Physical Handling Patents (Class 347/104)
  • Patent number: 10029488
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport drive roller that transports a medium, a roller support unit that supports the transport drive roller on one side in a first direction, a base member that supports the roller support unit on the one side in the first direction, and a first fulcrum portion via which the roller support unit and the base member are made to contact each other. The roller support unit is configured so as to pivot upon the first fulcrum portion about an axis oriented in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Murotani, Kenichi Miyazaki, Naotoshi Yanagidaira
  • Patent number: 10017345
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for rewinding and cutting a film-like material. In one example, a method may include adjusting a position of a retractable driven shaft located between a first roller from which the film-like material is unwound and a second roller onto which the film-like material is rewound during the rewinding and cutting operations. The method may further include adjusting a tension applied on the film-like material based on speeds of a first shaft holding the first roller and a second shaft holding the second roller, and a brake force applied onto the first shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: NEPATA GmbH
    Inventors: Fabian Franke, Stefan Baur, Robert Schmidt, Berhard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10011124
    Abstract: Marginless printing is performed by using a printhead which ejects ink. Information on an inclination of a sheet to be conveyed is obtained, and in performing the marginless printing at a leading end of the sheet, an image region with respect to which ink is discarded to an outside of the sheet is set based on the obtained information. Further, a platen which supports the sheet by sucking in a manner facing the printhead which ejects the ink is provided and control is performed such that in performing printing sequentially from the leading end to a trailing end of the sheet, suction force of the platen is decreased upon approach of a portion to be printed to the trailing end of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Ogasawara, Tetsuji Kurata
  • Patent number: 9994405
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a pair of first conveying rollers, a pair of second conveying rollers provided at a downstream of the pair of first conveying rollers in a conveying direction of a sheet, a loop being formed in the sheet when a head of the sheet conveyed by the pair of first conveying rollers butts against the pair of second conveying rollers, and a controller which executes a first control mode in which the sheet is conveyed by the pair of first conveying rollers and the pair of second conveying rollers without dissolving the loop formed in the sheet, or a second control mode in which the loop formed in the sheet is dissolved, and the sheet nipped by the pair of first conveying rollers and the pair of second conveying rollers is conveyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshifumi Itabashi, Keiko Fujita
  • Patent number: 9987857
    Abstract: A printing device including: a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path configured to conveying print media; a skew correction unit configured to correct skewing of the print medium conveyed along the first conveyance path; and a print unit configured to print on the print medium conveyed on the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path; the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path merging downstream of the skew correction unit; print media conveyed from the second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji Moriyama, Hiroyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9981488
    Abstract: A printer includes a modular vacuum belt assembly for moving print media in a media feed direction along a media path. The modular vacuum belt assembly includes a plurality of moving belt modules interconnected along a width of the media path. Neighboring moving belt modules are interconnected via a connecting fixed vacuum plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Rosati, David Petch, David Burney, Jim Sykora, Kenneth A Regas, Andy Bound, Neil Doherty, Scott Dennis, Ben Jones, Oksana Buyda, Locson Tonthat, Andrew Buyda, Patrick Kirk, Loren Hunt, Jason Dewey, Jim Trinchera, Bill Cressman, Ron Zech
  • Patent number: 9975358
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a mechanism for forming a corrugated shape in a sheet to be conveyed. The mechanism may include various components include one or more pressing portions, one or more ribs, one or more discharge rollers, a switching mechanism and the like. In one arrangement, ribs and pressing portions configured to create the corrugated shape may be disposed at various locations upstream or downstream of the platen, recording portion and/or nozzles thereof. In one example, pressing portions may be disposed both upstream and downstream of the nozzles of the recording portion to maintain a corrugated shape in the conveyed sheet. Various other configurations may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Yuji Koga, Wataru Sugiyama, Kenji Samoto
  • Patent number: 9962925
    Abstract: The invention relates to a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a method for producing a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a printing machine for producing a stencil for forming surface structures by etching, and a method for forming surface structures by etching. A known stencil for forming surface structures by etching includes an etching-resistant stencil layer. The stencil layer can be transferred to the surface to be structured, and the stencil layer can after an etching treatment be partially removed from the surface to be structured, and is elaborated and developed in that the stencil layer includes at least two partial regions and that at least two partial regions can be removed independently of one another from the surface to be structured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: AKK GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Kesper
