With Plural Transducers Patents (Class 347/48)
  • Patent number: 10981778
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a semiconductor support body having a first cavity, a membrane including a peripheral portion, fixed to the support body, and a suspended portion. A first deformable structure is at a distance from a central part of the suspended portion of the membrane and a second deformable structure is laterally offset relative to the first deformable structure towards the peripheral portion of the membrane. A projecting region is fixed under the membrane. The second deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a first direction, and the first deformable structure is deformable so as to translate the central part of the suspended portion of the membrane along a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Dario Paci, Domenico Giusti, Irene Martini
  • Patent number: 10940691
    Abstract: An inkjet printer adjusts operation of a vacuum system coupled to a printhead to compensate for pressure changes in the manifold of the printhead caused by vertical displacement of the printhead within the printer. The inkjet printer includes a controller that determines either a difference between an optimal pressure in the manifold and a current pressure to operate a vacuum coupled to the manifold for pressure adjustment or it correlates a current printhead vertical position to a previously observed vertical position and uses a vacuum value associated with the previously observed vertical position to operate the vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Marc D. Daniels, Husein Naser Rashed, Roger G. Leighton, Kelly J. Burton
  • Patent number: 10933635
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejection head substrate including: a substrate; a liquid ejection element that generates liquid ejection energy on the substrate; and an electrode pad that is electrically connected to the liquid ejection element, in which the electrode pad includes a barrier metal layer and a bonding layer on the barrier metal layer, and an end side surface of the barrier metal layer is covered with a silicon-based film containing carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Souta Takeuchi, Takeru Yasuda, Kazuaki Shibata, Taichi Yonemoto
  • Patent number: 10919312
    Abstract: In a method for preventing or reducing air vortex formation between a print plate and a recording medium upon printing to the recording medium with a coating substance (e.g. primer), the recording medium is provided at a feed velocity of at least 20 meters per minute, and a plurality of print nozzles of a print head are alternately activated to print the coating substance on recording medium to cover a surface of the recording medium with the coating substance. The activation can include only activating a portion of the plurality of print nozzles simultaneously. Further, a predetermined applied quantity of the coating substance per area is constantly printed onto the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Oliver Greger, Walter Brenner, Michael Pohlt, Anna-Karin Eriksson, Rainer Jäger, Christoph Soldner
  • Patent number: 10836164
    Abstract: The present invention may provide an ink jet head and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of satisfactorily removing remaining air bubbles from a pressure chamber. The present invention may include: a common ink chamber that stores ink; at least one pressure chamber that communicates with the common ink chamber and causes a volume fluctuation using pressure generation means; a nozzle that communicates with the pressure chamber; a nozzle-part discharge path that communicates with the pressure chamber near the nozzle inside the pressure chamber and discharges ink out of the pressure chamber; and at least one discharge path that communicates with the pressure chamber at a position apart from the nozzle inside the pressure chamber and discharges ink out of the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yusuke Kuramochi
  • Patent number: 10308018
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises: a plurality of printing elements; driving circuits that have at least one source follower transistor and correspond to each of the plurality of printing elements; and a control unit configured to, in a case where a number of printing elements driven simultaneously does not exceed a predetermined number, perform a first control for driving the at least one source follower transistor by a fixed pulse width irrespective of the number of printing elements driven simultaneously, and, in a case where the number of printing elements driven simultaneously exceed the predetermined number, perform a second control for changing a pulse width to drive the at least one source follower transistor based on the number of printing elements driven simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Miura, Keiji Tomizawa
  • Patent number: 10300692
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes an inkjet nozzle with a main actuator and a peripheral actuator in a firing chamber. A determination is made as to whether the inkjet nozzle has sat idle, e.g., not firing for a threshold period of time. When the inkjet nozzle has sat idle, both the main actuator and the peripheral actuator are activated to jet at least one ink drop. When the inkjet nozzle has not sat idle, only the main actuator is activated to jet ink drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Brian M. Taff, Erik D. Torniainen, Daniel A. Kearl
  • Patent number: 10112388
