Patents Examined by Matthew Luu
  • Printing apparatus and printing method
    Patent number: 10596822
    Abstract: A printing apparatus performing printing by an inkjet scheme includes: an inkjet head; and a controller, configured to control the operation of a main scan driver and a sub scan driver to perform a main scanning operation multiple times on each position on a medium. In the main scanning operation, for at least part of ejection positions serving as ejection targets of ink droplets in the main scanning operation, the controller causes the inkjet head to eject an ink droplet in accordance with a mask for selecting part of the at least part of ejection positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiichi Ohara, Akira Takatsu
  • Printing apparatus and control method of printing apparatus
    Patent number: 10589532
    Abstract: A printing apparatus provided with a carriage provided with a mounting unit which can be mounted with a cartridge in which ink is accommodated and a printing head, an ink tank which stores ink, and a control unit which controls ejecting of ink using the printing head, in which, in a case in which the control unit obtains information for blocking ejecting of ink corresponding to the mounting unit, ejecting of ink, by the printing head, corresponding to the mounting unit is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Tanaka, Yasumasa Nakajima
  • Inkjet printing apparatus
    Patent number: 10576745
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a head unit including a print head provided with an ejection opening surface for ejecting ink and performing a print operation with respect to a print medium, a platen unit including a platen having a support surface to support the print medium opposite to the ejection opening surface in a case in which the print head performs the print operation, and a spacer member configured to define a print gap between the ejection opening surface and the support surface by abutting against the head unit. A cap member caps the ejection opening surface, and a cap moving unit moves the cap member with respect to the ejection opening surface. In addition, an adjusting member adjusts the print gap by moving the spacer member in association with an operation in which the cap moving unit moves the cap member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Kohnotoh
  • Method and device for controlling printing elements of an ink print head
    Patent number: 10569536
    Abstract: In a method for controlling printing elements of an ink print head, an idle time between the ejection of two dots from the same nozzle is determined. In the event that the idle time exceeds a predetermined threshold (?tS), a determined number of vibration cycles is performed (e.g. in immediate succession). The number of vibration cycles is determined based on the idle time, such that more vibration cycles are performed the longer that the idle time lasts between the ejections of two dots from the same nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Océ Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hettler, Christian Maier, Josef Liebl
  • Inkjet printer using oil-based ink
    Patent number: 10569546
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes: an oil-based ink containing silicone oil; and inkjet heads each including a nozzle row in which nozzles configured to eject the oil-based ink to a print medium conveyed in a conveyance direction are arranged, the inkjet heads being arranged adjacent to each other with the nozzles in each nozzle row arranged in a direction non-orthogonally intersecting the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinsuke Ozawa, Shinichiro Shimura, Marie Morinaga, Kazuyuki Ando, Hikaru Sugiura
  • Flow path member and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 10562314
    Abstract: A flow path member includes a filter, a first space provided with an entrance through which a ink flows in, and a second space separated from the first space by the filter and that has an exit through which the ink flows out and a bottom surface facing the filter, in which the bottom surface includes an inclined surface spaced away from the filter from an end of the filter toward a center in a case where the filter is viewed in plan view, and the exit is in a middle of the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yohei Emi
  • Method of manufacturing liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting head
    Patent number: 10532574
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting method includes: a first step of injection molding passage members collectively constituting a passage for a liquid in the liquid ejecting head; a second step of moving the passage members to bring the passage members into contact with each other; and a third step of injecting a sealing material into a space between the passage members held in contact with each other, and filling the space with the sealing material. The sealing material is injected and filled, from a gate on a longitudinal side of the passage members, in a direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction of the passage members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Iwano, Yukuo Yamaguchi, Toshiaki Hirosawa, Hiromasa Amma, Soji Kondo, Noriyasu Nagai
  • Thermal head and thermal printer
    Patent number: 10525730
