Patent ID: 9120315
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A droplet ejection device, comprising: a recording head having a nozzle face with ejection nozzles to eject liquid droplets; a maintenance assembly to maintain and recover ejection performance of the ejection nozzles, the maintenance assembly including a cap to seal the nozzle face of the recording head to form a sealed space therein and a wiper to wipe the nozzle face of the recording head; a droplet suction channel connected to the cap to collect, from the cap, liquid droplets sucked from the ejection nozzles; a tube pump; and an air release channel connected to the cap to introduce air into the cap to return the sealed space of the cap to atmospheric pressure, wherein the air release channel includes wherein the droplet suction channel and the air release channel are communicable with the sealed space of the cap to simultaneously perform collection of the liquid droplets sucked from the ejection nozzles from the cap and introduction of air into the cap, the droplet suction channel has a flow rate greater than the air release channel, and when the liquid droplets are sucked from the ejection nozzles into the droplet suction channel, air is introduced from the air release channel at a flow rate lower than the flow rate of the droplet suction channel, and wherein when the tube pump is in operation and the air release valve is closed, air is introduced into an inside of the cap via the air introduction port, the air release channel and the air release port, and when the tube pump is stopped and the air release valve is opened, an interior of the cap is communicated with ambient atmosphere.