IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,728,640
Granted Patent B2
US 12,728,640 · App. 18/840,502 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Liquid discharge system

Inventors: Tomoya Tanaka (Kanagawa, JP); Kento Aoki (Kanagawa, JP); Bingxian Chen (Kanagawa, JP); Shigeru Yoshida (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B41J2/16511B41J2/16552B41J2/17596B41J3/4073B41J23/20B41J2002/16555B41J2202/05
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,728,640
App. No.
18/840,502
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid discharge system includes: a first head having a first nozzle, from which a liquid is to be discharged, on a first nozzle face oriented in a first direction; a second head having a second nozzle, from which a liquid is to be discharged, on a second nozzle face oriented in a second direction different from the first direction; a head holder holding the first head and the second head; a first sealer configured to contact and seal the first nozzle face; a second sealer configured to contact and seal the second nozzle face; a first cleaner configured to clean the first nozzle face in a state where the first sealer has contacted and sealed the first nozzle face; and a second cleaner configured to clean the second nozzle face in a state where the second sealer has contacted and sealed the second nozzle face.

Claims (78)

1 . A liquid discharge system comprising:

a first head including a first nozzle, from which a liquid is to be discharged, on a first nozzle face oriented in a first direction;

a second head including a second nozzle, from which a liquid is to be discharged, on a second nozzle face oriented in a second direction different from the first direction;

a head holder holding the first head and the second head;

a first sealer to contact and seal the first nozzle face;

a second sealer to contact and seal the second nozzle face;

a first cleaner to clean the first nozzle face in a state where the first sealer has contacted and sealed the first nozzle face;

a second cleaner to clean the second nozzle face in a state where the second sealer has contacted and sealed the second nozzle face;

a first mover to relatively move the first nozzle face and the first sealer;

a second mover to relatively move the second nozzle face and the second sealer;

a robot to move the head holder; and

processing circuitry, wherein:

the robot is coupled to at least one of the first mover or the second mover,

the first nozzle face has a first area;

the second nozzle face has a second area smaller than the first area; and

the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the first sealer to press against the first nozzle face with a first force, and

control the second sealer to press against the second nozzle face with a second force smaller than the first force.

2 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 wherein:

the first mover includes a first drive source, and

the second mover includes a second drive source different from the first drive source.

3 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the first mover to relatively move the first nozzle face and the first sealer in the first direction; and

control the second mover to relatively move the second nozzle face and the second sealer in the second direction different from the first direction.

4 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a driver driven by air,

wherein the driver is coupled to at least one of the first mover or the second mover.

5 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the second sealer to start contacting and sealing the second nozzle face after the first sealer has contacted and sealed the first nozzle face.

6 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealer includes an elastic to change an inclination of the first sealer according to an inclination of the first nozzle face.

7 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein the second sealer includes an elastic to change an inclination of the second sealer according to an inclination of the second nozzle face.

8 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein the first head includes:

an elastic; and

a first contact coupled to the elastic, the first contact to contact the first sealer.

9 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein the second head includes:

an elastic; and

a second contact coupled to the elastic, the second contact to contact the second sealer.

10 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 1 , wherein:

a moving speed of each of the first mover and the second mover is variable.

11 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the moving speed of the first mover to decrease as the first nozzle face approaches the first sealer.

12 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the moving speed of the second mover to decrease as the second nozzle face approaches the second sealer.

13 . A liquid discharge system comprising:

a first head including a first nozzle, from which a liquid is to be discharged, on a first nozzle face oriented in a first direction;

a second head including a second nozzle, from which a liquid is to be discharged, on a second nozzle face oriented in a second direction different from the first direction;

a head holder holding the first head and the second head;

a first sealer to contact and seal the first nozzle face;

a second sealer to contact and seal the second nozzle face;

a first cleaner to clean the first nozzle face in a state where the first sealer has contacted and sealed the first nozzle face;

a second cleaner to clean the second nozzle face in a state where the second sealer has contacted and sealed the second nozzle face;

a first mover to relatively move the first nozzle face and the first sealer;

a second mover to relatively move the second nozzle face and the second sealer; and

processing circuitry, wherein:

the first nozzle face has a first area;

the second nozzle face has a second area smaller than the first area; and

the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the first sealer to press against the first nozzle face with a first force,

control the second sealer to press against the second nozzle face with a second force smaller than the first force, and

control the second sealer to start contacting and sealing the second nozzle face after the first sealer has contacted and sealed the first nozzle face.

14 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the first mover includes a first drive source, and

the second mover includes a second drive source different from the first drive source.

15 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 13 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the first mover to relatively move the first nozzle face and the first sealer in the first direction; and

control the second mover to relatively move the second nozzle face and the second sealer in the second direction different from the first direction.

16 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a driver driven by air,

wherein the driver is coupled to at least one of the first mover or the second mover.

17 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the first sealer includes an elastic to change an inclination of the first sealer according to an inclination of the first nozzle face.

18 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 13 , wherein:

the second sealer includes an elastic to change an inclination of the second sealer according to an inclination of the second nozzle face.

19 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 13 , wherein:

a moving speed of each of the first mover and the second mover is variable, and

the processing circuitry is configured to control the moving speed of the first mover to decrease as the first nozzle face approaches the first sealer.

20 . The liquid discharge system according to claim 19 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

control the moving speed of the second mover to decrease as the second nozzle face approaches the second sealer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: TANAKA, TOMOYA; AOKI, KENTO; CHEN, BINGXIAN; YOSHIDA, SHIGERU
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 068363/0108 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-046306 · Mar 23, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250178349A1 · Jun 5, 2025
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