Patents Examined by Anh T. N. Vo
  • Patent number: 9452613
    Abstract: An inkjet printer 1 has an elastic ink pack 10 that holds ink, and an ink supply mechanism 5 that pressurizes the ink pack 10 and supplies ink to the ink path 4 side. The ink supply mechanism 5 has a pressure pump 15; a remaining ink monitor 52 that watches if the ink in the ink pack 10 has dropped to a specific remaining ink level; a first pressure control unit 56 that drives the pressure pump 15 until the pump pressure reaches a preset first set pressure P1 when the remaining ink has not reached the specific remaining ink level; and a second pressure control unit 57 that drives the pressure pump 15 until the pump pressure reaches a second set pressure P2 that is higher than the first set pressure P1 when the remaining ink has reached the specific remaining ink level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Urabe
  • Patent number: 9446587
    Abstract: In one example, a molded printhead includes a printhead die in a molding having a channel therein through which fluid may pass directly to a back part of the die. The front part of the die is exposed outside the molding surrounding the die. Electrical connections are made between terminals at the front part of the die and contacts to connect to circuitry external to the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Michael W. Cumbie
  • Patent number: 9446614
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head that discharges ink to a printing region, and causes ink dots formed on the printing region to be cured to form a line image in a first direction, and a movement section that that causes the printing medium to move relative to the head in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in which the printing region is divided into a plurality of areas in the second direction, and the movement section alternately switches the area in which the line image is formed by the head between the plurality of areas while causing the printing medium to relatively move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Sugai, Masahisa Otake, Yoshikazu Hama
  • Patent number: 9434189
    Abstract: A mounted apparatus includes a base portion and a caster provided to the base portion. The caster moves along an installation surface, whereby the mounted apparatus is detachably attached to a mounting apparatus; in a state where the mounted apparatus is attached to the mounting apparatus, the base portion is disposed in a region where the base portion overlaps with a base portion of the mounting apparatus with respect to an mounting direction; and the base portion of the mounted apparatus is disposed at a position that does not interfere with the base portion of the mounting apparatus in a height direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daiki Anayama, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masakazu Nagashima, Ryo Harigae
  • Patent number: 9434181
    Abstract: A printing device includes a table that allows a plurality of printing subjects to be placed thereon, a projection device that projects a binary pattern to the printing subjects placed on the table, an image capturing device that captures an image of the printing subjects having the binary pattern projected thereon, a three-dimensional information acquirer that acquires a spatial code image from the image captured by the image capturing device and acquires three-dimensional information on the printing subjects from the acquired spatial code image, a recognizer that recognizes a position and a posture of each of the printing subjects from the acquired three-dimensional information, a disposer that disposes a printing image on each of the printing subjects in accordance with the position and posture thereof, and a printing data generator that generates printing data on the printing image disposed on each of the printing subjects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutoshi Nakamura, Jun Ueda
  • Patent number: 9427973
    Abstract: A module for mounting and use in a postage meter for printing postage includes a housing and two ink cartridges for ink-jet printing, each of the cartridges having a flexible electrical circuit member operatively attached thereto, with one of the electrical circuits including a microprocessor. The housing consists of two lateral components, each containing one of the ink cartridges, a central panel component interposed between the lateral components, and elements for maintaining the components in assembly. The ink cartridges are placed into cavities formed by the lateral components, which are then assembled on opposite sides of the central component with the flexible circuit members suitably arranged, to produce the inking module. The central panel includes features for applying laterally outward biasing force upon the seated ink cartridges, and structure is provided on the module to facilitate mounting and retention in a postage printing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: DATAPRINT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: John A Pomfret
  • Patent number: 9427972
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a housing body, an opening/closing member, attached to the housing body via a pivot shaft so as to be capable of rotating freely, that covers the surface of the housing body on one side thereof, and an ink tank having an injection port for filling an ink holding chamber with ink used in recording. Here, the ink tank is disposed so that one end thereof is positioned within the housing body on the opposite side of the housing body as the side in which the pivot shaft is provided, and has a stepped shape including a step portion, the step portion being provided on a side of the ink tank that is further from the pivot shaft. The injection port is provided in the step portion, and when the opening/closing member is opened and the ink is to be filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Hidenao Suzuki, Munehide Kanaya