    Abstract: A thermal head according to the present disclosure includes: a substrate; a first electrode; a heat generating section; a second electrode; a resin layer; and a protective layer. The first electrode is located on the substrate. The heat generating section is located on the substrate. The second electrode is located on the substrate so as to be electrically connected to the heat generating section and the first electrode. The resin layer is located on the first electrode. The protective layer is located on the resin layer. Moreover, the resin layer includes a first portion inserted in the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Ishii
  • Tape and tape cassette
    Patent number: 10525747
    Abstract: A tape includes: a sheet; first and second media; a first separating line located between first and second media of one pair and extending between first and second ends of the sheet in a widthwise direction; a first cutting portion formed through the first medium and extending from a first end of the first medium to a first endpoint; a second cutting portion formed through the second medium and extending from a first end of the second medium to a second endpoint; and second and third separating lines extending in a longitudinal direction between the first endpoint and a first-medium end portion and between the second endpoint and a second-medium end portion, respectively. A side of the first endpoint on which the first-medium end portion is located is identical in the longitudinal direction to a side of the second endpoint on which the second-medium end portion is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Harumitsu Inoue, Haruki Matsumoto, Takaaki Banno, Yukiko Takami, Yukihiko Sato, Takaaki Oguchi
  • Platen holder
    Patent number: 10518561
    Abstract: In one example, a platen holder includes a surface to support a platen and a clamp to clamp the platen to the surface. The clamp includes a jaw and an actuator to open and close the jaw. The jaw and the actuator located below a plane of the surface and the jaw movable at the urging of the actuator between an open position in which the platen may be placed on or removed from the surface of the holder and a closed position to hold the platen against the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pau Martin, Ricardo Sanchis, Alberto Arredondo, Eduardo Martin, Alejandro Puente
  • Liquid ejecting head and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 10513116
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an ink jet head includes a pair of actuator plates, a return plate, and a flow passage plate. The pair of actuator plates are disposed to face each other in a Y-direction. In the actuator plate, a plurality of channels which extend in a Z-direction are arranged at a distance in an X-direction. The return plate is disposed on an opening end side of the channels in the pair of actuator plates. A circulation passage which communicates with the channels is formed in the return plate. The flow passage plate is disposed between the pair of actuator plates. An inlet flow passage into which an ink flows and an outlet flow passage which communicates with the circulation passage are arranged in the Z-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventors: Yuzuru Kubota, Daichi Nishikawa, Daiki Irokawa, Eriko Maeda, Yutaka Hongo
  • Liquid ejecting head
    Patent number: 10507644
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a print element substrate including an ejection opening for ejecting a liquid, a wiring member including wiring electrically connected to the print element substrate, a connection electrically connecting the print element substrate to the wiring member, a support member supporting the wiring member, a sealing material sealing the connection, and a cover member provided on the support member. In the liquid ejecting head, the wiring member is a strip-shaped member, and a portion of the wiring member provided on a surface of the support member that supports the wiring member is covered by the sealing material and the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shogo Kawamura, Toshiaki Hirosawa, Genji Inada, Hiromasa Amma, Yasuhiko Osaki, Takuya Iwano, Shin Ishimatsu
  • Motor control device and printer
    Patent number: 10511241
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a motor driver and a control unit. The motor driver supplies a drive current to a stepping motor. The control unit is configured to control the motor driver to start a supply of the drive current to the stepping motor in response to a start instruction, and increase the drive current to the stepping motor from zero to a predetermined current value stepwise over a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahide Takahashi
  • Ink jet recording apparatus
    Patent number: 10500869
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head that ejects ink, an ink tank including an ink storage chamber and an air storage chamber. The ink storage chamber stores ink. The air storage chamber supplies air to the ink storage chamber along with supply of ink from the ink storage chamber to the recording head. An ink supply path communicates with the air storage chamber without passing the ink storage chamber. A valve switches between an open state in which the ink storage chamber communicates with the ink supply path and with the air storage chamber, and a close state in which the communication between the ink storage chamber and the ink supply path is blocked and the communication between the ink storage chamber and the air storage chamber is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Matsumura
