Patents Examined by Erica Lin
  • Electrostatic actuator with short circuit protection and process
    Patent number: 9321265
    Abstract: An electrostatic actuator for a printhead. The electrostatic actuator may include a substrate. A dielectric layer may be disposed on the substrate. An electrode layer may be disposed on the dielectric layer. A first standoff layer may be disposed at least partially on the electrode layer. A second standoff layer may be disposed at least partially on the electrode layer and at least partially on the first standoff layer. A portion of the second standoff layer disposed on the electrode layer may be removed to form one or more landing pads. A membrane may be disposed at least partially on the second standoff layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter J. Nystrom, Mark A. Cellura, Gary D. Redding, Peter M. Gulvin
  • Water-based ink for ink-jet recording and ink cartridge
    Patent number: 9321930
    Abstract: A water-based ink for ink-jet recording includes: a colorant containing a self-dispersible pigment; water; and fumed silica. The blending ratio of the fumed silica to the self-dispersible pigment may be not less than 0.2 and not more than 1 by weight. Using the self-dispersible pigment and the fumed silica in combination can satisfy improved optical density and an excellent discharge property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuka Tsuzaka
  • Piezoelectric element, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 9318690
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element is provided. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric layer made of a perovskite compound containing sodium, potassium, lithium, niobium and tantalum and bismuth manganate. The piezoelectric element may also include electrodes for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer may contain 0.25 to 1 mol % of bismuth manganate relative to the perovskite ceramics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xiaoxing Wang
  • Inkjet head and method of manufacturing inkjet head
    Patent number: 9315016
    Abstract: An inkjet head has a head chip. The head chip has driving walls of piezoelectric material, which deform by applying voltage, to jet ink. Channels are arranged alternatively, alongside the driving walls and contain ink. Each channel has an outlet and an inlet port at a front and rear surface of the head chip. Driving electrodes, formed on surfaces of the driving walls, apply voltage to the driving walls. Connection electrodes, formed on the rear surface of the head chip, electrically connect to the driving electrodes. A wiring substrate, having wiring electrodes apply voltage to the driving electrode through the connection electrode. The wiring substrate is bonded to the rear surface of the head chip to protrude from the head chip in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the channels so that all the channels are exposed at the rear surface of the head chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Hideo Watanabe
  • Media conveyance device and printing device
    Patent number: 9315053
    Abstract: A printing device has a guide roller that guides a print medium in a conveyance direction; an intersect roller pair that holds the print medium guided by the guide roller between a first roller that rotates on an axis of rotation in the conveyance direction of the print medium and a second roller that rotates on an axis of rotation that intersects the axis of rotation of the first roller; a conveyance roller pair that conveys the print medium held by the intersect roller pair in the conveyance direction by a conveyance drive roller driven by a drive means and a conveyance follower roller that rotates with the conveyance drive roller; and a print unit that prints on the print medium conveyed by the conveyance roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamakawa, Tetsugo Ishida
  • Piezoelectric element, liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, ultrasonic sensor, piezoelectric motor, and power generating apparatus
    Patent number: 9312791
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a first electrode; a piezoelectric body layer which is provided on the first electrode; and a second electrode which is provided on the piezoelectric body layer, the piezoelectric body layer is made of a composite oxide with a perovskite structure, which contains bismuth, barium, iron, titanium, and strontium, and the content of strontium with respect to barium is equal to or greater than 5 mol % and equal to or less than 18 mol %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Kitada
  • Printhead board, printhead, and printing apparatus
    Patent number: 9308719
    Abstract: A board for a printhead mountable on a printing apparatus includes three terminals used for connection to the printing apparatus, a printing element, a driving circuit connected to the first terminal, an inspection circuit connected between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a resistance element connected between the second terminal and the third terminal. When an inspection signal is supplied from the printing apparatus to the first terminal, the inspection circuit outputs an output signal according to the inspection signal. When a control signal for performing printing is supplied from the printing apparatus to the first terminal, the driving circuit drives the printing element according to the control signal, and the inspection circuit sets the inspection circuit and the second terminal in an open state with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kameyama, Masanobu Ohmura
