Patent ID: 8708472
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A damper apparatus provided at a midpoint of an ink flow channel connecting an ink tank having ink stored therein and a printer head and configured to open and close the ink flow channel in an ink jet printer having the printer head configured to discharge ink on a printing medium and a carriage configured to move reciprocally along a predetermined scanning direction, the damper apparatus comprising: a housing having a valve chamber communicating with the ink flow channel in an interior of the housing and reciprocally moving integrally with the carriage; an inlet port formed at one end portion of the housing and configured to communicate the ink flow channel on a side of the ink tank and the valve chamber; an outlet port formed at an other end portion of the housing and configured to communicate the ink flow channel on a side of the printer head and the valve chamber; and a valve body configured to be stored so as to be relatively movable in the valve chamber, wherein the valve body moves relatively to a position for closing selectively the inlet port or the outlet port according to a direction of action of an inertial force upon reception of the inertial force in association with an acceleration and deceleration to close the ink flow channel when the carriage is accelerated or decelerated, and the valve body moves relatively to a position for opening selectively the inlet port or the outlet port under an own weight of the valve body to open the ink flow channel when the carriage is not accelerated and decelerated.