With Means To Scan Fluid Ejector Relative To The Receiving Medium Patents (Class 347/37)
  • Patent number: 11964473
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an image formation unit, a tray on which a medium is placed, a movement unit, and a control unit. The image formation unit includes a first head forming a first image and a second head forming a second image. The movement unit is provided so as to be capable of moving the tray to a first position at which the medium is placed and a second position serving as a reference position. The control unit switches between a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, a starting position is moved to an image forming region, and the tray is not moved to the second position, and a movement direction is changed to form the first image and the second image. In the second mode, after the first image is formed, the tray is moved to the second position, and then the movement direction is changed to form the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yohei Nunokawa
  • Patent number: 11951744
    Abstract: A switching mechanism includes a first rotating body that performs forward rotation and reverse rotation by receiving a driving force transmitted from a driving source; and a second rotating body having convex portions provided on an outer circumference at intervals. The first rotating body has an engagement portion configured to move along the outer circumference of the second rotating body. When the first rotating body rotates in a forward direction, engagement of the engagement portion with the convex portion causes rotation of the second rotating body in the forward direction together with the first rotating body. When the first rotating body rotates in a reverse direction, the engagement portion moves along the outer circumference of the second rotating body so that the second rotating body does not rotate in the reverse direction. A first interval, which is at least one of the intervals, is larger than other intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Koase
  • Patent number: 11945169
    Abstract: A 3D printer includes a nozzle configured to jet a drop of liquid metal therethrough. The 3D printer also includes a light source configured to illuminate the drop with a pulse of light. A duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds. The 3D printer also includes a camera configured to capture an image, video, or both of the drop. The 3D printer also includes a computing system configured to detect the drop in the image, the video, or both. The computing system is also configured to characterize the drop after the drop is detected. Characterizing the drop includes determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vijay Kumar Baikampady Gopalkrishna, Raja Bala, Palghat Ramesh, David Allen Mantell, Peter Michael Gulvin, Mark A. Cellura
  • Patent number: 11808680
    Abstract: A method includes illuminating a drop with a pulse of light from a light source. A duration of the pulse of light is from about 0.0001 seconds to about 0.1 seconds. The method also includes capturing an image, video, or both of the drop. The method also includes detecting the drop in the image, the video, or both. The method also includes characterizing the drop after the drop is detected. Characterizing the drop includes determining a size of the drop, a location of the drop, or both in the image, the video, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vijay Kumar Baikampady Gopalkrishna, Raja Bala, Palghat Ramesh, David Allen Mantell, Peter Michael Gulvin, Mark A. Cellura
  • Patent number: 11772808
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology relate to lateral propulsion systems in lighter-than-air (LTA) platforms configured to operate in the stratosphere. One or more motor assemblies are used to actuate the lateral propulsion system and to make directional changes, for instance using one or more propellers. This can include a pointing axis motor assembly for orienting the lateral propulsion system along a particular heading, and a drive motor assembly for causing a propeller assembly or other propulsion mechanism to turn on and off Corrective actions may be necessary to adjust the alignment of the lateral propulsion system. A stepper motor control module may be used to control operation of the pointing axis motor assembly, for instance by causing it to rotate in a clockwise (or counterclockwise) direction. A motor current control approach may be used, in which the motor voltage is adjusted until a measured motor current reaches a selected current level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Aerostar International, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Fan, Jonathan Nutzmann, Christopher Bowles, Ewout van Bekkum
  • Patent number: 11766884
    Abstract: A main frame extending in a first direction, a side frames extending in a second direction that intersects with the first direction, the side frames being fixed to the main frame, and a supported member extending in the first direction and supported by the side frame are included, wherein the side frame includes a first frame portion extending in the second direction and a second frame portion extending from the first frame portion in the first direction, the second frame portion being in surface contact with the main frame, and in plan view from the second direction, an abutting portion that abuts the main frame is provided at the first frame portion and a fixing portion is provided at the second frame portion, the fixing portion being fixed to the main frame at a position where the second frame portion overlaps with the first frame portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Kinoshita, Kazuo Otsuka, Atsuhiko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11760098
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a tube configured to connect a liquid discharge unit and a liquid container, a protective member configured to protect the tube, and a holder configured to hold the protective member. The holder holds the protective member by a first projection of the holder being inserted into a first opening in the protective member, such that a portion of the first projection protrudes from the first opening, and, in a state where the protective member is attached to the holder, a length of the portion of the first projection in a first direction in which a short side of the first opening extends is greater than that of the first opening in the first direction, and the length of the portion of the first projection in the first direction is less than that of the first opening, in the second direction crossing to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Saeki, Yuri Mori
