Patents Examined by Shelby l Fidler
  • Patent number: 11529806
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a drive circuit that outputs a drive signal, wherein the drive circuit includes a modulation circuit that modulates a base drive signal to output a modulation signal, an amplifier circuit that amplifies the modulation signal to output an amplified modulation signal, a demodulation circuit that demodulates the amplified modulation signal to output the drive signal, and a substrate on which the modulation circuit, the amplifier circuit, and the demodulation circuit are provided, wherein the substrate includes a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, wherein the demodulation circuit includes a first coil and a second coil electrically coupled in parallel with the first coil, and wherein the first coil is positioned so as to overlap at least part of the second coil in a direction normal to the first face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Dai Nozawa
  • Patent number: 11524500
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejection apparatus, including: a head; a signal output circuit; a discharge mechanism; a controller; and a memory in which association information is stored. The controller is configured to: diagnose a degree of defectiveness of the head based on a signal from the signal output circuit; and receive, from a user, an input of discharge amount information. In response to the input of the discharge amount information, the controller is configured to: control the discharge mechanism to discharge a liquid by a discharge amount corresponding to the discharge amount information; and change the association in the association information based on the discharge amount corresponding to the discharge amount information and a discharge amount that corresponds to the degree of the defectiveness of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakano, Yuta Toda, Zenichiro Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11504966
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the operational status of a nozzle in an inkjet printhead having a piezoelectric actuator configured to cause the ejection of ink through the nozzle, the system comprising: a driving circuit configured to apply a driving signal to the piezoelectric actuator during a first time period; and a sensing circuit configured to measure the current within the piezoelectric actuator as a function of time during a second time period after the first time period; wherein the system is configured to determine the operational status of the nozzle in dependence on the time taken for the measured current to reach a predetermined condition during the second time period, or on the slope of the measured current as a function of time during the second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Meteor Inkjet Ltd
    Inventor: Fernando Rodriguez-Llorente
  • Patent number: 11498329
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharger and circuitry. The liquid discharger includes a nozzle to discharge liquid. The circuitry is configured to generate and output a common drive waveform including a plurality of drive pulses for discharging the liquid; select one or more of the plurality of drive pulses from the common drive waveform and apply the one or more of the plurality of drive pulses to a pressure generating element of the liquid discharger; and adjust, with different adjustment values, application waveform shapes of at least two of the plurality of drive pulses applied to the pressure generating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Kida
  • Patent number: 11485134
    Abstract: In some examples, a fluid dispensing device includes a reservoir containing a fluid, fluidic actuators, and an interface to receive a data packet comprising information to control activation of the fluidic actuators, the data packet comprising a random number generated by a random number generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John Rossi, Erik D. Ness
  • Patent number: 11465412
    Abstract: A head unit includes a plurality of ejection portions that include a first ejection portion and a second ejection portion, a determination portion that determines a liquid ejection state of the first ejection portion and determines a liquid ejection state of the second ejection portion, and a storage portion that includes a first storage region storing first determination information indicating a determination result for the first ejection portion from the determination portion, and a second storage region storing second determination information indicating a determination result for the second ejection portion from the determination portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Shinkawa, Masashi Kamiyanagi
  • Patent number: 11465413
    Abstract: A head unit control device that controls a head unit including a plurality of ejection portions that includes a first ejection portion and a second ejection portion and a determination portion that determines a liquid ejection state of the first and second ejection portion, and includes a reception portion that receives, as one data set, determination result information including first determination information indicating a determination result of the liquid ejection state of the first ejection portion from the determination portion and second determination information indicating a determination result of the liquid ejection state of the second ejection portion from the determination portion, and ejection portion information including information indicating the number of the plurality of ejection portions included in the head unit, from the head unit, and an ejection control portion that controls the plurality of ejection portions based on the one data set received by the reception portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Shinkawa
  • Patent number: 11465410
    Abstract: A print head includes: an integrated circuit apparatus that switches whether or not to supply drive signals to a plurality of piezoelectric elements, and includes a first circuit block that switches whether or not to supply the drive signal, a second circuit block that switches whether or not to supply the drive signal, a third circuit block that switches whether or not to supply the drive signal, a fourth circuit block, and a first buffer area, a second buffer area, and a third buffer area in which no circuit element is located, in which the first buffer area is located between the first circuit block and the fourth circuit block, the second buffer area is located between the second circuit block and the fourth circuit block, and the third buffer area is located between the third circuit block and the fourth circuit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryota Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11453216
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a nozzle surface having a plurality of nozzles, a channel structure stacked on the nozzle surface in a stacking direction, and a supply channel structure formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material of the channel structure. The channel structure has a liquid ejection channel communicating with the nozzles. The supply channel structure has a supply channel communicating with the liquid ejection channel. The supply channel structure has a covering portion covering at least a portion of an end surface on a side of the channel structure in a width direction orthogonal to the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Hayashi, Taisuke Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11446924
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an integrated circuit, and a feedback circuit that feeds back a feedback signal. The integrated circuit includes a modulation circuit that output a modulation signal, a constant voltage output circuit that outputs a DC voltage signal, and an input terminal to which the feedback signal is input. The modulation circuit and the constant voltage output circuit are electrically coupled to the input terminal, a first line segment located between the input terminal and the constant voltage output circuit in a first straight line connecting the input terminal and the constant voltage output circuit at a shortest distance does not intersect the modulation circuit, and a second line segment located between the input terminal and the modulation circuit in a second straight line connecting the input terminal and the modulation circuit at a shortest distance does not intersect the constant voltage output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomokazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 11446943
