Patents Examined by Lamson Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10207495
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor to convey a recording medium; an image forming device including a recording head to form a test pattern including a first mark and a pair of second marks; an imaging device; and a processor. The processor includes a pattern forming unit to cause the image forming device to form one of the first and second marks and form the other after the conveyor conveys the recording medium by a predetermined conveyance amount, a position detector to detect positions of the first and second marks in the captured image, a ratio calculator to calculate a ratio between a distance between the second marks and deviation of the first mark in the captured image, and a distance calculator to calculate an actual distance of the deviation based on a theoretical distance between the second marks and the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohta Aoyagi, Suguru Yokozawa, Masaya Kawarada, Nobuyuki Satoh
  • Patent number: 10201980
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes discharge orifices, recording elements that generate energy, supply channels that supply liquid to the recording elements, a common supply channel communicating with the supply channels, recovery channels that recover liquid supplied to the recording elements, a common recovery channel that recovers liquid from the recovery channels, a first inlet port that supplies liquid to the common supply channel, a first recovery port that recovers liquid from the first common supply channel, a second inlet port that supplies liquid to the common recovery channel, and a second recovery port that recovers liquid from the second common recovery channel. The first inlet port and the first recovery port communicate without going through channel portions where recording elements are disposed, and the second inlet port and the second recovery port communicate without going through channel portions where recording elements are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takatsuna Aoki, Seiichiro Karita, Shingo Okushima, Eisuke Nishitani, Yumi Komamiya, Kazuhiro Yamada, Zentaro Tamenaga, Noriyasu Nagai, Tatsurou Mori, Shuzo Iwanaga, Akio Saito, Akira Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10195850
    Abstract: An element substrate includes a substrate including a supply port configured to supply liquid, and a discharge port forming member including a discharge port configured to discharge the liquid supplied from the supply port. The discharge port forming member includes a liquid flow path communicating between the discharge port and the supply port on a surface opposed to a surface where the discharge port is provided. The discharge port forming member includes thick film portions and thin film portions in a region where the liquid flow path is formed. The thick film portions are lined up in a first direction so as to sandwich the discharge port therebetween and thicker than an adjacent portion adjacent to the discharge port. The thin film portions are lined up in a second direction intersecting with the first direction so as to sandwich the discharge port therebetween and thinner than the adjacent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shintaro Kasai, Akiko Saito
  • Patent number: 10189259
    Abstract: A joining method includes a process of applying a joining material including a thermosetting resin to a member. The joining material includes an addition-type silicone resin. The joining material includes one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of a methyl-based straight silicone resin, a phenyl-based silicone resin, and a modified silicone resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Yasuhide Matsuo, Kenji Otsuka, Minehiro Imamura, Tomohiro Hayashi, Kei Tadachi
  • Patent number: 10189270
    Abstract: An apparatus to calibrate a printer. The apparatus comprises a controller to: control deposition of white printing material on media, the white printing material having an opacity of at least 55%; control deposition of non-white printing material on the white printing material; receive data for at least one sensed characteristic of the non-white printing material; and calibrate the printer using the received data for the at least one sensed characteristic of the non-white printing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Ran Waidman, Sasi Moalem, Gregory Braverman, Eyal Shelef, Shlomo Harush
  • Patent number: 10179461
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus capable of continuous printing. A printing apparatus (200) includes a slot (230) to and from which a memory unit (100) storing permitted usage amount information can be attached and removed, and a processing unit (210) that carries out a process for updating estimated ink amount information that is information for estimating an amount of the ink in an ink holding unit (220). In a state where the memory unit (100) is attached to the slot (230), the processing unit (210) carries out a charging process that updates the estimated ink amount information using the permitted usage amount information, on the basis of a process for determining whether or not consumed ink amount expressed by the estimated ink amount information exceeds a prescribed threshold (WTH). The processing unit (210) carries out a setting process for making the prescribed threshold (WTH) variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Koganehira, Yasuhiko Kosugi
  • Patent number: 10179450
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact disposed apart from each other, a flexible wire connecting the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact to each other, and a drive element configured to generate a driving force for discharging liquid from nozzles in accordance with an electrical signal supplied via the first electrical contact, the flexible wire, and the second electrical contact. The flexible wire has a folded portion being folded when viewed in the width direction of the flexible wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryota Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10179466
    Abstract: An inkjet product coding printing system comprises a plurality of printing objects comprising a travel direction and a printing surface arranged vertically; at least one inkjet printer head, wherein the inkjet printer head further comprises a plurality of ink nozzles facing the printing surface of the plurality of printing objects, wherein the plurality of ink nozzles is arranged in a plurality of rows configured along the travel direction of the plurality of printing objects, wherein the inkjet printer head can move up and down vertically, wherein the inkjet printer head moves orthogonally to the travel direction of the plurality of printing objects when the inkjet printer head ejects an ink; a motion unit connected with the inkjet printer head; and at least one control system controlling the motion unit and the inkjet printer head, and a method of printing product coding information by the inkjet product coding printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: A & L AUTOMATION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Jen Leu, Amgad Awad
  • Patent number: 10179467
    Abstract: An interval switching member that relatively displaces a carriage with respect to a printing medium in a direction orthogonal to a printing surface of the printing medium is provided between the carriage and a first guide member, and between the carriage and a second guide member. Subsequently, an inclination control member that changes a distance between the carriage and the first guide member is provided between the carriage and the first guide member. By changing the distance between the carriage and the first guide member with the inclination control member, the carriage rotates about a second guide rail serving as a central axis, such that an angle of the printing head against the printing medium is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masateru Komori, Haruo Uchida
  • Patent number: 10166800
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette includes a case, an ink ribbon, a first spool, a second spool, a rotating member, a clutch spring, and an engaging part. The ink ribbon has one end portion wound over the first spool and another end portion connected to the second spool. The rotating member is engaged with a first inner surface of the first spool. The clutch spring includes a coil like annular part attached to the rotating member, and an extension part extending from the annular part. The engaging part is positioned on a locus of rotation of the extension part. The first spool has a protrusion provided at a second inner surface of the first spool. The case-hole is in communication with an interior of the first spool, and has a portion overlapped with an entire circular region surrounded by a path of rotation of the tip end of the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisako Tonishi, Tsutomu Kato, Susumu Murata, Akiko Kodama
  • Patent number: 10166789
    Abstract: A printing device for printing tickets in public places, with an anti-paper jam system in which an optical sensor for detecting the presence of paper is arranged at a zone where a rise of the paper occurs in case of occlusion of the paper outlet mouth; before the start of a print, the paper is retracted with respect to the sensor, whereby the sensor is OFF; when the print starts, the paper advances until arriving in front of the sensor, whereby the sensor turns ON; from this moment on, if the sensor returns OFF, it means that the paper is no longer detected by the sensor, because it has been raised by an occlusion, whereby the advancing of the paper is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: CUSTOM S.P.A.
