Patents Examined by Tracey M McMillion
  • Patent number: 10343429
    Abstract: A medium after recording is more effectively dried in a recording apparatus and improvement of throughput is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kodama, Tomohiro Yasufuku
  • Patent number: 10328719
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a medium supporting unit which supports a medium that is transported along a transport path; a liquid ejecting head which includes a nozzle for ejecting liquid onto a medium that is supported by the medium supporting unit; a heating part which heats the medium; and a space forming member which forms a closed space at which the nozzle is opened. The space forming member is configured to move between a space forming position in which the space forming member is disposed when forming the closed space, and a retracted position which is further separated from the heating part than the space forming position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Izumi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 10322545
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for calibrating a deposition rate in an aerosol jet printer. The method includes providing a substrate defining an array of wells, each defining a volume. The method also includes defining a toolpath such that a dispensing nozzle passes over the wells. The method also includes defining a dwell time such that the nozzle remains centered above each well for an amount of time equal to the dwell time, after which the nozzle follows the toolpath to be centered over the following well. The dwell time defines a deposition rate based on the volume of the wells. The method also includes causing the nozzle to move along the toolpath, depositing material into the wells. The method also includes observing one of overfilling and underfilling and adjusting dispensing parameters to effect a modified deposition rate, until the wells are being filled to within a tolerance of exactly full.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Director, National Security Agency
    Inventor: Daniel R. Hines
  • Patent number: 10322588
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a support unit configured to support a medium, a discharging unit configured to discharge a liquid onto the medium supported by the support unit, and a controller capable of executing a first image formation operation that forms a first image by causing the discharging unit to discharge liquid on the medium, and a second image formation operation that forms a second image by causing the discharging unit to discharge liquid onto the medium on which the first image is formed. In the case where a same-color region having the same color as the first image located under the second image is present in the second image in a region overlapping with the first image, the controller causes the same-color region to be formed in both the first image formation operation and the second image formation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 10315437
    Abstract: A method of operating a thermal transfer printer, the thermal transfer printer comprising first and second spool supports (3a, 4a) each being configured to support a spool of ribbon (3,4); a ribbon drive (3b, 4b) configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support along a predetermined ribbon path; and a printhead (7). The printhead (7) is moveable towards and away from a printing surface, and, during printing, is configured to selectively transfer ink from the ribbon to a substrate as the substrate and printhead are moved relative to one another at a print speed (V-substrate). The method comprising causing relative movement between the ribbon and the printhead at a ribbon speed (V-ribbon).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: VIDEOJET TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Philip Hart, Jeremy Ellis
  • Patent number: 10308027
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus performs first contact of an absorption member with a nozzle surface in which nozzles for liquid ejection are arranged, and performs second contact of the absorption member with the nozzle surface after the first contact. Pressure applied to, of the nozzle surface, a nozzle neighborhood area (a nozzle peripheral area) including the nozzles due to contact of the absorption member in the first contact is lower than pressure applied to the nozzle neighborhood area (a nozzle peripheral area) due to contact of the absorption member in the second contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Chikashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10300713
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a light irradiation unit configured to emit light for curing photocurable ink to a recording medium, and a head having a nozzle formation surface in which nozzles for discharging the photocurable ink onto the recording medium are formed. A retroreflection surface is provided on at least a part of a light arrival region at which the light emitted from the light irradiation unit arrives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takayoshi Mizuno