Patents Examined by Anh T Vo
  • Authentication mechanisms
    Patent number: 11364725
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus can include a mating interface coupled to a dispense interface to interact with a print particle dispense nozzle, a locking mechanism coupled to the dispense interface to prevent the print particle dispense nozzle from depositing a print particle to the dispense interface, and an authentication mechanism coupled to the locking mechanism to: authenticate the print particle dispense nozzle, and unlock the locking mechanism when the print particle dispense nozzle is authenticated to allow the print particle dispense nozzle to deposit the print particle to the dispense interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Jiwon Moon, Minul Lee, Woongyong Choi, SeungSup Lee, Jinhwa Hong, Matthew James Storey, An Tran, Bennett Alexander Nadeau, Zackary Thomas Hickman
  • Print reservoir venting
    Patent number: 11358394
    Abstract: Some examples include a print substance reservoir for a printing system including a housing to be arranged within a printing device, the housing having an interior for containing a print substance and an exterior, an active vent valve to allow gases to travel from the interior to the exterior when the inlet is receiving the print substance, the active vent valve electrically energizable and de-energizable in response to signals corresponding to the transfer of the print substance into the housing, a passive inlet valve to open to allow air to enter the interior during removal of the print substance from the reservoir, the passive inlet valve biased to a closed position, and a passive pressure relief valve to open when pressure within the interior is greater than a predetermined pressure limit, the passive pressure relief valve biased to a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Christopher John Arnold
  • Liquid ejection head and recording device
    Patent number: 11351780
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head is provided which comprises a channel member and a housing. The channel member comprises a first surface, which includes one or more ejection ports configured to eject liquid from the first channel member, and a second surface different from the first surface. The housing is disposed on the second surface and comprises one or more electric circuits. The second surface of the channel member comprises a first opening located outside of the housing and is configured to receive the liquid supplied to the one or more ejection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenko Gejima
  • Liquid cartridge including housing configured of base and cover in engagement with each other
    Patent number: 11345160
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a housing; a circuit board including an electrode; and an ink supply portion extending from the housing in a depth direction. The housing includes: an cover; and a base provided with a plurality of engaging pawls. The cover includes: a top wall; a peripheral wall formed with a plurality of engaging holes for engagement with the engaging pawls; a support portion supporting the circuit board; a first protrusion and a second protrusion protruding from the top wall. The plurality of engaging holes is open in a width direction and includes a first engaging hole and a second engaging hole spaced away from each other in the depth direction. A front end of the second protrusion is positioned further frontward than a foremost edge of the first engaging hole that is positioned foremost in the depth direction among the plurality of engaging holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akinari Ishibe
  • Recording apparatus
    Patent number: 11331929
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a carriage configured to move in a width direction intersecting a medium transport direction, a recording head mounted on the carriage, a liquid storage section configured to store a liquid to be supplied to the recording head, the liquid storage section including an injection port configured to receive the liquid from a refill container and a liquid-level visual-check section through which a liquid level of the liquid is visually checked, and a display section configured to accept various setting operations, in which the liquid-level visual-check section and the display section are disposed on an apparatus front surface side, and the display section is disposed above the liquid-level visual-check section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamashita, Satoshi Kaminaga
  • Liquid container and liquid discharge apparatus
    Patent number: 11331922
    Abstract: A liquid container configured to store a liquid to be supplied to a liquid discharge head, the liquid container includes a tank case, a first container in the tank case, the first container configured to store the liquid, a second container, separated from the first container, in the tank case, the second container configured to store the liquid, a communication channel connecting the first container and the second container, a first valve configured to open when the liquid is fed to the first container, and a second valve configured to open when the liquid is discharged from the second container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Takeyuki Kobayashi
  • Inkjet recording apparatus and method therefor including inquiry and notification features
