Patents Issued in August 16, 2007
  • Publication number: 20070188524
    Abstract: A method of illuminating a pixel on a display to a desired brightness level that includes dividing a time required to reach a maximum brightness level into one or more time slices, varying a pixel voltage associated with the pixel according to a sequence of voltage values over the one or more time slices, and gradually increasing the brightness of the pixel according to the pixel voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: MicroDisplay Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Bolotski
  • Publication number: 20070188525
    Abstract: An image processing method extends n-bit input image data by ? bits to generate (n+?)-bit source data, where n and ? are positive integers, and smoothes the source data. The maximum difference between gray levels of the unsmoothed source data in an area localized around each pixel is calculated, and a mixing ratio is determined from the maximum difference. The smoothed and unsmoothed source data are mixed according to the mixing ratio to generate output image data. In areas with gradually changing gray levels, the output image data are weighted toward the smoothed source data, mitigating image degradation due to quantization and gamma correction. In areas with sharp edges, the output image data are weighted toward the unsmoothed source data, preventing a loss of edge sharpness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamanaka, Yoshiaki Okuno, Shuichi Kagawa, Jun Someya
  • Publication number: 20070188526
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a display panel having a plurality of electron emission portions that emit electrons, a plurality of light emitting regions positioned corresponding to the plurality of electron emission portions to emit light in response to irradiation of electrons from the electron emission portion thereon, and a shielding member provided between a substrate having the electron emission portions provided thereon and an opposing substrate having the light emitting regions thereon, and a correction circuit that corrects a pixel signal for modulating the electron emission portions. The shielding member shields electrons reflected from peripheral light emitting regions adjacent to a predetermined one of the light emitting regions to the predetermined light emitting region, and irradiates electrons from the shielding member to the predetermined light emitting region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Yui, Akira Hayama
  • Publication number: 20070188527
    Abstract: A display system comprises a display panel having a plurality of subpixels, a first look-up table (LUT) configured to provide gamma adjustment signals to input image data, an image processor configured to receive the gamma adjusted input image data for processing, a demultiplexer configured to receive and demultiplex the processed image data from the image processor, and second and third LUTs configured to receive the demultiplexed image data from the demultiplexer. The second and third LUTs correct fixed noise patterns in the demultiplxed image data. The system further comprises a multiplexer configured to receive and multiplex image data from the second and third LUTs, a driver configured to receive the multiplexed image data from the multiplexer and provide driving image data, and fourth and fifth LUTs receive the driving image data from the driver. The fourth and fifth LUTs adjust the driving image data for display on the panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: CLAIRVOYANTE, INC
    Inventor: Candice Brown Elliott
  • Publication number: 20070188528
    Abstract: This invention is a printing control apparatus for generating print data to be supplied to a print unit to print. The print unit is capable of forming dots on a print medium by ejecting at least one type of colored ink containing a color material and a quality-enhancing ink for enhancing quality of a printed material. The printing control apparatus comprises an outline area extractor configured to extract an outline area of an image expressed by given image data and a dot data generator configured to generate colored dot data and transparent dot data according to the image data. The dot data generator is configured to reduce ink volume of dots formed in the outline area among the transparent dots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Publication number: 20070188529
    Abstract: A liquid detection device that is accommodated in a sensor accommodating portion formed in a liquid container containing a liquid therein and detects the liquid in the liquid container using a piezoelectric element, wherein, when a wavelength of a vibration wave to be emitted from the piezoelectric element is ?, a distance H from a rear surface of a vibration wave emitting surface of the piezoelectric element to a wall surface facing the rear surface is represented by Equation 1. (n×?/2??/4??/8)?H?(n×?/2??/4+?/8)??(Equation 1) (where n=1, 2, 3, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Junhua Zhang
  • Publication number: 20070188530
    Abstract: A method for automatically ordering printer consumables which includes determining when a printer consumable is close to depletion and automatically ordering a replacement to the printer consumable based upon a plurality of criteria. The criteria includes the amount of consecutive time a consumer has been a member of a printer consumable subscription service and the number of printer consumables ordered by a consumer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Henry Garrana, Bay Anthon, John Hale, Gary Lerhaupt, Carol Truman, Jeremy Staadeker
  • Publication number: 20070188531