    Abstract: A method for printing uses at least one ink. The method includes: a step of focusing a laser beam so as to generate a cavity in an ink film; a step of forming at least one ink droplet from a free surface of the ink film; and a step of depositing the droplet onto a depositing surface of a receiving substrate positioned at a given distance from the film. The laser beam is oriented in the direction opposite the gravitational force. The free surface of the film is oriented upwards towards the depositing surface placed above the ink film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignees: Université de Bordeaux, Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale—Inserm
    Inventor: Fabien Guillemot
  • Patent number: 9968700
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to a microfluidic delivery system that dispenses a fluid. The microfluidic delivery system may be provided in a variety of orientations. In one embodiment, the microfluidic delivery system is vertical so that fluid being expelled opposes gravity. In another embodiment, the microfluidic delivery system is orientated sideways so that fluid being expelled has a horizontal component. In yet another embodiment, the microfluidic delivery system faces downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L., STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventors: Simon Dodd, Joseph Edward Scheffelin, Dave S. Hunt, Timothy James Hoekstra, Faiz Sherman, Stephan Gary Bush
  • Patent number: 9861720
    Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to a microfluidic delivery system that dispenses a fluid in a direction that, at least in part, opposes gravity. In one embodiment, the microfluidic delivery system includes a microfluidic refill cartridge that is configured to be placed in a housing. The microfluidic refill cartridge includes at least one nozzle that faces upward or off to a side. The microfluidic refill cartridge includes a fluid transport member that allows fluid to travel upward from a fluid reservoir in opposition to gravity. A fluid path is located above the fluid transport member placing an end of the fluid transport member in fluid communication with a chamber and a nozzle. In response to the microfluidic delivery system receiving an electrical signal, an ejection element is configured to cause fluid in the chamber to be expelled through the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Dodd, Joe Scheffelin, Dave Hunt, Tim Hoekstra, Faiz Sherman, Steve Bush
  • Patent number: 9844933
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes an inkjet nozzle with a main actuator and at least one peripheral actuator in the same firing chamber. A determination is made as to whether the inkjet nozzle has sat idle, e.g., not firing for a threshold period of time. When the inkjet nozzle has sat idle, both the main actuator and the peripheral actuator are activated to jet at least one ink drop to renew the inkjet nozzle to mitigate decap conditions. When the inkjet nozzle has not sat idle, only the main actuator is activated to jet ink drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Brian M. Taff, Erik D. Torniainen, Daniel A. Kearl
  • Patent number: 9597870
    Abstract: Provided is an inkjet print head in which, without causing an increase in print head size, printing elements that can perform ejection at a high frequency are densely arrayed. For this purpose, an ink supplying port and a wiring line, which are common to a predetermined number of printing elements, are prepared, and a substrate on which the ink supplying ports and the wiring lines are alternately arranged at the same pitches as an array pitch of the printing elements is also prepared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Sakurai, Ken Tsuchii
  • Patent number: 9457572
    Abstract: An inkjet head and a production method wherein the inkjet head is produced by forming a film on a head chip having a channel member with an ink channel formed thereon and joining an end surface of the head chip coated with the film to a nozzle plate. The method includes a step of applying an adhesive containing spherical particles, whose volume average particle diameter is in the range of 0.95*Rz (MV) to 2.0*Rz (MV), in the range of 0.1 volume % to 10.0 volume % to at least one of the end surface of the head chip and a joint surface of the nozzle plate and then joining the nozzle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Akihisa Yamada, Tadashi Hirano
  • Patent number: 9409391
    Abstract: A method of driving a hybrid inkjet printing apparatus includes applying an electrostatic voltage to ink contained in a nozzle, applying a waveform voltage to ink contained in the nozzle, the waveform voltage being applied by a piezoelectric driving device, and applying an ejection voltage so as to eject the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joong-hyuk Kim, Young-ki Hong, Jae-woo Chung
  • Patent number: 9340013
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including plural nozzles to discharge droplets; a plurality of individual liquid chambers; a pressure generator, and a head drive controller. A meniscus oscillation generated in the individual liquid chamber applied with the pressure by the pressure generator has a phase reverse to a phase of a meniscus oscillation generated in the adjacent individual liquid chamber not applied with the pressure by the pressure generator, the common drive waveform generated by the head drive controller includes a common discharge pulse used for forming droplets having at least two sizes and an noncommon discharge pulse used for forming one of the droplets having two sizes, and a pulse interval between the common discharge pulse and the noncommon discharge pulse located right before the common discharge pulse is a time area having a phase reverse to resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoko Kitaoka, Satomi Araki
  • Patent number: 9327512
