Patents Examined by John P Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 9381752
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a display unit, a storage unit, a display controller, an instruction receiver, and an instruction output unit. The storage unit stores coloring states of a laser irradiation target with respect to combinations of a plurality of conditions for laser irradiation, the coloring states being obtained when laser irradiation is executed under the conditions. The display controller causes the display unit to display the coloring states with respect to the combinations of the plurality of conditions. The instruction receiver receives, from an operator, a designation instruction for designating any of display portions of each of the coloring states displayed as for the display unit. The instruction output unit outputs, to the laser irradiation apparatus, a laser irradiation execution instruction for executing laser irradiation on the display portion, the designation instruction of which is received by the instruction receiver, in line with the plurality of conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Setoue
  • Patent number: 9381758
    Abstract: A carrier device includes a medium accommodating section configured to accommodate a roll medium, a carrying section configured to carry a medium in a secondary scanning direction, a re-rolling section configured to re-roll the medium having been carried, a dancer roller configured to apply a predetermined tension on the medium being carried from the carrying section toward the re-rolling section, a first bar-shaped member disposed between the medium accommodating section and the carrying section configured to press the medium so as to alter the carrying path of the medium; and a second bar-shaped member disposed between the carrying section and the re-rolling section configured to press the medium so as to alter the carrying path of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ippei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9370934
    Abstract: A printing material cartridge comprises: a memory device; a plurality of first terminals through which a power source voltage and signals for operating the memory device are supplied from a printing apparatus; and a plurality of second terminals to be used for detecting attachment conditions of the printing material cartridge in a cartridge attachment unit. The plurality of first terminals have a plurality of first contact portions that get in contact with corresponding apparatus-side terminals when the printing material container is properly attached to the cartridge attachment unit. The plurality of second terminals have a plurality of second contact portions that get in contact with corresponding apparatus-side terminals when the printing material container is properly attached to the cartridge attachment unit. The plurality of first and second contact portions are arranged so as to form a first row and a second row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Asauchi, Shuichi Nakano
  • Patent number: 9358791
    Abstract: A printhead maintenance device includes a maintenance housing including a set of maintenance nozzles, an air controlling member, and a waste collector. The maintenance housing moves to selectively position the set of maintenance nozzles opposite a printhead including a nozzle surface having a plurality of nozzles to eject fluid. The set of maintenance nozzles provide fluid onto the nozzle surface of the printhead to remove residue therefrom. The air controlling member forms air flow paths to at least one of direct the fluid provided by the maintenance nozzles at an angle to the nozzle surface and direct the residue maintenance nozzles to the waste collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing LTD
    Inventors: Matan Schneider, Moti Balaish, Alon Navon, Harel Malka
  • Patent number: 9357825
    Abstract: A nail printing device recognizes, as a first nail contour, a nail contour from a first nail image obtained by photographing a nail of a specific finger/toe, displays the first nail contour on the basis of data of the first nail contour stored in a storage section, and performs an adjustment of the first nail contour on the basis of an adjustment portion specified to the first nail contour and obtains an adjusted nail contour. After that the device recognizes, as a second nail contour, a nail contour from a second nail image obtained by photographing the nail of the specific finger/toe, reflects the adjustment performed to the first nail contour, in the second nail contour, obtains an adjusted recognized nail contour, and controls a print head to perform printing in a region of the adjusted recognized nail contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shuichi Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9346288
    Abstract: A method for example of irradiating a light-curable material, may comprise irradiating light about a first axis from an array of light-emitting elements towards a light-curable surface, directing the irradiated light through an optical element interposed between the array of light-emitting elements and the light-curable surface, wherein a central axis of the optical element is offset from the first axis, and deflecting the irradiated light directed through the optical element asymmetrically away from the first axis towards the light-curable surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Phoseon Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Doug Childers
  • Patent number: 9346269
    Abstract: A flow path structure includes: a substrate that includes a first surface and a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface; a supply port formed on the first surface; a plurality of discharge ports formed on the second surface; grooves that are formed on the first surface so as to extend in an X direction and communicate with the supply ports and with the plurality of discharge ports via through-holes formed on the substrate; and a sealing portion that is disposed on the first surface and seals each groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Fujio Akahane, Isamu Togashi, Hiroaki Okui, Yasuyuki Kudo
  • Patent number: 9340013
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including plural nozzles to discharge droplets; a plurality of individual liquid chambers; a pressure generator, and a head drive controller. A meniscus oscillation generated in the individual liquid chamber applied with the pressure by the pressure generator has a phase reverse to a phase of a meniscus oscillation generated in the adjacent individual liquid chamber not applied with the pressure by the pressure generator, the common drive waveform generated by the head drive controller includes a common discharge pulse used for forming droplets having at least two sizes and an noncommon discharge pulse used for forming one of the droplets having two sizes, and a pulse interval between the common discharge pulse and the noncommon discharge pulse located right before the common discharge pulse is a time area having a phase reverse to resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoko Kitaoka, Satomi Araki
  • Patent number: 9340694
    Abstract: A sublimating dye ink for ink jets of the present invention contains water, a sublimating dye, a humectant and an anionic polymer dispersant. The anionic polymer dispersant is a styrene-(meth)acrylic acid-based copolymer having an acid value of 160 to 250 mgKOH/g and a weight average molecular weight of 8,000 to 20,000. The ink contains further as a penetrant an acetylene glycol-based compound expressed by a chemical formula (I) below. A sublimation transfer dyeing method of the present invention includes: inkjet printing the ink on a sheet recording medium; and superposing a printed surface of the recording medium on an object to be dyed, then heating to sublimate-transfer the sublimating dye to the object to be dyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Kiwa Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Oura, Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9340042
    Abstract: A drying device includes: an irradiation unit that irradiates, with laser light, a printing medium onto which ink droplets have been ejected from a droplets ejecting unit; and a control unit that controls the irradiation unit so that a temperature of ink on the printing medium becomes an ink target temperature that is determined using a thermal deformation temperature of the printing medium as a reference in case the thermal deformation temperature of the printing medium is lower than or equal to an ink drying temperature, and becomes an ink target temperature that is determined using the ink drying temperature as a reference in case the thermal deformation temperature of the printing medium is higher than the ink drying temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Zengo, Takuma Ishihara, Akira Sakamoto, Yukari Motosugi, Jun Isozaki
  • Patent number: 9333772
    Abstract: A printing apparatus which includes at least a first tray and a second tray as a tray which accommodates a printing sheet, and can be mounted with a sheet supply unit which supplies the printing sheet by being switched to any one of the first tray and the second tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Yasufuku, Yoshisada Aoki
  • Patent number: 9327526
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to a system for reducing electrostatic fields underneath print heads in a direct marking printing system. The system includes: one or more print heads for depositing ink onto a media substrate; a media transport for moving the media substrate along a media path past the one or more print heads; a conductive platen contacting the media transport belt; an electrostatic field reducer that includes an alternating current charge device positioned upstream of the one or more print heads; and one or apertures with electrically isolated biased electrodes separated by an opening that is in registration with the ink deposition areas of the one or more print heads. The media transport includes a media transport belt and, when the media is on the transport belt it has an electrostatic field, which can cause printing defects. The electrostatic field reducer and electrodes reduce the electrostatic field on the surface of the media and thereby reduce printing defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald M. Fletcher, Johannes N. M. de Jong, Peter Knausdorf, Steven R. Moore, Ramesh S. Palghat
  • Patent number: 9327514
    Abstract: A common air chamber is connected to an air layer of a pressurizing tank and to an air layer of a negative-pressure tank. A pressurizing-side communication valve opens/closes an air channel in an air conduit between the pressurizing tank and the common air chamber. A negative-pressure side communication valve opens/closes an air channel in an air conduit between the negative-pressure tank and the common air chamber. A negative-pressure tank atmospheric air opening valve switches the negative-pressure tank between a state shut off from the atmospheric air and a state open thereto. The pressurizing-side communication valve and the negative-pressure tank atmospheric air opening valve are of a normally-open type closed when electrified and open when not. The negative-pressure side communication valve is of a normally-closed type open when electrified and closed when not. While not electrified, a nozzle pressure of an inkjet head becomes a meniscus breakage pressure or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Nishiyama, Hiroshi Sugitani
  • Patent number: 9308757
    Abstract: Disclosed is a print head adjustment device (1) for an inkjet printer. The print head adjustment device includes an adjustment adapter (4) and a print head (3) that has a printing side (6) extending on an X-Y plane. The adjustment adapter (4) includes a receiver (20) which is adjustable in the X-Y plane and in which a stationary end (9) of the print head (3) is accommodated. A movable end (8) of the print head (3) is mounted on the adjustment adapter (4) so as to be slidable in the X direction and rotatable about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the X-Y plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: PadaLuma Ink-Jet-Solutions GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Patrik Lutz
  • Patent number: 9305683
    Abstract: A process and system for printing sequences of alpha-numeric characters on segments of wire or cable during production. In one embodiment, the process and system comprises printing a sequence of alpha-numeric values onto a first segment of wire up to an input target value. The process and system further comprises printing a sequence of alpha-numeric values onto a second segment of wire up to a second input target value. In one embodiment, the process and system is capable of printing sequences on segments of wire or cable up to variable target values without requiring a shutdown of the production process, and without requiring lag time between printing on subsequent wire or cable segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., Mark D. Bennett
  • Patent number: 9290024
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer comprising a feeder, a printing head, a movable blade, a blade receiving member, a constant voltage circuit, a route switching device, and a switching control portion. The constant voltage circuit outputs a constant voltage to a secondary side based on a primary-side voltage supplied from a battery. The route switching device switches a current supply route from the battery to a motor to either one of a first route by which the constant voltage on the secondary side from the constant voltage circuit is supplied from the battery, and a second route by which the primary-side voltage is supplied without passing through the constant voltage circuit. The switching control portion controls the route switching device so that, triggered by non-detection of execution of the partial cutting, the current supply route is switched from the first route to the second route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Yamashiro, Tetsuya Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 9293682
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid jetting apparatus including: a first channel structure; a piezoelectric actuator provided on the first channel structure; and a driving device. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a vibration plate; a plurality of piezoelectric elements each including an activator formed of a piezoelectric material; signal input portions which receive drive signals for driving the plurality of piezoelectric elements from the driving device; a reference potential portion; and actuator wires. The piezoelectric elements include a first and second piezoelectric elements, a length of a wire which connects the first piezoelectric element and the driving device is longer than a length of a wire which connects the second piezoelectric element and the driving device, a capacitor is serially connected to the first piezoelectric element, and the capacitor includes an insulator formed of a piezoelectric material same as the piezoelectric material of the activators of the piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toru Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9290027
    Abstract: The carriage of a line printer has a head unit that supports a printhead, and a carriage frame that supports the head unit movably up and down. When moving the carriage from a standby position to an opposing position, the carriage is moved while the head unit is held at a up position where the gap to the platen unit is a first distance. The head unit is then lowered at the standby position from the up position to a down position where the platen gap is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Nagata, Hironori Maekawa, Takashi Aoki, Taku Hirashima
  • Patent number: 9283766
    Abstract: An ink jet type printer including: a printing function section, a liquid ejecting head that is supported on a carriage movably disposed in the printing function section and performs recording by ejecting ink with respect to a paper sheet, and an ink supply tube that guides the ink of a main tank in which the ink is stored to the liquid ejecting head and has a deformation movable section capable of being deformed following movement of the carriage. The printing function section is provided with a filling port for filling the ink and the filling port and the main tank are connected through a connection pipe, a sub-tank, and an ink communication pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Munehide Kanaya, Yoshisada Aoki, Nobuhisa Nomoto
  • Patent number: 9278531
    Abstract: A print head protection device is used with an inkjet printer having a print head adapted for elevating. A roller is mounted upstream of the print heads and above the process path a predetermined distance. A cover on the roller outer surface contacts the sheet lead edge if sheet curl exceeds a set curl range. The cover will cause rotation of the roller by engaging the sheet. A rotary encoder is mounted for synchronous rotation with the roller. The rotary encoder generates a signal in response to rotation of the roller, raising the print head to preclude damage. Alternately, the sheet can be discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason M. LeFevre, Douglas K. Herrmann, Derek A. Bryl