IP Library Granted Patent US 12673502
Granted Patent B2
US 12673502 · App. 18/538,674 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Liquid ejection device

Inventors: Naomi Kimura (Okaya, JP); Shoma Kudo (Shiojiri, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
B41J2/17566B41J2/16508B41J2/16517B41J2/16523B41J2/1721
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12673502
App. No.
18/538,674
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid ejection device regulates discharge of liquid from a liquid ejection head after a remaining amount detection section detects that remaining amount of liquid contained in a liquid container falls below a first threshold in a case where instruction related to disposal is not input by an input section, and allows discharge of the liquid from the liquid discharge head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below the first threshold in a case where the instruction regarding disposal is input by the input section.

Claims (61)

1 . A liquid ejection device comprising:

a liquid ejection head configured to eject liquid contained in a liquid container;

a remaining amount detection section configured to detect the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container;

an input section configured to input a predetermined instruction;

a control section configured to perform control based on the instruction input by the input section;

a cleaning section configured to forcibly discharge the liquid from the liquid ejection head and

a waste liquid mount section configured to attach and detach a waste liquid container configured to contain the liquid as waste liquid discharged from the liquid ejection head by the cleaning section;

a waste liquid detection section configured to detect a contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container, wherein

when an instruction related to disposal is not input by the input section, the control section regulates discharge of the liquid from the liquid ejection head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below a first threshold,

when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section, the control section allows discharge of the liquid from the liquid ejection head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below the first threshold,

the control section allows the waste liquid container to contain the waste liquid until the waste liquid detection section detects that the contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds a second threshold, and

the control section regulates containment of waste liquid by the waste liquid container after the waste liquid detection section detects the contained amount of the waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds the second threshold.

2 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control section is configured to, when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section, execute control of ejecting a larger ejection amount of the liquid from the liquid ejection head to a predetermined region of a medium compared to when the instruction related to disposal is not input by the input section.

3 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein

the waste liquid mount section is configured such that a waste liquid container that is for disposal is attachable and detachable and

the control section is configured to, when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section, cause a notification section to perform notification for prompting the waste liquid container that is for disposal to be mounted on the waste liquid mounting section.

4 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 3 , wherein

the waste liquid mount section is configured such that the waste liquid container that is for disposal, in which a curing agent having a component for curing the waste liquid is contained in advance, is attachable and detachable.

5 . A liquid ejection device comprising:

a liquid ejection head configured to eject liquid contained in a liquid container;

a remaining amount detection section configured to detect the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container;

an input section configured to input a predetermined instruction;

a control section configured to perform control based on the instruction input by the input section;

a cleaning section configured to forcibly discharge the liquid from the liquid ejection head;

a waste liquid container configured to contain the liquid as waste liquid discharged from the liquid ejection head by the cleaning section; and

a waste liquid detection section configured to detect a contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container, wherein

when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section,

the control section allows the waste liquid container to contain the waste liquid until the waste liquid detection section detects that the contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds a second threshold,

the control section regulates containment of waste liquid by the waste liquid container after the waste liquid detection section detects the contained amount of the waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds the second threshold,

when an instruction related to disposal is not input by the input section, the control section regulates discharge of the liquid from the liquid ejection head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below a first threshold and

when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section, the control section allows discharge of the liquid from the liquid ejection head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below the first threshold.

6 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a mount section configured to enable attachment thereto and detachment therefrom the liquid container, wherein

the mount section is configured such that a liquid container that is for disposal, in which a curing liquid having a component for curing the liquid is contained, is attachable and detachable.

7 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

the liquid container, wherein

the liquid container has an inlet configured so as to enable injection of liquid, and

the inlet is configured to enable insertion of an insertion port of a curing liquid vessel in which is contained a curing liquid having a component for curing the liquid.

8 . A liquid ejection device comprising:

a liquid ejection head configured to eject liquid contained in a liquid container;

a remaining amount detection section configured to detect the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container;

an input section configured to input a predetermined instruction; and

a control section configured to perform control based on the instruction input by the input section, wherein

when an instruction related to disposal is not input by the input section, the control section regulates discharge of the liquid from the liquid ejection head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below a first threshold and

when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section, the control section (i) allows discharge of the liquid from the liquid ejection head after the remaining amount detection section detects that the remaining amount of the liquid contained in the liquid container falls below the first threshold and (ii) cause a notification section to perform notification for prompting positioning of a medium in a medium accommodation section to receive the liquid from the liquid ejection head.

9 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a cleaning section configured to forcibly discharge the liquid from the liquid ejection head and

a waste liquid mount section configured to attach and detach a waste liquid container configured to contain the liquid as waste liquid discharged from the liquid ejection head by the cleaning section.

10 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a waste liquid detection section configured to detect a contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container, wherein

when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section,

the control section allows the waste liquid container to contain the waste liquid until the waste liquid detection section detects that the contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds a second threshold and

the control section regulates containment of waste liquid by the waste liquid container after the waste liquid detection section detects the contained amount of the waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds the second threshold.

11 . The liquid ejection device according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a cleaning section configured to forcibly discharge the liquid from the liquid ejection head;

a waste liquid container configured to contain the liquid as waste liquid discharged from the liquid ejection head by the cleaning section; and

a waste liquid detection section configured to detect a contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container, wherein

when the instruction related to disposal is input by the input section,

the control section allows the waste liquid container to contain the waste liquid until the waste liquid detection section detects that the contained amount of waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds a second threshold and

the control section regulates containment of waste liquid by the waste liquid container after the waste liquid detection section detects the contained amount of the waste liquid contained in the waste liquid container exceeds the second threshold.