Patents Examined by Henok D Legesse
  • Patent number: 11975532
    Abstract: Provided are: a holding unit configured to rotatably hold a roll body on which a medium is wound; a transport unit configured to transport the medium unwound from the roll body; a tension applying unit configured to press the medium between the holding unit and the transport unit to apply tension to the medium; a driving portion configured to provide driving force to the tension applying unit; a control unit configured to control the transport unit and the driving portion; and a detector configured to detect a load applied to the transport unit, and the control unit controls the driving force by the driving portion on the basis of the load detected by the detector to adjust the tension applied to the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Fujiwara, Ryo Hamano
  • Patent number: 11977341
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on an image forming condition; an image reader configured to read an image for adjustment of the image forming condition, which is formed on the sheet; and a controller configured to control, in a case of a job for which printing of the image for adjustment is set, the image forming unit to form the image for adjustment on the sheet, and generate a correction value for the image forming condition based on a reading result of the image for adjustment, which has been obtained by the image reader, to thereby adjust the image forming condition based on the correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Shin Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 11964496
    Abstract: An optical writing device, and a method of controlling the optical writing device. The optical writing device and the method includes controlling speed of operation of a light deflector based on image magnifying-power information in a sub-scanning direction parallel to a direction in which a surface of a photoconductor moves, and controlling a prescribed write clock frequency such that a number of clock pulses of write light will become a target number of pulses over a period where the write light scans an area within a prescribed distance in a main scanning direction, the target number of pulses being maintained even when the speed of operation of the light deflector is changed in the controlling the speed of operation of the light deflector. The write clock frequency controller maintains the target number of pulses even when the speed of operation of the light deflector is changed by the light-deflector controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuugo Matsuura
  • Patent number: 11964476
    Abstract: A print device includes a supply unit, a print unit, a conveyer, a tensioner, and a rotor. The conveyer is configured to nip and to convey, with a pair of rollers, a long medium in a conveyance direction. The tensioner is configured to contact a second surface of the medium to cause the medium to bend. The tensioner is pivotably supported at a position upstream of the conveyer in the conveyance direction. The rotor is rotatably supported at a position upstream of the conveyer in the conveyance direction, and positioned downstream, in the conveyance direction, of an upstream end portion, in the conveyance direction, of the tensioner. The rotor is positioned such that an upper end of the rotor and a nipped point are at a same height. The rotor is configured to contact the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiya Tomatsu, Mitsugi Tanaka, Yoji Tsujishita, Masayuki Okumura
  • Patent number: 11964468
    Abstract: A printer includes a rolled paper holder that accommodates rolled paper wound with recording paper having a recording surface and an adhesive surface provided on a side opposite to the recording surface, a platen roller that comes into contact with the adhesive surface and draws and feeds the recording paper from the rolled paper, a thermal head that performs printing on the recording surface, and a first guide portion that comes into contact with the recording surface and guides the recording paper, and the first guide portion has a first friction reduction portion that reduces a friction force generated between the recording surface and the first guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutaka Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11964470
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing device, a rotator, an upstream support stand. The printing device prints an image on a plate-shaped printing medium. The rotator rotates while nipping the plate-shaped printing medium and conveys the plate-shaped printing medium to the printing device. The upstream support stand supports the plate-shaped printing medium at a position upstream from the rotator in a conveyance direction of the plate-shaped printing medium and includes a mount. The mount is detachably attached to the rotator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Soichi Saiga, Atsushi Yanaka, Kiyoshi Tsukamura
  • Patent number: 11951753
    Abstract: A printing cassette includes: a case including a first case portion, a second case portion, and a third case portion; a first tape, at least a portion of which is accommodated in the third case portion; and a gear, a portion of which is accommodated in the second case portion and the other portion of which is located outside of the case, the gear being rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to a first direction. The first case portion has an outlet through which the first tape is discharged. The first case portion, the second case portion, and the third case portion are disposed in an order of the first case portion, the second case portion, and the third case portion in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 11945237
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes a conveying unit, a recording unit, a device main body, and a control unit. The conveying unit includes an endless conveyor belt having many air holes for sucking air, and a sheet sucking unit. The sheet sucking unit is disposed inside a loop of the conveyor belt, and includes a fan for sucking air through the air holes and a fan drive motor. The recording unit includes a recording head disposed to face an outer circumference surface of the conveyor belt, so as to eject ink from ink ejection nozzles to the paper sheet sucked and held on the conveyor belt. The control unit executes a paper dust removing mode during image non-recording time, in which it rotates the fan drive motor by a power higher than that when conveying the paper sheet, so as to remove paper dust in the device main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11945235
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus which includes the following: A printhead including a plurality of nozzles that discharge ink to a print medium. A first detection unit that detects a distance between the printhead and a platen. An adjustment unit that adjusts the distance between the printhead and the platen. An acquisition unit that acquires difference information concerning a difference of a distance between the platen and each of the nozzle on an upstream side and the nozzle on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the print medium. The adjustment unit adjusts the distance based on a detection result of the first detection unit and the difference information acquired by the acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohito Abe, Daigo Kuronuma, Ryutaro Takahashi, Naoaki Wada, Noriyuki Aoki, Ryohei Maruyama, Masakazu Nagashima, Toshiaki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11945215
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a first discharge path that discharges a sheet and a second discharge path different from the first discharge path. An angle difference between a direction in which the sheet is discharged in the second discharge path and a conveyance direction of a conveyance roller is less than an angle difference between a direction in which the sheet is discharged in the first discharge path and the conveyance direction of the conveyance roller. The printing apparatus includes a control unit that discharges the sheet on which the image is printed using the second discharge path even in a case where an instruction to print an image indicates discharging the sheet to the first discharge path, if the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller is a sheet having a thickness equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Wakayama
  • Patent number: 11938718
    Abstract: In an example of the disclosure, power of a first light beam emitted across a web media along a length of the roller is measured utilizing a first optical transmitter and first optical receiver pair situated adjacent to a roller. Power of a second light beam emitted across a length of the roller is measured utilizing a second optical transmitter and second optical receiver pair situated adjacent to the roller. A media height non-uniformity is identified based upon of the measurement of the power of the first light beam and the measurement of the power of the second light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Matthew James West
  • Patent number: 11938733
    Abstract: A micro-valve includes an orifice plate having a first surface, a second surface and an orifice extending from the first surface to the second surface. An actuating beam is disposed in spaced relation to the orifice plate. The actuating beam includes a base portion and a cantilevered portion. The base portion is separated from the orifice plate by a predetermined distance. The cantilevered portion extends from the base portion such that an overlapping portion thereof overlaps the orifice. The actuating beam is movable between a closed position and an open position. The micro-valve also includes a sealing structure including a sealing member disposed at the overlapping portion of the cantilevered portion. When the actuating beam is in the closed position, the cantilevered portion is positioned such that the sealing structure seals the orifice so as to close the micro-valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Matthews International Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Buskirk, Steven E. Flego, Charles C. Haluzak, John Whitlock, Eric R. Miller, Glenn J. T. Leighton
  • Patent number: 11938720
    Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing on printing media in a continuous business form. The apparatus includes a transport device, a detector for detecting a splice portion between the printing media transported by the transport device, a printing section for printing on the printing media transported by the transport device, a drying section for drying at a drying temperature the printing media printed in the printing section and transported by the transport device, and a controller for operating the transport device to reduce tension applied to the splice portion at least while the splice portion is located in the drying section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Kakimoto, Mitsuru Tanemoto, Hideaki Onishi
  • Patent number: 11938743
