Patents Examined by Jeffrey C Morgan
  • Patent number: 8991961
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a liquid discharge head, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The controller changes a voltage waveform to be input to the ink discharge head, while a nozzle surface is facing a first gap. The temperature sensor measures a first actual temperature of the ink discharge head, while the nozzle surface is facing a second gap. The controller calculates, on the basis of the first actual temperature and a discharge history of ink discharged to a sheet located between the first gap and the second gap, a first estimated temperature of the ink discharge head corresponding to the time in which the nozzle surface is facing the first gap. The controller changes the voltage waveform on the basis of the first estimated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadao Kyoutani
  • Patent number: 8974034
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus, including: a head having nozzles arranged in at least one row along an arrangement direction; a conveyor mechanism; and a controller including a pattern forming portion to form a pattern for detecting inclination of the at least one nozzle row with respect to the nozzle arrangement direction, the pattern including (A) a first inclination detect pattern including parallel two lines formed by ejection respectively from: a first nozzle group located at a first section of one of the at least one nozzle low and a second nozzle group located at a second section different from the first section, when the head moves in one direction in a scanning direction, and (B) a second inclination detect pattern including parallel two lines formed by ejection respectively from: the first nozzle group; and the second nozzle group, when the head moves in another direction opposite to the one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masako Kawagoe
  • Patent number: 8955959
    Abstract: A first reading unit that reads a pattern or an image formed on a sheet by a print unit for recognizing a print unit state, a second reading unit that reads a cut mark formed on the sheet on a downstream thereof, a cutter that cuts the sheet on a downstream thereof, and a reverse unit that reverses the sheet fed to the print unit again are provided. In duplex printing, the sheet where images are sequentially printed on a first surface is led to the reverse unit, the front and rear faces are reversed, and the sheet is fed to the print unit again. The sheet where images and cut marks are sequentially printed on a second surface is cut by the cutter for each piece and discharged. The sheet is cut on the basis of a reading of the cut mark by the second reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Teshigawara, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Yoshiaki Murayama, Susumu Hirosawa, Takeshi Murase, Yutaka Kano, Satoshi Azuma, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8955948
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device forming a continuous inkjet printer cabinet including a combined ventilation system for the electronic compartment and consumable fluids compartment (ink and solvent). According to the invention, condensates derived from solvent vapors not condensed by the condenser are extracted through a pipe then retained in order to be evaporated by the ventilation airflow. The solution according to the invention ensures that the increase in solvent concentration around the printer remains below the legal limits for unpleasant smells for persons. One advantageous embodiment consists of using a heat exchanger on the ventilation airflow path, to condensate solvent vapor in the ink reservoir to enable gravity flow of vapors thus condensed and return them to the ink reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Markem-Imaje
    Inventor: Nicolas Rolland
  • Patent number: 8950842
    Abstract: In a high print resolution, high image quality mode and a low print resolution, high speed mode, image processes are made in common between them to the extent possible, and the same gradation characteristics and image densities can be obtained between them. For this purpose, for the high image quality mode, a dot arrangement pattern is prepared for a pixel region having gradation data of K levels, which determines the presence or absence of print dots at K-1 areas, and in which the printing of 1 dot is permitted at all of the K-l areas. On the other hand, for the high speed mode, a dot arrangement pattern which determines the presence or absence of print dots at a number of areas less than K-1 is prepared, and in which the sum of the number of dots permitted to be printed at the pixel region is K-1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawafuji, Yasunori Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8931872
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, which performs the printing using a polish and a colorant includes a reduction region setting portion that sets a reduction region, which is a region where an amount of the polish is reduced, at a dark portion side of a color gamut of the printing apparatus in a device-independent color space; and a color conversion portion which converts color of an image to be input to the printing apparatus into a print color to be expressed by the polish and the colorant, wherein, among pixels constituting the image, in a pixel included in the reduction region, the color conversion portion reduces the amount of the polish compared to a pixel not included in the reduction region, and converts color of the image to the print color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yamashita, Seishin Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8919906
