Patents Examined by An H. Do
  • Patent number: 11198305
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid jetting head including: a supply manifold configured to define a first circulation channel through which a liquid in the supply manifold circulates; descenders that communicate with the supply manifold, and which is configured to guide the liquid to nozzles, respectively; and a second circulation channel configured to guide the liquid not discharged from the nozzles to the supply manifold. The second circulation channel includes a return manifold that extends to communicate with the descenders, and a return channel that communicates with the return manifold and communicates with the supply manifold via a return port. A first end of the first circulation channel in the supply manifold is an outflow port and a second end of the first circulation channel in the supply manifold is an inflow port. In the supply manifold, the return port is closer to the outflow port than to the inflow port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Rui Wang
  • Patent number: 11194526
    Abstract: A multifunction peripheral includes a printer and a panel. The printer may perform a print process based on a print job and a process of printing an eco-report. The panel may simultaneously display a print instruction screen and a notification screen. The panel may instruct the print process based on a print job when the two screens are simultaneously displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoto Akimoto
  • Patent number: 11192363
    Abstract: An element substrate of a liquid ejection head includes an ejection opening array in which multiple ejection openings are arranged along a predetermined direction, pressure chambers communicating with the ejection openings, and heat generating elements for ejecting liquid, supplied to the pressure chambers, through the ejection openings. The element substrate also includes a predetermined supply path extending in the predetermined direction and communicating with the pressure chambers, a predetermined collection path communicating with the pressure chambers, multiple liquid supply ports communicating with the supply path at different positions in the predetermined direction, and a liquid collection port communicating with the collection path. Among the multiple liquid supply ports, at least a liquid supply port located at an end portion in the predetermined direction has an opening area larger than the opening area of the liquid collection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Ishida, Shingo Okushima
  • Patent number: 11179947
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection head that ejects a liquid, a liquid supply flow path including a liquid storage unit that stores the liquid, a supply pump sending the liquid from the liquid storage unit to the liquid ejection head, a coupling flow path coupling a first supply coupling portion and a second supply coupling portion in the liquid supply flow path, a branch flow path coupling a third supply coupling portion provided in the coupling flow path and the liquid storage unit, an opening/closing valve provided in the branch flow path, where the opening/closing valve is configured to open/close the branch flow path, and a controller, wherein the controller fills the coupling flow path and the branch flow path with the liquid with a combination of a drive of the supply pump and an opening/closing operation of the opening/closing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Tsukada, Yuki Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 11179944
    Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Manabu Akahane, Makoto Kobayashi, Naomi Kimura, Hideki Okumura, Shoma Kudo, Tetsuya Takamoto, Hiroaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 11173518
    Abstract: An in-line process for reusing printed cans is disclosed. The process includes positioning a printed can in front of a laser, the printed can having existing-print on an outer surface of the printed can. And, irradiating the outer surface of the printed can with laser radiation to remove 10% to 90% of the existing-print from the printed can and thereby form a lightened-printed can. And further, coating the outer surface of the lightened-printed can with a masking agent to form a blank-reprintable can. Finally, optionally, printing a new print-pattern on the outer surface of the blank-reprintable can to form a newly-printed can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: WilCraft Can, LLC
    Inventors: Sean P. Kingston, Matthew L. Koele, Benjamin T. White
  • Patent number: 11173717
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid, a circulation passage through which a temperature-controlled liquid circulates, at least two heat generation portions different in heat generation amount from each other, and a cooler configured to cool the temperature-controlled liquid. The circulation passage is coupled to the head. The at least two heat generation portions are thermally coupled with the circulation passage in an ascending order of heat generation amount and downstream from the cooler in a direction of flow in the circulation passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kachi, Shohei Saito
  • Patent number: 11173720
    Abstract: An ink supply system for a print bar of an inkjet printing device includes two supply lines that travel along the longitudinal axis of the print bar and direct ink with opposite flow direction. The print heads of the print bar are respectively connected to both supply lines via a connecting line in order to supply ink to said print heads. A uniform mean hydraulic pressure is produced in all print heads via the opposite flow directions in the two supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hettler, Florian Hitzlsperger, Christoph Rummelsberger
  • Patent number: 11167561
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid jetting head including: a supply manifold configured to define a first circulation channel through which a liquid in the supply manifold circulates; descenders that communicate with the supply manifold, and which is configured to guide the liquid to nozzles, respectively; and a second circulation channel configured to guide the liquid not discharged from the nozzles to the supply manifold. The second circulation channel includes a return manifold that extends to communicate with the descenders, and a return channel that communicates with the return manifold and communicates with the supply manifold via a return port. A first end of the first circulation channel in the supply manifold is an outflow port and a second end of the first circulation channel in the supply manifold is an inflow port. In the supply manifold, the return port is closer to the inflow port than to the outflow port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Rui Wang
  • Patent number: 11167560
    Abstract: A damper unit includes a damper chamber which has a wall partially composed of a flexible membrane with a rubber elasticity and which is configured to store a liquid; a gas chamber partitioned from the damper chamber by the flexible membrane; a communication portion provided for the gas chamber so that the gas chamber is in communication with an outside of the damper unit; and a one-way valve provided in the communication portion to allow a gas to flow into the gas chamber from the outside of the damper unit and to restrict a gas to flow from the gas chamber to an outside thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Kumagai, Yuki Shiohara, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11166669
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a brush head at an end of a handle, an acceleration sensor and/or a rotation sensor that detect(s) movement parameters of the electric toothbrush, a wireless communication interface that wirelessly transmits recorded data comprising the detected movements parameters of the electric toothbrush in a processed state and receives treatment mode data for operating the electric toothbrush, a pressure sensor that detects a contact pressure applied by the brush head to teeth and/or gums, at least one first outputting device that visually outputs signals or commands in accordance with the detected contact pressure or in accordance with the detected movement parameters, and at least one second outputting device that haptically outputs signals or commands, in the form of vibrations, in accordance with the detected contact pressure or in accordance with the detected movement parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: VALUTIS GMBH
    Inventors: Benjamin Ohmer, Stefan Raith
  • Patent number: 11155087
    Abstract: There is provide a liquid discharge head including: a supply manifold; a feedback manifold; and a plurality of individual flow channels having: a supply portion, a descender portion, and a feedback portion. The supply manifold has a plurality of supply ports, and the feedback manifold has a plurality of feedback ports. At least part of the supply manifold overlaps with the feedback manifold in the second direction. The plurality of pressure chambers have first pressure chambers forming a first pressure chamber array and second pressure chambers forming a second pressure chamber array. The first pressure chamber array is arranged at one side, of the supply manifold, in a third direction and the second pressure chamber array is arranged at the other side, of the supply manifold, in the third direction. The first pressure chamber array and the second pressure chamber array are connected to the supply manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shohei Koide, Keita Hirai, Keita Sugiura, Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 11155080
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a liquid discharge head includes first eluting a first electrode and second eluting a second electrode. In the cleaning method, the first eluting and the second eluting are executed such that a ratio between a first electric power amount used in the first eluting and a second electric power amount used in the second eluting is a ratio based on a ratio between an area of a first face of the first electrode and an area of a second face of the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Misumi, Maki Kato, Yuzuru Ishida, Tsubasa Funabashi, Takahiro Matsui
  • Patent number: 11155099
    Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system at least one physical memory device to store density control logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device, to execute the density control logic to generate first uncalibrated ink deposition data, receive first calibrated ink deposition data, generate a first transfer function based on the first uncalibrated ink deposition data and the first calibrated ink deposition data and transmit the first transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikel Stanich, Nikita Gurudath
  • Patent number: 11135853
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ink circulation supply system for an inkjet head. The system is configured to supply ink to the inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the ink, and includes: a meniscus reservoir; a circulation reservoir; and an ante reservoir, the reservoirs where a first pressure connection pipe with a first pressure valve, a second pressure connection pipe with a second pressure valve, a first ink connection pipe, and a second ink connection pipe with an ink valve are provided, wherein when the internal pressure of the circulation reservoir is controlled to be lower than that of the meniscus reservoir, the ink stored in the meniscus reservoir is moved to the circulation reservoir without requiring use of a separate pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: GOSANTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jaeryul Yu
  • Patent number: 11135845
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge liquid, a plurality of pressure chambers communicating with the nozzles, a plurality of individual flow paths communicating with the plurality of pressure chambers, and a common flow path communicating with the plurality of individual flow paths. Further, each individual flow path includes a first flow path portion and a second flow path portion each having a fluid resistance higher than a fluid resistance of a pressure chamber of the plurality of pressure chambers that communicates with the individual flow path, and a third flow path portion disposed between the first flow path portion and the second flow path portion, the third flow path portion having a fluid resistance lower than the fluid resistance of the first flow path portion and the third resistance of the second flow path portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shiomi Andou, Takahiro Yoshida, Takayuki Nakai
  • Patent number: 11135857
    Abstract: A system for a partially dried inkjet media conditioner can include a heated pressure roller to apply pressure to a first side of partially dried inkjet media and apply heat to a second side of the partially dried inkjet media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alan Shibata, Matthew Raisanen
  • Patent number: 11123985
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a plurality of first individual channels arranged in a first direction, a first common channel extending in the first direction and communicating with the first individual channels, and a second common channel located below the first common channel and extending in the first direction. The second common channel communicates with the first individual channels. Each of the first individual channels includes one of first nozzles, and one of first pressure chambers that communicate with the respective first nozzles and are located above the first nozzles. The first common channel and the second common channel overlap, in the vertical direction, with each other at a position above the first pressure chambers. Each of the first common channel and the second common channel at least partially overlaps, in the vertical direction, with the first pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taisuke Mizuno, Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11124002
    Abstract: A partial printing fluid short detection system can detect a partial printing fluid short in a print head. The partial printing fluid short detection system includes a timing circuit to detect a print gap of the print head, and the partial printing fluid short detection system can detect the partial printing fluid short in response to detection of the print gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ben Percer, James Hasler
  • Patent number: 11123984
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head with a supply port and an outlet port includes a pressurization chamber communicating with one of the suplly port and the outlet port, a first flow path communicating with the pressurization chamber and extending in a first axial direction, a second flow path communicating with the other of the supply port and the outlet port and extending in a second axial direction orthogonal to the first axial direction, and a nozzle that is provided to branch from the second flow path and that discharges the liquid along the first axial direction. When viewed in a third axial direction orthogonal to the first axial direction and the second axial direction, an inner wall at a location at which the second flow path and the first flow path intersect includes an inclined surface inclined with respect to the first axial direction and the second axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Takeuchi