Patents Issued in March 22, 2007
  • Publication number: 20070064037
    Abstract: A jet break-off length measurement apparatus for a continuous liquid drop emission system is provided. The jet break-off length measurement apparatus comprises a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid. Heater resistor apparatus is adapted to transfer pulses of thermal energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. A sensing apparatus adapted to detect the stream of drops of predetermined volumes is provided. A control apparatus is adapted to determine a characteristic of the stream of drops of predetermined volumes that is related to the break-off length. Further apparatus is adapted to inductively charge at least one drop and to cause electric field deflection of charged drops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Gilbert Hawkins, Michael Piatt, John Brazas, Stephen Pond
  • Publication number: 20070064038
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit that stores a correction amount used to correct color unevenness of an image according to a plurality of halftone screening conditions; and a correction unit that corrects an input image according to the correction amount stored in the storage unit. The stored correction amount includes common information, which is common among the halftone screening conditions, and dependent information, which is dependent on the respective halftone screening conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Arai, Junichi Ichikawa, Kenji Hara, Yasuyuki Tanaka, Yoshiya Imoto, Akira Ishii
  • Publication number: 20070064039
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of detecting an abnormal condition of a printhead includes a voltage stabilizing unit to stabilize a voltage of a power supplied to the printhead, a voltage measuring unit to measure the stabilized voltage, and an abnormal condition detecting unit to compare the measured voltage in a predetermined time and a critical voltage to detect an abnormal condition of the printhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-hwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20070064040
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of preventing a malfunction of a printhead. The method can include sensing a trend of a change of an operation state output singal representing operation state of a heater driver control unit; checking whether the sensed trend is equal to a predetermined trend of a change, which can be an estimated change in case there is an error in controlling heating of a substrate; and solving the error if the sensed trend is equal to the predetermined trend. In the apparatus and method of preventing malfunction in a printhead, heating control signals to control the heating of the nozzles in the printhead are sensed and the sensing result is analyzed to determine whether there is an error. Accordingly, when an error is detected, the printhead is controlled such that a substrate thereof does not overheat and the printhead does not break down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Jung-hwan KIM
  • Publication number: 20070064041
    Abstract: A liquid-droplet jetting apparatus for jetting liquid droplet includes a first liquid-droplet jetting head having a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a predetermined direction; a movable body movable in the predetermined direction relative to the first liquid-droplet jetting head; a driving mechanism which drives the movable body in the predetermined direction; a position detector which detects a position of the movable body with respect to the predetermined direction; and a jetting state detector which is provided on the movable body to move in the predetermined direction integrally with the movable body and which detects a jetting state for each of the first nozzles. Accordingly, it is possible to detect jetting abnormality of a nozzle, among the nozzles, with a simple structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20070064042
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer has a line-type ink-jet head which has a nozzle row including a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array in a scanning direction; an auxiliary head which is movable in the scanning direction and which has a plurality of nozzles arranged in an array in the scanning direction, and a pitch at which the nozzles of the nozzle row are arranged in the ink-jet head and a pitch at which the nozzles are arranged in the auxiliary head are same. Accordingly, when jetting failure occurs concurrently at nozzles among the plurality of nozzles in the ink-jet head, it is possible to complement, at one time, the failed nozzles by the nozzles in the auxiliary head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20070064043
    Abstract: In a multi-valued printer that uses discontinuous index patterns, if a tone correction table is generated using sampled density patches, a table which is different from a table to be obtained and has no inflection point is obtained, and the print density characteristics after tone correction suffer discontinuity. To solve this problem, an output gamma table used to output measurement patches is set to linearly correct the printer print characteristics. Patches are output and their densities are measured. A reverse table of a “signal value—density” table is generated, and is smoothed using a recursive curve. The smoothed reverse table is finely adjusted to generate an intermediate output gamma table. The generated table undergoes index component correction, thus generating a tone correction table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Okinori Tsuchiya, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Akihiko Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20070064044
