Patents Issued in April 1, 2003
  • Patent number: 6540289
    Abstract: A process for foaming around a peripheral edge area of a cover (10) for a motor vehicle roof, the cover being placed on or in a foaming tool and the foam mass (18) being fed into the foaming tool such that two foam mass fronts are formed which run around the peripheral edge in the peripheral direction and merge with one another or meet one another in the merging area at a side opposite that at which the foam was introduced. The foaming tool is made such that, in the merging area, the cross section of the foam mass is reduced on the side opposite the ventilation side (40) of the foaming tool that is vented relative to the areas (42, 142) which border the merging area in order to prevent inclusion of gas bubbles in the merging area. Furthermore, a cover for a motor vehicle roof is produced which has a foamed peripheral edge area in which two foam mass fronts, which are formed during the peripheral foaming in a foaming tool, merge with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Bergmiller, Christian Dünzinger
  • Patent number: 6540290
    Abstract: An improved folding chair includes two side frames each having a front leg, a rear leg, and a linkage bar bridging the front leg and the rear leg, and a first loading bracket and a second loading bracket. The linkage bars are coupled respectively with a tubular rod which is turnable on the linkage bar. The tubular rods respectively attach to a first and a second toggle bar which are pivotally engaged on a toggle joint. The first and the second loading bracket have respectively a first side bar and a second side bar which are pivotally engaged with the first and the second toggle bar in a cross and staggered manner. The first and the second side bar have respectively one end engaged with each other on another toggle joint, and connect respectively to a first loading bar and a second loading bar to form a seating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: Lausan Chung-Hsin Liu
  • Patent number: 6540291
    Abstract: A reclining chair includes: a base configured to rest on an underlying surface; a swivel unit attached to the base; a chassis assembly mounted to the base; an arm member mounted above the base and to the chassis assembly; a seat having a seat frame, a lowermost portion of the seat frame being located at least 6 inches from the underlying surface; a backrest; an intermediate ottoman; a front ottoman; and a pair of reclining mechanisms mounted to the chassis assembly, the seat and the backrest. The reclining mechanisms are configured to move the seat and backrest relative to the base between an upright position, a “TV” position, and a fully reclined position. The chassis assembly has a first longitudinal dimension. The arm member has a horizontal run and two upright runs. The horizontal run is positioned above and in non-contacting relationship with the underlying surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.
    Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Marcus L. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6540292
    Abstract: An adjustable children's rocking chair is shown that can be readily converted without the use of tools between a configuration where it is used to support an infant in a more reclined position, and a configuration where it is suitable for use as a rocking chair by a toddler. The rocking chair includes a seat portion, a support portion connected to the seat portion, and the support portion being pivotably connected to a rocker base and being adjustable in length. The support portion includes a front frame assembly, such as a pair of front legs, and a rear frame assembly, such as a pair of rear legs, with each of the front legs being pivotably connected to a respective rear leg through a detachable joint. The seat portion includes a back support portion that is formed by a U-shaped seat back tube slipped inside a pocket in soft goods. Both ends of the U-shaped seat back tube are connected to the detachable joints pivotably connecting the rear legs to the front legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandra Darling, Bryan M. Brown, Julia Favorito
  • Patent number: 6540293
    Abstract: A child seat includes a seating member, a base member, seating member lock and a connecting member. The seating member is designed to abut the body of a child. The base member has an outside surface that is designed to abut a seat of a vehicle. A connecting surface of the base member is designed to selectively abut the seating member. The seating member is pivotally coupled to the base member. The seating member lock is used for selectably securing the seating member to the base member. The seating member lock is coupled to an upper end of the base member and is selectably engaged to an upper end of the seating member. A connecting member is used for coupling the base member to a seatbelt of the vehicle. The connecting member is coupled to the base member. The connecting member is selectably coupled to the seat belt of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: Raymond E. Quackenbush
  • Patent number: 6540294
    Abstract: A seat that may be transported from a deployed position, where it is adjacent to the side of the support member, to a stowed position above the support member. The deployed position provides seating for an occupant. The stowed position provides a space for storing an item in the space formerly occupied by the deployed seat. The device uses a linkage system that supports the stowable swing away flip seat and is able to transport the stowable swing away flip seat, upon the exertion of a lifting force, along a predetermined path from a deployed to a stowed position above the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Freedman Seating Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Moffa, Karim Youssef Mikhail
  • Patent number: 6540295