  • Patent number: 11752778
    Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional object printing apparatus, in which a printing operation for a workpiece includes: a first pass in which liquid is ejected toward a first region of the workpiece; a second pass in which the liquid is ejected toward a second region that partially overlaps the first region of the workpiece; a third pass in which the liquid is ejected toward a third region of the workpiece; a fourth pass in which the liquid is ejected toward a fourth region that partially overlaps the third region of the workpiece, the curvature of a surface including the first region and the second region is larger than the curvature of a surface including the third region and the fourth region, and an overlapping width between the first region and the second region is smaller than an overlapping width between the third region and the fourth region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomonaga Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11738559
    Abstract: A single pass inkjet printer that utilizes a modular printing system with one or more self-contained printing modules, where each printing module is easy to remove and replace from a large printing machine, thus resulting in an overall system that is easy to service and maintain Each module is a self-contained printer including an ink supply, printhead drive electronics, and printhead assembly in order to provide one color or fluid of inkjet printing capability. Each module includes a precise three-point compliant self-aligning mount system to obtain accurate printhead positioning, and a unique integrated printhead tending system that includes a compact movable vacuum knife for cleaning the printheads, and a printhead capping station for sealing and protecting the printheads from the ambient environment when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Prototype and Production Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Willard Charles Raymond, Charles Carlson Langford, Nathan Albert Bergman, Michael Laurence Beauchene, Anthony David Kaufhold, Richard Charles Raymond, Nicholas Todd Mann
  • Patent number: 11712913
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes a head configured to eject liquid, a holding unit holding the head, a base unit holding the holding unit, a guide unit movably holding the base unit, the guide unit being configured to guide the base unit, and a detection unit attached to the base unit, the detection unit being configured to detect vibration of the base unit, in which the base unit includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the guide unit is attached to the first surface, and the detection unit is attached to at least one of the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takehito Washizawa
  • Patent number: 11707929
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge unit, a position detector, and circuitry. The liquid discharge unit has a liquid discharge port and discharges a liquid from the liquid discharge port toward an object. The position detector detects a position of the liquid discharge unit relative to the object. The circuitry calculates a movement trajectory of the liquid discharge unit based on the position of the liquid discharge unit detected by the position detector. Further, the circuitry performs a first operation of causing the liquid discharge unit to move along the movement trajectory without discharging the liquid and performs a second operation of causing the liquid discharge unit to move along the movement trajectory while discharging the liquid to the object after the first operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Tachibana, Ryo Honda, Isamu Kubo
  • Patent number: 11623447
    Abstract: A printing module includes a first imaging device and a slot for accommodating an optional second imaging device. An ink supply module includes a slot for accommodating an optional drying/fixation apparatus, and a second ink supply device. Also, the ink supply module and the printing module include ink inlet/outlet ports such that the optional second imaging device in the printing module, if present, can be supplied ink from the second ink supply in the ink supply module when the printing module and the ink supply module are combined to form a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Henricus J. A. Van De Sande
  • Patent number: 11621659
    Abstract: A method for controlling a polyphase actuator includes supplying each phase with a periodically varying voltage having a periodic sequence of steps Pi that have a constant duration and an amplitude An,i, where n corresponds to the rank of the phase and i to the rank of the step. The method further includes determining a target position PCi of a rotor of the actuator, in order to define a sinusoidal voltage envelope. The actuator further includes a movable member, a stator equipped with electrical coils and a sensor detecting the mechanical position of the movable member with respect to the stator, as well as a microcontroller. The microcontroller determines, at times Tcapteur, a mechanical position of a mechanical member, the microcontroller calculates, at each of the times Tcapteur, a difference between the mechanical position and a target position PCi corresponding to the step Pi and the microcontroller calculates a coefficient k as a function of the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Moving Magnet Technologies
    Inventors: Geoffroy Petrement, Guillaume Callerant
  • Patent number: 11590771
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a technique that effects spot gloss or gloss control and/or variations on one image without requiring clear inks. This is preferably accomplished by use of a multilayer printing process in which an image is first printed using a first set of color print heads and then cured, and in which the image is again printed using a second set of color print head, but where the image remains uncured for a predetermined interval to allow the ink drops applied to the media to spread and thus introduce a gloss effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Lianhui Cong, Terrill Clayton