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead device, fluid ejection device and method thereof are disclosed. The fluid ejection device includes a fluid supply chamber to store fluid, an ejection chamber including a nozzle and a corresponding ejection member to selectively eject the fluid through the nozzle, and a channel to establish fluid communication between the fluid supply chamber and the ejection chamber. The fluid ejection device also includes a pressure sensor unit having a sensor plate to output a voltage value corresponding to a cross-sectional area of an amount of fluid in the at least ejection chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew L Van Brocklin, Adam L Ghozeil, Daryl E Anderson
  • Patent number: 9238367
    Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes a passage substrate in which individual liquid chambers are formed; a plurality of piezoelectric elements formed on the passage substrate; a plurality of wirings for connecting electrodes of the plurality of piezoelectric elements and drive circuit connecting portions for being connected to a drive circuit, respectively, formed on the passage substrate; and a support substrate, formed on the passage substrate, provided with a concave portion for housing the plurality of piezoelectric elements at a surface facing the passage substrate, the support substrate being provided with an opening portion above the drive circuit connecting portions, wherein the support substrate is adhered to the passage substrate at a support substrate adhering region of the passage substrate including area where the wirings are formed, and wherein a wiring space between each adjacent wirings is formed to have a crank portion at the support substrate adhering region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masaki Kato
  • Patent number: 9132668
    Abstract: An apparatus individually selects a width and a length corresponding a margin setting from among respective widths and lengths of a plurality of candidates of print medium which are obtained by a sensor detecting the size of the print medium. Then, the apparatus causes a print unit to print an image in a size corresponding to the selected width and length and the margin setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masao Maeda
  • Patent number: 9102152
    Abstract: A removable printhead assembly for a single-pass inkjet printer, the printhead assembly including: a body adapted for user removal and insertion in the printer; an elongate ink manifold assembly mounted in the body, the ink manifold assembly having a plurality of longitudinally extending ink channels, a plurality of outlets defined in a mounting surface; and a plurality of ink conduits connecting each ink channel to a corresponding set of outlets; a plurality of printhead chips mounted on the mounting surface; a plurality of pressure regulator assemblies for delivering ink to the printhead chips at a negative pressure; a plurality of electrical connectors; and a plurality of ink ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 9050793
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device includes a flow path plate comprising a manifold to supply ink, a pressure chamber filled with the ink supplied from the manifold, and a nozzle via which the ink is ejected, a piezoelectric actuator which is disposed on a top surface of the flow path plate and includes a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode that are stacked sequentially, a first electrostatic electrode to generate an electrostatic field, and a second electrostatic electrode which is disposed a predetermined distance apart from a bottom surface of the flow path plate to generate the electrostatic field between the first electrostatic electrode and the second electrostatic electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jae-woo Chung, Young-ki Hong, Sung-gyu Kang
  • Patent number: 8991954
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of circulating fluid in a fluid ejection device includes generating compressive and expansive fluid displacements of different durations from a first actuator located asymmetrically within a fluidic channel between a first fluid feedhole and a nozzle while generating no fluid displacements from a second actuator located asymmetrically within the channel between the nozzle and a second fluid feedhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alexander Govyadinov, Kianoush Naeli, Tony S. Cruz-Uribe
  • Patent number: 8991983
    Abstract: A printhead die includes end regions, a nozzle surface region, fluid passages, ejection chambers, fluid ejectors, non-ejection chambers, and heating resistors. The nozzle surface region is disposed between the end regions. The fluid passages include corresponding ejection nozzles. The ejection nozzles are disposed on the nozzle surface region. The fluid ejectors correspond to the ejection chambers. Each one of the fluid ejectors selectively ejects printing fluid through a corresponding ejection nozzle. The plurality of heating resistors corresponds to the non-ejection chambers. The heating resistors selectively provide heat to the end regions while not ejecting printing fluid through the ejection nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Hager, Lawrence H White, Alexander N Govyadinov
  • Patent number: 8944559
    Abstract: A print head comprising a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles extending therethrough, a piezoelectric bending mode actuator associated with each nozzle and connected with the respective nozzle so as to provide a plurality of independently actuatable nozzles, and a mount for, in use, connecting the nozzle plate to a liquid printer, wherein, in use, each nozzle can be driven at its resonant frequency such that motion of the driven nozzle causes liquid to be ejected only from the driven nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Technology Partnership, Plc.
    Inventor: Justin Rorke Buckland
  • Patent number: 8926066
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate including a first supply port row in which a plurality of supply ports are arranged, a first energy generating element row in which a plurality of energy generating elements are arranged, a second supply port row in which a plurality of supply ports are arranged, a second energy generating element row in which a plurality of energy generating elements are arranged, a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer for driving the energy generating elements, and a through hole configured to electrically connect the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer. The first energy generating element row, the first supply port row, the second supply port row, and the second energy generating element row are arranged in parallel in this order and the through hole is arranged between the first supply port row and the second supply port row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Sakurai, Ken Tsuchii
  • Patent number: 8899731
    Abstract: An ink jet printing device includes a pressure chamber, a first actuator membrane being arranged to form a first flexible wall of the pressure chamber, a first piezo-electric part being operatively connected to a surface of the first actuator membrane, a second actuator membrane being arranged to form a second flexible wall of the pressure chamber and a second piezo-electric part being operatively connected to a surface of the second actuator membrane, wherein the second flexible wall is mechanically decoupled from the first flexible wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Reinten, Marcus J. Van Den Berg
  • Patent number: 8894182
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a liquid discharge substrate having a discharge port array, and a channel member having a mounted face on which the liquid discharge substrate is mounted, channels for supplying liquid to the discharge port array, and a low thermal conductivity portion, wherein the channels includes an opening for flowing liquid, which is provided at a part except for both ends of the discharge port array, a first channel for passing the liquid, and a second channel for passing the liquid in a direction opposite to the liquid flowing direction in the first channel, wherein the opening, the first channel, the low thermal conductivity portion, and the second channel are provided in this order to be vertical to the mounted face, and the opening and the low thermal conductivity portion are provided to be at least partially overlapped one above the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Osaki, Toshiaki Hirosawa, Hiroki Tajima, Akira Yamamoto, Kyota Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8870348
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow path formation substrate on which individual flow paths communicating with nozzle openings for ejecting liquid are provided, a first member which is provided at one surface side of the flow path formation substrate and has pressure generation units for generating pressure change in liquid in the individual flow paths, and a second member which is provided at a surface side of the flow path formation substrate, which is opposite to the first member. Dummy flow paths are provided on the flow path formation substrate independently of the individual flow paths. Exposure portions which expose a part of wall surfaces of the flow path formation substrate which form the dummy flow paths, are provided at least one of the first member and the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Munakata, Noriaki Okazawa
  • Patent number: 8853915
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for bonding on a silicon substrate are disclosed. An apparatus includes a membrane having a membrane surface, a groove in the membrane surface, a transducer having a transducer surface substantially parallel to the membrane surface, and an adhesive connecting the membrane surface to the transducer surface. The groove can be configured to permit flow of adhesive into and through the groove while minimizing voids or air gaps that could result from incomplete filling of the groove. Multiple grooves can be formed in the membrane surface and can be of uniform depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Menzel, Gregory DeBrabander, Corina Nistorica
  • Patent number: 8727495
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharge apparatus, which discharges liquid droplets of a liquid, includes: a flow passage unit which is formed with a plurality of nozzles for discharging the liquid droplets of the liquid and a plurality of liquid flow passages including a plurality of pressure chambers communicated with the plurality of nozzles respectively; an actuator which has a sealing plate joined to the flow passage unit for defining the plurality of pressure chambers and which applies a pressure to the liquid contained in each of the plurality of pressure chambers by changing a volume of each of the plurality of pressure chambers by deforming the sealing plate; and a deformation adjusting member which adjusts a deformation amount of the sealing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shohei Koide, Hiromitsu Mizutani, Hirofumi Kondo, Hiroto Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8684496
    Abstract: A printhead module includes a plurality of rows of printhead nozzles, at least some of the rows including at least one displaced row portion, the displacement of the row portion including a component in a direction normal to that of a pagewidth to be printed, wherein the displaced row portions of at least some of the rows are different in length than the displaced row portions of at least some of the other rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsuo Sakaida, Takeshi Asano, Atsushi Hirota
  • Patent number: 8678299
    Abstract: A hollow actuator-driven droplet dispensing apparatus may include an elastic tube having an elastic body, defining a storage space therein, and extending a predetermined length, and a hollow actuator fitted around the elastic tube so as to generate a force and a displacement in the longitudinal direction when an electric field is applied. The hollow actuator is expanded or contracted in the longitudinal direction of the elastic tube when the external voltage is applied, thereby reducing or enlarging the volume of an inner space of the elastic tube. The droplet dispensing apparatus can press the elastic tube to expand or contract the volume of the inner space of the tube using the hollow actuator capable of quickly generating a displacement in response to an application voltage so that a fixed amount of content can be discharged out and taken into the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials
    Inventors: Young Bog Ham, Jung Ho Park, So Nam Yun, Sang Gyu Choi
  • Patent number: 8669732
    Abstract: In one implementation, an encoder assembly for a printer includes: an encoder scale having indicators thereon for determining a printing parameter; an encoder sensor for sensing indicators on the scale; and a mechanism configured to alternately attach an encoder part (either the scale or the sensor) to the substrate and detach the encoder part from the substrate. In another implementation, a method includes: attaching an encoder part to a print substrate, the encoder part being either an encoder scale or an encoder sensor; the sensor sensing indicators on the scale while advancing the substrate with the encoder part attached; and detaching the encoder part from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Veis, Yuval Dim
  • Patent number: 8632164
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a platen disposed with a gap from a nozzle plate of a recording head and supporting a recording medium in ejecting, and an platen application voltage generating unit generating an electric field having a direction different from an electric field generated between an individual external electrode of a piezoelectric vibrator and nozzles, between the nozzle plate and the platen, in which the intensity of the electric field generated by the applied-to-plate voltage generating unit is set in between the maximum electric field intensity and the minimum electric field intensity between the individual external electrode and the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Masaru Kobashi, Toshiya Okada
  • Patent number: 8625153
    Abstract: A multi-dimensional data registration integrated circuit is configured for driving array-arrangement devices. The array-arrangement devices comprise a plurality of first hierarchy sets, each which comprises a plurality of second hierarchy sets. The multi-dimensional data registration integrated circuit comprises a first hierarchy address selection circuit, a second hierarchy address selection circuit and a data supply circuit. The first hierarchy address selection circuit scans the first hierarchy sets, and selects a unit of the first hierarchy sets to activate it. The second hierarchy address selection circuit scans the second hierarchy sets. The data supply circuit writes a plurality of data into each designated unit of the second hierarchy sets according to the scanning sequence of the second hierarchy address selection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Fan Gang Tseng, Jian Chiun Liou
  • Patent number: 8480208
    Abstract: A liquid-droplet ejection head includes a nozzle substrate, a chamber substrate, a liquid supply substrate, a frame substrate, a driving circuit member, and wire members. The nozzle substrate includes nozzles. The chamber substrate is formed on the nozzle substrate and includes liquid chambers, diaphragms, and electro-mechanical transducers. The liquid supply substrate is formed on the chamber substrate and includes liquid supply channels. The frame substrate is formed on a first face of the liquid supply substrate opposite a second face of the liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate. The driving circuit member that drives the electro-mechanical transducers is mounted on the frame substrate. The wire members connect the electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member. A voltage applied to the electro-mechanical transducers through the wire members deforms the electro-mechanical transducers and the diaphragms to generate pressure in the liquid chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Takemoto, Yukitoshi Tajima
  • Publication number: 20130100183
    Abstract: A continuous liquid ejector includes a structure including a wall. A portion of the wall defines a nozzle having a first fluidic resistance R1. A first liquid feed channel is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The first liquid feed channel has a second fluidic resistance R2. A first drop forming mechanism is associated with the first liquid feed channel. A second liquid feed channel is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The second liquid feed channel has a third fluidic resistance R3. The first fluidic resistance R1 is less than the second fluidic resistance R2 plus the third fluid resistance R3 (R1<(R2+R3)). A second drop forming mechanism associated with the second liquid feed channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventors: Shelby F. Nelson, Andrew D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 8376513