  • Patent number: 9950546
    Abstract: A printer includes a recording head performing recording on a medium and includes a base stand that has a mounting surface capable of mounting the medium. A pump that absorbs or suctions the medium mounted on the mounting surface of the base stand, in which a pressure or a suction force is applied from a part of the medium to an entirety thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Sakai, Yuichi Honobe
  • Patent number: 9944093
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a housing; a recording device that is provided inside the housing; a medium receiving tray moves between a first position and a second position, the first position being housed inside the housing, the second position being a position of protruding from the housing; a guide for guiding the medium receiving tray; and a guided portion of the medium receiving tray being guided by the guide, wherein the guide includes a first guide area and a second guide area, wherein the first guide area is guiding the guided portion from the first position to a third position that is located between the first position and the second position before the second position, wherein the second guide area is guiding the guided portion from the third position to the second position, and wherein the second guide area includes a narrowing area narrower than the first guide area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Nakano, Atsuhiko Takeuchi, Tomoko Shirai
  • Patent number: 9945455
    Abstract: A transmission system is provided that has a drive pulley, at least one driven pulley and an oil wet toothed belt. The toothed belt includes a toothing and a back, a first portion, wherein the toothing is coupled to the drive pulley, a second portion wherein the toothing is coupled to at least one driven pulley, a first taut branch which develops towards the driving pulley and a second slack branch which develops towards the driven pulley. The transmission system also includes a fixed containment guide having at least a first wall facing the toothing and/or the back positioned at a distance from the toothed belt between a minimum distance where at rest it is not in contact with the toothed belt and a maximum distance equal to 5% of the length of one between the taut branch and the slack branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Dayco Europe S.R.L.
    Inventors: Franco Cipollone, Massimiliano Delli Rocioli, Marco Di Meco, Luigi Laviola
  • Patent number: 9944101
    Abstract: To optimize an arrangement route for a tube arranged between an ink tank and a carriage, when arranging the ink tank outside an ink jet printer main body. A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting apparatus main body 2 ejecting a liquid onto a recording medium from a liquid ejecting head mounted on a carriage; a liquid containing body 110 arranged inside the liquid ejecting apparatus main body 2; and a liquid supply tube 120 arranged between the liquid containing body 110 and the carriage, in which an inner space S is provided which is formed from the liquid ejecting head and a discharge port including a region where the recording medium is discharged, and the liquid containing body 110 is arranged in the inner space S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Yoda, Kenji Oshima, Yoshisada Aoki, Satoshi Shimizu, Kazutoshi Sakamoto, Nobuhisa Nomoto
  • Patent number: 9931833
    Abstract: A printing system includes an identification module to identify a number of the encoder pulses generated by an encoder at a rate corresponding to a speed of a media during a time interval. The printing system also includes an alignment module to at least one of change the number of encoder pulses or scale the encoder pulses generated by the encoder based on an amount of variation between the number of encoder pulses detected and the number of encoder pulses to maintain the number of encoder pulses constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David C Collins, Matthew J Gelhaus, Carlos Millan-Lorman, Bruce A Stephens
  • Patent number: 9931865
    Abstract: A holding apparatus includes an insertion space into which an object, namely a finger or a toe including a nail, is inserted; and a plurality of pressing members disposed in the insertion space along an insertion direction of the object into the insertion space, that hold the object inserted into the insertion space in the insertion space. In such a holding apparatus, the insertion space includes an object holding wall provided at a position capable of contacting the object inserted into the insertion space; each of the plurality of pressing members is capable of movement in a first direction pressing the object to a side of the holding wall and a second direction opposite the first direction, and is biased toward the first direction; and a biasing force biasing the a first pressing member of the plurality of pressing members disposed relatively at a back side in the insertion direction is greater than biasing forces biasing the other pressing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daisuke Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9919541
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus (printing device) includes a support section that supports a medium, a discharge section that discharges a liquid onto the medium that is supported by the support section, a holding section (carriage) that holds the discharge section, and a pressing section (rollers) that can change the position to a first position for pressing the medium against the support section or to a second position for releasing the medium. The pressing section is placed within an area between the holding section and the support section at the first position, and is placed outside the area between the holding section and the support section at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Tamaki, Hideyuki Kataoka
  • Patent number: 9919543
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a cleaning section that includes a cleaning material for cleaning a transportation belt, which transports a recording target medium, by contact with the transportation belt. The cleaning section is capable of switching between a contact state, in which the cleaning material is in contact with the transportation belt, and a non-contact state, in which the cleaning material is not in contact with the transportation belt. The cleaning section is capable of performing renewal operation. The renewal operation is operation of renewing a contact region of the cleaning material, that is, a region of contact with the transportation belt, from a region that has already been used to a region that has not been used yet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Mori
  • Patent number: 9919545
    Abstract: A printer is configured such that a low position face is formed in an upper portion of a frame that forms a skeleton of an apparatus body thereof, and a panel unit that provides a user with a function of operating the printer and a function of displaying various items is disposed in a state of being embedded in the low position face. This configuration enables the height-direction size (the z-axis direction size) of the printer to be suppressed to a size smaller than the size resulting from independently adding the height-direction size of the frame to the height-direction size of the panel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9904877
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that arranges and is able to transport a plurality of continuous paper pieces in parallel; a printing unit of which a print head reciprocates in a direction intersecting with a transport direction of the plurality of continuous paper pieces and which is configured to be able to perform printing on the plurality of continuous paper pieces separately; a reception unit that is able to receive a plurality of print jobs; and a control unit that controls operations of the transport unit and the printing unit based on the plurality of print jobs received by the reception unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Yoshiwaka, Toshiaki Isobe, Mamiko Ishida, Mamoru Akatsu
  • Patent number: 9895906
    Abstract: A recording device includes a medium-supporting part having a suction hole, a recording head and a suction part. The recording head is configured and arranged to perform a liquid ejection onto a medium supported on the medium-supporting part. The suction part is connected to the medium-supporting part to suck outside air via the suction hole. A liquid ejection period in which the recording head performs the liquid ejection onto the medium has a first period in which the suction part sucks by a predetermined suction force, and a second period in which the suction part sucks by a suction force which is smaller than the predetermine suction force after the first period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9900457
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a power-saving mode in which the image forming apparatus is switched from a normal power consumption state to a low power consumption state where less energy is supplied than in the normal power consumption state. This image forming apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect an operating state of the image forming apparatus, and a memory unit configured to store a detection result by the detection unit. In the power-saving mode, the detection unit detects an operating state of the image forming apparatus, and the memory unit stores a detection result by the detection unit. When the image forming apparatus returns from the low power consumption state in the power-saving mode to the normal power consumption state, control of a return operation for the image forming apparatus from the power-saving mode is executed, based on the detection result by the detection unit stored in the memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasumasa Morimoto, Hideyuki Hiro
  • Patent number: 9889684
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided including a drive source, a switching member, a drive force transmitter, a clutch, a controller, etc. The drive source drives a conveyer to rotate either normally or reversely. The switching member is swingable between an evacuation position and a striking position as a shaft rotates. The drive force transmitter transmits a drive force from the drive source to both the conveyer and the shaft. The clutch transmits the drive force to the shaft when being connected, and holds the switching member at the striking or evacuation position when being disconnected. The controller controls the drive source and the clutch such that the conveyer normally rotates to convey a manually-inserted recording medium from a manual conveyance path to an ejector and that the switching member swings from the evacuation position to the striking position, based on a signal indicating that the set position is wrong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Suguru Masunaga
  • Patent number: 9889678
    Abstract: A medium supporting unit includes a supporting unit including a supporting face which supports a medium, and a receiving unit in which a receiving face which is recessed with respect to the supporting face is formed; and a pressing unit which can press the medium which is supported by the supporting unit by being received on the receiving face, in which the receiving unit is formed of a material of which rigidity is higher than a material which forms the supporting face. By configuring such a medium supporting unit, it is possible to make the supporting unit thin and light weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 9883069
    Abstract: There are provided an image reading device and a printing apparatus that can reduce an influence of the shadows of suction holes. Suction holes, which are used to suck a sheet, are arranged on the peripheral surface of a drum that transports the sheet. The suction holes are arranged in grooves that are formed along a direction orthogonal to a transport direction. Accordingly, since an influence of the shadows of the suction holes can be reduced even in a case in which density unevenness is inspected on the basis of a read image, the false detection of density unevenness can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Okayama, Takahiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 9878533