    Patent number: 11325406
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink tank, a recording head, a monitor, an operation panel, and a controller. The ink tank forms an ink chamber and including an injection inlet. The recording head ejects ink from the ink chamber to record an image on a sheet. The operation panel receives user input. The controller controls operation of the recording head, the monitor, and the operation panel. The controller performs receiving a completion signal indicating completion of ink injection, decision processing deciding whether an initial processing has been completed, and inquiry processing based on receipt of the completion signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mana Honoki, Kenta Horade
  • Labels
    Patent number: 11326067
    Abstract: Herein is described a method of providing a printed label. The method comprises: providing a printed label substrate having disposed thereon an electrostatically printed ink; applying a radiation curable overcoat composition to the printed ink, wherein the radiation curable overcoat composition comprises: radiation curable monomers and/or oligomers; a photoinitiator; and an organosilane having at least one hydrolysable group. Printed labels and an ink and overcoat set are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Inna Tzomik, Daniel Skvirsky, Faina Kogan, Alexander Stolov
  • Printer
    Patent number: 11325392
    Abstract: A printer includes an ink tank, a print head that performs printing by using ink in the ink tank, a light source that emits light into the ink tank, a sensor that outputs pixel data by detecting light incident from an ink tank side in a period during which the light source emits light, and a processing section that determines an ink amount by an output of the sensor. The processing section designates a reading area for the sensor, and determines an ink amount based on pixel data of the reading area output from the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Netsu, Takuma Usuda, Kei Nagaoka
  • Logic circuitry package
    Patent number: 11318752
    Abstract: A logic circuitry package for a replaceable print apparatus component includes an analog sensor cell block with a plurality of sensor cells, analog control circuitry to bias and control the analog sensor cell block, an interface to communicate with a print apparatus logic circuit, a dedicated bit field that indicates whether the logic circuitry package is in a power saving mode, and at least one logic circuit. The at least one logic circuit may be configured to receive, via the interface, a request to cause the analog sensor cell block to provide sensor information for at least one sensor measurement; and selectively enable and disable power to the analog control circuitry based on the request and a value of the dedicated bit field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James Michael Gardner, Scott A. Linn
  • Liquid supply system and liquid container
    Patent number: 11318748
    Abstract: A liquid supply system includes a carriage, a plurality of tanks mounted on the carriage, and a plurality of liquid containers for filling a corresponding tank of the plurality of tanks with liquid. The plurality of tanks include a first tank and a second tank in which liquid receiving sections are arranged adjacent to each other in an arrangement direction in the carriage, the plurality of liquid containers include a first liquid container for filling the first tank with the liquid and a second liquid container for filling the second tank with the liquid, and the first liquid container has a portion that, when the first liquid container is set to a first tank filling posture, interferes with a disposition region of the second liquid container when the second liquid container is set to a second tank filling posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa
  • Sensor circuitry
    Patent number: 11318751
    Abstract: Examples of a print liquid supply unit are described herein. In some examples, the print liquid supply unit includes a regulator assembly. In some examples, the regulator assembly includes an at least partially expandable or contractible pressure chamber. In some examples, the print liquid supply unit includes a port. In some examples, the print liquid supply unit includes sensor circuitry positioned between the regulator assembly and the port in a print liquid reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anthony Donald Studer, David Olsen, Quinton Buford Weaver
  • Fluid property sensor
    Patent number: 11318750
    Abstract: In one example, a fluid property sensor includes an electrical circuit assembly (ECA), an elongated circuit (EC), and an external interface. The EC is attached to the ECA and includes multiple point sensors distributed along a length of the EC. The external interface is electrically coupled to a proximal end of the EC. The EC and the external interface are packaged together with an encasement on both sides of the ECA to form the fluid property sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Michael W Cumbie, Anthony D. Studer
  • Inkjet printing apparatus
    Patent number: 11312144