    Abstract: There are provided a method of adjusting a discharge quantity for discharging a liquid droplet repeatedly discharged as the liquid droplet of a quantity having a good accuracy and a method of discharging it, and an apparatus therefor. As to the adjusting and discharging methods, there is provided a method of adjusting a liquid droplet quantity, in which, by a forward movement and a forward stopping of a plunger sliding while closely contacting with an inner wall face of a tube, a discharge quantity of the liquid droplet discharged from a discharge port communicating with the tube is adjusted, characterized in that a moving speed of the plunger moving forward from start of deceleration to stop is adjusted such that the liquid droplet discharged from the discharge port becomes constant at every discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kazumasa Ikushima
  • Publication number: 20070188532
    Abstract: A nozzle control method and a nozzle control device. The nozzle control method includes discriminating between the nozzle(s) to eject the ink droplets from the nozzle(s) not to eject the ink droplets; and generating a pressure wave with a predetermined amplitude in the nozzle(s) not to eject the ink droplets when the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle(s) to eject the ink droplets. Accordingly, it is possible to produce a color filter with a uniform thickness regardless of the print pattern. The ink droplets with a constant size can be ejected when the nozzle pitch of the print head is not the same width as the print pattern width. Therefore, the print quality is improved by a uniformizing ink thickness in which the print job is performed to the print medium regardless of the number of nozzles ejecting the ink droplets concurrently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-wook Kim, Seung-Ioo Shin, Byung-hun Kim, Sang-il Kim
  • Publication number: 20070188533
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a head assembly in which a plurality of head chips, each having multiple nozzles arranged therein for discharging ink, are disposed in the arrangement direction of the nozzles. The discharge of ink from the nozzles of each head chip in band-boundary regions in which bands recorded by the head chips overlap each other is adjusted in accordance with the detection result of the temperature of each head chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Wada, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi, Hitoshi Yoshino
  • Publication number: 20070188534
    Abstract: A deposit forming method including ejecting droplets of a deposit forming material onto a substrate, thereby forming a deposit by the droplets on the substrate, is provided. The droplets are ejected along a direction inclined at a predetermined angle in a predetermined direction with respect to a normal line of the substrate and at a predetermined pitch in the predetermined direction. The predetermined angle is set in correspondence with the diameter of each of the droplets and the predetermined pitch in such a manner that the dimension of a dot formed by each droplet on the substrate in the predetermined direction becomes greater than or equal to the predetermined pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Kei Hiruma, Osamu Kasuga, Yuji Iwata
  • Publication number: 20070188535
    Abstract: A method is described for printing on translucent substrates, such as thermoplastic polymer materials, which method utilizes a white ink as a process ink to achieve selective opacity and enhanced color effects derived from the white ink. The white ink jetting and the colored ink jetting are printed essentially simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Hamdy A. Elwakil, Eric Pray
  • Publication number: 20070188536
    Abstract: A temperature control method for a fixing device, which includes a heating unit that heats a recording material; a temperature detecting unit that detects a temperature of the heating unit; and a temperature controlling unit that determines an amount of power supplied based on a detected temperature of the temperature detecting unit, and controls the temperature of the heating unit by supplying the determined amount of power supplied, wherein temperature is sampled by the temperature detecting unit at a prescribed cycle, and the amount of power supplied is determined on the basis of this detection result, and when the duty cycle of the determined amount of power supplied is no more than 50%, a first period during which power is intermittently supplied to the heating unit, and a second period during which a power supply to the heating unit is not permitted are set within the prescribed cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20070188537
    Abstract: A normalization method of ink drops to ensure uniformity of an amount of ink drops ejected from nozzles of an inkjet head. The normalization method including ejecting a predetermined number of ink drops from the nozzles into pixels while changing a voltage applied to the nozzles, measuring the mean thicknesses of ink layers formed in the pixels, and setting a target thickness of the ink layers and applying a voltage corresponding to the target thickness to each of the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wou-sik Kim, Seong-iin Kim, Sung-woong Kim, Kye-si Kwon, Sang-il Kim
  • Publication number: 20070188538
    Abstract: When an actually measured voltage Vsu detected by a voltmeter 58 is within an inspection permissible range, a print head inspection apparatus 50 performs an inspection as whether or not ink has been normally ejected, on the basis of a changes in voltage that occur in an inspection area 52 as a result of ejected ink droplets. On the one hand, when the actually measured voltage Vsu is less than the inspection range, the apparatus increases a relative distance between a nozzle plate 27 and the inspection area 52 by separating the capping member 41 from the print head 24, by then bringing the capping member 41 and the print head 24 into contact, and after a suction pump 45 performs a separated-suction process, by then gradually separating the capping member 41 from the print head 24 until the actually measured voltage Vsu is within the inspection permissible range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Seiji Izuo
