bendable in the movement plane (13.1, 13.2) away from the straight line (14.1, 14.2) in a bending direction being oriented opposite to the self-stability direction.

Systems and methods are provided for. One embodiment is a system that includes an interface configured to receive an image of media printed on with print data, and memory configured to store defect reference data of nozzles belonging to printheads of a printer. The system also includes a print defect controller configured to detect a nozzle defect in the image based on a comparison of the image with the print data, and to determine a type of the nozzle defect based on a comparison of the nozzle defect with the defect reference data.

A conveying belt has a plurality of flushing openings and a detection hole, and the plurality of flushing openings are arranged in at least two rows along the main scanning direction. Furthermore, the discharge timing controller (a) detects a position of the detection hole in the main scanning direction with a belt sensor, (b) identifies the flushing opening corresponding to the nozzle based on the position of the detected detection hole in the main scanning direction, and (c) causes the print engine to perform flushing of the nozzle at a timing corresponding to the flushing opening.

The liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head, a cap having a closed space forming section forming a closed space, an inflow port through which a humidification fluid flows in, and an outflow port through which the humidification fluid flows out, a humidification fluid storage section storing the humidification fluid, a supply flow path communicating the humidification fluid storage section with the inflow port, a collection flow path communicating the humidification fluid storage section with the outflow port, a pump, a moisture supply section, and a controller. One end of the collection flow path opens at a position in the humidification fluid storage section that is lower than a liquid surface of the humidification fluid. The controller causes the moisture supply section to supply water into the circulation path and drives the pump to cause the humidification fluid to flow in the circulation path.

A linear motion extensible device (21) includes: rod-shaped members (31); and a rotating plate (42) rotating in a wind-up direction to wind up the rod-shaped members (30) while rotating them around a coupling rotational shaft (32) and rotating in a wind-off direction to push out the rod-shaped members (31) so as to arrange them in a line, wherein the rod-shaped member (31) has: an intermediate shaft (33) and an angle regulating part (34) which regulates widening an angle between the adjacent rod-shaped members (31), the rotating plate (42) has engagement grooves (44) engaged with the coupling rotational shaft (32) and the intermediate shaft (33), and when the rotating plate (42) is rotated in the wind-off direction, the coupling rotational shaft (32) and the intermediate shaft (33) come into contact with an inner surface (45) of the engagement groove (44), are pushed out, and leave the engagement grooves (44).