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus including recording heads each including a plurality of nozzle arrays that are arranged so as to overlap, wherein the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively high frequency overlap in an intersecting direction that intersects an array direction of nozzles is smaller than the width with which the overlapping portions of the recording heads for colors that are simultaneously used with a relatively low frequency overlap in the intersecting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Satoshi Azuma, Yoshiaki Murayama, Minoru Teshigawara, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Takeshi Murase, Kentarou Muro, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8882240
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus and a print head recovery method are provided according to which, in an environment in which dust (e.g., paper dust) is easily attached to the periphery of an ejection port of a print head, the print head is subjected to a recovery operation depending on the level of the attached dust. The inkjet printing apparatus has a cutter unit for cutting a print medium and a recovery unit for performing the recovery operation by wiping the ejection port formation portion at which the ejection port is formed of the print head while sucking the ejection port formation portion. When the passing number showing how many times the cut part of the print medium cut by the cutter passes the printing position is equal to or higher than a threshold value, the recovery means subjects the print head to the recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Hirosawa, Hidehiko Kanda, Yutaka Kano, Kentarou Muro
  • Patent number: 8857941
    Abstract: Displacement information indicating a displacement amount of landing position in a main scanning direction of ink droplets discharged respectively from the nozzle of the head module of the same array of the line head of each color is acquired for each head module of the same array (steps S5, S7). Based on the displacement information and concentration information for each array, a color degree of an image when the discharge amount of ink droplets discharged from a nozzle of a head module of each color is not adjusted is specified for each head module of each array (step S9). A correction voltage value of a drive signal for the discharge of the nozzle of the head module of each color, which is suitable to return the specified color degree to “0”, is calculated (step S11) and each corresponding nozzle is driven by the drive signal of the correction voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Ebisawa
  • Patent number: 8840206
    Abstract: A nail print apparatus which prints on a nail and a printing control method of the nail print apparatus. In one implementation of the present invention, the nail print apparatus includes a imaging section; a nail region information detecting section which detects an outline and an area of the nail region; a print design image generating section; an element position judging section which judges whether or not a design element is contained within the nail region; and a printing section. The print design image generating section positions a design element in a position in the nail region which corresponds to a position on a standard nail model an element to a value in proportion with a ratio of the area of the nail region to an area of the standard nail model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shogo Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8840220
    Abstract: Provided is an ink jet printing apparatus that receives light from the light emitting part of the ink tank in the light receiving part; on the basis of a result of the light reception, determines an attachment position of the ink tank; and controls the light from the light emitting part to inform the ink tank state, wherein the light emitting part has a plurality of light emitting elements that can respectively emit lights having different peak emission wavelengths. A peak sensitivity wavelength of the light receiving part is in the range not less than 760 nm and not more than 1100 nm; at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements has a peak emission wavelength in the range not less than 760 nm, and at least one has a peak emission wavelength in the range of 400 to 760 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Suguru Taniguchi, Kenjiro Watanabe, Masashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8820866
    Abstract: A nail print apparatus which prints on a nail and a print controlling method. According to one implementation, a nail print apparatus includes an imaging section, a finger dimension obtaining section, a storage section, a model selecting section, a region specifying section and a printing section. The model selecting section selects one specific nail region extracting model based on a dimension of the finger obtained by the finger dimension obtaining section. The region specifying section specifies a nail region to be a specific nail region extracting model selected by the model selecting section to a region of the nail in the finger image obtained by the imaging section. The printing section applies ink on the specified nail region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokiyo Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8814310
    Abstract: A printer includes a head for performing printing, a roll element on which a print medium is wound, a first conveying mechanism for rotating the roll element, an auxiliary roller positioned between the head and the roll, a second conveying mechanism for driving the auxiliary roller, a nip roller constituting a pair with the auxiliary roller to hold the medium on both sides, a nip roller drive mechanism for driving the nip roller and creating a state in which the medium is held on both sides and a state in which the medium is not held on both sides, and a controller for setting the nip roller to a first state in which the roll element is rotated in a forward direction to convey the print medium, and a second state in which the roll element is rotated in a reverse direction to convey the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8807715
    Abstract: A method of printing includes selectively loading a memory element during a printing operation with data that modifies a subsequent actuation of jet control elements to form or steer or form and steer print drops that print pixels on a receiver in a second regularly spaced pixel grid, the second regularly spaced pixel grid having a second spatial density of pixels extending in a direction perpendicular to a travel path of the receiver that is different when compared to a first spatial density of a first regularly spaced pixel grid, printing pixels on the receiver in the second regularly spaced pixel grid, and catching drops that are formed but not used to print pixels on the receiver in the first regularly spaced pixel grid or used to print pixels on the receiver in the second regularly spaced pixel grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gilbert A. Hawkins, James A. Katerberg
  • Patent number: 8801133
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a head unit that ejects ink; and a control unit that creates pixel data showing the amount of the ink ejected on predetermined pixels, and ejects metallic ink containing metallic particles from the head units such that the amount of the metallic ink is smaller than the amount of the metallic ink shown by the pixel data in a portion of the pixel inside the pixels on the outline of a metallic image formed by the ejected metallic ink and such that the amount of the eject ink per area is larger than the amount of the metallic ink at the inside pixels in the pixels on the outline, on the basis of the pixel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takayoshi Kagata
  • Patent number: 8794730
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: (a) first and second recording heads; (b) a first conveyance path transiting first and second positions that are opposed to the first and second recording heads; (c) a second conveyance path transiting the first position and a third potion that is other than the second position. The first conveyance path includes a first/second-positions communicating path section communicating the first and second positions while the second conveyance path includes a first/third-positions communicating path section communication the first and third positions. One of the first/second-positions communicating path section and the first/third-positions communicating path section is bent larger than the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8770710
    Abstract: Provided is a fluid ejecting apparatus including: a fluid ejecting head; a receiving member which is linear; a support member which supports the receiving member so as to extend in a linear shape; a support member movement unit which moves the support member between first and second positions so that the receiving member is located at a receiving position capable of receiving the fluid ejected from the nozzles at the first position, and the receiving member is located at a retreat position deviating from the receiving position at the second position; and a contact member which comes into contact with the receiving member while moving in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the receiving member relative to the receiving member when the support member movement unit moves the support member from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8770698
    Abstract: A reference mark is recorded in an area between one image and the next image sequentially printed on a first surface of a continuous sheet. In a print on a second surface of the sheet, the recorded reference mark is read, and a print position of the image on a second surface of the sheet is set. A plurality of images are sequentially printed on the second surface on the basis of this setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Ochiai
  • Patent number: 8764168
    Abstract: A continuous printer system includes a jet control element, associated with each nozzle bore of an array of nozzle bores, which is selectively actuated to form or steer or form and steer print drops from a liquid stream emitted from the associated nozzle bore. A memory element associated with the inkjet printer is selectively loaded during a printing operation with data that modifies the subsequent actuation of each of the jet control elements to form or steer or form and steer print drops that print pixels on a receiver in a second regularly spaced pixel grid, the second regularly spaced pixel grid having a second spatial density of pixels extending in a direction perpendicular to a travel path of the receiver that is different when compared to a first spatial density of a first regularly spaced pixel grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Gilbert A. Hawkins, James A. Katerberg
  • Patent number: 8727465
    Abstract: A method for supplying a liquid from a liquid tank to a head tank fixed to a liquid-jet head utilizing a liquid supply device in a liquid-jet apparatus is disclosed. The method includes jetting the liquid droplets from the liquid-jet head while maintaining a meniscus pressure of the liquid-jet head within a predetermined range; detecting the meniscus pressure of the liquid-jet head; carrying out, when the detected meniscus pressure is lower than the predetermined range, a first liquid supply operation such that the detected meniscus pressure of the liquid-jet head being lower than the predetermined range is restored to the predetermined range; and carrying out, while the first liquid supply operation is not being carried out, a second liquid supply operation such that the liquid is supplied to the head tank in an amount less than a liquid-jetted amount computed based on a liquid-jet signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiroh Tokuno