  • Patent number: 11485081
    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing system includes a build plate, a carriage, a housing assembly covering the carriage, and a printhead. The build plate includes a lateral print area having a length along an X-axis and a width along a Y-axis. The carriage has a major axis along the Y-axis that spans the width of the lateral print area. The printhead is mechanically, fluidically, and electrically coupled to the carriage. The printhead includes a printhead housing that cooperates with the housing assembly to separate a print zone containing the lateral print area from connected internal components of the printhead and the carriage. The carriage is configured to scan along the X-axis and the printhead is configured to scan along the Y-axis supported by the carriage to address the entire lateral print area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CULINARY PRINTWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Corey M. Davis, Michael E. Jones
  • Patent number: 11448958
    Abstract: A fluid dispensing system, an imprint lithography system with a fluid dispensing system, a method of manufacturing an article with the fluid dispensing system. The fluid dispensing system comprising: a fluid dispenser and a heater. The fluid dispenser configured to dispense droplets of a fluid onto a substrate. The heater configured to maintain droplet temperature at greater than 23° C. Each of the droplets has a fluid volume that is less than 1.2 pL. The fluid dispenser is configured to have a drop placement accuracy for the imprint resist fluid that is less than a first threshold when the droplet fluid temperature is greater than 23° C. The drop placement accuracy is greater than the first threshold when the droplet fluid temperature is less than or equal to 23° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Colleen Lyons, Whitney Longsine, Matthew C. Traub, Van Nguyen Truskett
  • Patent number: 11440332
    Abstract: A recording head unit includes a first line head and a second line head in which nozzles are provided in an X-axis direction. The first line head is arranged on one side of the second line head in a Y-axis direction intersecting the X-axis direction. The first line head includes a first windbreak member. The second line head includes a second windbreak member. A length by which the first windbreak member protrudes is smaller than a length by which the second windbreak member protrudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Sato, Masaaki Hagio, Keigo Yamasaki, Tomoyuki Nakano
  • Patent number: 11420456
    Abstract: A movement mechanism for a movable body including a motor including a rotation shaft, a supporting member that supports the motor, an attachment member fixed to a base body portion and to which the supporting member is attached, a driving pulley coupled to the rotation shaft, a driven pulley attached to the base body portion, an endless belt stretched between the driving pulley and the driven pulley, and the movable body attached to the endless belt, in which the supporting member is configured to be pivotally movable about a position serving as a pivotal axis such that a distance between the driving pulley and the driven pulley shortens, the position being at a side of the driven pulley from the driving pulley in a stretching direction in which the endless belt is stretched between the driving pulley and the driven pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takuro Ishikura
  • Patent number: 11399110
    Abstract: An apparatus detects movement of a target object, estimates a control quantity for first feedback control for the target object at a first period, based on a detection signal, and estimates a first state quantity of the target object and a second state quantity obtained by time differentiation of the first state quantity in order to perform second feedback control for the target object at a second period shorter than the first period, based on the detection signal. The apparatus generates a first operation quantity for the first feedback control, based on the estimated control quantity, generates a second operation quantity for the second feedback control, based on the estimated first and second state quantities, and determines an output value, based on a result of comparing the second operation quantity with a maximum value of the first operation quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichiro Suzuki, Eriko Uchida
  • Patent number: 11331919
    Abstract: The plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles are arranged such that a distance between nozzles adjacent to each other in a first direction is a first distance, the support body is provided with a first fixing portion for fixing the first head unit onto the support body and a second fixing portion for fixing the second head unit onto the support body, and a distance between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion in the first direction is a second distance that is different from an integral multiple of the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kanegae, Hiroyuki Hagiwara, Nobuaki Ito, Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11318766
    Abstract: An alignment of jet holes of a liquid jet head is smoothly performed. A liquid jet head according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a nozzle section having a jet hole for liquid, a support member configured to support the nozzle section, and a position adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the jet hole with respect to a carriage. The position adjustment mechanism includes a reference member a position of which with respect to the carriage is fixable, a position adjustment member which is coupled to the support member, and is configured to push the reference member to change a relative distance with respect to the reference member to thereby displace the support member on the carriage, and an intermediary member intervening between the reference member and the position adjustment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventor: Takanori Koyano
