Patents Examined by Sharon A. Polk
  • Patent number: 11845282
    Abstract: A liquid accommodating body is detachably mounted on a mounting portion having a waste liquid flow-out portion for discharging a waste liquid, and a liquid flow-in portion. The liquid accommodating body includes a waste liquid flow-in portion that is coupled to the waste liquid flow-out portion when the liquid accommodating body is mounted on the mounting portion, and a waste liquid accommodating portion configured to accommodate the waste liquid discharged from the waste liquid flow-out portion. Further, the liquid accommodating body includes a liquid flow-out portion that is coupled to the liquid flow-in portion when the liquid accommodating body is mounted on the mounting portion, and an adjusting water accommodating portion configured to accommodate adjusting water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuta Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11840089
    Abstract: An inkjet head cleaning device includes a body; an ejection part formed in the body, and configured to eject a cleaning liquid to a nozzle surface of a head; and a suction part formed in the body, and configured to suck the cleaning liquid ejected from the ejection part and used for cleaning the nozzle surface of the head, and foreign substances separated from the nozzle surface of the head; and the ejection part includes a vertical passage through which the cleaning liquid flows and a discharge end at the end of the vertical passage and configured to guide the cleaning liquid to eject toward the suction part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Hyun You, Hun Sub Lim
  • Patent number: 11840083
    Abstract: A single pass inkjet printer that utilizes a modular printing system with one or more self-contained printing modules, where each printing module is easy to remove and replace from a large printing machine, thus resulting in an overall system that is easy to service and maintain. Each module is a self-contained printer including an ink supply, printhead drive electronics, and printhead assembly in order to provide one color or fluid of inkjet printing capability. Each module includes a precise three-point compliant self-aligning mount system to obtain accurate printhead positioning, and a unique integrated printhead tending system that includes a compact movable vacuum knife for cleaning the printheads, and a printhead capping station for sealing and protecting the printheads from the ambient environment when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Prototype and Production Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Willard Charles Raymond, Charles Carlson Langford, Nathan Albert Bergman, Michael Laurence Beauchene, Anthony David Kaufhold, Richard Charles Raymond, Nicholas Todd Mann
  • Patent number: 11840086
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head having discharge ports for discharging a liquid, a cap configured to cap the discharge ports, a switching unit configured to switch between a communication state where an inside of the cap communicates with the atmosphere and a non-communication state where the inside of the cap does not communicate with the atmosphere, and a depressurization unit configured to depressurize the inside of the cap. After driving of the depressurization unit is started while the cap is at a capping position for capping the discharge ports and is in the non-communication state, the switching unit switches the cap to the communication state and then the driving of the depressurization unit is stopped. Idle suction is performed by driving the depressurization unit while the cap is at the capping position and is in the communication state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Narumi
  • Patent number: 11833824
    Abstract: Provided is a waste liquid storing container capable of reducing imbalance in the absorption of waste liquid in an absorber that absorbs waste liquid. The liquid storing container includes a liquid absorber that absorbs liquid, a casing that houses the liquid absorber, a discharge portion that discharges liquid down in a direction of gravitational force into the casing, and an introduction space into which the liquid from the discharge portion is introduced. The liquid storing container further includes a liquid divider provided inside the introduction space to divide the liquid discharged from the discharge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Nitobe, Noriko Sato, Shingo Horita
  • Patent number: 11833827
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a printing apparatus that is capable of obtaining accurately the amount of a waste liquid discharged from a printing unit. The printing apparatus includes a discharge unit that executes a discharge operation to discharge the liquid from the ejection port of the printing unit. The printing apparatus also includes a determination unit that determines filling states of the liquid in a printing apparatus main body and the printing unit and an obtaining unit that obtains, based on the filling states, a waste liquid amount discharged from the ejection port by the discharge operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Komamiya
  • Patent number: 11827029
    Abstract: An example method comprises identifying a plurality of supply levels corresponding to a set of print supplies of a print device. The example method further comprises coordinating depletion of the set of print supplies by selecting between black print and process black print for a print job of the print device based on the plurality of supply levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mark Q. Shaw, Scott K. Hymas, Jeffrey H. Luke, Gabriel Scott McDaniel
  • Patent number: 11827023
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus. A print head includes a nozzle that discharges a liquid. A recovery unit includes a cap that caps the nozzle and a pump that suctions a liquid from the nozzle via the cap, and discharges to a waste liquid tank that accommodates a waste liquid of suctioned liquid. A control unit causes the recovery unit to execute at least one of a first recovery operation, in which the suction pump is driven at a first driving amount, or a second recovery operation, in which the pump is driven at a second driving amount smaller than the first driving amount, based on an amount of waste liquid discharged to the waste liquid tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kei Kosaka, Tetsuya Narazaki
  • Patent number: 11813868
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a discharge unit configured to discharge liquid, a maintenance unit configured to cause the discharge unit to eject liquid to perform maintenance of the discharge unit, and a control unit configured to cause the maintenance unit to perform the maintenance periodically, wherein when performing the maintenance, the control unit performs first maintenance in a case in which a consumption amount of the liquid consumed after the maintenance previously performed is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and performs second maintenance stronger than the first maintenance in a case in which the consumption amount is less than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Haga, Tadahiro Mizutani, Yasuaki Hirai
  • Patent number: 11813871
    Abstract: A digital printing device, comprising a nozzle plates' cleaning bar (9) equipped with a plurality of cleaning heads (22) supported in a floating manner by a bar body (23), so as to adapt their own height to the one of an overlying printing module comprising a specific nozzle plate corresponding to the cleaning head (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: NEOS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Vincenzo Palumbo
  • Patent number: 11807005
    Abstract: In some examples, a fluid ejection die includes a plurality of nozzles arranged in a plurality of nozzle columns, the plurality of nozzle columns distributed across a width of the fluid ejection die in a staggered manner, wherein nozzles of each respective nozzle column of the plurality of nozzle columns are spaced apart along a length of the fluid ejection die, wherein the plurality of nozzle columns includes a first pair of neighboring nozzle columns that are spaced by a first distance across the width. The plurality of nozzle columns includes a second pair of neighboring nozzle columns that are spaced by a second distance across the width, the second distance being larger than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Galen Cook, Garrett E. Clark, Michael W. Cumbie, James R. Przybyla, Richard Seaver, Frank D. Derryberry, Si-Lam J. Choy
  • Patent number: 11807011
    Abstract: An information processing system includes a storage portion, a reception portion, and a processing portion. The storage portion stores a learned model obtained by performing machine learning on a replacement condition of a print head based on a data set in which nozzle surface image information obtained by photographing a nozzle surface of the print head and replacement necessity information representing replacement necessity of the print head or a replacement timing of the print head are associated with each other. The reception portion receives the nozzle surface image information. The processing portion outputs the replacement necessity information of the print head based on the received nozzle surface image information and the learned model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunaga Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11806995
    Abstract: A roll sheet with a continuous sheet wound in a roll form is rotated in a forward direction to supply the sheet to a printing unit. A sensor whose output is changed in accordance with a distance between the sensor and the sheet is used. A rotation direction of the roll sheet is switched from an opposite direction to the forward direction on the basis of the output of the sensor during rotation of the roll sheet in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Eiyama, Yuki Igarashi, Masashi Kamada, Masashi Negishi, Ryoya Shinjo, Ryo Kobayashi, Tomohiro Suzuki, Tsutomu Obata
  • Patent number: 11807008
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to an inkjet service station and methods of servicing an inkjet printer with the inkjet service station. The inkjet service station is disposed in an inkjet printer of an inkjet chamber. The inkjet service station is operable to perform servicing operations on a processing apparatus of the inkjet printer. The servicing operations include at least one of printhead spitting, printhead purging, printhead flushing, printhead cleaning, printhead drying, or vacuum suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daihua Zhang, Kang Luo, Kazuya Daito, Kenneth S. Ledford, Elsa Massonneau, Alexey Stepanov, Ludovic Godet, Mahendran Chidambaram, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Bahubali S. Upadhye, Hemantha Raju
  • Patent number: 11807017
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejection apparatus including an ink cartridge including a first ink storage section which stores ink; an ink tank including a second ink storage section which is connected to the ink cartridge and supplied with ink from the ink cartridge; and a detection unit including a light emitting section which emits detection light and a light receiving section which receives the detection light, in which the ink cartridge includes a first protrusion in communication with the first ink storage section, the ink tank includes a recess and a second protrusion in communication with the second ink storage section, the light emitting section and the light receiving section are arranged in the recess, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are arranged between the light emitting section and the light receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11801695
    Abstract: An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system (100) for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system (100) comprises at least one gripper conveyor (150) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system (100) further comprises at least one support conveyor (190) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the supported individual sheet and the support conveyor (190) are movable along the transport direction with respect to each other. The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: BOBST MEX SA
    Inventors: Olivier Freymond, Patrick Wittwer, Javier Perez, Nicolas Mosetti, Mathieu Gavin, David Pousaz, Romain Bersier
  • Patent number: 11787186
    Abstract: A printer includes a line head and a wiper unit. The line head is provided to be movable between a recording position and a retreat position and performs recording on a medium by ejecting ink from an ejection surface at the recording position. The wiper unit is provided to be movable, in the Y direction, between a maintenance position at which a maintenance operation is able to be performed and a non-maintenance position away from the maintenance position. A permitting section is formed in the wiper unit. The permitting section permits a portion of the line head to move in a direction intersecting the Y direction in a state in which the wiper unit is at the non-maintenance position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Shimomura, Seiya Sato
  • Patent number: 11787190
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device includes an ink reservoir that stores ink containing particles, an inkjet head part that receives the ink from the ink reservoir and ejects the ink onto a target substrate and a driver for rotating the ink reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Han Su Kim, Eun A Yang, Jong Hyuk Kang, Hyun Min Cho
  • Patent number: 11787188
    Abstract: A maintenance apparatus that prevents a reduction in image quality of an image recorded by a liquid discharge head is provided. A maintenance apparatus includes an application unit configured to come into contact with a discharge surface included in a recording head and apply a cleaning liquid to the discharge surface, wherein discharge ports configured to discharge a liquid are formed on the discharge surface, a suction unit configured to suction the discharge surface, a movement unit configured to move the suction unit relative to the recording head, and a control unit configured to execute a first cleaning mode where, after the application unit applies the cleaning liquid, the suction unit suctions the discharge surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hikaru Watanabe, Takuya Hane, Satoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11780230
    Abstract: A wiper for wiping a nozzle surface of a liquid discharge head that discharges liquid from the nozzle is provided. The wiper comprises a plurality of layers including at least a first layer, and the first layer has a surface that contacts the nozzle surface. The surface that contacts the nozzle surface has a maximum height of waviness Wz of from 100 to 600 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takumi Atake, Yohta Sakon, Hiroko Ohkura