  • Publication number: 20070188539
    Abstract: A printer has a sequential access EEPROM used with storage elements on black and color ink cartridges. Cartridge data such as data concerning inks in the cartridges are stored in the cartridges' storage elements. The addressing format for the cartridges' storage elements differs from that for the EEPROM. The printer's controller converts the storage format of addressing before writing information into the cartridges' storage elements. Data to be written into storage elements are temporarily placed in a RAM on the printer's carriage. The data are then written into storage elements of the black and color cartridges, say, during power-off operation. Signal lines and memory used when writing data into storage elements are identical to signal lines through which print data are transmitted to a print head on the carriage, and the memory where print data are stored. This reduces ink cartridge manufacturing cost and printer size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Toshihisa Saruta
  • Publication number: 20070188540
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead chip includes electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuits to protect the chip during ESD events, such as one especially to prevent a thin dielectric layer on a substrate from breakdown. In one embodiment, the chip includes an ESD circuit essentially dedicated per each actuator. In another, ESD circuits alternate connection between power and ground. In still another, actuators are approximately equidistantly spaced with respect to respective ESD circuits. Exemplary ESD circuits include a ballast resistor in series with a diode. In turn, diodes are either forward biased toward power or away from ground. In a thermal inkjet embodiment, a cavitation layer above a resistor and dielectric layer have pluralities of fingers connecting the cavitation layer to a metal buss. The metal buss attaches to the ballast resistors. Protection typically embodies the safe distribution of ESD current to ground during both chip manufacture and user printhead installation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Jason Young, Nicole Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20070188541
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus has ink jetting nozzles through each of which a photocurable ink is jetted for recording an image onto a recording material by an ink jetting method. The apparatus includes a color ink recording head for jetting color ink, a clear ink recording head for jetting clear ink; and an ink amount determining section for determining an amount of the clear ink to be jetted from the clear ink recording head, by causing at least one of the color ink recording head and the clear ink recording head to record a predetermined test pattern on the recording material, and on the basis of a glossiness of the recorded test pattern. A glossiness measuring device measures the glossiness, and the ink amount determining device determines the amount of the clear ink based on the measured glossiness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihide Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20070188542
    Abstract: A cleaning system for an inkjet printhead comprises an inkjet printhead having an inkjet nozzle array associated therewith. The inkjet printhead is in fluid communication with a first source of a first pressurized fluid. A fluid nozzle associated with the inkjet printhead is in fluid communication with a second source of a second pressurized fluid. The cleaning system further comprises a collection plate. Ink is forcibly ejected from the inkjet printhead by the first source of the first pressurized fluid. A stream of the second pressurized fluid is guided by the fluid nozzle across a surface of the inkjet printhead to direct ink ejected from the inkjet printhead onto the collection plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Dan Kanfoush, Kevin Hook, Anthony Moscato, Theodore Cyman, Lawrence Pilon
  • Publication number: 20070188543
    Abstract: In a line type inkjet printer, a method to clean a nozzle effectively reducing the occurrence of clogging of nozzle is provided. In the method to clean a nozzle of a printing apparatus having a fixed print head of line type, the method to clean a nozzle includes the first process for counting the number of times of non-ink jet work operations of nozzle in each print head from image data for printing, the second process for operating period to flush based on the number of times of non-ink jet work operations, and the third process for producing control signal of printing including the period to flush.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: NICHIHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Tomoyoshi Yabe
  • Publication number: 20070188544
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: an ejection head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle; a cap that can seal an opening of the nozzle; an absorber that is disposed in the inside of the cap; a first ejection unit that allows to perform a first ejection toward the cap for maintenance of the nozzle; a suction unit that sucks the liquid from the cap; a second ejection unit that allows to perform a second ejection toward the cap for supplementing the liquid to the inside of the cap, before the suction; and a history managing unit that manages information on an accumulated ejection amount of a moisturizing component of the first ejection, wherein the second ejection unit allows to perform the second ejection on a condition based on the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Morikoshi