  • Patent number: 11318765
    Abstract: A carriage moving mechanism including a driving unit including a driving pulley, a driving motor, and a first support member for supporting both the driving pulley and the driving motor, a driven unit including a driven pulley and a second support member for supporting the driven pulley, and a third support member supporting both the driving unit and the driven unit, an annular belt that is wound around both the driving pulley and the driven pulley, a first outer peripheral surface and a second outer peripheral surface facing to the first outer peripheral surface, and a first carriage that is attached to the first outer peripheral surface, wherein the second support member, the third support member, and the first support member are aligned in this order in a first axis, and the third support member is disposed inside the annular belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Murayama
  • Patent number: 11298882
    Abstract: An example three-dimensional printing system includes a first carriage, a second carriage, and a synchronization controller. The synchronization controller is coupled to the first carriage and the second carriage to synchronize movements of the first carriage and the second carriage. The synchronization controller is to avoid interference between the first carriage and the second carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Ewe, Eric Collins, Donnell D. Daniels
  • Patent number: 11285718
    Abstract: A liquid jet head and a liquid jet recording device capable of reducing the installation area of the liquid jet head are provided. The liquid jet head according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is to be installed in a carriage of the liquid jet recording device. The liquid jet head includes a jet section provided with a nozzle hole configured to jet liquid, a support member configured to support the jet section, and provided with a hole part including a through hole penetrating in a jet direction of the liquid, a biasing member disposed in the hole part, and configured to bias the support member toward the carriage, and a biased member which is disposed at a predetermined position with respect to the carriage, and is biased in the hole part by the biasing member to thereby set a position of the nozzle hole with respect to the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Seki, Takanori Koyano, Masaru Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 11283950
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit and a document reading unit. The recording unit includes a shaft, and the document reading unit includes a groove forming member. In the groove, an elastically deformable portion configured to make the width of the groove narrower than a maximum diameter of the shaft The shaft has a shape in which a radial dimension changes along a circumferential direction and is provided so as to rotate, and when the elastically deformable portion passes through the shaft in the process of opening the document reading unit from the closed state, the rotation of the shaft is regulated such that the radial dimension of the shaft with respect to the width of the groove is equal to or less than a first dimension smaller than the maximum dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Miyamoto, Sho Aruga, Yuka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11267269
    Abstract: A recording-head position adjustment mechanism adjusts a position of a recording head. The recording-head position adjustment mechanism includes a first support, a second support, and an adjuster. The first support supports a first end of the recording head in a longitudinal direction of the recording head. The second support supports a second end of the recording head in the longitudinal direction. The adjuster moves the second support with respect to the first support in a transverse direction intersecting the longitudinal direction to adjust an inclination of the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 11235599
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharging apparatus includes a transfer device, a discharging head, a first medium supply, a second medium supply and an imaging device. The transfer device is configured to transfer a work along a transfer direction. The discharging head is configured to discharge a liquid droplet of a functional liquid to the work. The first medium supply is configured to supply a first inspection medium, which receives the liquid droplet, in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction. The second medium supply is configured to supply a second inspection medium, which receives the liquid droplet and is arranged side by side with respect to the first inspection medium in the transfer direction, in the direction orthogonal to the transfer direction. The imaging device is configured to image the liquid droplet discharged to the first inspection medium and the liquid droplet discharged to the second inspection medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Yousuke Mine
  • Patent number: 11216227
    Abstract: When receiving a sheet size measurement instruction through a user interface, an information processing apparatus transmits a width measurement instruction to a printer through a communication I/F. When receiving a measurement result of a sheet width from the printer, a controller extracts sheet information that meets the received measurement result and displays the extracted sheet information for user selection. When a user selection is received, the controller updates a print setting with selected sheet information. When a user selection is not received, the controller transmits a type-designated measurement instruction designating the sheet type. When the measurement result is received, the controller updates the print setting with a sheet length information included in the received measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Po Chun Chew, Koshi Fukazawa
  • Patent number: 11207897
