Patents Examined by Jannelle M. Lebron
  • Patent number: 11858266
    Abstract: A printer includes an ink ejecting section that ejects ink from a nozzle, an ink circulation path including an ink flow path through which the ink can be supplied to an ink ejecting section and an ink return path through which the ink supplied to the ink ejecting section is returned, a warming device including a temperature control module provided in the ink circulation path, where the warming device can heat the ink in the temperature control module, and a feed pump that can flow the ink in the ink circulation path, wherein the flow rate of the ink, in the ink circulation path, heated by the warming device is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hori, Shinya Komatsu, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11850850
    Abstract: A discharge control apparatus includes a storage control unit, and a correction value update unit. The storage control unit is configured to store, in a storage unit, a correction value for correcting a value related to discharge performed by a liquid discharge unit configured to discharge liquid to a discharge target, in association with a type of the discharge target. The correction value update unit is configured to update, via the storage control unit, the correction value stored in the storage unit, based on input received by an input receiving unit configured to receive the input from a user. The correction value update unit is configured to perform update with as identical correction value for a plurality of different types of discharge targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kayo Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11850843
    Abstract: A printing system, including a first printing part, a second printing part that is disposed downstream of the first printing part in the conveying direction of a medium, and a conveyance mechanism that conveys the medium The conveyance mechanism includes a passage detection sensor, a conveyor roller, and a resist roller that is disposed downstream in the conveying direction from the passage detection sensor and the conveyor roller, that is butted by the medium, and that conveys the medium slackened due to the butting. The printing system further includes a controller configured to control the conveyor roller so that the slack amount of the subsequent medium is constant based on the conveyance status of the preceding medium and the detection time of the leading edge of the subsequent medium detected by the passage detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamagata, Ryo Terakado, Hirokazu Yabune
  • Patent number: 11850842
    Abstract: A printing system comprises a print fluid deposition assembly, a media transport device, and an air flow control system. The print fluid deposition assembly comprises a carrier plate and a printhead arranged to eject a print fluid through an opening of the carrier plate to a deposition region. The media transport device holds a print medium against the movable support surface by vacuum suction and transports the print medium through the deposition region. The air flow control system comprises an air supply unit comprising air flow guide structure extending into the opening of the carrier plate between the carrier plate and the printhead to flow air through the opening. The air flow control system controls the air supply unit to selectively flow the air based on a location of a print medium relative to the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Patrick Jun Howe, John Patrick Baker, Brian M. Balthasar, Glenn Batchelor, Anthony Salvatore Condello, Ali R. Dergham, Timothy P. Foley, Douglas K. Herrmann, Richard A. Kalb, Peter John Knausdorf, Jason M. LeFevre, Jack T. Lestrange, Chu-Heng Liu, Paul J. McConville, Seemit Praharaj, Palghat S. Ramesh, Joseph C. Sheflin, Emmett James Spence, Robert Jian Zhang, Megan Zielenski
  • Patent number: 11840094
    Abstract: A printing apparatus on which an ink tank containing ink to be used for printing is mounted, the printing apparatus including: a cover configured to be opened in a case where the ink tank is replaced; an operation unit configured for shifting to a replacement state in which the ink tank can be replaced; and a control unit configured to display a screen for guidance of a user operation for shifting the ink tank to the replacement state on a display unit if the cover is opened in a case where the ink tank can be replaced and shift the ink tank to the replacement state in a case where the operation unit is operated in a state where the screen is displayed on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuhei Hamada
  • Patent number: 11840078
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a storage unit, a supply flow path, a degassing unit, and a temperature adjustment unit. The storage unit stores liquid that is supplied to a recording head that discharges the liquid. The supply flow path connects the storage unit and the recording head. The degassing unit degases the liquid flowing in the supply flow path. The temperature adjustment unit is positioned between the storage unit and the degassing unit and adjusts a temperature of the liquid flowing in the supply flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaya Sato
  • Patent number: 11820155
    Abstract: A controller of a liquid ejection device is configured to receive a preparation signal instructing preparation to eject the liquid, the preparation signal being externally issued upon issuance of an ejection instruction to eject the liquid toward a target medium. The controller is configured to start receiving ejection data after the preparation signal is received, the ejection data being externally transmitted on condition that the ejection instruction is issued and after the preparation signal is issued. The controller is configured to control the liquid ejection head to eject the liquid toward the target medium through the multiple nozzles based on the ejection data. After receiving the preparation signal and before receipt of the ejection data is completed, the controller is configured to control the liquid ejection head to eject liquid through the multiple nozzles and examine at least a part of the nozzles for ejection-defectiveness based on the determination signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 11820156
    Abstract: In a method and system for increasing print quality, activation pulses are activated with which a nozzle of an inkjet printing device to print dots on a recording medium. The activation pulses may be adapted based on sensor data with respect to already printed dots. The method and system can further include an automatic adaptation of the activation pulses to increase print quality even given the presence of soiling at the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Florian Hitzlsperger, Ulrich Stöckle
  • Patent number: 11813877
    Abstract: A printer includes a recording unit, a platen unit, a maintenance tank, and a guide unit. The recording unit ejects ink onto a medium. The platen unit includes a support surface that supports the medium and a discard portion in which waste ink is discarded. The maintenance tank recovers the waste ink. The guide unit has a receiving surface, and guides the waste ink to the maintenance tank. Second surface energy is larger than first surface energy when the first surface energy indicates surface energy at a first position on the receiving surface with respect to the waste ink and the second surface energy indicates surface energy at a second position closer to the maintenance tank than the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shunsuke Kanahara
  • Patent number: 11813850
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a recording section that performs recording on a medium; a discharge tray on which the medium subjected to recording by the recording section is loaded; a detector that detects the medium loaded on the discharge tray; and an attachment section to which a sub-tray is attached, in which the detector is located at a first position and detects the medium loaded on the discharge tray in a state in which the sub-tray is not attached, is located at a second position and detects the medium in a state in which the sub-tray is attached, and moves from the first position to the second position in accordance with the sub-tray being attached to the attachment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Oda
  • Patent number: 11801688
    Abstract: A recording control device. A first portion control section forms a first portion as a portion that is continuous from a first region and is not continuous to a second region in a recording region in an output image that is formed on a medium in an overlapping region in a recording region, in such a manner that a use rate of a first nozzle row of an overlapping portion of a nozzle row is set to a first nozzle use rate. A second portion control section forms a second portion as a portion that is continuous with the first region and the second region in the output image in the overlapping region, in such a manner that the use rate of the first nozzle row of the overlapping portion is set to the second nozzle use rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Eishin Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11794493
    Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus includes: a conveying part that conveys a print medium; a plurality of discharge heads that is arranged along a direction of conveying the print medium, and discharges ink onto the print medium to perform printing an the print medium; a moving part that moves the discharge heads such that distances between the print medium and the discharge heads are changed from a set distance; and a hardware processor that controls printing on the print medium, wherein the hardware processor corrects a print distance such that the print distance is changed from a predetermined value in response to the discharge heads being moved in such a way as to change the distances between the print medium and the discharge heads, the print distance being a conveying distance of the print medium to be conveyed while printing on the print medium is performed by the discharge heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Katsuya Motohashi
  • Patent number: 11794494
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a recording medium based on a prescribed amount of conveyance, an image forming device configured to form an image on the recording medium conveyed by the conveyor, a marker configured to add a plurality of orderly-arrayed marks on the recording medium when the recording medium is conveyed by the conveyor, a detector configured to detect the plurality of orderly-arrayed marks on the recording medium, and circuitry. The circuitry of the image forming apparatus is configured to calculate an amount of movement of the plurality of orderly-arrayed marks detected by the detector, and correct the prescribed amount of conveyance of the recording medium based on the amount of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11780229
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device and a method of addressing non-discharge. The inkjet printing device comprises a print head including nozzles that discharge an ink including light emitting elements, a dipping bath in which the print head is immersed and which includes a suction solution, and a suctioning part which is connected to the print head and suctions the suction solution along with the ink remaining in the print head unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han Su Kim, Eun A Yang, Woong Bae Kim
  • Patent number: 11780253
    Abstract: Included are a transport unit, a printing unit, and a control unit. In inner circumferential surface printing for performing printing on an inner circumferential surface of a medium, which is positioned inside in the state of being wound up in a roll shape, the control unit causes the transport unit to position a leading end of the medium at a printing start position being a position downstream of a position facing a most downstream nozzle of a nozzle surface in a transport direction, in a state in which the printing unit is at a position at which the nozzle surface does not face the medium being transported by the transport unit, and causes the printing unit to start formation of a printing region on the medium having the leading end positioned at the printing start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Yajima
  • Patent number: 11772392
    Abstract: A base material processing apparatus includes a first detector, a second detector, and an arithmetic unit. The first detector intermittently detects the position of the edge of the base material in the width direction at a first detection position to acquire a first detection result (Ra). The second detector intermittently detects the position of the edge of the base material in the width direction at a second detection position located downstream of the first detection position to acquire a second detection result (Rb). The arithmetic unit calculates a transport error of the base material by comparison between the first detection result (Ra) and the second detection result (Rb). The controller changes detection timing of at least one of the first detector and the second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yoshida, Takaharu Yamamoto, Kazuki Fukui
  • Patent number: 11766881
    Abstract: To provide a printing apparatus and a conveyance apparatus that are capable of preventing a cut position to be cut by a cutting unit from deviating, in a printing apparatus in which printing is performed by a printing unit on a printing medium that is conveyed by a conveyance unit and the printing medium is cut by a cutting unit while being conveyed by the conveyance unit and a conveying force apply unit, the conveying force apply unit is arranged on an outer side relative to the cutting unit and is configured to apply a conveying force to the printing medium in a direction outward in a width direction from an upstream side to a downstream side in a conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Kobayashi, Yoshiaki Suzuki, Tsutomu Obata
  • Patent number: 11766861
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus comprises a controller and a printhead control unit positioned between the controller and the printhead and configured to control the printhead upon an instruction from the controller. The controller comprises a control unit configured to, in a case where transmission of an instruction to the printhead control unit failed, if the instruction is an instruction included in a first communication sequence performed periodically with respect to the printhead control unit in order to control the printhead, not execute a retry of the failed instruction, and in a case where the instruction is an instruction included in a second communication sequence performed aperiodically with respect to the printhead control unit in order to control the printhead, retry the failed instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Naka, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Yuta Shinsawatsu, Shinya Ishikawa, Hideyuki Ueki, Kotaro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 11760107
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus obtains a plurality of measured values obtained by measuring a measurement image; and replaces a first measured value with a value based on a second measured value. The first measured value being included in the plurality of measured values and being unsuitable for identifying the density characteristic, and the second measured value being included in the plurality of measured values and being suitable for identifying the density characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shoei Moribe
  • Patent number: 11745498
    Abstract: A digital printer and a method of controlling the digital printer having a print head with an array of printing elements and a failure detection system arranged to detect malfunctioning printing elements. When, during printing, a malfunctioning printing element is detected, a switch from the current print strategy to another print strategy is arranged during printing which leaves the number of passes per swatch constant, i.e. the print quality is not affected by the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Peter J. M. Aarts