Patents Issued in December 30, 2008
  • Patent number: 7469958
    Abstract: A multiple use vehicle accessory is provided. The accessory includes a first a first member and second member that are longer in the longitudinal direction than in the lateral direction. An end support is attached to both an end of the first member and to an end of the second member. The end support extends at an angle to the longitudinal direction. A cross member extends in the lateral direction and spans the distance between opposite sides of the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventor: Daniel K. Hastings
  • Patent number: 7469959
    Abstract: A rear vehicle body structure including a left-right pair of first rear frame, a second rear frame arcuate in plan view which is connected to the rear ends of the first rear frames, a rear bumper beam with a front surface of a central portion thereof connected to a rear surface of the second rear frame, a left-right pair of fender beams with one-side end portions thereof connected respectively to both end portions of the rear bumper beam, and a left-right pair of rearmost portion pillars connected to the other end portions of the fender frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Egawa, Shigeto Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 7469960
    Abstract: A motor vehicle roof with an at least partially transparent roof section (10) and a shade arrangement (12) located underneath the transparent roof section. In one of three embodiments, with two take-up shafts (16, 18) located in succession in the lengthwise direction of the roof and a length of shade (14) which extends in between, and the front end of the length of shade can be taken up onto the front take-up shaft and the back end onto the rear take-up shaft, the two take-up shafts each being pre-tensioned in the take-up direction, the two take-up shafts being movable along one laterally arranged guide in the lengthwise direction of the roof, and there being a common drive (70, 72, 74, 76) in order to move the take-up shafts (16, 18) in opposite directions toward one another in the lengthwise direction of the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Webasto AG
    Inventors: Michael Koelbl, Wolfgang Suess, Horst-Martin Schulz, Karin Langguth, Michaela Nowak, Thomas Rudolph
  • Patent number: 7469961
    Abstract: A collapsible chair is disclosed having an arcuate frame with an upward peak and a downward peak for seating of a user in the downward peak and resting of the user's legs upon the upward peak. The frame may have a pivotal connection between the peaks for collapsing the frame. A linkage is disclosed operably connected to the frame for providing legs to the chair in an extended position and for collapsing with the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Decarr Fantauzzo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Ben Liu
  • Patent number: 7469962
    Abstract: Form-fitting chair covers preferably formed from a disposable, non-woven fabric are disclosed. The covers are pre-formed in a variety of shapes to fit a variety of chair types. Provisions may be made for adjusting the chair cover to fit to a particularly sized chair. The covers may be made from one or more pieces of non-woven material and pieced together by sewing or any other suitable fastening arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventor: Victoria Paulin
  • Patent number: 7469963
    Abstract: An orthopedic back support for displacing a person's weight from the lower area of the spine by providing support for the upper torso and for use with a chair or seat having a seat base and a seat back. A flexible fabric cross piece is connected between vertical members to provide back support. The cross piece may include vertical channels or sleeves at opposite sides to receive and support the vertical members. A flexible strap is connected to the fabric or the vertical members and adapted to be positioned behind a seat or a head rest. The entire unit is portable or may be fabricated as part of a seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventor: John G. Rutty
  • Patent number: 7469964
    Abstract: 1. Seating system for passenger service vehicles, for aircraft in particular 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Recaro Aircraft Seating GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jürgen Baumann
  • Patent number: 7469965
    Abstract: A juvenile seat includes a seat shell and a child-restraint harness coupled to the seat shell. A harness strap included in the child-restraint harness is coupled to a strap-length adjuster included in the juvenile seat and mounted on the seat shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Glover, Jerry Bougher
  • Patent number: 7469966
    Abstract: The chair has a seat that folds down about a horizontal axle 24 and which is intended, in particular, to equip halls that receive the public, such as lecture theatres and/or show halls. This chair comprises at least an underframe having an essentially longitudinal axis 14 and to which a backrest 16 may be fixed, and with respect to which a fixed horizontal axle 24 is determined. The seat 20 comprises a first part 32 projecting forwards with respect to the horizontal axle 24, and a second part 30 projecting towards the underframe 12. The underframe 12 contains a gas strut 40, one end 48 of which is fixed to the underframe 12, and the other end 50 of which is fixed to the second part 30 of the seat 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Delagrave S.A.