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a discharge head that discharges ink, and a housing that contains the discharge head, wherein the housing contains a first ink storage member and a second ink storage member that each store ink, and the ink is supplied from each of the first ink storage member and the second ink storage member to the discharge head, wherein the first ink storage member is an ink cartridge not having an ink refilling port for enabling ink refilling by opening a stopper member, and detachable from the inkjet printing apparatus, and wherein the second ink storage member has the ink refilling port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiaki Muraoka, Yuji Tamaru, Kazumasa Matsushita
  • Printing devices with removeable extraction reservoirs
    Patent number: 11312142
    Abstract: A printing device may include an input port to interface with a supply simulator; and a drain fluidic interface to interface with a removable extraction reservoir simultaneously with the coupling of the supply simulator with the input port; the supply simulator comprising a memory device to transfer data related to an amount of fluid transferred between the printing device and the removable extraction reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher John Arnold, Jefferson P. Ward
  • Liquid storage container and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 11312147
    Abstract: A liquid storage container which includes a liquid storage chamber that includes a bottom surface, an upper surface facing the bottom surface, a first side surface orthogonal to the bottom surface and the upper surface, and a second side surface orthogonal to the bottom surface and the upper surface and facing the first side surface, and, in which the first side surface is provided with a visual recognition surface configured such that the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber is visually recognized, the bottom surface is provided with a prism for detecting the liquid, and the liquid storage chamber is provided with a wall surface closer to the upper surface than the prism and closer to the bottom surface than an end of the visual recognition surface, which is on a side of the upper surface, in a first direction from the upper surface toward the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Sawadaishi, Naomi Kimura, Yusuke Hirasawa, Shoma Kudo
  • Print substance gauge authentication
    Patent number: 11312148
    Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus can include a print substance gauge to indicate a quantity of print particles an imaging device is capable of receiving at a particular time, and an authentication mechanism coupled to a locking mechanism, the authentication mechanism includes instructions to: determine a quantity of print particles within a print particle container, and unlock the locking mechanism when the print substance gauge indicates that the imagining device is capable of receiving the quantity of print particles within the print particle container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kenneth K. Smith, Andrew P. Chick, Pratik Shah, Adam Hornstein, Dustin C. Rosing, Steven Motzkus, Matthew James Storey
  • Liquid surface imaging device and liquid discharge apparatus
    Patent number: 11312150
    Abstract: A liquid surface imaging device includes an irradiator including a plurality of lightings, the irradiator configured to irradiate a liquid surface in a nozzle of a liquid discharge head with lights emitted from the plurality of lightings, and an imaging device configured to image the liquid surface. The plurality of lightings is arranged point-asymmetrically with a center of the imaging device as a point of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuta Moriwaki
  • Print substance reservoirs
    Patent number: 11305525
    Abstract: An example printing device may comprise an indicator to convey information to a user, a print substance reservoir to house a print substance, where the print substance reservoir is communicatively coupled to a fill port, a sensor to determine when a refill container is connected to the fill port, a processing resource, and a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by the processing resource to transmit signals to the indicator responsive to an indication that the sensor has detected the refill container connected to the fill port, where the signals correspond to the information to be conveyed by the indicator, and authenticate the refill container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Howard G Wong, Wesley R Schalk, Kris R Livingston, Duane A Koehler, Kenneth Williams, Tyler Kapp
  • Electrical contacts coupled to guide structures
    Patent number: 11305547
    Abstract: In an example, a print component includes a guide structure. The example guide structure includes a recess to receive a print material container and a guideway with a guide wall to support rotation of the print material container. Upon rotation of the print material container, an electrical contact of the print material container moves towards an electrical contact coupled to the guide structure of the print component. In another example, a container includes a housing, a material transfer interface, and a mechanical interface. In that example, the mechanical interface includes a guide structure that defines a protrusion and a guideway to allow the container to rotate within a recess defined by a receptacle shell. Upon rotation of the container, an electrical contact coupled to the guide structure moves towards an electrical contact on the receptacle shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sean Daniel Fitzgerald, Jeffrey H. Luke, Mathew Lavigne