Patents Examined by Huan H. Tran
  • Patent number: 11383529
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods of obtaining good photocured-ink adhesion to low surface energy materials. The methods have greatly improved adhesion of photocured ink on low surface energy materials, including those that are subjected to high humidity or wet environments. The methods take into account the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the materials and the onset for the glass transition temperature, including ink applied to an exposed surface of the material at an elevated temperature that is close to the Tg of the material. The ink is allowed to sit briefly or soak, such as for more than 1 second, before the ink is cured. The ink may be photocured. Furthermore, the methods do not require solvents or surface treatment, including plasma or corona treatments, to obtain good ink adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Christopher Cole
  • Patent number: 11345173
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet includes a recording section which records the image on the sheet in a transport passage for transporting the sheet in a transport direction and multiple plates which are spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction. These multiple plates include a first type of plate and a second type of plate. Plates of a first type of plate are configured to overlap a sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and the widthwise direction, while plates of the second type of plate do not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Samoto
  • Patent number: 11292277
    Abstract: A printing device includes: an RFID reader including a reader antenna; a cassette mounting portion in which a plurality of types of cassettes can be selectively mounted; a memory storing correlations between the types of cassettes and standard ranges concerning a return energy; and a controller. Each cassette includes an RFID tag storing cassette information related to the cassette. The RFID tag includes a tag antenna configured to communicate with the reader antenna. Communication sensitivity between the reader antenna and the tag antenna when the cassette is mounted in the cassette mounting portion is different for each type of cassette. The controller performs: communicating via the RFID reader with the RFID tag of the cassette mounted in the cassette mounting portion; and determining whether a value of the return energy received by the RFID reader in the communicating falls within any one of the standard ranges indicated by the correlations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Mizutani
  • Patent number: 11285508
    Abstract: A method of forming a digital print on a surface by applying powder of dry ink including colourants on the surface, bonding a part of the dry ink powder to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded dry ink colourants and removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: CERALOC INNOVATION AB
    Inventors: Darko Pervan, Tony Pervan
  • Patent number: 11279143
    Abstract: A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up an ink ribbon used in the printing portion, a ribbon supply shaft provided movably between a first position and a second position with respect to the ribbon roll up shaft, the ribbon supply shaft configured to hold the ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, and a ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism to be brought into a lock state where rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the first position, and into a non-lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted when the ribbon supply shaft is placed at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kakui, Takayoshi Jinnouchi
  • Patent number: 11267267
    Abstract: A thermal-transfer printing apparatus includes a roll-paper-supplying unit that rotates an image-receiving paper roll and unwinds and winds a roll type of first image-receiving paper, and a print unit that includes a thermal head for heating a thermal transfer sheet and that forms an image by transferring a color material from the thermal transfer sheet to the first image-receiving paper. With the image-receiving paper roll removed, a reverse unit that reverses a sheet type of second image-receiving paper is mountable in a region in which the image-receiving paper roll used to be contained. The print unit forms the image on the first image-receiving paper in a first printing mode in which the image-receiving paper roll is contained in the region, and the print unit forms an image on both surfaces of the second image-receiving paper in a second printing mode in which the reverse unit is mounted on the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Tahara
  • Patent number: 11267274
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes a white ink adhesion step of causing a white ink containing a white pigment to adhere to a recording medium by an ink jet method; a non-white ink adhesion step of causing a non-white ink containing a non-white coloring material to adhere to the recording medium by the ink jet method; and a drying step of drying the white ink and the non-white ink adhering to the recording medium in the white ink adhesion step and the non-white ink adhesion step by a blowing type or radiation type drying unit, in which the white ink adhesion step and the non-white ink adhesion step are performed in a state where the recording medium is supported on a support member including a suction hole sucking the recording medium, and are performed by plural times of main scanning in which a recording head discharging the white ink and a recording head discharging the non-white ink discharge each ink while moving in a main scanning direction and plural times of sub-scanning in which the recording mediu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventors: Ippei Okuda, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Patent number: 11260682
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a set section on which a printing medium is set, a winding unit configured to wind, the printing medium transported from the set section, a head configured to discharge an ink onto an image forming surface of the printing medium being transported, thereby forming an image, and a drying chamber formed downstream of the head in a transport direction and downward of the head, the drying chamber being configured to dry the ink discharged to the printing medium, wherein the drying chamber is provided with an endless belt made of metal and configured to transport the printing medium while being in contact with an image non-forming surface on an opposite side of the printing medium from the image forming surface, and a plurality of rollers over which the endless belt is stretched, the plurality of rollers being configured to cause the endless belt to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Katagami
  • Patent number: 11260676
    Abstract: In some examples, a conditioner system for a media printed by a printing system includes a media conditioning assembly comprising a heater, the media conditioning assembly to receive the media printed by the printing system after the media has been heated by a dryer in the printing system after printing has occurred on the media. Responsive to a determined moisture content of the media, the heater of the media conditioning assembly controls a temperature of the media, and the media conditioning assembly controls a speed of the media through the media conditioning assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Matthew Räisänen, Stephen Thomas Rohman, Kevin Lo
  • Patent number: 11254831
