Of Fluid (e.g., Ink Flow Rate, Viscosity, Etc.) Patents (Class 347/6)
  • Publication number: 20130021397
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus capable of determining an amount of bubbles in an ink flow path and performing suction recovery operation at an appropriate timing is provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a nozzle for discharging ink and a flow path forming member forming an ink flow path for supplying the ink to the nozzle, a suction unit configured to suck the ink from the recording head, and a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature in the recording head. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a control unit configured, based on an amount of gas in the flow path forming member before the ink is filled in the ink flow path, and an amount of gas in equilibrium in the flow path forming member after the ink is filled in the ink flow path, to control the operation of the suction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsukasa Doi, Kiichiro Takahashi, Akiko Maru, Takatoshi Nakano, Genji Inada, Satoshi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20130021396
    Abstract: An inkjet printer (100) has an ink tank (113), an ink head (110), an ink supply tube (112) configured to supply ink from the ink tank (113) to the ink head (110), an ink return tube (115) one end of which is connected to an upstream side portion of the ink supply tube (112) and the other end of which is connected to a downstream side portion of the ink supply tube (112), and a pump (116) configured to circulate the ink in the ink supply tube (112) and the ink return tube (115).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: Roland DG Corporation
    Inventor: Taeko Hirano
  • Patent number: 8356867
    Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes a print head, an ink tank to store ink, an ink feeding path to feed the ink from the ink tank to the print head, a filter disposed on the ink feeding path, and a press unit disposed on the ink feeding path between the filter and the print head, to press the ink present in the ink feeding path toward the ink tank. The press unit repeats a first operation to press the ink in the ink feeding path toward the ink tank, and a second operation to suck the ink in the ink feeding path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In Su Lee, Jin Ho Park, Sung Wook Kang
  • Patent number: 8353584
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus in which a liquid is flowed in one direction in a circulation flow path at the time of non-discharge, and the flow path is refilled with liquid from both directions at the time of discharge. The liquid discharging apparatus includes a pressure adjustment unit that satisfies a condition “Pu>Pd, Pn>?Pd”, where Pu denotes a fluid pressure at a predetermined position on the upstream side of a discharge port, Pd denotes a fluid pressure at a predetermined position on the downstream side thereof, and Pn denotes a pressure equivalent to a capillary force of the discharge port for absorbing the liquid from the flow path into the discharge port immediately after the liquid has been discharged therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Yokoyama, Yasuyuki Tamura
  • Patent number: 8354062
    Abstract: A mixing method is disclosed. The mixing method includes providing a drop generating device including a first drop ejector, a second drop ejector and a collector. The mixing method also includes ejecting a plurality of drops of a first reactant from the first drop ejector and ejecting a plurality of drops of a second reactant from the second drop ejector and collecting the drops with the collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David Allen Mantell, Peter Michael Gulvin, Pinyen Lin, Andrew W. Hays
  • Patent number: 8348364
    Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Taga
  • Patent number: 8348402
    Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid supply device can desirably supply a fluid while maintaining good throughput, and can reduce device size and cost with a simple construction. The inkjet printer has an expansion mechanism that enables an ink refill operation in which a movable member expands an ink chamber by moving a piston that moves in contact with a regulator panel disposed to the main device side and supplies ink from an ink cartridge, a comparison means that determines whether or not the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than a specified value, and a CPU that sets a long time mode in which the ink refill operation time is long when the amount of ink left in the ink cartridge is less than the specified value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Taga
  • Patent number: 8348391
    Abstract: A valve 25 includes: a passage 33 having a first passage 31 which communicates an atmosphere-communicating passage 24 and outside of a cartridge body 10, and a second passage 32 which branches from the first passage; an electrode 35 provided on a wall surface forming the second passage 32; an electrode 37 provided on a wall surface of a bottom wall 11d forming the first passage 31; a driver IC 44 which applies a predetermined voltage selectively to one of these two kinds of electrodes 35, 37; an insulating film 36 provided on a surface of the electrode 35; and an insulating film 38 provided on a surface of the electrode 37. Accordingly, there is provided a valve which is capable of opening and closing a passage communicating two spaces separated from each other, which has no movable part, and which has a simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20130002742
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of ink jets that eject drops of substantially clear ink onto print media. One of the print media and the substantially clear ink has a fluorescent characteristic and the other of the print media and the substantially clear ink is substantially non-fluorescent. The imaging device includes a fluorescence sensor that illuminates the print media and detects a fluorescence intensity of light received from the print media alone and from the print media and the drops of substantially clear ink ejected onto the media. A controller modifies an operating parameter of the imaging device with reference to ink drop masses identified with reference to the detected fluorescent intensities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michelle N. Chrétien, Peter Gordon Odell
