Of Spacing Between Fluid Ejector And Receiving Medium Patents (Class 347/8)
  • Patent number: 11970016
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport unit that transports clothing fabric at which a pattern is formed, an imaging unit that images the clothing fabric transported by the transport unit, a printing unit that performs printing on the clothing fabric transported by the transport unit, and a control unit, the control unit registers first image data representing the pattern in a predetermined storage unit, extracts, based on a comparison between the first image data and second image data, a pattern region corresponding to the pattern in the second image data, the second image data is generated by imaging of the clothing fabric by imaging unit, corrects third image data representing an image to be printed overlaid on the pattern to match the shape of the pattern region, and causes the printing unit to perform the printing of the corrected third image data on the clothing fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Kayahara
  • Patent number: 11926095
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object printing apparatus includes a first head, an energy emitter, and a moving mechanism. The first head has a first nozzle face in which a nozzle for ejecting liquid is provided. The energy emitter has an emission face from which energy for curing the liquid ejected from the first head is emitted. The moving mechanism changes relative position of the first head and the energy emitter in relation to a three-dimensional workpiece. The moving mechanism includes a linear motion mechanism that changes the relative position of the first head and the energy emitter in relation to the workpiece along a first axis, a first up-and-down mechanism that moves the first nozzle face along a second axis intersecting with the first axis, and a second up-and-down mechanism that moves the emission face along the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Patent number: 11904540
    Abstract: A printing device includes: a base; a printing platform, the printing platform being connected to the base; a printing bracket, the printing bracket being fixed on the base; and a printing head assembly, the printing head assembly being connected to the printing bracket and being arranged above the printing platform, and the printing head assembly including a bearing member, a discharging assembly and an optical assembly. The discharging assembly and the optical assembly are both arranged on the bearing member, the discharging assembly is used for providing printing materials of at least two colors for the printing platform, and the optical assembly is used for curing the printing materials on the printing platform. The printing device can implement three-dimensional color printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN ANYCUBIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gaocheng Feng, Xinqiao Deng
  • Patent number: 11884065
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge portion having a liquid discharge port and a liquid discharge unit. The liquid discharge portion performs a liquid discharge to discharge a liquid in a liquid discharge direction. The liquid discharge unit holds the liquid discharge portion and is movable along the liquid discharge direction. The liquid discharge apparatus further includes a first driver to move the liquid discharge unit along the liquid discharge direction, a second driver to move the liquid discharge portion relative to the liquid discharge unit along the liquid discharge direction, an abnormality detector to detect an abnormality of the liquid discharge unit, and circuitry. The circuitry increases an excitation current of the first driver in response to an abnormality detection signal from the abnormality detector or an instruction to clean the liquid discharge portion, and drives the second driver after increasing the excitation current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihito Otoi
  • Patent number: 11872810
    Abstract: An ink discharge apparatus includes a discharge head and a controller, the discharge head having a plurality of nozzle rows arranged in a first direction, each of the plurality of nozzle rows including a plurality of nozzles arranged to align in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The controller is configured to receive a print job and carry out a mode determining process to determine whether a print mode is a low gap print mode or a high gap print mode based on the print job, and a number of discharge reducing process to reduce the total number of discharging ink per unit time from the plurality of nozzles as compared with the case of the low gap print mode, if the print mode is determined as the high gap print mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Kanzaki, Shuhei Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11780249
    Abstract: There is provided a printer including: a printing part which is provided with: a conveyor configured to convey a medium in a conveying direction, a printing head having a plurality of nozzles from which an ink of a specified color is discharged and of which positions in the conveying direction are mutually different, the printing head being configured to discharge the ink from the plurality of nozzles to the medium so as to form dots in the medium, and a facing member configured to be capable of facing a print surface of the medium on an upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the plurality of nozzles of the printing head; and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shingo Saito
  • Patent number: 11780239
