Patents Examined by Lisa M. Solomon
  • Patent number: 9033465
    Abstract: A flow path unit having a liquid flow path through which liquid flows includes a first flow path substrate that forms a flow path wall of the liquid flow path, a second flow path substrate that forms a flow path wall of the liquid flow path, and a coating film that is provided on an area from a coating portion for coating the flow path wall of the first flow path substrate to a fixing portion for fixing the first flow path substrate and the second flow path substrate. Provided are the flow path unit in which the liquid flow path is coated with the coating film without inhibiting fixing of the substrates, a liquid ejecting head, a liquid ejecting apparatus, and a flow path unit manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuko Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9028052
    Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes: a nozzle substrate that includes a nozzle opening to discharge a droplet therethrough; a liquid chamber substrate that includes liquid pressure chambers communicating with the nozzle openings; a vibration plate arranged to face the nozzle substrate with the liquid chamber substrate interposed therebetween; piezoelectric elements that are provided to face the liquid pressure chambers with the vibration plate interposed therebetween and are arranged in a predetermined direction; a driving element provided, in a flip-chip implementation, on a flow path substrate that includes the nozzle substrate, the liquid chamber substrate, the vibration plate, and the piezoelectric elements; and a first reinforcing wire that is disposed to at least one of the flow path substrate and the driving element, has a band shape extending in a direction along a row of the piezoelectric elements, and is connected to a common electrode shared by the piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Takemoto, Hitoshi Kida
  • Patent number: 9016828
    Abstract: To provide a liquid ejecting apparatus and a method for detecting a medium edge position in a liquid ejecting apparatus whereby a decline in the accuracy of detecting an edge position of a medium caused by fouling of an optical sensor can be minimized, a reference reflecting surface, used in order to acquire a sensitivity determination value for determining the timing of switching the sensitivity of a sheet width sensor provided to a carriage, is irradiated with light and the output voltage of a light-receiving unit receiving the reflected light thereof is acquired; the output voltage is subtract from a power source voltage to measure a reference surface voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuji Yatsunami
  • Patent number: 9016850
    Abstract: A system for printing information on a substrate includes a printer for printing the information on a first surface of the substrate; and a heater for heating the substrate causing at least a portion of the printed information to migrate to a second surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas D. Pawlik, Douglas E. Bugner
  • Patent number: 9004649
    Abstract: A printing device includes a solution tank, a nozzle unit including a distribution path and a plurality of nozzles connected with the distribution path the nozzle unit being connected with the solution tank through a first pipe; a gas supply connected with the nozzle unit through a second pipe; and a discharge unit connected with the nozzle unit through a third pipe, wherein the distribution path includes first portions and second portions that respectively have different widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Cho, Sang-Jo Lee
  • Patent number: 9004653
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head and a recording device are disclosed. The head includes a fluid channel member and a piezoelectric substrate on the fluid channel member. The fluid channel member includes chambers, each having a diamond shape with two obtuse angle portions and two acute angle portions. In a plan view, the chambers are arranged in a matrix, and aligned in directions of a row and of a column. The substrate includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric body and second electrodes. Each of the second electrodes includes a main electrode and a lead-out portion. The main electrode overlaps with the respective chamber, and is located inside the chamber in the plan view. The lead-out electrode includes: a first end which overlaps with the respective chamber; and a second end located outside the chamber and located in a region that does not overlap with the column in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Wataru Ikeuchi, Kenichi Yoshimura, Naoki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9004650
    Abstract: A substrate for a liquid discharge head includes an upper protection film that covers at least a region corresponding to each of thermal energy generation elements. The upper protection film and at least one of the upper protection films adjacent to the upper protection film within a liquid chamber are respectively connected to different external electrodes, and a voltage can be applied therebetween via the different external electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyasu Sakai, Yuzuru Ishida, Takahiro Matsui, Yoshinori Misumi, Maki Kato, Norihiro Yoshinari, Ichiro Saito, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8998381
    Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a nozzle guard attached to a nozzle plate. The nozzle guard functions as a liquid storage unit and is configured to store residual liquid that attaches to the nozzle plate. Channel lines include ejection and non-ejection channels and a dummy channel incapable of driving. Liquid is supplied into the dummy channel while being brought to a negative pressure. The nozzle plate includes a dummy nozzle hole that communicates with the dummy channel, and the dummy nozzle hole is provided at a position to aspirate stored residual liquid using the nozzle guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: SII Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Domae
  • Patent number: 8998380
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle plate, a flow path forming substrate, and a communication plate between the nozzle plate and the substrate and having a communication hole connecting a nozzle and a first opening of a pressure chamber. The first opening extends in a direction perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the pressure chambers. The first opening has a narrowed portion close to the communication hole. The communication hole has at least three edge lines which extend in a penetration direction. The communication plate is bonded to the substrate such that the ends of the edge lines at a surface close to the substrate are covered with the substrate that defines the narrowed portion on a surface close to the communication plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuma Fukuzawa, Hiroshige Owaki
  • Patent number: 8998375
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a recording element substrate provided with elements formed on one surface of the substrate for generating energy for ejecting liquid as well as first and second supply ports each piercing between both surfaces of the substrate for supplying the liquid to the elements; and a support member provided with first and second liquid storage portions, first and second communication paths that respectively allow the first and the second supply ports to communicate with the first and second liquid storage portions, the support member supporting the other surface of the substrate. The length of the first communication path is longer than that of the second communication path. The horizontal cross-sectional area of the first communication path in a direction perpendicular to the liquid supply direction is larger than that of the second communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromasa Amma, Kyosuke Toda
  • Patent number: 8991966
    Abstract: An inkjet printer including a feeding device configured to feed a sheet in a feeding direction, a platen configured to support the sheet, a recording device configured to eject ink on the sheet, contacting members configured to contact the sheet, a detector configured to detect an end portion position of the sheet in a width direction, and a controller configured to control the feeding device and the recording device is provided. The contacting members are arranged at intervals in the width direction, and the controller performs a suppression process in which at least one of the feeding device and the recording device is controlled to suppress a contact of the sheet with the recording device when the end portion position detected by the detector is a position between the two adjacent contacting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 8992000
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a medium support section that supports a recording medium; and an electromagnetic wave irradiation section that dries ink present on the recording medium by irradiating electromagnetic waves to the recording medium on the medium support section, in which the medium support section has a first region including an irradiation region of the electromagnetic wave irradiation section and a second region provided adjacent to the first region, having thermal conductivity lower than that of the first region, and including a non-irradiating region of the electromagnetic wave irradiation section, and is provided with an opening section through which vapor evaporated from the ink passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuneyuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8985749
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a flow path unit having pressure generating chambers, a case head that is mounted to the flow path unit, and a piezoelectric element unit having a fixation member and piezoelectric elements, an adhesive surface of the fixation member being adhered to the case head by using a first adhesive and a second adhesive, and the piezoelectric elements being bonded to a piezoelectric element attachment surface of the fixation member which intersects the adhesive surface and also attached to islands that oppose the pressure generating chambers of the flow path unit, wherein the second adhesive has curing time shorter than that of the first adhesive, and the first adhesive has adhesion strength higher than that of the second adhesive and is applied on a first adhesive surface on the adhesive surface of the fixation member which is subject to a reaction force of the piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Eiichiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8979249