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes a substrate assembly and a plurality of nozzle assemblies arranged in an array on the substrate assembly. Each nozzle assembly includes an anchor extending from the substrate assembly. A thermal bend actuator is connected to the anchor and includes a pair of spaced apart beams. A nozzle includes a crown portion and a skirt portion which depends from the crown portion, and also defines an opening through which ink can be ejected. An endless wall extends from the substrate assembly and surrounds the skirt portion to define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the opening. A lever arm connects the thermal bend actuator to the nozzle so that, upon actuation, the actuator moves the nozzle with respect to the wall so as to vary the volume of the nozzle chamber and thereby eject ink in the nozzle chamber through the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070064045
    Abstract: An inkjet image forming apparatus includes an array inkjet head, a cap member, and a pressure regulator. The array inkjet head has a nozzle unit and a plurality of nozzle plates disposed on the nozzle unit and the cap member has a plurality of inside caps to enclose the corresponding nozzle plates. The pressure regulator regulates the pressure of inner spaces of the inside caps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gui-taek Lim
  • Publication number: 20070064046
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a rubber member in an ink flow passage. The rubber member is made of a rubber composition including a rubber base polymer selected from ethylene-propylene diene rubber polymer and isobutylene-isoprene rubber polymer, and at least one trapping agent selected from calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, talc, and clay. The trapping agent is effective for absorb-trapping various types of additives that may be present in the rubber member. The additives in the rubber are thereby held in the rubber structure and prevented from being eluted into the water-based ink or the preservative solution, which can lead to clogging of ink nozzles and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuma Goto, Noriaki Satoh
  • Publication number: 20070064047
    Abstract: Images are printed up to the edges of printing paper while preventing ink droplets from depositing on the platen. According to the present invention, an area R for ejecting image-forming ink droplets is specified for a region lying beyond the edges of a printing paper P. The pixels of an external upper edge portion Rfp extending beyond the upper edge Pf are recorded solely by the nozzles disposed opposite the downstream slot of the platen. An internal upper edge portion Rfq, which is disposed downstream of the external upper edge portion Rfp, is recorded solely by the nozzles disposed opposite the downstream slot. When dots are recorded, blank spaces are prevented from forming in the edge portions of the printing paper, and ink droplets are prevented from depositing on the platen when the printing paper P deviates from its intended position, provided the upper edge of the printing paper P remains on the inside of the external upper edge portion Rfp or internal upper edge portion Rfq.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Koichi Otsuki
  • Publication number: 20070064048
    Abstract: An array printhead and an inkjet image forming apparatus having the same are include a first member, a second member, a third member, and a support member. The first through third members and the support member sequentially overlap and couple to each other. The first member supplies ink of different colors into the second member and the second member separately receives the ink of different colors supplied from the first member. The third member includes a plurality of head chips that eject ink supplied from the second member thereon and the support member fixes the first member, the second member, and the third member using a plurality of coupling elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Young-su Lee, In-su Lee
  • Publication number: 20070064049
    Abstract: A method for efficiently and stably manufacturing a nozzle plate wherein nozzle openings are accurately formed. According to an ink jet head nozzle plate manufacturing method for emitting a laser beam through lenses onto the face of a nozzle plate to form a plurality of nozzle openings, these lenses are a plurality of micro lenses arranged on the same plane, and the pitch for arranging the micro lenses that are adjacent in the direction in which the nozzle openings are formed in the nozzle plate is defined as an integer multiple of the pitch for arranging adjacent nozzle openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Toshihiko Harajiri
  • Publication number: 20070064050
    Abstract: By employing an ink-jet ink and an ink-jet set characterized in that in an ink-jet ink incorporating at least water, an organic solvent, and a polymer compound having a plurality of side chains on a hydrophilic main chain, the polymer in which at least a part of the side chains are crosslinkable via exposure to actinic radiation, and the polymer exists in a dissolved state in the ink-jet ink, and the polymer has a property that all amount of the polymer is not dissolved in water when the polymer is mixed with water in an amount of the same content ratio as in the ink-jet ink, and an ink-jet recording method using the same, printing adaptability onto various printing media and ejection stability are achieved, and images exhibiting excellent color bleeding resistance and excellent beading resistance are prepared.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Kenichi Ohkubo, Masaki Nakamura, Masayoshi Yamauchi, Yoshinori Tsubaki, Kumiko Furuno
  • Publication number: 20070064051
