Patents Examined by Kevin D. Williams
  • Patent number: 6814000
    Abstract: An adjusting device for adjusting a sheet transport cylinder in a sheet-fed rotary printing machine, depending upon various printing-material thicknesses, includes a mounting support for mounting the sheet transport cylinder so that a rotational axis of the sheet transport cylinder is adjustable from a first axial position, which corresponds to a given printing-material thickness, to a second axial position, which corresponds to another printing-material thickness and is axially parallel to the first axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Jens Friedrichs, Ralf Wadlinger
  • Patent number: 6807905
    Abstract: A fountain for a dampening unit of an offset printing machine includes a container having an inlet for dampening solution and a return for the dampening solution. The container is formed with a base, at least one side wall connected to the base and a dam disposed on the base. The dam is formed with an upper edge that is lower than an upper edge formed on the one side wall. A dividing wall has a run-off edge and an infeed edge. The dividing wall is seated on the upper edge of the dam and, starting from the dam, extends over the base to as far as the infeed edge. The infeed edge defines the level of the dampening solution in the fountain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Dominique Deslangle, Jacques Metrope
  • Patent number: 6805504
    Abstract: Apparatus for printing, scanning engraving or cutting a flat horizontal surface, particularly when the surface is of non-standard dimensions or is supplied in an non-standard manner. The apparatus is suitable for following outside electromechanically commanded instruction and contains an instrument for printing, scanning, engraving or cutting in a stepwise manner by being accurately raised and lowered to the surface and a component for treating the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Kandelshein Ltd.
    Inventor: Lev Nisnevich
  • Patent number: 6805049
    Abstract: Drying equipment for a printer for aiding drying of a printed image on a web of print media includes a feed path through which the print media containing the printed image is fed after printing of the image on the print media. A drive arrangement drives the web through the feed path at a predetermined rate. A fluid supply duct is in communication with the feed path for supplying drying fluid over at least one surface of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty LTD
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6799507
    Abstract: A web printer has a buffer for adjusting the traveling position of the web under its slack status, a tension assigning unit for assigning fixed tension to the web delivered from the buffer, a device for detecting the traveling position of the web delivered from the tension assigning unit, a sew correction unit for adjusting the skew of the web according to the output from the detection device, and an image forming unit that forms images on the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ohba, Akitomo Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 6799515
    Abstract: The present invention 10 discloses a process for forming a translucent first image onto a transparent media 34 and forming a translucent mirror image of the first image onto a second transparent media 36 whereupon the first image and the second mirror image are placed face to face or back to back and positioned between opposing layers 42, 44 of transparent material where application of ambient light will produce a luminous effect on the dual image. Enhancement of a part or entire images is further achieved by centrally placing a thin layer of tissue paper 46, cut into the desired shape and sized between the two layers 34, 36 of transparent media holding the images. The tissue paper 46 serves to diffuse light imparting a luminous quality to the coplanar images, in either frontal 16 or backlighting 18 conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Inventors: Jerry K Lynn, Willa M Lynn
  • Patent number: 6796731
    Abstract: A laminated ink distribution structure for a printhead has a number of layers adhered to one another with each layer including a number of ink holes formed therethrough. Each ink hole has communicating therewith a channel formed in one side of the layer and allowing passage of ink to a transversely located position upon the layer, the transversely located position aligning with a slot formed through an adjacent layer of the laminate. The laminated ink distribution structure is fixed to a distribution housing via which different inks are conveyed from an ink cassette. The laminated structure distributes the different inks to an array of print chips of a color printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6786658
    Abstract: A pagewidth drop on demand printer includes a printhead having an array of fixed printing nozzles thereon. A platen having a platen surface upon which a sheet rides to receive ink from the printing nozzles is situated alongside the nozzles. A sensor is provided to measure an offset of the print surface of the sheet with respect to the printing nozzles and means is provided effecting movement of the platen to alter the offset. This is typically done by making a compensatory rotation of the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6782817