    Abstract: Provided are a printing jig for an inkjet-type printer and a method for manufacturing printed objects therewith, which jig can be easily produced in accordance with the shape and size of an object to be printed and allows the object to be accurately positioned relative to the printer. The printing jig supports an object to be printed, and is placed in an inkjet-type printer when the object is being printed. The printing jig includes a mounting surface on which the object is to be placed, and a positioning part for positioning the object. The positioning part includes a protrusion preformed on the mounting surface so as to be brought into contact with at least part of the object placed on the mounting surface. The protrusion is made of deposited and cured ink used by the inkjet-type printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taku Takashina, Jindai Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11207903
    Abstract: A medium transport device includes a first roller that applies a transporting force to a medium, a second roller that applies a transporting force to the medium transported from the first roller, a third roller that applies a transporting force to the medium transported from the second roller, a first rotor that transmits rotational torque to the third roller, a first shaft that is provided away from the first rotor at a first interval, and a second shaft that is provided away from the first rotor at the first interval and at a position different from a position of the first shaft. A shaft center of the first shaft and a shaft center of the second shaft are positioned on a circular arc, the center of which is a rotation center of the second roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Waki
  • Patent number: 11203212
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a wide format single pass printing apparatus. The printing apparatus can include multiple print housings configured to receive print beams with print heads configured to print onto a substrate. The print housings can be horizontally adjacent to one another relative to a horizontal plane. The print housings can also be oriented opposite to one another. The print beams can be inserted and/or removed from each print housing from opposing ends, allowing for greater ease of access to the print beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Ernesto Propersi Sterbiati, Marco Serafini
  • Patent number: 11198310
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a carriage mounts a recording head for discharging droplets, and moves in a main scan direction. A guide member slidably guides the carriage. An encoder scale is arranged along the main scan direction. An encoder sensor reads the encoder scale. The carriage includes a head mounting part for mounting the recording head, and a sensor attaching part for attaching the encoder sensor. The sensor attaching part is provided so as to be extended from the head mounting part. The encoder scale is arranged at a location which the encoder sensor can read. A partition member is provided to separate the head mounting part from the sensor attaching part in the carriage. The head mounting part is arranged in a first space, and the sensor attaching part and the encoder scale are arranged in a second space separated from the first apace by the partition member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Norikazu Yanase, Makoto Kikura, Tsuguyori Kemma
  • Patent number: 11192372
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate may include a stage on which a substrate is placed, an ink jet head assembly for discharging chemical liquid onto the substrate, and a gantry for holding the ink jet head assembly over the substrate on the stage. The ink jet head assembly may include an ink jet head for discharging the chemical liquid onto the substrate, a supporting member for holding the ink jet head, a fixing member being combined with supporting member to fix the supporting member to the fixing member, a protruding member disposed on the fixing member, and a receiving member provided in the supporting member to receive the protruding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Boramchan Sung, Myungjin Kim
  • Patent number: 11179932
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a recording element substrate that ejects a liquid, a flow passage member provided with a flow passage that supplies the liquid to the recording element substrate, an elastic member having elasticity disposed between the recording element substrate and the flow passage member, and a fixing member that fixes the recording element substrate and the flow passage member. In the liquid ejection head, an area between the recording element substrate and the flow passage member through which the liquid flows is sealed by having the elastic member be deformed with the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akio Saito, Toru Nakakubo, Yohei Nakamura, Zentaro Tamenaga
  • Patent number: 11173735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyer belt that transports sheets, a platen plate that supports the conveyer belt to be slidable, a head holding unit that holds inkjet heads ejecting ink to sheets transported on the conveyer belt and being arrayed in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the conveyer belt, and a pair of gap adjustment units that have ends on one side being respectively attached to both ends of a lower surface of the head holding unit and ends on the other side being attached to an upper surface of the platen plate to adjust a gap between the lower surface of the head holding unit and the upper surface of the platen plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Endo
  • Patent number: 11161298
    Abstract: A modular 3D printer system can include a base subsystem and multiple exchangeable components. The base subsystem can have a 3D motion module, a printhead module and a platform module. The multiple exchangeable components can include printheads having different configurations and functionalities, which can be exchangeably installed in the printhead module. The multiple exchangeable components can include platform supports having different configurations and functionalities, which can be exchangeably installed in the platform module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Karl Joseph Gifford, Tai Dung Nguyen, Tue Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11141752