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is movable between a seating position and a storage position to form a relatively flat horizontal load floor. The seat includes a seat bottom and a seat back. A side member extends upward from the seat bottom. The seat back is rotatably mounted on the side member such that the seat back is rotatable about a horizontally extending axis. The seat back is preferably mounted on the side member so that the seat back can be rotated or flipped around by about 180 degrees so that a seating surface and a back surface of the seat back are rotatable to a reverse position. Preferably, the side member is pivotally attached to the seat bottom and is capable of moving the seat back into a generally horizontal position to define the load floor. An optional panel can be movably attached to the seat back. The panel is movable between a first position adjacent the seat back, and an extended position extending outward from the seat back and covering the seat bottom to further extend and define the load floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Mohammad Saberan, Ernesto Blanco, Eugene S. Dudash, H. Winston Maue, Eric A. Partington
  • Patent number: 6540296
    Abstract: A mechanism for adjusting the height of a chair back relative to the seat includes an arm that extends upwardly from the rear of the seat, and a carriage that is carried by the back and slidably mounted on the arm. A pinion inside the carriage engages a rack on the arm so that the pinion travels along the rack when the chair back is moved up and down on the arm. A pawl engages the pinion when the chair back is moved upwardly so as to allow incremental adjustment in the height of the back in the upward direction, while preventing downward movement of the back. When the back reaches the upper limit of its travel, an actuator spring is displaced downwardly, disengaging the pawl so that the back is free to slide on the arm. At the bottom of the limit of travel, the spring is displaced upwardly, re-engaging the pawl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Ram Machines (1990) Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Shats, William Stumpf, Vaclav Pernicka
  • Patent number: 6540297
    Abstract: In an adjuster (101) for a vehicle seat, in particular a hinged fitting functioning as an inclination adjuster for a motor vehicle rear seat bank, having a first adjuster part (105), a second adjuster part (108) mounted such that it can move relative to the first adjuster part (105), and a pawl which is pivotably mounted on the first adjuster part (105) and interacts with the second adjuster part (108) in order to lock the adjuster (101), the bearing device (113) of the pawl is supported on the bearing device (110) of the second adjuster part (108).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Richard Hänsel, Andreas Rueth
  • Patent number: 6540298
    Abstract: A system for the displacement of a neck rest in response to the displacement of a vehicle seat in an automobile, wherein the neck rest is mounted to a first structural part which is height-displaceably mounted to a second structural part, the latter being fixedly secured to the rest of the seat, the system having the following features: a rope defining a loop to transfer a force along the loop, one section of the rope being connected to the first structural part, the rope being guided about two spaced idle rollers, one of the rollers being rotatably supported by the seat and the other by the second structural part a first coupling part fixedly connected to the rope a second coupling part fixedly connected to the vehicle a coupling element movably supported on the seat and selectively engageable with the first coupling part actuating means for the coupling element on the seat adapted to coact with the second coupling part in response to the position of the seat such that in a forward position and upon dis
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: ITW Automotive Products GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Och, Werner Seppelt, Gerd Fischer
  • Patent number: 6540299
    Abstract: A vehicle seat and a seat headrest are adjustable to accommodate seat occupants of varying heights. The headrest, height and seat position are adjusted together by connecting the headrest drive motor and the seat drive motor to a single control switch. The headrest has a smaller total distance of travel in relation to the travel distance of the vehicle seat. The headrest motor may drive a thread with a smaller pitch. Alternatively, there may be employed pulse width modulation of the electrical power supplied by a common switch or a similar device to create a proportional relationship between the motion of the headrest and the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Randal Gosk, Mohannad Murad, Hossam Almasri
  • Patent number: 6540300
    Abstract: An armrest of a chair which can be adjusted and which can be moved in a transverse horizontal direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the armrest. Regardless of the position thus obtained, the armrest is capable of turning on an essentially vertical axis between two extreme positions, so to adapt to the specific needs of the user and to the activities to be performed in an optimal way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Pro-Cord S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Piretti
  • Patent number: 6540301
    Abstract: A mechanic's body support including first and second horizontally-oriented and spaced-apart base rails and first and second spaced-apart support rails. Each of the support rails has one end connected to a respective one of the first and second base rails and diverging upwardly from and along the length of the base rails for supporting a mechanic in an elevated position over the engine compartment of a motor vehicle. A chest pad and a knee pad are mounted in spaced-apart relation between the support rails for securing the support rails in a fixed, spaced-apart relation, and for supporting the chest and knees of the mechanic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Auto Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary D. Bottoms
  • Patent number: 6540302
    Abstract: An article, particularly of furniture, such as a chair, at least a portion of which is shaped and decorated whereby to simulate an equivalent article having a fabric article such as a shirt arranged over it. The simulation may be achieved by the shape of the portion and/or the texture of its surface and/or surface decoration. A lower part of the chair back is formed as a suspended flap to provide flexible support of the lumbar region of a person sitting on the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Stadium Products International Ltd.
