Patents Examined by Stephen Meier
  • Patent number: 9315036
    Abstract: An ink cartridge comprises a main body comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a chamber, configured to store ink, disposed between the first surface and the second surface; an ink outlet portion disposed on the first surface of the main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the main body; and an electronic circuit board disposed on the main body. The electronic circuit board comprises an electrical interface, a first portion facing a second direction that intersects a first plane that is perpendicular to the first direction, a second portion facing a third direction away from the ink outlet portion that intersects a second plane that is parallel to the first direction, and a connecting portion between the first portion and the second portion. The electrical interface is disposed on an area of the electronic circuit board including the connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Takagi, Tomohiro Kanbe, Yasuhiro Kato, Hirotake Nakamura, Hirofumi Kondo
  • Patent number: 9315030
    Abstract: A fluid container usable with an image forming apparatus is disclosed. The fluid container includes a housing unit, a free-fluid chamber disposed in the housing unit and configured to store fluid, and a regulated chamber disposed in the housing unit. The regulated chamber includes a regulator unit, an outlet and a plurality of states. The regulator unit is configured to regulate respective fluid therein. The outlet is configured to transport the respective fluid from the regulated chamber. The fluid container also includes a plurality of valves disposed in the housing unit. At least one of the valves is configured to selectively stop fluid communication between the regulated chamber and the free-fluid chamber based on the respective state of the regulated chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Patrick V Boyd, David Olsen, Patricia A Kellar
  • Patent number: 9308757
    Abstract: Disclosed is a print head adjustment device (1) for an inkjet printer. The print head adjustment device includes an adjustment adapter (4) and a print head (3) that has a printing side (6) extending on an X-Y plane. The adjustment adapter (4) includes a receiver (20) which is adjustable in the X-Y plane and in which a stationary end (9) of the print head (3) is accommodated. A movable end (8) of the print head (3) is mounted on the adjustment adapter (4) so as to be slidable in the X direction and rotatable about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the X-Y plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: PadaLuma Ink-Jet-Solutions GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Patrik Lutz
  • Patent number: 9308732
    Abstract: In one example, a sealable vent for an ink cartridge or other liquid container includes a recess having a sloping first wall and a removable cover covering the recess and sealing the vent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Boon Leng Chua, Sittampalam Paranan, Ping Siew Kwok, Swei Jen Wong
  • Patent number: 9308730
    Abstract: The present invention provides a nozzle face wiping device and an image recording device that can switch whether to wipe out a nozzle face by a simple mechanism. According to one mode of the present invention, it is possible to brake the running of the wiping web by the braking device on the upstream side (supply shaft side) of the pressure member. In a case where the running direction of the wiping web wound around the pressure member and the relative movement direction of the nozzle face are the same, it is possible to prevent the wiping web from being forcefully drawn out from the supply shaft by braking the running of the wiping web by the braking device. By this means, it is possible to wipe out the nozzle face from two directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Maida, Yuichi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9310709
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a charging member; a transfer member; a setting portion for setting a positive-side discharge start voltage when a positive-side voltage relative to a reference potential is applied to the transfer member after a voltage is applied to the charging member so that a surface of the image bearing member is charged to the reference potential by the charging member and for setting a negative-side discharge start voltage when a negative-side voltage relative to the reference potential is applied to the transfer member after the voltage is applied; a calculating portion for calculating a correction amount for correcting a light portion surface potential, of the image bearing member, calculated by the calculating portion on the basis of the positive-side and negative-side discharge start voltages; and a correcting portion for correcting the light portion surface potential by using the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazutaka Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 9308755
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head which performs recording on a medium; a first roller which reverses a medium which is transported from the recording head side; and a medium reception unit which is provided on the downstream side of the recording head on the medium transport path on which the medium is transported, in which the medium reception unit also functions as a first medium support unit which supports a medium which is inserted from a discharging direction side of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Nakata
  • Patent number: 9290027
    Abstract: The carriage of a line printer has a head unit that supports a printhead, and a carriage frame that supports the head unit movably up and down. When moving the carriage from a standby position to an opposing position, the carriage is moved while the head unit is held at a up position where the gap to the platen unit is a first distance. The head unit is then lowered at the standby position from the up position to a down position where the platen gap is a second distance that is shorter than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Nagata, Hironori Maekawa, Takashi Aoki, Taku Hirashima
  • Patent number: 9290030
    Abstract: A measured distance is received from a distance sensor, where the measured distance is indicative of a distance between a color sensor and a substrate. Using the measured distance, a location of a given projection of projections of a substrate support is determined. A color of a color patch on the substrate at the determined location of the given projection is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jordi Arnabat Benedicto, Francisco Javier PĂ©rez Gellida, Juan Uroz Soria, Oriol Borrell Avila, Emilio Angulo Navarro
  • Patent number: 9289991
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes a base, a driving element, a nozzle plate, electrodes, wires, a supplying unit, and a discharging unit. The base includes an attachment surface and a side surface crossing the attachment surface. The driving element is attached to the attachment surface and includes pressure chambers. The nozzle plate is attached to the driving element and includes nozzles opened to the pressure chambers. The electrodes are provided in the pressure chambers. The wires are provided on the side surface and connected to the electrodes. The supplying unit is connected to the pressure chambers and supplies ink to the pressure chambers. The discharging unit is connected to the pressure chambers and discharges the ink from the pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keizaburo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9293682
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid jetting apparatus including: a first channel structure; a piezoelectric actuator provided on the first channel structure; and a driving device. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a vibration plate; a plurality of piezoelectric elements each including an activator formed of a piezoelectric material; signal input portions which receive drive signals for driving the plurality of piezoelectric elements from the driving device; a reference potential portion; and actuator wires. The piezoelectric elements include a first and second piezoelectric elements, a length of a wire which connects the first piezoelectric element and the driving device is longer than a length of a wire which connects the second piezoelectric element and the driving device, a capacitor is serially connected to the first piezoelectric element, and the capacitor includes an insulator formed of a piezoelectric material same as the piezoelectric material of the activators of the piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toru Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9290016
    Abstract: A printing system is disclosed which comprises an image forming station 12 at which an ink that includes an organic polymeric resin and a coloring agent is applied to an outer surface of an intermediate transfer member 10 to form an ink image, a drying station 14 for drying the ink image to leave a residue film of resin and coloring agent; and an impression station 16 at which the residue film is transferred to a substrate. The intermediate transfer member 10 comprises a thin flexible substantially inextensible belt and the impression station 16 comprises an impression cylinder 20 and a pressure cylinder 18 having a compressible outer surface for urging the belt against the impression cylinder to cause the residue film resting on the outer surface of the belt 10 to be transferred onto a substrate passing between the belt 10 and the impression cylinder 20 during engagement with the pressure cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: LANDA CORPORATION LTD.
    Inventors: Benzion Landa, Aharon Shmaiser, Itshak Ashkanazi
  • Patent number: 9290024
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer comprising a feeder, a printing head, a movable blade, a blade receiving member, a constant voltage circuit, a route switching device, and a switching control portion. The constant voltage circuit outputs a constant voltage to a secondary side based on a primary-side voltage supplied from a battery. The route switching device switches a current supply route from the battery to a motor to either one of a first route by which the constant voltage on the secondary side from the constant voltage circuit is supplied from the battery, and a second route by which the primary-side voltage is supplied without passing through the constant voltage circuit. The switching control portion controls the route switching device so that, triggered by non-detection of execution of the partial cutting, the current supply route is switched from the first route to the second route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Yamashiro, Tetsuya Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 9283777
    Abstract: A printer apparatus comprises an insertion and discharging port; a first paper conveyance path configured to convey a first printing medium inserted from the insertion and discharging port in a downstream direction towards a given printing position, and convey the first printing medium in a direction opposite to the downstream direction to discharge the first printing medium from the insertion and discharging port; a first printing section configured to carry out printing on the first printing medium conveyed to the printing position; a second printing section configured at the downstream side of the first printing section when seen from the direction of the insertion and discharging port to have a printing method different from that of the first printing section; a second paper conveyance path configured to merge with the first paper conveyance path at the downstream side of the first printing section of the first paper conveyance path to discharge a second printing medium printed by the second printing sect
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Nihashi
  • Patent number: 9283773
    Abstract: A plasma processing device in an image forming apparatus includes: a first electrode; a second electrode which is disposed opposing to the first electrode to form a discharge space, has a hollow inside, and has both ends open; and a partition wall disposed at the side opposite to the first electrode with respect to the second electrode for forming a first wind tunnel in combination with a subject to be processed, when the subject to be processed is present in the discharge space, the first wind tunnel restricting a flow of a first cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Saito
  • Patent number: 9283766
    Abstract: An ink jet type printer including: a printing function section, a liquid ejecting head that is supported on a carriage movably disposed in the printing function section and performs recording by ejecting ink with respect to a paper sheet, and an ink supply tube that guides the ink of a main tank in which the ink is stored to the liquid ejecting head and has a deformation movable section capable of being deformed following movement of the carriage. The printing function section is provided with a filling port for filling the ink and the filling port and the main tank are connected through a connection pipe, a sub-tank, and an ink communication pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Munehide Kanaya, Yoshisada Aoki, Nobuhisa Nomoto
  • Patent number: 9278531
    Abstract: A print head protection device is used with an inkjet printer having a print head adapted for elevating. A roller is mounted upstream of the print heads and above the process path a predetermined distance. A cover on the roller outer surface contacts the sheet lead edge if sheet curl exceeds a set curl range. The cover will cause rotation of the roller by engaging the sheet. A rotary encoder is mounted for synchronous rotation with the roller. The rotary encoder generates a signal in response to rotation of the roller, raising the print head to preclude damage. Alternately, the sheet can be discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason M. LeFevre, Douglas K. Herrmann, Derek A. Bryl
  • Patent number: 9278560
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a medium which is transported from the side of a second surface which is opposite to a first surface which forms a periphery of an apparatus body to the side of the first surface, a delivery section that delivers the medium on which recording has been performed by the recording head from the side of the first surface, a notch section formed at a corner formed by an upper surface and the second surface of the apparatus body, and a battery which is attached on the notch section and forms part of the upper surface and part of the second surface of the apparatus body in a state that the battery is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tsuyama
  • Patent number: 9278824
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a transportation section of a recording medium; a winding section of the recording medium; and a control section that controls transportation of the recording medium by controlling the transportation section and the winding section. The control section switches a threshold of a torque limit of the winding section when winding the recording medium at the winding section by synchronizing with an operation of the transportation section. According to the recording apparatus having such a configuration, an occurrence of defects is suppressed when winding the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Hamano, Toru Hayashi, Yuya Saito, Takeshi Shiode
  • Patent number: 9272510
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus which performs printing by an ink jet method, including: an ink jet head which ejects ink droplets; and a driving signal output portion which outputs a driving signal that causes the ink droplets to be ejected from the ink jet head. The ink jet head includes: a nozzle which ejects the ink droplets; an ink chamber which stores ink to be ejected from the nozzle; and a piezoelectric element which causes the ink droplets to be ejected from the nozzle. The piezoelectric element causes all of the ink in the ink chamber to be ejected from the nozzle by being displaced corresponding to the driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Ohnishi