A method and apparatus for image forming using an ink-jet printing system with a detachable carriage

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EP 1 462 269 A8

(12)	CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48)	Corrigendum issued on:
	08.12.2004 Bulletin 2004/50

(43)	Date of publication:
	29.09.2004 Bulletin 2004/40

(21)	Application number: 04005017.1

(22)	Date of filing: 03.03.2004

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: B41J 25/34

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK

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Priority:

27.03.2003 JP 2003086685

(71)	Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
	Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72)	Inventor:
	Kawashima, Yasuhiro Ohta-ku Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(74)	Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx
	Patentanwälte P.O. Box 860245 81629 München 81629 München (DE)

(54)	A method and apparatus for image forming using an ink-jet printing system with a detachable carriage

(57) An ink-jet printing system (11) includes an ink carriage (12), an ink-jet print head (15), a guiding member (13) and a supporting member (14).
The ink carriage is detachably provided to the ink-jet printing system. The ink-jet print head is mounted on the ink carriage. The guiding member is configured to support the ink carriage at operational positions of the ink carriage including a home position. The guiding member is also configured to be disengaged from the ink carriage to exchange the ink carriage. The supporting member is arranged at a position under the ink carriage at the home position to receive the ink carriage when the guiding member is disengaged from the ink carriage at the home position.