  • Publication number: 20070188545
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a plurality of liquid ejection heads, a plurality of elastic wiper blades for rubbing the nozzle formed surfaces of the liquid ejection heads, a blade cleaner for removing liquid adhered to the wiper blade, a cleaning unit for removing liquid adhered to the wiper blades, a wiper blade moving unit for respectively and independently moving the plurality of wiper blades between a rubbing position and a retreating position, and a control unit that controls the wiper blade moving unit so that the cleaning unit can make the blade cleaner and the moved wiper blades rub with each other. Herein, it is possible to maintain cleaning performance, preventing contamination of a wiper blade caused by liquid splashed from a neighboring wiper blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Fujio Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20070188546
    Abstract: An ink-mist control system for an edge-to-edge printer having a scanning carriage and ink cartridge utilizing a printhead therein comprises a print zone disposed beneath the scanning carriage and ink cartridge utilizing a printhead, a T-shaped duct housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion disposed beneath the print zone. The first housing portion has an inlet extending along the print zone, the second housing portion has an outlet. At least one basin waste collection is in fluid communication with the inlet to receive entrained ink particles, a first duct leg disposed in the first portion and a second duct leg offset from a lowermost position of the first duct leg, the first duct leg in fluid communication with the second duct leg. A fan is in fluid communication with said outlet for directing air and entrained ink mist particles from said inlet through said T-shaped duct and out said outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Brown, Stephen Budelsky, Mark Neal
  • Publication number: 20070188547
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer includes an ink-jet head. The ink-jet head has an image printing head and a ground-color-layer printing head. The image printing head is configured to print an image on a medium and has at least one image printing ink discharge port. The ground-color-layer printing head is configured to print a ground-color-layer on the medium and has at least one ground-color-layer printing ink discharge port. The medium and the ink-jet head are configured to relatively move parallel to a first line and along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first line. A position of the ground-color-layer printing ink discharge port is displaced from a position of the at least one image printing ink discharge port along the first line and the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Kobayashi, Shinichi Uehara, Masaru Ohnishi
  • Publication number: 20070188548
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a color filter using an inkjet In the method, a region of the color filter in which a plurality of nozzles are sequentially turned on is a first region, a region of the color filter in which all of the plurality of nozzles are turned on is a second region, and a region of the color filter in which the plurality of nozzles are sequentially turned off is a third region, and when the amount of ink discharged from each nozzle gradually decreases as the number of simultaneously turned-on nozzles increases, the number of ink drops discharged from each of the plurality of nozzles gradually increases in the first region and gradually decreases in the third region to maintain a uniform ink thickness over the entire color filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kye-si Kwon, Sung-woong Kim, Wou-sik Kim, Sang-il Kim
  • Publication number: 20070188549
    Abstract: A printer system is provided for developing a three dimensional (3D) printed structure. The system includes a plurality of spaced apart sets of printing devices. A conveyor system is arranged to serially convey a print medium in register with each set so that printed voxels from each successive set can form successive layers of the 3D printed structure upon the print medium. A plurality of curing mechanisms is interleaved between the sets of printing devices and is configured to cure the printed voxels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188550
    Abstract: A printhead assembly includes an elongate casing. The casing defines a printhead channel extending there-along. A static pagewidth printhead is received within the printhead channel. The printhead includes an elongate fluid channel member defining a plurality of ducts for storing respective types of ink. The printhead further includes printhead tiles bearing respective printheads configured to eject ink supplied from the fluid channel member. The tiles are shaped to serially engage together so that adjacent printheads overlap along the length of the fluid channel member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Berry, Garry Jackson, Akira Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20070188551
    Abstract: A method of bonding two semiconductor substrates to form a printhead includes aligning a top surface of a first substrate with a second substrate, wherein the first substrate has a fluid channel in the top surface, heating the first and second substrates to a first temperature in a partial vacuum, and placing the top surface of the first substrate in contact with the second substrate to form a bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Charles Haluzak
  • Publication number: 20070188552
    Abstract: A polyimide photoresist for thick film flow features adheres to a polyimide nozzle plate or other materials, without the use of an adhesive material between the two surfaces. Further, the photoresist can utilize an acrylate UV initiator, which can reduce the potential for HF to interact with the ink, and which can cause flocculation and eliminate the need for extremely long postbake cures used to remove HF from the photoresist. In another embodiment, an epoxy adhesive containing a dicyandiamide catalyst can be used to improve adhesion between polyimide films and a respective substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Craig Bertelsen, Sean Weaver
  • Publication number: 20070188553
    Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus for forming a functional film on a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus has a droplet ejection head having a nozzle forming surface in which a plurality of nozzles are formed. Droplets of a functional film forming composition are ejected from the nozzles onto the substrate. The nozzles form a plurality of nozzle rows that extend linearly. The nozzles of each of the nozzle rows are spaced at substantially equal intervals in such a manner that the pitch between each adjacent pair of the nozzles becomes greater than the diameter of a coating dot formed by each of the droplets on the substrate and smaller than the double of the diameter of each coating dot. The nozzle rows are arranged in such a manner as to form a zigzag pattern with the nozzles of the nozzle rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kei Hiruma
  • Publication number: 20070188554
    Abstract: A printhead is provided for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a wafer assembly defining a plurality of spaced apart groups of ink supply channels. A plurality of groups of ink ejection nozzle arrangements is provided in fluid communication with respective ink supply channel groups. Each group of nozzle arrangements includes a pair of rows of nozzle arrangements. A plurality of pairs of ink spread restriction pits is defined within respective groups of nozzle arrangements. The pairs of pits extend between the rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188555
    Abstract: A nozzle arrangement is provided for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly defining an ink inlet channel and an endless static wall located about the ink inlet channel. A roof structure defines an endless movable wall arranged to move along said static wall and, together with the substrate assembly, defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel. The roof structure further defines an ink ejection port in fluid communication with said nozzle chamber. One or more oppositely disposed pairs of actuator assemblies are mounted to the substrate assembly and extend inwardly to couple to the roof structure so that, upon actuation, the actuator assemblies can move the roof structure in a substantially rectilinear manner to vary the volume of the nozzle chamber and eject ink therein through the ink ejection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188556
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided for an inkjet printer. The nozzle includes a cover defining a nozzle port. A substrate assembly is fast with the cover, and defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the nozzle port and into which ink can be supplied. A plate is fast with the substrate assembly and includes two electrically isolated ferromagnetic parts. A plunger assembly defines a solenoid channel in which a solenoid can be received. The plunger assembly includes a plunger and biasing means configured to bias the plunger into a spaced apart position with respect to the plate. The solenoid is located in register with the solenoid channel and can be coupled to a current supply so that, upon actuation, the solenoid induces movement of the plunger towards the plate to thereby increase ink pressure in the nozzle chamber and eject ink therein through the nozzle port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188557
    Abstract: A printer comprising a stationary printhead extending across a paper path, said printhead comprising a plurality of color channels, each color channel comprising at least one nozzle row extending along the length of said printhead, each nozzle in a color channel ejecting the same colored ink, wherein said printhead is comprised of one or more printhead chips, each printhead chip having a chip area of less than 1 cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188558
    Abstract: A thermally-driven ink-jet printhead includes a substrate having an ink chamber to be filled with ink to be ejected, a manifold for supplying ink, and an ink channel for providing flow communication therebetween. First and second sidewalls are formed to a predetermined depth from an upper surface of the substrate and define the ink chamber to have a substantially rectangular shape. A nozzle plate including a plurality of material layers is formed on the substrate. A nozzle passes through the nozzle plate and is in flow communication with the ink chamber. A heater is disposed between the nozzle and one of the first sidewalls above the ink chamber. A conductor is electrically connected to the heater. The conductor and the heater are disposed within the nozzle plate. A shifting feature moves cavitation points beyond an outer edge of the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keon Kuk, Seung-joo Shin, Dong-kee Sohn, Yong-soo Lee, Yong-soo Oh, Ji-hyuk Lim, Seog-soon Baek, Mun-cheol Choi
  • Publication number: 20070188559