    Abstract: A printing machine includes two printing units, each comprising a web feed section, a web printing section connected to the web feed section and a web treating section connected to the web printing section, in which a single-side surface of a continuous web is printed at each of the web printing sections. The printing machine also includes a turn/transfer section at which two the printing units are operatively connected and the continuous web printed by one of the two web printing sections is transferred to the other one thereof through turning and transferring treatment of the continuous web. The printing machine is capable of carrying out double-side printing and single side printing and improving printing efficiency with a relatively small location space or site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Yuichi Yamazaki, Yasushi Katagiri
  • Patent number: 6782818
    Abstract: The tension of a web in a rotary printing machine is monitored and adjusted. The web runs through at least one printing group in the rotary printing machine. Any change in the stretch of the web during the production run is determined by noting any difference between first and second speeds of the web. The change in stretch is compensated for by a change in the tension of the web before the first printing group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erhard Herbert Glöckner, Dieter Koch
  • Patent number: 6779455
    Abstract: The gel method of printing variable information of the present invention involves applying inks onto a substrate that is part of or attached to a cylinder of the printing machine. Imaging is by means of an energy source in the UV, visible or infrared regions, modulated to represent a digital image pattern that has been composed on a computer. The consequence of imaging is to gel the ink and increase its adhesion to the substrate of the printing cylinder. The non-gelled background ink with lower adhesion is then removed by a squeegee action and returned to an ink reservoir. The remaining image is transferred to an offset blanket or directly to print stock by pressure. The process does not use a master, but produces an image that is erased after printing with each cylinder rotation so that the next rotation producing the next print can have fresh information written upon it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Creo Il Ltd.
    Inventors: Murray Figov, Anna Sigalov
  • Patent number: 6779441
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic metal printer which prints a camera-photographed and computer-processed image on a surface of a hard material, such as a metal sheet, through a dot matrix printing type method wherein brightness of the printed image is expressed in accordance with density of dots in the dot matrix formed on the surface of the hard material. The automatic metal printer includes a platform which reciprocates forward and rearward in a lower portion of a body by a motor-operated first ball screw. A saddle is installed at a position above the platform so as to reciprocate to the left and right in the body by a motor-operated second ball screw. A dotter is vertically installed on the saddle so as to dot the upper surface of the hard material seated on the platform to print a desired image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Inventor: Sung Boung Jun
  • Patent number: 6776097
    Abstract: In the plate supplying apparatus of the present invention, various vibrations are provided to a plate secured via suction during a separating operation by causing pad rods 403 to repeat a slight ascent and a pause, and thereafter causing the pad rods 403 to make an abrupt descent, thereby reliably peeling off a slip sheet adhering to the back face of the plate. Further, vibration in the rod-up/down direction is provided to the plate during the separating operation, and the plate is not pushed hard. Thus, it is possible to prevent the plate from being damaged. A raising and lowering motor 52 is driven to lower the cassette 9. A separating operation for peeling off a slip sheet S adhering to the back face of the plate P is performed, and thereafter the plate P secured via suction is turned over and transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Morihiro Takeda
  • Patent number: 6766742
    Abstract: An image exposure apparatus has a width direction moving unit including: a moving member moved by a driving motor in the width direction of the printing plate; a pressurizing unit for enabling the conveying pin supported by the moving member in a direction of the printing plate; a plurality of pin position detecting sensors for detecting a moving position of the conveying pin wherein the moving member moves forward in the direction of the printing plate and the conveying pin is moved by coming into contact with the width direction edge of the printing plate; and a control unit having an input unit for entering a sort of the printing plate. The control unit stops the driving motor in accordance with a detection signal from the pin position detection sensor associated with the sort of the printing plate entered through the input unit of the pin position detecting sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiro Hashiguchi
  • Patent number: 6755582
