Patents Examined by Shih-Wen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7784932
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a body housing a print engine. The print engine includes a transport mechanism configured to transport print media and a printhead assembly configured to print upon the print media. The transport mechanism includes a motor which can be driven in one direction when picking an endmost sheet of print media from a stack of print media and driven in another direction when transporting the picked print media during printing. A retractable cover is pivotally mounted relative to the body and can be pivoted to form a sheet feeder in which the stack can be located. A capping mechanism is configured to cap the printhead assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley
  • Patent number: 7784901
    Abstract: There is provided a carriage driving apparatus having a first guide member and a second guide member that extend in parallel and are adjacent to each other, and a carriage disposed between the first guide member and the second guide member that queue side by side, the carriage being capable of reciprocative movement in a extending direction of the guide members by being guided by the guide members. The carriage driving apparatus including a detection strip arranged along the extending direction for detecting the position of the carriage in the extending direction, and first extending portion and second extending portion mounted respectively at one end and another end of the first guide member and extending respectively from each end so as to be perpendicular to the extending direction and a queuing direction of the guide members, the extending portions supporting the detection strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushi Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Tamaki, Kenji Samoto
  • Patent number: 7784900
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes a carriage that moves back and forth along the main scanning direction, plural recording heads mounted on the carriage that discharge recording liquid, a guide that guides the carriage in the main scanning direction, a power source and a drive pulley that drive the carriage to move in the main scanning direction, a driven pulley that transmits the drive power from the power source to the carriage, and a motion transmitting element that is arranged over the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The carriage is forced toward the guide by a tension generated by deflecting an extending direction of the motion transmitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichiro Naruse
  • Patent number: 7780261
    Abstract: A pagewidth printhead assembly that has a pair of pagewidth printheads, each having an array of nozzle for ejecting ink such that the pair of pagewidth printheads print both sides of a sheet of media simultaneously. The assembly also having a capping mechanism with a pair of capping members for capping each of the pagewidth printheads respectively and an actuating mechanism for moving the capping mechanism between a first position in capping engagement with the respective pagewidth printheads and a second position spaced from the nozzles of the respective printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Norman Micheal Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7775625
    Abstract: A printer is provided having a pagewidth printhead assembly having opposed pagewidth printheads, a pagewidth capping member located adjacent the printheads, and an actuating mechanism arranged to move the printheads and capping member. Each printhead has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles arranged across the pagewidth to deliver ink onto opposite faces of print media as it is transported between the printheads. The actuating mechanism moves the printheads between respective printing positions and a non-printing position, and the capping member between the printheads in the non-printing position to cap the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Norman Micheal Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7775646
    Abstract: A liquid jet recording apparatus including a recording head configured to record with droplets, a carriage supporting the recording head and configured to scan a recording medium with the recording head in a direction crossing a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, the carriage being movable to a maintenance position, a holder provided in one of the recording head and the carriage, a recording liquid cartridge adapted to contain liquid for recording, the recording liquid cartridge being attachable to and detachable from the holder, and a guiding unit adapted to guide at least two different sides of the recording liquid cartridge, with respect to the carriage that moves to the maintenance position, to the inner wall surface in a vertical direction when the carriage moves and stops the recording liquid cartridge at the maintenance position where the recording liquid cartridge can be attached to or detached from the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukuo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7766449
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes an ink-jet head having an ink ejection surface which has a plurality of ink ejection ports formed therethough, and a cap including a base, and an annular protrusion which extends from the base in a protruding direction. The annular protrusion has a recess formed therein, and when the annular protrusion contacts the ink ejection surface, an enclosed space is defined therebetween. The apparatus also includes a first movement mechanism configured to move the cap relative to the ink-jet head in a first plane which is parallel to the ink ejection surface to selectively position the annular protrusion in a first position in which the annular protrusion opposes the ink ejection surface, and a second position in which the annular protrusion is offset from the ink ejection surface in the protruding direction. Moreover, the apparatus includes a brush comprising a plurality of flexible needle members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7766450
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus that includes: a recording head that discharges an ink from a plurality of nozzles constituting a nozzle train to a recording medium; a cap that covers a nozzle surface of the recording head with a hollow cap member; and a wiper that wipes the nozzle surface of the recording head with a wiper member by a relative movement of the wiper member with respect to the recording head, wherein at least one of the wiper member and the nozzle surface comprises a removing portion that removes a foreign matter from the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Nishizaki, Motohiro Momozaki, Hiroto Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7762641
    Abstract: An ink injection method includes the steps of: storing vibration region information of a stage to which a head for injecting ink is mounted; changing coordinates of the stage by deducting the coordinates as much as the vibration region in a direction opposite to a pattern printing direction on the basis of coordinates at which pattern printing starts; moving the stage in the pattern printing direction after the stage is moved to the changed coordinates; deducting the changed coordinates from current coordinates of the stage to calculate a moving distance of the moving stage; and controlling the head to inject ink in correspondence to the pattern in case the moving distance of the stage is corresponding to the vibration region. This method prevents erroneous pattern printing due to initial vibration caused by movement of the stage when ink is injected for printing the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Sik Kim, Duk-Sik Ha
  • Patent number: 7762656
    Abstract: A method of operating a print head comprises heating the print head from a first temperature below a melting temperature of the phase change ink to a second temperature above the melting temperature. The print head has a nozzle plate with plurality of nozzles for ejecting the phase change ink onto an ink receiver. A first pressure is applied to an interior of the print head as the temperature of the print head increases from the first temperature to the second temperature. The first pressure is configured to prevent phase change ink from entering into the print head through the nozzles of the print head. The first pressure is removed from the print head in response to the print head being at approximately the second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Trevor James Snyder
  • Patent number: 7758150
    Abstract: The present invention provides a capture member for directly capturing ink droplets ejected to an area other then a recording medium, among ink droplets ejected from a printer head for ink jet recording, wherein said member comprises a porous plastic produced by sinter molding of plastic particles, and contains an impregnating agent impregnated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiko Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7758181
    Abstract: A print engine assembly includes an elongate chassis. The chassis defines a print media exit slot. An elongate printhead assembly is mounted relative to the chassis and is configured to eject ink onto print media. A paper feed mechanism is configured to transport the print media in register with the printhead assembly and out through the exit slot. The paper feed mechanism includes a pair of bearing moldings received within and mounted to opposite ends of the chassis. The paper feed mechanism further includes at least one roller mounted between the bearing moldings and a motor mounted to one of said bearing moldings to drive said at least one roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7753474
    Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus having a droplet ejection head, a cap casing, a pump, and a movement device is disclosed. The droplet ejection head ejects liquefied material containing functional material from nozzles as droplets. The cap casing has an accommodating portion in which a portion of the droplet ejection head including at least the nozzle forming surface is accommodated. The pump supplies liquid to the accommodating portion. The movement device moves at least one of the cap casing and the droplet ejection head relative with the other. When recovery is performed on the droplet ejection head or the droplet ejection head is held in a nonoperating state, the movement device arranges the cap casing relative to the droplet ejection head in such a manner that the nozzle forming surface is immersed in the liquid retained in the accommodating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Hiruma, Takahiro Ushiyama
  • Patent number: 7753473
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus has a movement mechanism, a pressurized purge unit, and a liquid discharge restriction mechanism. The movement mechanism moves at least one of a liquid ejecting head and a cap so as to allow the cap to take a capping position where the cap covers a liquid ejection face of the head or an uncapping position where the cap is spaced away from the liquid ejection face and capable of receiving liquid ejected from nozzles formed on the liquid ejection face. The pressurized purge unit makes liquid forcibly ejected from the nozzles into the cap. The liquid discharge restriction mechanism restricts liquid from being discharged through a discharge port of the cap when the cap is in the capping position, and permits liquid to be discharged through the discharge port when the cap is in the uncapping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuhisa Nakashima
  • Patent number: 7748820
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles which are open in a surface thereof so as to provide a nozzle opening surface and through which ink is ejected; and a cap which is operable to cover the nozzle opening surface of the ink-jet head so as to surround the plurality of nozzles and which includes (a) a peripheral portion that comes into close contact with the nozzle opening surface at an end thereof when the cap covers the nozzle opening surface and (b) an outlet formed at a part of the peripheral portion, the part being located at a lower position when the image recording apparatus is kept in a posture for transportation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Shindo
  • Patent number: 7744208
    Abstract: A printer has a chassis with a pair of guide rails. A retractable print media tray assembly is arranged on the guide rails in a displaceable manner. At least one print engine is arranged on the chassis and has an ink ejecting printhead assembly configured to eject ink onto an associated ink transfer roller. At least one cleaning station is engaged with a respective ink transfer roller and configured to clean residual ink from the transfer roller, subsequent to transfer of ink from the transfer roller onto the print media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7740346
    Abstract: A resealed inkjet printer cartridge and method of manufacture in which an ink cartridge is reconditioned, recharged and resealed by a process which substantially eliminates “air lock” or interruption of ink flow to the printer head due to entrained air; which provides for welding together recharged cartridge subassemblies without the use of consumable adhesive or glue; and having a keyless cap adapted for use in various keyed cartridge receptacle inkjet printers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Wazana Brothers International
    Inventors: Yoel Wazana, Joda Paulus
  • Patent number: 7735958
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus for effecting recording on a recording material by ejecting ink from an array of ejection outlets provided in an ejection side surface of a recording head, includes a cleaning mechanism, including an absorbing member for absorbing and removing the ink deposited on the ejection side surface, for cleaning the ejection side surface by moving the absorbing member in contact with the ejection side surface in a direction in which the array of the ejection outlets extends; wherein the absorbing member comprises a plurality of absorbing materials having average pore sizes different from each other and contacted with each, and an absorbing material having a larger average pore size is contacted to the ejection outlet to absorb the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Murayama
  • Patent number: 7735960
    Abstract: A head cartridge and a liquid ejection apparatus are provided in which cleaning performance of cleaning means is improved using a liquid absorbing force of a wiping member produced along with restoration of temporarily increased elastic displacement of the wiping member. An elastic displacement h (height of a projection) of a cleaning roller temporarily produced by the projection arranged at a position in the foreground of ink ejection nozzles in the cleaning direction of a nozzle surface is established to satisfy the following condition: h>(Vu/Vr)(L+n/2??/2), where the restoring speed of the elastic deformation of the cleaning roller is denoted as Vu; the moving speed of the cleaning roller is denoted as Vr; the movement distance of the cleaning roller from a restoring initiation point of the elastic deformation to the center of the liquid ejection nozzles is L; the contact width between the cleaning roller and the nozzle surface is n; and the diameter of the ink ejection nozzle is ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakamura, Shoto Nishi, Masato Nakamura, Toshio Fukuda, Yuji Yakura, Shigeyoshi Hirashima, Shinichi Horii
  • Patent number: 7735945
    Abstract: The formation and manipulation of microbubbles, microdroplets and films of (preferably) flowable materials, such as liquids and gases, are used to beneficially control or modulate acoustic-energy propagation, electromagnetic-energy propagation or electrical potential and current application. A droplet, bubble or film causes at least one of reflection, refraction, diffraction, attenuation, sapping, scattering, dissipation, redirection, conversion or blocking of at least one component of the energy due to the droplet, bubble or film causing a propagation discontinuity, disruption or energy-barrier to the energy. The energy comprises at least one of acoustic, electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, kinetic, mechanical, chemical, RF, thermal, pneumatic, hydraulic or non-visible optical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Inventors: John W. Sliwa, Jr., Carol A. Tosaya