With Conveyed Object Patents (Class 347/4)
  • Patent number: 11556725
    Abstract: An automated storage unit publishing system may include a recording device for recording information on a storage unit memory chip; a bin plate with a storage unit bin and a casing bin; an assembling mechanism movably attached to the bin plate, the assembling deck comprising a shuttle for removing a selected sized casing from the casing bin and a recorded flash memory chip from the chip bin and assembling the two into a single unit using pressure; a printing device for printing marks, indications or decoration on the casing, and a gripping device for placing the finished unit in an output mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Rimage Corporation
    Inventors: Darren Allen Groth, Phillip Charles Salisbury, Andrew James Nelson
  • Patent number: 11493721
    Abstract: Provided is an optical fiber having identification mark, which includes an optical transmission medium (exemplified by glass fiber) including a core part and a cladding part, a primary resin layer coating the optical transmission medium, and a secondary resin layer coating the primary resin layer, in which identification marks for optical fiber identification (exemplified by continuous identification mark) are provided on a surface of the secondary resin layer at a predetermined interval along an axial direction of the optical transmission medium. An effective area of the optical transmission medium at a wavelength of 1550 nm is 90 ?m2 or more, the predetermined interval is 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less, and a Young's modulus of the primary resin layer is 0.9 MPa or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Yamaguchi, Masaaki Hirano
  • Patent number: 11123845
    Abstract: There is disclosed a vacuum table 400 comprising a vacuum plate 402 separating a first vacuum chamber 406 from a substrate zone 60 for receiving a substrate 50. The vacuum plate has a plurality of suction holes 404 for conveying a gas flow from the substrate zone 60 to the first vacuum chamber 406. There is an evacuation port 422 in communication with a second vacuum chamber 420 to evacuate gas from the substrate zone 60 when a substrate 50 is received over the suction holes 404 of the vacuum plate 402, and a vacuum port 424 for discharging gas received in the second vacuum chamber 420 to a vacuum source 423. The first vacuum chamber 406 and the second vacuum chamber 420 are in fluid communication via a valve 430 so that gas flows from the first vacuum chamber 406 to the vacuum port 424 via the second vacuum chamber 420. The valve 430 is controllable to vary a gas flow rate through the vacuum plate 402 and thereby vary a retaining force on a substrate 50 received thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Yonni Hartstein, Yaron Yahav
  • Patent number: 10967630
    Abstract: A sheet-fed printing press has at least one coating assembly configured as a non-impact coating assembly. The sheet-fed printing press has at least one transport belt which extends, having at least one transport section of a circular path thereto, parallel to a transport direction along a partial region of a transport path provided for a sheet. At least one coating location of the at least one coating assembly is arranged along the transport section of the at least one transport belt. At least one printing head is arranged connected to at least one first frame of the at least one coating assembly. The at least one transport belt is arranged, connected to at least one second frame, via at least one deflection device and at least one radial bearing. The at least one first frame, apart from at least one installation surface which is different from the at least one first frame and the at least one second frame, is arranged in contact to the second frame at most via flexible connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Andreas Bernard, Hartmut Breunig, Frank Huppmann, Bernd Masuch
  • Patent number: 10807367
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a head array, a support body, a moving assembly, and a head array fixing device. The head array fixing device fixes the head array at an approach position. The head array fixing device includes a gripping target member and a gripping member. The gripping target member is disposed on one of the head array and the support body and extending in a direction in which the head array approaches or retracts from a recording region of a recording medium. The gripping member is disposed on another of the head array and the support body, to grip the gripping target member to position the gripping target member in a conveyance direction and a width direction of the recording member. A gripping position at which the gripping member grips the gripping target member is adjustable in at least one of the conveyance direction and the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Miyagawa, Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Patent number: 10620395
    Abstract: A system and method for marking a moving surface of a fiber optic cable is provided. The system includes a supply of the fiber optic cable, a laser generating device configured to generate a laser beam that forms markings by interacting with the material of the moving surface of the fiber optic cable. The system includes a movement device moving the fiber optic cable through the system at a speed of at least 50 m per minute. The system includes a laser directing device located in the path of the laser beam and configured to change the path of the laser beam to direct the laser beam to a plurality of discrete locations on the moving surface to form a series of marks on the moving surface. The moving surface includes a plurality of tracking indicia to allow the position of the moving surface to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: Joel Patrick Carberry, Anping Liu, Eric John Mozdy, Barada Kanta Nayak
