Patents Examined by Jason Uhlenhake
  • Patent number: 9302499
    Abstract: A nail print apparatus, including: a print head which performs printing on a nail of a finger or a nail of a toe; an unprinted region detecting unit which detects an unprinted region on which a nail design is not printed in the nail having a printed region on which the nail design is printed, the unprinted region being generated by growth of the nail after the nail design is printed; and a printing control unit which controls the print head to perform printing on the unprinted region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Shuichi Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9302477
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus including a head and a control unit. The head ejects, onto a printing medium, an image forming liquid for forming an image and an ancillary liquid ancillary to forming of the image performed by the image forming liquid. The control unit performs control so as to cause the head to perform a first operation of ejecting the image forming liquid onto a first region of the printing medium, and a second operation of ejecting the ancillary liquid onto a second region of the printing medium, the second region being different from the first region. Further, the control unit performs control so as to cause the head to perform the second operation in an anterior pass and perform the first operation in a posterior pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Toya
  • Patent number: 9296210
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting unit that has a liquid ejecting head moving back and forth in a scanning direction, the liquid ejecting head being provided with a nozzle surface in which nozzles capable of ejecting liquid are formed; a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle surface; a liquid receiving portion that is capable of receiving the liquid ejected through the nozzles; and a maintenance portion that performs maintenance on the liquid ejecting head. Further, a receiving area where the liquid receiving portion is provided is disposed at a position that is adjacent to a wiping area where the wiping portion is provided and is more distanced from a landing area where the liquid ejected through the nozzles toward an ejection target medium lands than the wiping area in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9296215
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid, an inlet through which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid flow channel configured to let the liquid flow therethrough from the liquid storage chamber; a cap configured to be attachable to the tank to cover the inlet; a cover configured to be movable relative to the tank between a closed position where a surface, of the tank, in which the inlet is formed is covered and an open position where the surface of the tank is exposed; and a holder configured to hold the cap removed from the tank. The cover is prevented from moving to the closed position by the cap held by the holder to be positioned in a movement area of the cover moving from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi, Suguru Tomoguchi
  • Patent number: 9290019
    Abstract: A recording paper supply mechanism 20 of a roll paper printer 1 has a roll paper holder 26 that holds the sides of a paper roll 12 on the transverse axis X at a position above Z1 the roll paper receiver 25. A delivery roller 22 is disposed above Z1 the paper roll 12 on the roll paper receiver 25. A detection unit 24 has a emitter 24A and photodetector 24B position so a detection beam L travels diagonally below the delivery roller 22, and the detection beam L intersects the path A of paper roll 12 movement when rising toward the delivery roller 22. A near-end state can therefore be detected based on output of the detection unit 24 even when the paper roll 12 is raised by force pulling in the delivery direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9283782
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: recording modules for conveying a recording medium along a first conveyance path and including a recording device; a storage tray storing a recording medium; at least one first output tray; a second conveyance path connecting between the storage tray and one end portion of each of the recording modules; a third conveyance path connecting between the second conveyance path and the other end portion of each of the recording modules; and at least one fourth conveyance path each connecting between the other end portion and a corresponding one of the at least one first output tray. One recording medium on which all of at least one image has been recorded by a recording device is discharged onto the at least one first output tray via the third conveyance path, the second conveyance path, the recording module, and the fourth conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 9283780
    Abstract: A printer includes a platen roller, a print head for performing printing on a recording paper, a first detection switch and a second detection switch for detecting a position of the platen roller, and a potential detector that detects electrical potential. Both of the first and second detection switch are switched off when the platen roller is mounted, and switched on when the platen roller is not mounted. One terminal of the first detection switch and one terminal of the second detection switch are connected to each other in parallel and grounded via a ground side resistor. A power supply is to be connected to another terminal of the first detection switch and another terminal of the second detection switch. The potential detector detects a potential between the one terminals of the first and second detection switches and the ground side resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU COMPONENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Hisamitsu Iizuka, Sumio Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9283762
    Abstract: A droplet ejecting apparatus which includes a control unit which controls a recording operation in which dots are recorded on a medium by performing multipass recording in which recording of dots which are located in one main scanning line which goes along a main scanning direction is completed in a recording operation in the main scanning direction of N times (N is integer of 2 or greater), and a maintenance operation in which maintenance with respect to an ejecting unit is performed, in which the control unit performs a control so that at least recording operations in the main scanning direction of (N?1) times is performed between the previous maintenance operation and the subsequent maintenance operation when performing maintenance operations of a plurality of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Tamai, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Masako Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9278527
    Abstract: An ink jet recording ink including a pigment; water; and water-soluble compounds. The pigment comprises a resin-dispersed pigment dispersed with a (meth)acrylate-based random copolymer having an acid value of 100-160 mgKOH/g. The water-soluble compounds include at least ethylene urea and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient defined by the following equation (A) of 0.37 or less The total content of the water-soluble compounds is 22-50 mass % with respect to the total amount of the ink The content of the ethylene urea is 11.0 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the ink, and the proportion of the amount of the ethylene urea in the total amount of the water-soluble compounds is 50% by mass or less, Hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient=((water activity value of 20% aqueous solution)?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution))/(1?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution))??Equation (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventors: Kanako Aratani, Ryuta Aoto, Yuusuke Sumikawa, Takahiro Tsutsui, Shintaro Suzuki, Masato Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9272509