  • Publication number: 20130002741
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a pump mechanism for feeding ink to a recording head, a time counting unit capable of measuring a stop time determined by calculating a duration of time for which the ink was stopped from being fed to the recording head, an ink temperature detection unit, a first liquid feed control unit and a second liquid feed control unit. The first liquid feed control unit may instruct the pump mechanism to execute a preliminary purge when the measured stop time is not shorter than a first time. The second liquid feed control unit may instruct the pump mechanism to execute a main purge. And the second liquid feed control unit may set a flow rate in the main purge based on both the measured stop time and the detected ink temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: So Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8342647
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus is provided which can print images with no print quality variations. For this purpose, the fluid viscosity resistances between the print head and the print medium beneath respective nozzle arrays that occur as the print head moves in the forward direction are made equal to those that occur as the print head moves in the backward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Yamane, Yukuo Yamaguchi, Mikiya Umeyama, Kiyomitsu Kudo, Chiaki Muraoka, Ken Tsuchii, Shuichi Ide
  • Patent number: 8342661
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus which can perform cost-down and an improvement on a print quality by simplification of an apparatus construction is realized. For realizing such an apparatus, a gas-liquid separation is achieved by the construction where air bubbles generated in an ejection portion or a reservoir can rise to a liquid surface, and a negative pressure control and at the same time, discharge of the air bubbles are performed by a fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Takahashi, Daisuke Nakamura, Takefumi Tamura, Yuuko Saijo
  • Patent number: 8336978
    Abstract: In the heating flow path unit, the entrance-side sealing member has an inflow restriction portion which restricts flow of liquid on a portion corresponding to an individual entrance-side opening of a liquid flow path in which flow rate is relatively high among the liquid flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Haruhisa Uezawa
  • Patent number: 8328313
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes at least one inkjet head having an ejection surface, a feeding mechanism which includes a feed member having a feed surface that is opposed to the ejection surface and which drives the feed member to feed a recording medium on the feed surface in a feeding direction, a wiper blade which removes ink that is adhered to the feed surface by contacting the feed surface, a judging portion which judges whether cleaning of the feed surface is necessary, and a controller which controls the at least one inkjet head and the feeding mechanism, in a case where the judging portion judges that the cleaning of the feed surface is necessary, to perform a first operation in which ink is ejected to the feed surface and a second operation in which the feed member is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kengo Takeda, Shigeki Kato
  • Patent number: 8328322
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes an ink cartridge receiving unit configured to receive an ink cartridge, an inkjet head configured to eject ink, an ink passage configured to transport the ink from the ink cartridge to the inkjet head, a detecting unit configured to detect a type of ink cartridge received in the ink cartridge receiving unit, a waste ink collection unit including an absorber configured to absorb the ink, a discharging unit configured to discharge the ink remaining in the ink passage at one of a first discharging rate and a second discharging rate, and a controller configured to control the discharging unit to discharge an amount of ink. The controller is configured to control the discharging unit to discharge ink at one of the first discharging rate and the second discharging rate corresponding to the type of the ink cartridge detected by the detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Ueda
  • Patent number: 8328306
    Abstract: A liquid container, which is operable to supply a liquid to a liquid ejecting apparatus, includes: a liquid containing portion capable of containing the liquid; and a liquid supply portion one end of which is connected to the liquid containing portion and the other end of which includes an opening which opens outwardly, the liquid supply portion that allows the liquid to flow from the liquid containing portion to the ejecting apparatus, the liquid supply portion that includes a liquid detecting portion which is operable to detect an amount of the liquid in the liquid container and which includes; a liquid detection chamber that contains the liquid supplied from the liquid containing portion; and a sensor that is disposed in the liquid detection chamber and that outputs a detection signal which is used to detect the amount of the liquid in the liquid container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwamuro, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20120306949