  • Patent number: 9427966
    Abstract: An inkjet head (10) includes a displacement film (17), a substrate (11), and an ink discharge portion (21). The displacement film (17) includes a piezoelectric thin film (14) as a driving film operable to expand and contract in a direction perpendicular to its thickness direction to cause curving deformation of the displacement film (17) in its thickness direction. The substrate (11) has a dug portion (11a) as a hole portion formed in its thickness direction, and supports the displacement film (17) such that the displacement film (17) covers the dug portion (11a). The ink discharge portion (21) has an ink chamber (21a) holding ink, and discharges the ink outside with pressure applied to the ink by the curving deformation of the displacement film (17). The ink discharge portion (21) is provided opposite to the dug portion (11a) of the substrate (11) with respect to the displacement film (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Shinya Matsuda
  • Patent number: 9421795
    Abstract: Pallet conveyors for printers are disclosed. In example implementations a pallet conveyor for a printer comprises a track, a train pallet to circulate on the track and a wagon pallet to circulate on the track towed by the train pallet. The train and wagon pallets may support a print substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing LTD
    Inventors: Yaron Dekel, Yuval Dim, Alex Veis
  • Patent number: 9421782
    Abstract: Simplification of a connecting operation for liquid supply between a liquid consuming apparatus and a liquid containing body at least a part of which is flexible is achieved. A printer 10 has a liquid supply apparatus 20 on a right side wall 106 . The liquid supply apparatus 20 has an attachment/detachment unit 30 in an inclined manner such that a K1-axis direction in which a liquid introduction portion 362 thereof extends for liquid introduction forms an angle a1 that is larger than 0 degree and smaller than 90 degrees in a clockwise direction with respect to the right side wall 106 when the printer 10 is viewed from vertically above. A liquid containing body 50 has an operation member 53 on an upper end side of a flexible liquid containing portion 52, and a liquid supply portion 57 capable of being connected to the liquid introduction portion 362 of the attachment/detachment unit 30 in the K1-axis direction is connected to the operation member 53.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tokujiro Okuno
  • Patent number: 9421781
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a housing body, an opening/closing member, attached to the housing body via a pivot shaft so as to be capable of rotating freely, that covers the surface of the housing body on one side thereof, and an ink tank having an injection port for filling an ink holding chamber with ink used in recording. Here, the ink tank is disposed so that one end thereof is positioned within the housing body on the opposite side of the housing body as the side in which the pivot shaft is provided, and has a stepped shape including a step portion, the step portion being provided on a side of the ink tank that is further from the pivot shaft. The injection port is provided in the step portion, and when the opening/closing member is opened and the ink is to be filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Hidenao Suzuki, Munehide Kanaya
  • Patent number: 9415599
    Abstract: A first part of liquid holders includes at least one liquid holder provided at the first casing. A second part of liquid holders includes at least one liquid holder provided at the second casing. Each of a plurality of flexible tubes has one end and another end. The one end is connected to the first part of the liquid holders. The other end is connected to the second part of the liquid holders. A first supporting section is provided at the first casing and supports the tubes. A second supporting section is provided at the second casing and supports the tubes. A third supporting section supports the tubes at a position between the first supporting section and the second supporting section in such a manner that the tubes are arranged in a direction parallel to a pivotal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Tamaki
  • Patent number: 9409409
    Abstract: An ink supply system, inkjet printer, and ink loading method are provided. The ink supply system includes an ink head comprising a nozzle; first and second ink containers; a first ink supply passage; a second ink supply passage; an ink amount detecting device configured to detect an amount of ink in the first ink container; and a notifying device to provide a notification when the detected amount of ink is less than or equal to a threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiyoshi Iwase, Kazuya Morizono
  • Patent number: 9409732
    Abstract: A sheet-like object transporting device disclosed herein includes a transport plate having suction holes made penetrating therethrough, a fan that sucks in air through the suction holes, a belt that moves along an upper surface of the transport plate, and a controller. Width of the belt corresponds to width of the transport plate. The belt has an open zone whose form corresponds to a sheet-like object. A sheet-like object is loaded on the transport belt so as to close up the open zone. The belt is moved with the sheet-like object attracted onto it by suction. The sheet-like object is stably held onto the transport belt, contacting the peripheries of the open zone without misalignment, and is stably transported without moving out of position or upward. It is possible to transport a sheet-like object attracted onto the belt, while suppressing suction force wasting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahito Tojima, Masami Kanehira, Kenji Kudo
