IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,076,996
Granted Patent B2
US 12,076,996 · App. 17/683,788 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Liquid discharge apparatus

Inventors: Tetsu Morino (Kanagawa, JP); Takeyuki Kobayashi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
B41J2/16523B41J2/1721B41J2002/1735
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,076,996
App. No.
17/683,788
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes an apparatus body, a liquid discharge head in the apparatus body, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid, and a waste liquid tube coupled to a coupling portion of the apparatus body, the waste liquid tube having flexibility and including a spiral structure portion at least in a part of the waste liquid tube, the waste liquid tube configured to discharge, outside the apparatus body, a waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head.

Claims (44)

1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body;

a liquid discharge head in the apparatus body, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid; and

a waste liquid tube coupled to a coupling portion of the apparatus body, the waste liquid tube having flexibility and at least partially including a spiral structure portion in the waste liquid tube, the waste liquid tube configured to discharge, outside the apparatus body, a waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head,

wherein the waste liquid tube is coupled to a waste liquid container outside the apparatus body,

wherein the waste liquid tube is configured to be disposed such that the waste liquid tube has a continuous incline in a gravity direction from the coupling portion toward the waste liquid container.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the waste liquid tube is disposed in a gravity direction from the coupling portion toward the waste liquid container.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the spiral structure portion has a helical shape extending downward in a gravity direction.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the spiral structure portion is a cylindrical spring configured to expand and contract.

5. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body;

a liquid discharge head in the apparatus body, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid;

a waste liquid tube coupled to a coupling portion of the apparatus body, the waste liquid tube having flexibility, the waste liquid tube configured to discharge, outside the apparatus body, a waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head; and

a link mechanism configured to hold the waste liquid tube to expand and contract the waste liquid tube,

wherein the waste liquid tube is coupled to a waste liquid container outside the apparatus body,

wherein the waste liquid tube is configured to be disposed such that the waste liquid tube has a continuous incline in a gravity direction from the coupling portion toward the waste liquid container.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the waste liquid tube is disposed in a gravity direction from the coupling portion toward the waste liquid container.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the link mechanism is inside the apparatus body, and

the link mechanism is configured to be folded and unfolded along a guide.

8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein the link mechanism is outside the apparatus body, and

the link mechanism is configured to be folded and unfolded along a guide.

9. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body;

a liquid discharge head in the apparatus body, the liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid;

a waste liquid tube coupled to a coupling portion of the apparatus body, the waste liquid tube having flexibility, the waste liquid tube configured to discharge, outside the apparatus body, a waste liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head; and

a reel configured to rotate and wind the waste liquid tube around the reel,

wherein the waste liquid tube is coupled to a waste liquid container outside the apparatus body,

wherein the waste liquid tube is configured to be disposed such that the waste liquid tube has a continuous incline in a gravity direction from the coupling portion toward the waste liquid container.

10. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein the waste liquid tube is disposed in a gravity direction from the coupling portion toward the waste liquid container.

11. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a shaft to which the reel is rotatably fitted.

12. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a spiral spring between the reel and the shaft.

13. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a fixed wall;

a stopper between an outer peripheral surface of the reel and the fixed wall,

wherein the stopper is separable from a position between the outer peripheral surface of the reel and the fixed wall.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2022
From: MORINO, TETSU; KOBAYASHI, TAKEYUKI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 059167/0304 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2021-044081 · Mar 17, 2021 · national
JP 2021-170999 · Oct 19, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220297434A1 · Sep 22, 2022