Granted Patent B2

US 12,643,327 · App. 18/603,272 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventor: Kenta Takahashi (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.

B41J2/16544B41J2002/1655

Abstract

Claims (43)

1 . A wiping device comprising:

a web windable for a winding length;

a memory;

circuitry configured to:

cause the web to wipe in a wiping direction:

a first head to discharge a first type of liquid; and

a second head to discharge a second type of liquid different from the first type of liquid; and

cause the memory to store information about one of the first head or the second head that has been previously wiped with the web; and

change the winding length of the web based on a combination of:

the information about the one of the first head or the second head stored in the memory; and

information about another of the first head or the second head to be wiped after the one of the first head or the second head.

2 . The wiping device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first pressing part to press the web against the first head; and

a second pressing part to press the web against the second head,

each of the first pressing part and the second pressing part movable between:

a contact position at which the first pressing part and the second pressing part press the web against the first head and the second head, respectively; and

a separated position at which the first pressing part and the second pressing part are moved away from the contact position,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

cause one of the first pressing part or the second pressing part to contact the web before wiping corresponding the one of the first head or the second head;

cause the one of the first pressing part or the second pressing part to move away from the web after wiping corresponding the one of the first head or the second head; and

cause the web to wind the winding length at a winding timing:

after a selection of the one of the first head or the second head to be wiped; and

before the one of the first pressing part or the second pressing part presses the web against corresponding the one of the first head or the second head.

3 . The wiping device according to claim 2 , wherein the second head is adjacent to and downstream from the first head in the wiping direction,

the circuitry is further configured to:

cause the first pressing part to wipe the first head followed by causing the second pressing part to wipe the second head in a first wiping operation;

cause the first pressing part to wipe the first head twice or cause the second pressing part to wipe the second head twice in a second wiping operation; and

cause the second pressing part to wipe the second head followed by causing the first pressing part to wipe the first head in a third wiping operation,

wherein the winding length of the web has a relationship of L3>L2>L1,

where

L1 denotes a winding length of the web during the first wiping operation;

L2 denotes a winding length of the web during the second wiping operation, and

L3 denotes a winding length of the web during the third wiping operation.

4 . The wiping device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

store, in the memory, information indicating wiping in progress during wiping the one of the first head or the second head; and

set a longest winding length of the web for wiping the one of the first head or the second head within a selectable range when the information indicating wiping in progress is stored in the memory for the one of the first head or the second head.

5 . A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

the wiping device according to claim 1 ; and

multiple heads including the first head and the second head.

6 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the first head discharges a treatment liquid; and

the second head discharges an ink reactive with the treatment liquid.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (13)