    Inventor: Alberto Campanini
  • Patent number: 10160218
    Abstract: For printers there are issues relating to consideration to be given to heat sources. A printer is provided with a printhead capable of executing printing on a printing medium by jetting an ink onto the printing medium, a tank having an ink container portion capable of containing ink to be supplied to the printhead, and a heat source. A low thermal conductance part that reduces thermal conductance is positioned between the heat source and the ink container portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura
  • Patent number: 10160201
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including a head unit that has a first driving element and discharges a first liquid based on a first drive signal for driving the first driving element and a first control signal for controlling application of the first drive signal to the first driving element and a circuit substrate. First drive signal transmitting wiring through which the first drive signal is transmitted. The shortest distance between a first side of the circuit substrate and the first drive signal transmitting wiring is shorter than the shortest distance between the first drive signal transmitting wiring and the first control signal transmitting wiring. The shortest distance between a second side opposing the first side of the circuit substrate and the first control signal transmitting wiring is shorter than the shortest distance between the first drive signal transmitting wiring and the first control signal transmitting wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10155403
    Abstract: A conveyance system includes a conveyance mechanism including two rollers, two drive devices, two measuring devices, and a controller. For a first period during which a sheet is conveyed with one of the two rollers, the controller calculates first and second control inputs U1 and U2 whereas for a second period during which the sheet is conveyed with the two rollers, the controller calculates the second control input U2, two estimated tension values R1 and R2, and the first control input U1=U2?UR. For an initial period of the second period, the controller adjusts the first control input U1 to restrain the first control input U1 from change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 10150309
    Abstract: A NFC communication unit 10 for communication by contactless near-field communication is disposed to a third side 23 of the printer case 2. The roll paper printer 1 can be used in a first orientation 1A in which the third side 23 (first surface) where the NFC communication unit 10 is located is at the front, and in a second orientation 1B in which the third side 23 is at the top. The NFC communication unit 10 is disposed to a corner where the third side 23 (first surface) and the first side 21 (second surface) connect. A display unit 9 and recording paper exit 3 are also disposed at this corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ishimori
  • Patent number: 10144236
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing system with an apparatus for defect detection comprising a sensing unit for sensing a surface geometry or topology of a sheet and for generating data representative of that surface geometry or topology, a processor device for processing the data to detect and classify deformations, and a controller for controlling further progress of the sheet along the transport path of the printing system in dependence upon the deformations detected and classified by the processor device. Furthermore, the invention provides a corresponding method of detecting defects in a printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: OCE-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Catharinus Van Acquoij, Daisuke Kawaguchi, Roy H. R. Jacobs, Ernest J. J. Clevers
  • Patent number: 10144838
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inkjet ink comprising: one or more monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomers, including 2-methyl-2-ethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-yl)methyl acrylate (MEDA); a pigment; and a photoinitiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems Limited
    Inventor: Jeremy Ward
  • Patent number: 10137702
    Abstract: A treatment liquid applicator includes a storage container and an outlet. The storage container stores a treatment liquid. The outlet is disposed at the storage container. The outlet includes an outlet opening through which the treatment liquid flows from the storage container to an outside of the storage container. The outlet extends from an inner wall surface of the storage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Ohba
  • Patent number: 10137682
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure chamber; a nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber; a piezoelectric element which generates pressure fluctuations in a liquid in the pressure chamber; and a driving IC which is connected to the piezoelectric element through wiring and which carries out driving control of the piezoelectric element, in which the driving control has a first preliminary heating step of heating the liquid in the pressure chamber, a preliminary ejection step of ejecting a liquid in the pressure chamber from the nozzle after the first preliminary heating step, a second preliminary heating step of heating the liquid in the pressure chamber more weakly than in the first preliminary heating step after the preliminary ejection step, and a main ejection step of starting an operation of ejecting the liquid from the nozzle after the second preliminary heating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shunya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10137696
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a tank forming an ink chamber and including an injection inlet, a recording head, a cover, a monitor, a cover sensor, an operation panel, and a controller. The controller controls operation of the recording head and the monitor. The controller performs decision processing deciding whether ink injection into the ink chamber after complement of an initial process is completed, and counts an amount of ink discharged from the recording head. The controller controls the monitor to display notification depending on the decision processing and the counted amount of discharged ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Matsui, Kenta Horade, Mana Honoki, Tomoya Oguchi