Patents Issued in January 29, 2008
  • Patent number: 7322636
    Abstract: A passenger vehicle is provided with a vehicle body, a first door, and a second door. The vehicle body has front and rear ends with a door opening formed through a lateral side of the vehicle body. The door opening allows passenger ingress and egress to and from an interior of the vehicle. The first door is pivotally connected to the vehicle body at an upper region of the door opening for partially enclosing an upper portion of the door opening. The second door is pivotally connected to the vehicle body at a lower region of the door opening for enclosing a lower portion of the door opening. The first and second doors cooperate to collectively enclose the door opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Woodhouse, Kris Tomasson, Jordan Bennett, Matthew Edwards
  • Patent number: 7322637
    Abstract: A vehicle cargo bed tent camper consisting of split rigid covers that when closed are locked together and have a dual function: secure covers that lock both the entrance and the cargo bed. They also protect the contents in the cargo bed from the weather and theft. Secondly, when the covers unlock they are lifted, sliding and extending over and on the cargo bed sides. Their tops or weathered surface then become mattress supports. The cargo bed covers use the top and sides of the cargo bed as supports and guides in the operation of opening and closing. Rigid main frame tent supports with the tent attached are raised and surround it all.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Edward John Smith
  • Patent number: 7322638
    Abstract: A spoiler for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle, is mounted in the rear-end area on the vehicle and comprises a spoiler element which is movable from a resting position in which it is integrated into the shape of the rear-end area and into an extended operating position. To further improve upon the aerodynamic properties of the spoiler in particular the downward pressure on the rear axle, the spoiler element has a greater transverse extent in the extended operating position than in the retracted resting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Grant Larson
  • Patent number: 7322639
    Abstract: Disclosed is a front structure of a vehicle, which comprises a pair of right and left front side frames, a shroud installed between respective front ends of the side frames, a pair of right and left headlamps each arranged on a lateral side of a corresponding one of laterally opposite sidewalls of the shroud and provided with a headlamp housing serving as an outer shell thereof, and a hood panel adapted to cover above the shroud when it is in a fully closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Takata, Kazuma Kondou, Yasunori Kageyama, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7322640
    Abstract: A hydroformed and roll-formed cross sill assembly for a vehicle and method of making same includes a pair of hydroformed tubular side members. The hydroformed and roll-formed cross sill assembly also includes a roll-formed beam member disposed between the tubular side members and at least one weld to secure the beam member to each of the tubular side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Mou Ni, Charles J. Bruggemann
  • Patent number: 7322641
    Abstract: A device positioned within in a chair, especially a chair with an adjustable back of the chair and head rest, is disclosed. The device is configured such that between a section of the head rest and an attachment section on the chair construction is arranged a connecting element with, for example, a rod, which by movement of the adjustable back of the chair is arranged to affect the angle of the head rest in relation to the back of the chair. Further, the head rest, through use of a blocking device and a coupling organ which come into effect in the reclined position of the back of the chair, may be so adjusted either in a manual or automatic way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Ekornes ASA
    Inventors: Arve Ekornes, Jostein Bueide, Jan Kare Krovel
  • Patent number: 7322642
    Abstract: A furniture system includes a desk having an upper surface and a pair of opposed depending ground-engaging side walls, at least one of the side walls defining means for storing books or the like. An overlay overlying the desk top provides a surface for erasable writing thereon. At least one bench is stowable beneath the desk top. The bench provides a storage area and a non-tiltable seat for at least one child by providing an area in which a child's feet can be emplaced and confined. When not used as a seat, the seating member can be rotated from a horizontal to a vertical position to expose a further stowage chamber. Optimally, a second seat can be secured to the exterior of the bench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Nancy L. BoJack
  • Patent number: 7322643
    Abstract: A vehicle seat having: a seat cushion and a seat back formed by covering a surface of a seat pad with a top cover member; a plurality of air holes which penetrate the seat pad to reach a surface of the top cover member; a plurality of air outlets which project from a surface of a duct to be connected to the air holes; and an air blower to pressure and feed air inside a vehicle compartment to the air holes through the duct and the air outlets, wherein an engagement portion which projects in a radial direction of one of the air outlets is provided at a tip of the one of the air outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Ishima, Masaki Nagayama
  • Patent number: 7322644
    Abstract: A cushioned saddle construction, for bicycles, motor-cycles or the like, comprises a saddle covering or body, associated with a framework, wherein the saddle covering or body and framework are coupled by a cushioning system, operated by a magnetic force generated by a plurality of permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Selle Italia S.R.L.