    Abstract: The present invention is applicable to, for example, a thermal printing head to form shallow grooves M by removing the insulating films 21, 24, 30, and 33 along at least the rows of the energy transducers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Manabu Tomita
  • Publication number: 20070064052
    Abstract: A piezoelectric layer with an individual electrode and a contact point formed thereon, and an FPC having a substrate on which a wiring is formed are in this order arranged on a surface of a channel unit having a pressure chamber. A first through hole is formed in an area, of the substrate, overlapping in a plan view with the contact point, and a second through hole is formed in another area, of the substrate, not overlapping in a plan view with the pressure chamber. An electroconductive material is filled in the first through hole, and a fixing material is filled in the second through hole. Accordingly, it is possible to electrically connect the individual electrode and the wiring of the FPC, and to mechanically connect the piezoelectric layer and the substrate of the FPC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20070064053
    Abstract: A processing apparatus for an inkjet printer includes a bus. A processor runs a control program of the apparatus. A DMA controller is connected to the data bus to control address transfers in a number of channels. A control program memory is connected to the data bus to store the control program for access by the processor. A random access memory interface is connected to the data bus for access to image data for printing. Image processing circuitry is connected to the data bus to process the image data for printing. A printhead interface communicates with a printhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070064054
    Abstract: Flex circuits for use in ink jet printers. In particular, flex circuits for use in ink jet printers that include a polyester material layer supporting a plurality of metal conductors, with the polyester material being a material suitable for use in an ink environment with lower ink permeability and low moisture and ink absorption than polyimide (PI) material. The polyester layer having low ink permeability and moisture and ink absorption to prevent: catastrophic “ink shorting of conductors” failures; adhesion failures; corrosion failures by direct ink contact with the conductors; and material degradation failures that may result if any of the materials are degraded by or react with the ink. Preferably, the polyester material is polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). The polyester base layer is suitable for use in many major flex circuit construction types, including: both adhesive-less and adhesive-based circuits; and one-metal and two-metal layer circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Terry Hayden, Matthew Jones, Robert Loftis, Daniel McClure
  • Publication number: 20070064055
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead that has a support member for mounting it into a printer body adjacent a media feed path. A plurality of printhead IC's are mounted contiguously adjacent each other along the support member. Each of the printhead IC's has an array of nozzles, the array of nozzles on each printhead IC being identical and arranged into a series of nozzle rows such that most nozzles in each nozzle row are co-linear with the corresponding nozzle row in an adjacent printhead IC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Simon Walmsley
  • Publication number: 20070064056
    Abstract: A printhead module is provided for an inkjet printhead assembly. The printhead module includes a support. An elongate carrier is mounted to the support. The carrier defines a plurality of transverse ribs and an ink channel located between the ribs. A subassembly includes a micro-electromechanical integrated circuit (IC) configured to eject ink. The subassembly is mounted to the carrier so that the support, carrier and subassembly define a plurality of sealed ink chambers which can feed ink to the IC via the ink channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin King, Garry Jackson
  • Publication number: 20070064057
    Abstract: A printhead module is provided for an inkjet printhead assembly. The printhead module includes a support defining a plurality of internal ink chambers. An elongate ink distributor is mounted to the support. A subassembly includes a micro-electromechanical integrated circuit (IC) configured to eject ink and mounted to the distributor so that ink from the ink chambers can be distributed to the IC by the distributor. The support, distributor and subassembly are shaped to define complementary formations on opposite sides of the printhead module so that a pair of the printhead modules can be mated together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin King, Garry Jackson
  • Publication number: 20070064058
    Abstract: An thermal inkjet printhead that has a plurality of nozzles 3 and a bubble forming chamber 7 corresponding to each nozzle respectively, wherein bubbles generated in the chamber eject drops of an ejectable liquid through the nozzle. At least one heater element 10 disposed in each bubble forming chamber 7 to heat a bubble forming liquid 11 to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble 12 therein. The generation of the bubble 12 causes the ejection of a drop 16 of an ejectable liquid (such as ink) through an ejection aperture 5 in each nozzle 3, to effect printing. The heater element 10 has a serpentine form configured to generate the gas bubble substantially symmetrically about an axis extending normal to the plane of the aperture. The gap between the electrodes in the side of the bubble forming chamber 7 create a discontinuity in the serpentine path of the heater element 10. This causes the bubble formation to be asymmetrical and skewed toward one side of the heater element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070064059