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises: a printhead, which has a heater board on which heaters are disposed, configured to discharge ink; a transfer unit configured to transfer a discharge image signal to the printhead; and a power supply circuit configured to generate power for heating the heaters. Here, the printhead includes a supply circuit which, based upon the discharge image signal, supplies the heater board with power generated by the power supply circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9248677
    Abstract: A bracket includes a support strut configured to carry the fluid ejection module and an alignment strut coupled to the support strut. The alignment strut is configured to affix to the frame so as to orient the support strut with respect to the frame in each of three orthogonal linear directions and three orthogonal angular directions. The alignment strut includes three alignment mechanisms. Each of the first and second alignment features is held mechanically fixed on the alignment strut in a respective aligned position, and the third alignment mechanism is movable on the alignment strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Norihisa Takada, Steve Deming, Kevin von Essen, Michael Rocchio, John A. Higginson
  • Patent number: 9248661
    Abstract: A decoloring device according to an embodiment comprises a decoloring unit configured to erase a first image formed with erasable colorant on a first side of a sheet and a second image formed with erasable colorant on a second side of the sheet, and a reading unit configured to read the first and second sides of the sheet and determine whether the first side and the second side are reusable. The decoloring device further comprises a single-side reusable paper tray configured to stack the sheet if the reading unit determines that only one of the first and second sides is reusable, and a reversing unit configured to reverse the sheet and discharge the sheet to the single-side reusable paper tray so that the one of the first and second side determined to be reusable is stacked on the single-side reusable paper tray in a predetermined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norifumi Yagi, Takao Ishida, Kanya Hiroi, Mamoru Nomura
  • Patent number: 9250595
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrophotographic printing system to print digital image data for an image region. An image region database stores data characterizing a plurality of reference image regions, each reference image region having one or more associated system control parameters that are appropriate for use in printing the reference image region. The system control parameters can include parameters related to correcting color registration errors. The image region to be printed is compared with the reference image regions in the image region database, and a similar reference image region is selected. The image region is printed using the system control parameters associated with the selected similar reference image region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Cumar Sreekumar, James A. Katerberg
  • Patent number: 9248679
    Abstract: When an inkjet printer ejects ink onto a recording medium on a go path and on a return path of a carriage, if ink cannot be ejected onto the same position on the go path and on the return path, image quality becomes poor. Test patterns with shifted ejection timing are hitherto recorded on the recording medium, and appropriate timing is input as a correction value. There is also an inkjet printer which automatically reads a test pattern, but the test pattern is recorded without consideration of a state of a head, and thus, accuracy is low. Therefore, a test pattern having a long period and a test pattern having a short period are recorded, and densities of the test patterns are read by a sensor. An extremum candidate is determined from the test pattern having a long period, and rough adjustment is made first. Then, in a region around the extremum, an extremum is determined from the test pattern having a short period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Oki Data Infotech Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Aoi
  • Patent number: 9242457
    Abstract: In a print system comprising a first printing unit for printing images on a first surface of a continuous sheet, a reading unit for reading an image, and a second printing unit for printing images on a second surface of the continuous sheet, in the case where the first printing unit prints a control image irregularly inserted between the images based on image data on the first surface of the continuous sheet, the first printing unit prints an identification mark which enables the control image to be identified on the first surface of the continuous sheet, and in the case where the reading unit reads an identification mark printed on the first surface of the continuous sheet, the second printing unit is caused not to print images based on image data in an area corresponding to the control image on the continuous sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Yasuzaki
  • Patent number: 9242482
    Abstract: A pH detecting device includes a supplying unit to supply a pH indicator, with an inkjet head, to a surface of a material to be processed on which acidification is performed; a color information detector to detect color information of the pH indicator supplied to the surface of the material; and a pH specifying unit to specify a pH value of the surface of the material based on the color information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruki Saitoh, Koji Nagai, Hiroyuki Hiratsuka, Satoshi Katoh
  • Patent number: 9227413
    Abstract: To provide a waste ink absorber excellent in permeability and retaining performance, a waste ink absorber to be mounted in a waste ink tank to absorb waste ink discharged from a head for ejecting ink, includes, in a state of a single piece of the waste ink absorber not mounted in the waste ink tank, a portion low in density and a portion higher in density as compared with the portion low in density in a direction along a plane surface having a largest surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Tsujino, Hidehiro Takano, Shunichi Seki
  • Patent number: 9227409
    Abstract: To provide a waste ink absorber excellent in permeability and retention performance, it is directed to a waste ink absorber for absorbing waste ink discharged from a head for ejecting ink. In a side cross-sectional view of the waste ink absorber, a portion low in density and a portion higher in density as compared with the portion low in density are laid alternately obliquely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Takano, Shunichi Seki
  • Patent number: 9227401
    Abstract: A printing element substrate, comprising a plurality of units configured to print on a printing medium based on print data, each of the plurality of units, including a printing element configured to print on the printing medium, a first transistor configured to operate as a source follower upon receiving a voltage at a gate terminal of the first transistor, and supply a current to the printing element, and a second transistor configured to control supply of the current to the printing element in response to a control signal input to a gate terminal of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunari Fujii, Masanobu Ohmura
  • Patent number: 9227442
    Abstract: An embodiment of this invention solves a problem about a precision drop of registration adjustment of a range detection method due to variations of a registration state depending on a position associated with a carriage scanning direction. In that embodiment, reference and adjustment patterns are formed to be juxtaposed in a nozzle array direction to detect a position shift between patterns in the main scanning direction. In this case, coarse registration adjustment is executed by the range detection method, and its adjustment result is applied to a printing apparatus. After that, fine registration adjustment is executed by a density method, and results of the two adjustment methods are finally reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Tamiya, Naoki Uchida