Medium And Processing Means Patents (Class 347/101)
  • Patent number: 9352588
    Abstract: Systems and methods for collapsible energy source in a drum dryer of a print system. One system includes a dryer with a thermally conductive drum to dry a colorant applied to a web of print media in contact with the drum. A radiant energy source disposed inside the drum includes segments that transfer heat to a surface of the drum. Each segment is attached to another segment about a hinge that allows the segments to pivot with respect to one another. A movement mechanism applies a force to the radiant energy source toward a center of the drum to cause the segments to pivot to a folded position with respect to one another, and applies a force to the radiant energy source toward the surface of the drum to cause the segments to pivot to expand with respect to a circumferential direction of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Stuart J. Boland, Dilan Nirushan Fernando, Scott R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9333770
    Abstract: A printing unit comprises: a head unit including a head block having a thermal head provided therein; a platen unit including a platen roller configured to feed a recording sheet, the platen unit being separably combined with the head unit, wherein the head unit includes: a head frame including the head block removably mounted thereon, the head frame being configured to support the head block so that the head block is pivotable in a direction approaching and separating from the platen roller; an urging member interposed between the head frame and the head block, the urging member being configured to urge the thermal head toward the platen roller; a cutter mechanism mounted onto the head frame so as to be removable therefrom; and lock portions locked to the head block, which are configured to restrict a pivot of the head block toward the platen roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Murata
  • Patent number: 9333741
    Abstract: A method of printing includes using a printing head that comprises straight parallel rows of printing nozzles to print a printed image on a surface of a conically rotationally symmetrical region of an outer wall of an object by controlling parallel rows of printing nozzles taking into account pixel density to be achieved in the printed image, setting a printing density of a printing nozzle with regard to at least one reference parameter, and setting a variable offset between a pair of the rows based on a change in relative speed between the printing head and the conically rotationally symmetrical region of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Nick, Katrin Preckel, Werner Van de Wynckel
  • Patent number: 9328253
    Abstract: A method of making a conductive article includes providing a substrate having a surface with one or more micro-channels having a width of less than 12 ?m. A composition is provided over the substrate and in the one or more micro-channels. The composition includes water and silver nanoparticles dispersed in the water and he weight percentage of silver in the composition is greater than 70% and the viscosity of the composition is in a range from 10 to 10,000 centipoise. The composition is removed from the surface of the substrate. The composition provided in the micro-channels is dried and converted to form one or more electrically conductive micro-wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Yongcai Wang, Paul Matthew Hoderlein, John Andrew Lebens, Hwei-Ling Yau, David Paul Trauernicht
  • Patent number: 9308749
    Abstract: A treatment target reforming device decreases a pH value of a surface of a treatment target using a dielectric-barrier discharge. The treatment target reforming device includes: a discharge electrode and a counter electrode which are disposed so that a conveying path of the treatment target is interposed therebetween; and a power supply which applies a repetitive pulse voltage with an output voltage equal to or larger than 10 kVp-p and smaller than 13 kVp-p to the discharge electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruki Saitoh
  • Patent number: 9302491
    Abstract: According to one example of the present invention there is provided apparatus for generating control data to control an ink jet printer to print a double-sided image on a single side of a substantially transparent substrate. The apparatus comprises a processor for receiving image data of a first and a second image, a printhead control data generator to generate, from the first image, first image printhead control data, and to generate, from the second image, second image printhead control data, and a covering layer printhead control data generator to generate covering layer printhead control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing, Ltd
    Inventor: Alex Davidson
  • Patent number: 9303185
    Abstract: An indirect printing apparatus is disclosed. The printing apparatus comprises an intermediate transfer member. A polyurethane based sacrificial coating is on the intermediate transfer member. The printing apparatus also comprises a coating mechanism for forming the sacrificial coating onto the intermediate transfer member and a drying station for drying the sacrificial coating. At least one ink jet nozzle is positioned proximate the intermediate transfer member and configured for jetting ink droplets onto the sacrificial coating formed on the intermediate transfer member. An ink processing station is configured to at least partially dry the ink on the sacrificial coating formed on the intermediate transfer member. The printing apparatus comprises a substrate transfer mechanism for moving a substrate into contact with the intermediate transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Varun Sambhy, Srinivas Mettu, Santokh S. Badesha, Chu-Heng Liu, Anthony S. Condello