    Inventor: Riccardo Bigolin
  • Patent number: 7322645
    Abstract: An apparatus for attachment and adjustment of a bicycle seat is connected to a bicycle seat post and allows tool-free attachment of the seat to the post as well as angular fore and aft adjustment of the seat relative to the longitudinal axis of the seat post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Forrest L. Roizen
  • Patent number: 7322646
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat bottom attached to a seat back with a moveable head restraint attached to the seat back. Characteristically, the head restraint is movable from a raised to a lowered position and vice versa. The head restraint of this embodiment when in the raised position is able to withstand impacts that meet or exceed the specifications of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (“FMVSS”) 201.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Sai Prasad Jammalamadaka, James C. Dalian
  • Patent number: 7322647
    Abstract: A juvenile vehicle seat unit includes a seat and a headrest mounted for up-and-down movement on a headrest support included in the seat. The seat unit also includes a headrest height-adjustment mechanism coupled to the headrest and to the headrest support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald F. Munn, William Horton, Philip W. Burbrink
  • Patent number: 7322648
    Abstract: A child seat is constructed such that when the child seat is set facing the rear of the car on a car seat, the child seat is securely fixed on the seat. A handle surrounding the front of a sitting occupant is provided in a seat back portion of the child seat, and a tether extends from the handle. When the child seat is set on a car seat so that it faces the rear of the car, the tether is pulled toward the rear of the car. A hook on the tip portion of the tether is latched onto a tether anchor of the car behind the car seat, and the rear panel and the handle are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Nakagawa, Masayuki Sakumoto
  • Patent number: 7322649
    Abstract: A child safety seat, including a seat body having a seat bottom and a seat back. A vehicle seat attachment assembly is carried by the safety seat for securing the safety seat to rigid anchorage units carried by a vehicle proximate to a vehicle seat. The attachment assembly has a transversely-extending coupling assembly carried by the safety seat. First and second connectors are mounted on the coupling assembly for transverse adjustable alignment relative to respective first and second transversely spaced-apart rigid anchorage units. The safety seat may be attached to first and second rigid anchorage units that have differing degrees of spacing between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Britax Child Safety Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Charles Baloga, Adrian Simms
  • Patent number: 7322650
    Abstract: A reclining chair system operable about different modes. The reclining chair includes a base, an intermediate member, left and right side frames, a support chassis, and a footrest. The intermediate member has opposite left and right sides, and is mounted onto the base so as to be rotatably moveable with respect to the base via a corresponding rotating assembly so as to operate the reclining chair in a rotating mode. The left and right side frames are operatively mounted respectively onto the left and right sides of the intermediate member via a corresponding rocking assembly so as to operate the reclining chair system in a rocking mode. The support chassis extends between the left and right side frames for operatively supporting a seat and a backrest of the reclining chair system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Crinar Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Chouinard, Yvan Marcoux
  • Patent number: 7322651
    Abstract: A seat of an apparatus in one example comprises a front subportion and a rear subportion that is adjustable in height and/or angle relative to the front subportion. A backrest of the apparatus in one example is adjustable in shape. Based on a user contact pressure against one or more portions of the seat and/or one or more portions of the backrest, the rear subportion of the seat and the backrest are adjustable between: a first height and/or angle of the rear subportion of the seat and a first shape of the backrest; and a second height and/or angle of the rear subportion of the seat and a second shape of the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventors: Mohsen Makhsous, Fang Lin, Ellis K. Nam
  • Patent number: 7322652
    Abstract: A vehicle seat or seat portion including a frame, a central cushion defining a seating surface attached to the frame and a bolster connected to the frame. The bolster is moveable between a first retracted position and at least one second extended position relative to the central cushion. The vehicle seat also includes an actuator coupled to the bolster to move the bolster between the first retracted position and at least one second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Oscar Tache
  • Patent number: 7322653
    Abstract: Disclosed is a videogaming and computer workstation unit, preferably integrated with an ergonomic chair, which permits ease of entry and exit to the chair for users of various sizes, and which permits users to use peripheral devices for operating video games and computers comfortably from a chair integrated with a gaming console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Vlad Dragusin
  • Patent number: 7322654
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bracket angle adjustment mechanism which includes external-tooth and internal-tooth gears having improved tooth shapes allowing an operating force for rotating a control shaft to be reduced. In the bracket angle adjustment mechanism, each of external teeth (14b) of the external-tooth gear 14 has a half-round shape having a center defined by a single point “a” on a reference circle PC (14), in a region of an addendum T1 between the reference circle PC (14) and a tip circle AC (14), and an undercut shape in a region of a dedendum T2 between the reference circle PC (14) and a root circle DC. Further, each of internal teeth (15b) of the internal-tooth gear (15) has an arc shape free of interference with the half-round-shaped addendum region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihito Kawashima
