Patents Examined by Hai C. Pham
  • Patent number: 9193176
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for printing indicia on latex are presented. A system for printing includes a latex surface supported by a mold on a rotary mount, a printer, a base plate supporting print heads, a rotational drive system for selectively rotating the mold during printing, and a printer engine programmed to print indicia onto a substantially contiguous area of the latex surface, from an intermediate border to and including a distal end. In a system with multiple molds moving along a path, the system may include a chassis for supporting the base plate, printer, and/or rotational drive system, and a motion controller for moving the chassis near the molds. Latex articles may be imprinted with indicia that is decorative and/or informative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Condomnation LLC
    Inventors: Clive Kohrs, Brandon Kohrs
  • Patent number: 9188900
    Abstract: A light beam emitting apparatus including: a light source having plural light emitting points emitting beams; and a holding member configured to hold the source and having first, second, and third abutment portions, an emission direction of the beams being regulated by the abutment portions in abutment with the source, wherein as viewed along an optical path of the beams, an angle formed by a first line connecting two farthest light emitting points with a second line connecting the first and second abutment portions is smaller than angles formed by the first line with a third line connecting the second and third abutment portions and formed by the first line with a fourth line connecting the third and first abutment portions, and a distance between the first and second abutment portions is larger than distances between the second and third abutment portions and between the third and first abutment portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9186907
    Abstract: A laser marking system including a laser apparatus to supply a laser beam having a non-Gaussian irradiance distribution over a beam cross-section, the non-Gaussian irradiance distribution of the laser beam has a substantially uniform irradiance distribution over the beam cross-section, a spatial light modulator coupled to receive the laser beam, the spatial light modulator is controlled to generate an output laser beam including an optical pattern across the beam cross-section to mark a target object with the data code matrix, and an optical amplifier coupled to the spatial modulator to receive the laser beam output from the spatial light modulator and generate an amplified laser beam containing the same optical pattern as generated by the spatial light modulator, the amplified laser beam from the optical amplifier having a substantially uniform amplification across the cross-section of the beam, the amplified beam maintaining the substantially uniform irradiance distribution over its beam cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: VARDEX LASER SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventor: Farzan Ghauri
  • Patent number: 9188922
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a sensor unit assembly including a sensor unit and a holder attached to the sensor unit, and a cover member attached to the sensor unit assembly. The sensor unit includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The cover member includes a light transmission portion covering a light emitting side of the light emitting element and a light receiving side of the light receiving element and an engaging portion sandwiched between the sensor unit and the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 9180697
    Abstract: The recording device includes recording unit for recording on a recording medium, conveying unit for conveying a recording medium upstream of the recording unit in the downstream direction, and an ejection unit for ejecting the recording medium which is downstream of the recording unit and which has undergone recording. The ejection unit has a drive roller and a driven roller urged toward the drive roller, the driven roller is capable of switching between a state of being urged by a first load and a state of being urged by a second load that is lower than the first load, the driven roller is set to the first-load selected state at least during rear end recording in which recording is performed on a rear end region of the recording medium, and the driven roller is set to the second-load selected state during ejection when the recording medium is ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Moriya, Yoshitaka Shimada, Kazuma Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9176417
    Abstract: A surface-emitting laser device includes a transparent dielectric layer provided in an emitting region and configured to cause a reflectance at a peripheral part to be different from a reflectance at a central part in the emitting region. In the surface-emitting laser device, the thickness of a contact layer is different between a region having a relatively high reflectance and a region having a relatively low reflectance in the emitting region. The contact layer is provided on the high refractive index layer of an upper multilayer film reflecting mirror, and the total optical thickness of the high refractive index layer and the contact layer in the region having the relatively low reflectance is deviated from an odd number multiple of a one quarter oscillation wavelength of laser light emitted from the emitting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Harasaka, Shunichi Sato, Masahiro Hayashi, Akihiro Itoh, Katsunari Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 9177993