    Abstract: This invention relates to a printhead substrate capable of suppressing an increase in wiring width and an increase in the size of a substrate formed by a film forming process while increasing the number of simultaneously driven printing elements in order to improve the printing performance, a printhead using the substrate, and a printing apparatus using the printhead. The wiring lines of the substrate are formed into a common wiring line, and energy applied to a heating resistance element is prevented from deviating from a stable ink discharge range owing to the difference in the number of simultaneously driven heating resistance elements. For this purpose, a driving element is greatly downsized in comparison with a conventional one, and the operation region of a MOS transistor is shifted from the non-saturation region to the saturation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Imanaka, Teruo Ozaki, Takuya Hatsui, Takaaki Yamaguchi, Ichiro Saito, Muga Mochizuki, Toshiyasu Sakai
  • Publication number: 20070188560
    Abstract: Ink jet apparatus with two piezoelectric actuators arranged back-to-back on parallel thermal management surfaces of a water-cooled chassis. The chassis is formed by the bringing together of two concave plastic molded parts, having high thermal conductivity. A common nozzle plate attached to the two actuators helps to ensure accurate nozzle alignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Werner Zapka, John Corrall
  • Publication number: 20070188561
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a plurality of liquid ejecting portions arrayed in a flat region on a substrate. The liquid ejecting portions each include a liquid chamber that accommodates liquid to be ejected, a heater element arranged in the liquid chamber, the heater element generating bubbles in liquid in the liquid chamber when heated, and a nozzle for ejecting liquid in the liquid chamber in accordance with generation of bubbles by the heater element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Takeo Eguchi, Shogo Ono, Takaaki Miyamoto, Kazuyasu Takenaka
  • Publication number: 20070188562
    Abstract: An injection molding apparatus includes a manifold having a manifold channel for receiving a melt stream of moldable material and delivering the melt stream to a mold cavity through a nozzle channel of a nozzle and a mold gate. A heater is coupled to the manifold. The heater includes a heater plate that is formed by an extrusion process and at least one channel for receiving a heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Murray Fieck, Douglas Ursu
  • Publication number: 20070188563
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus including an ejection head having a nozzle in which liquid is ejected through the nozzle, a plurality of cartridges that retain the liquid and supplies the liquid to the ejection head, and a switching mechanism that switches liquid to be supplied to the ejection head from a plurality of types of liquid supplied from the cartridges. The switching mechanism includes a body having a communication passage in communication with the ejection head, a first diaphragm chamber and a second diaphragm chamber that communicate with each other through the communication passage and located to facing each other, a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm arranged in the first diaphragm chamber and the second diaphragm chamber, respectively, and capable of opening and closing the communication passage, and an operation mechanism provided in the communication passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20070188564
    Abstract: Inkjet printhead with an array of ejection chambers spaced in an array direction, each communicating with an ink orifice, inlet and outlet plenum chambers communicating with the ejection chambers, and inlet and outlet manifolds extending in the array direction and communicating with the plenum chambers through a porous sheet. While there are substantial net ink flows in the array direction in the inlet and the outlet manifolds, there is substantially no net flow in the array direction in the inlet or outlet plenum chamber. Ink pressure is therefore constant over the array of ejection chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Xaar Technology Limited
    Inventors: Robert Harvey, Howard Manning
  • Publication number: 20070188565
    Abstract: A volume of an ink-deliver chamber is efficiently utilized to dampen pressure changes of ink within the chamber, and prevent air bubbles produced in the chamber from flowing into an ink-jet recording head. In addition, an ink-jet recording apparatus having a plurality of ink-deliver chambers in a small space, is provided. Two ink cases are stacked on each other, which each include two ink-deliver chambers that accommodate different inks. Open sides of the four ink-deliver chambers are closed by flexible films. An ink-deliver chamber has an ink-flow inlet through which ink is introduced, and an ink-flow outlet through which ink flows to the ink-jet recording head, and the ink-flow inlet and outlet are provided at respective positions that are substantially most distant from each other such that almost all portions of an inner space of the ink-deliver chamber, where ink flows, are located between the ink-flow inlet and outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Shimizu, Naoya Okazaki
  • Publication number: 20070188566