  • Patent number: 9283784
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printer includes a housing that has an outlet, a drawer unit, first, second and third print medium support units and a printing unit. The drawer unit is placed inside of the housing so that it can be drawn out from the housing. The first and the second print medium supporting unit are fixed to the drawer unit. The third print medium supporting unit is fixed to the housing so as to be located between the lower end of the first print medium supporting unit and the lower end of the second print medium supporting unit when the drawer unit is in the closed position. The printing unit prints on a belt-shaped print media, which is drawn out from a roll of printable media that is rotatably supported by at least the first print medium supporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiharu Sekino, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 9278548
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a printing apparatus includes a plasma treatment unit configured to acidify at least a surface of a print medium by applying plasma treatment to the surface of the print medium, a first primer applying unit configured to apply primer treatment by applying treatment liquid to the surface of the print medium having undergone the plasma treatment, and a first recording unit configured to perform recording by inkjet recording on the print medium having undergone the primer treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Matsumoto, Junji Nakai, Masakazu Yoshida, Toshitaka Osanai
  • Patent number: 9278519
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for use in digital printing, comprising: a host; multiple main control boards connected to the host, multiple sets of nozzle plates, wherein each set of nozzle plate respectively is connected to one main control board and to one set of nozzle. The present invention also provides a control method for use in digital printing, comprising: the host decomposing a job into multiple portions, and distributing each portion of the job to one main control board; the main control boards concurrently converting received portions of the job into pages and distributing the pages to a set of nozzle plates connected thereto; the nozzle plates converting the pages into printing data and driving the nozzle sets connected to the nozzle boards to print the printing data thereof. The present invention achieves the effect of improving processing performance of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignees: Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd., Peking University, Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd., Peking University Founder R&D Center
    Inventors: Dan Li, Shaowei Guo, Xiaohui Wen, Zhihong Liu
  • Patent number: 9272539
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit that ejects droplets from an image forming apparatus, and forms an image on a surface of a printing medium, a pre-processing unit that applies a pre-processing liquid to the surface of the printing medium before the image is formed by the image forming unit, and a post-processing unit that applies a post-processing liquid different from the pre-processing liquid to the surface of the printing medium after the image is formed by the image forming unit. The pre-processing unit applies an amount of the pre-processing liquid which is determined based on a type of the printing medium and the post-processing unit applies an amount of the post-processing liquid which is determined based on the type of the printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki Yasu, Yoshinari Suzuki, Yukihito Niino, Seiya Murata
  • Patent number: 9259924
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plasma treatment unit that performs plasma treatment on a surface of a treatment object to acidify at least the surface of the treatment object; and a recording unit that performs inkjet recording on the surface of the plasma treatment subjected to the plasma treatment by the plasma treatment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Nakai, Hiroyoshi Matsumoto, Masakazu Yoshida, Souichi Nakazawa, Tatsuro Watanabe, Hiroyuki Hiratsuka, Koji Nagai
  • Patent number: 9242482
    Abstract: A pH detecting device includes a supplying unit to supply a pH indicator, with an inkjet head, to a surface of a material to be processed on which acidification is performed; a color information detector to detect color information of the pH indicator supplied to the surface of the material; and a pH specifying unit to specify a pH value of the surface of the material based on the color information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruki Saitoh, Koji Nagai, Hiroyuki Hiratsuka, Satoshi Katoh
  • Patent number: 9229668