    Inventor: Bernard Vallee
  • Patent number: 7469967
    Abstract: In a frame assembly of an automotive seat, two lateral frame members of a seat back frame are respectively rotatably connected to two base frames via a reclining device, and a securing frame is connected between the two lateral frame members of seat back frame. Two hinge brackets are respectively disposed inwardly of and pivoted to two back end portions of a seat cushion frame. The two hinge brackets are then securely connected with the securing frame, whereupon the two back end portions of seat cushion frame are rotatably connected with the seat back frame via the two hinge brackets and securing frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Hori, Kazuya Imayou
  • Patent number: 7469968
    Abstract: A seat assembly for a vehicle includes a first seat back and a second seat back. The seat backs are spaced apart to define a gap therebetween. Each seat back is pivotally coupled in the vehicle for independent angular adjustment relative to each other. Each of the first and second seat backs has a trim cover. The trim cover of at least one of the seat backs has a flap that conceals the gap between the seat backs. The flap is flexible to accommodate the independent angular adjustment of the seat backs relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Joseph Hazlewood
  • Patent number: 7469969
    Abstract: This invention is related to a shielding assembly comprising a cover plate, upper and lower paddle arms, a circular plate, and a back plate for covering an opening in an arm of a recliner chair. The opening provides clearance for a drive tube that moves independently from the arm. The paddle arms are rotatably coupled to the cover plate, wherein rotation is restrained by tension devices. The circular plate is slidably disposed between the paddle arms and the back plate. The back plate is fixedly attached to the cover plate by fasteners that limit rotation of the paddle arms. In operation, if the drive tube moves upward or downward, the circular plate, having a bore circumferentially engaged to the drive shaft, moves therewith vacating a portion of the opening. One of the paddle arms may be deflected by the drive tube movement while another continues to overlie the vacated portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Glenn N. Wiecek
  • Patent number: 7469970
    Abstract: A reinforcing structure for a three-point type seat belt can be installed to a double seat in such a manner that a seat belt fixing bracket attached to the double seat is also united with a seat frame of a single seat disposed near the double seat, thereby securing a sufficient strength for the three-point type seat belt without the requirement of another reinforcing structure. In the reinforcing structure, the first second extension brackets are affixed to single and double seats respectively, while the first extension bracket is united with the second extension bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Byeong Joon Min
  • Patent number: 7469971
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a degradation assembly has a holder attached to a driving mechanism and comprising a longitudinal central bore. The bore has an opening at a distal end from the driving mechanism. The pick has a body intermediate a shank and an impact tip, the shank being disposed in the central bore of the holder and the body extending from the opening of the bore. The impact tip has a diamond surface. The degradation assembly also has a lubrication mechanism adapted to apply lubrication to the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Ronald B. Crockett, Jeff Jepson, Francis Leany
  • Patent number: 7469972
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a wear-resistant tool is disclosed which may comprise first and second cemented metal carbide segments chemically bonded together at an interface. The first segment may comprise a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) at least at its interfacial surface and the second segment may comprise a second CTE at least at its interfacial surface less than the CTE of the first segment. The first segment may further comprise a cross-sectional thickness substantially equal to or greater than a cross-sectional thickness of the second segment at the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Ron Crockett, Jeff Jepson, Joe Fox, Michael Barnhill
  • Patent number: 7469973
    Abstract: An improved fabricated wheel disc and a fabricated vehicle wheel including such a fabricated wheel disc and a fabricated wheel rim secured thereto by suitable methods. The fabricated wheel disc defines an axis and includes a wheel mounting surface portion, a plurality of spokes, an outer rim connecting flange, a plurality of lug bolt receiving holes and an outboard face. The wheel mounting surface includes at least one rib formed therein between at least one pair of the lug bolt receiving holes. The rib has a straight outer surface which extends at an angle with respect to the fabricated wheel disc axis throughout an entire length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Coleman, Michael Miller, Thomas Heck
  • Patent number: 7469974