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device forming a continuous inkjet printer cabinet comprising a combined ventilation system for the electronic compartment (1) and consumable fluids compartment (2) (ink and solvent). According to the invention, condensates derived from solvent vapors not condensed by the condenser are extracted through a pipe (9) then retained in order to be evaporated by the ventilation airflow. The solution according to the invention ensures that the increase in solvent concentration around the printer remains below the legal limits for unpleasant smells for persons. One advantageous embodiment consists of using a heat exchanger (7) on the ventilation airflow path, to condensate solvent vapor in the ink reservoir to enable gravity flow of vapors thus condensed and return them to the ink reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Nicolas Rolland
  • Patent number: 8322807
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and a method for controlling an ink jet printing apparatus which, during a non-print operation excluding a print operation, can stir ink at a required time and to a required level according to the state of the ink in the ink tank. During a non-print operation excluding a print operation accompanied by a reciprocal movement of the carriage, a stir operation is executed to stir the ink in the ink tank by reciprocating the carriage according to a stir mode. As the stir mode, one of different modes is set according to an elapsed time from the previous stir operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Seki, Hitoshi Nishikori, Daisaku Ide, Yoshito Mizoguchi, Yasuo Kotaki, Tetsuya Ohashi, Ryoji Inoue
  • Publication number: 20120299989
    Abstract: The invention concerns a measuring system in a fluid circuit of a continuous inkjet printer. According to the invention, a system for measuring the quantity of ink is realized using a continuous sensor (15) equipping a measuring tank (12), which is first emptied then connected by communicating vessel with an intermediate tank (11) storing the ink which, pressurized, supplies the printing head and The measuring system advantageously constitutes a multifunctional system since it makes it possible, using a dedicated constant level tank (13) communicating with the intermediate tank (11) and also by communicating vessel with the measuring tank (12), to measure the viscosity of the ink and the correction thereof if necessary by adding solvent from a dedicated solvent tank (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Florent Prothon, Francis Pourtier, Sébastien Pouzet
  • Publication number: 20120299988
    Abstract: A control device is adapted to control a recording device provided with a nozzle for discharging a color ink and a nozzle for discharging an adhesive fluid. The control device is configured to generate color image data representing a color image made up from color dots formed by the color ink, to generate adhesion image data representing an adhesion image made up from adhesion dots, which are dots formed by the adhesive fluid, wherein the adhesion image data is generated such that the adhesion dots are arranged so that the adhesive fluid is applied at an amount that corresponds to the amount of the color ink applied per unit area and the adhesion dots are arranged so that, when the amount of the color ink applied per unit area is zero, the amount of the adhesive fluid applied differs between inside and outside of a region of the adhesion image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiyohiko TAKEMOTO, Kazuaki TSUKIANA, Masakazu OHASHI
  • Publication number: 20120293573
    Abstract: A printer is disclosed. The printer includes an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles to mark a printable recording medium with ink and an ink system to provide ink to the nozzles. The ink system includes a print head capping system to cap the nozzles whenever the nozzles are not in use and a hydration system to supply a hydration fluid to the print head capping system to provide moisture to the ink at the nozzles while the nozzles are capped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Casey Walker, Carl Bildstein, Carlton Begeal, William Hauptman, Andrew Norte, John O'Toole, Michael Miller
  • Patent number: 8313157
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes a liquid-droplet ejection head having nozzles for ejecting droplets of a liquid, a flexible tube member connected to the head, a tube pump disposed on the tube member to supply the liquid to the head through the tube member, a rotational press member disposed in the pump and, while rotating in a first direction, sequentially compressing the tube member to supply the liquid to the head, and a controller communicatively connected to the pump and causes the press member to rotate in the first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction. At least one portion of the tube member is compressed with the press member while the pump is stopped. The controller, prior to rotation of the press member in the first or second direction, causes the press member to rotate in reverse with respect to the first or second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Michiharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8308252
    Abstract: Streams of ink being returned by a circulation pump from a lower tank through an upstream flow path block to an upper tank have viscosities higher than viscosities of streams of ink being supplied from the upper tank through a downstream flow path block to an inkjet head, there being a difference in flow rate of ink developed with attendant differences in viscosity between the upstream flow path block and the downstream flow path block, while being reduced by differences between heating efficiencies in the upstream flow path block and heating efficiencies in the downstream flow path block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiko Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20120281034
    Abstract: A single pass inkjet printing method includes the steps of: a) providing a radiation curable inkjet ink set containing at least a first and a second radiation curable inkjet ink having a dynamic surface tension of no more than 30 mN/m measured by maximum bubble pressure tensiometry at a surface age of 50 ms and at 25° C.; b) jetting a first radiation curable inkjet ink on an ink-jet ink-receiver moving at a printing speed of at least 35 m/min.; c) at least partially curing the first inkjet ink on the ink receiver within the range of 40 to 500 ms after the first inkjet ink landed on the ink receiver; d) jetting a second radiation curable inkjet ink on the at least partially cured first inkjet ink; and e) at least partially curing the second inkjet ink within the range of 40 to 500 ms after the second inkjet ink landed on the first inkjet ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: AGFA GRAPHICS NV