    Abstract: A method and a device for ink-jet printing onto containers is described, in which at least one container is rotated and/or transported along a curved path, and associated surface velocities of partially circumferential portions of a lateral container surface are measured, where the printing times and/or a rotational velocity of the containers associated with the partially circumferential and/or intermediately disposed portions are adapted to the surface velocities. Changes in the print advance rate caused by different surface velocities in front of print heads can thereby be compensated. This allows for uniform print resolution and seamless joining of partial prints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventor: Andreas Sonnauer
  • Patent number: 9864309
    Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer member to which a bias voltage is applied and that transfers a toner image, which is carried on an image carrier, onto a sheet while nipping the sheet between the transfer member and the image carrier when the sheet is transported to the transfer member; and a pressing member that includes a spring member and a first rubber damper, which are arranged in series with each other, and that presses the transfer member against the image carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsuhito Tokuyama
  • Patent number: 9844955
    Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus, including: a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet in a sheet conveyance direction; a recording unit configured to record the image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit; a support member having a first surface and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface, the first surface being configured to support the recording unit; a contact member including an engaging part configured to engage with the first surface and a contact part configured to make contact with the sheet on a downstream side of the engaging part in the sheet conveyance direction; and an biasing member configured to bias the contact member toward the second surface of the support member between the contact part and the engaging part in the sheet conveyance direction, and thereby making the contact member contact with the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Iwane Sano
  • Patent number: 9840095
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima
  • Patent number: 9840101
    Abstract: Provided is a droplet ejection apparatus including: an ejecting mechanism in which plural ejection units which eject droplets from a nozzle to a transported recording medium are disposed in a zig-zag form in an intersection direction that intersects a transport direction of the recording medium; and a release unit which releases humidified air from a release port which is open in the recording medium side between ejection units in the intersection direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Shinji Seto
  • Patent number: 9834001
    Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus including a recording head that can eject an ink onto a sheet, a transport unit that transports the sheet to the recording head, a housing that contains the recording head and the transport unit, a case that is arranged on an outer surface of the housing so that the bottom portion thereof is positioned higher than a bottom surface of the housing, and that serves as a holder which holds an ink container containing an ink, and a supply unit that supplies the ink from the ink container to the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Tanaka, Takaichi Wada, Tetsuya Takamoto, Katsumi Okamoto, Yasuhiro Matsuo, Isao Momose, Yoshisada Aoki, Tomohiro Yasufuku
  • Patent number: 9834016
    Abstract: A medium holder according to the invention includes a medium roll being a wound medium, and a medium holder unit that is mounted onto an end portion of the medium roll in an axial direction. The medium holder unit includes a movement mechanism having a rotating body that moves the medium roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9827786
    Abstract: To suppress deterioration in the quality of a recorded image resulting from the shape of a medium not being stable. There is provided a recording apparatus (1) including a shape adjusting section (11) which adjusts a shape of a medium (M) to a reference shape, a holding section (10) which holds a state of the medium (M) after being adjusted by the shape adjusting section (11), and a recording section (44) which has a discharging section (6) which discharges a liquid to the medium (M) which is held by the holding section (10). With the recording apparatus (1) having this configuration, it is possible to suppress deterioration in the quality of a recorded image resulting from the shape of the medium (M) not being stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kunihiko Matsuhashi, Eiji Natori, Shinya Momose
  • Patent number: 9821580
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a main body. An ink containing unit is disposed in the main body and is configured to contain ink to be supplied. The ink containing unit includes an ink refill portion through which ink is refilled and an ink level display surface disposed on a side surface of the main body. The side surface has an opening through which a jammed sheet is removed and a first cover configured to cover the opening. The ink level display surface and the first cover are juxtaposed on the side surface in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akinari Ishibe, Motohiro Momozaki
  • Patent number: 9796548
    Abstract: In an example, a print media transport apparatus comprises a plurality of pallets having a self-propulsion mechanism, and being to support print media. The pallets may circulate on an endless track comprising a printing zone, a descending zone and an ascending zone. A controller may control the self-propulsion mechanisms of the pallets such that a pallet on the descending zone is at least partially supported by another pallet which is ahead on the track, and a pallet on the ascending zone is at least partially driven by pallet which follows on the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HP SCITEX LTD.