    Abstract: A repeatable manufacturing process uses a printer to deposits liquid for each product carried by a substrate to form respective thin films. The liquid is dried, cured or otherwise processed to form from the liquid a permanent layer of each respective product. To perform printing, each newly-introduced substrate is roughly mechanically aligned, with an optical system detecting sub-millimeter misalignment, and with software correcting for misalignment. Rendering of adjusted data is performed such that nozzles are variously assigned dependent on misalignment to deposit droplets in a regulated manner, to ensure precise deposition of liquid for each given area of the substrate. For example, applied to the manufacture of flat panel displays, software ensures that exactly the right amount of liquid is deposited for each “pixel” of the display, to minimize likelihood of visible discrepancies in the resultant display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KATEEVA, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Baker, Nahid Harjee, Douglas Bacon
  • Patent number: 11124000
    Abstract: A slide member slides in conjunction with reciprocation of a carriage. The slide member slides between a first position and a second position to cause a switch gear to move between a plurality of slide positions at which the switch gear engages respective ones of a plurality of transmission gears. The slide member at the second position is closer to a first end of a shaft than the slide member at the first position is. A first cover covers a first sliding contact portion of the shaft over an entire range of the first sliding contact portion in a main scanning direction. The slide member is in sliding contact with the first sliding contact portion when the slide member slides between the first position and the second position. The first sliding contact portion is closer to the first end than the slide member located at the first position is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuta Arakawa, Yoichiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11117403
    Abstract: Printhead carriers and adapters are disclosed. An example disclosed print mechanism includes an adapter to simultaneously couple a printhead assembly to both a logic circuit of a media processing device and a power source of the media processing device; a printhead carrier coupled to the adapter; and wherein a first connection, between data input connector and the logic circuit, and a second connection, between the power input connector and the power source, are maintained when the printhead assembly is removed from the print mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert P. Gotschewski, Timothy T. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11097553
    Abstract: A control portion sets, as a head line of test mask data, such a read pixel line of a plurality of read pixel lines of read data obtained by a reading portion by performing reading, the plurality of read pixel lines being orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction, as is located at a position upstream of a read pixel line of the plurality of read pixel lines as is read at a time when a detection portion detects a leading end of the sheet, by a number of lines calculated by adding an initial number of offset lines to a reference number of lines, and sets, as a non mask region, a sheet read region of the test mask data, and replaces, with white pixels, pixels outside such a region of test image data as corresponds to the non mask region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 11065895
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge head to discharge a liquid, a head holder to hold the liquid discharge head, a sub-carriage to hold the head holder, a carriage to hold the sub-carriage and move in a main scanning direction, an adjuster supported by the sub-carriage, and a guide to guide the sub-carriage to be movable in a vertical direction. The carriage includes a reference shaft extending in the main scanning direction, the reference shaft supports the sub-carriage via the adjuster and positions the sub-carriage in the vertical direction, the adjuster adjusts an inclination of the sub-carriage with respect to the reference shaft, the sub-carriage includes a sub-reference shaft extending in parallel with the reference shaft, and the guide allows the sub-reference shaft to move in the vertical direction while restricting a movement of the sub-reference shaft in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Soichi Saiga
  • Patent number: 11053089
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a tray on which a printing medium is placed, a printing unit configured to perform printing on a print surface of a printing medium on the tray based on a print job, and a first detection unit configured to detect a relative position relationship between the tray and a printing medium placed on the tray. In addition, a control unit is configured to control the printing unit not to perform printing in a case where the first detection unit detects that the printing medium is not placed at an appropriate position, and a selecting unit is configured to select whether to continue printing irrespective of results of the detection by the first detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Fujino
  • Patent number: 11034176
    Abstract: The present teachings relate to various embodiments of an hermetically-sealed gas enclosure assembly and system that can be readily transportable and assemblable and provide for maintaining a minimum inert gas volume and maximal access to various devices and apparatuses enclosed therein. Various embodiments of an hermetically-sealed gas enclosure assembly and system of the present teachings can have a gas enclosure assembly constructed in a fashion that minimizes the internal volume of a gas enclosure assembly, and at the same time optimizes the working space to accommodate a variety of footprints of various OLED printing systems. Various embodiments of a gas enclosure assembly so constructed additionally provide ready access to the interior of a gas enclosure assembly from the exterior during processing and readily access to the interior for maintenance, while minimizing downtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Mauck, Alexander Sou-Kang Ko, Eliyahu Vronsky, Shandon Alderson
  • Patent number: 11027546
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a recording element substrate including a discharge port. A channel member is configured to supply the recording element substrate with a liquid. An electric wiring board is configured to supply the recording element substrate with power. A plate-like protective member is directly or indirectly fixed to the channel member. In a case where a direction in which the recording element substrate is viewed from the channel member is defined as downward, the protective member includes a first bent portion configured to be bent in a transverse direction of the liquid discharge head. The first bent portion is located at a position that is above an upper end of the channel member and below a midpoint of a line segment connecting the upper end of the channel member and an upper end of the protective member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yumi Komamiya, Satoshi Kimura, Shingo Okushima
  • Patent number: 10974505
    Abstract: A print head capable of forming dots on a print medium based on print data and a print medium are caused to perform relative movement in a specified direction, and a speed of the relative movement is set according to the number of dots to be formed in an area of a specified size. Whether to set the speed of the relative movement to a first speed is determined according to the number of dots to be formed in an area of a first size on the print medium. Whether to set the speed of the relative movement to a second speed lower than the first speed is determined according to the number of dots to be formed in an area of a second size which is smaller than the area of the first size in the specified direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Edamura, Kentaro Muro, Eiji Komamiya, Masashi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10960679
    Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising: an ink storage that communicates with a nozzle from which ink is ejected; a carriage that moves along a guide member and has the ink storage mounted thereon; an ink tube through which ink supplied to the ink storage passes; and a coupling member that connects the ink storage and the ink tube; wherein the carriage has a first wall located at a position that is in a first direction from the coupling member, and a second wall located at a position that is in a second direction from the coupling member, the first direction and the second direction being along the direction of carriage movement, and the second direction being opposite the first direction, and when viewed in the direction of carriage movement, the coupling member is superimposed with the first wall and is superimposed with the second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Yajima, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10946681
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a printing control method, a printing control apparatus, a storage medium, and a printing device. The printing control method may be used for resetting a printing platform of the printing device to a preset starting position, including: detecting whether the limit switch is in a trigger state when receiving an electrical power-on signal of the printing device or a start printing command; controlling the printing platform to move according to a state of the limit switch and a corresponding route strategy; and controlling the printing platform to stop moving at the preset starting position when the state of the limit switch is detected that changed from a non-trigger state to a trigger stat, so that the printing platform stops at the preset starting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN DANYA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Peng He, Zhenqing Lin
  • Patent number: 10913299
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a head unit having a liquid discharging head that has a driving element, a position detection circuit that outputs a position information signal indicative of a position of the liquid discharging head, a first circuit that controls drive of the driving element based on a first signal, and a first conversion circuit that converts a first optical signal into the first signal; and a driving circuit having a second circuit that outputs a second signal, a second conversion circuit that converts the second signal into the first optical signal, a first cable, and a second cable, in which the first cable connects the first conversion circuit to the second conversion circuit, and propagates the first optical signal, and the second cable electrically couples the position detection circuit to the second circuit, and propagates the position information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Inventor: Masayuki Kamijima
  • Patent number: 10857821
    Abstract: A printing assembly includes: a print chassis having a fixed sleeve and a print module slidably and releasably mounted in a respective sleeve. The print module has a supply module and replaceable printhead cartridge, the printhead cartridge being slidably and releasably mounted to the supply module. The printhead cartridge is removable from the print module only when the print module is released from the fixed sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, David Burke, Billy Sy, Gilbert Alemana, Christopher Hibbard, Rommel Balala
  • Patent number: 10843482
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method, which uses an ink jet recording apparatus including: first and second inks corresponding to aqueous inks containing a pigment; a recording head in which a first ejection orifice array for ejecting the first ink and a second ejection orifice array for ejecting the second ink are sequentially arranged from the bottom in the direction of gravity to be adjacent to each other and the first and second ejection orifice arrays are arranged to at least partially overlap each other; and a cleaning member, includes: recording; and cleaning, wherein at least one of the first and second inks contains a resin, and a content of the resin in the second ink is larger than a content of the resin in the first ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihide Aikawa, Minako Kawabe, Hideyuki Saito, Kouhei Nakagawa