Patents Examined by Joshua D Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 9833953
    Abstract: Methods of 3D printing an object with reduced curl on at least one surface that contacts a print plate are described herein. For example, in some embodiments, a method of 3D printing an object comprises depositing build material to form a first layer of a 3D printed object and depositing build material in a predetermined pattern to form a first layer of a skirt in contact with the 3D printed object. Depositing build material to form the first layer of the skirt comprises 3D printing a first layer of a sidewalk that substantially surrounds at least a portion of a perimeter of the 3D printed object and 3D printing a first layer of a perforated interface between the sidewalk and the perimeter of the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Leigh Herran, Khalil Moussa, Martin Alan Johnson, Nickalaus K. Podgursky, Chris Roberts Manners, Terry Wilkes, Jenny Reilly
  • Patent number: 9785079
    Abstract: A digital printing apparatus using liquid toner comprising carrier liquid, a dispersing agent and imaging particles, the apparatus comprising: an imaging member adapted to sustain a pattern of electric charge forming a latent image on its surface; a development member arranged to receive a quantity of liquid toner; and to develop said latent image by transferring a portion of said quantity of liquid toner onto said imaging member in accordance with said pattern; a melting unit arranged downstream of the imaging member and configured to melt imaging particles of a transferred part of the portion of liquid toner, said part being transferred from the imaging member, wherein there is provided a dispersing capacity modification unit downstream of the imaging member, said dispersing capacity modification unit being configured for reducing the dispersing capacity of the dispersing agent in the transferred part of the portion of liquid toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Xeikon Manufacturing N.V.
    Inventors: Lode Erik Dries Deprez, Werner Jozef Johan Op De Beeck, Geert Gaston Paul Deroover
  • Patent number: 9776390
    Abstract: A hybrid transfer machine includes a body, a fabric supply drum driving means, a fabric detection sensor, a take-up transfer paper drum driving means, a thermal transfer unit, a piece-mode roller, a take-up main drum driving means, a main guide roller, and a roll-mode roller. The body includes a first body, a second body, and a worktable. The fabric supply drum driving means drives a fabric supply drum. The fabric detection sensor detects fabric, and controls an operation. The take-up transfer paper drum driving means drives the take-up transfer paper drum. The thermal transfer unit heats the fabric and transfer paper. The piece-mode roller rotatably guides the transfer paper. The take-up main drum driving means drives the take-up fabric drum or take-up transfer paper drum. The main guide roller guides the transfer paper or the fabric. The roll-mode roller guides the transfer paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: KYUNGIL-TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Soon-Tae Jung
  • Patent number: 9712706
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing image formation based on image data on a print job to output a printed matter includes a blank sheet detecting unit, a blank sheet processing unit and a blank sheet display unit. The blank sheet detecting unit determines whether the image data in the print job is blank sheet image data or non-blank sheet image data by each piece of image data. The blank sheet processing unit detects an order of the determined blank sheet image data and outputs a blank sheet corresponding to the blank sheet image data such that the blank sheet is displaced with respect to a printed matter corresponding to the non-blank sheet image data by a predetermined amount. The blank sheet display unit displays an order of blank sheet among the orders of the printed matters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hideo Umezawa
  • Patent number: 9649833
    Abstract: A differential printing device includes a first print drum including a first ring gear defined on an outside surface of the first print drum. The device also includes a second print drum including a second ring gear defined on an outside surface of the second print drum. A drive shaft that rotates the first print drum and the second print drum has a number of pinion gears to engage the first ring gear and the second ring gear. The number of pinion gears rotate the first print drum and the second print drum at different angular velocities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jeffrey F. Bell
  • Patent number: 9639050
    Abstract: A method is disclosed in the context of a system comprises an electrophotographic subsystem, a transfer subsystem, an imaging member, and an inking subsystem. The electrophotographic subsystem comprises a photoreceptor, a charging subsystem, an exposure subsystem, and a development subsystem. In operation, the photoreceptor is charged areawise. An exposure pattern is formed by the exposure subsystem on the surface of the charged photoreceptor to thereby write a latent charge image onto the photoreceptor surface. The image is developed with an image definition material, such as a dampening fluid. The image definition material forms a positive pattern of the image to be printed. The image pattern is then transferred to the reimageable surface. The transferred pattern is then developed by selectively applying an ink over regions of image definition material. The inked image may be transferred to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Janos Veres, David K. Biegelsen, Chu-Heng Liu
  • Patent number: 9605166
    Abstract: An emulsified aqueous ink comprising an electrorheological fluid including a liquid phase and a solid phase, and a co-solvent, which is suitable for use in an indirect printing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naveen Chopra, Jennifer L. Belelie, Barkev Keoshkerian, Michelle Chrétien
  • Patent number: 9597865
    Abstract: A turnover device for wheel printing, which is composed of a stand, a servo motor, driving mechanisms, a turnover shaft, a tensioning air cylinder and the like. When in use, the turnover device provided by can meet the requirements for positioning a wheel fixed window and turning over the wheel, and meanwhile has the characteristics of simple structure, advanced technology, high automation degree, safe and stable performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal CO., LTD
    Inventors: Bowen Xue, Jiandong Guo
  • Patent number: 9592699
    Abstract: Different solvents for a dampening fluid are disclosed. The solvent is a volatile hydrofluoroether liquid or a volatile silicone liquid. Such liquids have a lower heat of vaporization, a lower surface tension, and better kinematic viscosity compared to water, which is the conventional solvent used in dampening fluids. The dampening fluids, which are relatively nonpolar, can be used in a combination with polar inks to form a new type of digital lithographic printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy D. Stowe, Eric Peeters, Chu-Heng Liu
  • Patent number: 9586394
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixture for on-line wheel printing, which is composed of a stand, a servo motor, a flip plate, air cylinders and the like. When in use, the fixture provided by the present invention can meet the requirement for quickly printing a pattern on a fixed window of wheel on line, and meanwhile, has the characteristics of advanced technology, high automation degree, safe and stable performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bowen Xue, Jiandong Guo
  • Patent number: 9588471
    Abstract: Provided is a member for electrophotography, where an elastic layer including a silicone rubber and a release layer including a fluorine resin are bonded sufficiently without any adhesive layer interposed therebetween. The member for electrophotography includes a substrate; an elastic layer including a silicone rubber, on the substrate; and a release layer provided in direct contact with the surface of the elastic layer, where the release layer includes a fluorine resin selected from the group consisting of PFA, FEP, PTFE, ETFE, PCTFE, ECTFE, and PVDF, and the elastic layer undergoes a cohesive failure when the release layer is peeled from the elastic layer in accordance with “Determination of peel strength of bonded assemblies. Part 1: 90 degree peel” specified by the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) K 6854-1:1999.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamo Matsumoto, Yoshihito Oshima
  • Patent number: 9586392
    Abstract: A method of preparing a printing form precursor for printing, or a printed circuit board precursor or a semiconductor precursor, the method comprising the step of applying electromagnetic radiation having a pulse duration of not greater than 1×10?6 seconds, in an imagewise manner, to an imagable surface of the precursor. The imaging process may cause ablation of the coating of the precursor or permit its development in a developer. In each case the imaging radiation needs not be tuned to imaging chemistry (if any) present in the coating. Alternatively the imaging process may induce a change of hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, or other change of state, of an uncoated substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: J P Imaging Limited
    Inventors: John David Adamson, Peter Andrew Reath Bennett, Rodney Martin Potts
  • Patent number: 9566778
    Abstract: An endcap for a cylinder for use in a customization system for tubular articles. The endcap has a minimized geometry to maximize the surface area of the tubular article available for printing. The endcap may be limited in size so that the endcap is limited to an endface of the cylinder. The endcap may also have a shape that limits the amount of material in the endcap, such as an X-shape. The endcap may include a fast connection system such as a plurality of magnets for rapid loading and unloading of the articles on the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis K. Ernst, Joseph J. Bevier
  • Patent number: 9557675
    Abstract: Fluorescing highlights can be provided in selected portions of non-color image areas of a printed toner image using fused fluorescing dry toner particles, such as fused fluorescing magenta or fused fluorescing yellow dry toner particles. Before fixing, each fluorescing dry toner particle comprises a polymeric binder phase and a fluorescing colorant that emits at one or more ?max wavelengths of at least 420 nm and up to and including 690 nm and that is dispersed within the polymeric binder phase. The resulting printed color images and fluorescent highlights can be provided on receiver materials of various types to accentuate or emphasize the printed color images with a variety of light-colored fluorescent shading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Dinesh Tyagi, Louise Granica
  • Patent number: 9551934
    Abstract: A system comprises an electrophotographic subsystem, a transfer subsystem, an imaging member, and an inking subsystem. The electrophotographic subsystem comprises a photoreceptor, a charging subsystem, an exposure subsystem, and a development subsystem. In operation, the photoreceptor is charged areawise. An exposure pattern is formed by the exposure subsystem on the surface of the charged photoreceptor to thereby write a latent charge image onto the photoreceptor surface. The image is developed with an image definition material, such as a dampening fluid. The image definition material forms a positive pattern of the image to be printed. The image pattern is then transferred to the reimageable surface. The transferred pattern is then developed by selectively applying an ink over regions of image definition material. The inked image may be transferred to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: Xerox Corporation, Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Janos Veres, David K. Biegelsen, Chu-heng Liu
  • Patent number: 9545785
    Abstract: A printing form precursor comprises a printing surface which comprises an inorganic metal compound, the printing surface being hydrophobic and capable of being made hydrophilic by energy but capable of becoming hydrophobic again, for reuse, if desired. An associated method of printing includes steps of subjecting the printing surface imagewise to energy so as to locally increase its hydrophilicity sufficient to make the surface differentiated in its acceptance of an oleophilic a printing ink; applying the ink to the printing surface and printing from the printing surface; causing or allowing the printing surface to undergo a reduction in hydrophilicity sufficient again to make the printing surface uniform in its acceptance of a printing ink; and, if wished, repeating these steps on multiple occasions. Thus the invention achieves the goal of providing a printing form precursor which does not need a chemical developer, and which can be used multiple times, to print different images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: J P Imaging Limited
    Inventors: John David Adamson, Peter Andrew Reath Bennett, Richard Arthur Hutchinson, Rodney Martin Potts
  • Patent number: 9533489
    Abstract: An apparatus for conveying a sheet-formed item from a digital printing unit, the apparatus including an inlet side and an outlet side, and including a set of conveying devices for moving items in a conveying direction and a method for regulating such an apparatus. The apparatus includes a device for aligning an article from one position to another position in relation to one or more reference points, and a device for fixing an item at a given position in relation to a stop. The method includes the steps: detecting an item; receiving and conveying the item; regulating a possible skew position of the item as the item is moved against a stop on the conveying device, where the item is acted on by one speed of the conveyor belt and moved into abutment on the conveying means at a lower speed; and fixing the item in the aligned position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Tresu A/S
    Inventor: Claus Hjulmann Andersen
  • Patent number: 9529307
    Abstract: A system comprises an electro-wetting subsystem, a transfer subsystem, an imaging member, and an inking subsystem. The electro-wetting subsystem comprises a photo-responsive photoreceptor, a charging mechanism, an image definition material reservoir, a charge erase mechanism, and an exposure subsystem, such as a light source and rotating polygon forming a raster output scanner (ROS) disposed for exposure of the photoreceptor through the image definition material reservoir. The imaging member comprises a reimageable surface having certain properties, such as having a low surface energy to promote ink release onto a substrate. In operation, the photoreceptor is charged areawise. An exposure pattern is formed by the exposure subsystem on the surface of the charged photoreceptor, which is developed with image definition material. The image definition material pattern is transferred to the reimageable surface. The pattern is developed with ink. The inked image may be transferred to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Janos Veres, David K. Biegelsen
  • Patent number: 9511581
    Abstract: In an apparatus and a method for synchronizing a roll-to-roll transfer device, the apparatus includes a thin-film, a first roller, a second roller, a first load sensing element and a control part. The thin-film is transferred by the roll-to-roll transfer device. The first roller makes contact with a lower surface of the thin-film, and rotates with a rotational axis via a first rotational element. The second roller is disposed over the first roller, makes contact with an upper surface of the thin-film, and rotates with the rotational axis via a second rotational element. The first load sensing element senses a load of the first roller or a load of the second roller. The control part synchronizes a translational velocity of the first rotational element or the second rotational element based on the load sensed by the first load sensing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY & MATERIALS
    Inventors: Bongkyun Jang, Jae-Hyun Kim, Kwang-Seop Kim, Hak-Joo Lee
  • Patent number: 9486993
    Abstract: Rotational bodies of a printing press with at least a first, a second and a third ink-conducting rotational body, which interact with each other in pairs, can be set in a thrown-on position. The second of the at least three rotational bodies can be set both against the first of the three rotational bodies and against the third of the three rotational bodies in order to form a two-sided thrown-on position. Tracking, coupled in a defined way, of the rotational axis of the second rotational body takes place at the same time as a radial positional change of the rotational axis of the first rotational body, by the superimposition of two movements along two non-congruent movement paths which run in a plane which is perpendicular with respect to the rotational axis. A device for setting rotational bodies of a printing press is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
    Inventors: Patrick Kress, Martin Palme, Volkmar Schwitzky