  • Patent number: 7322655
    Abstract: A footrest comprising a sling having two ends and a strap connected to each end of the sling. A user in a seat rests a foot in the sling where the straps of the sling are attached around an object in front of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Aloha Investments, LLC
    Inventors: Vera Williams, John S. Harada, Noel Nedli
  • Patent number: 7322656
    Abstract: The present invention provides a leg support structure of a computer desk capable of synchronous sliding movement, comprising a stand, a leg pad, two L-shaped prop stands and two sliding collars. The stand is formed into an inverse U-shape, and the leg pad is formed into a planar configuration. The leg pad comprises a lower pivot opening and an upper pivot opening formed on both sides of the leg pad, wherein the locations of the lower openings and the upper pivot openings are corresponding to positions of a lower pivot and two L-shaped prop stands. The lower pivot is positioned though the lower pivots openings of the leg pad in order to pivot to a support located at a center of the two arcing grooves. The L-shaped prop stands, the two sliding collars, the pulley and a slider are engaged in such that various elevation changes can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: Chih Chiang Wang
  • Patent number: 7322657
    Abstract: A second piston includes a first protruding portion that protrudes toward a first piston and a second protruding portion that protrudes toward a stopper. By changing a height of the first protruding portion and a height of the second protruding portion it is possible to adjust both a stroke S1 and a stroke S2, and an overall stroke. Further, it is possible to independently change the respective heights of the protruding portions using a cutting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaaki Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 7322658
    Abstract: In order to produce a compact hydraulic unit for use in an electrohydraulic braking system, the invention discloses that a first accommodating bore for a first feeding device of a pump is passed through between valve accommodating bores of a first and second valve row, and in that second and third accommodating bores for the accommodation of second and third feeding devices of the pump ae passed through between valve accommodating bores; of a third valve row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co OhG
    Inventors: Axel Hinz, Hans-Dieter Reinartz, Albrecht Otto, Dieter Dinkel
  • Patent number: 7322659
    Abstract: A braking distribution system is provided for system with a front regenerative braking system and a rear regenerative braking system. The system comprises a brake controller coupled to the front regenerative braking system and the rear regenerative braking system, and the brake controller is configured to receive a braking request, a first amount of braking that is available from the front regenerative braking system, and a second amount of braking that is available from the rear regenerative braking system. The controller is also configured to calculate a front base braking based at least in part on the braking request and a front base braking distribution, calculate a rear base braking based at least in part on the braking request and a rear base braking distribution, and determine a front regenerative braking request and a rear regenerative braking request based on the first amount and the second amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Finch, Timothy M. Karnjate, Kevin S. Kidston, William K. Manosh, Kurtis C. Minney
  • Patent number: 7322660
    Abstract: A method for electronically regulating brake force distribution to the front axle and the rear axle of a motor vehicle (EBV control), wherein the rotational behavior of the vehicle wheels is determined, compared with the vehicle speed or vehicle reference speed and/or with the changes of these variables, and evaluated to limit the slip on the rear-wheel brakes by modulating the braking pressure. The brake force distribution is controlled in dependence on the sum signals obtained by addition of acceleration values determined on each individual rear wheel and/or by addition of slip values determined on each individual rear wheel. It is particularly arranged for to weight the sum signals with variable sum factors and evaluate them as a criterion for triggering the EBV control (so-called EBV plus control).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OhG
    Inventors: Ivica Batistic, Holger Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7322661
    Abstract: A storage cabinet provides for the secure storage of items against unauthorized access, with ready authorized access The cabinet has an opening extending laterally across the front of the cabinet, and a door having panels carrying latches, the panels being movable laterally between a latched position and an unlatched position, and being pivotally mounted for movement between a lateral orientation, wherein the panels close the opening, and a transverse orientation, wherein the panels allow access to the items stored in the cabinet. A locking arrangement selectively locks the panels in place when latched in position closing the opening, for preventing unauthorized access. When unlatched, the panels can be pivoted to open access through the opening, and can be folded and moved in transverse directions into the cabinet so as to maintain a compact, unobstructed configuration when the cabinet is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Inventor: William R. Salvesen
  • Patent number: 7322662
    Abstract: A writing instrument comprising a liquid spray head serving to spray liquid onto a medium from a distance, and a processor unit serving to activate the spray head. The instrument further comprises measurement means for measuring the distance between the spray head and the medium, and holding detector means for detecting that the instrument is being held by the user, the processor unit being adapted to activate the liquid spray head when firstly the measurement means determine that the distance between the spray head and the medium is less than a predetermined maximum value, and when secondly the holding detector means detect that the instrument being held by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Societe BIC