    Abstract: During normal braking, a brake fluid supply route is used through which brake fluid is supplied from a master reservoir to wheel cylinders to using first to fourth pumps. When an abnormality occurs, a route is used through which a master cylinder pressure, which is generated by depressing a brake pedal, is transmitted through brake conduits to the wheel cylinders for both front wheels. First to fourth linear valves are provided in parallel with the first to fourth pumps, respectively, and during normal braking, the first to fourth linear valves are operated under duty control to adjust the wheel cylinder pressures that are generated in the wheel cylinders to, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Maki, Yasuo Takahara
  • Patent number: 7469975
    Abstract: A slip control system is provided for a single-track motor vehicle, including devices for detecting the wheel revolution of the front and rear wheel of the motor vehicle, devices for detecting a tilting position angle of the motor vehicle, as well as devices for influencing the driving and/or braking forces acting upon a wheel of the motor vehicle. In addition, devices are provided for storing type-specific tire data, and the devices for influencing the driving and/or braking forces acting upon a vehicle wheel are constructed such that the influencing of the driving and/or braking forces takes place as a function of the type-specific tire data, in particular the different geometries of the front and rear wheel tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans-Albert Wagner
  • Patent number: 7469976
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a rubber crawler in which a shape of the central lug viewed from a lateral side of the rubber crawler is approximately in the form an arc. Therefore, at a time of driving of the rubber crawler repeating back and forth movement, even if a large resisting force from the road surface due to an impediment, such as gravel, is subjected to the central lug particularly disposed close to a sprocket engagement section, the resisting force can be parried for dispersion to a suitable degree by such arrangement, so that there is no possibility of early peel occurring in the central lug or such peeling is prevented from extending to tread members connected thereto; thus, the life is prolonged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7469977
    Abstract: A mobile, disposable isolation glove box comprising: an enclosure comprising a base and a plurality of inclined walls converging to an apex, at least one of the walls being at least in part transparent; at least one glove formed in at least one of the inclined walls, the at least one glove extending into the interior of the enclosure; and a sealable opening formed in the enclosure for permitting a specimen to be placed inside the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: FIPAK Research And Development Company
    Inventor: Francois P. Hauville
  • Patent number: 7469978
    Abstract: A block-shape container which can be assembled into and disassembled from a computer casing, is composed of a block-shape container; a computer casing, a side of which is provided with a locking slot, with ear parts being located above the insertion slot, with the ear parts being provided with shaft holes, and with an upper wall of the insertion slot being provided with insertion holes; and a press plate, two sides of which are provided with shaft ends to be loosely connected into the shaft holes, a front end of which is formed downward with a projection part for locking; After the container is inserted into the insertion slot, such that the container, which is latched with the cartridges, can be locked on the computer casing without using screws, and can be quickly assembled or disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Super Micro Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Chien-Fa Liang
  • Patent number: 7469979
    Abstract: A pedestal system includes a cabinet having a bottom wall, a top wall, a pair of sidewalls, and a rear wall that cooperate to define a forwardly-opening aperture that slidably receives a plurality of drawer assemblies therein. The pedestal system further includes interchangeable face plates for covering the drawer assemblies, an attachment system for attaching a drawer lock/interlock assembly that locks the drawer assemblies in a closed position and prevents multiple drawer assemblies from being simultaneously opened, and a drawer divider for segmenting an interior space of each drawer assembly. The drawer lock/interlock system includes a cam assembly that allows a constant force to be applied to each drawer assembly while opening each drawer and activating the lock/interlock assembly. The pedestal system further includes an attachment system for attaching the pedestal system to a free-standing partition system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Paul L. Tupper, Peter J. Battey, John Hanna J. Hasbany, Marcus J. Cole, Theodore M. Haan, Bruce W. DuVall, Jr., John L. McCrackin, Nancy A. Funk, David J. Battey, Angela Simon
  • Patent number: 7469980
    Abstract: A door basket of a refrigerator is disclosed. The door basket includes a supporting basket detachably installed to a rear surface of a door of the refrigerator, extending in the form of a rectangular hexahedral shape in the longitudinal direction, and having a seating space with an open upper side and a longitudinal open side; and a pivoting basket optionally seating in the seating space by which an opposite end of the pivoting basket is supported to pivot forward and backward the door about an end of the pivoting basket, extending in the form of a rectangular hexahedral shape in the longitudinal direction to correspond to the seating space, and having an accommodating space with an open upper side to accommodate food. It is possible to minimize restriction of height of food to be accommodated in the door basket and to easily accommodate food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Min Bon Koo
