Patents Examined by Geoffrey Mruk
  • Patent number: 10005288
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Aruga, Toshio Kumagai, Hitoshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10000061
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a supporting body, a supporting layer that is stacked on the supporting body, a first electrode that is formed on a side opposite to the supporting body side of the supporting layer, a piezoelectric body that is formed on a side opposite to the supporting layer side of the first electrode, and a second electrode that is formed on a side opposite to the first electrode side of the piezoelectric body, in which the piezoelectric body is formed throughout an area covering the first electrode, the second electrode is formed throughout an area covering the piezoelectric body, and a recess portion which is recessed toward the supporting body is formed outside an area overlapping with the first electrode in the supporting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Naganuma, Eiju Hirai, Yoshihiro Hokari, Masao Nakayama, Takeshi Saito, Toshihiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10000057
    Abstract: Certain examples described herein relate to printing systems and methods of operating the same. In an example of a printing system, a nozzle diagnostic mechanism obtains information relating to a condition of a first nozzle set of a print head following a first period of an established printing operation, and a nozzle compensator receives information relating to the condition of the first nozzle set from the nozzle diagnostic mechanism. Based on the received information, the nozzle compensator then causes a second nozzle set of the print head to be operated in place of the first nozzle set of the print head during a second period of the established printing operation. In an example of a method of operating a printing system, status information that relates to a condition of a first nozzle set of a print head is determined during a print production operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: HP SCITEX LTD.
    Inventors: Marc Isal Cortes, Yair Shemesh, Oren Perets
  • Patent number: 10000059
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a voltage signal generation circuit configured to generate a plurality of voltage signals including a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal; and at least one transmission cable configured to transmit the plurality of voltage signals, the transmission cable including a first tubular conductor including a hollow core and configured to transmit the first voltage signal, a second tubular conductor disposed over an outer circumference of the first tubular conductor with a first insulator between the outer circumference of the first tubular conductor and an inner circumference of the second tubular conductor and being in a constant-voltage applied state, and a third tubular conductor disposed over an outer circumference of the second tubular conductor with a second insulator between the outer circumference of the second tubular conductor and an inner circumference of the third tubular conductor and configured to transmit the second voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 9994017
    Abstract: An inkjet nozzle device includes a MEMS structure in contact with ink, wherein a tantalum oxide layer is deposited on at least part of the MEMS structure for inhibiting corrosion by the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Angus John North, Christopher Saul Barton
  • Patent number: 9994023
    Abstract: The present invention is directed at a printhead cleaning assembly, comprising: a frame; a wipe cartridge receptacle mounted on the frame, the receptacle being movable relative to the frame between a first receptacle position and a second receptacle position; a wipe cartridge fixing latch, mounted on the wipe cartridge receptacle, wherein the latch is movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the latch is coupled to a lock/unlock mechanism that moves the latch between the closed position and the open position in response to a movement of the receptacle between the first receptacle position and the second receptacle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Francisco Gomez, Rafael Ulacia Portoles, Hector Gomez Minano, Alejandro Mielgo Barba, Jose Miguel Felguera
  • Patent number: 9987851
    Abstract: An ink supply unit is provided and includes an ink container, and a cap fittable to the ink container and having an opening, a valve body, and an elastic body, an ink tank that holds the ink container fitted with the cap at a cap-side part of the container, a pivotable lever disposed on the ink tank pivotably around a pivot axis that is a pivoting center; an anti-rotation mechanism configured to restrict relative rotations of the ink container and of the cap to the ink tank, a conversion mechanism configured to convert the pivoting motion of the pivotable lever into linear motions of the ink container and of the cap in a direction along the pivot axis, and a valve-opening projection that presses the valve body toward an opening position when the cap is drawn nearer to the ink tank by the linear motion of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takaaki Kanbara, Toru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9981470
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head substrate includes a heating resistor array including a plurality of heating resistors and a protective film covering at least one of the heating resistors. The liquid ejection head substrate further includes a supply opening array and an electrode. The supply opening array is disposed on a side of a surface of the liquid ejection head substrate on which the protective film is provided. The supply opening array includes a plurality of supply openings through which a liquid is supplied arranged in a direction along the heating resistor array. The electrode is disposed on the side of the surface in a space between the supply openings adjacent to each other in a direction along the supply opening array. The electrode is configured such that a voltage is applied between the electrode and the protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Ishida, Shintaro Kasai, Yoshiyuki Nakagawa, Akiko Saito, Takatsugu Moriya, Tatsuya Yamada, Shuzo Iwanaga
  • Patent number: 9975334
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head includes a recording element board in which a plurality of discharge ports configured to discharge liquid are arrayed in a first direction, a support member configured to support the recording element board and including a common liquid chamber extending in the first direction to supply the liquid to the plurality of discharge ports and a buffer chamber configured to have an opening in a ceiling surface of the common liquid chamber opposed to the recording element board and to hold a bubble, and a heater located in a region of the recording element board opposed to a part of the ceiling surface extending from the opening of the buffer chamber to an end portion in the first direction and configured to generate heat when the liquid is not discharged from the plurality of discharge ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuma Kodoi, Masaki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 9969161
    Abstract: An electromechanical transducer element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and deformable with a voltage applied in accordance with a drive signal. The piezoelectric material is made of a composite oxide having a perovskite structure preferentially oriented in at least one of a (100) plane and a (001) plane. A drop in diffraction intensity is included in a rocking curve corresponding to at least one of a (200) plane and a (002) plane measured at a position of 2? where the diffraction intensity is largest at a peak of diffraction intensity corresponding to the (200) plane out of peaks of diffraction intensity measured by an X-ray diffraction ?-2? method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Shinkai, Satoshi Mizukami, Toshiaki Masuda
