Of Ejector Patents (Class 347/9)
  • Patent number: 9044950
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that includes a head unit in which a plurality of heads are disposed so that parts of nozzle rows overlap with each other between the heads and a control unit configured to make the head unit execute a specified operation for forming flushing dots other than image formation dots on a print medium by discharging liquid through the nozzles. The control unit makes the head unit execute the specified operation in which a liquid amount discharged in the specified operation per nozzle that does not belong to an overlap area where parts of the nozzle rows overlap with each other between the heads is larger in a set movement distance thereof than a liquid amount discharged in the specified operation per nozzle that belongs to the overlap area in a set movement distance thereof, if a specified condition for execution of the specified operation is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akito Sato, Satoshi Yamazaki, Keiko Yamada, Yuko Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150145908
    Abstract: Controlling adhesives between substrates and carriers includes forming a depression into a bonding area of a backside surface of a substrate of a print head where the bonding area being formed proximate an ink feed slot formed through the thickness of the substrate from the backside surface to a front side surface; placing an adhesive between the bonding area and a substrate carrier, and moving the substrate and the substrate carrier together such that the adhesive flows into the depression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Rio Rivas, Ed Friesen, Lawrence Thurber, Garrett E. Clark, Rosanna L. Bigford
  • Publication number: 20150145909
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that includes nozzle arrays, formed of nozzles for ejecting ink of the first to fourth ink color groups, and that scans a print medium while moving the nozzle arrays to perform printing. For printing a unit area of a print medium, where printing is to be completed by performing a plurality of scans, the printing apparatus performs a plurality of scans, and conveys, between movements, a print medium a predetermined amount, which is equivalent to the width of the unit area. Then, to perform a plurality of scans using the nozzle arrays for the first to fourth ink color groups, print data are generated, so that for the nozzle arrays that belong to two ink color groups, the nozzle array for the first ink color group is employed to eject ink into the unit area prior to the nozzle array for the second ink color group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Marumoto, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi, Ryota Kato, Hitoshi Tsuboi, Yohei Masada
  • Patent number: 9039132
    Abstract: A printing apparatus which prints an image on a transparent medium using a head which discharges ink droplets from nozzles. Two pieces of image data are prepared, one piece of image data is selected from the two pieces of image data to set the selected image data to one of a first image and a second image, and the other piece of image data is set to the other of the first image and the second image. The image data set to the first image is subjected to a processing to be mirror image data. The head prints the mirror image of the first image on the medium, prints a background image on the mirror image of the first image, and prints a real image of the second image on the background image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenori Usuda, Shinichi Kamoshida, Mitsuaki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9039144
    Abstract: A full-line printhead includes a base in which a plurality of substrates each including arrayed print elements are arranged in the arrayed direction has the following arrangement. The base includes a terminal for inputting a first differential signal, a first pair of lines for transferring the first differential signal from the terminal to the substrates, a terminal for inputting a second differential signal, and a second pair of lines for transferring the second differential signal from the terminal to the substrates. Each substrate includes a first amplifier for amplifying the first differential signal transferred via the first pair of lines, and a second amplifier for amplifying the second differential signal transferred via the second pair of lines. Control is performed to change the gain of the first amplifier based on a control signal from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Umeda
  • Patent number: 9039113
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus that includes a head unit which can form a plurality of dots of different sizes including a first dot and a second dot. The printing apparatus includes: a first print mode having a plurality of gradation reproduction regions including a first gradation reproduction region of a first print mode and a second gradation reproduction region of the first print mode; and a second print mode having a plurality of gradation reproduction regions including a first gradation reproduction region of a second print mode and a second gradation reproduction region of the second print mode. In the printing apparatus, a print speed in the first print mode is lower than a print speed in the second print mode, and the first gradation reproduction region of the first print mode is larger than the first gradation reproduction region of the second print mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Furuta
  • Patent number: 9041978
    Abstract: For each totally black pixel of image data to be printed using a fluid-ejection printing device, it is determined whether the pixel is part of a line feature or an area fill feature of the image data. Where the pixel is part of a line feature, a first printing mask selected that is optimized for printing line features. Where the pixel is part of an area fill feature, a second printing mask is selected that is optimized for printing area fill features. Each mask specifies a number of fluid droplets to be printed and positions where the fluid droplets are to be printed. The selected mask is applied to the pixel. The pixel is printed using the mask that has been applied. The fluid-ejection printing device prints the pixel by ejecting the number of fluid droplets specified by the mask at the positions specified by the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ana Maria Cardells, Angel Martinez, Steven W. Steinfield
  • Patent number: 9039121
    Abstract: A printing device includes a required ink amount acquisition part, an ejectable amount acquisition part, and a division printing control part. The required ink amount acquisition part is configured to determine a required ink amount based on print data of a bandwidth over which ink is ejected by driving an ink head in a main scanning direction. The ejectable amount acquisition part is configured to determine an ejectable amount based on a residual amount in an ink cartridge. The division printing control part is configured to determine whether a printing for the bandwidth is performed by one time of a main scanning operation, or the printing is performed by dividing into multiple main scanning operations based on the required ink amount and the ejectable amount, and to perform the printing in accordance with the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Sudo, Bunji Ishimoto
  • Patent number: 9039112
    Abstract: In a line-head type inkjet printing apparatus that ejects a plurality of types of inks, an inkjet printing apparatus is provided in which the change of its ejection properties different depending on the type of ink is prevented from occurring. The line-head type printing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that counts the ejection number of liquid from each of print heads in each of a plurality of print heads. Furthermore, the printing apparatus compares the ejection number of liquid from each of the print heads counted by the acquisition unit with a threshold value set for each of the print heads. The printing apparatus includes a change unit that can move a holder in the main scanning direction when the counted ejection number of liquid exceeds the threshold value set for the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Murayama, Takeshi Murase, Masao Kato, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Minako Kato, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro
  • Publication number: 20150138264
    Abstract: A drawing apparatus, including: a drawing unit which performs drawing of a design by applying inks of plural types to a drawing target area of a drawing target; and a control unit which controls the drawing unit on basis of image data of the design; wherein the control unit sets a plurality of unit areas each of which has a contact part contacting with each other in the drawing target area on basis of the image data, and the control unit controls the drawing unit to perform drawing on a specific unit area of the plurality of the unit areas when the control unit determines that every unit area contacting with the specific unit area is at least a dried unit area for which drying of the applied ink is finished or an un-drawn unit area to which the ink is not applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shuichi YAMASAKI
  • Patent number: 9033441
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an ink-jet printer includes a first black record head, a second black record head, a color record head, a black maintenance unit, a color maintenance unit and a controller. The black maintenance unit configured to maintain the first black record head. The color maintenance unit configured to maintain the second black record head and the color record head. The controller executes the maintenance of the black maintenance unit and the maintenance of the color maintenance unit at different timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Atsushi Kubota
  • Patent number: 9033458
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head which includes a head unit in which a plurality of unit heads are arranged, a controller that transmits a control signal to the head unit, and a frame on which a plurality of the head units and the controllers are fixed, wherein the frame includes a head unit fixing section in which the head units are arranged side by side with the nozzle surface being exposed and a controller fixing section which is stacked on the head unit fixing section on the side opposite to the nozzle surface and in which the controllers are arranged side by side in an arrangement direction of the head units, the controller fixing section is composed of at least two layers, where the controllers which correspond to the adjacent head units are arranged alternately in the at least two layers in the controller fixing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Aruga
  • Patent number: 9033446
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a jetting section having a plurality of jetting ports for jetting a liquid; a transport section configured to transport the recording medium along a transport pass having a facing area which faces the plurality of jetting ports; a charging section arranged on an upstream side of the facing area in a transport direction in which the recording medium is transported by the transport section, and configured to charge the recording medium; a charged-area determining section configured to determine a non-landing area, of the recording medium, in which the liquid jetted from the plurality of jetting ports is not landed in a case that the recording medium is disposed at the facing area, as a charged area; and a controller configured to control the charging section to charge the charged area determined by the charged-area determining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Sakano
  • Patent number: 9033440
    Abstract: A recording apparatus, including: a recording portion configured to record an image on each of recording media; a stack portion on which image-recorded recording media are stacked; a conveyor portion configured to convey each recording medium from a recording position at which the image is recorded toward the stack portion; and a controller configured to control the recording apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to control the conveyor portion such that, where two mutually opposable surfaces of two successive recording media that are to be successively stacked on the stack portion are both image-recorded surfaces on each of which an image has been recorded, a movement speed, when stacked, of one of the two successive recording media that is to be later stacked on the stack portion is made smaller, as compared with an instance where at least one of the two mutually opposable surfaces is not the image-recorded surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Sano
  • Patent number: 9033444
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus includes a head that is provided with nozzle holes for ejecting ink, and a control unit that performs a plurality modes, and the plurality of modes includes a first image printing mode of ejecting white-based ink from the nozzle holes to adhere the white-based ink to a first area of a printing medium and a second area different from the first area to print an image, and a second image printing mode of substantially concurrently ejecting color ink and resin ink from the nozzle holes to contact and adhere the color ink and the resin ink onto the white-based ink of the first area to print an image, and ejecting resin ink from the nozzle holes to adhere the resin ink onto the white-based ink composition of the second area to print an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ippei Okuda, Tsuyoshi Sano
  • Patent number: 9028022
    Abstract: According an aspect of the present invention, when causing the liquid ejection head to perform a feeding operation along a first direction, the substrate is retracted outside the projected feeding region of the liquid ejection head and the supporting member thereof prior to starting the feeding operation of the liquid ejection head, preventing dusts and other foreign matters, generated as a result of the feeding operation of the liquid ejection head and the supporting member, from being deposited on a surface of the substrate onto which the liquid is to be deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kodama, Satoshi Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 9028025
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes a plurality of nozzles and a piezoelectric member provided with driving channels for storing ink. Each of the driving channels communicates a respective one of the nozzles. Dummy channels are alternately arranged with the driving channels. First side walls between the driving and dummy channels include a first driving channel side surface and a first dummy side surface. Second side walls between the driving channels and the dummy channels include a second driving channel side surface and a second dummy channel side surface. When a voltage is applied to electrodes on the first dummy channel side surfaces, the corresponding first side wall is deformed. When a voltage is applied to electrodes on the second dummy channel side surfaces, the second side wall is deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Norigoe
  • Patent number: 9028023
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a modulator adapted to pulse-modulate a drive waveform signal forming a basis of a drive signal of an actuator to obtain a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier circuit adapted to power-amplify the modulated signal to obtain a power-amplified modulated signal; a low pass filter adapted to smooth the power-amplified modulated signal to obtain the drive signal; and a power amplification stopping section operating when holding a voltage of the actuator constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Tabata, Atsushi Oshima, Noritaka Ide, Shinichi Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Yoshino
  • Publication number: 20150124012
    Abstract: Provided is a thermo-pneumatic actuator which can include a substrate, an insulating layer formed on the substrate, a working fluid disposed in a fluid chamber, an ink chamber separated from the fluid chamber by at least a portion of the device layer comprising an actuatable membrane, and a heating element formed between the insulating layer and the fluid chamber. A boiling point temperature of the working fluid in the fluid chamber is in the range of greater than about 100° C. to about 500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew W. Hays, Jun Ma
  • Publication number: 20150124014
    Abstract: A recording apparatus that continuously vary a first boundary formed by different discharge port arrays in an area on a recording medium corresponding to a first overlap portion, and a second boundary formed by different discharge port arrays on an area of the recording medium corresponding to a second overlap portion close to the first overlap portion, wherein a shape of the variation of the first boundary and a shape of the variation of the second boundary are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Marumoto, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi, Hitoshi Tsuboi, Ryota Kato, Takayuki Ushiyama
  • Publication number: 20150124013
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor-readable medium stores code representing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to separate image data into dark color data and light color data, and correlate the dark color data with a first printing direction and the light color data with a second printing direction, where the first and second printing directions are opposite one another. The instructions further cause the processor to print the dark color data in the first printing direction and the light color data in the second printing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Peow Ng, Hwee Yee Ong, Tao Long
  • Patent number: 9022502
    Abstract: An embodiment of this invention is directed to ink droplet landing correction by a carriage scanning velocity. According to the embodiment, upon updating a correction value only in a case where a velocity difference is equal to or more than a predetermined value, possibility that ideal correction is not executed in an acceleration/deceleration region, and unnecessary correction occurs in a constant velocity moving region is reduced. More specifically, two velocity thresholds are set so as to sandwich a predetermined velocity of a servo profile. When the carriage scanning velocity falls in the range between the velocity thresholds, updating the correction value of the landing correction function is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michiharu Shoji
  • Patent number: 9022501
    Abstract: A method for printing on a continuous sheet with an inkjet head includes printing a plurality of images in sequence and performing plural kinds of maintenance operations by using intermediate areas located between one of the images and next one of the images in accordance with a schedule, and setting the schedule such that a first maintenance operation included in the plural kinds of maintenance operations and a second maintenance operation which is performed with frequency different from that of the first maintenance operation are not performed at the same intermediate area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahide Takeishi
  • Patent number: 9022503
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head and a control section. The head ejects an imaging liquid for forming an image and an auxiliary liquid for assisting the formation of the image by the imaging liquid with respect to a printing medium. The control section controls the head so that the imaging liquid and the auxiliary liquid are ejected with respect to the printing medium. Further, if there is a first region in which the imaging liquid and the auxiliary liquid are ejected, and a second region which is peeled after the image is formed in the first region in a region of the printing medium, the control section controls the head so that ejection of the auxiliary liquid is not executed with respect to the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Toya
  • Patent number: 9022500
    Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the registration of an image applied to recording media in a printer. The timing of the ejection of ink from an inkjet printhead of the printer is adjusted to maintain proper registration of a first side image to a second side image for duplex printing and y registration within a second side image printing from a first color print unit, such as magenta, to a last print unit, such as black. The location of a leading edge of the first side image deposited on a continuous web of recording media is identified and the timing of ink ejection from printhead nozzles is adjusted to align the second side image to the first side image. Adjustment of the timing of ink ejection reduces or eliminates observable registration errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Leighton, Yongsoon Eun
  • Patent number: 9022497
    Abstract: A printing element substrate, comprising a printing element, a MOS transistor having a drain terminal, a source terminal and a back gate terminal, the drain terminal being connected to a first power supply node for receiving a first voltage, and a source terminal and a back gate terminal being connected to the printing element, and a unit including a second power supply node different from the first power supply node, and configured to supply a second voltage to a gate terminal of the MOS transistor, wherein, when the first voltage is not supplied to the first power supply node, the unit controls a potential of at least one of the gate terminal and the drain terminal so that a potential difference between the gate terminal and the drain terminal becomes lower than the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Endo, Makoto Takagi, Masanobu Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20150116397
    Abstract: A mechanism enables inkjets in a printhead to be operated to eject ink in an effort to replace ink exposed to ambient conditions with ink from within the printhead. The mechanism includes a controller configured to operate an intermediate imaging member to rotate to align a plurality of apertures with inkjets on a printhead. The inkjets are operated to eject ink through the plurality of apertures and ink from within the printhead replaces the ejected ink without impacting the formation of subsequent ink images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Folkins, David Mantell
  • Publication number: 20150116399
    Abstract: An ink ejecting printer includes a recording head disposed with a prescribed clearance between the recording head and a recording medium having a predetermined length in a main scanning direction and ejects ink droplets onto the recording medium, a partitioning member longer than the recording head that has a predetermined width and can be moved between a position facing the recording head and a retracted position, a supporting member that supports the partitioning member movable between the position facing the recording head and the retracted position, a biasing unit that biases the supporting member toward the partitioning member is at the retracted position, a moving unit that moves the supporting member toward the partitioning member is at the position facing the recording head against the biasing unit, and a drive controller that moves the partitioning member to the position facing the recording head and performs dummy ejection at predetermined times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Sai, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Soyoung Park
  • Publication number: 20150116398
    Abstract: A method for printing an authentication pattern wherein, using a multi-deflection continuous inkjet printer, the pattern is printed on a substrate and only contains a small number of black pixels per raster. The resolution in the travel direction X of the substrate and in direction Y of the rasters is thereby largely improved compared with printing in dot-matrix mode, which makes reproduction of the pattern difficult for an infringer not having means to determine the electric charge to be applied to each of the droplets of a train of droplets needed to print each raster of the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Jannick Michallon
  • Patent number: 9016817
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that is an inkjet printing apparatus includes a print head that includes a plurality of nozzles that eject liquid droplets, and prints output data onto a recording medium in a plurality of scans, a storage unit including number of storage areas, the number being determined based on a scheme of the scans, an intermediate data generating unit that generates intermediate data corresponding to an image to be output in each of the scans of the print head from input image data, an intermediate data storing processing unit that stores the intermediate data in different storage areas of the storage unit corresponding to the respective scans of the print head, and an output data converting unit that converts the intermediate data stored in the storage unit into the output data, and sends the output data to the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9016845
    Abstract: An ink for an ink-jet recording apparatus contains water, a pigment, a resin, 1,3-propanediol, and an organic solvent. The resin has a weight-average molecular weight of 30,000 to 150,000. The content of the resin is 1.5% to 6.0% by mass with respect to the mass of the ink. The total content (P+Q) of the content of the glycerol (P) and the content of the 1,3-propanediol (Q) in the ink is 15% to 40% by mass with respect to the mass of the ink. The mass ratio (P/Q) is 0.25 to 1.00.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Noriaki Furukawa, Noriaki Ozawa, Yasuko Takaori
  • Patent number: 9016826
    Abstract: A media processing device includes a reception unit that receives commands; a conveyance unit that conveys media; a reading unit that reads information from the media conveyed by the conveyance unit; a recording unit that records on the media conveyed by the conveyance unit; and an initialization process execution unit that, after the media processing device turns on or resets, enters a busy state in which the reception unit does not receive commands, executes a first initialization process that runs a process confirming media conveyance by the conveyance unit, and then cancels the busy state and runs a second initialization process that initializes the recording unit or the reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9016814
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus causes the repeated alternating execution of an ejection operation, in which light-curable ink is ejected from a head while the head and a light irradiation unit are moved in a predetermined direction by a movement mechanism, and a transport operation, in which a medium is moved relative to the head and the light irradiation unit in a direction that is orthogonal to the predetermined direction; and reduces the irradiation intensity of the light irradiation unit during acceleration/deceleration periods, when the movement mechanism moves the head and the light irradiation unit at a velocity that is lower than a predetermined velocity, to a lower irradiation intensity than the irradiation intensity of the light irradiation unit during a constant velocity period, when the movement mechanism moves the head and the light irradiation unit at the predetermined velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Shimada, Shinichi Kamoshida, Mitsuaki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9016815
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes an array of resistive heaters; an array of nozzles associated with the array of resistive heaters; a heater voltage input for providing a heater voltage; a fire control pulse input for providing a fire control pulse having a first pulsewidth for controlling a length of time that current from the heater voltage input is allowed to pass through at least one of the resistive heaters; and a protective circuit configured to receive the fire control pulse from the fire control pulse input, and to override the fire control pulse if the first pulsewidth is greater than or equal to a predetermined length of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Christopher R. Morton
  • Patent number: 9016820
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printhead having a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array for discharging ink, a reading unit, a first obtaining unit configured to obtain first information about a shift amount between printing positions for the first and second nozzle arrays, a print control unit configured to print first and second distance detection patterns with the first and second nozzle arrays, a second obtaining unit configured to obtain second information about a distance between printing positions of the first and second distance detection patterns in accordance with a result of the first and second distance detection patterns, and a determination unit configured to determine an ink discharge timing in accordance with the first and second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Uchida
  • Patent number: 9010893
    Abstract: A method for operating an inkjet printer includes forming a printed mark with a plurality of inkjets in a printhead, generating scanned image data of the printed mark, and modifying an image data correction parameter and firing signal waveform parameter for one of the inkjets to correct a process direction registration error between the locations of ink drops from the one inkjet and the location of the printed mark. The image data correction parameter modifies the location of ink drops from the one inkjet by an integer number of pixels and the firing signal waveform parameter modifies the location of ink drops from the one inkjet by a fractional pixel to enable registration of the inkjet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Howard A. Mizes, Jeffrey J. Folkins
  • Publication number: 20150103109
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving print job data, rasterizing the print job data to generate image data for each page of the print job data to be printed, calculating a coverage per unit area for two or more color planes of each page of the image data and calculating a flushing mask to flush nozzles of the inkjet print head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Kartheek Chandu, Larry Ernst
  • Patent number: 9004637
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharge disabling unit configured to disable a discharge operation of a defective nozzle, which is in a defective discharge state, among a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge liquid droplets to a recording medium, when a value obtained by quantifying a degree of defective state of the defective nozzle is greater than a discharge disable threshold value; a complement unit configured to complement an image defect using two nozzles on either side of the defective nozzle of which discharge operation is disabled; and a threshold value change unit configured to change the discharge disable threshold value depending on a discharge order between the nozzles which complement the image defect and nozzles adjacent to the nozzles which complement the image defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Hattori, Jun Yamanobe
  • Patent number: 9004629
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to a reflex printing system with improved image quality. A media transport moves a media substrate or an intermediate belt along a media path in a process direction past the two or more print heads, which deposit inks onto the media substrate or the intermediate belt. A velocity measuring device directly measures and transmits the speed of the surface of belt or media that is to receive the image to a controller, which sends print commands to the two or more print heads to control the frequency of the printing. The inks deposited on the media substrate or intermediate belt have a color registration of from 10 to 20 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joannes N. M. de Jong, Barry P. Mandel
  • Patent number: 9004628
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a support member, a print head, a tension adjustment unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured: to move the print head to the retracted position; to control the tension adjustment unit to adjust the tension of the print medium to a print tension while the print head is positioned at the retracted position; to move the print head to the print position; to control the print head to execute printing; to move the print head to the retracted position, and to control the tension adjustment unit to release the tension of the print medium while the print head is positioned at the retracted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Oba, Yujiro Nomura, Kaneo Yoda
  • Patent number: 9004631
    Abstract: A mechanism enables inkjets in a printhead to be operated to eject ink in an effort to replace ink exposed to ambient conditions with ink from within the printhead. The mechanism includes a controller configured to operate an intermediate imaging member to rotate to align a plurality of apertures with inkjets on a printhead. The inkjets are operated to eject ink through the plurality of apertures and ink from within the printhead replaces the ejected ink without impacting the formation of subsequent ink images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Folkins, David Mantell
  • Patent number: 9004630
    Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus which can perform stable ejection also in successive printing at high speed even in a case of performing printing in use of a print head provided with an ejection opening surface having hydrophilic properties. The inkjet printing apparatus comprises an inkjet print head wherein the control unit controls the print head such that, in a case where the ejection number of the ink ejected from the print head after removing the ink on the ejection opening surface by the ink removal unit is equal to or more than a threshold, a drive energy amount that is supplied for the preliminary ejection operation is larger than a drive energy amount that is supplied for the preliminary ejection operation in a case where the ejection number is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshikazu Nagatsuka, Shuichi Murakami, Keiji Tomizawa, Atsushi Omura, Etsuko Sawada, Hiroaki Mihara, Yohei Hamade
  • Patent number: 9004636
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a normal consumption state, a low consumption state, and a fluid applicator unit. The fluid applicator unit may selectively provide a first set of drops of fluid to perform a printing routine in a print mode. The fluid applicator unit may also selectively provide a second set of drops of fluid to perform a service routine in a maintenance mode. An amount of the first set of drops of fluid to perform the printing routine and an amount of the second set of drops of fluid to perform the service routine may be less in the low consumption state than in the normal consumption state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: M. Isabel Borrell Bayona, Sergio Puigardeu Aramendia, Luis Garcia Garcia, Angel Martinez Barambio
  • Publication number: 20150097883
    Abstract: A droplet ejecting apparatus which includes a control unit which controls a recording operation in which dots are recorded on a medium by performing multipass recording in which recording of dots which are located in one main scanning line which goes along a main scanning direction is completed in a recording operation in the main scanning direction of N times (N is integer of 2 or greater), and a maintenance operation in which maintenance with respect to an ejecting unit is performed, in which the control unit performs a control so that at least recording operations in the main scanning direction of (N?1) times is performed between the previous maintenance operation and the subsequent maintenance operation when performing maintenance operations of a plurality of times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Takashi TAMAI, Toshiyuki SUZUKI, Masako FUKUDA
  • Patent number: 8998359
    Abstract: Disclosed are a multicolor overprint control method and device applicable to an intermittent printing apparatus. According to the operating characteristic of the intermittent printing apparatus, the method solves the problems of overlap and inaccurate overprint of various colors during intermittent printing by controlling the relationship between the distance between adjacent color group modules of different colors and the motion distance between uniform segments of the intermittent printing apparatus. In addition, the method also sets different inkjet printing modes in accordance with whether the detected inkjet printing of the same color group module is in a first period, thereby solving the problems of printing media waste and discontinuous printing data. The method achieves multicolor digital inkjet printing by combining the unique motion mode of the printing media thereof, and makes printing contents flexible and changeable on the basis of guaranteeing printing efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignees: Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd., Peking University, Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhengsheng Zhou, Hong Shen, Feng Chen, Zhihong Liu
  • Patent number: 8998364
    Abstract: A printing device includes a nozzle for discharging liquid, a counter that counts the number of signals for defining a cycle in which the liquid is discharged through the nozzle, and a discharge control portion that controls such that the liquid is not discharged through the nozzle when the number of signals counted by the counter is larger than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Sugita
  • Patent number: 8998378
    Abstract: In an ink jet printing method, a recording medium is moved relative to a print head having a plurality of nozzles, and ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles onto the recording medium in a single pass in accordance with print data supplied to the print head. Spit pattern data is included in the print data A location of an expected ink dot ejected according to the spit pattern data is scanned, providing a scanned image, and such ink dot is searched for in the scanned image in order to determine an actual presence of the ink dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Sebastian P. R. C. De Smet, Jos De Jong
  • Patent number: 8998360
    Abstract: A dot data generating method uses a first inkjet recording device and a second inkjet recording device, in which a first image is printed using the first inkjet recording device based on first dot data which determines formation or non-formation of dots, and second dot data is generated to print a second image based on the second dot data using the second inkjet recording device in which a speed of a relative movement of the inkjet head and a recording medium when printing an image is small compared to the first inkjet recording device. The dot data generating method includes generating the second dot data by converting the first dot data such that data of each dot in which formation of a dot is determined is converted to form a plurality of dots at predetermined intervals between the dots in a relative movement direction in place of the each dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Fujita, Yoichi Mitsui
  • Publication number: 20150091957
    Abstract: A carriage moving device has a motor, and a carriage. The carriage moves in a first direction when the motor rotates forwardly, while the carriage moves in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction when the motor rotates reversely. The carriage moving device further includes a facing object having a plurality of reflection ratios at a plurality of positions in the scanning direction. A first sensor unit has a light emitting unit configured to emit light to the facing object and a light receiving unit configured to receive light reflected by the facing object. A second sensor unit is configured to output a second signal in response to movement of the carriage. The controller notifies an error of the second sensor unit in response to a condition where a changing amount of the first signal in the reversing step exceeds a threshold amount and the controller cannot obtain the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru ARAKANE, Atsushi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20150091959
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes: a printing unit including an inkjet head that ejects a red ink and an inkjet head that ejects a black ink having resolution twice that of the above-described inkjet head in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, respectively, this printing unit performing printing on a sheet by ejecting inks from the inkjet heads while transferring the sheet; and a controller that controls the printing unit. In a pixel at an edge of a line drawing formed by two color inks, the edge being in a landing deviation direction of a dot with the red ink relative to dots with the black ink, the controller increases the number of drops to the dots with black on the side of the landing deviation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Mari ISHIDA