Patents Examined by Roger W Pisha, II
  • Patent number: 10131154
    Abstract: There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus capable of preventing a user from erroneously performing an opening and closing operation of a valve in the supply of ink to a recording head from an ink tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Matsumura, Koki Shimada, Yusuke Tanaka, Takahiro Kiuchi, Masaya Shimmachi, Yukimichi Kimura, Junichi Kubokawa, Kyohei Sato
  • Patent number: 10093501
    Abstract: A winding device includes a winding shaft that rotates and winds a print medium conveyed from a printing device having a conveyance roller that conveys the print medium, a gear, and a motor driving the conveyance roller and the gear. The winding device also includes a power transfer mechanism to connect to the gear and transfer power to the motor, and a lever disposed between the winding shaft and the conveyance roller in a conveyance path in a configuration in which the winding device is connected to the printing device. The lever may be moved between a first position in which the print medium bends and a second position in which the print medium bends at a shallower angle than at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawajiri, Toru Takami
  • Patent number: 10027828
    Abstract: A first hinge connects a scanner to a printer, which is below the scanner, to allow the scanner to pivot about a first axis extending along a first direction. The first hinge includes a first support portion supported by the scanner, a second support portion supported by the printer, and a first pivot portion defining the first axis. A housing of the scanner includes a side surface near the first axis and extending along the first direction and along a second direction perpendicular to a document support surface of the scanner, and an accommodating portion recessed in a third direction which is from the side surface toward the scanning unit. The first support portion includes a first end portion at which the first pivot portion is located, and a second end portion which includes an accommodated portion. The accommodated portion is accommodated in the accommodating portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuro Miura
  • Patent number: 9994038
    Abstract: A flow passage member is used in a liquid ejecting head including an ejecting unit. The ejecting unit communicates with a self-sealing unit which is a negative pressure generation mechanism. The flow passage member includes a flow passage internal pressure adjustment mechanism that adjusts a pressure inside a flow passage between the self-sealing unit and the ejecting unit by changing a volume of the flow passage on a way of the flow passage and a flow passage opening and closing mechanism that opens and closes the flow passage on a way of a flow passage between the self-sealing unit and the flow passage internal pressure adjustment mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Fujio Akahane, Yasuyuki Kudo
  • Patent number: 9987857
    Abstract: A printing device including: a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path configured to conveying print media; a skew correction unit configured to correct skewing of the print medium conveyed along the first conveyance path; and a print unit configured to print on the print medium conveyed on the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path; the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path merging downstream of the skew correction unit; print media conveyed from the second conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji Moriyama, Hiroyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 9981475
    Abstract: An ink supply apparatus includes a first ink tank, a second ink tank, a first flow path configured to connect the first ink tank and the second ink tank, a volume change unit disposed on the first flow path, configured to be able to change an internal volume of its own, and allow ink to flow thereinto from the first flow path when the internal volume is expanded and to flow out to the first flow path when the internal volume is reduced, a first opening and closing unit disposed between the first ink tank and the volume change unit, and a second opening and closing unit disposed between the second ink tank and the volume change unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Watanabe, Kouhei Tokuda, Tsutomu Obata, Hiroyuki Matsunaka, Naoaki Wada, Eiichi Adachi, Noriyuki Aoki, Toshiro Sugiyama, Ryohei Maruyama, Ryuichi Kato
  • Patent number: 9969175
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid container that is able to prevent or suppress spilling of a liquid that is poured into an opening part. An ink cartridge has a first wall part defining a rear end of the ink cartridge and a second wall part extending on a forward side +X from an upper edge of the first wall part. An ink inlet port that receives ink for refilling is formed in the second wall part. Ink is poured into the ink inlet port from the first wall part side. The ink inlet port has a length dimension in the front-rear direction X that is longer than in the width direction Y, and thus readily receives ink that is poured therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Naito, Yuji Aoki, Hiroshi Nose, Munehide Kanaya
  • Patent number: 9972463
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a pressing member having plural protruding pressing parts, a first opening-formed member having plural first openings into which the plural pressing parts are inserted so as to individually protrude, a second opening-formed member having plural second openings into which the plural pressing parts are inserted so as to individually protrude, and a positioning member positioning the pressing member, first opening-formed member, and second opening-formed member so that the plural pressing parts are disposed at positions where the plural pressing parts are inserted in the plural first openings and plural second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kouji Oshima
  • Patent number: 9950535
    Abstract: A liquid container includes a liquid container portion and a liquid inlet portion. The liquid inlet portion is connected with the liquid container portion and configured to pour liquid into the liquid container portion. The liquid container portion includes a bottom wall, a liquid inlet portion-forming wall that is located above the bottom wall and at which the liquid inlet portion is arranged, a visual recognition wall, an opposite wall opposite the visual recognition wall, and a partition wall. The visual recognition wall is a wall that extends in a direction intersecting the bottom wall and the liquid inlet portion-forming wall and through which the liquid in the liquid container portion is visible from outside. At least a part of the partition wall is located between the visual recognition wall. The opening is an intersecting part at which the liquid inlet portion intersects with the liquid inlet portion-forming wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Munehide Kanaya
  • Patent number: 9937731
    Abstract: A system for printing an image on a surface includes a robot, a printhead having a reference line printing mechanism, and a reference line sensor. The robot has at least one arm. The printhead is mounted to the arm and is movable by the arm over a surface along a rastering path while printing a new image slice on the surface. The reference line printing mechanism is configured to print a reference line on the surface when printing the new image slice. The reference line sensor is configured to sense the reference line of an existing image slice and transmit a signal to the robot causing the arm to adjust the printhead in a manner such that a side edge of the new image slice is aligned with the side edge of the existing image slice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Mathis, Philip L. Freeman