    Inventors: Xavier Bich, Kurt Rath, Alain Rosenzweig
  • Patent number: 7322663
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus comprises: nozzles arranged in a line fashion or a two-dimensional fashion; pressure chambers arranged respectively corresponding to the nozzles; and piezoelectric elements each of which causes ink to be discharged from the nozzle by imparting pressure to interior of the pressure chamber corresponding to the nozzle during a drive signal is impressed, wherein, when one of the nozzles discharges the ink, a drive signal is supplied to the piezoelectric element of a non-discharging nozzle neighborhood of the one of the nozzles discharging the ink, the drive signal including a drive component for driving the piezoelectric element of the non-discharging nozzle in an inverse direction to direction of the piezoelectric element of the one of the nozzles discharging the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Sanada
  • Patent number: 7322664
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing control method of generating print data to be supplied to a print unit to print. The print unit comprises a print head having a plurality of nozzles and a plurality of ejection drive elements for ejecting an ink from the plurality of nozzles, and is capable of selectively forming one of N types of dots having different sizes at one pixel area with each nozzle. The print control method comprises a dot data generation step of generating dot data representing a state of dot formation at each pixel according to given image data. The dot data generation step includes a step of generating the dot data with a specific dot data generation step for at least a part of the ink types when a printing environment is a specific environment. Te specific dot data generation step includes a step of generating the dot data using only a part of dot types among the N types of dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kakutani, Takayuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7322665
    Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus which generates satellites droplets, problems in an image attributable to the satellites are mitigated as far as possible. For this purpose, each parameter is adjusted to satisfy a relationship such that the distance between positions of placement of a main droplet and a satellite substantially agrees with an integral multiple of the width of an index pattern. As a result, a satellite is likely to be placed in a position overlapping a dot formed by a main droplet printed in the same area of a pixel located in the vicinity of the satellite, which prevents satellites from placement blank positions where no dot should be printed. Thus, the influence of satellites is mitigated, and problems in an image attributable to satellite are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Shibata, Takashi Ochiai, Eri Goto, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7322666
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead is provided having elongate printhead modules arranged to successively abut one another at respective longitudinal ends with a vertical offset and controllers for controlling the printhead modules. Each module has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles. A first controller is configured to receive and process print data to generate first ink dot data and a second controller is configured to receive and process print data to generate second ink dot data and to generate third ink dot data including the second dot data and at least some of the first dot data. The first controller is arranged to output the first dot data to at least a first printhead module and the second controller. The second controller is arranged to output the third dot data to at least a second printhead module which abuts the first printhead module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Simon Robert Walmsley, Richard Thomas Plunkett, John Robert Sheahan, Mark Jackson Pulver, Kia Silverbrook, Michael John Webb
  • Patent number: 7322667
    Abstract: A liquid detecting method of detecting liquid in a liquid container used on a liquid ejector by use of a liquid sensor. There are included a head cleaning step of performing a head cleaning operation after maintaining for a predetermined time or longer a state there is no flow of fluid into/from the cavity through the liquid supply port and liquid discharge port, and a detecting step of detecting a presence/absence of liquid by applying a drive signal to the piezoelectric device of the liquid sensor after the head cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Junhua Zhang
  • Patent number: 7322668
    Abstract: Inkjet heads and methods of fabricating and exchanging the same. The inkjet head includes a substrate having a liquid supply hole; a nozzle plate disposed on an upper surface and provided with a nozzle hole to eject the liquid; a fluid channel forming layer disposed between the substrate and the nozzle plate and providing a chamber and a fluid channel to connect the chamber and the liquid supply hole; a heat-generating body disposed at the chamber to generate energy to eject the liquid; and a filler filled in the fluid channel to prevent air from being introduced into the fluid channel and allowed to cause phase transition into liquid. When the fluid channel forming layer and the nozzle plate are disposed on the substrate to constitute the head, the gel is injected into the fluid channel in the fluid channel forming layer to prevent air from being introduced into the fluid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae-kyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7322669
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is disclosed in which a protector is provided for a capping facility for a printhead within the printer. The protector comprises a covering member which is arranged to engage with the capping facility during intervals when the capping facility is not engaged with the printhead, whereby the capping member is protected against loss of contained moisture and ingress of contaminating material. In one of its embodiments the printer has a protector for a capping facility in the form of a capping mechanism for a printhead having a plurality of ink-delivery nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Norman Michael Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7322670