    Abstract: A method for operating an ink jet cartridge refurbishment facility includes an utilizing an apparatus to refurbish ink jet cartridges. The apparatus includes a number of stations and accessories that perform the recovery and filling aspects of the ink jet cartridge refurbishment process. The method for operating the ink jet cartridge refurbishment facility may include receiving one or more used ink jet cartridges directly from each of a number of ink jet device users, refurbishing at least a portion of the used ink jet cartridges at the ink jet cartridge refurbishment facility, and distributing one or more replacement ink jet cartridges to each respective ink jet device user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Tonerhead Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Ansier, Frank Jemela
  • Publication number: 20070188567
    Abstract: A print engine includes a print roll cartridge. The print roll cartridge includes a former that defines ink reservoirs for storing respective types of ink and bears a wound length of print media upon which the stored ink can be printed. The print roll cartridge defines a print media exit slot and includes a feed arrangement arranged to feed the print media through the exit slot. A printhead assembly includes an ink feed arrangement that defines ink feed galleries which can be connected in fluid communication with respective ink reservoirs. An elongate printhead is arranged relative to the ink feed arrangement to print ink fed from the ink feed galleries onto the print media fed through the exit slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188568
    Abstract: [Object] To provide an ink-cartridge attaching and detaching device capable of, during dismounting of an ink cartridge, forcing the ink cartridge from a cartridge holding unit in a dismounting direction. [Solving Means] An attaching and detaching device includes a cartridge forcing unit 400 configured to, only when a cartridge holding unit 210 holding an ink cartridge 211 is moved in the dismounting direction of the ink cartridge 211 in association with the turning of a lever arm 363, force the ink cartridge 211 by leverage in the dismounting direction with respect to the cartridge holding unit 210.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20070188569
    Abstract: An ink jet cartridge including a case, in which the bottom portion where an ink jet recording head is disposed projects, and a lid for covering the top surface thereof. In an ink containing chamber defined by the these case and the lid, there is provided an absorber. The lid is configured so that ribs provided directly over the projecting bottom are higher than the other ribs, and so that the lid can be used for different types of cartridge. In a black cartridge, the pertinent ribs perform the function of effectively bringing the absorber into pressure contact with an ink introducing section. In a color cartridge, the pertinent ribs perform the function of restraining the height of the top surface of the absorber disposed on the projecting bottom portion to a position lower than that of the top surface of each of the other absorbers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa Amma, Wataru Takahashi, Masashi Ogawa, Yasuo Kotaki
  • Publication number: 20070188570
    Abstract: An ink supply arrangement is provided for supplying ink to an inkjet printhead. The ink supply arrangement includes an elongate ink distribution molding defining a printhead channel in which the printhead can be received and sets of passages for supplying respective types of ink to the printhead. A filter covers the ink distribution molding and is configured to filter ink supplied thereto. A baffle unit is configured to be engaged with the filter, and defines a plurality of elongate walls and a plurality of baffles extending from the walls. A housing can receive the baffle unit to define a plurality of ink storage chambers in fluid communication with respective sets of passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20070188571
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid composition for ink jet recording. The liquid composition contains an organic acid having a neutralization degree of 40 to 100%, a water-soluble organic solvent, water, and two or more kinds of positive ions including lithium ions. The content of the lithium ions with respect to the total mol number of the positive ions is about 20 to about 95 mol %. The invention also provides an ink set for ink jet recording that contains an ink including a coloring material, a water-soluble solvent, and water, and the liquid composition, and an ink jet recording method and an ink jet recording apparatus where the ink set is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Yoshimi Tokita, Takatsugu Doi
  • Publication number: 20070188572
    Abstract: An aqueous ink to be used in an ink jet recording containing a green pigment having a copper phthalocyanine skeleton, wherein a proportion of the K?-line intensity of a chlorine atom to the K?-line intensity of a bromine atom obtained by subjecting the green pigment to X-ray fluorescence analysis is 3.3 or more to 10.0 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Takayama, Shinichi Hakamada, Masako Udagawa, Kouhei Nakagawa, Hirofumi Ichinose, Nobuyuki Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20070188573
    Abstract: an ink set for ink-jet recording is provided defined by an evaluation indicator approximately corresponding to an evaluation sensed by human eyes without relying on a color difference (?E) or an optical density difference (?OD) at the time of evaluating long-term storage properties of the ink set for ink-jet recording. In the ink set for ink-jet recording which contains a yellow ink, a magenta ink and a cyan ink, values of hue angle change (?h), between before and after ozone resistance tests, of print regions corresponding to respective inks formed on glossy paper by using the yellow ink, the magenta ink and the cyan ink are not more than about 3° for the yellow ink, not more than about 2° for the magenta ink, and not more than about 6° for the cyan ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyo Hamajima, Ryuji Kato