Patents Examined by Geoffrey S. Mruk
  • Patent number: 12030322
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a support portion supporting a medium, a jetting unit configured to jet a pretreatment agent onto the medium supported on the support portion, a lid member to which the jetting unit is attached, the lid member being configured to cover a printing region of the medium, an ejecting unit configured to eject ink onto the printing region to which the pretreatment agent is jetted from the jetting unit, and a moving unit configured to move the support portion to a first position at which the lid member is configured to cover the printing region and a second position at which the ejecting unit is configured to eject the ink onto the printing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Oi
  • Patent number: 12023928
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head includes a stacked body in which plates are adhered to each other by an adhesive. The stacked body is provided with: individual channels including nozzles and pressure chambers, respectively, and aligned in a predetermined aligning direction, the pressure chambers being configured to be pressurized to discharge liquid from the nozzles; a supply manifold being communicated with the individual channels and supplying the liquid to the individual channels; a return manifold being communicating with the individual channels and configured to allow the liquid, which flows in the individual channels and which is not discharged from the nozzles, to flow therethrough; and a dummy channel arranged side by side with the individual channels in the aligning direction. The dummy channel is positioned at outside with respect to an outermost individual channel in the aligning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shotaro Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 12023932
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a wiping unit and a moving mechanism. The recording head has a nozzle area where a plurality of ink ejection ports is opened downward. The wiping unit is moved in a first direction with coming into contact with the nozzle area and wipes the ink ejection ports. The moving mechanism performs a wiping operation and a returning operation. The moving mechanism includes a first drive source and a guide part. The first drive source moves the wiping unit in the first direction and in the second direction. The guide part guides the wiping unit in the first direction in the wiping operation, and guides the wiping unit in the first direction so as to separate the wiping unit from the nozzle area downward and then guides the wiping unit in the second direction in the returning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Daijiro Ueno
  • Patent number: 12023935
    Abstract: A fluid fillable cartridge, a method for preventing contamination of nozzle holes in a fluid ejector chip and a method for making an adhesive sealing tape. The fluid fillable cartridge has an open fluid reservoir therein and a fluid ejector chip attached to an exposed surface of the fluid fillable cartridge opposite to the open fluid reservoir. An adhesive sealing tape is attached to the fluid fillable cartridge, wherein the adhesive sealing tape has an adhesive pattern on a first end of the adhesive sealing tape that is configured to attach the adhesive sealing tape adjacent to the fluid ejector chip while being devoid of adhesive in nozzle hole areas of the fluid ejector chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Adam D. Carrithers, Michael A. Marra, III, Richard L. Warner
  • Patent number: 12023927
    Abstract: There is provided a drive board a manufacturing cost of which can be reduced while enhancing a liquid ejection performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventor: Kensuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12023944
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object printing apparatus includes a head that discharges a liquid, and a robot that changes relative positions and poses of a workpiece and the head. A first speed adjustment operation in which a moving speed adjusted while the robot moves a position of the head from a printing preparation position toward a printing start position closer to the print region than the printing preparation position, and a printing operation in which the head starts discharging the liquid at the printing start position and the robot changes a position and a pose of the head while the liquid is discharged from the head are executed, and an amount of change in the pose of the head per unit period during the first speed adjustment operation is less than an amount of change in the pose of the head per unit period during the printing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenju Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 12023929
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate configured to vibrate in response to actuation of the piezoelectric element, the vibrating plate including a first layer that contains SiO2 and a second layer that contains ZrO2 and that is stacked on the first layer. The second layer contains a first impurity element different from Zr, and the concentration of the first impurity element at an interface in contact with the first layer in the second layer is higher than the concentration of the first impurity element in an internal region that is included in the second layer and that is contiguous from the interface to the surface of the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Tatsuo Sawasaki, Masao Nakayama, Chihiro Nishi, Toshihiro Shimizu, Yasushi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 12023923
    Abstract: In a droplet ejection apparatus and a droplet ejection method using the droplet ejection apparatus, the droplet ejection apparatus includes a liquid supply unit, a nozzle and a standing wave generating unit. The liquid supply unit is configured to provide a pressure to a liquid. The nozzle is connected to the liquid supply unit through a connecting conduit, to eject the liquid with a droplet. The standing wave generating unit is configured to generate a standing wave around the nozzle at which the droplet is formed, to detach the droplet from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials
    Inventors: Shin Hur, Duck Gyu Lee, Bo-Yeon Lee
  • Patent number: 12017454
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a flow channel member, a pressurization part, a plurality of discharge holes, a flexible substrate, a cover member, and a heater. The flow channel member includes a first surface and a second surface that is positioned on an opposite side of the first surface. The pressurization part is positioned on the first surface. The plurality of discharge holes are positioned on the second surface. For the flexible substrate, a one-end part thereof that is positioned on the pressurization part is electrically connected to the pressurization part. The cover member covers the one-end part of the flexible substrate. The heater is positioned on the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignees: KYOCERA CORPORATION, KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Masaru Iwabuchi, Hiroyuki Tomioka
  • Patent number: 12017459
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid container configured to be detachably attached to a printer body. The liquid container includes a liquid containing portion, a supplying passage member, and an adapter. The liquid containing portion is a portion for containing liquid. The supplying passage member has a supplying passage in liquid communication with the liquid containing portion, the liquid contained in the liquid containing portion being supplied toward the printer body through the supplying passage. The adapter is mounted on the supplying passage member and configured to couple the supplying passage to the printer body. The adapter and the supplying passage member are joined by snap fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Karasawa, Naoki Naito, Yuji Aoki, Kazuyuki Hirata, Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: 11999170
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a cartridge mount to which a cartridge is mounted, a cartridge interface, a memory, a communication interface, a print engine configured to execute printing, and a controller. The controller is configured to obtain a transmission address stored in a cartridge memory of the cartridge through the cartridge interface, store the obtained transmission address in the memory, obtain, from the memory, notification information including at least one from a group of remaining amount information indicating a remaining amount of consumable in the cartridge mounted to the cartridge mount, order information indicating an order for the cartridge and status information indicating a state of the print engine, and transmission source information, and transmit the obtained notification information and the obtained transmission source information to the obtained transmission address through the communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yushi Deura, Shinya Esaki, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Tetsuya Okuno, Haruka Azechi, Tony Lee
  • Patent number: 11993084
    Abstract: A printing device includes: an inkjet printhead having a row of ink ejection devices; a lift mechanism configured for raising and lowering the printhead between a maintenance position and a printing position; a conveyor tape positioned below the printhead in the printing position, the conveyor tape defining a slot aligned with the row of ink ejection devices; and a tape movement mechanism for moving the tape longitudinally along the length of the printhead. The tape movement mechanism is configured to move the tape along the printhead during printing, thereby conveying condensate accumulated on an underside of the tape away from the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventor: David Burke
  • Patent number: 11981133
    Abstract: A substrate includes a layer including a base material and an intermediate layer including a wiring layer, an element formed on a side of the intermediate layer, and configured to generate energy for discharging a liquid, an insulating layer covering the element and the layer against a liquid chamber, and a conductive layer formed on the insulating layer so as to cover the element against the liquid chamber. The substrate further includes an electric connecting portion configured to electrically connect the wiring layer and the element, a non-insulated portion formed on a side of the intermediate layer and configured to be covered by the insulating layer against the liquid chamber, and an opening portion formed in the insulating layer at a position. The non-insulated portion is connected to the conductive layer via the opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Iwahashi, Takeru Yasuda, Yuzuru Ishida
  • Patent number: 11981122
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head, an irregularity detecting unit, a recording medium conveyance unit, and a control unit. The irregularity detecting unit detects an irregularity with the recording medium conveyed toward the recording head. The recording medium conveyance unit has a recording medium diversion unit into which the recording medium with which an irregularity has been detected by the irregularity detecting unit is conveyed. The control unit can perform flushing operation and, when the irregularity detecting unit detects an irregularity with the recording medium, the control unit cancels the flushing operation set immediately before the recording medium with which the irregularity has been detected and conveys, by controlling the recording medium conveyance unit, the recording medium to the recording medium diversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11975537
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including an ejector configured to eject a liquid with displacement of a piezoelectric element, a generator configured to generate a driving signal, which has a first waveform, for displacing the piezoelectric element in a first direction, and a second waveform, for displacing the piezoelectric element in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a detector configured to detect a vibration remaining in the ejector in a detection time period starting after completion of the second time period. The difference between a duration from the first time point to the second time point and a duration that is a natural number times the period of a vibration produced in the ejector is shorter than one quarter times the period of the vibration produced in the ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Shinkawa
  • Patent number: 11964472
    Abstract: An optical sensor device (10) includes an application module (12) for applying an irregular pattern of marks to a surface of a medium and an optical detector module (14). The optical detector module (14) acquires images of the applied marks and may determine an advancement speed of the medium based on the acquired images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Li Qian, Diego Lopez Ubieto, Francisco Guerrero Carvajal
  • Patent number: 11958291
    Abstract: an adhesive having a first amount exists on a side of the first piezoelectric element line, of a joint of the wiring substrate and the pressure chamber substrate or the vibration plate, an adhesive having a second amount that is larger than the first amount exists on a side of the second piezoelectric element line of the wiring substrate, of the joint, and a first discharging element related to the first piezoelectric element line is different from a second discharging element related to the second piezoelectric element line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shohei Mizuta, Hiroaki Okui
  • Patent number: 11951755
    Abstract: A printing apparatus according to an embodiment may include: a printing device; a cooling device; an environmental value detector configured to detect an environmental value in or around the printing apparatus; an environmental value storage storing the environmental value detected by the environmental value detector before a current printing operation starts; and a print controller configured, in response to starting the current printing operation, to select one of the environmental value stored in the environmental value storage before the start of the current printing operation and an environmental value detected by the environmental value detector after a start of cooling the printing device by the cooling device in the current printing operation, calculate, based on the selected environmental value, a parameter for the printing device to perform the current printing operation, and cause the printing device to perform the current printing operation based on the calculated parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Fujikura, Bing Han
  • Patent number: 11951740
    Abstract: A communication plate in which are provided a first communication channel communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber and a first common liquid chamber communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber at positions different from positions at which the first communication channel communicates with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber, and a nozzle substrate in which a first nozzle communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber in common via the first communication channel is provided. A second communication channel communicating with the first common liquid chamber and communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber in common is provided in the pressure chamber substrate or the communication plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Tamai, Takahiro Katakura, Takanori Aimono, Yuta Okawa, Hitoshi Takaai
  • Patent number: 11945220
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing element is provided. The element comprising; a dispensing plate comprising a plurality of orifices; the dispensing plate at least partially defining a fluid flow path; a plurality of piezoelectric transducers each comprising a piston configured to move perpendicular to the dispensing plate between a first position wherein the piston is close to the dispensing plate and a second position wherein the piston is further from the dispensing plate. The movement between the first and second positions results in the ejection of a droplet of fluid via a surface cavitation droplet ejection process such that the diameter of the droplet is less than a diameter of the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Jetronica Limited
    Inventors: Simon Kew, Alan Hudd, Thomas Blythe, Andi Tao, Albert Kocsis