IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,629,945
Granted Patent B2
US 12,629,945 · App. 18/635,177 · Granted May 19, 2026

Liquid discharge apparatus

Inventor: Yuuta Aoki (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
B41J2/235B41J2/13B41J2/2114B41J29/393G01J3/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,629,945
App. No.
18/635,177
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes multiple liquid discharge heads, a medium mover, and circuitry. The multiple liquid discharge heads include a first liquid discharge head to discharge a treatment liquid onto a region of the medium and a second liquid discharge head to discharge a color liquid onto the region to paint the region, on which the treatment liquid is applied, in a predetermined color. The circuitry causes the first and second liquid discharge heads to form an evaluation chart. The evaluation chart includes patterns different in a combination of a first discharge amount of the treatment liquid and a second discharge amount of the color liquid. Further, the circuitry performs a setting of the first discharge amount with respect to the second discharge amount according to the coloring, and causes the second liquid discharge head to discharge the treatment liquid onto the region based on the setting.

Claims (29)

1 . A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:

multiple liquid discharge heads to discharge a liquid onto a medium, the multiple liquid discharge heads including:

a first liquid discharge head to discharge a treatment liquid onto a region of the medium;

a second liquid discharge head to discharge a color liquid onto the region of the medium to paint the region of the medium, on which the treatment liquid is applied by the first liquid discharge head, in a predetermined color, a coloring of which is affected by the treatment liquid; and

a medium mover to move at least one of the multiple liquid discharge heads or the medium relative to each other; and

circuitry configured to:

cause the first liquid discharge head and the second liquid discharge head to form an evaluation chart on the region of the medium, the evaluation chart including patterns different in a combination of a first discharge amount of the treatment liquid and a second discharge amount of the color liquid;

perform a setting of the first discharge amount of the treatment liquid with respect to the second discharge amount of the color liquid according to the coloring of the predetermined color in the evaluation chart; and

cause the second liquid discharge head to discharge the treatment liquid onto the region of the medium based on the setting.

2 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

cause the first liquid discharge head and the second liquid discharge head to form the evaluation chart according to a type of the medium; and

cause the first liquid discharge head and the second liquid discharge head to form an image on the medium based on the setting according to the type of the medium.

3 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the type of the medium includes a thickness of the medium.

4 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a colorimeter to measure the coloring of the predetermined color in the evaluation chart to determine the first discharge amount of the treatment liquid with respect to the second discharge amount of the color liquid.

5 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation panel to display a setting screen on which the combination of the first discharge amount of the treatment liquid and the second discharge amount of the color liquid is changeably displayed.

6 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to cause the first liquid discharge head and the second liquid discharge head to form an image on the medium based on the setting according to the coloring of the patterns of the evaluation chart to which a deterioration process is performed.

7 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the predetermined color is white.

8 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the evaluation chart includes multiple rectangular patterns arranged in two dimensions,

the first discharge amount of the treatment liquid is changed in the multiple rectangular patterns in one of the two dimensions, and

the second discharge amount of the color liquid is changed in the multiple rectangular patterns in another of the two dimensions.

9 . The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the evaluation chart includes multiple band patterns arranged in an arrangement direction,

the first discharge amount of the treatment liquid is changed in each of the multiple band patterns in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction, and

the second discharge amount of the color liquid is changed in the multiple band patterns in the arrangement direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2024
From: AOKI, YUUTA
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 067104/0748 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-067395 · Apr 17, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240343046A1 · Oct 17, 2024
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