    Abstract: Cathodes of a first group of plural transfer thyristors are connected with a first transfer signal line, and also connected with a first reception terminal through a first current limiting resistance. A first transfer signal is transmitted to the first reception terminal. Cathodes of a second group of the plural transfer thyristors are connected with a second transfer signal line, and also connected with a second reception terminal through a second current limiting resistance. A second transfer signal is transmitted to the second reception terminal. The plural transfer thyristors each have an anode, a cathode, a first gate, and a second gate. A three-terminal switch element and a resistance are connected between a second gate of a former transfer thyristor and a first gate of a later transfer thyristor, the former and later transfer thyristors being closely arranged upstream and downstream transfer thyristors among the plural transfer thyristors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seiji Ono
  • Patent number: 9176322
    Abstract: A light scanning device include a housing and an f? lens. The housing includes a bottom plate and a sidewall disposed upright at the bottom plate. The rotating polyhedron and the f? lens are each installed at the bottom plate of the housing. The rotating polyhedron is configured to deflect and scan light beam. Light beam deflected and scanned by the rotating polyhedron transmits the f? lens. The bottom plate of the housing includes a stepped portion at a part corresponding to a peripheral area of the f? lens. The stepped portion is formed lower than a top surface of the bottom plate. The stepped portion has a ridge line in a concavo-convex shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Ryoutarou Todokoro
  • Patent number: 9177231
    Abstract: In a predetermined mask pattern, recording permitted pixels are disposed such that the average of the numbers of the recording permitted pixels in a unit in a first area is smaller than the number of the recording permitted pixels in a unit in a second area that is located toward an end side as compared to the first area in a direction corresponding to an array direction of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Ushiyama, Yoshitomo Marumoto
  • Patent number: 9170523
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus for optically scanning at least one scanning target surface, the optical scanning apparatus including: a light source; a light-flux dividing unit disposed on a main optical path of a main light flux emitted from the light source, and the light-flux dividing unit configured to spatially divide the main light flux; an optical deflector disposed on a divided optical path of the divided light flux, and the optical deflector configured to deflect the divided optical path; an optical path opening/closing switch unit disposed on the divided optical path between the light-flux dividing unit and the optical deflector, and the optical path opening/closing switch unit configured to interrupt or pass at least one of the divided optical path; and a controller configured to control operation of interrupting or passing the at least one of the divided optical path by the optical path opening/closing switch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi Johno, Keiichi Serizawa, Daisuke Yoshida, Kazunori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9170522
    Abstract: A light scanning device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements for scanning a scan object with respective light beams emitted from the respective light-emitting elements. The light scanning device includes secured sections, a first substrate, and a second substrate. To the secured sections, the respective light-emitting elements are secured. The first substrate includes a first connector. Mounting positions of the respective light-emitting elements to the first substrate are displaceable. The respective light-emitting elements are coupled to the first substrate. The second substrate includes a second connector coupled to the first connector. The first substrate and the second substrate are secured to a first specified position and a second specified position, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ueda, Takaharu Motoyama, Ryosuke Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9164414
    Abstract: An optical writing control device includes a light emission control unit that controls light emission of a light source to exposes a photosensitive element. The light emission control unit is configured to draw two patterns as patterns for correction used to correct a transfer position of a developer image obtained by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive element, the two patterns including a narrow width pattern where a width of the pattern corresponds to a width of a detection area of a sensor that detects the patterns, in the main-scanning direction, and a wide width pattern having a wider width than the narrow width pattern, and control the light emission, after calculation of a correction value based on a detection signal of the wide width pattern is properly completed, in a manner where the narrow width pattern is drawn upon the calculation of the correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masatoshi Murakami, Tatsuya Miyadera, Masayuki Hayashi, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Motohiro Kawanabe
  • Patent number: 9158224
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to perform printing using a light source unit and a photosensitive medium, a registration unit to adjust an exposure time to correspond to a change in a power of a light source when the power of the light source changes, and a controller to control the image forming unit to perform printing according to the adjusted exposure time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dong-sun Jung