    Abstract: In a piezoelectric actuator (1) that vibrates a diaphragm (12) provided on a pressure chamber (21) formed in a substrate (11) toward the pressure chamber (21), a lower electrode (13), a piezoelectric member (14) and an upper electrode (15) sequentially stacked on the diaphragm (12) are provided, on a part of the piezoelectric member (14) above the side wall of the pressure chamber (21), an upper electrode drawing portion (15a) drawn out from the upper electrode (15) above the pressure chamber (21) is formed and under the upper electrode drawing portion (15a), the piezoelectric member (14) is separated by a gap portion (S) above a boundary surface between the side wall (21a) of the pressure chamber (21) and the pressure chamber (21) in the substrate (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sameshima, Kusunoki Higashino
  • Patent number: 8979247
    Abstract: A MEMS device is described that has a body with a component bonded to the body. The body has a main surface and a side surface adjacent to the main surface and smaller than the main surface. The body is formed of a material and the side surface is formed of the material and the body is in a crystalline structure different from the side surface. The body includes an outlet in the side surface and the component includes an aperture in fluid connection with the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Hoisington, Marc A. Torrey
  • Patent number: 8974028
    Abstract: An ejection adjustment pattern forming method of forming an ejection adjustment pattern on a print medium with an inkjet head, which has a plurality of nozzles, with moving the inkjet head in a predetermined scanning direction. The method forms a plurality of thickness measurement patterns respectively on a plurality of pattern forming areas defined on the print medium by causing the plurality of nozzles of the inkjet head to eject ink drops, and forms a plurality of judging patterns respectively on the plurality of pattern forming areas. The ejection conditions of the plurality of nozzles, when the plurality of thickness measurement patterns are formed, are the same among the plurality of pattern forming areas. Further, the ejection conditions of the plurality of nozzles when the first judging pattern is formed and when the second judging pattern is formed are the same among the plurality of pattern forming areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanobu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8967769
    Abstract: In one example, a print bar structure includes: a planar, rigid first part; an elongated second part having a front face on which one or more printheads may be mounted and a rear face opposite the front face; and an elongated third part having a front face. The second part and the third part are affixed to one another but not to the first part with the first part sandwiched tightly between the rear face of the second part and the front face of the third part such that the rear face of the second part and the front face of the third part conform to the planar shape of the first part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Daniel D. Dowell
  • Patent number: 8967771
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a communication hole that has a first opening which communicates with a pressure chamber side where pressure is applied to a supplied liquid at one end and a second opening which communicates with a nozzle side ejecting the liquid to which the pressure is applied at the other end, and communicates the pressure chamber and the nozzle with each other, an opening area of the second opening being larger than an opening area of the first opening. An inclined surface that is directed to the second opening is provided on a side where a distance between an edge of the first opening and an edge of the second opening in the first direction is shorter than on the other end side so that stagnation in the flow of the liquid and reduction in bubble discharge are prevented and stable liquid ejection is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hajime Nakao
  • Patent number: 8960864
    Abstract: A nozzle unit for a printer that includes a sleeve having a guide path formed in the sleeve and through which ink passes, a nozzle hole seat arranged at one end of the sleeve and having a nozzle hole corresponding to the guide path, and a nozzle holder accommodating the sleeve and the nozzle hole seat, having an opening whose diameter is larger than a diameter of the nozzle hole of the nozzle hole seat so that the ink passing through the nozzle hole is externally discharged through the opening, and including a paramagnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyoung-Wook Min
  • Patent number: 8960862
    Abstract: An actuator included in a head substrate of an ink-jet head receives, with an electrode on the surface of the actuator, power fed from the wiring of a wiring substrate arranged opposite the head substrate. A first electrode of the wiring substrate is electrically connected to the wiring, and protrudes to the side of the head substrate. A second electrode is electrically connected to the electrode on the surface of the actuator, protrudes to the side of the wiring substrate and is electrically connected to the first electrode. The head substrate and the wiring substrate are adhered to each other through an adhesive layer such that a space to which the first electrode and the second electrode are exposed is hermetically sealed. The hermetically sealed space is in a vacuum state or is filled with a gas containing a predetermined amount of water or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Kitamura, Mitsuyoshi Miyai, Shinya Matsuda