    Abstract: It is a first aspect of the present disclosure to provide a computer implemented method of enabling, by a mobile device, a peripheral device connected to a network that includes establishing a connection with the peripheral device when the peripheral device fails to communicate with the network; querying the peripheral device for a document; receiving a document from the peripheral device; processing the document; and sending the processed document to the peripheral device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel Leo Rhodus, Forrest Lane Steely
  • Patent number: 9227432
    Abstract: A conveyor device is arranged to face a recording head. The conveyor device includes a conveyance belt and a suction section. The conveyance belt conveys a recording medium. The suction section includes a guide member that supports the recording medium through the conveyance belt. The suction section sucks the recording medium through a plurality of first holes passing through the guide member and a plurality of second holes passing through the conveyance belt to attach the recording medium to the conveyance belt. None of the first holes are formed in a first region of the guide member. The first region is a region where a partial region pertaining to a feeding member overlaps with a head facing region facing the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Hidenori Takenaka, Tomohisa Soda, Jumpei Hobo, Masami Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9219828
    Abstract: An image elimination apparatus includes a first reader configured to read a status of a sheet, a first judgment portion configured to judge whether the read sheet is reusable or not, an image eliminator configured to eliminate an image formed on the sheet, a second reader configured to read the sheet passing through the image eliminator, a second judgment portion configured to judge whether the image formed on the sheet is eliminated or not, and a controller configured to control the first reader and the second reader so as to read with different reading precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 9205676
    Abstract: An aqueous inkjet printer is provided with a surface energy applicator that is positioned to treat the surface of a blanket immediately prior to a printhead ejecting ink onto the blanket. Modifying the surface energy of blanket with the electric field and charged particles produced by the applicator affects the adhesion of the ink to blanket. This adhesion changes from the impact of the ink on the blanket until the ink image is transferred to media. The surface energy applicator is operated during each print cycle to alter the surface energy of the blanket for each ink image formed on the blanket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. DiRubio, Paul J. McConville, Christopher G. Lynn, Anthony S. Condello
  • Patent number: 9199489
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to effectively prevent a medium from swelling due to ejected liquid, and prevent a head and the medium from contacting each other. When “strong rubbing prevention” is selected in the “rubbing prevention settings”, the margin amount of the paper P is enlarged and printing is conducted. Therefore, by enlarging the margin amount, the paper can be prevented from swelling due to ejected ink, and the paper and the printing head can be more reliably prevented from contacting each other (paper rubbing).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamasa Ikagawa, Atsushi Nakazawa, Yu Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 9193191
    Abstract: A printer includes a housing, a drawer unit, first and second print medium supporting units, a third support, and a printing unit. The drawer unit is placed inside the housing so that it can be drawn out from the housing into open and closed positions. The first print medium supporting unit is fixed to the drawer unit and spaced apart from the second print medium supporting unit. The upper end of the second print medium supporting unit is fixed to the drawer unit and its lower end rotates with respect thereto. The third support is disposed in the housing and supports the lower end of the second print medium supporting unit when the drawer unit is in a closed position. The printing unit can print on a print medium pulled out from the rolled print medium which is rotatably supported by at least the first print medium supporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiharu Sekino, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 9138779
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a multilayer coat characterized by including the steps of coating a substrate with an undercoating material to form an undercoat layer, coating the undercoat layer with an active energy ray-curing type ink in an ink-jet system, curing the active energy ray-curing type ink through active energy ray irradiation, and coating the cured active energy ray-curing type ink with a top coating material to form a top coat layer, wherein the surface free energy of the undercoat layer is ?s=20-50 mN/m, the active energy ray-curing type ink has a surface tension at 40° C. of 20-35 mN/m, and the top coating material has a surface tension at 25° C. of 20-50 mN/m, as well as a multilayer coat obtained by the production method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: DAI NIPPON TORYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Anzai, Hiroya Kanda, Harumi Suetsugu, Yasuhiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 9126433
    Abstract: A method for printing information on a substrate includes printing the information on a first surface of the substrate; and heating the substrate causing at least a portion of the printed information to migrate to a second surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas D. Pawlik, Douglas E. Bugner
  • Patent number: 9114628
    Abstract: A print control apparatus capable of carrying out printing on a print medium using metallic ink, controls unevenness of a metallic ink layer formed by the metallic ink on the print medium and also controls coarseness and fineness of dots of the metallic ink on the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sakai
  • Patent number: 9091926
    Abstract: A method of making a planographic printing plate includes exposing, to infrared light, a planographic printing plate precursor including a recording layer provided on a substrate, and developing the precursor using an aqueous alkaline solution. The recording layer comprises a copolymer containing a structural unit derived from (meth)acrylonitrile and at structural unit derived from styrene, a water-insoluble and alkali-soluble resin, and an infrared absorbing agent, the solubility of the recording layer in the aqueous alkaline solution being increased by the exposure. The aqueous alkaline solution has a pH of 8.5 to 10.8 and contains a betaine-based amphoteric surfactant and an ammonium salt represented by Formula (I): R1, R2, R3, and R4 each independently represent an alkyl or aryl group; the total number of carbon atoms in R1, R2, R3, and R4 is not more than 20; and X? represents a counter anion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigekatsu Fujii, Yuichi Yasuhara, Yoshinori Taguchi, Norio Aoshima
  • Patent number: 9079426
    Abstract: A web press includes a web travel path for a continuous media web between a first nip and a second nip. The web travel path includes a first portion in which the web moves in a first direction and which includes a first printer configured to print on a first side of the web. The web travel path also includes a second portion in which the web moves in a second direction, with second portion including a second printer configured to print on a second side of the web. The web travel path is configured to control a drying time via the respective first and second portions being in a generally parallel, vertically stacked relationship and with each respective first and second portion extending in a generally horizontal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Brian L. Helterline, Mike M. Morrow, Karsten N. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9073362
    Abstract: An inkjet printer assembly for printing an image on a recording medium comprises a medium support surface for supporting a recording medium; an inkjet print head for ejecting droplets of an UV-curable ink on the recording medium, the inkjet print head being arranged over the medium support surface; an UV radiation source for irradiating the droplets of UV-curable ink on the recording medium, the UV radiation source being arranged over the medium support surface; a covering arranged over the medium support surface, the covering and the medium support surface together enclosing a print space including the inkjet print head and the UV radiation source; and exhaust means, the exhaust means being configured to vent the print space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: OCE-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Martinus A. Kremers, Anne A. Wind, Ronnie E. A. Blom, Aswin Draad
  • Patent number: 9047026
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for labeling inserted pages within a print preview of a print job. The system receives print data comprising logical pages, and receives instructions for inserting pages among the logical pages of the print data. The system further receives a request for a print preview for the print data, identifies inserts for the print data based on the instructions, rasterizes the logical pages of the print data and the inserts to generate sheet images for the print preview, and includes non-printing marks in the sheet images for the inserts that distinguish the inserts from rasterized logical pages of the print data. The system further transmits the sheet images of the print preview.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen G. Price, David Ward
  • Patent number: 9045664
    Abstract: A method of printing an image on a receiver includes receiving image data for the image. A processor automatically produces data for a polymer pattern and a salt pattern using the image data. A polymer is deposited on the receiver according to the polymer pattern using a polymer-deposition unit. A salt is deposited on the receiver according to the salt pattern using a salt-deposition unit different from the polymer-deposition unit. Liquid ink is deposited on the receiver according to the image data using an inkjet print engine, and at least some of the ink is deposited over the deposited polymer or the deposited salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Thomas Nathaniel Tombs
  • Patent number: 9039160