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a slider 30 movable back and forth with respect to a fixed base 4 disposed near a home position of an ink cartridge 10; a cap 20 which is attached to the upper part of the slider 30, formed of an elastic member that is opened on its upper end portion 21 so as to cover the head surface 11 of the ink cartridge 10, narrowed at the middle portion 22, and widened toward the lower end portion 23; and a cam mechanism 5 which changes the pressure inside the cap 20 from a positively pressurized status into a negatively pressurized status when the ink cartridge 10 moves within the home position, and at a standby state, maintains the negatively pressurized status so that the cap 20 adsorbs to the head surface 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignees: Funai Electric Co., Ltd., Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7322671
    Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising a replaceable pagewidth printhead with an array of nozzles and printhead contacts for transmitting power and print data to the nozzles; and corresponding contacts for supplying the power and print data to the printhead contacts; and a selective biasing mechanism; such that the printhead contacts and the corresponding contacts are biased into engagement during printing and released from biased engagement when installing or removing the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian MacKey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7322672
    Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided comprising at least one printhead module comprising at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media, a support member supporting and carrying the printing fluid for the at least two printhead integrated circuits, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the at least two printhead integrated circuits. The assembly further comprising drive electronics incorporating at least one controller which is connected to at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits via the electrical connector for controlling the printing operation of at least one of the at least two printhead integrated circuits, and a casing for removably holding at least one mounting element which mounts the drive electronics and incorporates a clamping arrangement for clamping the at least one printhead module to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Akira Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 7322673
    Abstract: A printhead assembly with at least two printhead integrated circuits (IC's), each having arrays of printing fluid ejection nozzles. A support member in the assembly supports and carries the printing fluid fed to the at least two printhead integrated circuits. Drive circuitry for controlling the operation of the printhead IC's has an electrical connector for connecting the drive circuitry to the at least two printhead integrated circuits. The assembly has a casing for supporting the printhead IC's, the support member, the drive circuitry and the electrical connector within an inkjet printer, wherein, the casing has a heat sink to draw heat away from the drive circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Michael Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Akira Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 7322674
    Abstract: A printer system for developing a three dimensional, printed structure includes a plurality of printheads arranged in groups, the printheads in each group being configured to print voxels of material to define a respective layer of the structure. A substrate is configured to be operatively displaced with respect to each group so that printed voxels from each successive group can form successive layers of the structure upon the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7322675
    Abstract: A modular printhead mounting for a digital printer wherein the modules (2) may be mechanically aligned using specifically designed frame (3) supporting the modules (2). The frame (3) has a plurality of mounting sites (19) for mounting respective printhead modules (2) to the frame (3). At least one of the mounting sites (19) includes a mechanical adjustment mechanism (15, 16, 17 and 18) for reducing input movements to effect minute adjustments of the position of the printhead module (2) with respect to the frame (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7322676
    Abstract: A printhead assembly is provided comprising at least one printhead module comprising at least two printhead integrated circuits, each of which has nozzles formed therein for delivering printing fluid onto the surface of print media, a support member supporting the printhead integrated circuits and carrying the printing fluid, and an electrical connector for connecting electrical signals to the printhead integrated circuits. The assembly further comprises drive electronics incorporating at least two controllers arranged on printed circuit boards (PCBs) to control the printing operation of at least one printhead integrated circuit via the electrical connector, a casing supporting the printhead module and at least two mounting elements supporting the PCBs and abutting along the casing's longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson, Akira Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 7322677
    Abstract: A printhead assembly with a communications module for a wallpaper printing system, the printhead assembly comprising: a casing; a printhead module; a fluid channel member positioned adjacent to the printhead module, the fluid channel member including a plurality of ducts that substantially span the length of the printhead module; a power supply connection port positioned at a distal end of the casing, the power supply port electrically connected to at least one busbar that substantially spans the length of the printhead module; a fluid delivery connection port positioned at a distal end of the casing, the fluid delivery port in fluid communication with the fluid channel member; and, a data connection port positioned at a distal end of the casing, the data port electrically connected to at least one printed circuit board positioned within the casing, the at least one printed circuit board further electrically connected to the printhead module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King
