Patents Examined by Lisa M. Solomon
  • Patent number: 9782969
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead may include a passivation layer, a bond pad formed over the passivation layer and insulating strips of a dielectric material formed over the passivation layer on opposite sides of the bond pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Stan E. Leigh, Terry Mcmahon, Thomas P. Abadilla
  • Patent number: 9776401
    Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus includes, a droplet ejection head, wherein the droplet ejection head includes a nozzle communicated with a pressure chamber, a first piezoelectric element configured to pressure liquid in the pressure chamber so as to cause a droplet to be ejected, and a second piezoelectric element capable of pressuring the liquid in the pressure chamber, a first drive waveform generation unit configured to generate a first drive waveform to be applied to the first piezoelectric element, a second drive waveform generation unit configured to generate a second drive waveform to be applied to the second piezoelectric element, and a control unit configured to apply the second drive waveform to the second piezoelectric element after the first piezoelectric element is driven due to the applied first drive waveform. Residual vibration of the liquid in the pressure chamber is suppressed by a vibration caused by the second piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirohito Murate
  • Patent number: 9776402
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method of fabricating a thermal ink jet printhead including depositing a first metal layer having a thickness to form a power bus, deposing a first dielectric layer, forming a via in the first dielectric layer to connect the first metal layer to a second metal layer, depositing the second metal layer, depositing a resistive layer, forming a thermal resistor in the resistive layer, depositing a second dielectric layer, and removing a portion of the second dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Lawrence H. White, Anthony M. Fuller, Huyen Pham
  • Patent number: 9776416
    Abstract: A method, a wiping apparatus, and a wiping system to store web material in a multi-folded state in a web storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steve A. O'Hara, Scott Martin
  • Patent number: 9776415
    Abstract: A printer includes: a platen; a printhead assembly having an inkjet printhead operatively positioned opposite the platen; a feed mechanism for feeding a web of print media over the platen and along a printing feed path; and a diverter configured for periodically diverting a portion of the web towards the printhead assembly and along a maintenance feed path. The portion of the web diverted along the maintenance feed path wipes part of the printhead assembly and removes condensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventor: Glenn Horrocks
  • Patent number: 9770927
    Abstract: Examples of a container assembly are disclosed herein. An example of the container assembly includes a regulated tank to supply printing composition and a free tank to supply reserve printing composition to the regulated tank. The container assembly also includes a regulator assembly to control flow of the reserve printing composition from the free tank to the regulated tank and an inflation assembly to prime the regulated tank to supply the printing composition. The container assembly additionally includes a labyrinth to fluidically isolate the flow of ambient air into and out of the regulator assembly from the flow of a supply of air into the inflation assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Patrick V Boyd, Milo A Undlin, Mike M Morrow, Michael E Goodale
  • Patent number: 9764557
    Abstract: In a configuration in which an ink accommodating portion is provided on the outside of an apparatus main body, both improvement of maintenance and suppressing of performance deterioration of the apparatus are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Miyamoto, Satoshi Iwaya, Masaki Shimomura, Tokujiro Okuno
  • Patent number: 9757958
    Abstract: A printer that conveys label paper or black mark paper executes an appropriate process when conveying paper that has been spliced. While conveying label paper or black mark paper by the conveyance unit 42, the inkjet printer 5 calculates the interval at which the labels or marks are disposed based on detecting the label edges or marks by a sensor disposed to the conveyance path. An error is detected if the calculated interval is shorter than a specified length. If the calculated interval is longer than the specified length, the calculated interval is compared with the previously calculated interval. If the previously calculated interval is the same as the specified length, an error is not detected. If the previously calculated interval is longer than the specified length, an error is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Saikawa
  • Patent number: 9757957
    Abstract: A cartridge label printer is provided for printing and applying a label to a cartridge, such as a tape cartridge in a tape library system. The cartridge label printer includes a housing having a form factor and electrical connectors identical to a tape drive module of the tape library system, and a controller to control functions of the cartridge label printer. The controller is compatible with a communication protocol of the tape drive module. The cartridge label printer further includes a label supply roll comprising individual labels on a carrier tape, an empty carrier tape reception roll, a label printing device adapted for printing a code on the label, a carrier tape transport unit, a label removal unit adapted for a removal of a label from the carrier tape, and a label application unit adapted for applying the label to the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus Breuer, Frank Krick, Thorsten Muehge, Erik Rueger
  • Patent number: 9751323
    Abstract: A printing fluid delivery system includes a reservoir, a conduit system, and a first heating module. The reservoir may store printing fluid. The conduit system may include a plurality of conduit segments to transport the printing fluid between the reservoir and the printing fluid applicator. The first heating module may selectively heat one conduit segment to increase a temperature of the printing fluid therein to a first temperature which is greater than a second temperature of the printing fluid in an other conduit segment, and to thermally induce recirculation of the printing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Joan-Albert Miravet Jimenez, Alex Andrea Tallada, Francisco Lopez Moral
  • Patent number: 9751351
    Abstract: A system for performing substrateless and/or local donor Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT), comprising a reservoir (9) comprising at least one opening; and an energy source configured to deliver energy to a donor material within said reservoir. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the energy source is a pulsed laser. This system enables deposition of material by LIFT without any need for a donor substrate. Methods of substrateless and local donor LIFT are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: PHOTON JET LTD
    Inventor: Aryeh Batt
  • Patent number: 9751314