    Abstract: An ink jet recording head comprising a discharge port for discharging an ink; and a sealing tape for sealing the discharge port; wherein the sealing tape includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer constituted of an acrylic crosslinked polymer formed by crosslinking an alkyl (meth)acrylate ester copolymer with a metal chelate compound, and is peelably adhered, through the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, to a part where the discharge port is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadayoshi Inamoto, Yoshiaki Kurihara, Masako Shimomura, Satoshi Shimazu, Kazuto Takashima, Ikumi Sakata, Koji Tomita
  • Publication number: 20070064060
    Abstract: A method of forming an opening through a substrate includes defining an area on a first surface of the substrate where the opening is to be formed, the area having a center region flanked by edge regions. A top layer having a substantially closed space located over the area is formed on the first surface. Structure for promoting etching of the center region is provided, and the first surface of the substrate is etched in the area. In one embodiment, the method can fabricate an inkjet printhead having a substrate having an ink feed hole formed therethrough and an orifice plate formed thereon. A plurality of particle tolerance elements located over a center region of the ink feed hole promoted etching during the fabrication of the printhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Jianhui Gu, Rio Rivas, Jeremy Donaldson, Bernard Rojas
  • Publication number: 20070064061
    Abstract: The liquid ejection head comprises: a plurality of nozzles through which liquid is ejected; a plurality of pressure chambers which accumulate the liquid to be supplied to the nozzles; a plurality of pressure generating devices which apply pressure to the liquid inside the pressure chambers to eject the liquid through the nozzles; a common flow channel through which the liquid is supplied to the pressure chambers; and a wall which defines the common flow channel, at least a portion of the wall being composed of at least two layers including first and second members, a first surface of the first member coming in contact with the liquid in the common flow channel, the second member being arranged on a second surface of the first member reverse to the first surface, wherein: the first member has a thickness L which satisfies the following condition: L=?×(2n+1)/4, where ? is a wavelength of an acoustic wave traveling through the first member, and n is an integer not smaller than zero; and an acoustic impedance Z1
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Tadashi Kyoso
  • Publication number: 20070064062
    Abstract: The liquid ejection head includes: a first SOI substrate which has a first active layer, a first dielectric layer and a first supporting layer; a second SOI substrate which has a second active layer, a second dielectric layer and a second supporting layer, the second active layer being bonded to the first supporting layer; and a nozzle which is formed between the first supporting layer and the second dielectric layer, the nozzle ejecting liquid in an ejection direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the first SOI substrate and the second SOI substrate, a cross-sectional width of the nozzle perpendicular to the ejection direction being defined by a thickness of the second active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Shinya Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20070064063
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording head having no piezoelectric element in a part where no piezoelectric element is required and including an individual electrode lead-out part having such a cross section that allows smooth power supply is provided. The ink-jet recording head includes an individual electrode having an individual electrode main body formed at a position corresponding to an ink chamber and an individual electrode lead-out part for supplying power, a piezoelectric element formed to contact the individual electrode, and a diaphragm formed to contact the piezoelectric element. The individual electrode lead-out part is connected to the individual electrode main body from a position offset from a face including an electrode face of the individual electrode main body, and the piezoelectric element is formed into a shape corresponding to the individual electrode main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Mita, Kazuaki Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20070064064
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided having at least one printhead module removably mounted to a body of the printer. The printhead module has at least two printhead integrated circuits mounted to a support member via respective ink distribution members which distribute ink from the support member to inkjet nozzles of the printhead integrated circuits. The support member has at least one longitudinally extending channel for carrying the ink for the printhead integrated circuits and includes a plurality of apertures extending through a wall of the support member to direct the ink from the channel to the associated nozzles via the ink distribution members. Each ink distribution members incorporates a laminated stack of layers which have apertures for distributing the ink from the support member to the associated printhead integrated circuit, the apertures of each layer from the support member to the associated printhead integrated circuit being of successively smaller diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Berry, Garry Jackson, Akira Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20070064065