    Abstract: An aqueous dispersion of a capsule is composed of a polymeric shell surrounding a core, the core containing an oligomeric blocked isocyanate characterized in that the blocked isocyanate is derived from a di-, tri- or tetrafunctional isocyanate terminated oligomer selected from the group of an isocyanate terminated oligo-ether, an isocyanate terminated oligo-ester, an isocyanate terminated oligo-carbonate, an isocyanate terminated butadiene oligomer, an isocyanate terminated hydrogenated butadiene, an isocyanate terminated isoprene oligomer, an isocyanate terminated silicone and combinations thereof. The dispersion is suitable for pre-treatment liquids and inkjet inks in textile printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: AGFA NV
    Inventor: Johan Loccufier
  • Patent number: 11254144
    Abstract: A printing device includes a transport roller performing a first transport that transports recording paper drawn from roll paper in a transport direction and a second transport that transports the recording paper in a direction opposite to the transport direction, a cutter having a first blade configured to move between an advanced position and a retracted position, and a second blade for cutting the recording paper together with the first blade moving from the retracted position to the advanced position, and a guide member provided downstream of the first blade in the transport direction and guiding the recording paper during the second transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Kobayashi, Takeshi Tokuda
  • Patent number: 11255665
    Abstract: Determining where to place atmospheric sensors that provide measurements of pressure used to estimate an altitude of a mobile device in an environment. Generally, systems and methods determine where atmospheric sensors can be placed relative to each other in order to achieve a required level of accuracy when an altitude of a mobile device is estimated using pressure measurements from the atmospheric sensors in the network. Particular systems and methods determine a maximum distance for separating adjacent atmospheric sensors, or otherwise determine where to place atmospheric sensors relative to each other based on expected pressure distribution of an environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NextNav, LLC
    Inventors: Badrinath Nagarajan, Guiyuan Han, Michael Dormody
  • Patent number: 11254138
    Abstract: A liquid storage device includes a tank, an agitation blade, and a first tube. The tank is configured to store ink to be supplied to an inkjet head. The agitation blade is disposed inside the tank, and is configured to agitate the ink stored in the tank. The first tube is configured to supply the ink stored in the tank to the inkjet head. A lower end portion of the first tube extends in a direction different to the downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Kuno
  • Patent number: 11254134
    Abstract: A fluid supply component for a replaceable fluid supply may include a channel fluidically coupled to a pliable fluid supply bag; a ball housed within the channel; and a gasket to prevent movement of the ball into the fluid supply bag; wherein the valve prevents fluid from entering the fluid supply bag while the fluid supply bag imparts a negative fluidic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Judson M. Leiser, Mark A. Devries, Miquel Boleda Busquets
  • Patent number: 11247484
    Abstract: An image is formed on a principal surface and a side face of a card. A thermal transfer printing apparatus includes a first feeding unit configured to feed an intermediate transfer medium including a transfer layer that is disposed on one surface of a substrate in such a manner as to be peelable from the substrate, a second feeding unit configured to feed a thermal transfer sheet including a colorant layer disposed on one surface of a base material, a printing unit configured to heat the thermal transfer sheet based on image data and transfer an ink of the colorant layer onto the transfer layer to form an image, and a transfer unit configured to heat the intermediate transfer medium and transfer the transfer layer having the image formed thereon onto a principal surface and a side face of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suguru Yabe, Yoshihiro Tahara
  • Patent number: 11247498
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a printer device which prints on an adhesive member including an adhesive material on one surface and includes a thermal head, a platen, a fixed blade, a movable blade, an operation unit, and a control unit. The thermal head prints on the adhesive member by generating heat. The platen is arranged to face the thermal head. The fixed blade is arranged at a position where a blade edge faces a conveyance path of the adhesive member conveyed between the thermal head and the platen. The movable blade is arranged at a position where a blade edge of the movable blade faces the blade edge of the fixed blade via the conveyance path and moved at a first speed to a position where the blade edge of the movable blade is brought into contact with the blade edge of the fixed blade. The operation unit receives a first operation for instructing to start cleaning the movable blade from an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Jun Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11235595
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a sheet storing part configured to store a sheet; a conveying mechanism configured to convey the sheet taken out from the sheet storing part; a first frame and a second frame arranged in an opposing direction with the conveying mechanism interposed therebetween; a printing part configured to perform printing on the sheet conveyed by the conveying mechanism; a cover composing at least a part of an upstream side, of the printing apparatus, with respect to the printing part in a conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed by the conveying mechanism; and a rotational shaft extending in the opposing direction and configured to support the cover to be rotatable. The rotational shaft has a first end and a second end in the opposing direction, and the first end is supported by the first frame and the second end is separated away from the second frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsugi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11235588
    Abstract: A printer includes, a printing portion configured to print on a print medium, a ribbon supply shaft configured to hold an ink ribbon to be supplied to the printing portion, a ribbon roll up shaft configured to roll up the ink ribbon used in the printing portion, a partition member provided swingably, the partition member partitioning the ink ribbon and the print medium; and a ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism configured to regulate rotation of the ribbon supply shaft, wherein the ribbon supply shaft lock mechanism is switched between a lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is regulated and a non-lock state where the rotation of the ribbon supply shaft is permitted in conjunction with swing actions of the partition member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kakui, Takayoshi Jinnouchi
  • Patent number: 11235602
    Abstract: The printer has a closed state where the printing head portion and the damper portion are positioned on a position printable on the print mediums, and an open state where the printing head portion and the damper portion are positioned on a position separated from the print mediums. In a case of a transition from the closed state to the open state, the printing head portion and the damper portion behave in conjunction, and in a case of a transition from the open state to the closed state, the damper portion and the printing head portion independently behave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Kakui
  • Patent number: 11230131
    Abstract: Composite articles, and associated methods and systems, are generally provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Kornit Digital Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Travis Alexander Busbee, Andrew Marschner, Alexandra Koukhtieva