  • Patent number: 9409404
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head is capable of ejecting a liquid through an ejection port, the liquid being supplied from a liquid container with a negative pressure generating section. The liquid ejection head comprises a liquid chamber configured to contain the liquid, a liquid supply section configured to allow the liquid to be supplied from the liquid container to the liquid chamber, and an opening configured to communicate with the liquid chamber and to enable the liquid and/or a gas to flow into the liquid chamber through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Finetech, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Fukuda, Kenro Yamaguchi, Takashi Sugai, Noritaka Ota, Kayo Mukai, Masayoshi Yazaki
  • Patent number: 9403383
    Abstract: A printer comprises an applicator, a primer dryer, a plurality of printheads, an auxiliary dryer configured to at least partially dry ink ejected by the plurality of printheads, a main dryer configured to dry ink ejected by the plurality of printheads, a media transport configured to move media past each of these components, and a controller. The controller operates the applicator to apply a predetermined amount of primer to a surface of media, the primer dryer at a predetermined temperature to dry the primer, the plurality of printheads to eject ink to the surface of media, the auxiliary dryer at a predetermined temperature to at least partially dry the ink ejected by the printheads to control the spread of ink, and the main dryer to dry the ink image. The controller uses a plurality of set points corresponding to printing process parameters identified for each print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Chu-Heng Liu, Anthony S. Condello, Jeffrey J. Folkins, Christopher G. Lynn, Daniel J. McVeigh, Jason Hang, Joseph M. Ferrara, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9399348
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head is capable of ejecting a liquid through an ejection port, the liquid being supplied from a liquid container with a negative pressure generating section. The liquid ejection head comprises a liquid chamber configured to contain the liquid, a liquid supply section configured to allow the liquid to be supplied from the liquid container to the liquid chamber, and an opening configured to communicate with the liquid chamber and to enable the liquid and/or a gas inside the liquid chamber to flow out through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Finetech, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Yazaki, Kayo Mukai, Noritaka Ota, Takashi Sugai, Kenro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9399352
    Abstract: A technique that can restrict an arrangement angle of a liquid cartridge before use in a packaged state is provided. A packaging body 10 of a cartridge 100 includes a bag-shaped member 20 and a box-shaped member 30. The bag-shaped member 20 houses the cartridge 100. The box-shaped member 30 houses the cartridge 100 housed in the bag-shaped member 20. The cartridge 100 has an atmosphere introduction hole 125b capable of introducing the atmosphere to the inside, and the box-shaped member 30 has a first side wall portion 36 located at a position opposed to the atmosphere introduction hole 125b. The first side wall portion 36 has a first and second outer wall surfaces 36a and 36b that intersect each other to constitute a projecting portion that projects outward. A third end side portion 23 of the bag-shaped member 20 is housed at a corner portion between the first and second outer wall surfaces 36a and 36b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Noriaki Okazawa, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9399351
    Abstract: An ink containing device includes an ink cartridge and an adaptor. The ink cartridge comprises a first main body comprising a chamber configured to store ink, and an ink outlet portion disposed on a first surface of the first main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the first main body, and an ink detecting portion configured to detect an amount of the ink stored in the ink chamber. The adaptor is configured to attach to the ink cartridge. The adaptor comprises a second main body comprising a second surface, and an electrical interface disposed on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9393797
    Abstract: A terminal unit is mountable on a cartridge holder including an ink inlet, which draws in ink supplied to an ink ejection head and is located in an inner bottom surface of an accommodation unit that is capable of accommodating an ink cartridge, an electrical connection portion, an accommodation unit positioning portion, and a lever including a restriction portion capable of restricting movement of the ink cartridge when accommodated in the accommodation unit in a direction in which the ink cartridge is removed from the accommodation unit. When the terminal unit is mounted on the cartridge holder, a terminal group contacts the electrical connection portion, an engaging portion is engaged with the restriction portion of the lever, and a unit positioning portion is positioned by the accommodation unit positioning portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Izumi Nozawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Hiroyuki Nakamura