Liquid discharging apparatus

1 . A liquid discharging apparatus, comprising:

a head having a nozzle surface, on which nozzles are formed;

a reservoir section, having:

a liquid reservoir chamber configured to store liquid; and

a first atmosphere communication path connecting the liquid reservoir chamber with atmosphere outside the reservoir section;

a liquid flow path connecting the head with the liquid reservoir chamber for the liquid to flow therein;

a first switching assembly configured to switch states of the first atmosphere communication path between a connecting state, in which the first atmosphere communication path is connected with the atmosphere, and a disconnecting state, in which the first atmosphere communication path is disconnected from the atmosphere;

a cap having:

a body delimiting a covering space, the body being configured to cover the nozzle surface through the covering space; and

a second atmosphere communication path connecting the covering space with the atmosphere; and

a movable assembly configured to move the cap between a covering position, at which the body covers the nozzle surface, and a separated position, at which the body is separated from the nozzle surface; and

a controller configured to:

control the head to discharge the liquid at a sheet with the first atmosphere communication path being in the disconnecting state, where the discharge at the sheet occurs in multiple passes;

between each pass of the multiple passes, determine whether a connecting condition is satisfied;

in response to determining the connecting condition being satisfied, control the first switching assembly to switch the states of the first atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state before performing a next pass and thereafter from the connecting state to the disconnecting state and thereafter control the head to perform discharging of the liquid for the next pass, during a period starting from the determination and ending when the first atmosphere communication path is returned to the disconnecting state, including the switching the states from the disconnecting state to the connecting state and from the connecting state to the disconnecting state, the controller controlling the first switching assembly to operate without causing the liquid reservoir chamber to be supplied with liquid, causing liquid from the liquid reservoir chamber to be supplied and without causing liquid in the nozzles of the head to be suctioned or discharged; and

after finishing discharging the liquid from the head for a last pass for the sheet, when the liquid discharging apparatus is standing by with the head staying motionless at a predetermined position and without operating the head to discharge the liquid, control the movable assembly to move the cap from the separated position to the covering position,

wherein, during an entire time when the liquid discharging apparatus is ON and when the liquid discharging apparatus is standing by with the head staying motionless at the predetermined position and with the cap being located at the covering position, the first atmosphere communication path is in the disconnecting state.

2 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the controller is configured to control the first switching assembly to operate for placing the first atmosphere communication path in the disconnecting state while the cap is located at the covering position.

3 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a second switching assembly configured to switch states of the second atmosphere communication path between a connecting state, in which the second atmosphere communication path is connected with the atmosphere, and a disconnecting state, in which the second atmosphere communication path is disconnected from the atmosphere,

wherein, with the cap being located at the covering position, the second atmosphere communication path is in the connecting state.

4 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the controller is configured to control the second switching assembly to operate for placing the second atmosphere communication path in the connecting state while the cap is located at the covering position.

5 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a second switching assembly configured to switch states of the second atmosphere communication path between a connecting state, in which the second atmosphere communication path is connected with the atmosphere, and a disconnecting state, in which the second atmosphere communication path is disconnected from the atmosphere,

wherein the controller is configured to control the second switching assembly to switch the second atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state after an end of discharging of the liquid from the head and before moving the cap from the separated position to the covering position through the movable assembly.

6 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a second switching assembly configured to switch states of the second atmosphere communication path between a connecting state, in which the second atmosphere communication path is connected with the atmosphere, and a disconnecting state, in which the second atmosphere communication path is disconnected from the atmosphere,

wherein, with the cap being located at the covering position, the second atmosphere communication path is in the disconnecting state.

7 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the controller is configured to control the second switching assembly to operate for placing the second atmosphere communication path in the disconnecting state while the cap is located at the covering position.

8 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the controller is configured to control the second switching assembly to operate for switching the states of the second atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state after an end of discharging of the liquid from the head and before moving the cap from the separated position to the covering position through the movable assembly.

9 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the second atmosphere communication path is in the disconnecting state while the head is discharging the liquid.

10 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the controller is configured to:

control the second switching assembly to operate to switch the states of the second atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state before discharging the liquid from the head;

control the movable assembly to move the cap from the covering position to the separated position, after switching the states of the second atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state through the second switching assembly; and

control the head to discharge the liquid after moving the cap from the covering position to the separated position through the movable assembly.