    Abstract: An example system includes an inlet, a guide structure, a heat exchange device and an outlet. In that example the heat exchange device is in thermal contact with the guide structure to change the temperature of print material. The print material may act on the temperature of a print head die while guided through the print head die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Emilio Carlos Cano, Macia Sole Pons, Jeffrey L Thielman
  • Patent number: 11440314
    Abstract: A print head control circuit includes a first diagnosis signal propagation wiring for propagating a first diagnosis signal, a fifth diagnosis signal propagation wiring for propagating a fifth diagnosis signal indicating a diagnosis result, and a second voltage signal propagation wiring for propagating a second voltage signal. The fifth diagnosis signal propagation wiring and the second voltage signal propagation wiring are electrically coupled to each other via a fifth terminal and a seventh terminal, and the first diagnosis signal propagation wiring and the second diagnosis signal propagation wiring are located to be aligned. The first diagnosis signal propagation wiring and the second voltage signal propagation wiring are located to be adjacent to each other in a direction in which the first diagnosis signal propagation wiring and the second diagnosis signal propagation wiring are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yusuke Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11440317
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for controlling a printer is provided. The method includes: receiving a set of parameters associated with a printer by a computing device, wherein the printer is depositing ink on a substrate to generate a line; measuring a width of the line by the computing device; receiving a duty cycle associated with the printer by the computing device; using the received duty cycle, the set of parameters, and a model, estimating one or more unknown parameters of the set of parameters by the computing device; receiving a desired width of the line by the computing device; and if the desired width is not the same as the measured width: adjusting the duty cycle associated with the printer based on the set of parameters and the model so that the measured width is closer to the desired width by the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Gans, Bashir H. Jafari
  • Patent number: 11420438
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a print head including a drive element; a first circuit substrate electrically coupled to the print head; a second circuit substrate electrically coupled to the first circuit substrate; and a fixing portion that fixes the second circuit substrate to the first circuit substrate, wherein the first circuit substrate includes a coupling terminal electrically coupled to the print head, and a first substrate on which the coupling terminal is provided, wherein the second circuit substrate includes a drive signal output circuit that outputs a drive signal for driving the drive element and a second substrate on which the drive signal output circuit is provided, and wherein the fixing portion also serves as a output terminal through which the drive signal is output to the first circuit substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventor: Dai Nozawa
  • Patent number: 11413863
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes first and second individual flow paths arranged side by side along a first direction; a first nozzle communicating with the first individual flow path; a second nozzle communicating with the second individual flow path; and a common liquid chamber coupled to the first and second individual flow paths. The first and second nozzles have openings in a nozzle surface having a second direction as a normal direction. The first individual flow path has a first upstream communication path extending between the first nozzle and the common liquid chamber along the second direction. The second individual flow path has a second upstream communication path extending between the second nozzle and the common liquid chamber along the second direction. The first upstream communication path and the second upstream communication path have parts which do not overlap each other when seen along the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuma Fukuzawa, Kazuaki Uchida, Shunya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11413875
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is insertable into an attachment portion of a printing device in an insertion direction and attached thereto in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes: a housing defining a liquid chamber; a substrate; a contact; and a memory electrically connected to the contact. The substrate in the upright posture defines a sloped surface facing upward and sloping relative to a first imaginary plane extending in the insertion direction and a widthwise direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and a gravitational direction. The contact is formed on the sloped surface. An acute angle formed between the sloped surface and the first imaginary plane is greater than an acute angle formed between the first imaginary plane and a second imaginary plane passing through: a contact point between the contact and a contact of the device; and a lower end of a wall constituting a holder of the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Fumio Nakazawa, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11400708
    Abstract: the ejection amount per ejection from the nozzle when the distance between the nozzle and the recording medium is the first distance is equal to the ejection amount per ejection from the nozzle when the distance between the nozzle and the recording medium is the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Uchida, Shunya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11396177
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a drive element, and a drive circuit that outputs a drive signal that drives the drive element. The drive circuit includes an integrated circuit that outputs an amplification control signal, an amplifier circuit that output an amplified modulation signal, and a demodulation circuit that output the drive signal. The integrated circuit includes a modulation circuit that modulates the base drive signal to output a modulation signal, a discharge circuit that discharges a charge based on the drive signal, a constant voltage output circuit that outputs a DC voltage signal, and an output terminal from which the DC voltage signal is output. The constant voltage output circuit and the discharge circuit are electrically coupled to the output terminal, and a shortest distance between the output terminal and the constant voltage output circuit is shorter than a shortest distance between the output terminal and the discharge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomokazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 11390075
    Abstract: A fluidic die includes a fluid channel layer including at least one fluid channel defined along a length of the fluid ejection device. The fluidic die also includes an interposer layer coupled to the fluid channel layer. The interposer layer includes a number of inlet ports defined in the interposer layer to fluidically couple the at least one channel layer to a fluid source, and a number of outlet ports defined in the interposer layer to fluidically couple the at least one channel layer to the fluid source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Si-lam Choy, Chien-Hua Chen, Michael W Cumbie
  • Patent number: 11390074
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an actuator of a liquid ejection head is supplied with a drive signal including a first waveform and at least one second waveform. First waveform includes a first change from a first voltage to a second voltage, and a second change from the second voltage to a third voltage less than the first voltage. A second waveform begins after a time equal to one half of the natural oscillation period of liquid in a pressure chamber of the liquid ejection head. The second waveform includes a change from the third voltage to the second voltage and a change from second voltage to the third voltage after a time less than one half of the natural oscillation period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryutaro Kusunoki, Mengfei Wong