  • Liquid ejection head and liquid ejection apparatus
    Patent number: 9308722
    Abstract: In a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid by using thermal energy, reduction of film thickness caused by elution of a protective layer when kogation on the protective layer is removed is made uniform and decrease in liquid ejection performance is suppressed. More specifically, a counter electrode is provided around a portion on which an ejection port of a flow path forming member is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuzuru Ishida, Sadayoshi Sakuma, Norihiro Yoshinari, Ichiro Saito, Maki Kato, Kenji Takahashi, Yoshinori Misumi
  • Nozzle plate, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 9302481
    Abstract: A silicon nozzle plate has excellent liquid resistance on an inner surface of a nozzle opening and a discharge surface. A plurality of the nozzle openings are disposed in a silicon substrate of the nozzle plate. A tantalum oxide film formed by atomic layer deposition is disposed on both surfaces of the silicon substrate and the inner surface of the nozzle opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Tadachi, Katsuhiro Takahashi
  • Heating element for a printhead
    Patent number: 9289987
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides for a fluid ejection device. The fluid ejection device includes a substrate, a conductive layer, a resistive layer, and at least one upper layer. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate and an outer perimeter and an inner region thinner than the outer perimeter. The outer perimeter includes conductive elements spaced apart from one another. The resistive layer includes an outer resistive portion overlying the conductive elements and a central resistive portion lying on top of a raised bridge of the substrate, wherein the width of the raised bridge is substantially greater than the width of the central resistive portion. The at least one upper layer defines a boundary of a fluid chamber, and the boundary is aligned vertically above a border of the central resistive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Galen P. Cook, Bradley D. Chung, Anthony M. Fuller
  • Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, piezoelectric element, and ultrasonic sensor
    Patent number: 9283757
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head which includes a piezoelectric element which includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer which is provided on the first electrode, and on which a plurality of piezoelectric films are laminated, a second electrode which is provided on the piezoelectric layer, and a plurality of active units which are interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a pressure generating chamber which communicates with nozzle openings which eject liquid, and in which a pressure fluctuation is generated by the piezoelectric element, in which a plurality of grooves with inner faces facing the first electrode side are formed on a side surface of the piezoelectric layer on each interface of each of the piezoelectric films along a first direction and a second direction which cross a third direction which goes from the first electrode to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Furuya, Masao Nakayama
  • Printing head module
    Patent number: 9278536
    Abstract: A printing head module includes a bracket, a plurality of printing heads, a pivot shaft, a wiper unit, and a control unit. The bracket includes a plurality of through holes. The printing heads are parallelly aligned with each other, each of the printing heads a nozzle for extruding the modeling material. The pivot shaft connected to the bracket is adapted to rotate the printing heads to a target position. The wiper unit includes a holder, a plurality of wipers, and a wiper opener. The holder is connected to the pivot shaft to be rotated with the bracket and the printing heads. The wipers rotatably connected to the holder and disposed correspondingly to the openings. The wiper opener is disposed at the target position to interfere with the wiper rotated to the target position, so as to drive the corresponding wiper to rotate to the opening position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignees: XYZprinting, Inc., Kinpo Electronics, Inc., Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited
    Inventors: Shih-Jer Din, Jui-Feng Chang, Clyde Ventolina Cordero
  • Light deflector, optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9279981
    Abstract: A light deflector includes a fixing portion, a movable portion and a reinforcing member. The movable portion includes a mirror portion for deflecting light by swinging about a predetermined swing axis, a torsion bar fixedly supported on the fixing portion and having an axis serving as the swing axis, and a supporting body configured to support the mirror portion and fixed to the torsion bar. The supporting body includes a contact surface to be held in contact with the mirror portion and a non-contact surface opposite to the contact surface. The reinforcing member is provided only on the non-contact surface out of the contact surface and the non-contact surface of the supporting body and reinforces the supporting body and adjusts a center of gravity of the movable portion so that the center of gravity of the movable portion is located on the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hideji Mizutani