  • Patent number: 7469981
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a substantially flat top face and a slanted front face, the bottom side of which recedes backward. The image forming apparatus may includes a paper discharge tray disposed at a lower portion of the slanted front face, the paper discharge tray protruding forward. The paper discharge tray may be tiltable upward and downward. Because the bottom side of the slanted front face recedes backward, the flat top face can be provided, and simultaneously, enough space for the feeding and discharging of paper can be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Goro Katsuyama, Masaaki Kabumoto, Kanae Amemiya, Osamu Miki, Hideo Aoki, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7469982
    Abstract: A portable telescope assembly includes a telescope having a body that at least partially defines a printer body. An image sensor is mounted in the telescope and is configured to capture images from a lens of the telescope. An internal printer is mounted in the printer body and is operatively connected to the image sensor to print the captured images on print media. A media transport and cutting device is operatively arranged with respect to the internal printer. Controllers are mounted in the telescope and are configured to control the operation of the image sensor and the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Janette Faye Lee
  • Patent number: 7469983
    Abstract: This invention relates to a printer whereby ink is printed by being discharged as dots from a plurality of nozzles by means of pulses. To ensure high quality printed images it is necessary to ensuring that the size of all dots is consistent. Therefore there is provided a method and apparatus whereby before printing of any dots, the temperature of the ink in each nozzle is sensed by Tsense, and the pulse duration is varied in response to the temperature of the ink to ensure consistent dot size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventors: Paul Lapstun, Simon Robert Walmsley, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7469984
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head is operable to eject liquid toward a target medium. A platen opposes to the liquid ejecting head, and has a first region formed with a plurality of projections. A first detector includes a light emitter operable to emit light toward the platen and a light receiver adapted to receive light reflected from the platen. The first detector is operable to generate a detection signal in accordance with an amount of the light received by the light receiver. A controller is operable to obtain the detection signal at a plurality of positions in the first region to determine a threshold value of the detection signal for detecting whether the target medium exists on the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Niioka
  • Patent number: 7469985
    Abstract: Beading caused by interferences between block patterns, which are driving patterns of two nozzle arrays at the time of printing with the use of the two nozzle arrays for the same color, and a mask is reduced. Specifically, when the mask is created, repulsive potentials are calculated between the mask and planes with the block patterns. That is, when a placement of a print permitting area in the mask is determined, the repulsive potentials are calculated between the mask and dots in the planes with the block patterns, and then the print permitting area is placed on the most dispersive position with the lowest energy. This allows the print permitting areas to be well dispersed in terms of the overlaps between the block patterns and the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eri Noguchi, Yoshitomo Marumoto
  • Patent number: 7469986
    Abstract: A processor is provided for use with a marking material cartridge the processor having configurable logic for configuring the processor for use with an associated printing device. A print cartridge includes a housing defining a chamber for storing a marking material therein and a circuit on the housing. The circuit includes a memory portion storing data related to the marking material, an interface portion in operative communication with the associated printing device for communicating therewith, and a configurable execution unit including a network of gates which are programmable by first set of instruction primitives received into the circuit to define a first set of operation instructions executable by the execution unit during operation of the print cartridge of the associated printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Nu-Kote International, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan K. Chan
  • Patent number: 7469987