    Inventors: Charles S Crocker, Ben Hayden
  • Patent number: 6540303
    Abstract: A flexible cover for a vehicle seat, the cover having an inside face against which a conductive thread is fixed by means of a flexible assembly thread forming a seam of chain stitches, which seam does not pass through the cover and is not visible on its outside face, the assembly thread penetrating into the thickness of the cover and surrounding the conductive thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Faurecia Sieges d'Automobile SA
    Inventor: Pablo Mosquera
  • Patent number: 6540304
    Abstract: A water spray assembly especially adapted for control of dust suppression in mining machines has a manifold with one or a number of nozzles mounted thereon. The manifold provides communication between the nozzles and a manifold inlet, the manifold inlet being adapted to connect to a supply of water. The manifold cooperates with a nozzle block having a bore sized to receive at least a portion of the manifold. The block is adapted to be mounted for aiming the nozzles in a particular direction. By having the block sized to receive the manifold, the manifold being removable from the bore to facilitate replacing or cleaning the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Southern Mine Service
    Inventor: Philip W. Southern
  • Patent number: 6540305
    Abstract: An electric floor covering removal apparatus which is characterized typically by an electric motor fitted in a frame for driving a fan, a pair of hydrostatic pumps hydraulically connected to independent, hydraulically-operated wheel motors and a hydraulic gear pump for raising and lowering a landing gear with respect to the frame, deploying the floor covering engaging-implements of the apparatus and driving the apparatus to remove the floor covering. A pair of control arm levers are spring-loaded to neutral and serve to independently operate the hydrostatic pumps and the wheel motors in infinitely variable fashion, in both the forward and reverse directions. The driver's seat is mounted on an insulated cover or shroud that covers the electric motor, hydrostatic pumps and the hydraulic gear pump, as well as electrical gear and a hydraulic fluid reservoir located beneath these operating components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: Edward W. Phillips
  • Patent number: 6540306
    Abstract: A bicycle disc brake hub is provided with a hub axle, a hub shell, a first spoke attachment portion, a second spoke attachment portion and a brake rotor attachment portion disposed adjacent the first spoke attachment portion. The first spoke attachment portion has a plurality of first spoke holes, while the second spoke attachment portion has a plurality of second spoke holes. The first spoke attachment portion is disposed at the first hub shell end, while the second spoke attachment portion is disposed at the second hub shell end. The brake rotor attachment portion has a plurality of axially extending rotor mounting holes with predetermined diameters and center axes spaced a second radial distance from the center axis of the hub axle. The first spoke attachment portion and the brake rotor attachment portion are arranged relative to each other such that spokes can easily be installed into the first spoke holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Takanori Kanehisa
  • Patent number: 6540307
    Abstract: A rear axle braking system for a vehicle has a primary electronic braking circuit supplied with a source of primary braking pressure and a mechanical back-up braking circuit supplied with a source of back-up braking pressure. The braking actuator receives braking pressure and thereby brakes a wheel on a vehicle axle. During braking, a changeover valve is normally actuated to apply the primary braking pressure to the braking actuator. In the event of an electronic system failure, the changeover valve is not applied and instead the source of back-up braking pressure is supplied to the actuator. A regulating valve is located in the back-up braking circuit between the source and the changeover valve and is operable as a function of axle loading and back-up brake pressure to control the supply of back-up braking pressure to the changeover valve. The application of additional braking pressure to a wheel can be limited if the loading on the axle is likely to result in vehicle instability when braking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Lucas Industries PLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ward, David Charles Hurst
  • Patent number: 6540308
    Abstract: A compressed-air processing system, notably for motor vehicles, includes, in a housing, an electromagnetic pressure regulator and a multicircuit safety valve having at least one load circuit connected to it. Each load circuit can be locked separately by an assigned pressure control unit. Reliable and economical operation of the system is achieved by positioning a pressure limiter between at least one of the pressure control units and the pressure regulator output and by the fact that in the zero-current state, the pressure limiter acts on a supply hole for the control unit so as to limit the output pressure to a defined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Eduard Hilberer