  • Patent number: 9969160
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a piezoelectric substrate with high joining strength between an electrode of the piezoelectric substrate. The piezoelectric substrate of the present invention is a flat plate-shaped piezoelectric substrate including a piezoelectric ceramic layer, a plurality of first electrodes and a second electrode disposed on one main surface of the piezoelectric ceramic layer, a third electrode disposed on the other main surface of the piezoelectric ceramic layer so as to oppose to the first electrodes, and a through-conductor electrically connecting the second electrode and the third electrode. The second electrode includes a connection portion connected to the through-conductor, and a small-width portion having a smaller width than the connection portion when the piezoelectric substrate is viewed from above. The second electrode and the outside are electrically connected to each other at the small-width portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yuu, Kouji Eitoku, Kosei Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 9973645
    Abstract: A printing system and method comprising a transport system configured to move a print target, a laser for directing energy on the print target, and a control system configured to adjust the energy directed on the print target according to a present speed of the print target the control system further comprising an analog control, a scrolling window control, a pulse width modulation control, and a halftone modulation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hunter
  • Patent number: 9969162
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a first substrate in which a first electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a second electrode layer are stacked on a driving region in this order; and a second substrate which is disposed to face a surface on which the dielectric layer of the first substrate is stacked. The first electrode layer and the dielectric layer extend beyond the second electrode layer toward a non-driving region separated from the driving region, a first resin having elasticity is disposed in a region including an end of the second electrode layer in an extending direction of the dielectric layer, and the first substrate and the second substrate are fixed with an adhesive in a state where the elastically deformed first resin is sandwiched therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Munehide Saimen, Eiju Hirai, Masao Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9969195
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for measuring the contamination of a transparent covering of a plate having LED emitters which are cooled individually or in groups by cooling units. The temperatures of the individual or grouped cooling units are measured and conclusions about contamination are drawn from a comparison of the temperatures with one another. An inkjet printing machine and an offset printing press having the device are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Oliver Gottschalt, Michael Kohlmann
  • Patent number: 9962532
    Abstract: A cartridge assembly for modifying a treating surface, having a body that defines a reservoir that has a standpipe. The reservoir stores a treatment composition. The body comprises a reservoir wall and a die wall that collectively define a reservoir volume. The standpipe is defined by a standpipe wall that extends into the reservoir from a standpipe base, wherein the standpipe base comprises a portion of the die wall. The standpipe base and the standpipe wall collectively define a standpipe volume. The ratio of the reservoir volume to the standpipe volume is from about 50:1 to about 3:1, preferably from about 20:1 to about 4:1, and more preferably about 8:1. Further, the ratio of the surface area of the die wall to the standpipe base is from about 1.1:1 to about 3:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Thomas Eliott Rabe, Faiz Feisal Sherman
  • Patent number: 9962950
    Abstract: Driving orders of driving blocks are controlled with regard to each of multiple types of ink so that landing positions of ink from the driving blocks differ in multiple scans, and in the mask patterns used, there is a relatively small number of superimposed pixels among pixels regarding which a large number of discharge permitted has been stipulated regarding a mask pattern corresponding to one type of ink and one scan and pixels regarding which a large number of discharge permitted has been stipulated regarding a mask pattern corresponding to another type of ink and the one scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayuko Yamagata, Satoshi Seki, Hirokazu Tanaka, Gou Sasaki, Tsukasa Doi, Fumiko Suzuki, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9962974
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to more effectively prevent blocking. An inkjet printing apparatus 100 has a platen 3, an after-heater 4, a take-up gear 5, and a cooler. The platen 3 heats a medium 20 to a temperature lower than or equal to a glass-transition temperature Tg1 of a resin included in the medium 20. The after-heater 4 heats the medium 20 to a temperature higher than or equal to a glass-transition temperature Tg2 of a resin contained in the ink. The take-up gear 5 collects the printed medium 20. The medium 20 or the take-up gear 5 is cooled by the cooler so as to reach a temperature lower than both the temperature Tg1 and the temperature Tg2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akifumi Seki, Masaru Ohnishi, Kazuya Nozaki
  • Patent number: 9963607
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides non-Newtonian inkjet inks and related methods. In one example, a non-Newtonian inkjet ink can comprise a low molecular weight organic gelator in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; a salt in an amount of 0.05% to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; and an organic solvent. Additionally, the low molecular weight organic gelator and the salt can form a structured network and the inkjet ink can have a viscosity ranging from 100 cps to 10,000 cps at a temperature of 25° C. and a viscosity ranging from 1 cps to 10 cps at a temperature of 50° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Raymond Adamic, Vladimir Jakubek, James P. Shields
  • Patent number: 9962942
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport belt which transports a printing medium in a transport direction; a cleaning tank which stores cleaning liquid; and a first cleaning roller and a second cleaning roller which are dipped in the cleaning liquid and are rotatably in contact with the transport belt. The first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller include spiral brushes which generate water flow for directing the cleaning liquid in one direction by the rotation of the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Kanemoto
  • Patent number: 9962979
    Abstract: A dye sublimation apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to either print one or more images onto transfer media, or to print images directly onto products. A selected product to receive the image(s) is positioned on a platen configured to receive one or more types of such products into channels matching those products' dimensions. Proper positioning of the transfer media (or the product, when directly printed) is facilitated by aligning fiducial markers printed on the transfer media and/or product with one or more lights disposed on the platen. The apparatus comprises one or more heating platens configured to sublimate one or more sides of the product in a single thermal cycle with a predetermined temperature, pressure, and duration based on properties of the product. The product platen is translated inside and out of the apparatus by a reversible motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: The Hillman Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Edward Will, Byron Keith Grice, Brian David Rosner