  • Patent number: 7322678
    Abstract: A flexible wiring cable 60 connects a recording head 7 and a relay board, and includes COF (chip on film) 62 for connecting an output side wiring pattern of an IC chip 61 to the recording head 7, and general purpose FFC (flexible flat cable) 63 formed with a parallel wiring pattern. The flexible wiring cable 60 connects the output side wiring pattern of the IC chip 61 to the relay board 50 via FFC 63, thereby decreasing the use of more expensive COF 62 by the use of cheap, general purpose FFC 63. Thus, the product cost as the entire recording apparatus is reduced by using the general purpose flexible board for a part of a flexible board having a driving circuit mounted thereon and serving as a connecting means for connecting a recording means and a relay board, suppressing the manufacturing cost of parts for connecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7322679
    Abstract: A nozzle arrangement is provided for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate assembly, in turn, including an electrical drive circuitry layer and defining an ink inlet channel. A nozzle chamber structure extends from the substrate assembly. The nozzle chamber structure defines a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet channel and an ink ejection port in fluid communication with the nozzle chamber. An anchor extends from the substrate assembly. A thermal bend actuator extends from the anchor. The thermal bend actuator includes an active portion electrically coupled to the drive circuitry layer and a passive portion which is electrically isolated from the active portion so that differential thermal expansion between the portions can cause the actuator to bend. A lever arm is coupled to the thermal bend actuator, is pivotally supported by the substrate assembly and terminates in a paddle within the nozzle chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7322680
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a printing mechanism that defines a printing path through which media can be fed so that the printing mechanism can carry out a printing operation on the media. The printing mechanism has a printhead assembly that includes a printhead with printhead chips that are operatively positioned with respect to the printing path. Each printhead chip has a wafer substrate. Drive circuitry is positioned on the wafer substrate. A plurality of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the wafer substrate. Each nozzle arrangement has nozzle chamber walls that define a nozzle chamber. A micro-electromechanical actuator is mounted on the substrate to be connected to the drive circuitry and operatively positioned with respect to the nozzle chamber so that, on receipt of a signal from the drive circuitry, the actuator can act to eject ink from the nozzle chamber. A protective covering shell is positioned on the substrate and defines an enclosure in which the actuator is positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7322681
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead with ink chambers that are supplied with ink via an adjacent ink chamber. The conduits for distributing ink to every ink chamber in the array can occupy a significant proportion of the wafer area. By making some ink chambers part of the ink flow path to other ink chambers, while keeping each chamber sufficiently free of fluidic cross talk, reduces the amount of wafer area lost to ink supply conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7322682
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus comprises a pump, an ink-jet head, and a detector. The pump includes a housing, a rotor, a partition, a first passage, and a second passage. The housing has a cavity formed therein and also has an inlet port through which ink is sucked into the cavity and an outlet port through which ink is discharged out of the cavity. The rotor is rotatable within the cavity. The partition is, together with the rotor, rotatable within the cavity while being supported on the rotor such that both ends thereof can be in contact with an inner surface of the housing. The first passage is formed within the cavity and extends from the inlet port to the outlet port. The second passage is formed within the cavity to be longer than the first passage and extends from the inlet port to the outlet port via a side of the rotor opposite to the first passage. To the ink-jet head, ink is supplied from the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Takagi
  • Patent number: 7322683
    Abstract: A system providing ink to a printing device includes a carriage including a fluid interconnect probe, a plurality of ink supply cartridges, and an autoloader configured to fluidly couple one of the ink supply cartridges to the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Daniel W Youngberg
  • Patent number: 7322684
    Abstract: A cover assembly for a cradle unit of an inkjet printer having a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and an ink supply and a controller for controlling the operation of the printhead to facilitate printing; the cover assembly comprising: at least one port formed therein through which a refill unit is received for refilling the ink supply of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7322685
    Abstract: A cover assembly is provided for a cradle unit of an inkjet printer having a body complementary to a removable inkjet cartridge of a type having a pagewidth printhead and an ink supply and a controller for controlling the operation of the printhead to facilitate printing. The cover assembly has a refill actuator for dispensing ink from an ink refill unit into the refillable ink supply of the removable inkjet cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian MacKey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson