Patents Examined by Geoffrey S. Mruk
  • Patent number: 11724494
    Abstract: A wafer structure is disclosed and includes a chip substrate and at least one inkjet chip. The chip substrate is a silicon substrate fabricated by a semiconductor process. The inkjet chip is directly formed on the chip substrate by the semiconductor process, whereby the wafer structure is diced, and the inkjet chip is produced, to be implemented for inkjet printing. The inkjet chip includes a plurality of ink-drop generators produced by the semiconductor process and formed on the chip substrate. Each of the ink-drop generators includes a barrier layer, an ink-supply chamber and a nozzle, and the ink-supply chamber and the nozzle are integrally formed in the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hao-Jan Mou, Ying-Lun Chang, Hsien-Chung Tai, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han, Tsung-I Lin
  • Patent number: 11718094
    Abstract: A wafer structure is disclosed and includes a chip substrate and at least one inkjet chip. The chip substrate is a silicon substrate which is fabricated by a semiconductor process on a wafer of at least 12 inches. The at least one inkjet chip is directly formed on the chip substrate by the semiconductor process, and the wafer is diced into the at least one inkjet chip, to be implemented for inkjet printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hao-Jan Mou, Ying-Lun Chang, Hsien-Chung Tai, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han, Wei-Ming Lee
  • Patent number: 11712905
    Abstract: An integrated inkjet module includes: a support chassis configured for fixedly mounting over a media feed path; a maintenance chassis mounted on the support chassis; a print bar chassis liftably mounted on the maintenance chassis, the print bar chassis having a plurality of print modules mounted thereon, each print module comprising a respective printhead; and an aerosol collector fixed to the support chassis and positioned for collecting ink mist generated during printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventor: Mark Profaca
  • Patent number: 11712890
    Abstract: A wafer structure is disclosed and includes a chip substrate and a plurality of inkjet chips. The chip substrate is a silicon substrate which is fabricated by a semiconductor process. The plurality of inkjet chips include at least one first inkjet chip and at least one second inkjet chip. The plurality of inkjet chips are directly formed on the chip substrate by the semiconductor process, respectively, and diced into the at least one first inkjet chip and the at least one second inkjet chip, to be implemented for inkjet printing. Each of the first inkjet chip and the second inkjet chip includes a plurality of ink-drop generators produced by the semiconductor process and formed on the chip substrate. Each ink-drop generator includes a barrier layer, an ink-supply chamber and a nozzle. The ink-supply chamber and the nozzle are integrally formed in the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hao-Jan Mou, Ying-Lun Chang, Hsien-Chung Tai, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han, Tsung-I Lin
  • Patent number: 11712897
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes solvent vapor generators that direct two flows of solvent vapor on each side of each printhead in the process direction toward media passing the printheads in the printer. The solvent vapor attenuates the evaporation of ink solvent from ink drops on the nozzle plates or from the ink in the nozzles of the printheads. Thus, the ink on the nozzle plates and in the nozzles does not dry out and the operational status of the inkjets is preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Sambhy, Jason M. LeFevre, Seemit Praharaj, Chu-Heng Liu, Douglas K. Herrmann, Linn C. Hoover
  • Patent number: 11701884
    Abstract: A wafer structure is disclosed and includes a chip substrate and a plurality of inkjet chips. The chip substrate is a silicon substrate which is fabricated by a semiconductor process on a wafer of at least 12 inches. The plurality of inkjet chips include at least one first inkjet chip and at least one second inkjet chip. The plurality of inkjet chips are directly formed on the chip substrate by the semiconductor process, respectively, and diced into the at least one first inkjet chip and the at least one second inkjet chip, to be implemented for inkjet printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hao-Jan Mou, Ying-Lun Chang, Hsien-Chung Tai, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han
  • Patent number: 11691437
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a method to compensate for defective printer nozzles. The method can include detecting a defective printer nozzle and initiating a print job including image data of the defective printer nozzle for a pixel location of an image. The image is to be printed in accordance with a print mask that maps printer nozzles to pixel locations of the image. The method can include modifying the image to print the image data in a neighboring pixel location relative to the pixel location of the image and printing the modified image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventor: Steven Billow
  • Patent number: 11691425
    Abstract: Provided is an inkjet recording apparatus that performs inkjet recording on a recording medium in a recording region. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head that includes an ejection port surface where an ejection port for ejecting ink is provided, is the recording head being movable within a range including the recording region and a non-recording region where the recording is not performed, a cap capable of letting the ejection port in a capping state in the non-recording region, a blade that is placed between the recording region and the cap in a moving direction of the recording head, the blade being capable of wiping the ejection port of the recording head as the recording head moves from the non-recording region to the recording region, a blade moving unit capable of moving the blade up and down, and a control unit that controls the blade moving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc.
    Inventors: Yukito Ookubo, Masaki Oota, Noritaka Oota
  • Patent number: 11673399
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting head which is long in a first direction and short in a second direction, including: a first introduction section; a second introduction section; a first filter chamber group having a first filter chamber and a second filter chamber; a second filter chamber group having a third filter chamber and a fourth filter chamber; a first supply flow path for supplying the liquid from the first introduction section to the first filter chamber group; and a second supply flow path for supplying the liquid from the second introduction section to the second filter chamber group, in which the first introduction section, the second introduction section, the first filter chamber group, and the second filter chamber group are arranged side by side in this order in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kanegae, Katsuhiro Okubo, Hiroyuki Hagiwara, Nobuaki Ito, Shun Katsuie
  • Patent number: 11673400
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting portion; a liquid storage portion; a filter chamber including an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber divided by a filter; a supply path; a discharge path; an opening/closing valve opening/closing the discharge path; and a pump pressurizing the ink in order to make the ink flow from the liquid storage portion to the upstream chamber, wherein a filling operation of filling the upstream chamber with the ink by driving the pump so that the ink does not pass through the filter in a state in which the opening/closing valve is opened, and then closing the opening/closing valve while the ink is flowing from the liquid storage portion toward the supply path, the upstream chamber, and the discharge path by the driving of the pump is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keita Moriyama
  • Patent number: 11667132
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: a substrate, where a recording element is disposed; and a discharge orifice forming member, where a discharge orifice, facing the recording element, and configured to discharge the liquid, is formed. The liquid discharge head has a pressure chamber, a first liquid channel configured to supply liquid to the pressure chamber, and a second liquid channel configured to recover liquid from the pressure chamber. The substrate has a liquid supply channel connected to the first liquid channel to supply liquid to the first liquid channel, and a liquid recovery channel connected to the second liquid channel, to recover liquid from the second liquid channel. Pressure at an inlet portion of the liquid supply channel is higher than pressure at an outlet portion of the liquid recovery channel, and a flow velocity of liquid within the pressure chamber is 3 to 140 mm/s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nakagawa, Shintaro Kasai, Shuzo Iwanaga, Akiko Hammura, Koichi Ishida, Takatsugu Moriya
  • Patent number: 11667131
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a circulation passage, a liquid feeding device, a pressure sensor, and control circuitry. Through the circulation passage, liquid circulates to be supplied to and collected from a circulatory liquid discharge head. The liquid feeding device is configured to circulate the liquid through the circulation passage. The pressure sensor is configured to detect a pressure of the circulation passage. The control circuitry configured to acquire a characteristic indicating a relationship among a drive amount of the liquid feeding device, discharge information of the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head, and a pressure detection value of the circulation passage; and change, based on the characteristic acquired, at least one of a control parameter and a calculation expression used to control the liquid feeding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuichiroh Uematsu, Ryohki Wakasa, Atsushi Mori
  • Patent number: 11667122
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a first liquid ejecting head having a first wiping surface oriented in a first direction; a second liquid ejecting head disposed in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction with respect to the first liquid ejecting head and having a second wiping surface; and a wiping member. A third direction is orthogonal to the first and second directions; a fourth direction is vertical to the first direction and intersects the second and third directions. The first and second liquid ejecting heads are arranged with a gap between the first and second wiping surfaces. The gap includes a first gap extending in the fourth direction. The first wiping surface has a first region that protrudes toward the second liquid ejecting head beyond an imaginary line extending in the fourth direction so as to overlap the first gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Inoue, Fumiya Takino
  • Patent number: 11660866
    Abstract: The first nozzle channel includes a first portion including an end of the first nozzle channel and a second portion including another end of the first nozzle channel, and a width of the second portion in the second direction is larger than a width of the first portion in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Miyagishi
  • Patent number: 11660870
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting head including a wiped surface that includes a first region including nozzles and a second region outside the first region; and a wiping mechanism that wipes the wiped surface, in which a first wiping operation in which the wiping mechanism moves relative to the wiped surface in a first direction to thereby wipe the first region and the second region is performed, and a second wiping operation in which, before the first wiping operation, the wiping mechanism moves relative to the wiped surface in a direction different from the first direction to thereby wipe a region including an upstream portion of the second region, the upstream portion being arranged, with respect to the first region, in a second direction opposite to the first direction, is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Morikoshi
  • Patent number: 11648778
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting head including: first and second nozzle rows extending in a first direction; a first supply flow path; a first filter chamber having a first inlet; and a second filter chamber having a second inlet, in which the first and second nozzle rows are shifted from each other in both the first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the first supply flow path has a branch flow path for distributing the liquid between the first filter chamber and the second filter chamber at a branch position, the branch position is disposed between the first filter chamber and the second filter chamber in a plan view, and the first and second inlets are disposed at a part where the first filter chamber and the second filter chamber overlap each other when viewed in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kanegae, Katsuhiro Okubo, Hiroyuki Hagiwara, Nobuaki Ito, Shun Katsuie
  • Patent number: 11648777
    Abstract: An object is to provide a liquid ejection apparatus and a method of controlling a liquid ejection apparatus capable of preventing bubbles generated by kogation removal from interfering with the kogation removal. To this end, in a long liquid ejection head with a liquid circulated therethough, a pressure chamber is pressurized and a voltage is applied to a heat applying portion and an electrode to perform kogation removing cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Misumi, Yuzuru Ishida, Maki Kato, Takeru Yasuda, Tsubasa Funabashi
  • Patent number: 11642890
    Abstract: An ink absorber includes: a plurality of ink absorbent bodies that are elongated and absorb waste liquid of an ink ejected from a liquid ejecting head; and an accommodating container that accommodates the plurality of ink absorbent bodies, in which the plurality of ink absorbent bodies are arranged such that a longitudinal direction thereof extends vertically. Occupancy of the plurality of ink absorbent bodies in a region in which the ink absorbent bodies are arranged in the accommodating container is desirably 50% or more and 99% or less when the ink absorbent bodies are dry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Nakada, Taiki Kono, Sachiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11639067
    Abstract: A marker transport system and a method of operating the marker transport system. A group of print bars is located with respect to a marker transport platen and a marker transport belt. A vacuum source and a pneumatic solenoid block are associated with the marker transport platen. The marker transport platen includes airflow sections divided into process-direction slots and cross-section direction slots. The cross-section direction slots are located beneath the print bars and are connected to the vacuum source via the pneumatic solenoid block, which facilitates an individual control of each of the cross-process direction slots. Pneumatic valves are associated with the pneumatic solenoid block, which supplies a flow of vacuum to the cross-process direction vacuum slots. The pneumatic vales can be timed to allow the vacuum to be present when a sheet is present over a corresponding vacuum slot among the process-direction slots and the cross-section direction slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jason M. Lefevre, Seemit Praharaj, Michael J. Levy, Douglas K. Herrmann, Paul McConville, Chu-Heng Liu, Linn C. Hoover, David A. VanKouwenberg
  • Patent number: 11639054
    Abstract: A wafer structure is disclosed and includes a chip substrate and a plurality of inkjet chips. The chip substrate is a silicon substrate which is fabricated by a semiconductor process on a wafer of at least 12 inches. The plurality of inkjet chips include at least one first inkjet chip and at least one second inkjet chip. The plurality of inkjet chips are directly formed on the chip substrate by the semiconductor process, respectively, and diced into the at least one first inkjet chip and the at least one second inkjet chip, to be implemented for inkjet printing. Each of the first inkjet chip and the second inkjet chip includes a plurality of ink-drop generators produced by the semiconductor process and formed on the chip substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hao-Jan Mou, Ying-Lun Chang, Hsien-Chung Tai, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han