Patents Examined by An H. Do
  • Patent number: 11104166
    Abstract: A printer includes a first printing unit responsible for one of preceding printing and subsequent printing that are to be performed on one sheet in overprinting, an other of the preceding printing and the subsequent printing being performed by a second printing unit; and a base-printing controller that causes the first printing unit to print a base for printing by the second printing unit in an operation of forming a test pattern for registration between the preceding printing and the subsequent printing on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventor: Tomokazu Sugata
  • Patent number: 11097542
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge head including a channel unit. The channel unit includes: first and second individual channel groups including a plurality of first and second individual channels; two supply manifolds and two return manifolds; and bypass channels communicating with the two supply manifolds or with the two return manifolds. A relationship of |P1|>|P2| is satisfied, wherein P1 is a first pressure of the supply manifold provided commonly for the first individual channel group, P2 is a second pressure of the supply manifold provided commonly for the second individual channel group, ?P1 is a third pressure of the return manifold provided commonly for the first individual channel group, and ?P2 is a fourth pressure of the return manifold provided commonly for the second individual channel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shotaro Kanzaki, Toshihiro Kishigami
  • Patent number: 11097541
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head including a flow path member with layered plates is provided. The flow path member includes a common flow path, pressure-chamber inclusive flow paths, discharging flow paths, at least one supplying flow path. The pressure-chamber inclusive flow paths are formed in a part of the plates belonging to a first plate group and are arrayed in the first direction. The discharging flow paths are formed in another part of the plates belonging to a second plate group. The at least one supplying flow path is formed in at least one of the plates belonging to a third plate group. The third plate group includes at least one of the part of the plates belonging to the second plate group. The at least one supplying flow path has a connecting portion connected with at least two of the pressure-chamber inclusive flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taiki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11090934
    Abstract: A manifold to provide print fluid to a printhead, the manifold comprising: an inlet to receive print fluid from a print fluid supply; and an outlet to provide print fluid to the printhead; the inlet to couple with a flow control device to control flow of print fluid from the print fluid supply to the manifold; and wherein the inlet comprises an element to engage an actuatable member of the flow control device to activate the flow control device to allow print fluid to flow from the print fluid supply to the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Aidan O'Reilly, Tommy O'Connor, Enda Malone, David Kelly
  • Patent number: 11084287
    Abstract: An object is to remove paper powder from a conveyance path while preventing the paper powder floating in the conveyance path from sticking to an ejection port. The present disclosure is printing apparatus having: a conveyance unit configured to convey a printing medium; a print head having an ejection unit configured to eject a liquid to the printing medium and performing a printing operation; a blower unit configured to blow air from a downstream toward the printing area in the conveyance path during the printing operation; and a cap member switchable between a cap-closed state and a cap-open state, and after the printing operation terminates, the blower unit stops to blow air and the blower unit resumes to blow air after the cap member switches from the cap-open state into the cap-closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Kida, Takaaki Ishida
  • Patent number: 11072720
    Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous ink of active energy ray curable type for ink jet. The aqueous ink contains resin particles and a photo acid generator. The resin particles include a reactive group-containing resin having at least one reactive group selected from the group consisting of an epoxy group, an oxetanyl group and a vinyl ether group. Further provided are an ink cartridge and an ink jet recording method in which the aqueous ink is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Furuse, Naofumi Shimomura, Takayuki Horiuchi, Akemi Watanabe, Yoko Uetake, Shoji Shiba
  • Patent number: 11072187
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes three or more recording heads. The recording heads contain different inks and eject the different inks sequentially on a recording medium. The different inks each contain a pigment and a polyhydric alcohol monobutyl ether. Of the different inks, an ink to be ejected first has the lowest pigment content ratio. Of the different inks, an ink to be ejected third and an ink to be subsequently ejected each have a pigment content ratio equal to or higher than that of a corresponding one of inks to be precedently ejected. Of the different inks, an ink to be ejected second and an ink to be subsequently ejected each have a polyhydric alcohol monobutyl ether content ratio higher than that of a corresponding one of inks to be precedently ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Noriaki Ozawa, Hiroatsu Tamai, Takeshi Watanabe, Yasuhiro Michishita, Hiroyuki Ueda, Toyotsune Inoue, Yusuke Takano, Naoto Miyakoshi
  • Patent number: 11065873
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a supply manifold, a return manifold, and a plurality of individual channels. The supply manifold and the return manifold are elongate and vertically overlap each other, and liquid flows therein. Each individual channel connects the supply manifold and the return manifold and includes a supply throttle connected, at a supply-manifold-side opening thereof, to the supply manifold, a return throttle connected, at a return-manifold-side opening thereof, to the return manifold, a nozzle from which liquid is ejected, and a descender connecting the supply throttle and the return throttle, and connected to the nozzle. The supply-manifold-side opening of the supply throttle is positioned to vertically overlap a central area of the supply manifold in a width direction, and the return-manifold-side opening of the return throttle is positioned to vertically overlap a central area of the return manifold in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Katayama, Shohei Koide, Keita Hirai, Keita Sugiura
  • Patent number: 11065875
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus configured to discharge a liquid, including a channel member for the liquid. The channel member is formed to include: a pressure chamber configured to contain the liquid; a nozzle configured to discharge the liquid; a connection channel connecting the pressure chamber and the nozzle; and a discharge channel which is connected to the connection channel so as to discharge the liquid in the connection channel or connected to the pressure chamber so as to discharge the liquid in the pressure chamber. An intersection line between an orthogonal plane orthogonal to an extending direction of the discharge channel and an upper surface of the discharge channel defining an upper portion of the discharge channel has an arc-like shape protruding upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Sugiura, Shohei Koide, Keita Hirai, Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 11059291
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a fluidic ejection die is described. The die includes an array of nozzles. Each nozzle includes an ejection chamber and an opening. A fluid actuator is disposed within the ejection chamber. The fluidic ejection die also includes an army of passages, formed in a substrate, to deliver fluid to and from the ejection chamber. The fluidic ejection die also includes an army of enclosed cross-channels. Each enclosed cross-channel of the army of enclosed cross-channels is fluidly connected to a respective plurality of passages of the array of passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Si-lam Choy, Michael W Cumbie, Chien-Hua Chen, Jeffrey R Pollard
  • Patent number: 11052658
    Abstract: A head module includes a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric member, a supply manifold, a return manifold, and a damper portion. The pressure chamber is configured to hold liquid therein and in fluid communication with a nozzle orifice. The piezoelectric member is configured to apply pressure to liquid held in the pressure chamber. The supply manifold is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber and configured to allow liquid to flow into the pressure chamber therefrom. The return manifold is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber and configured to allow liquid not ejected from the nozzle orifice to flow thereinto. The damper portion is positioned between the supply manifold and the return manifold when viewed in plan from a nozzle surface of the head module. The nozzle surface has the nozzle orifice defined therein. The damper portion includes a particular plate having a particular recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hirai, Shohei Koide, Keita Sugiura, Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 11052665
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head, having a plurality of individual flow paths, a common flow path, a damper, a heater pattern, a heat source, and a connecting pattern, is provided. The individual flow paths are arrayed in a first direction. The common flow path extends in the first direction throughout the individual flow paths and is connected with the individual flow paths. The damper extends in the first direction throughout the individual flow paths. A part of the damper forms an inner face that defines an end of the common flow path in a second direction. The heater pattern is provided to the damper. The connecting pattern connects the heater pattern with the heat source. In a range, in which in the first direction the individual flow paths are arranged, the heater pattern extends in the first direction without inclining with respect to the first direction at 45 degrees or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taisuke Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11046091
    Abstract: A data generation system includes circuitry configured to generate data of sub-images constructing an image. Each of the sub-images includes at least one of image elements of the image. The image elements are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a given direction in which an image forming apparatus moves to form the image. The circuitry is configured to, when, in an attempt to add another one of the image elements adjacent to the at least one of the image elements in one of the sub-images, the other one of the image elements does not fit within the one of the sub-images, generate data of the one of the sub-images without the other one of the image elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shikama, Yasunari Harada, Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11046094
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid onto a medium, a carriage mounting the liquid discharge head configured to move the liquid discharge head in a main scanning direction, a dummy-discharge receptacle to receive a dummy-discharge liquid discharged from the liquid discharge head in a dummy-discharge operation, a light irradiator to irradiate the dummy-discharge liquid in the dummy-discharge receptacle with a light, and circuitry. The circuitry sets a plurality of dummy-discharge areas virtually dividing an interior of the dummy-discharge receptacle, moves the carriage in the main scanning direction to a first dummy-discharge area among the plurality of dummy-discharge areas, drives the liquid discharge head to discharge the dummy-discharge liquid onto the first dummy-discharge area in the dummy-discharge receptacle, and irradiates the dummy-discharge liquid in the first dummy-discharge area in the dummy-discharge receptacle with the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Mizawa
  • Patent number: 11027550
    Abstract: An example of an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a printhead to dispense a first print fluid and a second print fluid. In addition, the apparatus includes a first nozzle disposed on the printhead. The first nozzle is to eject a first plurality of drops of the first print fluid. The apparatus also includes a second nozzle disposed on the printhead. The second nozzle is offset from the first nozzle by an offset distance along a relative direction of media travel. The second nozzle is to eject a second plurality of drops of the second print fluid. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a textile to receive the first plurality of drops and the second plurality of drops. The textile is to be moved relative to the printhead by the offset distance between ejection of the first plurality of drops and the second plurality of drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Travis Timothy Hagen, Jeffrey Neal Daley, Murthy Srikantom
  • Patent number: 11020984
    Abstract: White-balance is improved when printing on colored media, while minimizing the time and use of costly materials required by present approaches. In an embodiment, the typical solid white fill or background layer is altered by including in the white layer one or more of the other colors already available in the printer to shade this layer. Thus, a small amount of cyan, for example, helps balance a pink-ish (red) media; yellow is used for blue media; and magenta is used for green media; as well as combinations thereof. A combination of transparent process inks and opaque white helps to maintain brightness (luminosity).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Heath, Joseph A. Lahut, Dwight Cram, Bryan Ko
  • Patent number: 11020980
    Abstract: A droplet-discharge-apparatus includes a first-head, a first-ink-container storing first-ink, a second-head, a second-ink-container storing second-ink, a cleaning-liquid-container storing cleaning-liquid, a common-flow-path-system, a cleaning-liquid-flow-path, a first-pomp feeding the first-ink from the first-ink-container to the second-ink-container through the common-flow-path-system, a second-pomp feeding the cleaning-liquid from the cleaning-liquid-container to the first-ink-container through the cleaning-liquid-flow-path and the common-flow-path-system, a first-valve controlling a liquid flow rate between the common-flow-path-system and the first-ink-container, a second-valve controlling a liquid flow rate between the common-flow-path-system and the second-ink-container, a third-valve controlling a liquid flow rate between the common-flow-path-system and the cleaning-liquid-flow-path, and a control-unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kinya Ozawa, Takayuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11014381
    Abstract: Disclosed is a media transport system utilizing a honeycomb core platen for transporting and maintaining the flatness of a sheet of media in an associated printing system. According to one exemplary embodiment, the honeycomb platen includes a plurality of laminated layers that include features configured to communicate vacuum throughout the entire thickness of the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos M. Terrero, Brian J. Dunham, James J. Spence
  • Patent number: 11013959
    Abstract: Determining pace or speed based on sensor data may include determining an amount of contact time a user's foot has with a workout surface such as the ground. Contact time may be determined by identifying samples in the sensor data that correspond to various events such as a heelstrike, a toe-off and a subsequent heelstrike. In one example, these events may be identified by determining a sequence of three sample values (e.g., a triplet) that exceeds corresponding thresholds. The validity of an identified triplet (e.g., heelstrike, toe-off and heelstrike) may be confirmed by determining whether a difference between a last event sample and a middle event sample is greater than a difference between the middle event sample and an initial event sample. Once confirmed, a contact time may be determined from the triplet. A linear or non-linear relationship may then be applied to the contact time to determine a speed or pace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron B. Weast, James M. Mullin
  • Patent number: 11014354
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including: a first liquid ejecting portion including a first liquid storage chamber storing a liquid and a first nozzle; a second liquid ejecting portion including a second liquid storage chamber storing the liquid and a second nozzle; and a flow path structure being formed by stacking substrates and including a distribution flow path that supplies the liquid to the first liquid storage chamber and the second liquid storage chamber. The distribution flow path includes a common flow path through which the liquid flows, a supply flow path that supplies the liquid to the common flow path, a collection flow path that collects the liquid from the common flow path, a first communication flow path communicating the common flow path with the first liquid storage chamber, and a second communication flow path communicating the common flow path with the second liquid storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryota Kinoshita