    Abstract: A printhead for an inkjet printer includes a wafer assembly defining rows of spaced apart ink supply channels; and rows of ink ejection nozzle groups extending from the wafer assembly, each nozzle group including a pair of rows of ink ejection nozzles, each ink ejection nozzle including an ink ejection head from which an elongate actuator tail extends, all of the ink ejection heads of each group being in fluid communication with a respective ink supply channel. In each nozzle group, the actuator tails of one pair of rows of ink ejection nozzles extend in an opposite direction to the actuator tails of the other pair of rows of ink ejection nozzles. The actuator tails from adjacent rows of ink ejection nozzle groups are interleaved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8317299
    Abstract: A device for projecting liquid as jets or droplets from multiple nozzles, the device comprising: a plurality of transducers oriented substantially parallel to one another and each having an inner face and an outer face opposite said inner face, the transducers being arranged in a substantially planar array; a plurality of nozzles to project liquid therefrom; liquid supply means for supplying a liquid to the nozzles; each nozzle is associated with an adjacent respective transducer which is excitable to cause movement of the adjacent associated nozzle in a direction substantially aligned with the nozzle axis, to project liquid therefrom; the liquid supply means supplies liquid to an inner end of said nozzle; means for selectively exciting transducers as required, thereby to project liquid as jets or droplets from the respective outer face by movement of the liquid through the nozzle in response to the movement of the nozzle; wherein the transducers are formed as beams in a material layer, separated by slots
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Technology Partnership PLc
    Inventor: Andrew Benjamin David Brown
  • Publication number: 20120249681
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharge apparatus, which discharges liquid droplets of a liquid, includes: a flow passage unit which is formed with a plurality of nozzles for discharging the liquid droplets of the liquid and a plurality of liquid flow passages including a plurality of pressure chambers communicated with the plurality of nozzles respectively; an actuator which has a sealing plate joined to the flow passage unit for defining the plurality of pressure chambers and which applies a pressure to the liquid contained in each of the plurality of pressure chambers by changing a volume of each of the plurality of pressure chambers by deforming the sealing plate; and a deformation adjusting member which adjusts a deformation amount of the sealing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Shohei KOIDE, Hiromitsu Mizutani, Hirofumi Kondo, Hiroto Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8186812
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a first piezoelectric layer, a second piezoelectric layer stacked on the first piezoelectric layer, a first electrode arranged on the first piezoelectric layer, a second electrode arranged between the first and second piezoelectric layers, and a third electrode arranged on the second piezoelectric layer. A portion of the third electrode faces the second electrode, and another portion of the third electrode faces the first electrode. The first electrode does not face at least a portion of the second electrode. A portion, of the second piezoelectric layer, sandwiched between the second electrode and the third electrode is polarized in a first direction in a thickness direction thereof, and portions, of the first and the second piezoelectric layers, which are sandwiched between the first electrode and the third electrode and between which the second electrode is not arranged, are polarized in a direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiji Kura
  • Patent number: 8162444
    Abstract: There is provided a printing head which improves durability and increases reliability by reducing stress occurring in a bonding part between an electrode pad and an inner lead at cooling. The electrode pad and the inner lead are electrically connected in such a manner that in the bonding portions between the electrode pad and a stud bump, only a part of contacting portions between the electrode and the stud bump is bonded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Miura, Junichiro Iri
  • Patent number: 8128199
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus and an ink jet printing method which use a print head having a plurality of ejection port rows to enable high-quality printing without causing uneven density in a conveying direction by varying the printing distribution ratio of the ejection port rows in the print head depending on gray level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Osaki
  • Patent number: 8118407
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead has an array of nozzle arrangements provided for ejecting ink. Each nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet passage. A nozzle chamber structure extends from the substrate assembly to define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet passage. The nozzle chamber structure defines an aperture through which ink in the nozzle chamber can be ejected. A pair of parallel heater elements extends from the nozzle chamber structure and into the nozzle chamber, and can be supplied with current so that ink in the nozzle chamber is ejected out through the aperture. Each heater element is shaped to define at least one broken annulus, in turn, comprising said at least one arcuate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8100505