    Inventors: Alex Veis, Yuval Dim
  • Patent number: 9789708
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting unit that ejects a liquid onto a medium, a transporting mechanism that transports the medium, a member having concave portions, which is arranged downstream of the liquid ejecting unit in a transporting direction of the medium, an introducing mechanism that introduces the medium to the concave portions, the transporting mechanism having rollers that come into contact with the medium at a plurality of contact positions in a direction that intersects the transporting direction, and the concave portions being arranged at positions that correspond to a position between neighboring ones of the contact positions in the transporting direction. By giving the liquid ejecting apparatus such a structure, wrinkles that occur in a liquid ejection region can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuneyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9782992
    Abstract: An ejection apparatus is provided and includes: a cooling unit that cools a recording medium; a humidification unit that humidifies the recording medium in a state of the recording medium having a temperature lowered by the cooling unit; and an ejection unit that ejects droplets on the recording medium that is humidified by the humidification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9781989
    Abstract: A drawing apparatus includes a drawing unit for drawing on a nail of an object which is a finger or a toe by applying ink, an object suppression unit for applying a suppression force to suppress a motion of the object to the object, and a nail region detection unit for detecting a region of the nail. The drawing apparatus sets the suppression force to a first suppression force in at least one of a first period of the drawing unit drawing on the nail and a second period of the nail region detection unit detecting the region of the nail, and sets the suppression force to a second suppression force which is weaker than the first suppression force or sets the motion of the object to be not suppressed in a third period of the ink applied to the nail being dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuichi Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9770910
    Abstract: An image forming system includes a fluid applicator unit, a substrate positioning unit, and a fluid collector assembly. The fluid collector assembly includes a collector substrate, a collector advancement unit, and a collector control module. The fluid applicator unit may apply fluid to a substrate. The substrate positioning unit may position the substrate in a printzone to receive the fluid from the fluid applicator unit such that a first portion of the fluid remains on the substrate and a second portion of the fluid does not remain on the substrate. The collector substrate may collect the second portion of the fluid in the printzone below the substrate. The collector advancement unit may advance the collector substrate along a collector transport path below the substrate in the printzone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Francesc Ros Cerro, Daniel Gutierrez Garcia, Marcia Sole Pons
  • Patent number: 9751312
    Abstract: A fabric printing device includes a printing surface for holding a fabric to be printed and an ink nozzle array movable between a print position and a standby position. The ink nozzle array is located over the printing surface when in the print position and includes a plurality of ink nozzle groups. Each ink nozzle group is configured to spray a different color ink than an adjacent ink nozzle group. The fabric printing device also includes a recycle ink tray defining a plurality of partitioned ink pools, each ink pool associated with one of the plurality of ink nozzle groups. The ink nozzle array is positioned over the recycle ink tray when in the standby position such that substantially all of the ink sprayed from a particular ink nozzle group is received in a respective partitioned ink pool and isolated from ink in an adjacent partitioned ink pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Delta Apparel, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Mitchell Valancy, Andrew B. Burchfield
  • Patent number: 9725266
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a medium support unit that is capable of moving by driving of a motor in a moving direction and is capable of supporting a medium, a recording unit that records an image onto the medium supported on the medium support unit, and a control unit that allows the motor to execute an assist operation for assisting the movement of the medium support unit when recognizing the movement of the medium support unit without depending on the driving of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Sumito Anzai
  • Patent number: 9694606
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: a roller; a first supporting member; a recording section; a second supporting member; and a first waved-shape imparting mechanism configured to impart, to the sheet, the waved shape so that both end portions of the sheet in the width direction are oriented downward. An upstream end portion, of the second supporting surface, in the conveyance direction is located below a downstream end portion of a first supporting surface of the first supporting member in the conveyance direction. The second supporting surface of the second supporting member is formed with projections arranged respectively at locations, of the second supporting surface, at which the both end portions of the sheet in the width direction are supported, the projections projecting upward above a location of the second supporting surface at which a central portion of the sheet in the width direction is supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Iwane Sano, Gakuro Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 9694604
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a control section, a conveyance section, a recording head, a negative pressure applying section, a gap forming section, and a first voltage applying section. The conveyance section conveys a recording medium placed on a conveying surface. The negative pressure applying section applies negative pressure to holes in the conveying surface to suck the recording medium onto the conveying surface. The gap forming section forms a narrow gap, with the conveying surface, further upstream in a conveyance direction of the recording medium than the recording head. The gap forming section is composed of at least a part of a conductive portion. The first voltage applying section applies a voltage to the conductive portion. The control section controls the first voltage applying section to apply the voltage to the conductive portion while the inkjet recording apparatus performs a specific process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Shinji Yoshinaga, Hidenori Takenaka, Jumpei Hobo, Tomohisa Soda, Hiroatsu Tamai, Satoshi Tsunemi
