Patents Examined by Julian Huffman
  • Patent number: 10022964
    Abstract: There is provided a head module including: a head which has an inlet, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of driving elements, and in which the nozzles are aligned in rows in a longitudinal direction of a nozzle surface orthogonal to a attaching/detaching direction of the head module; a plurality of driver ICs; a heat spreader; a flexible substrate; and a rigid substrate. In the attaching/detaching direction, the driver ICs are arranged between the head and the heat spreader; the rigid substrate and the head are arranged side by side in the attaching/detaching direction; the rigid substrate and the heat spreader are arranged side by side in a short direction of the nozzle surface; and the rigid substrate has a thickness along the short direction of the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotoshi Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 10022961
    Abstract: A recording apparatus is capable of executing multiple types of different temperature control. A recording head of the recording apparatus has multiple temperature sensors disposed at different positions from each other in the recording head. Each of the multiple types of different temperature control is performed based on representative temperatures acquired using different combinations of the temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taku Yokozawa, Hiroaki Shirakawa, Mitsutoshi Nagamura, Yuhei Oikawa, Yosuke Ishii, Hiroaki Komatsu, Satoshi Azuma, Hiroshi Taira
  • Patent number: 10016990
    Abstract: A printing method comprises advancing a media to be printed towards a printing unit of a printing device by means of a media advance unit, detecting a position of the media relative to the printing unit, and providing a corresponding position sensor signal, and activating the printing unit to print on a predetermined portion of the media in accordance with the position sensor signal and a timing signal provided by a clock unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: HP SCITEX LTD.
    Inventor: Alex Veis
  • Patent number: 10011108
    Abstract: A method of controlling a printer is disclosed, the printer including a number of print heads extending across a print zone, and each print head including at least one nozzle array extending in a direction of a print head axis. Each nozzle array comprises a center section of nozzles and side sections of nozzles, wherein the side sections of neighboring nozzle arrays overlap defining an overlap region and the center sections of the nozzle arrays define non-overlap regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Xavier Quintero Ruiz, Roma Segura Fabregas, Marcos Casaldaliga
  • Patent number: 10011114
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that has a nozzle surface that is provided with nozzles for ejecting a liquid, a wiper for wiping the nozzle surface, a scanning mechanism configured to cause the nozzle surface and the wiper to perform a plurality of relative movements between the nozzle surface and the wiper, and a controller configured to control the scanning mechanism. The plurality of relative movements includes a first relative movement and a second relative movement that is different in the wiping from the first relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Muto
  • Patent number: 10005299
    Abstract: A print module includes: a body housing first and second opposed printed circuit boards (PCBs), each of the first and second PCBs having heat-generating electronic components; an air inlet and an air outlet positioned towards an upper part of the body; an air pathway extending between the air inlet and the air outlet; a plurality of heatsinks, each heatsink being thermally coupled with one of the heat-generating components and having an array of cooling fins extending into the air pathway; and an inkjet printhead receiving power and print data from at least one of the first and second PCBs. The inkjet printhead is positioned toward a lower part of the print module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, David Burke, Billy Sy, Gilbert Alemana, Christopher Hibbard, Rommel Balala
  • Patent number: 10001458
    Abstract: There is provided an eddy current flaw detection technique capable of, even when inspecting an object having a narrow portion with a small curvature radius, recognizing detection sensitivity change due to change of attitude of a probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Noriyasu Kobayashi, Souichi Ueno, Hiroya Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9994055
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image decoloring apparatus comprises a conveyance path configured to convey a sheet on which an image is formed with a coloring agent that is decolored by heat; a first heat roller configured to be arranged at the upstream side of the conveyance path; and a second heat roller configured to be arranged at the downstream side of the conveyance path. Each of the first heat roller and the second heat roller includes a cylindrical portion and a heat source. The thickness of the cylindrical portion constituting the first heat roller is larger than the thickness of the cylindrical portion constituting the second heat roller. In this way, the heat capacity of the first heat roller is also larger than the heat capacity of the second heat roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Katakura
  • Patent number: 9987854
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head may reduce possibility that pressure from a discharge unit reaches a third channel and a fourth channel. The liquid discharge head includes a plurality of discharge units each including a discharge hole, a pressurization chamber communicating with the discharge hole, a first channel for liquid supply to the pressurization chamber, and a second channel for liquid collection from the pressurization chamber, a pressurizing part configured to pressurize the pressurization chamber, a third channel connected commonly to the first channels of the plurality of discharge units, the third channel for liquid supply to the discharge units, a fourth channel connected commonly to the second channels of the plurality of discharge units, the fourth channel for liquid collection from the discharge units, and a fifth channel connecting the discharge units and having channel resistance larger than channel resistance of the first channel and the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9989577
    Abstract: In this continuity inspection device, a reference electrode plate held at ground potential is disposed along an intermediate portion of electric wires to be inspected for continuity, and a discharge path (positive charge leaking path) for static electricity charged on the electric wires after the continuity inspection is secured by the reference electrode plate. Thus, accumulation of static electricity after the continuity inspection on electric wires is avoided. Moreover, the electric potential of the static electricity charged on the electric wires by application of voltage to power supplying probes is measured by measuring equipment as the absolute potential with respect to the ground potential of the reference electrode plate through the surface potential of the terminals of the electric wires. Thus, the electric potential of the static electricity of the electric wires is accurately measured without being affected by cross talk due to stray capacitance between the electric wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Miyoshi Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 9983158
    Abstract: Apparatus (2) for sensing at least one parameter in water, which apparatus comprises: (i) a conductivity sensor (6) for sensing conductivity in the water; (ii) a dissolved oxygen sensor (4) for sensing dissolved oxygen in the water; (iii) a glass substrate (14); and (iv) the conductivity sensor (6) and the dissolved oxygen sensor (4) are fabricated on the glass substrate (14) using photolithography and etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: University of Southampton
    Inventors: Hywel Morgan, Matthew Charles Mowlem, Xi Huang
  • Patent number: 9983500
    Abstract: An optical writing device performing optical writing with a light-emitting element, performing light amount switching, and including: a unit estimating a first value corresponding to a current amount for causing the element to emit a first light amount immediately after the switching; a unit supplying to the element, from immediately after the switching, a current amount corresponding to a first digital value acquired by quantizing the first value; a unit estimating a time amount through which a current amount for keeping the element emitting the first light amount increases from the current amount for causing the element to emit the first light amount immediately after the switching to a current amount corresponding to a second digital value greater than the first digital value by one step; and a unit supplying to the element, when the time amount elapses after the switching, the current amount corresponding to the second digital value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: So Yano, Yasushi Nagasaka, Masayuki Iijima, Takahiro Matsuo, Takaki Uemura, Akira Taniyama
  • Patent number: 9981466
    Abstract: A drive circuit includes an amplification unit that amplifies a signal and outputs the amplified signal toward a node; and a voltage output unit that outputs a voltage responding to the signal toward the node during a predetermined period of a part or all of a period in which a magnitude of a voltage change of the signal is less than or equal to a threshold. The amplification unit includes a differential amplifier, a selector, and transistors, and the voltage output unit includes a linear amplifier and a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Abe
  • Patent number: 9975342
    Abstract: A controller executes a regular maintenance process each time when a time elapsed from completion of a previous regular maintenance process reaches a first time. the regular maintenance process included a purge operation for discharging liquid from an ejection port to the inner space of a cap member and a first discharge operation for discharging liquid in a recess portion of the cap member to a waste liquid tank without discharging liquid after the purge operation. The controller executes a second liquid discharge operation for discharging liquid in a first connection channel to the waste liquid tank without discharging liquid from the ejection port when the time elapsed from the completion of the previous regular maintenance process reaches a second time being shorter than the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Tamaki
  • Patent number: 9975357
    Abstract: A printing cylinder includes a plurality of suction chambers and a masking sheet configured to cover the suction chambers. The masking sheet includes a non-sucking portion which protrudes from the boundary of the suction chambers toward the inside of the suction chambers. A number of through holes are formed in a portion except for the non-sucking portion in the masking sheet. The non-sucking portion exists between the sheet to be printed and the boundary of the suction chamber to be used and the suction chamber not to be used. This can prevent an ink mist from adhering to the printing cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: KOMORI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suda, Hayato Kondo, Toshinori Kubo
  • Patent number: 9969198
    Abstract: A thermal transfer ink ribbon includes a backcoat layer, a ribbon base layer formed on the backcoat layer, a release layer formed on the ribbon base layer and containing resin and wax, an ink layer formed on the release layer and containing a first resin and a second resin, an aluminum layer formed on the ink layer, and an adhesive layer formed on the aluminum layer and containing resin and wax. The first resin is transparent or translucent and contains at least one of polyester resin, styrene-acrylic resin, and polyethylene resin. The second resin is transparent or translucent and contains at least one of polyurethane resin, polypropylene resin, acrylic resin, and methacrylic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriaki Satoh, Haruki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9970996
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for detecting motion of an object includes threshold generation circuitry and processing. Magnetic field sensing elements are configured to generate a magnetic field signal in response to a magnetic field associated with the object. A motion detector responsive to the magnetic field signal and to a threshold signal is configured to generate a detector output signal having edges occurring in response to a comparison of the magnetic field signal and the threshold signal. A speed detector responsive to the detector output signal generates a speed signal indicative of a speed of motion of the object. A threshold generator responsive to the speed signal generates the threshold signal having a level that varies in response to the speed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Devon Fernandez, Mathew Drouin
  • Patent number: 9969197
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink tank forming an ink chamber and including an injection inlet, a cover, a cover sensor, a recording head, a monitor, and a controller. The cover is movable between a covering position and an exposing position. The cover sensor is positioned to output a signal depending on the position of the cover. The controller controls operation of the recording head, the monitor. The controller receives either a first positional signal or a second positional signal of the cover sensor, and based on receipt of the first positional signal after receipt of the second positional signal from the cover sensor, performs a decision process deciding whether an operation regarding ink injection into the ink chamber is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mana Honoki
  • Patent number: 9962952
    Abstract: In a method of detecting a location of a print section of a transfer ribbon, the transfer ribbon is fed in a feed direction relative to a print section sensor. The print section sensor includes a reflective sensor and a transmissive sensor. The reflective sensor is positioned upstream of the transmissive sensor relative to the feed direction. A registration mark on the transfer ribbon, which indicates the location of the print section on the transfer ribbon, is detected using the reflective sensor. The registration mark is detected using the transmissive sensor. The location of the print section is determined based on the detection of the registration mark using the transmissive sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Stangler, Tanya Jegeris Snyder, James Andrew Rieck, Andrew William Slotto
  • Patent number: 9962978
    Abstract: A can printing apparatus 1 includes a main printer 2 having plural plate cylinders 47 for printing different colors and performing printing onto side surfaces of cans, a secondary printer 6 performing additional printing to the side surfaces of the cans after the printing by the main printer, and a can inspection machine 5 inspecting a printing state. The can inspection machine 5 includes a can rotation device 51 which rotates cans C, a can imaging device 52 which takes images of the cans C and an image processing device 53 which processes the taken images, and the secondary printer 6 includes a printing head 6a which faces a side surface of a can held by the can rotation device 51 of the can inspection machine 5 and a processing unit which gives an instruction of printing to the printing head 6a based on a predetermined printing pattern and processing data of the image processing device 53 of the can inspection machine 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: I. MER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayuki Izume