    Abstract: A key structure includes a set of key tops with contact footings of retaining hooks, an upper case with a plurality of insert holes wherein contact footings of retaining hooks are moveably inserted therein and a bottom case to be assembled with the upper case; the present invention is characterized that elastic upper and lower electrode members made of metal and capable of conducting electricity are inserted between every key top and the bottom case; the depressed key top synchronously presses the upper and the lower electrode members to deform and displace to make the upper and the lower electrode members contact each other, conduct electricity and transmit signals; when the force exerted onto the key top is released, the upper and the lower electrode members recoil to disconnect each other and discontinue electric conduction; the simplified parts of the present invention and the elimination of the conventional upper and lower electric conducting membrane sheets efficiently reduce the pollution when the keyb
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Inventor: Hwa-Twu Won
  • Patent number: 6752549
    Abstract: A print engine for a printer includes a support structure. A pair of drive rollers is rotatably mounted on the support structure and is configured to define a gripping zone into which a sheet of print medium can be fed to be gripped between the rollers. The drive rollers define a feed zone between the gripping zone and a tangential plane common to both drive rollers through which the sheet of print medium passes. The print engine has at least one print head assembly that includes at least one print head chip carrier that is mounted on the support structure and which is configured to extend into the feed zone. At least one print head chip is mounted on each print head carrier to be in an operative position with respect to the sheet of print medium in the feed zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6749352
    Abstract: A printer includes a cutting apparatus with a shield that protects the cutting part of a cutter blade in the apparatus. A fixed blade is supported so that the fixed blade can be moved by pressure by a compression coil spring upon a fixed blade supporting frame attached to a body frame so that the fixed blade supporting frame can be opened or closed. A blade cover for protecting the cutting part of the fixed blade is fixed to the fixed blade supporting frame. When each fitting between fitting parts of the fixed blade and touching parts of a cutter frame is released in a state in which the fixed blade supporting frame is open, a part or the whole of the cutting part of the fixed blade is shielded by the shielding part of the blade cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Toru Takami
  • Patent number: 6742453
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing a novel flexographic printing sleeve which is readily axially mountable on and dismountable from a complementary shaped printing cylinder. The subject method comprises providing an apparatus for receiving a sprayed curable polymeric material and for forming the flexographic printing sleeve. Then, the curable polymeric material is sprayed onto the apparatus and a flexographic printing sleeve is formed. The sleeve has a substantially unitary, non-laminated construction which is self-supporting. The cross-sectional inner and outer diameter of the flexographic printing sleeve is expandable by introducing a relatively low pressure fluid between the inner surface of the printing body sleeve and the outer cylindrically-shaped wall of the printing cylinder. The flexographic printing sleeve is contractible from its expanded position by releasing the low pressure fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Inventor: Mark Alan Borski
  • Patent number: 6739244
    Abstract: A punch/emboss tool is provided that accepts interchangeable insert sets. A punch insert set consists of one punch and one die that cooperate to punch out a particular design in sheet material, such as paper. Similarly, an emboss insert set consists of one emboss die and one emboss die counter that cooperate to emboss a particular design. Once loaded in the tool, one half of the insert set is fixed relative to the tool. The other half is slidably aligned to the first half by a non-circular bore. The sheet material is inserted into a slit in the tool, between the two cooperating inserts. An actuating lever presses on the sliding half of the insert set with some mechanical advantage to the user. When a user presses the actuating lever, the two halves of the aligned insert set cooperate to form a punched or embossed design on the sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Prestocraft Co.
    Inventor: Jason D. Carbaugh
  • Patent number: 6739262
    Abstract: A cladding of a printing machine in a region of a side wall of a printing unit of the printing machine includes a housing fastened to the side wall, the housing having an upper housing wall, two lateral housing walls and a housing cover connected to the lateral housing walls so as to be displaceable between a lower position covering the side wall and a position raised to a defined height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Diana Böser, Werner König, Rolf Kündgen, Burkhard Maass, Gerd Merkel, Bernd Sitzmann