    Abstract: An inkjet printing system having a plurality of inkjets, wherein the inkjets are disposed in a row and directed toward a media, wherein the printhead includes a drop generator having an orifice plate, wherein the orifice plate has nozzles with a first and second group forming an inkjet, wherein the first group is in interleaved patterns with the second group, and the geometry of the first group is different from the second group. A stimulating device provides a signal to the continuous inkjets to produce a first and second group of drops with a first and a second breakoff length, wherein the first and second breakoff lengths are different; a charge plate with drop charging electrodes positioned adjacent each inkjet opposite the drop generator. A controller in communication with each drop charging electrode adapted to supply a pulse to each electrode to isolate the first and second group of drops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Piatt, Randy Fagerquist
  • Publication number: 20070064066
    Abstract: A continuous liquid drop emission apparatus is disclosed comprising a liquid drop emitter containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with a plurality of nozzles formed in a common nozzle member for emitting a plurality of continuous streams of liquid. A jet stimulation apparatus is provided comprising a plurality of transducers corresponding to the plurality of nozzles and adapted to transfer energy to the liquid in corresponding flow communication with the plurality of nozzles sufficient to cause the break-off of the plurality of continuous streams of liquid at a plurality of predetermined break-off times into a plurality of streams of drops of predetermined volumes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Piatt, Stephen Pond, James Katerberg, Randy Vandagriff
  • Publication number: 20070064067
    Abstract: An ink jet printing system includes a printhead generating a plurality of continuous ink jets that are in a row and directed toward a print receiving medium. The printhead contains a drop generator and an orifice plate that includes a plurality of nozzles to form the continuous ink jets. The orifice plate includes a stimulating device to produce first and second synchronous drop breakoffs in a phased relationship and each ink jet in the drop breakoffs alternate producing plurality of drops in a phased relationship. A charge plate is placed opposite the drop generator and includes a plurality of drop charging electrodes adjacent the continuous ink jets. A controller is in communication with each drop charging electrode and supplies a plurality of synchronized controlled drop selection pulses to the drop charging electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: James Katerberg
  • Publication number: 20070064068
    Abstract: A continuous liquid drop emission apparatus is provided. The liquid drop emission apparatus is comprised of a liquid chamber containing a positively pressurized liquid in flow communication with at least one nozzle for emitting a continuous stream of liquid and a jet stimulation apparatus adapted to transfer pulses of energy to the liquid in flow communication with the at least one nozzle sufficient to cause the break-off of the at least one continuous stream of liquid into a stream of drops of predetermined volumes. The continuous liquid drop emission apparatus further comprises a semiconductor substrate including integrated circuitry formed therein for performing and controlling a plurality of actions on the drops of predetermined volumes. The plurality of actions may include drop charging, drop sensing, drop deflection and drop capturing. Drop action apparatus adapted to perform these functions and integrated circuitry to control the drop action apparatus are formed in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Piatt, Stephen Pond
  • Publication number: 20070064069
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a pressure damping ink filter for use with an ink jet printer. The pressure damping ink filter includes at least one flow control member and a filter. The flow control member, in combination with any pressure damping provided by the thickness of the filter medium and the ink volume capacity of the filter housing, may substantially reduce, if not eliminate, pressure fluctuations in the ink stream that are generated by a high frequency electric pump. The flow control member may be a fixed or variable input restrictor and a fixed or variable output restrictor. The input restrictor and/or output restrictor may also be located inside or outside of the filter housing. Further, the input and output restrictors may be molded as part of the filter housing or the filter itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: George Murad, Frank Eremity
  • Publication number: 20070064070
    Abstract: The apparatus has valve units capable of blocking respectively liquid feed paths connecting a liquid storage unit and a liquid jet head, and control unit. The control unit has a function for executing a pressure reduction step of putting the valve unit corresponding to the kind of liquid to be cleaned into an open state, simultaneously putting the other valve units into a closed state, exhausting a closed space formed by a capping unit with the head and generating a negative pressure state therein, a totally-closing step of switching the valve unit in the open state to the closed state and putting all the valve units into the closed state almost simultaneously with stopping exhausting or immediately before it, and a totally-opening step of putting all the valve units into the open state after a lapse of a predetermined time. Cleaning is executed only for a specific kind of liquid free of obstacles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Izumi Nozawa, Shuhei Harada, Nobuhito Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20070064071
