Patents by Inventor ROMMEL BALALA

ROMMEL BALALA has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11884084
    Abstract: A printing unit includes: three elongate printheads positioned in a staggered overlapping arrangement for spanning across a media feed path, wherein a first printhead and a second printhead are longitudinally spaced apart and positioned in a row across the media feed path and a third printhead is offset from and overlaps with both the first and second printheads; three wipers for longitudinally wiping respective printheads in a direction perpendicular to a media feed direction, each wiper being parked at one longitudinal end of its respective printhead. One of the wipers, in its parked position, is positioned in a space between the first and second printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, David Oliver Burke, Billy Sy, Gilbert Alemana, Christopher Hibbard, Rommel Balala
  • Patent number: 11840098
    Abstract: A printing device includes: an inkjet printhead; a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the printhead through a lift path; and a pivotally movable spit flap positioned in the lift path. The spit flap is configured to swing away from the lift path when the printhead contacts the spit flap during lowering of the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: David Burke, Jason Mark Thelander, Dan Baterna, Rommel Balala, Peter Crichton
  • Patent number: 11685159
    Abstract: A printer includes: a platen having an ink-collection slot extending across its width; a wick bar received in the ink-collection slot, wherein an upstream gap and a downstream gap are defined at either side of the wick bar relative to a media feed direction; a printhead positioned over the wick bar; and a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the ink-collection slot. The wick bar is mounted on a rotatable shaft and the vacuum chamber comprises a scraper positioned for scraping the wick bar as it rotates past the scraper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Inventors: Dan Baterna, Rommel Balala
  • Patent number: 11613124
    Abstract: A printer includes: a printhead and a platen positioned below the printhead for supporting print media conveyed along a media feed direction through a print zone. The platen has a particle-collection slot upstream of the print zone relative to the media feed direction and a dam wall at a downstream side of the particle-collection slot. The particle-collection slot and the dam wall extend transversely relative to the media feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Inventors: Rommel Balala, Dan Baterna
  • Publication number: 20220402285
    Abstract: A printing unit includes: three elongate printheads positioned in a staggered overlapping arrangement for spanning across a media feed path, wherein a first printhead and a second printhead are longitudinally spaced apart and positioned in a row across the media feed path and a third printhead is offset from and overlaps with both the first and second printheads; three wipers for longitudinally wiping respective printheads in a direction perpendicular to a media feed direction, each wiper being parked at one longitudinal end of its respective printhead. One of the wipers, in its parked position, is positioned in a space between the first and second printheads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Mark PROFACA, David Oliver BURKE, Billy SY, Gilbert ALEMANA, Christopher HIBBARD, Rommel BALALA
  • Publication number: 20220363062
    Abstract: A printing device includes: an inkjet printhead; a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the printhead through a lift path; and a pivotally movable spit flap positioned in the lift path. The spit flap is configured to swing away from the lift path when the printhead contacts the spit flap during lowering of the printhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: David BURKE, Jason Mark THELANDER, Dan BATERNA, Rommel BALALA, Peter CRICHTON
  • Patent number: 11453228
    Abstract: A printing unit includes: a sleeve and a print module received in the sleeve, the print module being slidably removable, in a first direction, from the sleeve. The print module includes a supply module and a replaceable printhead. The printhead is slidably removable, in a second direction, from the supply module, the first and second directions being non-parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, David Oliver Burke, Billy Sy, Gilbert Alemana, Christopher Hibbard, Rommel Balala
  • Publication number: 20210213741
    Abstract: A printer includes: a platen having an ink-collection slot extending across its width; a wick bar received in the ink-collection slot, wherein an upstream gap and a downstream gap are defined at either side of the wick bar relative to a media feed direction; a printhead positioned over the wick bar; and a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the ink-collection slot. The wick bar is mounted on a rotatable shaft and the vacuum chamber comprises a scraper positioned for scraping the wick bar as it rotates past the scraper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Dan BATERNA, Rommel BALALA
  • Patent number: 11040540
    Abstract: A printer includes: an inkjet printhead having first and second rows of printhead chips; a platen having first and second spittoon slots corresponding to the first and second rows of printhead chips, each spittoon slot having a length corresponding to a length of the printhead and a width extending between a respective upstream sidewall and a respective downstream sidewall of the platen; first and second rollers positioned in the respective first and second spittoon slots for receiving ink spitted from the first and second rows of printhead chips; a rotation mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers; and first and second scrapers engaged with respective first and second rollers. A diameter of each roller is less than the width of its respective spittoon slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventors: Dan Baterna, Rommel Balala
  • Publication number: 20210138792
    Abstract: A printer includes: a printhead and a platen positioned below the printhead for supporting print media conveyed along a media feed direction through a print zone. The platen has a particle-collection slot upstream of the print zone relative to the media feed direction and a dam wall at a downstream side of the particle-collection slot. The particle-collection slot and the dam wall extend transversely relative to the media feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Rommel Balala, Dan Baterna
  • Patent number: 10987933
    Abstract: A printer includes: a platen having an ink-collection slot extending across its width; a wick bar received in the ink-collection slot, wherein an upstream gap and a downstream gap are defined at either side of the wick bar relative to a media feed direction; a printhead positioned over the wick bar; and a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the ink-collection slot. The wick bar is absent from a mid-portion of the platen and the mid-portion of the platen is aligned, in the media feed direction, with an upstream media picker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventors: Dan Baterna, Rommel Balala
  • Patent number: 10926544
    Abstract: A printer includes: a printhead; a platen positioned below the printhead for supporting print media conveyed along a media feed direction through a print zone, the platen defining at least one particle-collection slot upstream of the print zone relative to the media feed direction and an ink-collection slot positioned in the print zone downstream of the particle-collection slot. A dam wall is positioned between the particle-collection slot and the ink-collection slot, with the dam wall extending transversely relative to the media feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventors: Rommel Balala, Dan Baterna
  • Publication number: 20210046773
    Abstract: A printing unit includes: a sleeve and a print module received in the sleeve, the print module being slidably removable, in a first direction, from the sleeve. The print module includes a supply module and a replaceable printhead. The printhead is slidably removable, in a second direction, from the supply module, the first and second directions being non-parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Mark PROFACA, David Oliver BURKE, Billy SY, Gilbert ALEMANA, Christopher HIBBARD, Rommel BALALA
  • Patent number: 10857821
    Abstract: A printing assembly includes: a print chassis having a fixed sleeve and a print module slidably and releasably mounted in a respective sleeve. The print module has a supply module and replaceable printhead cartridge, the printhead cartridge being slidably and releasably mounted to the supply module. The printhead cartridge is removable from the print module only when the print module is released from the fixed sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, David Burke, Billy Sy, Gilbert Alemana, Christopher Hibbard, Rommel Balala
  • Publication number: 20200254763
    Abstract: A printer includes: an inkjet printhead having first and second rows of printhead chips; a platen having first and second spittoon slots corresponding to the first and second rows of printhead chips, each spittoon slot having a length corresponding to a length of the printhead and a width extending between a respective upstream sidewall and a respective downstream sidewall of the platen; frst and second rollers positioned in the respective first and second spittoon slots for receiving ink spitted from the first and second rows of printhead chips; a rotation mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers; and first and second scrapers engaged with respective first and second rollers. A diameter of each roller is less than the width of its respective spittoon slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: DAN BATERNA, ROMMEL BALALA
  • Patent number: 10730311
    Abstract: A compliance for use in an inkjet printer. The compliance includes flexible bellows configured for dampening pressure fluctuations in a fluid, wherein the bellows comprise a plurality of concentric portions joined via concertinaed sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, Gilbert Alemana, Richard Dimagiba, Brendan Shields, Rommel Balala
  • Patent number: 10688814
    Abstract: A printer includes: a first fixed printhead; a second fixed printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction; a platen for supporting print media; an input media transport mechanism positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N1 on print media; an output media transport mechanism positioned downstream of the second printhead, the output media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N2 on print media; and an intermediary media transport mechanism positioned between the first and second printheads, the intermediary media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N3 on print media. The gripping forces satisfy the relationship N1>N2>N3 for optimal printing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Rommel Balala, Dan Baterna, Billy Sy, Christopher Hibbard
  • Patent number: 10675872
    Abstract: A printer includes: an inkjet printhead having a row of printhead chips; a platen having a spittoon slot, the spittoon slot having a length corresponding to a length of the printhead and a width extending between an upstream sidewall and a downstream sidewall of the platen; a roller positioned in the spittoon slot between the upstream and downstream sidewalls for receiving ink spitted from the printhead, a rotation mechanism for rotating the roller; and a scraper positioned for scraping received ink from the roller. A diameter of the roller is less than the width of the spittoon slot, and an upper roller surface is relatively closer to the printhead than an upper surface of the upstream sidewall and/or the downstream sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Dan Baterna, Rommel Balala
  • Publication number: 20200094563
    Abstract: A printer includes: a platen having an ink-collection slot extending across its width; a wick bar received in the ink-collection slot, wherein an upstream gap and a downstream gap are defined at either side of the wick bar relative to a media feed direction; a printhead positioned over the wick bar; and a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the ink-collection slot. The wick bar is absent from a mid-portion of the platen and the mid-portion of the platen is aligned, in the media feed direction, with an upstream media picker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Dan Baterna, Rommel Balala
  • Publication number: 20200016900
    Abstract: A printer includes: a printhead; a platen positioned below the printhead for supporting print media conveyed along a media feed direction through a print zone, the platen defining at least one particle-collection slot upstream of the print zone relative to the media feed direction and an ink-collection slot positioned in the print zone downstream of the particle-collection slot. A dam wall is positioned between the particle-collection slot and the ink-collection slot, with the dam wall extending transversely relative to the media feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Rommel Balala, Dan Baterna