  • Patent number: 9937732
    Abstract: A medium transport apparatus includes a transport section configured to support a medium and transport the medium in a transport direction, and a wrinkle reducing section configured to come into contact with the medium to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the medium. The wrinkle reducing section can change surfaces to come into contact with the medium. The medium transport apparatus having such a structure enables to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Kanemoto
  • Patent number: 9938136
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes ejection circuitry and one time programmable memory with a minimal number of contact pads to external devices. The die includes a relatively large number of nozzles and a relatively small number of contact pads. The die includes decoding circuitry that utilizes the small number of contact pads to control the drive and ejection of the nozzles and the reading/writing of the memory with the same contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD, STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L., STMICROELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Teck Khim Neo, Mauro Pasetti, Franco Consiglieri, Luca Molinari, Andrea Nicola Colecchia, Simon Dodd
  • Patent number: 9925800
    Abstract: A printing apparatus may include a dispensing device and a print device. The dispensing device may be configured for dispensing a film, wherein the film has an adhesive side. The print device may be arranged about the dispensing device in a position and orientation allowing the print device to impart information onto the adhesive side of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventors: Allen Cork, Andy Brown
  • Patent number: 9925768
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle plate, a diaphragm, an electromechanical transducer element, and a characteristic fluctuation suppressor. The nozzle plate has a nozzle orifice communicated with a chamber to discharge a discharge liquid stored in the chamber. The diaphragm divides a part of the chamber. The transducer element is disposed on the diaphragm and includes a lamination of a lower electrode, an electromechanical transducer film, and an upper electrode. The suppressor applies a characteristic fluctuation suppression voltage to suppress characteristic fluctuation of the transducer element in a section between a drive waveform applied to the transducer element and a subsequent drive waveform. The suppressor sets the suppression voltage to be larger than a negative coercive electric field of the transducer film and smaller than a positive coercive electric field of the transducer film and have a waveform that does not discharge the liquid in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Naoya Kondo
  • Patent number: 9919519
    Abstract: A printhead including a fluid slot area in which a plurality of fluid slots are formed and a temperature sensing member, heating element or temperature sensing resistor including an edge portion and an inner portion. The edge portion extends along at least a part of an edge of the fluid slot area and the inner portion is connected to the edge portion and extends in-between two adjacent fluid slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Ning Ge
  • Patent number: 9919334
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a microfluidic die that includes a plurality of heaters above a substrate, a plurality of chambers and nozzles above the heaters, a plurality of first contacts coupled to the heaters, and a plurality of second contacts coupled to the heaters. The plurality of second contacts are coupled to each other and coupled to ground. The die includes a plurality of contact pads, a first signal line coupled to the plurality of second contacts and to a first one of the plurality of contact pads, and a plurality of second signal lines, each second signal line being coupled to one of the plurality of first contacts, groups of the second signal lines being coupled together to drive a group of the plurality of heaters with a single signal, each group of the second signal lines being coupled to a remaining one of the plurality of contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics, Inc., STMicroelectronics S.R.L., STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Simon Dodd, Joe Scheffelin, Dave Hunt, Matt Giere, Dana Gruenbacher, Faiz Sherman
  • Patent number: 9902171
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a recording medium by discharging liquid droplets onto the medium; and a media heater to heat the medium by contacting a rear surface of the medium opposite a surface of the medium on which the image is formed, in which the media heater includes a contact member with a contact surface having a predetermined curvature that the medium contacts, the contact member is a roller member, and the medium closely contacts the contact surface of the contact member across an entire width of the medium in a direction perpendicular to the media conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hoshino, Kenji Sato, Hirokazu Ikenoue, Satoshi Kitaoka, Hideaki Nishimura, Yoko Ishii
  • Patent number: 9902150
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a first substrate in which a piezoelectric element is provided; and a second substrate on which the first substrate is connected to a first surface, in which the second substrate is provided with a penetration hole, which penetrates through the second substrate in a plate thickness direction, and penetration wiring, which is formed from a conductor that is formed in an inner portion of the penetration hole, the penetration wiring is formed from a first end portion, which is provided on a first surface side, a second end portion, which is provided on a second surface side, which is a surface that is on an opposite side to the first surface, and connection wiring, which connects the first end portion and the second end portion, and a cross-sectional area of the connection wiring in a planar direction of the first surface is smaller than cross-sectional areas of the first end portion and the second end portion in the planar direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Shuichi Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Yoda, Naohiro Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9895917
    Abstract: Provided herein are devices, methods and other means, including those related to printers, as well as computer readable media for storing code to execute instructions for a device, and other systems for providing and supporting mobile printing and other types of devices. An example disclosed printer includes circuitry that includes: a processor; connector circuitry; and input/output circuitry; a first circuit board onto which the processor is disposed; a second circuit board onto which the connector circuitry is disposed; and a third circuit board onto which the input/output circuitry is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew D. Corvese, Roy P. Lyman, Gregory J. Klein, Patrick J. Hegarty, Michael L. Lamontagne, Raymond J. LeBlanc, David F. Beck
  • Patent number: 9895878
    Abstract: A printing apparatus (liquid droplet ejecting apparatus) includes a detector configured to output a first signal which denotes that a medium is not supported on a support face of a medium support unit, and a second signal which denotes that a medium is supported on the support face; and a controller that limits executing of a printing operation when the first signal in received and allows executing of a printing operation when the second signal is received. The controller is configured to ignore the first signal or interpret the first signal as the second signal under a specified condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Yuichi Honobe