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a communication path coupled to an ink supply portion and configured to dispense ink from an interior of an ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber via an opening, and the communication path has a center line. The ink cartridge also includes a movable member which has a signal blocking portion provided at a first end of the movable member, ant the signal blocking portion is disposed within an inner space of a translucent portion. The movable member also includes a float provided at a second end of the movable member opposite the first end of the movable member, and the float is disposed within the ink chamber and has a specific gravity which is less than the specific gravity of the ink within the ink chamber. Moreover, the float is configured to move between a first position and a second position based at least on an amount of ink disposed within the ink chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Hattori, Tomohiro Kanbe, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20070064072
    Abstract: Ink cartridges 10a to 10d have different patterns from each other in positional relationship between projections 12a to 12d and insertion parts 16a to 16d, respectively, and cartridge holders 20a to 20d have different patterns from each other in positional relationship between slits 22a to 22d and ink introducing tubes 21a to 21d, as seen from the direction on which the ink cartridges 10a to 10d are mounted on the cartridge holders 20a to 20d, respectively. At the same time, the respective patterns of the positional relationships in the ink cartridges and the cartridge holders coincide with each other per each of the four colors of black, cyan, yellow and magenta. Thus, any one of ink cartridges is prevented from inadvertently joined to any one of the cartridge holders to which the ink cartridge does not correspond to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Katayama
  • Publication number: 20070064073
    Abstract: A multi-color inkjet ink set includes a first ink composition including a first colorant and a heterocyclic amine compound, and a second ink composition include a second colorant having an, in which the acid moiety of the second colorant within the second ink composition reacts with the heterocyclic amine compound within the first ink composition to form a precipitate to prevent the second colorant from moving on a printing medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Seung-min RYU, Yeon-kyoung Jung
  • Publication number: 20070064074
    Abstract: A system for printing a gambling ticket on a print medium, the system comprising: a mobile telecommunications device which comprises: a printer module to print the ticket on the print medium; and, a sensor module to sense a print media identifier of the print medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Simon Walmsley
  • Publication number: 20070064075
    Abstract: A system for printing a membership on a print medium, the system comprising: a mobile telecommunications device which comprises: a printer module to print the membership on the print medium; and, a sensor module to sense a print media identifier of the print medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Paul Lapstun, Simon Walmsley
  • Publication number: 20070064076
    Abstract: An exit roll for use in an image forming device. The exit roll may include a body and a kicker section each configured to mount to a shaft. The kicker section may include a plurality of fingers spaced around the periphery. Each of the fingers may include a first section that is substantially parallel to the shaft, and a second section that extends outward way from the shaft. The fingers may be flexible in an upwards and downwards direction into and away from the shaft. The exit roll is constructed to move media sheets out of the exit port and away from the image forming device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel Carter, Larry Foster, Brian Blair, David Rennick
  • Publication number: 20070064077
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises: an ink ejection device which ejects ink through nozzles, the ink containing coloring material; a treatment liquid ejection device which ejects treatment liquid through nozzles, the treatment liquid being a colorless transparent liquid containing infrared-absorbing material and having at least one of an action of insolubilizing the coloring material, an action of aggregating the coloring material, and an action of preventing dispersion of the coloring material; an infrared irradiating device which irradiates infrared light onto the treatment liquid having been ejected from the treatment liquid ejection device; and a treatment liquid determination device which includes a photoelectric transducer having sensitivity to the infrared light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Masaaki Konno
  • Publication number: 20070064078
    Abstract: A plate-shaped main body, has a first face formed with a recess portion defined by a bottom face and side walls and a second face which is opposite to the first face. The plate-shaped main body is formed with a through hole connecting the bottom face and the second face. An overhanging portion, is provided on at least one of the side walls in the vicinity of the first face, and is located so as to at least partially hang over the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nishi, Seiji Kawabata, Kazuhiro Hashii, Kazumasa Harada, Keiichiro Fukumasu, Hirohisa Adachi
  • Publication number: 20070064079