    Abstract: A micro-systems technology (MST) device for attachment to an adhesive surface. The MST device has an attachment surface for abutting the adhesive surfaces, a first fluid conduit connected to a first aperture in the attachment surface and, a recess in the attachment surface adjacent the first aperture to hold adhesive displaced from between the attachment surface and the adhesive surface when the MST device is attached such that displaced adhesive does not block fluid flow in the first conduit. By profiling the attachment surface so there is a recess next to the first aperture, there is less risk that adhesive will be squeezed into the conduit and impair fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, David Charles Psaila, Garry Raymond Jackson, Akira Nakazawa, Jonathan Mark Bulman, Jan Waszczuk
  • Patent number: 7469988
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a recording head 210 having a nozzle plate including openings, for ejecting liquid to a recording article 300; an absorbing member 420 disposed further than the recording medium 300 on the orbit of the liquid ejected from the nozzle plate 260, for absorbing the liquid which has not applied on the recording medium 300; an waste liquid absorbing member 600 having capillarity higher than that of the absorbing member 420 and being in contact with the absorbing member 420 on the connecting surface which is different from the absorbing surface, for sucking on the liquid which has been absorbed in the absorbing member 420; and a potential difference generating means 700 for generating a potential difference between the absorbing surface and the connecting surface of the absorbing member 420 and attracting the solute of the liquid from the absorbing surface to the connecting surface through electrophoresis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsunenobu Endo
  • Patent number: 7469989
    Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit is provided. The printhead integrated circuit comprises: (a) a plurality of nozzles formed on a frontside of a substrate, the nozzles being arranged in rows extending longitudinally along the substrate, each nozzle having a respective nozzle inlet; and (b) a plurality of ink supply channels extending longitudinally along a backside of the substrate. Each ink supply channel is configured for supplying ink from the backside to at least one corresponding row of nozzle inlets. Further, each ink supply channel is interrupted along its length by one or more transverse bridges. The transverse bridges provide the printhead integrated circuit with strength in a transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7469990
    Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising: a printer body and a replaceable printhead cartridge, the printhead cartridge having a casing that supports a pagewidth printhead; the printer body having a cradle for holding the printhead cartridge in an operative position such that the pagewidth printhead is adjacent a paper path defined by the printer body; wherein, during insertion, the cradle and the casing interact to form an over centre mechanism whereby, the printhead cartridge rotates against a bias prior until reaching a balance point, after which it is biased to rotate into the operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Norman Michael Berry, Akira Nakazawa, Paul Ian Mackey, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7469991
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a counter that counts the accumulated number of predetermined printed recording sheets and an image correction controller that performs an image correction operation when the accumulated number of recording sheets reaches a predetermined number. The image forming apparatus is configured to advance an execution timing of the image correction operation, depending on its predetermined operating status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Suzuki, Hirobumi Tabata, Akihiko Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 7469992
    Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to improve the alignment accuracy of the joint section of an ink cartridge with an ink supply route of an inkjet head. Based on this, the present invention provides an ink cartridge capable of preventing ink leakage with high reliability and constructed inexpensively in a reduced size and particularly suitable for a pit-in system. To attain this, distance (L1) is set to be shorter than distance (L2), where the distance (L1) is the one between a joint section (145) positioned in the proximity of a front surface (1A) of an ink cartridge (1) and an engage reference portion (135) serving as a reference position when the ink cartridge (1) is installed in the inkjet printing apparatus; and the distance (L2) is the one between the front surface (1A) of the ink cartridge (1) and the engage reference portion (135).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Suzuki, Kiyomitsu Kudo, Satoshi Kudo, Akira Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 7469993
    Abstract: An inkjet recording head includes: nozzles that jet ink droplets; pressure chambers that communicate with the nozzles and contain ink; a diaphragm that configures part of the pressure chambers; an ink pool chamber that pools ink to be supplied to the pressure chambers via ink flow paths; and piezoelectric elements that cause the diaphragm to be displaced, wherein the ink pool chamber is disposed opposite from the pressure chambers with the diaphragm being disposed therebetween, and drive ICs that apply a voltage to the piezoelectric elements are mounted on a piezoelectric element substrate formed to include the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Michiaki Murata, Hiroyuki Usami, Nanao Inoue
  • Patent number: 7469994
    Abstract: An ink-jet head has a flexible printed circuit and a head main body, and further has a reinforcement that is located between drive-signal terminals arranged adjacent to one another and a constant-potential-signal terminal. The drive-signal terminals and the constant-potential-signal terminal are formed on a terminal-formed face of an energy applier included in the head main body. The flexible printed circuit has an electrode-formed face on which a constant-potential-signal electrode to be bonded to the constant-potential-signal terminal with a metal bond and drive-signal electrodes to be bonded to the drive-signal terminals with a metal bond. The reinforcement is in contact with and interposed between the terminal-formed face and the electrode-formed face so that the terminal-formed face and the electrode-formed face are spaced apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kato
  • Patent number: 7469995
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead integrated circuit includes a multi-layer substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet passages and incorporates drive circuitry. Side walls extend from the substrate. A nozzle plate is positioned on the side walls and, together with the side walls, defines a plurality of nozzle chambers in fluid communication with respective ink inlet passages and nozzles in fluid communication with respective nozzle chambers. At least one heater element is suspended in each nozzle chamber and is connected to the drive circuitry to be heated on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry to form a gas bubble in ink in the nozzle chamber so that a drop of ink is ejected from the nozzle chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7469996
    Abstract: An inkjet printhead that has a plurality of nozzles 3, each defining a nozzle aperture 5 with a nozzle axis normal to, extending through the center of the nozzle aperture. A bubble forming chamber 7 corresponds to each of the nozzles respectively. An inlet 31 to supply the bubble forming chamber with liquid 11, the inlet being spaced from the nozzle axis. A heater element 10 is disposed in each of the bubble forming chambers respectively. The heater element configured as a beam suspended at its ends for immersion in the liquid supplied by the inlet such that heating the heater element forms a gas bubble that ejects a drop of the liquid through the nozzle corresponding to that heater element. The heater element nucleates the gas bubble at a point closer to the nozzle axis than the spacing between the inlet and the nozzle axis. The heater element is configured to nucleate the gas bubble at a point that is laterally offset from the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7469997
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a unit cell of a printhead. The unit cell includes a multi-layer substrate defining an ink inlet. One or more side walls extend from the substrate around the ink inlet. A nozzle plate is supported by the side walls to define a chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet. The nozzle plate defines an aperture through which ink in the chamber can be ejected. A looped and elongate heater element is suspended within the chamber. The heater element can be heated so that bubbles are generated in ink within the chamber and ink is ejected from the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7469998
    Abstract: A printhead assembly for an inkjet printer is provided. The assembly includes an outer shell of a hot rolled tri-layer laminate of two different metals, and a core element within the shell, the core element defining four separate ink reservoirs. Also included are a printhead constructed using MEMS techniques to provide the ink nozzles, chambers and actuators, and a micro molding for distributing ink from the ink reservoirs to the printhead. The tri-layer shell is configured such that the effective coefficient of thermal expansion of the shell as a whole is substantially equal to that of silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7469999
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes: an ejection head which ejects ink having electrorheological properties toward a recording medium; an electric field application device which applies an electric field to droplets of the ink deposited on a surface of the recording medium; an electric field intensity control device which controls intensity of the electric field in such a manner that the ink in the droplets has a prescribed viscosity; and a fixing promotion device which carries out processing for promoting fixing of the ink on the recording medium, in a state where the electric field is applied by the electric field application device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuzo Kadomatsu, Masaaki Konno
  • Patent number: 7470000
    Abstract: An ink jet head substrate, an ink jet head and a method of manufacturing an ink jet head substrate are provided. The ink jet head substrate includes a substrate having an ink ejection region. An interlayer insulating layer is formed on the substrate. A plurality of pressure-generating elements that generate pressure to eject ink are disposed on the interlayer insulating layer to form a predetermined array. Segment heaters that heat the substrate are disposed at predetermined positions on the substrate. The segment heaters are electrically connected to each other by heater wirings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Oh-Hyun Beak
  • Patent number: 7470001
    Abstract: A thermal inkjet printhead. The inkjet printhead includes a heater that heats an ink in an ink chamber to generate a bubble, conductors to supply an electric current to the heater, and a bubble separation wall protuberantly formed on the heater to protect the heater by inducing an extermination position of a bubble when the bubble generated by the heater shrinks and dissipates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kyong-il Kim, Su-ho Shin
  • Patent number: 7470002
    Abstract: A inkjet printer having: a body configured to receive a printhead assembly of at least one printhead integrated circuit having a plurality of ink ejection nozzles and an ink distribution support mounting the, or each, printhead integrated circuit, and arranged, in use, to distribute ink to the nozzles; and at least one mounting feature on the body for mounting the printhead assembly at the ink distribution support. The, or each, mounting feature is configured to cooperate with a corresponding complementary reference feature of the ink distribution support upon mounting of the printhead assembly to the printer, where the cooperation providers information on the location of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Ptv Ltd
    Inventors: Christopher Hibbard, Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Garry Raymond Jackson, John Douglas Peter Morgan
  • Patent number: 7470003
    Abstract: A printhead includes a substrate that defines a plurality of ink inlet channels. A drive circuitry layer is positioned on the substrate. A plurality of nozzle arrangements is positioned on the support. Each nozzle arrangement includes a wall portion bounding a respective ink inlet channel. A crown portion defines an outlet through which ink can be ejected. A skirt portion depends from the crown portion so that the crown, skirt and wall portions define a nozzle chamber in fluid communication with the respective ink inlet channel and the outlet. An elongate actuator is connected to the crown portion at one end and anchored to the substrate at an opposite end, to receive electrical signals from the drive circuitry. The actuator is configured so that, on receipt of an electrical signal from the drive circuitry layer, the actuator is displaced towards and away from the substrate to reduce and subsequently enlarge the nozzle chamber so that ink is ejected from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7470004
    Abstract: A flow path structure includes a heating element, a barrier layer, a liquid chamber formed by a part of the barrier layer and a pair of walls confronting each other to hold the heating element therebetween and a first individual flow path and a second individual flow path disposed on both the sides of the liquid chamber to communicate with the liquid chamber, a liquid is supplied to the liquid chamber from at least one of first and second individual flow paths, and the distance U between the walls in the liquid chamber and the flow path width W of the first individual flow path are set to satisfy U>W. With this arrangement, a flow path structure can be provided in which a failure in flow paths due to dusts is unlike to occur and which minimizes the influence of bubbles and has almost no uneven ejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Eguchi, Takaaki Miyamoto, Manabu Tomita, Shogo Ono, Kazuyasu Takenaka, Iwao Ushinohama, Minoru Kohno
  • Patent number: 7470005
    Abstract: The invention provides for a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printer. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining a chamber with an ink inlet and ejection port, said substrate having a CMOS drive layer, and a paddle dividing said chamber into an ink chamber and a nozzle chamber. The arrangement also includes an actuating arm coupled to the paddle by means of a paddle extension portion and a bridging portion, said arm having an outer arm portion mechanically linked to an inner arm portion via posts electrically isolating the inner arm portion from said outer arm portion The arm is pivotal with respect to the substrate during operative electrical thermal expansion of the inner arm portion displacing the paddle towards the ejection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7470006
    Abstract: A cradle for holding an ink cartridge within an inkjet printer, the cartridge having a plurality of ink storage compartments. The cradle has a plurality of interfaces respectively corresponding to the ink storage compartments. Each of the interfaces is configured to receive an ink refill unit for replenishing the corresponding ink storage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian MacKey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7470007
    Abstract: A method of refilling a supply of printing fluid in a printing unit, comprising the steps of: removably mounting a dispenser of printing fluid to the printing unit so as to align an outlet of the dispenser with an inlet of a printing fluid storage chamber of the printing unit; determining an amount of printing fluid needed to substantially refill the printing fluid storage chamber; and selectively dispensing an amount of printing fluid from the dispenser corresponding to the determined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Ptv Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian MacKey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson