Patents Examined by Kristal Feggins
  • Patent number: 11701882
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: an amplifier circuit that outputs an amplified modulated signal by driving a transistor; a demodulation circuit that includes an inductance element and outputs the driving signal, in which the inductance element includes a first side portion provided with a first terminal, a second side portion positioned facing the first side portion and provided with the second terminal, a third side portion intersecting with the first side portion and the second side portion, a lead member coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal, and a shortest distance between the transistor and the third side portion is equal to or shorter than a shortest distance between the transistor and the first side portion, and is equal to or shorter than a shortest distance between the transistor and the second side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Amano, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 11691415
    Abstract: A method for inspecting an ink discharge status based on a temperature change of an energy generating element includes calculating a difference value between a value obtained by statistics of information indicating ink discharge statuses obtained for a plurality of nozzles close to a target nozzle and the information obtained for the target nozzle; comparing the calculated difference value with a predetermined threshold; and judging the ink discharge status for the target nozzle based on a result of the comparison. This enables to appropriately detect a nozzle which is in a discharge failure status due to an ink droplet adhered to a discharge surface of a printhead or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuhei Oikawa, Toshiyuki Chikuma, Yutaka Kano, Kohei Sato, Takuya Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 11691421
    Abstract: A thermal bend actuator includes: a thermoelastic beam for connection to drive circuitry; and a passive beam mechanically cooperating with the thermoelastic beam, such that when a current is passed through the thermoelastic beam, the thermoelastic beam expands relative to the passive beam resulting in bending of the actuator. The thermoelastic beam wherein the thermoelastic beam is comprised of an aluminium alloy. The aluminium alloy comprises a first metal which is aluminium, a second metal, and at least 0.1 at. % of a third metal selected from the group consisting of: copper, scandium, tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, titanium, silicon and magnesium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventors: Rónán O'Reilly, Misty Bagnat, Owen Byrne, Alexandra Barczuk, Michael Shnider, Darren Hackett, Brian Kevin Donohoe, Kimberly G. Reid
  • Patent number: 11679607
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing device including a main body part including a body part configured to provide an internal space in which recording paper for printing certain information thereon is transferred and an opening or closing part configured to control opening or closing of the internal space, a printing part configured to print the certain information on the recording paper transferred in the internal space, and a recording paper separation part located on a downstream side of the printing part and configured to cut or cut off and separate recording paper on which particular information is printed by the printing part from the other recording paper. Here, the main body part includes a protruding part configured to prevent an adhesive attached to the surface opposite the adhesive surface from being accumulated by decreasing a contact area with the surface opposite the adhesive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: BIXOLON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin Gwan Kim, Jin Kook Kim
  • Patent number: 11667133
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a printing apparatus capable of mitigating/preventing instances of turbulent deviation of ink jetted from print heads when printing onto a substrate, a severe form of which looks like woodgrain. The printing apparatus can include a jet plate that has a first width and that is disposed between the substrate and a series of print heads. The jet plate can also include a series of apertures formed in the jet plate that each correspond to one or more of the print heads, as well as a cutout portion at a first end of the jet plate that has a second width less than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, John Peter Duffield
  • Patent number: 11667119
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes a head body in which a first fine channel that is connected to an ink inlet and thus guides an inflow of ink, a second fine channel that is disposed below the first fine channel, communicated with the first fine channel through a connection via hole, and guides an outflow of the ink by being connected to an ink outlet, and a nozzle that is opened downward from the second fine channel are defined, and a micro heater that is disposed closer to the connection via hole in an upper portion of the first fine channel than to an end of the first fine channel where the first fine channel is connected to the ink inlet or an end of the second fine channel where the second fine channel is connected to the ink outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Ho Kim, Eun Joo Jang, Tae Hyung Kim, Hyo Sook Jang, You Jung Chung
  • Patent number: 11663930
    Abstract: An adhesive label is provided. The adhesive label includes an adhesive patch that covers at least 50% but less than 85% of a backside surface of the adhesive label and that is at least partially horizontally and vertically centered on the backside surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Iconex LLC
    Inventors: Pamela Sue Hill, Stephen Cameron Van Winkle, Austin Daniel Anderson, Tom Edward Zagaya, Robert L. Shinkle, II
  • Patent number: 11660862
    Abstract: A system and method for applying patterns to surfaces. A pattern may be applied to a surface of an object using a three-dimensional (3D) printer system. The 3D printer system may include a printer head including an applicator holding material used to form the pattern on the surface, a structure configured to hold a substrate to which the material will be applied, and a controller for adjusting a location of the printer head relative to a surface and initiating applying material from the applicator onto the surface. The applicator may be a syringe with a needle. 3D coordinates at which material is to be applied to a surface to form the pattern may be determined and identified based on a relative location of the substrate and the pattern. The pattern may be a speckle dot pattern used in Digital Image Correlation (DIC) material testing and characterization techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Christian Franck, Jin Yang, Jialiang Tao
  • Patent number: 11654707
    Abstract: A printing device is configured to print a multi-layer thermal printing medium. The printing device includes a thermal head and a controller. The thermal head has a heat generating elements configured to form images on a heat sensitive multi-layer. The controller is configured to perform detecting whether a viewing direction of the heat sensitive multi-layer is a thickness direction to view from a second surface toward a first surface or a direction opposite the thickness direction to view from the first surface toward the second surface. The controller is configured to further perform creating print data to be applied to each of the heat generating elements. The created print data is such that color development states of a first color and a second color according to the detected viewing direction are differentiated from color development states of the first color and the second color according to an undetected viewing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Minami, Keisuke Nishihara
  • Patent number: 11642895
    Abstract: A print processing portion causes a print device to execute printing of a print image based on print data in accordance with a first scanning amount detected when manual scanning is performed at a first time. A density complementation processing portion causes the print processing portion to execute reprinting in accordance with a second scanning amount detected when the manual scanning is performed at at least a second time. When the manual scanning is performed at at least the second time, the density complementation processing portion identifies density insufficient parts in the print image printed by the print device based on the scanning amount and an image read by an optical reading device. Furthermore, the density complementation processing portion causes the print processing portion to execute the reprinting for the density insufficient parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yukio Shibata
  • Patent number: 11642903
    Abstract: Printhead carriers and adapters are disclosed. An example disclosed print mechanism includes an adapter to simultaneously couple a printhead assembly to both a logic circuit of a media processing device and a power source of the media processing device; a printhead carrier coupled to the adapter; and wherein a first connection, between data input connector and the logic circuit, and a second connection, between the power input connector and the power source, are maintained when the printhead assembly is removed from the print mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert P. Gotschewski, Timothy T. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11642880
    Abstract: Techniques for handling and reducing ink overspray of an ink jet printer are provided. In an example, an ink overspray collector for an ink jet printer can include a first opening defining a first print area of the ink jet printer, and a frame about the first opening. The frame is configured to receive overspray from operation of the ink jet printer and can be formed of a woven material. In some examples, a controller of the ink jet printer can reduce an amount of ink ejected near the edges of the print media to reduce overspray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventors: John P. Skoglund, Tanya Jegeris Snyder, Dale James Ziebarth, Mark Mizen, Ruben Rosario
  • Patent number: 11639055
    Abstract: A device includes a first column of contact pads. The device also includes a column of fluid actuation devices disposed longitudinally to the first column of contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James Michael Gardner, Scott A. Linn, Michael W. Cumbie, Anthony M. Fuller
  • Patent number: 11633971
    Abstract: A ribbon reeling mechanism includes: a gear supporting member that supports a clutch gear rotatably and is configured to move between a mesh position at which the clutch gear supported by the gear supporting member is in mesh with a first reeling-side gear and a non-mesh position at which the clutch gear supported by the gear supporting member is not in mesh with the first reeling-side gear; a clutch impeding spring that causes a clutch impeding force of impeding movement from the mesh position to the non-mesh position to act on the gear supporting member when a feed motor starts rotating in the second rotation direction; a drive member engaged with the gear supporting member; and a clutch drive mechanism that causes the gear supporting member to move to the non-mesh position against the clutch impeding force when the feed motor rotates in the second rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taishi Sasaki, Kenichi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11628668
    Abstract: A droplet discharging device includes a head including a nozzle configured to discharge a droplet onto a medium, a heater configured to heat, the medium onto which the droplet is discharged from the head, at a position opposing to the head, an air blowing fan configured to blow outside air from an outside toward an inside of a housing that accommodates the head and the heater, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the outside air blown by the air blowing fan, and a control unit, and when the temperature of the outside air detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a preset temperature, the control unit changes a set temperature of the heater to a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Yoda
  • Patent number: 11628678
    Abstract: A tape printing device includes a controller configured to control a feed motor such that, after printing is performed to n pieces of labels, when a label tape is cut between an n-th label and a (n+1)th label counted from a leading edge of the label tape in a first direction and the (n+1)th label is positioned at a print position at which printing is performed by a thermal head, the label tape is fed in a second direction until the (n+1)th label is displaced from the print position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Oida
  • Patent number: 11628666
    Abstract: In a printing method, at least one image of a substrate supported in a printing system is acquired. An actual position of a first alignment feature on the substrate in a frame of reference of the printing system is determined based on the at least one image. Expected positions of second alignment features on the substrate are determined based on the actual position of the first alignment feature. Actual positions of the second alignment features in the frame of reference of the printing system are determined based on the at least one image and the expected positions of the second alignment features. Target positions of print regions on the substrate are determined based on the actual positions of the second alignment features. Ejection of print material onto the substrate in the print regions is controlled based on the target positions of the print regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Hauf, Eli Vronsky, Alexander Sou-Kang Ko
  • Patent number: 11623460
    Abstract: A cutting device, having a supporting base, a cutter section, a protrusive part, is provided. The supporting base has a first area, in which a tape is placeable, and a second area on a surface thereof. The surface is formed of a resin coating layer in the first area alone between the first area and the second area. The cutter section has a blade and is movable to approach and separate from the surface. The protrusive part protrudes from the cutter section in a direction, toward which an edge of the blade points. When the cutter section approaches the surface of the supporting base, with the protrusive part contacting the surface of the supporting base in the second area, the blade cuts the tape located between the surface of the supporting base in the first area and the blade partly in a direction of thickness of the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi Tanizaki, Masashi Iwamoto, Ryuichi Kanda, Yuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11623456
    Abstract: A printing device includes a thermal printhead with a plurality of print elements. A controller is configured to identify an out of specification status of at least one print element, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether printing of a specific print field requires use of the print element having the out of specification status and, if so, to determine whether a print location of the specific print field can be shifted such that the print element having out of specification status will be one of (i) aligned with a gap in the specific print field or (ii) offset to one side of the specific print field. A weighing scale incorporating the printing device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy L. Blankley, Jr., Robert S. Davis
  • Patent number: 11623454
    Abstract: A continuous inkjet printer (5) having a printhead (7) that includes first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9), each operable to generate a stream (10) of ink droplets, and a common gutter (11) arranged to receive unprinted ink droplets from the first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9), the printer (5) further including control means configured to determine receipt into the common gutter (11) of ink droplets from the first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9), wherein the control means are operable to use a single sensor (17) to determine receipt into the common gutter (11) of ink droplets from one, both, or neither of the first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Calhoun Bridges, Colin Jon Partridge