  • Patent number: 9694600
    Abstract: A medium supporting unit includes a supporting unit including a supporting face which supports a medium, and a receiving unit in which a receiving face which is recessed with respect to the supporting face is formed; and a pressing unit which can press the medium which is supported by the supporting unit by being received on the receiving face, in which the receiving unit is formed of a material of which rigidity is higher than a material which forms the supporting face. By configuring such a medium supporting unit, it is possible to make the supporting unit thin and light weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 9682578
    Abstract: A method is for notifying information of a remaining amount of a recording medium in a recording apparatus including a delivery section that rotates and delivers a roll-shaped recording medium, a transport belt that transports the recording medium delivered from the delivery section, and a slack sensor that detects a slackened state in the recording medium delivered from the delivery section to the transport belt. The method includes notifying the information of the remaining amount of the recording medium if the slack sensor detects a lack of slack of the recording medium in a period of a first time or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Itaru Kozuma
  • Patent number: 9662903
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer for printing on a thermoplastic card includes a support on which the card is placed and a printing station includes at least one ink-jet printhead for printing on the card. A reservoir is coupled to the ink-jet printhead and contains an ink comprising: a medium consisting of a low-boiling organic solvent; an auxiliary solvent consisting of a high-boiling organic solvent; and a coloring component soluble in the medium. The support includes a heating system to heat the card during operation of the printing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SICPA HOLDING SA
    Inventors: Paolo Cappello, Corrado Fogato, Norma Giordano, Baldassare Tringali
  • Patent number: 9643435
    Abstract: A plate spring is disposed at an outer lateral face of each of a pair of supporting members which a separation mechanism includes. In separation ejection, when an opening and closing cover is closed while pressing parts of an opening and closing cover is in contact with plate springs of the separation mechanism, the separation mechanism is fixed at the separation ejection position and the nip roller of the separation mechanism is biased toward the platen roller because of the effect of the plate springs. Since the plate springs can be pressed by the pressing parts of the opening and closing cover, a component to press the plate springs can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Hirose
  • Patent number: 9623682
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveying unit that conveys a stored sheet to a position where the sheet can be picked up based on received instructions to pick up the stored sheet on which an image is printed. The printing apparatus performs control such that the sheet is not conveyed by the conveying unit while the sheet is being stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Hosoda
  • Patent number: 9610784
    Abstract: A medium supporting unit includes a supporting unit which can support a medium, and a pressing unit which can press the medium which is supported by the supporting, in which a coefficient of static friction of a contact face with the medium in the pressing unit is larger than that of a contact face with the medium in the supporting unit. By configuring such a medium supporting unit, it is possible to suppress floating of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 9604470
    Abstract: A sheet decurling device includes a decurling conveyance part and a nip forming part. The decurling conveyance part includes a plurality of first rollers provided axially rotatably and a first belt wrapped around the first rollers. The nip forming part forms a nip part nipping and conveying a sheet with the first belt. The nip forming part includes a plurality of decurling rollers whose curvatures of outer circumferential surfaces are different from each other and a change-over mechanism. The change-over mechanism supports the plurality of de curling rollers axially rotatably and selectively changes over the decurling roller to be brought into pressure contact with the first belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Kondo
  • Patent number: 9604479
    Abstract: An image forming system superposes a plurality of recording sheets on top of another by a predetermined number of sheets and discharges the recording sheets. The image forming system includes a recording sheet conveyor, a recording sheet superposition unit, and a controller. The recording sheet conveyor conveys the recording sheets. The recording sheet superposition unit superposes a preceding recording sheet and a succeeding recording sheet sent from the recording sheet conveyor. The controller controls the recording sheet superposition unit not to superpose the preceding recording sheet and the succeeding recording sheet when the controller refers to recording sheet information of the preceding recording sheet and determines that the preceding recording sheet is a recording sheet of a specified kind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yasuhide Kokura
  • Patent number: 9592681
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path; a support member configured to support the sheet; a recording portion; a plurality of contact portions configured to come into contact with the sheet; a plurality of support ribs; a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path; and a third transporting portion configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path. On the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is formed with the upper guide member to project toward the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata, Takashi Omura