  • Patent number: 10525735
    Abstract: A web handling system is disclosed. The web handling system includes first dancer rollers coupled to engage and move a web of a print medium in a forward and backward direction upon stopping a printing operation and allow forward motion during the printing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Dilan N. Fernando, Stuart J. Boland, Robert F. Jessen
  • Patent number: 10456968
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer includes a multi-nozzle extruder, at least one extrusion material supply, and a dispenser that provides extrusion material from the extrusion material supply to each of a plurality of channels, each channel supplying extrusion material to at least one nozzle in the multi nozzle extruder. The dispenser includes an inlet to receive extrusion material from at least one extrusion material supply, an outlet configured to direct the extrusion material to a channel in the plurality of channels, and an actuator configured to move the outlet into alignment with each channel in the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Barry P. Mandel, David A. Mantell, Peter J. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 10449720
    Abstract: A solid object shaping apparatus includes a head unit, and a curing unit, in which a model indicating a shape and a color of a solid object to be shaped is approximated with a set of voxels each having a predetermined rectangular parallelepiped shape, a unit shaping body formed by a single dot or a plurality of dots is formed in the voxel, and the solid object is shaped by using the plurality of unit shaping bodies, and in which the plurality of unit shaping bodies constituting the solid object include a first and second unit shaping body. In the second unit shaping body, two or more faces forming a surface of the second unit shaping body correspond to a surface of the solid object, and a proportion of an inner portion of the model occupying the second unit shaping body is equal to or less than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Utsunomiya, Satoshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10409017
    Abstract: A flexible optical ribbon and associated systems and methods of manufacturing are provided. The ribbon includes a plurality of optical transmission elements and an inner layer comprising a cross-linked polymer material and an outer surface. The outer surface of the inner layer includes first areas having first concentrations of uncrosslinked polymer material and second areas having second concentrations of uncrosslinked polymer material. The first concentrations are greater than the second concentrations. The ribbon includes an outer polymer layer having an inner surface interfacing with the outer surface of the inner layer. The outer polymer layer has a higher level of bonding to the inner layer at the first areas than at the second areas due to the ability of the outer polymer material to bond or crosslink with the larger numbers of uncrosslinked polymer material in the first areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: David Wesley Chiasson, Barada Kanta Nayak, Julie Ann Chalk, Rebecca Elizabeth Sistare
  • Patent number: 10162695
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and a fault diagnosis method for monitoring signals relating to the start of a CPU to determine that a failure occurs, in a case where a predetermined signal is not output within a predetermined time period after the output of a predetermined signal, and determine the failure type based on the signal states at the time of the occurrence of the failure to display information corresponding to the failure type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10011075
    Abstract: According to some aspects, a method of additive fabrication wherein a plurality of layers of material are formed on a build platform is provided. The method comprises forming a raft structure in contact with the build platform, the raft structure formed from one or more layers of material and comprising at least one removal pocket adjacent to the build platform and forming additional material in contact with the raft structure. According to some aspects, an additive fabrication apparatus configured to form a plurality of layers of material on a build platform is provided. The apparatus comprises the build platform, and at least one controller configured to form a raft structure in contact with the build platform, the raft structure formed from one or more layers of material and comprising at least one removal pocket adjacent to the build platform, and form additional material in contact with the raft structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Formlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Will Walker, Matthew Keeter
  • Patent number: 9994339
    Abstract: Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. Packages made by such processes may be referred to as 3-D printed packages. A packaging system may include a 3-D printer and a computing device communicatively coupled to the 3-D printer. The computing device may obtain a packaging model describing a package for one or more items. A print module of the computing device may include instructions to print the package at least partially about the item(s) according to the packaging model. The configuration of a 3-D printed package may be based at least in part on one or more other packages. A 3-D printed package may include multiple separable compartments. A unit of 3-D printed packages may include multiple separable packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Inventors: Shay C. Colson, David S. Thompson, David A. Divine
  • Patent number: 9880368
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for making a partially bonded optical fiber ribbon. The method includes providing a linear array of optical fibers, and applying with an ink jet printing machine a bonding matrix material to at least a portion of at least two adjacent optical fibers. The applied bonding matrix material has a viscosity of approximately 2.0 to approximately 10.0 centipoise (cP) measured at 25 degrees Celsius (° C.). The applied bonding matrix material also has a conductivity of approximately 600 to approximately 1200 millimhos (mmhos). The applied bonding matrix material also has an adhesion of approximately 0.01 to approximately 0.20 Newtons (N). Also, the bonding matrix material is applied to at least a portion of at least two adjacent optical fibers in such a way that the linear array of optical fibers forms a partially bonded optical fiber ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLC
    Inventors: Harold P Debban, Timothy Goddard, Heng Ly, Peter A. Weimann
  • Patent number: 9796190
    Abstract: A printer includes: a first fixed printhead having a respective first print zone; a first platen positioned in the first print zone; a second fixed printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead having a respective second print zone; a second platen positioned in the second print zone; an input roller assembly configured for feeding media sheets along a downward trajectory towards the first platen; an intermediary roller assembly positioned between the first and second platens and configured for receiving the media sheets from the first platen and feeding the media sheets along a downward trajectory towards the second platen; and an exit roller assembly for receiving the media sheets from the second platen. The second platen is positioned relatively lower than the first platen to facilitate a stepped media feed path with minimal distance between the first and second printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: MEMJET TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Kianoush Mir Sanaei, Makomo Tsubono, Reza Moghaddasian
  • Patent number: 9421714
    Abstract: A page-width printing platform comprises a plurality of inkjet head structures collaboratively defined as at least one page-width array printing unit. The inkjet head structures comprise respective inkjet chips disposed on the printing platform and arranged in plural rows and in a staggered form, so that a printing width of the inkjet chips is larger than or equal to a width of a printed pattern. Each of the inkjet chips comprises at least one liquid supply slot, wherein a plurality of liquid ejectors are located at one or two sides of the liquid supply slot along a long axis of the liquid supply slot. At least one monochromatic print liquid is introduced into the construction chamber from the plural inkjet head structures and printed on a construction material within the construction chamber, so that a rapid prototyping width-page printing operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: MICROJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kwo-Yuan Shi, Ke-Ming Huang, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han
  • Patent number: 9375880
    Abstract: A rapid prototyping apparatus includes a construction platform, a movable platform, and a page-width array printing module. The construction platform includes a construction chamber. The movable platform and the construction platform are movable relative to each other. The page-width array printing module includes plural inkjet head structures. The printing platform and the movable platform are synchronously moved along a single direction in a reciprocating motion. The plural inkjet head structures are collaboratively defined as at least one page-width array printing unit. The plural inkjet head structures include respective inkjet chips. The inkjet chips are arranged in plural rows and in a staggered form, so that a printing width of the inkjet chips is larger than or equal to a width of a printed pattern. Moreover, at least one monochromatic print liquid is introduced into the construction chamber from the plural inkjet head structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kwo-Yuan Shi, Ke-Ming Huang, Chi-Feng Huang, Yung-Lung Han
  • Patent number: 9290013
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus 100 is provided with a fabric feeding section A having a medium for recording 1 composed of a fabric, an inkjet section B for performing inkjet recording on the medium for recording 1 fed from the fabric feeding section A to form a recorded medium 1a, and a treating section C1, C2 having a drying section 11, 21 for drying the recorded medium 1a and a collecting section 12, 22 for collecting the dried recorded medium, the drying section 11, 21 and the collecting section 12, 22 being integrated with each other, where the treating section C1, C2 is attachable to and detachable from the inkjet section B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Takao Namiki, Yasushi Katagiri, Akira Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9272558
    Abstract: A system and method of a manufacturing an overhead garage door, includes methods, processes and/or actions for using a printing technique in the assembly line, as well as door sections, doors and printing machines. A method of manufacturing a door includes dividing a first digital image into a number of parallel sections to form multiple section images; printing with ink each of the section image on a separate paint metal door segment, and assembling the door segments so as to create an assembled door having the appearance of the first digital image. A method of manufacturing a door includes a step of applying a clearing coating material to each of the door segments. There is provided a sectional garage door that includes a first door section; and an electronic component coupled to the first door section for associating with an electronic image. A sectional door includes an image printed thereon and the electronic image being the printed on the door section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Frenchporte, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Brelsford Maher
  • Patent number: 9193176
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for printing indicia on latex are presented. A system for printing includes a latex surface supported by a mold on a rotary mount, a printer, a base plate supporting print heads, a rotational drive system for selectively rotating the mold during printing, and a printer engine programmed to print indicia onto a substantially contiguous area of the latex surface, from an intermediate border to and including a distal end. In a system with multiple molds moving along a path, the system may include a chassis for supporting the base plate, printer, and/or rotational drive system, and a motion controller for moving the chassis near the molds. Latex articles may be imprinted with indicia that is decorative and/or informative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Condomnation LLC
    Inventors: Clive Kohrs, Brandon Kohrs
  • Patent number: 9156266
    Abstract: An ink jet recorder includes a support unit configured to support a recording medium, and a mobile unit including a plurality of containers containing inks of identical composition and a head configured to eject the ink supplied from any one of the plurality of containers. The ink jet recorder is configured to record an image on the recording medium in such a manner that the head performs main scanning by ejecting the ink while changing positions in a first direction, and the mobile unit performs sub-scanning by moving in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keita Ichihara, Atsushi Yoshida, Masaki Uchiyama, Hiroyuki Ito, Mitsuaki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9102140
    Abstract: A printing apparatus has an ink printing device onto which a flat item being transported om the x-direction for printing thereon is pressed by a contact pressure device, wherein the base of the contact pressure device has a contact pressure body floor plate biased by a spring force. A notch at the edge of the contact pressure body floor plate extends further in the contact pressure body in the z-direction, up to the ink printing device. An additional contact pressure device for strip-shaped printing substrates has a contact pressure element designed so as to be movable separate from the contact pressure body, and biased with a spring force of an additional spring or resiliently elastic element. The contact pressure element is arranged so as to be movable in the notch. A sensor for print triggering is arranged at a front wall of a lower housing shell of the printing apparatus and has a sensor region that is adjacent to the separate contact pressure element in the insertion direction y of a box-shaped module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Beckmann, Wolfgang Muhl
  • Patent number: 9096078
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for printing graphics on absorbent articles. Printing systems according to the present disclosure may include a carrier apparatus that transports individual absorbent articles past a printing station, which prints a custom graphic on the absorbent articles. The carrier apparatus may include a hook member connected with an endless belt. The printing system may also include a pressing apparatus positioned adjacent the endless belt. During operation, an absorbent article may be positioned on a hook member, and the endless belt conveys the absorbent article in the machine direction past the printing station. As the absorbent article advances toward the printing station, the pressing apparatus compresses and flattens the absorbent article against the hook member to help provide a relatively flat, smooth surface on the absorbent article to be printed. The printing station then prints a graphic on the advancing article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Alrick Vincent Warner, Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 9045301
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a supply tray; a supply roller; a manual tray; a recording device; a motor; a supply driving power transmitter which transmits a reverse driving power of the motor to the supply roller; a conveyance driving power transmitter; a switcher switchable between a first state in which a driving power of the motor is transmitted to the supply driving power transmitter and a second state in which the driving power is not transmitted to the supply driving power transmitter; and a controller configured to, when an image is to be recorded on a sheet placed on the manual tray and when the switcher is in the first state, switches the switcher to the second state and rotates the motor reversely to rotate a conveyor roller in a second rotational direction reverse to a first rotational direction for conveying a sheet in a conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Yuki Matsui
  • Publication number: 20150148210
    Abstract: An assembly for preparing a box blank from a cardboard sheet. The assembly comprises a feeder for vertically feeding one of a plurality of the cardboard sheets from a storage position into a printing/cutting assembly, the printing/cutting assembly comprising a printing station comprising at least one printer head and a vertical conveyor for conveying a printing surface of the cardboard sheet proximate to and past the at least one printer head, wherein the printing surface is printed by the at least one printer head during the conveying, and a cutting station. Each of the printer heads and each of the cutting blades is vertically moveable respectively into a selected printing position and a selected cutting position under control of a controller thereby accommodating a plurality of different cardboard sheets of different sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Sibthorpe
  • Patent number: 8974017
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer includes a printing station for ink-jet printing on a thermoplastic card includes a printhead coupled to a reservoir containing an ink comprising: a medium of a low-boiling organic solvent, an auxiliary solvent of a high-boiling organic solvent, and a coloring component soluble in the medium. A support carriage supports the card and is drivable between a first position in which the carriage does not face the printhead and a second position in which the carriage faces the printhead. A driving motor moves the carriage between the first and second positions along a guide member interposed between the printhead and a reference member to prevent ink ejected by the printhead from reaching the reference member. A detection device mounted on the carriage detects the reference member and generates a signal used by a control unit to regulate the driving motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: SICPA Holding SA
    Inventors: Paolo Cappello, Mauro Mondino
  • Patent number: 8967795
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transfer device that transfers a printing medium in a transfer direction, a platen having a support surface that supports the printing medium thereon, a liquid ejection head that ejects an ink onto the printing medium on the support surface, and a heating device that heats the printing medium. The transfer device includes a plurality of driven rollers. The support surface of the platen has a plurality of suction holes that suck the printing medium on the support surface. The support surface includes first portion extending in the transfer direction corresponding to extension lines extending in the transport direction from the portions between each driven roller, and second portions other than the first portions. The first portions are high-density regions where the suction holes are arranged at high density, and the second portions are low-density regions where the suction holes are arranged at low density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneyuki Sasaki, Yasuo Naramatsu
  • Patent number: 8960669
    Abstract: A method and dot printer for dot printing on a card. A method includes receiving a card on a plate-like element of a carriage in a manner that a lateral movement of the card one of on or above the plate-like element is stopped by an abutment element, moving the plate-like element and card in a direction crosswise to the lateral movement until a main side of the card abuts a first abutment surface of an abutment structure and a main edge of the plate-like carrier abuts a second abutment surface of the abutment structure. The first abutment surface and the second abutment surface are not coplanar. The method also includes transporting the plate-like element and the card in a direction away from the abutment structure to a printing station and activating the printing station for dot printing on the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: SICPA Holding SA
    Inventors: Paolo Cappello, Mauro Mondino
  • Publication number: 20150042706
    Abstract: An improved ink jet printing machine (10) having an object loading means (30), capable of placing an object (1) in a first standby position on a first support (11) of the machine; a pretreatment station (40), including a first object holder (50) capable of: gripping an object (1) in the first standby position; bringing it into a pretreatment position in order to allow a pretreatment device (41) to perform a pre-treatment process on the said object; and, upon conclusion of the pretreatment, bringing it into a second standby position on a second support (12) of the machine; a printing station (60), including a second object holder (70) capable of: gripping an object in the second standby position; bringing it into a printing position in order to allow an inkjet type printing device to print the desired graphic on the said object; and, upon conclusion of the printing process, transferring it to an unloading means (80).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jean-Louis DUBUIT, François DUMENIL
  • Patent number: 8944544
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and a printing method which, even if print media of different sizes are printed, can print images in well-balanced, optimum layouts according to the size of each of the print media. Thus, the printing apparatus according to the present invention has leading end detector which detects a leading end of a print medium and trailing end detector which detects a trailing end of the print medium. The printing apparatus further has print control unit which prints images based on a first print data for which a print start position is determined on the basis of the leading end detected by the leading end detector and second print data for which a print start position is determined on the basis of the trailing end detected by the trailing end detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Finetech, Inc.
    Inventors: Kohei Ishikawa, Tadashi Saito, Noritaka Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8939529
    Abstract: An image forming device which includes a first nozzle group, a second nozzle group, and are arranged by being deviated from the first nozzle group to one side in a predetermined direction, a light irradiation unit which is extended at least in the predetermined direction, a control unit which repeats an ejection operation in which the photo-curable ink is ejected from the nozzle while moving the nozzle group and the light irradiation unit in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction, and a transport operation of the medium in a state where a non-ejection region where the ink is not ejected is provided between the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group in a predetermined direction, and overlappingly forms a main image using the first photo-curable ink, and a background image using the second photo-curable ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Shimada
  • Patent number: 8926036
    Abstract: A marking apparatus for marking histology embedding cassettes includes a marking device for marking plastic surfaces, a gripping means to grip and release a cassette, and a movement organ to rotate the gripping means with respect to a first rotation axis perpendicular to a second rotation axis. The first axis is arranged such that it is situated in an ideal plane that is parallel to and interposed between the ideal planes in which the perpendicular surfaces of a cassette, gripped by the gripping means, are located, so that, upon rotation with respect to the first axis the first and the second perpendicular surfaces can alternately be located in front of the marking device. The second axis being arranged with respect to the gripping means such that, upon rotation with respect to the second axis, the oblique surface of the cassette can be in front of the marking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventor: Mario Cinti
  • Patent number: 8919910
    Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes a print unit with print elements for ejecting an amount of ink on a plurality of sheets, of which each size in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the sheets under the print unit is smaller than the size of the print unit in the same direction, and a displacing mechanism for displacing the sheets in the same direction. The displacement of the displacing mechanism is so extreme that an alignment of a sheet is variable from an alignment of one side of the sheet with one end of the print unit to an alignment of the other side of the sheet with the other end of the print unit. Also a method for application by such a reproduction apparatus is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Ernest J. J. Clevers, Albert M. Van Beek, Johannes H. L. Smeyers
  • Patent number: 8919247
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for printing by transfer onto a print support (10) comprising at least one blanket (30) driven in a sequential relative movement past a magazine (50) conveying the print supports (10), in which device the blanket (30) has a surface area greater than that of the print support (10), the device further comprising digital printing means (20) which print by spraying ink onto this blanket (30) over a variable area equal to that of the print support (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Impika, Boxal France SAS
    Inventors: Paul Morgavi, Philippe Sarra-Bournet, Luc Vanon
  • Patent number: 8888240
    Abstract: A printing system comprising an inkjet printhead including at least two inkjet nozzle arrays arranged along a print line, and a media guide having a contoured media guide surface for guiding receiver media along a media path past the inkjet printhead. The inkjet nozzle arrays are separated from each other along the print line by one or more intervening non-printing regions. The media guide surface is contoured such that it is closer to the inkjet printhead for portions of the print line corresponding to the inkjet nozzle arrays than it is for at least some portion of the print line corresponding to the non-printing regions between the inkjet nozzle arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: W. Charles Kasiske, Jr., Michael Joseph Piatt, Christopher M. Muir, John Leonard Hryhorenko
  • Patent number: 8876279
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for printing graphics on absorbent articles. Printing systems according to the present disclosure may include a carrier apparatus that transports individual absorbent articles past a printing station, which prints a custom graphic on the absorbent articles. The carrier apparatus may include a hook member connected with an endless belt. The printing system may also include a pressing apparatus positioned adjacent the endless belt. During operation, an absorbent article may be positioned on a hook member, and the endless belt conveys the absorbent article in the machine direction past the printing station. As the absorbent article advances toward the printing station, the pressing apparatus compresses and flattens the absorbent article against the hook member to help provide a relatively flat, smooth surface on the absorbent article to be printed. The printing station then prints a graphic on the advancing article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Alrick Vincent Warner, Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 8875648