    Abstract: An example printing apparatus is illustrated. The printing apparatus includes a print engine assembly. The print engine assembly further includes a bottom chassis portion. The print engine assembly also includes a top chassis portion. The print engine assembly also includes a print head positioned within the top chassis portion. The print engine assembly also includes a plurality of offset pins coupled to the print head, where the plurality of offset pins abuts the bottom chassis portion, and where the plurality of offset pins enables the print head to be positioned at a predetermined distance from the bottom chassis portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Florante Sumalinog Go, Rajan Narayanaswami, David Djayaputra
  • Patent number: 11932011
    Abstract: A printing cassette that is to be attached to and detached from a printing apparatus main body is provided. The printing cassette includes: a first roll in which a first tape is wound around a winding center axis parallel to a first direction; and an input gear that is disposed at a different position from the first roll in the first direction, engaging another gear, and configured to transmit a driving force of a drive shaft of the printing apparatus to the another gear. The first roll has a cylindrical shape in which a hollow portion is defined by an inner peripheral surface. The drive shaft is inserted into the hollow portion of the first roll and the input gear is engaged with the drive shaft in a state where the printing cassette is attached to the printing apparatus main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ukai
  • Patent number: 11912055
    Abstract: A printed structure, and systems and methods for creating the printed structure are disclosed. The printed structure includes a substrate, a first printed image layer, and a second printed image layer printed at least partially over the first printed image layer. The first printed image layer includes a first variable image printed using a first electrophoretic ink and the second printed image layer includes a second variable image printed using a second electrophoretic ink. The first variable image and the second variable image are configured to selectively change their display states upon application of an electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Guo-Yau Lin, Eliud Robles Flores, Varun Sambhy, David R. Stookey
  • Patent number: 11912016
    Abstract: A medium-discharging device includes: a medium-discharging section that discharges a medium; a medium-receiving tray that receives the medium discharged by the medium-discharging section; a light-emitting section that emits light to the medium-receiving tray; and a control section that controls the light-emitting section, in which the medium-receiving tray is configured to switch between a first state in which the medium-receiving tray is stored in an apparatus main body that includes the medium-discharging section and a second state in which the medium-receiving tray protrudes from the apparatus main body, and the control section controls the light-emitting section in accordance with a state or operation of the medium-receiving tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Saito, Hiroki Shinagawa, Satoru Orii, Katsumi Yamada, Nobuhisa Nomoto
  • Patent number: 11904602
    Abstract: A printing device includes a transport roller performing a first transport that transports recording paper drawn from roll paper in a transport direction and a second transport that transports the recording paper in a direction opposite to the transport direction, a cutter having a first blade configured to move between an advanced position and a retracted position, and a second blade for cutting the recording paper together with the first blade moving from the retracted position to the advanced position, and a guide member provided downstream of the first blade in the transport direction and guiding the recording paper during the second transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Kobayashi, Takeshi Tokuda
  • Patent number: 11890881
    Abstract: An electronic device including a substrate, a first electronic component provided on the substrate, a second electronic component provided on the substrate and having a thickness in a normal direction of the substrate smaller than that of the first electronic component, a first heat conductive member in contact with the first electronic component, a second heat conductive member in contact with the second electronic component, and a heat sink attached to the substrate, in which the heat sink includes a base portion provided so as to cover the first electronic component and the second electronic component and attached to the substrate, a first protruding portion that protrudes from the base portion toward the first electronic component and is in contact with the first heat conductive member, and a second protruding portion that protrudes from the base portion toward the second electronic component and is in contact with the second heat conductive member, and a length of the first protruding portion in the norm
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 11890866
    Abstract: A recording device as a processing device includes: a recording unit accommodated in a housing and configured to perform recording on a medium; and a medium accommodating unit that accommodates the medium discharged from the housing. The medium accommodating unit includes: a sheet-shaped accommodating member; a rotating shaft provided inside the housing and to which one end of the accommodating member is connected; and an operating portion provided separably from the housing and to which the other end of the accommodating member is connected. The accommodating member is wound around the rotating shaft and accommodated inside the housing when the operating portion is mounted on the housing. The accommodating member is fed from the rotating shaft so that the medium is accommodated when the operating portion is separated from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Yato, Mitsuru Murata