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a nozzle that discharges electromagnetic wave curable ink that is cured when an electromagnetic wave is irradiated onto a recording medium; and an irradiator for irradiating the electromagnetic wave, wherein a filter that transmits the electromagnetic wave is provided on the irradiator, and the filter has a first transmittance that causes the electromagnetic wave curable ink on the recording medium to be curable with respect to an electromagnetic wave that is incident at a first angle and a second transmittance that maintains a state in which the nozzle can discharge the electromagnetic wave curable ink with respect to an electromagnetic wave that is incident at a second angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikito Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9039162
    Abstract: This invention relates to a media multi-feed rejection apparatus, comprising: a plurality of feed rollers; a feed roller driving means operatively connected to one of the plurality of feed rollers; a clutch means operatively connected to the other of the plurality of feed rollers; and a single channel encoder means operatively connected to the clutch means to measure a rotation of the other of the plurality of feed rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Gary L. Miller, Ed Tucker, Jon Johnson
  • Patent number: 9039163
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, in a medium conveyance apparatus which securely supports and conveys a medium, by providing a function for applying a back tension to the medium, in a guide section which forms a guide for supporting the medium in a medium conveyance unit, it is possible to apply a back tension to the medium of which at least a portion is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit, thereby restricting the occurrence of creasing and floating when the medium is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit and maintaining the flatness of the medium which is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuaki Yoneyama, Hiroshi Uemura
  • Patent number: 9039124
    Abstract: A printer includes a pair of input rollers, a pair of output rollers, a print head and a control section. The control section is configured to transport a print medium by rotating the input rollers and the output rollers after printing on a target region and before printing on a next target region. The control section is configured to determine, before carrying out transporting, whether a combination of the input rollers and the output rollers which pinch the print medium would change in a case where the print medium were transported from a current position to a next target position, and, in a case where there would be a change, the control section being configured to transport the print medium from the current position to the target position in a retracted state where the print head is moved to an outside of a range where the print medium passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Ogimura, Atsushi Sumii
  • Patent number: 9039165
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a transporting roller which includes a cylindrical shaft having one joint from one end portion to the other end portion of the shaft and transports a recording medium by being driven to rotate; a driven roller which holds and transports the recording medium with the transporting roller; and a recording section which performs recording on the recording medium, in which the joint includes a plurality of protrusion sections which protrude in a direction intersecting with an axial direction of the transporting roller, in which the plurality of protrusion sections are disposed in positions which do not come into contact with both end portions of the recording medium in the axial direction of the cylindrical shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Otsuka, Sho Aruga
  • Publication number: 20150138287
    Abstract: A treatment-object modifying device lowers a pH value of a surface of a treatment object by using dielectric-barrier discharge. The treatment-object modifying device includes discharge electrodes disposed over a conveying route of the treatment object; and a counter electrode disposed to face the discharge electrodes across the conveying route so as to correspond to the respective discharge electrodes. Each discharge electrode has a columnar shape or a cylindrical shape. Curved surfaces of the discharge electrodes faces the counter electrode. Curved surfaces of the discharge electrodes face one another. A distance between the adjacent discharge electrodes is equal to or less than 2 millimeters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Haruki Saitoh
  • Publication number: 20150138286
    Abstract: Printable substrates including a base sheet, a tie coating on a first surface of the base sheet, and a printable coating on the tie coating are generally provided. The tie coating can generally include a first crosslinked material formed from a film-forming binder, a first crosslinkable polymeric binder, a first crosslinking agent, and a first crosslinking catalyst. The printable coating can generally include a plurality of inorganic microparticles and a second crosslinked material formed from a second crosslinkable polymeric binder, a second crosslinking agent, and a second crosslinking catalyst. Methods of forming an image on such printable substrates are also generally provided, along with methods for forming such printable substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Neenah Paper, Inc.