  • Patent number: 9158112
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes a light source, a deflector configured to deflect a light flux from the light source, and an imaging optical system configured to guide the light flux deflected at the deflector onto a scanned surface. The imaging optical system consists of a single imaging optical element, wherein, on the optical axis of the imaging optical system, the conditions 0.15?T2/Sk?0.3 and 0.03?d/K?0.08 are satisfied. A condition 0.3?B?0.6 is satisfied at a condensing position Y where a scanning angle ? is greatest, when the condensing position Y in the main scanning direction on the scanned surface of the light flux deflected at the scanning angle ? by the deflector is expressed by Y=(K/B)×tan(B×?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Ishihara, Yuichi Tomioka, Shuichi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9150030
    Abstract: A groove in which a curable resin is filled, is formed on the opposite side face of a face for reflecting light of an oscillating mirror unit. The groove extends so as to cross the swing axis of the oscillating mirror unit, seen from the opposite side of the reflection face of the oscillating mirror unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Yuji Toyota
  • Patent number: 9146473
    Abstract: An exposure device includes an exposure member, a positioning member, and a movement restricting member. The exposure member includes multiple light-emitting devices arranged along a first direction, which is an axial direction of an image carrier that rotates. The exposure member exposes the image carrier to light by emitting light in a second direction, which is a direction from the multiple light-emitting devices to the image carrier. The positioning member determines a position of the exposure member in the second direction relative to the image carrier by causing the exposure member to abut against the image carrier in the second direction. The movement restricting member is disposed on an end portion of the exposure member in the first direction and restricts movement of the exposure member relative to the positioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichi Mikami, Naoyuki Tada, Seiichi Takayama
  • Patent number: 9145001
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus 10 of the present invention is an apparatus for forming an image on a surface of recording medium P by applying laser light to recording medium P, the apparatus including a plurality of light sources 31 each of which emits laser light, a plurality of optical fibers 23 and 42 through which laser light respectively emitted from light sources 31 propagates, holder 43 that holds optical fibers 42, and fly-eye lens 50, cylindrical lens array 60, aperture array 70, lens 80a and lens 80b through which laser light emitted from end surfaces of optical fibers 42 passes, wherein each of apertures 71 of aperture array 70 is rectangular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: NEC ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventor: Hajime Moriwaki
  • Patent number: 9146396
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an optical scanning apparatus for exposing a photoconductor includes a light source configured to radiate light, a deflector configured to deflect and scan the light from the light source and guide the light to the photoconductor, a lens configured to guide the light from the light source to the deflector and a holder configured to hold the light source and the lens. The holder includes a first wall portion for holding the light source, a second wall portion for holding the lens, and a pair of third wall portions which are integrally formed with the first and second wall portions to place the light path between the light source and the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Masuda
  • Patent number: 9139020
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that facilitate the alignment of multiple color planes of a latent image in a multi-beam multi-pass printer. The methods include determining, during a first pass of a transfer medium of a multi-beam printer, a first time interval between when at least one light beam from a multi-beam device is detected and when a top of a page is detected at a selected location of the transfer medium, the multi-beam device including a plurality of light beam sources, and the first pass to form a first color plane of a latent image on the transfer medium. The methods further include selecting, based at least in part on the determined first time interval, a first one of the plurality of light beam sources to begin illuminating the transfer medium to create the first color plane on the transfer medium during the first pass of the transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Douglas Gene Keithley, Gregory L Unruh
  • Patent number: 9139019
    Abstract: The invention relates to a marking device for marking an object (1) with marking light. The marking device comprises a plurality of marking modules (10a-d) for emitting marking light, and a base unit (20) to which the plurality of marking modules (10a-d) is connected wherein the base unit (20) comprises a control unit (25) for controlling the plurality of marking modules (10a-d). The plurality of marking modules (10a-d) comprises at least a first marking module (10a) and a second marking module (10b) which employ different marking technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Alltec Angewandte Laserlicht Technologie GmBH
    Inventors: Kevin L. Armbruster, Brad D. Gilmartin, Peter J. Kueckendahl, Bernard J. Richard, Daniel J. Ryan