  • Printing apparatus and method for allocating power circuits in the printing apparatus
    Patent number: 10500845
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes first and second actuators for exerting force to liquid, the number of the second actuators being smaller than the number of the first actuators; a switching circuit; first, second and third power circuits for applying voltages to the first and second actuators; and a controller for controlling driving of the first and second actuators. The controller is configured to control the switching circuit to electrically connect the first power circuit and some of the first actuators, electrically connect the second power circuit to the other of the first actuators and electrically connect the third power circuit to the second actuators, based on the number of the first actuators and the number of the second actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumika Hatta
  • Piezoelectric device, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 10500853
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device including a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, and a vibration plate, in which the piezoelectric element is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer, the vibration plate has a first portion overlapping the piezoelectric element and a second portion having a thickness smaller than that of the first portion and overlapping an inner peripheral surface of a side wall of the pressure chamber, a side surface of the piezoelectric element which intersects the vibration plate has a first surface inclined at a first angle, the vibration plate has a second surface, between the first portion and the second portion, inclined at a second angle smaller than the first angle, and an end portion of the second surface on the side wall side of the pressure chamber overlaps the side wall of the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Eiju Hirai, Naoto Yokoyama, Motoki Takabe, Yoichi Naganuma
  • Liquid jet head and liquid jet device
    Patent number: 10500852
    Abstract: There are provided a liquid jet head and a liquid jet device capable of achieving reduction in size. There are included a first head chip and a second head chip stacked on one another in the Y direction, a first flow channel member disposed on the ?Y direction side of the first head chip, and having an inflow port communicated with an ink tank, and a first ink flow channel adapted to communicate the inflow port and the first head chip with each other, a second flow channel member disposed on the +Y direction of the second head chip, and having a second ink flow channel communicated with the second head chip, and a communication flow channel located between the first flow channel member and the second flow channel member, and adapted to communicate the first ink flow channel and the second ink flow channel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Hamano, Kazuyoshi Tominaga, Takanori Koyano, Atsushi Kozuki, Kenji Suzuki, Masaki Miyagi
  • Liquid discharging apparatus
    Patent number: 10493751
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a head unit driven by a drive signal to discharge a liquid; a substrate; and a first transistor and a second transistor provided on the substrate and configured to generate the drive signal. In the substrate, a screw hole is provided between the first transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Yamada, Koji Kurioka, Kazuhiro Nishiwake, Toru Matsuyama
  • Collection system for ink co-solvents
    Patent number: 10493783
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a collection system for collecting vapor co-solvents that are a byproduct of liquid ink. In addition, the collection system collects dew condensation from the moist air that is generated by lamps that dry the ink on a substrate. The collection system can be located in an exhaust passage. A condenser is installed in parallel and in front of an exhaust fan in the exhaust passage. The exhaust fan directs a flow of air through the exhaust passage. The collection system also includes a removable waste bottle for collecting the dew condensation and the condensed co-solvents. The exhaust passage bifurcates into an exhaust duct that is located after the exhaust fan and which discharges dry air and a collection channel that is located in front of the exhaust fan and which carries liquid drip off to the removable waste bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul F. Sawicki, John R. Uchal, James E. Williams, Robert W. Phelps, Christopher Douglas Atwood
  • Print head substrate and method of manufacturing the same, and semiconductor substrate
    Patent number: 10479075
    Abstract: A print head substrate includes: a substrate surface including a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of pads disposed along a first side and electrically connected to the printing elements, the substrate surface having an acute angle portion formed by the first side and a second side; and a test element group (TEG) area including a TEG not electrically connected to the printing elements, at least a part of the TEG area being located between the second side and a pad closest to a vertex of the acute angle portion among the pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Masataka Sakurai, Koichi Ishida