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Sass Somekh, Eliyahu Vronsky
  • Publication number: 20140313247
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in connection with application of decoration to a container by printing thereon includes a container transport system comprising a processing position configured to receive a container, a coating installation disposed at the processing position, and a transfer element. The transfer element applies a base coat to the container by rolling on or off the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Katrin Preckel, Markus Reiniger, Martin Schach
  • Patent number: 8851629
    Abstract: An image forming device includes, the first head which ejects the first ink, the second head which ejects the second ink, a movement mechanism which moves a relative position of the first head and the second head in a predetermined direction, and a control unit which causes an ejection operation in which ink is ejected from nozzles while relatively moving the head and a medium in the movement direction intersecting the predetermined direction, and a transport operation in which the head and the medium are relatively moved in a predetermined direction to be repeated, and adjusts a head interval as an interval of the first head and the second head in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Shimada
  • Patent number: 8851592
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for printing indicia on latex are presented. A system for printing includes a latex surface supported by a mold on a rotary mount, a printer, a base plate supporting print heads, a rotational drive system for selectively rotating the mold during printing, and a printer engine programmed to print indicia onto a substantially contiguous area of the latex surface, from an intermediate border to and including a distal end. In a system with multiple molds moving along a path, the system may include a chassis for supporting the base plate, printer, and/or rotational drive system, and a motion controller for moving the chassis near the molds. Latex articles may be imprinted with indicia that is decorative and/or informative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Condomnation LLC
    Inventors: Clive Kohrs, Brandon Kohrs
  • Patent number: 8814290
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a support member, a recording head, a surface modifying apparatus, a conveyor unit, and a control unit. The surface modifying apparatus executes surface modification processing to modify a surface of the recording medium at a processing position disposed on an upstream side of the support member. The conveyor unit intermittently passes the recording medium through the processing position at a prescribed passage velocity by feeding the recording medium from the upstream side of the conveyance path to the processing position. The control unit is capable of providing a processing execution signal to the surface modifying apparatus, and provides the processing execution signal to the surface modifying apparatus for a prescribed time within a wait time from when passage of the recording medium through the processing position stops until the recording medium starts passing through the processing position at the prescribed passage velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Katagami, Akihiro Toya, Hiroyuki Santo, Hideyuki Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20140232769
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a recording unit, a feeding mechanism, a guide member, and a lock portion. The feeding mechanism is configured to feed a first feeding object along a feeding path. The feeding path has a straight path and a curved path. The recording unit faces the straight path. The guide member defines the curved path and is rotatable between an exposed position and a closed position. The lock portion is movable between a locked position at which the guide member is locked in the closed position and an unlocked position at which the lock is released. The guide member has a recess formed therein and the feeding mechanism further feeds a second feeding object to the recess along the straight path. When the second feeding object is disposed in the recess, the lock portion is disposed at the locked position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Satoru NAKAKITA
  • Publication number: 20140232768
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head is adapted to eject liquid toward a target medium. A transporter is adapted to transport a tray on which the target medium is mounted toward a region facing the liquid ejecting head via a transporting path. A tray guide is disposed in a front side of the liquid ejecting apparatus, and having a supporting face adapted to support the tray thereon. The tray guide is movable between a first position connecting the supporting face with the transporting path to allow the transporter to transport the tray to the transporting path and a second position escaping the supporting face from the transporting path. The supporting face is kept being parallel to the transporting path when the tray guide is moved between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiichi Miyashita, Takashi Akahane, Hiroki Nakashima, Satoshi Noda
  • Patent number: 8807714
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus has a print head 13 incorporating: a nozzle 20, which vibrates ink at a constant cycle, jets out the ink, and atomizes the ink; an electrification electrode 26, which electrify an ink particle 19; and deflection electrodes 27b, which deflect the electrified ink particle in a main scanning direction. The print head 13 carries out printing by causing the ink particle to fly to a printing workpiece W conveyed by a conveyer 15. Flying time of the ink particle in a printing distance La between the printing workpiece W and the print head 13 is calculated, timing of an electrification signal supplied to the electrification electrode 26 is controlled in accordance with the flying time, and a printing position to the printing workpiece W is set. Thus, printing can be carried out at a predetermined position to the printing workpiece W, and printing quality can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Moriai, Nobuhiro Harada, Masahiko Sakuraba
  • Patent number: 8770685
    Abstract: A fluid-ejection device includes physical data lines, a controller, and a fluid-ejection mechanism. The physical data lines communicatively connect the controller and the fluid-ejection mechanism. The controller is to assert a logical and virtual nozzle-fire-restart line to denote that a first data sub-packet of a new data packet of nozzle data for a predetermined sequence of fluid-ejection nozzles of the fluid-ejection mechanism is being transmitted over the physical data lines. The fluid-ejection mechanism is to listen for the controller to assert the logical and virtual nozzle-fire-restart line, to discern that the first data sub-packet of the new data packet is being transmitted over the physical data lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Shepherd, Walter D. Clark, Trudy Benjamin
  • Patent number: 8733868
    Abstract: A direct-to-product printing tray to hold a photo product and a plurality of labels in place while a composite image is printed on the photo product and a first label. The direct-to-product printing tray includes a label-dispensing system within the direct-to-product tray. The label-dispensing system is configured to automatically advance a second label to a position previously occupied by the first label in response to the removal of the first label from the label-dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Fujifilm North America Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Polk, Gregory Lee Franklin
  • Publication number: 20140141197
    Abstract: An open perforated assembly typically includes a film layer (26) on one side of the open perforated assembly, and an adhesive layer (32) and a release liner (42) on the other side. The layers and liner are perforated with a plurality of holes (6). The assembly is devoid of any imperforate layer. The perforated liner has a first color visible from the other side. Upon removal of the perforated release liner the appearance of the assembly from the other side is similar to the appearance before removal of the perforated liner. The assembly may be imaged by digital inkjet printing using a digital inkjet machine. Its printheads are spaced from one side of the open perforated assembly and an ink receiving surface (62) is located on the other side such that ink that is jetted from the printheads and passes through the holes in the open perforated assembly is deposited on the ink receiving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: CONTRA VISION LTD.
    Inventors: George Roland Hill, Mark David Godden
  • Publication number: 20140139572
    Abstract: A direct-to-product printing tray to hold a photo product and a plurality of labels in place while a composite image is printed on the photo product and a first label. The direct-to-product printing tray includes a label-dispensing system within the direct-to-product tray. The label-dispensing system is configured to automatically advance a second label to a position previously occupied by the first label in response to the removal of the first label from the label-dispensing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Lane Polk, Gregory Lee Franklin
  • Patent number: 8720366
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Sass Somekh, Eliyahu Vronsky
  • Patent number: RE45067
    Abstract: The invention concerns a contactless numerical printing machine for products of average fluidity, such as varnish, glue, and conducting or scratchable ink, onto a substrate of variable thickness and dimensions. The machine includes a special device for printing without contact by projection. The projected materials are materials of average fluidity or composed of large-dimension molecules. The process used includes an electro-acoustic device for control of the projection, and a multiplicity of projection nozzles, each controlled individually. The machine also includes a production chain with different work stations, whose printing devices are controlled by a computer management system. The production chain allows printing with a certain precision in given zones located during the processing by an appropriate work station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: MGI France
    Inventors: Edmond Abergel, Raphael Renaud