    Inventors: Stefaan De Meutter, Peter Bracke, David Tilemans, Joris Van Garsse, Geert Van Dyck
  • Patent number: 8303060
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a suction unit; a pressure unit configured to pressurize the inside of a supply channel extending from a liquid container to a recording head at a pressurizing position along the supply channel; an opening and closing unit configured to open and close the supply channel at a position downstream of the pressurizing position; and a control unit configured to cap a nozzle surface with a cap and suction ink from nozzles with the suction unit, to move the cap away from the nozzle surface after pressurizing the inside of the supply channel with the pressure unit to a pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure, to wipe the nozzle surface with a wiping part after closing the supply channel with the opening and closing unit, and to open the supply channel with the opening and closing unit after wiping the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Nemoto, Masanori Takahashi, Daisuke Hasebe, Yukihiro Asano
  • Patent number: 8303061
    Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a method of cleaning a printing device are disclosed. A fluid supply device includes a main tank, a fluid chamber, a fluid-discharging head, a movable carriage, an expansion mechanism that expands the fluid chamber to draw fluid from the main tank, a suction mechanism, a remaining fluid detection unit, a comparison unit that compares the remaining fluid volume in the main tank with a specified value, and a setting unit that sets a cleaning mode. The expansion mechanism is actuated via a movement of the movable carriage. The setting unit sets a first cleaning mode in which a first amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle or a second cleaning mode in which a second amount of fluid is vacuumed from the nozzle that is less than the first amount. The cleaning mode is selected in response to the amount of fluid remaining in the main tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Susumu Taga
  • Patent number: 8303072
    Abstract: A liquid supply apparatus includes: a plurality of heat exchange devices which are respectively provided in a plurality of supply paths for supplying liquids to a plurality of liquid ejection heads respectively, are supplied with a liquid medium adjusted to a predetermined temperature from a liquid temperature adjusting device, and conduct heat exchange between the liquids flowing in the plurality of supply paths and the liquid medium supplied from the liquid temperature adjusting device; a plurality of flow rate adjusting devices which are respectively provided correspondingly to the plurality of heat exchange devices and adjust a flow rate of the liquid medium supplied to each of the plurality of heat exchange devices from the liquid temperature adjusting device; and a controller which controls each of the plurality of flow rate adjusting devices to individually change the flow rate of the liquid medium supplied from the liquid temperature adjusting device to the plurality of heat exchange devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shibata, Tetsuzo Kadomatsu
  • Publication number: 20120274684
    Abstract: A method measures distances between two printed lines on a rotating image receiving member to identify fluid drop mass or fluid drop velocity changes in inkjet ejectors in an inkjet printing system. An initial distance between the two lines is measured at the start of the operational life of the system. During the line of the printing system, the lines are reprinted and the distance between the two lines compared to the initial distance. If the distance has changed by more than a predetermined amount, a firing signal for the printheads that printed the lines is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Conor D. Kelly, Mark R. Parker, Lisa M. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8297729
    Abstract: A printing device includes heads that eject electromagnetic wave hardened inks toward a medium and irradiation sections respectively corresponding to the heads. The irradiation sections irradiate the electromagnetic wave hardened inks. A controller controls the heads and the irradiation sections. The controller, when printing, sequentially performs a method that includes the following operations. One head ejects a first ink in a first ejecting operation. An irradiation section corresponding to the head irradiates first electromagnetic ink in a first irradiation operation. A different head ejects another ink toward a pixel on the medium such that the other ink overlaps the first ink, in a second ejecting operation. An irradiation section corresponding to the other head irradiates the other ink in a second irradiation operation. The controller performs the operations such that a contact angle of the other ink relative to the first ink is greater than 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Fujisawa
  • Publication number: 20120268507
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an ink circulation path, a first tank, a second tank, and a pump, first and second liquid surface detectors which respectively detect ink liquid surfaces in the first and second tanks, an ink supply unit, a supplementary feed valve a control unit, a storage unit, and a determination unit. During ink circulation, the storage unit accumulatively stores a detection result of the second detector. Based on the result, the determination unit determines occurrence of an abnormality in the second liquid surface detector. The storage unit thereafter accumulatively stores the detection result. Based on the result, the determination unit determines occurrence of the first liquid surface detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keiichi ASAMI
  • Patent number: 8292385
    Abstract: An ink supply system for an industrial inkjet printer makes use of a least one buffer vessel wherein ink at low pressure is isolated and pressurized to a high pressure suited for feeding the ink to the printhead. A recirculation ink supply system using plural buffer vessels is suited for repressurizing the ink without the use of a pump. The system avoids generation of gas bubbles due to cavitation which are present in systems using a pump for repressurizing ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Peter Bracke, Davy De Vetter
  • Publication number: 20120262509
    Abstract: To provide a technique when printing using a light-shielding ink and a special glossy ink, the printing device includes an affixing part for affixing ink to a printing medium, and a controller for controlling ink volumes of a colored ink, a light-shielding ink having light-shielding properties, and a special glossy ink having special gloss. The controller has a field discriminating part for discriminating an overlap field of a light-shielding ink field and a special glossy ink field; and a part for allowing, in the overlap field, the ink volume of light-shielding ink to be brought lower than the ink volume of the light-shielding ink determined in accordance with the image data, irrespective of the overlap field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi SAKAI, Mitsuhiro YAMASHITA, Seishin YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20120262508
    Abstract: A method of performing maintenance on printheads of an imaging device includes the detection of at least one missing or defective inkjet in a printhead. A first pressure is applied to ink in printheads in which at least one missing or defective inkjet was detected. The first pressure is configured to discharge ink from the plurality of apertures in an aperture plate of the printhead to reestablish fluid continuity through the inkjet. A second pressure is applied to all of the printheads to be wiped. The second pressure is configured to form a convex meniscus at the plurality of apertures in the aperture plate of all of the printheads to be wiped. A single actuator is then operated to move one or more wipers into engagement with the printheads to be wiped. During wiping the convex meniscus is encountered by a wiper to lubricate a printhead and prevent the printhead from being damaged by wiping. The single actuator then retracts the one or more wipers from the printheads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christine A. Steurrys, Kaitlin M. Tomeo, Paul A. Hosier, Michael Lu
  • Patent number: 8287072
    Abstract: A method for using a processor to process image data received from an image data source in preparation for multipass printing, comprising multitoning the image data to produce a multitoned image, using the multitone level of a pixel in the multitoned image to select a plane of a print mask, using the location of the pixel in the multitoned image to select a cell of output pixels in the selected plane of the print mask, and copying the selected cell of output pixels to corresponding locations within a print buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Christopher Rueby, Douglas W. Couwenhoven
  • Patent number: 8287069
    Abstract: A head drive apparatus of an ink jet printer having: a plurality of nozzles for jetting liquid drops that are provided for an ink jet head; a plurality of actuators provided in correspondence to the nozzles; and a drive unit that applies a drive signal to the actuators, wherein the drive unit comprising: a drive waveform generator that generates a drive waveform signal being standard of a signal to control drive of the actuators; a modulator that modulates a pulse of a drive waveform signal generated by the drive waveform generator; a digital power amplifier for amplifying power of a modulated signal subjected to the pulse modulation by the modulator; and a low pass filter for smoothing an amplified digital signal subjected to the power amplification by the digital power amplifier and supplying the signal as a drive signal to the actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Tabata, Atsushi Oshima, Osamu Shinkawa, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Tomoki Hatano
  • Patent number: 8287079
    Abstract: A landing position determining method for processing-liquid ejection nozzles comprises: setting a specified processing liquid deposited pattern; ejecting the processing liquid from the processing-liquid ejection nozzles onto a recording medium to form the processing liquid deposited pattern; depositing the colored ink from a plurality of ink nozzles onto the processing liquid deposited pattern, and recording a plurality of linear colored ink images to form a processing liquid landing position determination pattern on the recording medium; detecting presence/absence of a change in at least one of densities and line widths of the plurality of linear colored ink images in the processing liquid landing position determination pattern, and determining, from at least one of density distribution and line width distribution in a linear colored ink image in which the change is present, a landing position for the processing-liquid ejection nozzle selected as the landing position determination targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshirou Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8284446
    Abstract: Consumable reduction is achieved for a printing device by utilizing a processor (32), memory (34) and software for receiving input information representative of an image to be printed and generating output information representative of a reduced consumable image in response to consumable smear, spatial relationship between adjacent dots and an image quality degradation. Factors such as print medium characteristics, heat or humidity and composure of the consumable are considered in performing the consumable reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Pretone Ltd.
    Inventors: Ori Eizenberg, Yishai Brafman, Boaz Katz, Raphael Salamon
  • Patent number: 8282197
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method including, in order, the steps of: a) providing at least two or more color inkjet inks of the same color and color density but having a different composition to an inkjet printer; b) mixing the two or more color inkjet inks in a controlled amount; and c) printing the mixture of the two or more color inkjet inks with the inkjet printer onto an ink-receiver. An inkjet printer and an inkjet ink set include two or more color inkjet inks of the same color and color density but having a different composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Frank De Voeght, Etienne Van Thillo
  • Publication number: 20120249628
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device including: a fluid ejection head having a nozzle surface in which fluid ejection nozzles are arrayed; a head cap that covers the nozzle surface; a fluid storage unit in which an ejection fluid that is ejected from the nozzles of the fluid ejection head is stored; a moisturizing fluid supply unit that supplies to the head cap a moisturizing fluid that keeps the head cap moist; a moisturizing fluid storage unit that stores the moisturizing fluid supplied to the head cap from the moisturizing fluid supply unit; and a moisturizing fluid supply control unit that controls the amount of moisturizing fluid supplied to the head cap after the ejection fluid stored in the fluid storage unit reaches a predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoteru KATSUKI
  • Publication number: 20120249627
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device forming an image on a surface of a recording material; a recording material passage; a treatment liquid applicator including a tray containing a treatment liquid, a first roller applying the treatment liquid to the surface of the recording material, and a second roller drawing the treatment liquid from the tray to supply the treatment liquid to the first roller; a liquid level inclination detector detecting whether the surface of the treatment liquid is inclined; a treatment liquid supplying device supplying the treatment liquid to the tray; and a controller connected with liquid level detector and the treatment liquid supplying device. The controller stops the operation of the treatment liquid supplying device when determining according to the detection result of the liquid level detector that the surface of the treatment liquid is inclined in a predetermined amount or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi KOMABA, Shinji Imoto, Satoshi Kitaoka, Seiji Hoshino, Shozo Sakura
  • Publication number: 20120249629
    Abstract: A recording apparatus, including: a tank mount on which a tank is mountable; a first casing; a second casing provided with the tank mount, connected to the first casing with a shaft, and pivotable between a close position and a distant position about the shaft; a judging section configured to judge whether a tank mount state is a middle-of-mounting state; a limitation portion configured to establish a limitation state for limiting the pivotal movement of the second casing at the close position and a release state for allowing the pivotal movement at the close position; and a limitation control section configured to control the limitation portion to establish the limitation state when the tank is in the middle-of-mounting state, and control the limitation portion to establish the release state when the tank is not in the middle-of-mounting state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyasu YABUKI
  • Patent number: 8277006
    Abstract: A method of controlling in a printer the maintenance of an inkjet printhead supplied with fluid from a plurality of fluid sources, the method includes the steps of (a) monitoring the usage of the plurality of fluid sources; (b) identifying a preferred fluid source for use in a maintenance operation based on the monitored usage of the plurality of fluid sources; and (c) performing the maintenance operation using a first quantity of fluid from the preferred fluid source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Frederick A. Donahue, Donald V. Brumbaugh, Gary A. Kneezel
  • Patent number: 8272716
    Abstract: A liquid jet is ejected out of a nozzle, the liquid comprising one or more components, the flow of one or more of said components, the active components, being separated such that the liquid that flows within a boundary layer thickness ?, of the nozzle wall is substantially comprised of a liquid without the active components, the continuous phase, and the said active components flow substantially outside said boundary layer where ? is defined by formula (I): where ? is the continuous phase viscosity in Pa·s, U is the jet velocity in m/s ? is the continuous phase density in kg/m3 and x is the length of the nozzle in m in the direction of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Andrew Clarke
  • Patent number: 8272718
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head having nozzles for ejecting droplets, a liquid tank that stores liquid to be supplied to the recording head, a first channel member connected to the recording head, a second channel member connected to the liquid tank, a pressure regulation valve including an internal channel that connects the first channel member to the second channel member, a third channel member connecting the pressure regulation valve to one of the second channel member and the liquid tank, and a liquid feed unit disposed on the third channel member to feed the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Katoh, Kazuo Haida
  • Patent number: 8267497
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting head having a supply portion, an ejecting portion, a discharge portion, and a filter portion dividing an internal passage within the head into an upstream passage communicating with the supply and discharge portions and a downstream passage communicating with the ejecting portion, and further including pumps respectively connected to the supply and discharge portions. The apparatus includes, and a control portion configured to control the pumps so as to satisfy a mathematical relationship among parameters, during a maintenance operation to discharge a supplied liquid from the discharge portion through the upstream passage. A method is also provided to control the liquid ejecting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Hirota
  • Patent number: 8268399
    Abstract: A contact leveling surface for an ink jet imaging member including a coating disposed on a contact leveling substrate, wherein the coating includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. In embodiments, the contact leveling surface is for an ink jet imaging member that jets a phase change ink, a gel ink, a curable phase change ink, or a curable gel ink directly to a final image receiving substrate such as a direct to paper imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Gervasi, Bryan J. Roof, Matthew M. Kelly, Santokh Badesha
  • Publication number: 20120223981
    Abstract: When filling a printing head with ink, ink in a sub-tank is circulated through a forward path port, a forward path, the printing head, a return path, a return path port, and the sub-tank by pumping ink from the forward path port side to the printing head side by a circulation pump in a state where a plurality of nozzles is sealed by bringing a contact member of a capping device into contact with a nozzle formation surface. Thereafter, sealing of the plurality of nozzles by the capping device is released while pressurizing the sub-tank by a pressure adjusting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai
  • Patent number: 8256860
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided with a heater for heating ink and a cooler for cooling ink, and comprises: an ink circulation route including a heater side route and a cooler side route which are separately provided through the heater and the cooler respectively; a switch mechanism operable to switch the ink circulation route between the heater side route and the cooler side route; and a control unit operable to control the switch mechanism. The control unit controls the switch mechanism to switch the ink circulation route to the heater side route when the ink temperature is lower than a first reference temperature, and switch the ink circulation route to the cooler side route when the ink temperature is no lower than the first reference temperature. By this configuration, the ink heating efficiency can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8256856
    Abstract: A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes a nozzle which jet the liquid droplets in a plurality of types of jetting modes; a liquid droplet jetting head which has the nozzles; a signal generating section which generates a plurality of types of jetting signals, each of which is formed of bit data, has predetermined bits not less than three bits, and corresponds to one of the plurality of types of jetting modes; and a signal supply section which outputs serially the bit data forming one of the jetting signals to the liquid droplet jetting head at each of jetting timings of the nozzle. The jetting signals are set such that the jetting signals corresponding to the jetting modes respectively are subjected to binary switching of the bit data at frequencies decreasing proportional to usage frequencies of the jetting modes when the bit data are outputted serially from the signal supply section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8253997
    Abstract: A correction information creation device including: a recording head; a rotating body; a first detector that detects a period of a pulse signal generated in accordance with rotation of the rotating body; a first calculation section that calculates a period of a clock signal; a second detector that detects a space between corrective images that are formed synchronously with a period of the clock signal, while the rotating body is being rotated at a predetermined rotation speed, by two sets of image formation elements of the recording head; a second calculation section that calculates a distance between a measurement position of a peripheral surface of the rotating body and the axial center of the rotating body; and a memory that stores the calculated distance to serve as information for correcting the period of the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Nishida, Susumu Kibayashi, Hiroaki Satoh, Takeshi Zengo, Tatsumi Komura