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a substrate, a nozzle forming member for forming on a principal surface of the substrate a nozzle comprising a flow passage of liquid and an orifice for ejecting the liquid, and a dummy pattern. The dummy pattern has substantially the same dimension as at least a part of the nozzle and is formed so that a cross-section of the dummy pattern is exposed at an end surface of the nozzle forming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomotsugu Kuroda, Toru Yamane, Mikiya Umeyama, Masaki Oikawa, Yuichiro Akama, Chiaki Muraoka, Keiji Tomizawa
  • Patent number: 8087751
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead includes a plurality of nozzles each having a nozzle aperture; a plurality of bubble forming chambers, each corresponding respectively to one of the plurality of nozzles; an inlet for communicating printing fluid between the nozzle aperture and a printing fluid supply, the inlet and the nozzle aperture being aligned along a common central axis; and a heater element disposed in each of the bubble forming chambers. Each heater element has two bubble nucleation regions suspended within the bubble forming chamber in a plane parallel to that of the nozzle aperture. The two bubble nucleation regions are laterally offset from the central axis, such that the lateral offset of one of the bubble nucleation regions is equal and opposite to the lateral offset of the other bubble nucleation region. The bubble nucleation regions are spaced from each other such that bubbles nucleated at each will grow until they unite to form the gas bubble that causes the ejection of a drop of ejectable liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Angus John North, Gregory John McAvoy
  • Patent number: 8083331
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes piezoelectric layers. Individual electrodes are formed on an outermost piezoelectric layer and arranged in a row extending along a first direction. Through holes are formed in the outermost piezoelectric layer and arranged substantially in a row extending in the first direction to contact with first end portions of the individual electrodes. The individual electrodes include at least one first individual electrode and at least one second individual electrode. The first individual electrode comprises a first electrode terminal provided at the first end portion, and the second individual electrode comprises a second electrode terminal provided at a second end portion opposite to the first end portion with respect to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second individual electrode has a thickened portion extending from the second electrode terminal towards the first end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Isono
  • Patent number: 8029103
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid droplet ejection head that ejects droplets of high viscosity ink. A liquid droplet of an electrically conductive liquid in the liquid droplet ejection head is ejected from the head, which is provided with difference in potential between the head and an opposing medium, toward the medium. Electricity is conducted between the head and the medium through a tail of the liquid droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Torahiko Kanda
  • Patent number: 8011757
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes a plurality of inkjet nozzles arranged in nozzle rows. Each nozzle row has a respective row of drive transistors. Drive transistors corresponding to one nozzle row are interleaved with drive transistors corresponding to an adjacent nozzle row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8007081
    Abstract: A device and method for delivering a fluid in the form of a high-speed micro-jet includes a container for accommodating a fluid which is to be delivered through an orifice of the container, and an actuator cooperating with the container. The actuator includes a thin-film transducer membrane, where the transducer membrane is divided into at least two transducer elements. The transducer elements form a transducer array in which each transducer element corresponds to a certain portion of the transducer membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Heiko Pelzer, Klaus Reimann
  • Patent number: 7997697
    Abstract: A droplet discharge head including a nozzle substrate having nozzle openings, a cavity substrate having discharge chambers that communicate with the nozzle openings and discharge droplets from the nozzle openings, a reservoir substrate having a reservoir concave portion that serves as a reservoir which communicates commonly with the discharge chambers. The reservoir substrate is provided between the nozzle substrate and the cavity substrate and a resin thin film is formed on a whole inner face of the reservoir concave portion and on a bottom face of a second concave portion. The second concave portion is provided in a peripheral of the reservoir concave portion and has a depth which is smaller than the depth of the reservoir concave portion. The resin thin film is cut circularly so as to surround the reservoir concave portion, and a part of the resin thin film serves as a diaphragm buffering pressure variation. serves as a diaphragm buffering pressure variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuji Arawaka, Kazufumi Oya