    Abstract: In a method for compensating for media linefeed errors in a media feed apparatus, a first correction parameter is applied during a first length of a media feed operation and a second correction parameter, which differs from the first correction parameter, is applied during a second length of the media feed operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Aiqiang Yang, Michael Nordlund, Manish Agarwal, Sing-Yan Wan, Ban-Ho Chong
  • Publication number: 20070064080
    Abstract: A storage housing for storing a recording head having inside and outside surfaces and operable to perform a recording operation by an ink which is supplied to the recording head through an ink inlet opening in the inside surface and which is ejected through nozzles opening in the outside surface. The storage housing including: first and second bodies which include first and second sealing portions, respectively, and which are opposed to each other with the inside and outside surfaces of the recording head being interposed between the first and second bodies, such that the ink inlet is sealed by the first sealing portion and such that the nozzles are sealed by the second sealing portion. One of the first and second bodies includes an arm movable to attach and detach the one of the first and second bodies to and from the recording head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takamasa Usui
  • Publication number: 20070064081
    Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus suppressing color slippage without using a mirror with high flatness, when a reflective surface of the mirror used in an optical system of, for example, yellow is formed in a completely flat surface, and a curvature R of the reflective surface of the mirror used in the optical system of magenta is +75 m, a deviation of a scanning position exceeds 100 ?m at maximum, resulting in accentuating the color slippage. Meanwhile, when the mirror of yellow is replaced with the mirror having the curvature R of +300m, the slippage can be suppressed to 100 ?m or less. Therefore, each mirror is selected, so that the curvature of each mirror becomes all positive or all negative. Thus, the deviation of the scanning position is in the same direction of laser beams L of each color, and the slippage can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Fujino
  • Publication number: 20070064082
    Abstract: An image forming unit is provided in which, through making a distance limiting member to limit a distance between an exposing unit and an image carrying body be able to contact and separate with respect to the image carrying body by a contact/separation enabling section, it is eliminated that developer remaining on the surface of the image carrying body coagulates on the distance limiting member, so it is eliminated that the surface of the image carrying body is scraped by the developer, and that a bad print occurs. The image forming unit has an image carrying body exposed by an exposing unit, a distance limiting member to limit a distance between the exposing unit and the image carrying body. The distance limiting member is installed capable of contacting with and separating from the image carrying body by a contact/separation enabling section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ken Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20070064083
    Abstract: A method estimates the temperature of a thermal print head element during printing. In one embodiment, the temperature is estimated using the resistance of the thermal print head element, which typically changes with the print head element temperature. The change in resistance of the print head element is exploited to indirectly estimate the temperature of the print head element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Suhail Saquib, Brian Busch
  • Publication number: 20070064084
    Abstract: An image is formed by thermally transferring dyes of a thermal transfer sheet onto a print recording medium, and then a protection layer is formed on the formed image. The transport speed of the print recording medium in the event of thermal transferring the dyes onto the print recording medium is set higher than that in the event of thermal transferring the protection layer onto the print recording medium. Thereby, the amount of thermal energy for application in the event of protection layer formation is increased to be greater than that in the event of image formation. Thereby, occurrence of concave-convex portions formed on the printed surface in association with a density difference in the event of image formation is prevented, and concurrently, the surface pattern in the event of image protection layer formation is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kikuchi, Masahide Maruyama, Yumi Kawamoto, Masanobu Hida
  • Publication number: 20070064085
    Abstract: An embodiment includes disposing optically visible marks along one or more spiral segments on a rotating medium, where the one or more spiral segments include a plurality of seams, and locating the seams at different angular locations on the rotating medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Greg Lipinski
  • Publication number: 20070064086
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus utilizing a light-emitting diode (LED). The image forming apparatus includes: an LED head including an LED array that has a plurality of dots, in which a resolution a (dpi) of the LED array and a resolution b (dpi) in a main scanning direction at an image data exposure satisfy a relation: a>b (a being an integral multiple of b); and a lighting control unit that performs a lighting control for the LED head such that main dots used for an exposure are turned on in every {(a/b)?1} dots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Masato Mikami, Kunihiro Maie, Kouji Tsutsumi, Shingo Yano