11 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a pump connected with the covering space through a flow path,

wherein, with the cap being located at the covering position, the controller is configured to activate the pump to cause the liquid to be expelled from the head through the nozzles, after switching the states of the second atmosphere communication path from the connecting state to the disconnecting state through a second switching assembly.

12 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the controller is configured to control the first switching assembly to switch the states of the first atmosphere communication path from the connecting state to the disconnecting state before the liquid is discharged from the head and maintain the first atmosphere communication path in the disconnecting state while the liquid is being discharged from the head.

13 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the controller is configured to control the second switching assembly to operate to switch the states of the second atmosphere communication path from the connecting state to the disconnecting state after an end of moving the cap from the separated position to the covering position through the movable assembly.

14 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir section comprises a plurality of liquid reservoir chambers, where one of the plurality of liquid reservoir chambers is the liquid reservoir chamber,

wherein the reservoir section has a plurality of air chambers, each of which is connected with one of the plurality of liquid reservoir chambers, respectively,

wherein the reservoir section has a plurality of first atmosphere communication paths where one of the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths is the first atmosphere communication path, each of which connects one of the plurality of air chambers with the atmosphere, and

wherein the first switching assembly is configured to switch states of the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths collectively between a connecting state, in which the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths are connected with the atmosphere, and a disconnecting state, in which the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths are disconnected from the atmosphere.

15 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir section comprises a plurality of liquid reservoir chambers, where one of the plurality of liquid reservoir chambers is the liquid reservoir chamber,

wherein the reservoir section has a plurality of air chambers, each of which is connected with one of the plurality of liquid reservoir chambers, respectively,

wherein the reservoir section has a plurality of first atmosphere communication paths where one of the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths is the first atmosphere communication path, each of which connects one of the plurality of air chambers with the atmosphere, and

wherein the first switching assembly is configured to switch states of the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths individually between a connecting state, in which each of the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths is connected with the atmosphere, and a disconnecting state, in which each of the plurality of first atmosphere communication paths is disconnected from the atmosphere.

16 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein, one of prior to discharging the liquid at the sheet from the head and while the liquid is being discharged at the sheet from the head, the controller is configured to control the first switching assembly to operate and control the head for arranging the liquid to be discharged from the head located in a position, in which the head does not face the sheet, with the first atmosphere communication path maintained in the connecting state.

17 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein, one of prior to discharging the liquid at the sheet from the head and while the liquid is being discharged at the sheet from the head, the controller is configured to control the first switching assembly to place the first atmosphere communication path in the disconnecting state and control the head to discharge the liquid in a position, in which the head does not face the sheet, with the first atmosphere communication path maintained in the disconnecting state.

18 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

an expandable/contractive member delimiting an inner space connected with the second atmosphere communication path, the expandable/contractive member being configured to one of expand and contract in response to pressure variations in the second atmosphere communication path.

19 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the head is configured to form menisci with the liquid in the nozzles, the menisci being maintained without collapsing when pressure in the reservoir section is equal to atmospheric pressure.

20 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the reservoir section is mounted on the head, where the reservoir section and the head are mounted to a carriage for reciprocal movement, and

the control of the first switching assembly to place the first atmosphere communication path in the connecting state comprises moving the carriage with the head and reservoir section to a second predetermined position, different from the predetermined position thereby causing the first switching assembly to switch states of the first atmosphere communication path from the disconnecting state to the connecting state.

21 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein the second predetermined position is farther from the sheet in a scanning direction than the predetermined position.

22 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 20 , further comprising a housing having a projection, wherein when the reservoir section is at the second predetermined position, the projection of the housing contacts the first switching assembly thereby placing the first atmosphere communication path in the connecting state.

23 . The liquid discharging apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein

the reservoir section is mounted on the head, where the reservoir section and the head are mounted to a carriage for reciprocal movement, and

in response to determining that the connecting condition is satisfied, the controller obtains a position of the head at a time of the determination and stores the position of the head and after the first atmosphere communication path is returned to the disconnecting state, the controller moves the carriage with the head and reservoir section to the stored position and controls the head to discharge the liquid at the sheet for the next pass.