  • MEMS jetting structure for dense packing
    Patent number: 9278368
    Abstract: A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection module having a substrate and a layer separate from the substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of fluid ejection elements arranged in a matrix, each fluid ejection element configured to cause a fluid to be ejected from a nozzle. The layer separate from the substrate includes a plurality of electrical connections, each electrical connection adjacent to a corresponding fluid ejection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Bibl, Kevin von Essen, Paul A. Hoisington
  • Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, piezoelectric element, ultrasonic transducer, and ultrasonic device
    Patent number: 9272515
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a passage-forming substrate provided with a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice for ejecting a liquid and includes a piezoelectric element including a diaphragm disposed on the passage-forming substrate, a first electrode disposed on the diaphragm, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode, and second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer. The diaphragm includes a metal oxide layer of a metal oxide formed by a gas-phase method and a zirconium oxide layer of zirconium oxide formed by a liquid-phase method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Shiro Yazaki, Eiju Hirai
  • Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, ultrasonic sensor, piezoelectric motor, and power generator
    Patent number: 9276193
    Abstract: A piezoelectric material contains a first component that is a rhombohedral crystal that is configured to have a complex oxide with a perovskite structure and Curie temperature Tc1, a second component that is a crystal other than a rhombohedral crystal that is configured to have a complex oxide with the perovskite structure and Curie temperature Tc2, and a third component that is configured to have a complex oxide with the perovskite structure in which the component is formed as the same crystal system as the second component and Curie temperature Tc3, in which Tc1 is higher than Tc2, and Tc3 is equal to or higher than Tc1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sumi, Kazuya Kitada, Tomohiro Sakai, Yasuaki Hamada, Tetsuya Isshiki, Satoshi Kimura, Akio Ito, Tsuneo Handa
  • Color mixing inspection method, color mixing inspection apparatus and print apparatus
    Patent number: 9270864
    Abstract: To provide a color mixing inspection method, a color mixing inspection apparatus and a print apparatus capable of carrying out a color mixing inspection at low cost for the inspection with high detection ability. To that end, an evaluation pattern is irradiated with light having a color complementary to color mixed into the evaluation pattern to emphasize the color mixing and measure lightness, thereby determining the presence of color mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Wada, Tetsuro Yasukawa
  • Cartridge, printing material supply system, and printing apparatus
    Patent number: 9266337
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a concave portion. The concave portion has an opening, first and second side walls, and a bottom wall, and the bottom wall has a tilted surface tilted. The tilted surface is provided with a cartridge side terminal group. The first side wall is provided with a first restriction portion which restricts movements in a +Z axis direction and a +X axis direction of an apparatus side terminal unit, and the second side wall is provided with a second restriction portion which restricts movements in the +Z axis direction and a ?X axis direction of an apparatus side terminal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Aoki, Hiroshi Satoh
  • Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 9254652
    Abstract: A piezoelectric layer is integrally formed in such a way that opening portions of a plurality of pressure chambers in a flow channel forming member are covered. In a region that corresponds to a position between adjacent pressure chambers in the piezoelectric layer, a hollow that penetrates the piezoelectric layer or that has a relatively thin thickness in the piezoelectric layer is formed along the sides of the opening of each of the pressure chambers. The hollow is formed to avoid a region along a corner of the pressure chamber in the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Yazaki
  • Liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, piezoelectric element, and methods of manufacturing liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and piezoelectric element
    Patent number: 9254651
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting head including a piezoelectric element which includes a piezoelectric layer and electrodes provided on the piezoelectric layer on an upper portion of a zirconium oxide layer, in which the zirconium oxide layer is formed of granular crystal grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Yasuhiro Itayama, Kenichi Kurokawa, Eiji Osawa, Motohisa Noguchi