  • Patent number: 6540309
    Abstract: A fault tolerant electronic braking system for a vehicle has a brake pedal arranged to provide an electronic signal in response to operation thereof. A number of braking nodes are coupled to the brake pedal, each node being arranged to control a brake actuator. Each brake node has a controller arranged for processing the first signal to provide a second signal for controlling the brake actuator, and for providing third signals for transmission to the other control means. The third signals are the expected second signal results of the other controllers. Each controller is arranged to compare the second signal with the third signals received from the other controllers such that errors detected between the second and third signals indicate faults in the controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark John Jordan, Mark Maiolani, Andreas Both
  • Patent number: 6540310
    Abstract: A grouser structure for use on an outer surface of a continuous track belt to provide traction and shock absorption, the grouser structure including a grouser body that defines a grouser chamber and a spline element positioned within the grouser chamber. In one preferred embodiment a shock absorption gap is formed between the inner chamber peripheral surface and the outer spline peripheral surface. In another preferred embodiment the base of the grouser body is solid or contains other structure to prevent the first body side leg and the second body side leg from spreading. In yet another preferred embodiment the spline element is a solid reinforcement spline element. In still another preferred embodiment the spline element is associated with an extension section to which an ice cleat may be functionally attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Ironwood Designs LLC
    Inventor: Richard D. Cartwright
  • Patent number: 6540311
    Abstract: A display case security apparatus comprises a housing, a plurality of platform guide tracks, a platform, an elevating mechanism, and a closure. The housing includes a lower storage section and an upper display section disposed above the storage section. The storage section has an opaque exterior wall and the display section has an exterior wall which is at least partially transparent. The platform guide tracks are disposed on the interior of the housing. The platform is disposed within the housing and includes a generally horizontal portion for supporting articles to be displayed. The platform is selectively movable between a first position, wherein any articles supported on the platform are displayed in the display section of the housing, and a second position, wherein any articles supported on the platform are stored in the storage section of the housing. The platform interfits with the platform guide tracks so as to constrain the movement of the platform to vertical translation only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Faubion Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Canedy, Leo Faubion, Paul Lenox, Larry G. Stanford
  • Patent number: 6540312
    Abstract: A cable holding matrix and method for managing large numbers of telecommunications cables within a confined space. The cable holding matrix comprises a support member and two pluralities of aligned posts protruding from a surface of the support member and intersecting each other at an acute angle. The posts are spaced such that cables may be guided between two neighboring posts in the second plurality, bent around one of those neighboring posts, and positioned between two neighboring posts in the first plurality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Telica, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Lane
  • Patent number: 6540313
    Abstract: A flexible flat cable having a driver integrated circuit (IC) thereon is soldered to a piezoelectric actuator of an ink-jet head. A power source equivalent to a power source that generates a voltage required for ink ejection is connected, through a lead wire, to each electrode provided on one side of each piezoelectric element. A negative power source is connected, through another lead wire, to each electrode provided on the other side of each piezoelectric element, that is, on the opposite side from the driver IC. After the piezoelectric actuator is coupled to the flexible flat cable, the piezoelectric elements are polarized using these two power sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6540314
    Abstract: Ink tank which enables accurate detection of existence/absence of liquid even if a storage containing liquid such as ink is stored under a severe environment, and a cartridge including the ink tank, as well as a printing apparatus utilizing the cartridge. A low surface energy processing agent including alkyl polysiloxane and alcohol is coated on prism 180 provided on the bottom portion of ink tank 7, thereby performing low surface energy processing on the prism 180.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikio Sanada, Yoshifumi Hattori, Masanori Takenouchi, Osamu Morita, Shinya Mishina, Hiroshi Koshikawa, Kenji Kitabatake
  • Patent number: 6540315
    Abstract: System and methods for using a fluid ejection system to distribute fluid drop density of a region between at least two overlapping swaths having pixels on a receiving medium. Using the method, overlapping swaths are stitched together by distributing a fluid ejection pattern between the overlapping swaths within the overlapped region. Because small drops of fluid can be distributed within a single region, the fluid ejection pattern can be controlled and intermediate density regions can be created by distributing the fluid of drops within a region between two fluid ejector heads or between two swaths of the same fluid ejector head. The distribution can be linear or non-linear. Furthermore, overlapping swaths are stitched together by randomly varying a stitch location within the overlapped region. In this case, a stitch location is randomly varied in the slow scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Nystrom, Mark Cellura, John Walsh
  • Patent number: 6540316
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head comprises first and second substrates which are to be mutually adjoined to form plural liquid paths respectively communicating with plural discharge apertures. The first substrate is provided with energy conversion elements, for converting electrical energy into energy for discharging liquid in the liquid paths, respectively corresponding to the liquid paths. The second substrate is provided with detection elements, for detecting a state of the liquid in said liquid paths, respectively corresponding to the liquid paths, and amplification means for respectively amplifying outputs of said detection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Hiroyuki Ishinaga, Akihiro Yamanaka, Masahiko Kubota, Ryoji Inoue
  • Patent number: 6540317
    Abstract: There is provided a printer head in an ink jet printer that includes: a quantification medium pressuring chamber where a quantification medium is introduced; a discharge medium pressuring chamber where a discharge medium is introduced; a quantification medium nozzle communicating with the quantification medium pressuring chamber; a discharge medium nozzle communicating with the discharge medium pressuring chamber, the discharge medium nozzle being disposed to adjoin the quantification medium nozzle; and a first pressure generating element pulling the quantification medium pushed out of the quantification medium nozzle into the discharge medium nozzle to form a mixed solution by contacting the quantification medium in the discharge medium nozzle through a surface where the quantification medium nozzle opens, wherein the first pressure generating element then generates a pressure for discharging the mixed solution from the discharge medium nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Okamoto, Emi Yamada, Makoto Ando
  • Patent number: 6540318
    Abstract: Detection of whether or not liquid or a liquid droplet (ink) has passed is realized without contacting the passing liquid or liquid droplet, by providing a radiated-wave detector, arranged near the liquid or liquid droplet, for detecting an infrared ray radiated from the passing liquid or liquid droplet, and a detector for detecting variation of an output value of the radiated-wave detector. Furthermore, the variation of an output value detected by the detector is integrated to obtain the variation amount of the output values, thereby obtaining the amount of liquid or liquid droplet (ink) passed. With the use of the foregoing configuration, further provided is an ink-jet printing apparatus which can accurately determine whether or not ink has been discharged by a printhead and which can measure the amount of ink discharged without contacting the ink, and an ink detection method for the ink-jet printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuhito Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6540319
    Abstract: A micro electro-mechanical device embodied within an ink ejection nozzle having an actuating arm that is caused to move an ink displacing paddle when heat inducing electric current is passed through the actuating arm. The device incorporates a movement sensor that comprises a moving contact element that is formed integrally with the actuating arm, a fixed contact element that is formed integrally with a support structure of the device and electrical elements formed within the support structure for detecting contact that is made between the fixed contact element and the moving contact element. The movement sensor is provided for the purpose of facilitating testing of the device under various operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty LTD
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6540320
    Abstract: A system and a method for servicing a printhead using a low-height service station design. The system of the present invention includes a low-height service station having a gear and clutch arrangement that permits a service station drive assembly and a print media feed assembly to use the same motor. By momentarily reversing the motor, the gear and clutch arrangement permits the service station drive assembly to be engaged and the print media feed assembly to be disengaged, or vice versa. Moreover, the gear and clutch arrangement provides a means for a capping platform and a wiping platform within the service station to move independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Keng Leong Ng
  • Patent number: 6540321
    Abstract: For the sake of achieving both the size and weight reductions of a printing apparatus and increasing the reliability thereof, an ink tank is provided with a gas-permeable member that permits air to pass without permitting ink. The ink tank is capable of introducing ink through an ink inlet by negative pressure introduced in the ink tank through a common suction port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirofumi Hirano, Yohji Ara, Hiroyuki Inoue, Hideo Fukazawa, Tetsuji Kurata, Hiroshi Netsu, Hideaki Okamoto, Masaya Uetsuki, Hiroki Hayashi, Noriyasu Asaki
  • Patent number: 6540322
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus in which a nozzle ink jet recording head provided with a nozzle plate provided with apertures for jetting an ink droplet and a capping device provided with a cap unit for sealing the apertures of the nozzle plate when the recording apparatus is not used are mounted, in which in the cap unit of the capping device, in a sealed state, an ink suction port for supplying negative pressure for exhausting ink from a nozzle aperture if necessary is arranged at the bottom and an atmospheric air open port for releasing negative pressure is arranged on one side and in which a porous plate provided with plural through holes for adjusting the distribution of pressure in the longitudinal direction of the cap unit is housed between the inner bottom face and the upper open face of the cap unit and further, an ink suction method of a recording head are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Usui, Kenji Tsukada, Takahiro Katakura, Tomoaki Takahashi, Kazuhiko Hara
  • Patent number: 6540323
    Abstract: The present invention includes as one embodiment a capping station for a fluid ejection device having a snout feature, the capping station comprising a cap with a rigid body and a gland seal disposed around an inner perimeter of a cavity defined by the rigid body for resiliently receiving side portions of the snout feature of the fluid ejection device to create a seal with the fluid ejection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Dowell, Louis C. Barinaga, Kit L. Harper, Jeremy A. Davis, David J. Waller
  • Patent number: 6540324
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead service station for an inkjet printing mechanism includes a printhead wiping system having a wiper blade with a contoured cross sectional shape selected to impart a lower wiping force along an ink-ejecting nozzle region of the printhead than along side regions of the printhead. In a relaxed state, the blade has opposing leading and trailing surfaces, with each surface having a concave contour running along at least a portion of the length of the blade, preferably from the support sled to the wiping tip. During a wiping stroke, the blade flexes along both the length and width of the blade, with the trailing surface having a greater degree of concavity than when relaxed, and the leading surface having a linear contour at the wiping tip and tapering into the concave contour adjacent the sled. An inkjet printing mechanism having such a wiping system, and a method of cleaning a printhead are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Todd R. Medin
  • Patent number: 6540325
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device is arranged to employ a first set of multiple nozzle drop generators activated by a first address signal and a second set of multiple nozzle drop generators activated by a second address signal. The multiple nozzles of each drop generator of the first set are arranged in a predetermined geometric pattern, each of which encompasses at least one nozzle of a drop generator of the second set. The ink ejectors of one drop generator of the first drop generator set are arranged in subgroups, one subgroup of which shares a switched power return with one subgroup of ink ejectors of one drop generator of the second drop generator set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Naoto A. Kawamura, Timothy L. Weber
  • Patent number: 6540326
    Abstract: A paper feed operation is performed by a width less than one pixel (½) in addition to an integer multiple number of pixels (n/2) with respect to a basic number of pixels inherent to an ink jet recording apparatus having a multi nozzle head having n nozzles. When a plurality of pixel recording operations are performed for a single pixel region, ink dots land within a distance less than one pixel unit (½). Thus, a variation in ink surface density on a recording sheet in an overlapping print operation is reduced, thereby efficiently increasing the image density, and preventing blurring by promoting absorption and evaporation of an ink to and from a paper sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Miyuki Matsubara, Naoji Otsuka, Hiromitsu Hirabayashi, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Atsushi Arai, Kentaro Yano, Yuji Akiyama, Hitoshi Sugimoto, Kiichiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6540327
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus uses a recording head having discharge ports to discharge ink, and records by discharging ink from the recording head while enabling said recording head to travel in the direction of main scan. This apparatus comprises a recording head which is provided integrally with a plurality of recording units having a plurality of discharge port arrays for discharging ink of different colors, respectively, and then, the plurality of recording units are arranged in the direction of main scan to discharge ink of different densities, respectively. With the structure thus arranged, the recording in all the colors is not executed at a time thus making it possible to obtain an excellent image with a lesser deterioration of image due to ink blur and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Akiyama, Hiromitsu Hirabayashi, Toshio Kashino, Hitoshi Sugimoto, Miyuki Matsubara, Fumihiro Gotoh, Hidehiko Kanda
  • Patent number: 6540328
    Abstract: A printing apparatus and a printing method define an achromatic region and a chromatic region of image data. The image data is defined as an achromatic region when a difference between a maximum and a minimum values among R, G, B values corresponds to 1% to 10% of a range of values that R, G, B values are obtainable. In the achromatic region, the number of black and its derivative ink dots to be ejected per one pixel is 4 dots at the maximum. A chromatic region is defined as an area where does not satisfy the requirements of the achromatic region. In the chromatic region, the number of black and its derivative ink dots to be ejected per one pixel is 1 dots at the maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Yashima, Katsumi Aoki, Tsuyoshi Shibata
  • Patent number: 6540329
    Abstract: A method of recording a multi-color image containing a plurality of image regions formed by applying an black ink and a color ink to overlap each other in different orders, where the black ink contains a salt, an aqueous medium and a pigment dispersed in the aqueous medium by the action of an ionic group, and the color ink contains a dye. Otherwise, the black ink contains a salt, an aqueous medium and a pigment dispersed in the aqueous medium by the action of an ionic group, and the color ink is reactive with the black ink. This method enables to obtain high quality images free from density unevenness or excellent in uniform feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takumi Kaneko, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Masao Kato, Daisaku Ide, Koichi Osumi, Yoichi Takada
  • Patent number: 6540330
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head provided with a pair of substrates mutually adjoined in a laminar state, plural liquid flow paths formed on the adjoined surface of said substrates, plural drive elements respectively formed in a predetermined position of said liquid flow paths, and orifices communicating with ends of said liquid flow paths in which liquid discharged from said orifice by the action of said drive element, wherein a face constituting an external surface of a member forming said orifices is coated with a material with superhydrophilicity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Kubota, Koromo Shirota, Teruo Ozaki, Ryuji Katsuragi, Hidehiko Kanda
  • Patent number: 6540331
    Abstract: An actuating mechanism includes a thermal bend actuator having a laminated structure of at least three layers in the form of a pair of opposed, outer layers and at least one inner layer. The outer layers are of substantially the same material and of substantially the same dimensions as each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6540332
    Abstract: A printhead chip for an inkjet printhead includes a substrate. A plurality of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the substrate. Each nozzle arrangement includes a nozzle chamber structure that defines a nozzle chamber in which ink is received. An ink-ejecting member is positioned in the nozzle chamber and is displaceable in the nozzle chamber to eject ink from the nozzle chamber. At least one actuator is positioned on the substrate, the, or each, actuator having a working portion that is displaceable with respect to the substrate when the actuator receives a driving signal. A sealing structure is positioned on the substrate and is interposed between the, or each, actuator and the ink-ejecting member to inhibit a passage of ink between the ink-ejecting member and the actuator. A motion transmitting structure bridges the sealing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 6540333
    Abstract: A dynamic memory based integrated circuit ink jet firing cell that includes a heater resistor, a drive transistor, and a dynamic memory circuit for storing firing data only for such heater resistor. Also disclosed is an integrated circuit firing array that includes a plurality of dynamic memory based firing cells divided into a plurality of fire groups of firing cells, each fire group having a plurality of subgroups; data lines for providing energizing data to the firing cells; control lines for providing control information to the firing cells wherein all firing cells within a subgroup are connected to a common subset of the control lines so as to be controlled to concurrently store energizing data; and a plurality fire lines for supplying energizing energy to the firing cells, wherein all firing cells of a fire group receive energizing energy from only one fire line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James P. Axtell, Trudy L. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 6540334
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for reducing ink corrosion of exposed metal layers on a chip surface of a semiconductor chip for an ink jet printhead. The method includes depositing a protective layer in a plasma process to the chip surface, the protective layer being deposited adjacent ink ejectors so that the protective layer substantially circumscribes an ink via in the chip. A thick film layer is applied to the protective layer and chip, whereby the protective layer and thick film layer are sufficient to promote increased adhesion between the thick film layer and a nozzle plate attached to the thick film layer thereby substantially reducing a tendency for the nozzle plate and thick film layer to delaminate from one another during printhead manufacture or use and interrupting contact between ink and the exposed metal layers on the chip surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Michael Mrvos, George Keith Parish, Kristi Maggard Rowe
  • Patent number: 6540335
    Abstract: An ink jet print head has plural electrothermal converting elements for generating energy used to discharge an ink droplet, plural ink discharging ports arranged above the electrothermal converting elements and discharging the ink droplet, plural ink flowing paths respectively communicated with the plural ink discharge ports and internally including the electrothermal converting elements, a substrate for arranging the plural electrothermal converting elements in a columnar shape and having an ink supplying port constructed by a through port which is connected with the ink flowing paths and extends along an arranging direction of the electrothermal converting elements, and a discharging port plate having the ink discharge ports. The ink flowing paths are formed between the substrate and the discharging port plate by junctioning the discharging port plate onto the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Touge, Shuichi Murakami, Takashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 6540336
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head, a liquid discharging apparatus having such a liquid discharge head, and a method for manufacturing such a liquid discharge head. The liquid discharge head is provided with a top plate including a plurality of ink discharge ports for discharging ink droplet, a plurality of first liquid passages for supplying ink in correspondence to the plurality of ink discharge ports and a common liquid chamber for supplying the ink to the first liquid passages, a liquid discharge head substrate obtained by forming second liquid passages arranged adjacent to the first liquid passages and including bubble generating areas on a substrate on which a plurality of heat generating elements for causing the ink discharge port to discharge the ink droplets and including drivers for driving the heat generating elements, and a movable diaphragm for completely isolating the first liquid passages and the second liquid passages from each other and displaceable by a bubble generated on the heat generating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Kubota, Masahiko Ogawa, Masami Ikeda, Ichiro Saito, Hiroyuki Ishinaga, Tomoyuki Hiroki, Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Teruo Ozaki
  • Patent number: 6540337
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming slots in a print head substrate having a thickness defined by opposing first and second surfaces. In one exemplary embodiment, a trench is received in the first surface and extends through less than an entirety of the thickness of the substrate. A plurality of slots extends into the substrate from the second surface and connects with the trench to form a compound slot through the substrate. In this embodiment, the trench is wider at portions proximate to said slots than at portions more distant to said slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Pollard
  • Patent number: 6540338
    Abstract: A recording head is provided with a pressure chamber communicated with a nozzle orifice. A pressure generating element generates pressure fluctuation in ink contained in the pressure chamber. A drive signal generator generates a drive signal for driving the pressure generating element such that a main ink droplet and a satellite ink droplet accompanied with the main ink droplet are ejected to form an ink dot on a recording medium. The main ink droplet has a first volume, and the satellite ink droplet has a second volume which is larger than the first volume. Alternatively, the main ink droplet is ejected with a first speed, and the satellite ink droplet is ejected a second speed which is faster than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Takahashi, Hirofumi Teramae