    Abstract: A method of controlling a system including an arrangement of at least two nozzles, wherein the arrangement and the shape move relative to each other, each nozzle traces a respective path on the shape, and each nozzle is configured to jet drops at actual jetting locations along the respective path of the nozzle. The method results in sequence of actuation events received from a control signal to be more frequent than would be needed for an arrangement printing on a flat surface to produce the required dot resolution. It is then possible to select which of the individual nozzles are to jet for a given actuation event from the sequence so that the actual jetting locations deviate from the target jetting locations by no ore than a define maximum error distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Global Inkjet Systems Limited
    Inventors: Philip Collins, Nicholas Campbell Geddes, Damian Howard Laurence Smith
  • Patent number: 11577529
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a media lifting device is described. The media lifting device includes a media lifting strip to sit on a media transport belt of a printing system. The media lifting strip is to raise a lateral edge of incoming media. That lateral edge of incoming media is a portion of the incoming media that is parallel to a media travel direction. The media lifting device also includes a clamp to affix the media lifting strip to the printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Nestor Luid Pinol, Marta Blanch Pinol, Anna Tarradas Juan
  • Patent number: 11577528
    Abstract: A method of operating a printer compares print job parameters for a current print job to be printed by the printer to a database of print job parameters for previously performed print jobs to identify media issues that may be caused by printing the current print job at a nominal printhead/media transport path distance. The gap between the printheads and the media transport is adjusted for identified media issues. Additionally, the method evaluates the image data content of the current print job to identify media issues that may arise from the printing of each sheet in the print job. If media issues are identified from the image data content, then the gap between the printheads and the media transport is further adjusted for sheets corresponding to the identified media issues caused by the image data content. An inkjet printer capable of being operated in this manner is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ferrara, Jr., Christopher D. Atwood, Joseph F. Casey, Frank B. Tamarez Gomez, Jacob R. McCarthy
  • Patent number: 11571909
    Abstract: In a case where a line drawing, such as a thin line, is included within input image data, the output of a non-ejectable nozzle is compensated for while suppressing deterioration of reproducibility thereof. Based on positional information for specifying an abnormal nozzle in which an ejection failure has occurred among a plurality of nozzles arrayed in a nozzle column, a pixel value of a pixel on a pixel line corresponding to the abnormal nozzle and a pixel value of a pixel on a pixel line corresponding to another nozzle that is located in close proximity to the abnormal nozzle and in which no ejection failure has occurred are exchanged for the input image data. Then, halftone image data is generated by performing halftone processing for the input image data for which pixel value exchange has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryosuke Otani
  • Patent number: 11560002
    Abstract: An example method comprises operating a drive unit to advance a substrate in a substrate advance direction toward a printing station. At the printing station, a first line is printed onto the substrate. A drive unit is instructed to advance the substrate in the substrate advance direction by a target amount, and a second line is printed onto the substrate. The distance between the first and second lines in a direction perpendicular to the substrate advance direction is calculated and, based on the calculated difference, a tension of the substrate is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ignasi Bonjoch Roma, Josep Bel Calavia, Andreu Vinets Alonso
  • Patent number: 11518898
    Abstract: The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ink set that enables forming a printed article with reduced bleeding and color mixing. The present invention is an ink set that includes a black pigment ink (a) having a static surface tension (a1) of 20 mN/m to 40 mN/m and at least one pigment ink (b) selected from the group consisting of a magenta pigment ink and a yellow pigment ink. The static surface tension of the pigment ink (b) is smaller than static surface tension (a1) by 0.1 mN/m to 0.7 mN/m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoaki Iioka, Takahiro Nio, Yuri Shouji, Masaki Hosaka
  • Patent number: 11504989
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device has a head base, a head unit, and an adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism has a guide screw, a moving member, the operation member for rotating the moving member, and an adjusting member. The moving member has a shaft hole screwed into the guide screw, and moves in an axial direction of the guide screw by rotating with respect to the guide screw. The adjusting member has a first contact portion in contact with the moving member and a second contact portion in contact with the head unit. The second contact portion moves in a direction toward the head unit and a direction away from the head unit, by moving the moving member in contact with the first contact portion in the axial direction of the guide screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Daisuke Eto
  • Patent number: 11485150
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a liquid ejecting unit configured to eject liquid to a medium, a medium supporting unit configured to support the medium on a support face, a medium width detector configured to detect a width of the medium supported at the supporting face. Further, the printing apparatus includes a plurality of air blowing ports provided along a width direction (X-axis direction) of the medium for blowing air toward the medium supporting unit, an air blowing unit from which the air is blown, a heating unit configured to heat the medium supporting unit. Further, the printing apparatus includes a controlling unit configured to control a blowing amount from each of the plurality of air blowing ports according to the width of the medium detected by the medium width detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11422071
    Abstract: A substrate analysis method using a nozzle for substrate analysis which discharges an analysis liquid from a tip thereof, scans a substrate surface with a discharged analysis liquid, and sucks the analysis liquid. This is done by arranging a liquid catch plate that catches the discharged analysis liquid, thus retaining analysis liquid discharged between the nozzle tip and the liquid catch plate; positioning the substrate so that the end part thereof can be inserted between the nozzle tip and the liquid catch plate; bringing the end part of the substrate into contact with analysis liquid retained between the nozzle tip and liquid catch plate; and moving the nozzle and liquid catch plate concurrently along a periphery of the substrate, while keeping the end part of the substrate in contact with the analysis liquid, to analyze the end part of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: IAS, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kawabata, Sungjae Lee, Takuma Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11420457
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a gap adjuster that adjusts a gap in a vertical direction between a recording head and a supporting surface for supporting a medium. The gap adjuster adjusts the gap by engagement of a carriage, a slide member, and a cam member that is provided therebetween and has a stepped portion with an alternate-arrangement structure in a width direction. The gap adjuster includes a coil spring that urges the carriage with respect to the slide member in the direction that is the opposite of the transportation direction. A slide contact member is provided on an end of the coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keita Hanawa, Kensuke Tamai, Katsumi Yamada, Tatsuya Ito
  • Patent number: 11318758
    Abstract: A printer includes: a transport belt that transports a print medium; a print head that discharges ink to form an image on the print medium placed on the transport belt; a carriage that mounts the print head thereon and scans in an intersecting direction that intersects a transport direction of the print medium; a sensor unit that detects a non-printable area of the print medium capable of coming into contact with the print medium placed on the transport belt and the print head; and a control section that retracts the carriage from a position where the image is formed by the print head when the sensor unit detected the non-printable area during the printing, causes the transport belt to transport the print medium until the non-printable area is positioned downstream of the print head in the transport direction, and continues printing from a printable area adjacent to the non-printable area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Niiyama
  • Patent number: 11284676
    Abstract: Provided is a shoe that includes a sole and an upper extending above the sole. The upper has an outer surface and is made of a base material that is partially covered with a coating material, such that the coating material covers at least 90% but not more than 98% of the outer surface of the upper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: John C. S. Koo
  • Patent number: 11279126
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes a support portion configured to support a medium, an ejecting unit configured to eject liquid, a detector including sensors, and a control unit configured to determine, based on a detection result from the detector, a first space being a space between the ejecting unit and the medium. The sensors include a first sensor, a second sensor provided downstream of the first sensor in an ejection direction, and a third sensor provided at a position between the first sensor and the second sensor in the ejection direction. The control unit determines that the first space is in an error state when the first sensor detects the medium, and determines the first space based on a detection result of the medium when the first sensor does not detect the medium but at least one of the second sensor and the third sensor detects the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson: Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Fujimaki
  • Patent number: 11254124
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting device includes a plurality of liquid ejecting heads reciprocally movable in a main scanning direction and arrayed in the main scanning direction. Each of the plurality of liquid ejecting heads include a liquid ejecting portion configured to eject liquid. The plurality of liquid ejecting heads includes: a first endmost liquid ejecting head; and a second endmost liquid ejecting head. The first endmost liquid ejecting head constitutes one end in the main scanning direction of the plurality of liquid ejecting heads. The second endmost liquid ejecting head constitutes another end in the main scanning direction of the plurality of liquid ejecting heads. The liquid ejecting portion of at least one of the first endmost liquid ejecting head and the second endmost liquid ejecting head is disposed at a position deviated toward the remaining one of the first endmost liquid ejecting head and the second endmost liquid ejecting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kuwayama, Yoshinori Osakabe
  • Patent number: 11247496
    Abstract: A device for controlling the printing operation in an inkjet printing machine includes at least one inkjet print head disposed at an adjustable distance from a substrate to be printed on. A device receives a print job and a bad sheet sensor has a trigger threshold. A machine control unit adjusts the distance between the inkjet print head and the substrate to be printed on as well as the trigger threshold of the bad sheet sensor before or after the printing operation as a function of a received print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Steffen Neeb, Nicklas Raymond Norrick, Andreas Henn, Jens Forche
  • Patent number: 11214076
    Abstract: A processing system including an inkjet printer that performs printing on a workpiece according to print data associated with a jig ID that indicates the type of jig, and a jig having a jig ID indicating its type that supports the workpiece and is set in the inkjet printer acquires the jig ID from the jig (S61), and notifies incompatibility between the print data and the jig when the jig ID associated with the print data, and the jig ID acquired from the jig in S61 do not match (NO in S63) (S64).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 11203200
    Abstract: A printer includes: a transport belt; a print head that has a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink, a carriage that mounts the print head thereon, a sensor that detects a non-printable area of the print medium where the print medium placed on the transport belt and the print head are capable of coming into contact with each other; and a control section that performs printing by the print head by dividing the plurality of nozzles into a plurality of nozzle groups in the transport direction, and the control section prints an image indicated by image data assigned to one nozzle group by the other nozzle group different from the one nozzle group, in printing with respect to an adjacent area which is an area of which a length in the transport direction corresponds to a length of a nozzle row in the transport direction of the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichiro Niiyama
  • Patent number: 11167575
    Abstract: A printer includes a gap adjustment unit that displaces a carriage in a Z-axis direction in which a gap changes. The gap adjustment unit has a sliding member that moves in a width direction integrally with the carriage, and a cam member that is interposed between the carriage and the sliding member and has a stepped portion in which a maintenance surface that maintains a position of the carriage in the Z-axis direction and an adjustment surface that changes the position of the carriage in the Z-axis direction are alternately arranged in the width direction. The gap adjustment unit is configured such that the cam member slides in the width direction with respect to the carriage and the sliding member to change the gap. The gap adjustment unit includes a buffer unit that decreases a displacement speed of the carriage in the Z-axis direction when the gap is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keita Hanawa, Katsunari Kumagai, Kensuke Tamai
  • Patent number: 11143958
    Abstract: A process including providing a substantially flat printed image on a substrate; disposing a curable gellant composition onto the printed image in registration with the printed image, successively depositing additional amounts of the gellant composition to create a raised image in registration with the printed image; and curing the deposited raised image. A process including providing a printed image on a substrate; disposing a curable non-gellant composition onto the printed image in registration with the printed image; and disposing a curable gellant composition onto the printed image in registration with the printed image; to create a raised image in registration with the printed image; and curing the deposited raised image. An ultraviolet curable phase change gellant composition including a radiation curable monomer or prepolymer, a photoinitiator, a silicone polymer or pre-polymer, and a gellant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Belelie, Michelle N. Chrétien, Paul J. McConville, Jason O'Neil, Barkev Keoshkerian, Anthony S. Condello
  • Patent number: 11088325
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide a micronozzle array including a linear array having a plurality of depositors connected in series, where a first depositor of the plurality of depositors may border a second depositor on a least one side boundary. The micronozzle array may include plurality of orifice arrays, where a width of each orifice in the plurality of orifice arrays is 20 ?m or less in a minor axis of its cross section to flow, to regulate flow through a delivery gas distribution channel. The micronozzle array may include a plurality of exhaust distribution channels, where the delivery gas distribution channel and at least one of the plurality of exhaust distribution channels have separate fluid communication with each of the plurality of depositors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory McGraw, William E. Quinn, Roman Korotkov
  • Patent number: 11084291
    Abstract: A control unit of a liquid consumption apparatus performs determination processing that determines whether or not each of a first housing container and a second housing container is an unsuitable container that does not satisfy a use condition, performs switching decision that decides switching of a supply source that supplies a liquid composition to a liquid consumption unit to the second housing container when the first housing container is determined to be the unsuitable container while the liquid composition is being supplied from the first housing container to the liquid consumption unit, and continues supply of the liquid composition from the first housing container to the liquid consumption unit regardless of whether or not the second housing container is the unsuitable container until when the switching decision is performed while the liquid composition is being supplied from the first housing container to the liquid consumption unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Koganehira, Noriyuki Inukai, Shigeki Fukushima, Yasuhiko Kosugi
  • Patent number: 11034175
    Abstract: A sliding mechanism is provided and includes a linear encoder for detecting a movement distance of a slider in relation to a support member. The sliding mechanism includes a slider that can move in relation to a support member, a slider that can move in relation to the support member as well as the slider, a linear scale fixed to the slider and a sensor fixed to the slider; and a linear encoder for detecting a movement distance of the slider in relation to the support member. In the sliding mechanism, the slider is transferred in relation to the support member and the slider, and subsequently the slider is transferred in relation to the support member and the slider, while the slider is kept in a state of being stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sho Koshiba
  • Patent number: 11009827
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a port to permit a imaging unit to be installed. A solid head unit has a base, a lifting mechanism, a print head, and a first guide. The lifting mechanism moves the print head up and down. The first guide includes a first guide rail facing the print head that limits the movement of the print head to a first range when the print head and a second, greater range when the print head is raised. The imaging unit includes a photoconductive drum in a drum case that includes a projection facing the solid head unit. The projection is configured to insert into a hole in the print head when the print head is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Kojima
  • Patent number: 11001085
    Abstract: An application device and an application method are disclosed which enable a three-dimensional applying and drawing process to be performed without provision of any rotary mechanism on a discharge head. The application device comprises a discharge head that includes a discharge device having a discharge port opened in a Z direction, a stage that holds a workpiece, a set of XYZ relatively-moving devices that moves the discharge head and the stage relative to each other, an R-axis rotation device that rotates the stage about an R-axis parallel to an XY plane, a P-axis rotation device that rotates the stage about a P-axis parallel to the XY plane, the P-axis extending in a different direction from the R-axis, a control device, and a stand, wherein the P-axis rotation device is disposed under the R-axis rotation device, and the P-axis rotation device rotates the stage and the R-axis rotation device together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: MUSASHI ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Kazumasa Ikushima
  • Patent number: 10987929
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a head assembly, an installation base, a positioning member, and a regulation member. The head assembly includes a recording head that ejects ink. The head assembly is installed in the installation base. The positioning member is provided for the installation base and determines a position of the head assembly. The regulation member is provided for the installation base and regulates the position of the head assembly. The regulation member is configured to press the head assembly in a pressing direction. The positioning member protrudes in a direction that intersects with the pressing direction. The head assembly includes an insertion hole into which the positioning member is inserted. The insertion hole is larger in dimension in the pressing direction than the positioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Sue
  • Patent number: 10946675
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head performing recording on a recording medium; a cassette on which the recording medium to be transported to the recording head is placed; and a transporting path for transporting the recording medium from the cassette to the recording head. In addition, the recording apparatus includes a medium thickness sensor obtaining thickness information by measuring a thickness of the recording medium in the cassette or the transporting path; a surface information acquisition section acquiring surface information of the recording medium in the cassette or the transporting path; and a determination section specifying a type of the recording medium based on the thickness information and the surface information of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuji Takeishi
  • Patent number: 10906302
    Abstract: Provided is a recording device that performs recording on a recording medium by repeating a pass operation of discharging ink from a recording head onto the recording medium during a main scanning operation of moving the recording head in a main scanning direction, and a sub-scanning operation of moving the recording medium relative to the recording head in a sub-scanning direction intersecting with the main scanning direction. An electronic controller stops the main scanning unit for a predetermined stop time determined based on a gap that is a distance between a head surface of the recording head and a recording surface of the recording medium supported by a support unit, prior to the pass operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Ohara, Tatsuo Furuta
  • Patent number: 10875045
    Abstract: A surface treatment support structure assembly for treating a contoured surface includes a support structure array formed from a plurality of base structures, each base structure being operably coupled with respect to one another and configured to slide along a longitudinal axis and rotate about a laterally translating axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The support structure array further includes at least one applicator head coupled to each base structure of the support structure array, each of the at least one applicator head being configured to treat the contoured surface. Additionally, a base structure actuator is operatively coupled to and configured to manipulate each base structure along the longitudinal axis and the laterally translating axis such that the support structure array is adjusted relative to the contoured surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dhananjay B. Vasa, John E. Miller, Silas Lawton Studley, Shane E. Arthur, Kyle S. Biondich, Bennett M. Moriarty, Raymond C. Eng, Matthew H. Mellin
  • Patent number: 10836188
    Abstract: A head assembly includes a base member, a recording head, a first coupling member, a second coupling member, a first rotating shaft member, and a first angle adjustment mechanism. The first coupling member couples a first end of the recording heads to the base member. The second coupling member couples a second end of the recording head to the base member. The first rotating shaft member functions as a rotating shaft of the recording head. The first angle adjustment rotates the recording head about the first rotating shaft member as a rotation center. The first rotating shaft member is provided for the first coupling member. The first angle adjustment mechanism is provided for the second coupling member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sue, Hiroyuki Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10814553
    Abstract: A method for identifying an angular deviation in the orientation of a multi-nozzle extruder includes moving the multi-nozzle extruder in a first process direction to form a first extrusion material swath and moving the multi-nozzle extruder in a second process direction opposing the first process direction to form a second extrusion material swath. The method further includes identifying widths and heights of the swaths from scanned image data and identifying a component of angular deviation for the multi-nozzle extruder with reference to at least one of a difference between the first swath width and the second swath width and another difference between the first swath height and the second swath height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Mantell, Christopher G. Lynn, Mark A. Cellura, Peter J. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 10814652
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a printing and conveying unit, a recording head, a raising and lowering mechanism, and a controller. The printing and conveying unit conveys a sheet with the sheet loaded on a loading surface thereof. The recording head is disposed opposite to the loading surface and ejects ink onto the sheet conveyed by the printing and conveying unit. The raising and lowering mechanism includes a wire in contact with the printing and conveying unit. The raising and lowering mechanism winds the wire to raise and lower the printing and conveying unit relative the recording head in a cross direction interesting with the loading surface. The controller controls a winding operation by which the raising and lowering mechanism winds the wire according to a degree of inclination of the wire relative to the cross direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Toshinori Muraoka, Naoki Yamane, Satoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10773518
    Abstract: A conveyer conveys an ejection target in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path including a facing position facing a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head. A distance sensor outputs a distance signal that changes depending on a distance between the nozzle surface and a surface of the ejection target. A controller performs: receiving the distance signal outputted from the distance sensor and positional information relating to a position of the ejection target on the conveyance path; and during ejecting liquid from the nozzle to record an image on the ejection target, changing at least one of a determination condition and a coefficient based on the positional information, the determination condition being a condition for determining whether to interrupt recording of the image by referring to the distance signal, the coefficient being multiplied by a value of the distance signal when determining whether to interrupt recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Sato, Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 10737516
    Abstract: A device for adjusting print heads, in particular inkjet print heads of an inkjet printing machine, on a print bar includes motors disposed in a row and supported for joint movement. Every motor carries a motor gearwheel and every motor gearwheel is successively engageable with at least two respective adjustment gearwheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Andreas Mueller
  • Patent number: 10682873
    Abstract: A droplet deposition head including a datum surface arrangement for alignment of the head relative to an external mounting component in either a vertical mounting mode in which the head is held against a vertical mounting plate or a horizontal mounting mode where the head is held against a horizontal mounting plate. The datum surface arrangement comprising at least seven datum surfaces (x1; y1, y2, y3; z1, z2, z3) provided on the head, wherein five of the seven datum surfaces are provided for alignment in both vertical and horizontal mounting modes, and wherein a sixth datum surface (z3) is provided for alignment exclusively in said horizontal mounting mode and a seventh datum surface (y3) is provided for alignment exclusively in said vertical mounting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ulrik Manfred Naunton, Stephen Mark Jeapes, Richard Hugh Lewis, Jesus Garcia Maza, Arturo Garcia Gomez, Robert John Charles Dunn
  • Patent number: 10661571
    Abstract: A print bar for inkjet printing includes a crossbar carrier, a row of head mounts carried by the crossbar carrier, and print heads held by the head mounts. Every head mount has lateral guide profiles for linearly guiding the head mounts. The guide profiles of respective adjacent or neighboring head mounts engage in one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Mueller, Burkhard Wolf
  • Patent number: 10647132
    Abstract: In one example, a device for partially dried inkjet media output management includes a starwheel positioned on a first side between a number of rollers positioned on a second side to corrugate partially dried inkjet media between the starwheel and the number of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L. P.
    Inventors: Jun Hong Goh, Fei Nie, Wee Hien Tok, Wei Lit Teoh
  • Patent number: 10563076
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording method capable of exhibiting excellent ejection stability of ink even after recording an image over a long period of time, while recording an image having a high optical density. The ink jet recording method is a method of recording an image by ejecting ink from a recording head including an ejection orifice ejecting the ink, an ejection element generating energy for ejecting the ink, and first and second flow paths which communicate between the ejection orifice and the ejection element and in which the ink flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Saito, Kouhei Nakagawa, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 10493696
    Abstract: A method for identifying an angular deviation in the orientation of a multi-nozzle extruder includes moving the multi-nozzle extruder in a first process direction to form a first extrusion material swath and moving the multi-nozzle extruder in a second process direction opposing the first process direction to form a second extrusion material swath. The method further includes identifying widths and heights of the swaths from scanned image data and identifying a component of angular deviation for the multi-nozzle extruder with reference to at least one of a difference between the first swath width and the second swath width and another difference between the first swath height and the second swath height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Mantell, Christopher G. Lynn, Mark A. Cellura, Peter J. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 10464355
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, a printing method, and a control apparatus are provided that are capable of reliably preventing a printing unit from colliding, when a first press member or a second press member is displaced, with a displaced press member, and then allowing the printing unit to quickly restart a printing operation. A printing apparatus includes a transport unit configured to transport a work as a recording medium, a printing unit configured to perform printing on the work while moving in a width direction of the work, a first press member configured to press one side of the work in the width direction, a second press member configured to press another side of the work in the width direction, and a detecting unit configured to detect each of a displacement of the first press member in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Fujita
  • Patent number: 10442216
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transporting section that transports a work, a printing mechanism section that has a nozzle plate that performs printing by discharging ink on the work, and a moving section that reciprocally and relatively moves the printing mechanism section in a direction intersecting the transporting direction of the work. In the printing apparatus, when the printing mechanism section moves reciprocally, printing in a forward path includes a first printing area, a second printing areas, and printing in a backward path includes a first printing area, and second printing areas. In addition, the transportation amount of the work is adjusted based on the second printing areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Itaru Kozuma, Kazuaki Sakurada, Seigo Momose
  • Patent number: 10406832
    Abstract: A method to increase the print quality of a printer can include determining sensor data corresponding to a print image printed by a print head of the at least one print head of the printer onto the recording medium; determining, based on the sensor data, undulation information corresponding to unevenness of the recording medium, a distance between the one or more nozzles of the print head of the printer and the recording medium varying due to the unevenness; and printing, based on the undulation information, a subsequent print image with the print head of the printer. The printer can include at least one print head including one or more nozzles that are configured to fire ink droplets onto a recording medium to generate a print image on the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Océ Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Ulrich Stoeckle
  • Patent number: 10379112
    Abstract: A method of providing a droplet in contact with a magnetically responsive bead and having a reduced quantity of a substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignees: Advanced Liquid Logic, Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Ramakrishna Sista, Vamsee K. Pamula, Michael G. Pollack, Vijay Srinivasan, Allen E. Eckhardt, Richard B. Fair
  • Patent number: 10328718
    Abstract: A system for printing on a multi-dimensional object includes a plurality of print heads, and a printing chase configured to receive an object holder for an object and provide accurate registration of the object. The system further includes an actuator configured to move the printing chase relative to the print heads. The system is configured to receive information corresponding to an object holder mounted on the printing chase, determine a position of at least one printable area using the retrieved information, receive information relating to print data to be printed on the at least one printable area, use the determined position of the at least one printable area to control a movement of the printing chase relative to the print heads, and operate the print heads to eject marking material onto the at least one printable area to print data on the at least one printable area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony S. Condello, Peter J. Knausdorf, Jack T. LeStrange, Mandakini Kanungo, Xin Yang
  • Patent number: 10272687
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a center frame that supports a recorder which performs recording on a medium; and at least two side frames positioned with the center frame interposed therebetween. The two side frames include: a first sub-frame to which both of a first feeder and a second feeder that feed a medium are mountable, the second feeder differing from the first feeder in the position from which to feed a medium; and a second sub-frame to which one of the first feeder and the second feeder is mountable. The second sub-frame includes a support portion that supports a power transmission unit which transmits drive power from a motor to the first feeder or the second feeder, the motor being a drive source necessary to feed a medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Sasaki, Kazuo Saito