    Inventor: Russell Dolsey
  • Patent number: 9035981
    Abstract: Device to reproduce images or graphical patterns in general on large surfaces, comprising at least a printing system (14) mobile in at least one direction with respect to a support frame (12)>> an optical viewing system (100) associated with the support frame (12) and able to recognize the position of the portion of image already executed, and to recognize possible reference signs affixed in the step when said portion of image was executed, in order to allow the correct positioning of the device so as to execute the adjacent portion of image that has to be executed next.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Inventors: Alessandro Dal Col, Carlo Tavian, Giacomo Battiston
  • Patent number: 9033486
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a decorative film having a resin-impregnated substrate paper provided with one or more top layers, which method includes the following steps: i) providing a resin-impregnated substrate paper, ii) printing the substrate paper obtained in step i) with an ink composition, using inkjet technology, iii) subjecting the substrate paper printed with an ink composition as obtained after step ii) to a treatment of the drying and/or curing type, iv) applying at least one transparent top layer to the paper obtained after step iii), and v) curing the paper obtained after step iv) to obtain the decorative film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: TRESPA INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Stefan Henri Dominique Maria Symkens, Henricus Hubertus Maria Kömhoff, Marcelle Hodgson, Irma Vogels-Jansen
  • Patent number: 9028035
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus configured to execute printing using continuous sheets stored in a plurality of storage portions includes a determination unit configured to determine a continuous sheet usable by each print job in a print queue, and a decision unit configured to decide a use order of the continuous sheets stored in the plurality of storage portions based on a result of determination by the determination unit, wherein the decision unit decides the use order so that a continuous sheet with a smaller remaining amount is used preferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiya Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 9028022
    Abstract: According an aspect of the present invention, when causing the liquid ejection head to perform a feeding operation along a first direction, the substrate is retracted outside the projected feeding region of the liquid ejection head and the supporting member thereof prior to starting the feeding operation of the liquid ejection head, preventing dusts and other foreign matters, generated as a result of the feeding operation of the liquid ejection head and the supporting member, from being deposited on a surface of the substrate onto which the liquid is to be deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kodama, Satoshi Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 9022549
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transporting unit that transports a printing medium; a printing unit that performs a printing process on the printing medium, which is transported forward from an upstream side to a downstream side by the transporting unit, at a print position in a transport path; a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium at a cutting position on the downstream side of the print position so as to divide a part of the printing medium, on which the printing process is performed, from a non-printed part thereof on the upstream side of the part; and a removing unit that removes cutting dust. The printing unit performs the printing process on the non-printed part thereof from which the cutting dust is removed through the removing unit by transporting the printing medium backward to the print position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keishi Sawada
  • Patent number: 9022508
    Abstract: In a transport for reversing a front and a back of a paper so as to print the back of a printing paper after printing the front of the printing paper, an attachment amount of ink to the front of the printing paper is determined for each region of the front, and on the path of the transport, in a predetermined position where the warpage of the opposite direction to the warpage of the swelling curl of the printing medium generated by the attachment of ink to the front of the printing paper is generated in a site of the printing paper having a region in which the amount of ink attachment is determined to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the transport of the printing medium waits for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ue, Tokujiro Okuno, Atsushi Sumii
  • Patent number: 9022556
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus includes a placement table on which recesses in which swelling portions of a printing target material fall are formed and the printing target material is placed, and an ink jet head that discharges ink onto a surface of the printing target material of a printing side placed on the placement table so as to execute desired printing. The swelling portions such as seams fall in the recesses on the printing target material so that the swelling portions and the ink jet head can be avoided from rubbing with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Moriya, Kenji Yanagishita
  • Patent number: 9022512
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the processing position of at least one processing device not clamping a product web to be processed within the context of longitudinal register control in a processing machine includes arranging the at least one processing device in a web section which is delimited by two clamping points. The method further includes applying an actuating variable for adjusting the processing position to the at least one processing device within the context of feedforward control, and calculating the actuating variable for adjusting the processing position on the basis of a register deviation expected from a control action of a tensile force control device for controlling the tensile force in the web section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Schnabel, Stephan Schultze, Mario Goeb
  • Patent number: 9022519
