1. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting droplets onto the recording medium, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a head assembly including (a-1) a plurality of recording heads having respective nozzle opening surfaces in each of which a plurality of nozzles open such that the droplets can be ejected through said nozzles toward the recording medium, and (a-2) a head frame supporting said recording heads;
(b) a plurality of annular protrusions each of which is to be brought into contact with said head assembly, so as to surround said plurality of nozzles opening in a corresponding one of said nozzle opening surfaces exposed in said head frame, upon contact of each of said annular protrusions with said head assembly;
(c) a supporting tray supporting said annular protrusions, and elongated in a supporting-tray longitudinal direction in which each of said nozzle opening surfaces of said recording heads is also elongated, such that a dimension of said supporting tray as measured in the supporting-tray longitudinal direction is larger than a dimension of said supporting tray as measured in a supporting-tray width direction which is perpendicular to the supporting-tray longitudinal direction and which is parallel to an opening surface plane that contains said nozzle opening surfaces,
(d) a movement mechanism configured to move at least one of said head assembly and said supporting tray, so as to selectively establish a contact state in which said annular protrusions are in contact with said head assembly and a non-contact state in which said annular protrusions are not in contact with said head assembly; and
(e) a first pin projecting from a first pin-located portion of said supporting tray, in a direction perpendicular to the opening surface plane,
wherein said first pin-located portion of said supporting tray is outside said annular protrusions that are disposed on said supporting tray, and is located in a center of said supporting tray in the supporting-tray longitudinal direction,
wherein said head frame has a first hole, into which said first pin is to be introduced upon contact of each of said annular protrusions with said head assembly,
wherein said image recording apparatus further comprising at least one second pin projecting from a second-pin-located portion of said supporting tray in the direction perpendicular to said opening surface plane,
wherein said second-pin-located portion is outside said annular protrusions that are disposed on said supporting tray, and is distant from said first pin-located portion,
wherein said head frame further comprises at least one second hole, into which said at least one second pin is to be introduced upon contact of each of said annular protrusions with said head assembly,
wherein said at least one second hole, into which said at least one second pin is to be introduced, has an elongated-shaped opening that is elongated in an elongated direction, which is parallel to a line passing through said first pin and said at least one second pin when said contact state is being established,
wherein each of said first and second pins has a circular cross-sectional shape,
wherein said first hole, into which said first pin is to be introduced, has a circular-shaped opening that is different in shape from said elongated-shaped opening of said at least one second hole,
wherein said first pin is to be fitted in said first hole, without clearance between said first pin and said first hole, and
wherein said at least one second pin is to be introduced in said at least one second hole, with clearance between said at least one second pin and said at least one second hole in said elongated direction.
2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a tray assembly including a plurality of supporting trays each of which consists of said supporting tray, such that said plurality of supporting trays each supporting said plurality of annular protrusions are arranged in the supporting-tray width direction;
wherein said head assembly includes a plurality of head frames each of which consists of said head frame, such that said plurality of head frames each supporting said plurality of recording heads are arranged in the supporting-tray width direction.
3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a conveyor configured to convey the recording medium in a recording-medium conveying direction while the image is being recorded on the recording medium,
wherein said first-pin-located portion of said supporting tray is located in the center of said supporting tray in a direction which is parallel to said opening surface plane and which is perpendicular to the recording-medium conveying direction.
4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said annular protrusions cooperates with a corresponding one of said nozzle opening surfaces and said supporting tray, to define an enclosed space upon contact said each of said annular protrusions with said head assembly.
5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head frame has a plurality, of through-holes located in respective positions in which said recording heads are positioned such that each of said nozzle opening surfaces is exposed through an opening of a corresponding one of said through-holes.
6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first pin-located portion is a central portion of said supporting tray.
7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said at least one second pin consists of a plurality of second pins located in respective second-pin-located portions each of which consists of said second-pin-located portion,
and wherein said second-pin-located portions are symmetrical, with respect to said first-pin-located portion.
8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said at least one second hole is distant from said first hole in a nozzle-opening-surface longitudinal direction in which said nozzle opening surfaces are elongated,
and wherein said at least one second hole is elongated in said nozzle-opening-surface elongated direction.
9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said supporting tray is elongated in the supporting-tray longitudinal direction,
and wherein said at least one second pin consists of a plurality of second pins located in end portions of said supporting tray that are opposite to each other in the supporting-tray longitudinal direction.
10. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first pin has a distal end that is positioned relative to a distal end of each of said annular protrusions, such that a distance between said distal end of said first pin and said opening surface plane is smaller than a distance between said distal end of each of said annular protrusions and said opening surface plane when said non-contact state is being established.
11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second pins has a distal end that is positioned relative to a distal end of each of said annular protrusions, such that a distance between said distal end of each of said first and second pins and said opening surface plane is smaller than a distance between said distal end of each of said annular protrusions and said opening surface plane when said non-contact state is being established.
12. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one second hole is adjacent, in said opening surface plane, to a corresponding one of said nozzle opening surfaces.
13. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first pin has a higher hardness than that of each of said annular protrusions.
14. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second pins has a higher hardness than that of each of said annular protrusions.
15. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said annular protrusions, said supporting tray and said first and second pins cooperate to constitute a cap unit, which is formed by a double injection molding such that said annular protrusions are made of a material while said supporting tray and said first and second pins are made of another material.
16. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a seal member that is attached to one of said first pin and said first hole andor a seal member that is attached to one of said second pin and said second hole, such that a gap between said first pin and hole andor a gap between said second pin and hole are sealed when said contact state is being established.
17. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein said first pin is fitted in said first hole without clearance between said first pin and said first hole, in said contact state in which said annular protrusions are in contact with said head assembly, and
wherein said at least one second pin is introduced in said at least one second hole with clearance between said at least one second pin and said at least one second hole in said elongated direction, in said contact state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A wildlife containment apparatus comprising:
a base member;
a selectively extensible support member attached to said base member, wherein said extensible support member is selectively extensible between a retracted position wherein an end of said extensible support member is disposed generally adjacent said base member, and an extended position wherein said end of said extensible support member is longitudinally spaced away from said base member; and
a lid attached to said extensible support member;
wherein said lid cooperates with said base member and said extensible support member to define a first volume when said extensible support member is in said retracted position, and said extensible support member cooperates with said base member to define a second volume when said extensible support member is in said extended position, said second volume being at least equal to said first volume; and
wherein said lid defines at least a portion of said first volume, and said lid defines a viewing panel permitting viewing of said portion of said first volume when said extensible support member is in said refracted position.
2. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said extensible support member includes a flexible bellows.
3. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lid is selectively removable from said extensible support member.
4. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said viewing panel extends about a perimeter of said lid.
5. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 4, wherein said viewing panel is generally seamless about said perimeter.
6. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said extensible support member and said base member form a generally fluid-tight interface when said extensible support member is extended such that a liquid included in said first volume is contained within the extensible support member, thereby permitting removal of said lid when said extensible support member is in said extended position.
7. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gasket disposed on one of said lid and said extensible support member, said gasket operable to generally seal an interface between said lid and said extensible support member.
8. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lid includes a hatch operable to provide access to an interior of said lid when said lid is attached to said extensible support member.
9. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lid includes at least one aperture for allowing ventilation of an interior of said lid when said lid is secured to said extensible support member.
10. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of said lid and said extensible support member has at least one attachment member for engaging the other of said lid and said extensible support member to selectively secure said lid to said extensible support member.
11. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one attachment member includes a post operable to engage a keyhole slot disposed on said other of said lid and said extensible support member.
12. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base member has at least one retention mechanism operable to retain said extensible support member in a retracted position.
13. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 12, wherein said at least one retention mechanism includes a clamp.
14. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spring biasing said extensible support member into an extended position.
15. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said extensible support member generally mirrors a shape of said base member.
16. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base member includes a storage compartment.
17. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lid defines substantially all of said first volume.
18. The wildlife containment apparatus of claim 1, wherein said viewing panel extends along substantially all of a longitudinal extent of said lid to permit lateral viewing through substantially all of said portion of said first volume when said extensible support member is in said retracted position.
19. A wildlife containment system, comprising:
a base member;
a selectively extensible support member attached to said base member; and
a lid attached to said extensible support member, said lid selectively removable from said extensible support member;
wherein said lid cooperates with said base member and said extensible support member to define a first volume when said extensible support member is in a first position; and
wherein said extensible support member cooperates with said base member to define a second volume when said extensible support member is in a second position, said second volume being at least equal to said first volume;
wherein an end of said extensible support member is disposed generally adjacent said base member when said extensible support member is in said first position, and said end of said extensible support member is spaced away from said base member when said extensible support member is in said second position; and
wherein said lid defines at least a portion of said first volume, and said lid defines a viewing panel permitting viewing of said portion of said first volume when said extensible support member is in said first position.
20. A wildlife containment system, comprising:
a base member, said base member having a cavity disposed on an upper surface of said base member;
a selectively extensible support member attached to said base member;
a lid attached to said extensible support member;
a propeller shaft disposed at least partially within said cavity;
a propeller fixed at an end of said propeller shaft; and
a magnet disposed proximate said cavity; said magnet operable to create a magnetic field about said propeller shaft.