    Abstract: A discharger is configured to discharge liquid in a liquid channel to outside the liquid channel. The liquid is at least one of first liquid and second liquid different from the first liquid. An agitator is configured to agitate the liquid in the liquid channel. When executed by a processor, instructions cause the processor to perform: an introducing process of, when the second liquid exists in the liquid channel, controlling the discharger to discharge the second liquid to outside the liquid channel and to introduce the first liquid from the tank into the liquid channel; an agitating process of, after the introducing process, controlling the agitator to agitate the liquid in the liquid channel; and a discharging process of, after the agitating process, controlling the discharger to discharge the liquid in the liquid channel agitated by the agitator to outside the liquid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 9751301
    Abstract: Even if electrostatic discharge occurs, dielectric breakdown of an insulating layer for covering an element on a base substrate is inhibited. A substrate for an ink jet recording head includes: a base substrate including an element configured to apply energy for ejecting ink to ink and an insulating protective layer for covering the element; an ejection orifice forming member including an insulating first member for forming an ink flow path for supplying ink to the element and a second member including an ejection orifice surface having ejection orifices provided therein; and a columnar conductive member extending between the second member and the base substrate in a direction intersecting the ejection orifice surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Takahashi, Shinya Iwahashi, Soichiro Nagamochi, Souta Takeuchi, Takuya Hatsui, Shuichi Tamatsukuri
  • Patent number: 9744761
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a modulation circuit that generates a modulation signal obtained by pulse-modulating a source signal by self oscillation, a transistor pair which includes a high side transistor and a low side transistor and which generates an amplified modulation signal by amplifying the modulation signal, a demodulator which includes an inductor and a capacitor and which generates a drive signal by smoothing the amplified modulation signal, an piezoelectric element that is displaced when the drive signal is applied, a cavity inside which a liquid droplet is filled and whose internal volume is changed by the displacement of the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle provided to discharge liquid inside the cavity according to the change of the internal volume of the cavity. A distance between the high side transistor and the capacitor is longer than a distance between the inductor and the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Dai Nozawa
  • Patent number: 9744764
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first drive substrate (a pressure chamber substrate and a vibration plate) including a piezoelectric element formed thereon, and a second substrate (a sealing plate) bonded to the first drive substrate, a bonding resin forms an accommodating space that surrounds and accommodates a drive region of the piezoelectric element between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a reinforced resin that supports the first substrate and the second substrate in a position deviated from the drive region in the accommodating space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihide Matsuo
  • Patent number: 9738090
    Abstract: A thermal head for a thermal transfer machine is provided to transfer a film onto a card. The thermal head may include a frame intended to be secured to the machine. The thermal head may also include a heating bar mounted on the frame, intended to create heat and having a heating surface designed to diffuse said heat towards the outside. The thermal head may yet also include a pad produced from a flexible material and fixed removably against the heating surface so as to be placed between the heating surface and the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: EVOLIS
    Inventors: Benoit Letard, Anthony Chiron
  • Patent number: 9732246
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides non-Newtonian inkjet inks and related methods. In one example, a non-Newtonian inkjet ink can comprise a gelator in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; a salt in an amount of 0.05% to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; a sugar alcohol in an amount of 1% to 25% by weight based on the total weight of the non-Newtonian inkjet ink; and an organic solvent. The gelator and the salt can form a structured network, where the inkjet ink has a first dynamic viscosity ranging from 25 cps to 10,000 cps at a first state and a second dynamic viscosity ranging from 1 cps to 50 cps at a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Raymond Adamic, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9731508
    Abstract: A liquid jet head manufacturing method, a method for integrally manufacturing a liquid jet apparatus, a liquid jet head, a printing apparatus and a liquid jet apparatus. The manufacturing method includes: forming multiple pressure-generating members arranged spaced apart on a first substrate; forming, on a first surface of first substrate, pressure chambers corresponding to multiple pressure-generating members, and a common chamber in communication with multiple pressure chambers; forming a transition layer on pressure chambers, and forming a jet orifice plate on transition layer; and forming, on jet orifice plate and transition layer, jet orifices in communication with pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, ZHUHAI SEINE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Helin Zou, Jingzhi He, Yue Li, Xiaokun Chen
  • Patent number: 9731529
    Abstract: A mounting apparatus for mounting a printing apparatus to a structure includes an attachment part, which is attachable to the structure, and a support member upon which a printing apparatus is supportable. The support member enables the printing apparatus to be located in a desired position along a first axis, which extends in a first direction relative to the structure, and wherein at least a part of a footprint of the support member defined in a first plane, which is substantially transverse to the first axis, overlaps at least a part of a footprint of the printing apparatus defined in a second plane, which is substantially transverse to the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Dover Europe Sarl
    Inventor: Mohammed Jamal Toudmeri
  • Patent number: 9731526
    Abstract: In a printer that performs printing on a label of a continuous paper while feeding the continuous paper unwound from a paper sheet supply unit, a platen roller portion is configured to be attachable and detachable only by operating an operating lever portion of an attaching and detaching operation portion. The attaching and detaching operation portion has its shaft fixed in a rotatable state between a bearing ring and a platen main body on one side in an axial direction of the platen roller portion. Pulling the operating lever portion of the attaching and detaching operation portion releases a locked state of the attaching and detaching operation portion itself and a locked state in the axial direction of the platen roller portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoshi Onodera