    Abstract: A printing device includes a camera position control mechanism configured and arranged to control a position of the camera to switch between a first state in which the alignment mark is photographed from a side of the first face, and a second state in which the alignment mark is photographed from a side of the second face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Umetsu, Yoshitake Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9022509
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus forms an image on a recording medium including a liquid accommodation layer by landing a liquid to the liquid accommodation layer of the recording medium. The image recording apparatus includes a first unit that performs pre-processing of landing the liquid containing a material with absorbability lower than that of the liquid accommodation layer to an edge of an image formation region at which the image is scheduled to be formed; and a second unit that forms the image at the image formation region of the recording medium after the first unit performs the pre-processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Sonehara
  • Patent number: 9022554
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a liquid ejecting section that ejects a liquid at a medium; a transport mechanism that is disposed downstream of the liquid ejecting section in a transport direction of the medium and transports the medium, the transport mechanism having a driving roller that makes driving rotation, and a pair of driven rollers that are pressed against the driving roller via the medium and make driven rotation, the driven rollers being disposed with a space in a direction to cross the transport direction; and an inter-axis adjustment mechanism that is capable of adjusting an inter-axis distance between a rotation axis of the driving roller and a rotation axis of each roller of the driven rollers separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Kato
  • Patent number: 9016851
    Abstract: A first guide includes a guiding face to support a recording medium on an upstream of a head in a conveyance direction, a recess formed on the upstream of the head in the conveyance direction, and a protrusion to protrude from the guiding face through the recess. The protrusion includes a first slope upwardly inclined from an upstream end of the protrusion toward the downstream. Atop of the protrusion is positioned on the same level as or an upper level than an upstream end of a supporter, when the supporter is at an opposing position and the protrusion protrudes from the guiding face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Murakami
  • Patent number: 9010919
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an inkjet recording apparatus 100 capable of performing recording continuously on both surfaces of a web 1, including a plurality of recording heads H1 to H8 disposed on a substrate, driers 5a and 5b for drying the web 1 recorded by the recording heads H1 to H8, and guide rollers A1 to A8, B1 to B8, and G1 to G8 for guiding the web 1, in which a traveling path of the web 1 is switchable so that the web 1 passes between any selected adjacent ones of the recording heads H1 to H8, the recording head upstream of the position where the web passes performs recording on one surface 1a of the web 1, and the recording head downstream of the position where the web 1 passes performs recording on the other surface 1b of the web 1, and an inkjet recording method using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Kenji Takahashi, Yuuichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9010923
    Abstract: Disclosed are a sheet conveying device and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of conveying a sheet in close contact with a drum without wrinkles. In a sheet conveying mechanism which presses a pressing roller against the front surface of a sheet being conveyed by a conveying drum to bring the sheet into close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the conveying drum, a back tension application device is provided at a position immediately before the sheet enters between the conveying drum and the pressing roller. The back tension application device sucks the front surface of the sheet to apply back tension to the sheet. Therefore, it is possible to prevent slackness of the sheet which enters between the pressing roller and the conveying drum and to prevent the occurrence of wrinkles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Inoue, Takehiko Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9010926
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit which performs recording on a recording medium; and a movable body which includes a support portion that supports the recording medium and which moves along a guide shaft, in which the movable body includes a bearing which is supported by the guide shaft and is movable in an opposite direction from gravity in relation to the guide shaft, and a load center which receives the moving force for the movement and is positioned on a straight line along a movement direction, where the straight line intersects a straight line in a gravity direction which passes through a center of gravity of the movable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Moriya, Kenji Yanagishita
  • Patent number: 9010902
    Abstract: A detailed sheet bundle process may be efficiently performed even in a state in which a plurality of general sheet process apparatuses are connected. The print system capable of individually conveying sheets to a plurality of sheet process apparatuses, comprises: an obtaining unit configured to obtain waiting times in which conveyance of a sheet is to be waited between sheet bundles of the sheet process apparatuses and switching times required for switching a sheet discharge destination; a determination unit configured to determine whether a sheet process apparatus to be used is to be changed for every sheet bundle among the sheet process apparatuses in accordance with the waiting times and the switching times obtained by the obtaining unit; and a control unit configured to allow change of a sheet process apparatus to be used for every sheet bundle when the determination unit determines that a sheet process apparatus to be used is to be changed every sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Kimura