Patents Issued in April 20, 2010
  • Patent number: 7699416
    Abstract: A printing device includes: a conveying unit; a printing unit; a detecting unit; a partial printing unit; a reverse conveying unit; a printing state detecting unit; and a restoration process executing unit. The conveying unit conveys a recording medium in a conveying direction to a prescribed printing position. The printing unit is capable of printing an image based on inputted print data on the recording medium conveyed to the printing position. The detecting unit is capable of detecting the recording medium on an upstream side of the printing position of the printing unit with respect to the conveying direction. The partial printing unit controls the printing unit to execute a printing operation based on at least part of the inputted print data when print data is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Imai
  • Patent number: 7699417
    Abstract: A recording unit according to the present invention includes a holding member, a recording element held on the holding member, an ink supply section held on the holding member, and a guiding portion provided in the holding member. The guiding portion guides a recording medium so as to prevent the recording medium from contacting the recording element. An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveying mechanism having a conveying member on which a recording medium is placed for conveyance, a recording unit, and a fixing member which fixes the recording unit. A guiding portion of the recording unit guides the recording medium to the conveying member so as to prevent the recording medium from contacting the recording element. The guiding portion also maintains a constant gap between the recording medium and the recording element to achieve high-quality image recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kyoichi Inoue
  • Patent number: 7699418
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus and a liquid jetting method are achieved that can prevent unexpected landing position displacement relating to satellite droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Gao, Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 7699419
    Abstract: A spacing-sensing apparatus for use in a printing module of printer is disclosed. The spacing-sensing apparatus includes an oscillating device pivotally disposed on the frame of printing module, wherein the oscillating device has a swing body designed to be rotatably disposed on the lateral plate of the frame, and one end of the swing body is capable of making contact with the surface of a print media when the printing module descends to a predetermined distance from the printing module to the print media, allowing rotation of the other end thereof to trigger switch means for stopping the descending of printing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Great Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Hsien-Chang Lin, Chen-Chien Tsai
  • Patent number: 7699420
    Abstract: A voltage control device for a liquid injection head corrects a voltage supplied to the liquid injection head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Date, Hiroaki Arakawa
  • Patent number: 7699421
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus of the invention includes a distance obtaining unit that obtains a distance between the nozzle of the head and a medium to which the liquid is ejected. The driving signal is a periodical signal including a first pulse-wave capable of ejecting a drop of the liquid having a predetermined volume at a relatively low speed, and a second pulse-wave capable of ejecting a drop of the liquid having the predetermined volume at a relatively high speed, the predetermined volume corresponding to a predetermined level data. The driving-pulse generator is adapted to generate, when the selected level data is the predetermined level data: a driving-pulse including only the first pulse-wave when a distance obtained by the distance obtaining unit is not less than a predetermined value; and a driving-pulse including only the second pulse-wave when the distance is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Togashi, Satoru Hosono
  • Patent number: 7699422
    Abstract: A signal converter that may perform functions to enable a thermally based technology to be used with a piezo-electric printhead. The signal converter and piezo-electric printhead may optionally be used in conjunction with a chassis assembly having an adjustable vertical member for sizing the chassis assembly to a printer. Methods of using a piezo-electric printhead in a printer having a thermal printhead configuration may include the steps of coupling the printhead to the printer and performing conversion functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: MVM Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel W. Loyer, Stephen L. Boden
  • Patent number: 7699423
    Abstract: In an ink-jet printer, when a gray is expressed by mixing ink of a plurality of colors, there is a concentration in which a use amount of the ink is large. If the gray in an edge portion of a character has the concentration of the large ink use amount, a bleeding of the ink occurs and a thin portion of the character is sometimes damaged. If the gray in the character edge portion has the concentration of the large ink use amount, the gray in the character edge portion is changed to the white side by image correction, and the damage of the character thin portion caused due to the ink bleeding is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Suwa, Fumitaka Goto, Yusuke Hashii, Fumihiro Goto, Masao Kato, Kentaro Yano
  • Patent number: 7699424
    Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus having a printhead equipped with printing element row that includes printing elements having a plurality of heat-producing resistance elements. The apparatus includes a temperature sensing unit which senses the temperature of the printhead, a temperature distribution storage unit in which a temperature distribution along the printing element row, a temperature gradient calculating unit which calculates the temperature gradient of the printing element row from the temperature of the printhead sensed by the temperature sensing units, a predicting unit which predicts the temperature of each printing element using the temperature gradient and the temperature distribution along the printing element row, and a control unit which applies discharge pulses, which are decided based upon the predicted temperature from the predicting unit, to each of the printing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Shihoh, Shoji Kanemura, Noriyuki Chino, Hiroyasu Nomura
  • Patent number: 7699425
    Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus which is capable of estimate an amount of remaining ink with high accuracy by using ejection of ink from a printing head while restraining a consumption of ink during the estimation of the remaining ink amount, and also provides a method for estimating an amount of ink. An amount of ink ejected per unit time during the ink ejection for estimation of the remaining ink amount is set to be larger than an amount of ink ejected per unit time during printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Tanaka, Hidehiko Kanda, Atsushi Sakamoto, Jiro Moriyama
  • Patent number: 7699426
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus for performing maintenance ejection onto a printed image makes it possible to obtain a favorable printing image by rendering maintenance ejection ink dots inconspicuous. Pixel position comparison is performed between an objective pixel and data in a pixel position at the same address to detect whether image data is present at the same address. When the image data is not present in the same position, comparison operation is performed on a subsequent objective pixel. When the image data is present in the same position, processing with an image processing mask is performed on the image data in a print buffer. The image data in the print buffer is combined with the maintenance ejection data to generate image printing data. This image processing makes it possible to thin out dots from the image data and to render the maintenance ejection ink dots inconspicuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Minoru Nozawa
  • Patent number: 7699427
    Abstract: Control circuit 30 determines whether or not all ink cartridges CA1 through CA6 are attached in the home position based on cartridge out signals COO. Control circuit 30 carries out communication with memory devices 21 through 26 and determines the presence or absence of communication malfunctions. When a communication malfunction develops in one of memory devices 21 through 26, control circuit 30 determines if a communication malfunction is caused by ink cartridge 30 being detached and identifies detached ink cartridge CA using identifying information. When all of ink cartridges CA1 through CA6 are attached, control circuit 30 determines which of memory devices 21 through 26 has developed a communication malfunction and identifies ink cartridge CA in which a communication malfunction has developed using identifying information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Noboru Asauchi
  • Patent number: 7699428
    Abstract: A discharge amount measurement method is configured to measure a discharge amount of a liquid discharged from at least one nozzle of a droplet discharge head. The discharge amount measurement method includes discharging the liquid as a droplet from the at least one nozzle of the droplet discharge head by a number of discharges that is set to obtain a measurable quantity by driving the droplet discharge head based on measurement discharge data that is substantially identical to data used when a drawing pattern is formed by discharging the liquid from the at least one nozzle of the droplet discharge head, measuring the discharge amount of the liquid discharged from the at least one nozzle of the droplet discharge head, and calculating an average discharge amount based on the discharge amount and the number of discharges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 7699429
    Abstract: The present invention provides a droplet ejection device that includes a head, a storage component and an alteration component. At the head, a plurality of nozzles, which eject droplets in accordance with image data representing an image, are arrayed over a width in a main scanning direction which is longer than a recording region width. The head forms a main scanning line with the droplets ejected from the nozzles. At the storage component, inclination information relating to an inclination of the main scanning line formed by the head with respect to a main scanning line that should ideally be formed is pre-stored. The alteration component, in accordance with the inclination information stored at the storage component, alters which nozzles are to eject droplets in accordance with the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masami Furuya
  • Patent number: 7699430
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to make it possible to form patches that allow for a high precision measurement of a threshold of an electric energy to be supplied to nozzles of a print head, without using a high-precision sensor. To this end, this invention changes the electric energy supplied to the nozzles of the print head stepwise in printing patches that are used to measure an ink droplet ejection state of the nozzles for each level of electric energy. The patch printing involves dividing the nozzle column of the print head into a plurality of nozzle groups and scanning at least one of the nozzle groups a plurality of times over each of the plurality of patch forming areas set on a print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Takamiya, Hitoshi Nishikori
  • Patent number: 7699431
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus is provided in which ink absorbers, capable of performing their function to the fullest extent to quickly absorb an ink that tends to coagulate, are installed to prevent an interior of the printing apparatus and the back of a print medium from being contaminated. To this end, the printing apparatus has an ink absorber that contains a coagulation inhibitor capable of inhibiting the coagulation of colorant contained in the ink. This arrangement inhibits the coagulation of the colorant on the surface or in the interior of the absorber, allowing the colorant to be absorbed quickly and uniformly into the interior of the absorber. Therefore, problems caused by a deposition of the colorant on the surface of the absorber or by a degraded absorbing capability can be alleviated, thus keeping the image output in good condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Nakazawa, Nobuhito Yamaguchi, Takuei Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7699432
    Abstract: A service station for a pen that incldues a treadmill belt that has an outer surface and an inner surface and a pen cap positioned on the outer surface of the treadmill belt, wherein the pen cap is positioend between the treadmill belt and the pen. THe service statin further including two rollers upon which the treadmill belt is mounted, wherein the two rollers contact the inner surface of the treatmill belt for driving the treadmill belt. In addition, there is no device positioned between the two rolelrs that engages the inner surface of the treadmill belt so as to move the outer surface toward the pen. THe service statino further includes a drive axle coupled to one of the rollers and a mechanism for switching a direction of travel of the treadmill belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Marvell International Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Laura Elisabeth Simmons, Jonathan Neal Andrews, Stephen V. Cooper
  • Patent number: 7699433
    Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (i) providing a chassis having mounted thereon: a maintenance roller having an elastically deformable contact surface and an ink removal system for removing ink from the maintenance roller; (ii) moving the chassis towards the printhead such that the contact surface is sealingly engaged with an ink ejection face thereof; (iii) moving the chassis away from said printhead such that the contact surface is disengaged from the face; and (iv) rotating the maintenance roller such that ink is removed from the contact surface by the ink removal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: John Douglas Peter Morgan, Akira Nakazawa, Patrick John McAuliffe, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7699434
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid droplet discharging device including: a liquid droplet discharging head, for discharging liquid droplets; an opposing member, opposing the liquid droplet discharging head; and a blade, cleaning the opposing member and in contact with the opposing member, a plurality of grooves being formed on the blade, and the grooves having a groove width increasing from a bottom portion thereof to an opening portion thereof, and a groove angle decreasing from the side of the opposing member to the side opposite to the opposing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Zengo, Masahiko Sekimoto, Toru Nishida, Satoshi Mohri
  • Patent number: 7699435
    Abstract: Embodiments of uniquely spaced markings are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jason Charles Grosse, Rick M. Tanaka, Edward L. Feldhousen
  • Patent number: 7699436
    Abstract: The present invention allows a high-speed printing by a print head in which nozzles are arranged with a high density to reduce eddy flow caused between the print head and a print medium, providing an image with a high quality. Thus, the present invention allows the same printing region of the print medium to be sequentially printed by the respective nozzle arrays provided in the print head in accordance with image data thinned-out by the mask pattern M, thereby completing the image by multi-pass. Then, a plurality of pieces of image printed to be printed to the same printing region at which the nozzle arrays pass in one pass are alternately thinned-out by different high and low thinning-out ratios in the direction in which the nozzles are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Shibata, Eri Noguchi, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7699437
    Abstract: An array inkjet head and an inkjet image forming apparatus having the array inkjet head. The array inkjet head is formed by sequentially combining a first member, a second member, a third member on an upper surface of which a plurality of base modules are mounted, and a cover member that covers the third member, and the cover member comprises a plurality of opening holes formed along the lengthwise direction of the cover member to expose the head chips and a plurality of concave units formed on both sides of each of the opening holes and to have a predetermined gaps between edge units of the base modules to be coated with an adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sik-sun Choi, Sung-ho Kim
  • Patent number: 7699438
    Abstract: A plurality of land sections, each enclosed by two slits, are formed in a ground wire provided on a side of a flexible wiring board to which a piezoelectric element is connected. Since the ground wire and the land sections are connected by only a thin connection section, the solder deposited on the land sections does not flow to the ground wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Patent number: 7699439
    Abstract: A droplet ejection head includes: a first laminate having plural nozzles; a second laminate bonded to the first laminate and internally having plural pressure generating chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles; plural piezoelectric devices having individual electrodes and common electrodes, the plural piezoelectric devices being provided in the second laminate correspondingly to the plural pressure generating chambers, the plural piezoelectric devices changing volumes of the plural pressure generating chambers in accordance with driving signal supplied to the individual electrodes so that fluid reserved in the pressure generating chambers is ejected as droplet from the nozzles; a first wiring board connected to the individual electrodes and supplying the driving signal to the individual electrodes; and a second wiring board connected to the common electrodes in common.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Nishimura, Shinji Seto
  • Patent number: 7699440
    Abstract: A printhead with drive circuitry for a heating element. At least part of the drive circuitry is positioned proximate to and within 60 microns of the heating element. Moving the drive circuitry within 60 microns of the heating element enhances the nozzle packing on the printhead substrate and improves its energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7699441
    Abstract: A liquid drop ejector includes a substrate and a liquid chamber for receiving a liquid. The liquid chamber is positioned over the substrate and includes a nozzle plate, a chamber wall and a liner layer. The nozzle plate and the chamber wall include an organic material. The liner layer includes an inorganic material. The liner layer is located on the nozzle plate and the chamber wall such that the inorganic material is contactable with the liquid when the liquid is present in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: John A. Lebens
  • Patent number: 7699442
    Abstract: A piezoelectric inkjet printhead includes a manifold, a chamber array including a plurality of chambers in connection with the manifold and arranged along at least one side of the manifold, a vibrating plate to cover the plurality of chambers, and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators formed on the vibrating plate to change pressures of corresponding ones of the plurality of chambers by vibrating the vibrating plate. The plurality of chambers includes a plurality of pressure chambers disposed in a center portion of the chamber array and having corresponding ink ejecting nozzles, and at least two dummy chambers, one disposed on each side of the chamber array and having corresponding dummy nozzles that do not eject ink. A plurality of trenches may be formed in the vibrating plate between each of the piezoelectric actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Seung-mo Lim, Tae-kyung Lee, Chang-youl Moon, Jae-woo Chung, Hwa-sun Lee
  • Patent number: 7699443
    Abstract: The present invention is a piezoelectric actuator unit 29 having piezoelectric vibrators 33 vibrating in the lamination direction of electrode layers and piezoelectric material layers which are alternately laminated. The piezoelectric vibrators are arranged in one row in the direction of vibrator arrangement perpendicular to the lamination direction. Each of the piezoelectric vibrators includes the area on one side and the area on the other side in the direction of the vibrator width perpendicular to the lamination and vibrator arrangement directions, and either of the area on one side and the area on the other side forms active parts capable of performing piezoelectric deformation, and the other area forms inactive parts incapable of performing piezoelectric deformation, and in the adjacent piezoelectric vibrators, the arrangement of the active part and inactive part is opposite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7699444
    Abstract: A channel unit has a first individual ink channel including a first nozzle and a first pressure chamber, and a second individual ink channel including a second nozzle and a second pressure chamber. The channels have a mutually identical channel structure. A piezoelectric actuator, in which a vibration plate, a piezoelectric layer, and a pair of electrodes are stacked, is arranged on the upper surface of the channel unit. A portion of the piezoelectric layer facing the first pressure chamber is thinner than a portion facing the second pressure chamber. Accordingly, a liquid droplet-jetting apparatus is provided, in which the channel structure is simple, and the volumes of liquid droplets jetted from the first nozzle and the second nozzle respectively are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7699445
    Abstract: A structure of the present invention includes a base plate and a formation unit. The formation unit is bonded and fixed to and retained on the base plate by a first adhesive. The first adhesive is disposed at least in the vicinities of end portions of a peripheral edge of a bonding surface of the formation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Yagi, Torahiko Kanda, Tadashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7699446
    Abstract: An ink refill unit for a print cartridge is provided. The unit includes a housing which defines a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet. The unit also includes an ink reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject ink from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by the print cartridge. The ejector assembly is configured so that the amount of the printing fluid ejected from the reservoir by the ejector assembly is between 6 ml and 50 ml per increment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7699447
    Abstract: An ink refill unit for a print cartridge is provided. The unit includes a housing which defines a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet. The unit also includes an ink reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject ink from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by the print cartridge. The ejector assembly includes a piston and cylinder ink reservoir. The piston has a thread which engages a screw thread in an internal wall of the cylinder and is piston rotationally biased by a wound spring and the ejector having a pawl-and-ratchet detent preventing the biased piston threading into the reservoir until the pawl is actuated by the print cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Micheal Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7699448
    Abstract: An ink refill unit for a print cartridge is provided. The unit includes a housing which defines a fluid path in fluid communication with an outlet. The unit also includes an ink reservoir having an ejection port arranged in fluid communication with the fluid path inside the housing, and an ejector assembly configured to incrementally eject ink from the reservoir when the assembly is actuated by the print cartridge. The ejector assembly includes a plunger having a toothed thread which engages with a screw thread provided in an internal wall of the housing. The ejector has a drive gear so that actuation of the drive gear imparts rotation to the toothed thread so as to rotate the plunger within the screw thread of the housing to eject ink from a bellows-like reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Akira Nakazawa, Christopher Hibbard, Paul Ian Mackey, Norman Michael Berry, Garry Raymond Jackson
  • Patent number: 7699449
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus comprises a liquid cartridge for storing a liquid, a liquid ejection head for ejecting the liquid toward a target, a liquid supply path for guiding the liquid to the liquid ejection head from the liquid cartridge, and a capping device for drawing the liquid from the liquid ejection head. The liquid supply path comprises a plurality of wall surfaces, and a part of the wall surface is formed of a flexible member that is flexed by the inside-and-outside pressure difference of the liquid supply path. A pressure pump for adjusting the pressure of a fluid within the liquid supply path in the upstream side of the flexible member is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichiro Yoshino, Toshio Kumagai, Takeo Seino, Koji Morikoshi
  • Patent number: 7699450
    Abstract: An ink supplying container is disclosed. In the ink supplying container, when the internal pressure of an ink container is made a positive pressure which is higher than atmospheric pressure so that nozzles of a recording head are cleaned and recovered by discharging a small amount of ink, a volume control unit restrains a flexible member of the ink container from expanding. When the internal pressure of the ink container is made a negative pressure optimal for printing which is lower than the atmospheric pressure so that a letter and/or an image is printed on a recording medium by the recording head, the volume control unit does not restrain the flexible member from expanding, and the volume of the ink container is maintained at almost the same volume as that at the time when the internal pressure of the ink container is made the positive pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Juichi Furukawa, Toshitaka Osanai
  • Patent number: 7699451
    Abstract: A pressure retaining device for retaining a pressure in a communication passage which are communicated between a supply tank for supplying a first fluid and a nozzle for ejecting the first fluid, comprises a compressing unit provided across an intermediate of the communication passage for compressing the first fluid transferred from the supply tank to the nozzle, and a pump for supplying to the compressing unit a second fluid on which a pressure is loaded thereby. In the construction above, the second fluid is supplied by the pump to the compressing unit to compress the first fluid in the compressing unit, and the first fluid in the nozzle is then compressed by a pressure loaded on the first fluid in the compressing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsunori Nishida
  • Patent number: 7699452
    Abstract: An ink cartridge 1 is detachably connected to a head of a record apparatus and has a container main body 2 having an ink tank chamber 11 opened to the atmosphere in a state in which the head and the cartridge are connected and a first opening 85 through which ink can be injected into the ink tank chamber (second ink storage chamber 16, etc.,). Such an intermediate wall 301 partitioning the ink tank chamber 11 into two space parts 11a and 11b placed side by side in an ink injection direction is disposed in the ink tank chamber 11 and is formed with a through part 301a through which ink can be injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mutsuhiko Ota, Yukiharu Suda, Hisashi Koike, Satoshi Shinada, Michinari Tsukahara, Hisashi Miyazawa, Yasuto Sakai
  • Patent number: 7699453
    Abstract: To provide a liquid storage container that can prevent false detection of a liquid remaining-amount sensor by preventing air bubbles from reaching a detection position of the liquid remaining-amount sensor as long as a usable amount of liquid remains in liquid storage chambers even when the air bubbles enter liquid guide paths from the liquid storage chambers. The liquid storage container has a cartridge main body 10 that includes an upper ink storage chamber 370, a lower ink storage chamber 390, and a buffer chamber 430. The upper ink storage chamber 370 and the lower ink storage chamber 390 are connected to each other with an ink guide path 380 which provides a descending connection so that ink I descends downward therethrough. The lower ink storage chamber 390 and the buffer chamber 430 are connected to each other with an ink guide path 420 which provides an ascending connection so that the ink I ascends upward therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Taku Ishizawa, Satoshi Shinada
  • Patent number: 7699455
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus comprises a main body, a print head, and a cable. The main body includes an ink container for storing ink, an ink supply pump for supplying the ink, and an operation control section. The print head includes a nozzle for expelling the ink supplied from the main body as ink particles, charging electrodes for charging the ink particles, deflecting electrodes for deflecting the charged ink particles, and a gutter for collecting ink particles that have not been used for printing. The cable includes an ink supply path through which the ink is supplied from the main body to the print head, an ink collecting path through which the ink particles collected in the gutter are returned to the ink container, signal lines interconnecting the operation control section and the print head. An ink collecting pump for transferring the ink particles collected in the gutter to the ink container is disposed in the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadayuki Matsuda, Yoshiharu Takizawa, Mamoru Okano
  • Patent number: 7699456
    Abstract: The invention relates to a printing method according to which, during the printing process, one or more narrow nozzles eject a printing liquid, and to a printing liquid suitable for such a method. The invention is particularly suitable for forgery-proof printing on papers or articles. According to the invention, the printing liquid contains nanoparticles that can be induced to fluoresce or phosphoresce. Said nanoparticles are small crystalline particles that can be induced to fluoresce or phosphoresce on their own or when mixed with dopants. Individual dots (10, 12) can be printed by means of a printing liquid that contains said nanoparticles. Due to their small size of from 1 to 1000 nanometers, preferably in the range of 300 nanometers or even much smaller depending on nozzle diameter, there is no risk of very narrow ink jet nozzles getting plugged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Centrum fur Angewandte Nanotechnologie (CAN) GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Haubold, Fernando Ibarra
  • Patent number: 7699457
    Abstract: The recording ink having a water, a water-soluble organic solvent, a colorant, and at least one fluorochemical surfactant selected from the following Structural Formulae (1) to (3). Structural Formula (1): where, Rf is a fluorine-containing group; and m, n, and p are integers in the Structural Formula (1). Structural Formula (2): where, Rf is a fluorine-containing group; X is a cationic group; Y is an anionic group; and q is an integer in the Structural Formula (2). Structural Formula (3): where, Rf is a fluorine-containing group; X is a cationic group; Y is an anionic group; and q is an integer in the Structural Formula (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Namba, Hisashi Habashi, Akihiko Gotoh, Kiyofumi Nagai, Tomohiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 7699458
    Abstract: A method of providing a surface of a material with an image, includes applying to the surface an image sheet included (i) a flexible layer of a Shape Memory Polymer, and (ii) an image bonded to said layer by means of an image key coat. The image sheet is bonded to the surface by means of an adhesive and a process which involves heating of the Shape Memory Polymer to a temperature above its Glass Transition Temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Robert John Mabbott
  • Patent number: 7699459
    Abstract: A maintenance system and method for maintaining an imaging member of an imaging device includes a pre-cleaning device to clean the imaging member; an applicator to apply release agent to the imaging member; a metering device to meter release agent on the imaging member; a reservoir to remotely store release agent; and a pump to supply the applicator with release agent from the reservoir. The saturation level of the applicator is monitored and maintained within a predetermined range. The applicator, pre-cleaning device and metering device may be independently actuated to engage the imaging member. Release agent collected by the pre-cleaning device and/or metering device may be recycled. Debris collected by the pre-cleaning device and/or metering device may be stored and/or removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph B. Gault, Abu S. Islam, Michael C. Gordon, Alexander J. Fioravanti, Kelly Anne Kessler, James B. Campbell, Scott J. Phillips, Roger G. Leighton
  • Patent number: 7699460
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method which can perform an appropriate printing operation on a print medium while keeping an ink ejection range to a minimum required even when the print medium transported is deviated from a theoretical position, and which can also reduce a running cost and ink mist. Thus, the present invention is characterized by determining the actual position of the print medium transported to the printing position; based on the determined print medium position, setting an area slightly larger than the print medium lying area as a print area; and performing the printing operation on that area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Yokoi
  • Patent number: 7699461
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing permanent ink-jet images are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a media substrate coated with a porous media coating, wherein the porous media coating having inorganic porous particulates, and wherein at least a portion of the inorganic porous particulates have a first reactive group covalently attached thereto. The system further includes an ink-jet ink containing a dye, wherein the dye includes a second reactive group, and wherein the first reactive group and the second reactive group are configured to react with one another upon contact to form a covalent bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Vladek P Kasperchik, Palitha Wickramanayake, James P Shields, Gary Allan Ungefug
  • Patent number: 7699462
    Abstract: A scuba diving mask with corrective lenses comprising a frame with a plurality of rings joined to one another by a bridge, each of the rings having an internal flange on which the lip of a flexible skirt, a corresponding lens and a lens-retaining collar rest. The collar is attached by snap action to the corresponding ring. A seat is formed in a bridge substantially in the lying plane of, or coplanar with, the lenses and extending laterally to an upper internal portion of the rings. The seat includes a locking plate slidable between opposing end stroke positions - a locking end position and a release end positions respectively. When the locking plate is in the locking position, the lateral sides of the plate extend inside the rings and are engaged with corresponding notches in an upper internal rim of the lens-retaining collars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Cressi-Sub S.p.A.
    Inventor: Carlos Alberto Godoy
  • Patent number: 7699463
    Abstract: Eyewear includes a frame having a first side and a second side. The eyewear additionally includes a continuous strap. The continuous strap includes a first end and a second end. The first end is secured to the first side of the frame. The continuous strap includes a first side and a second side. The second side has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes one of a hook material and a loop material. The second portion includes the other of the hook material and loop material. The continuous strap passes through the opening proximate the second side of the frame and doubles over such that the hook material cooperatively engages the loop material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Jerry Fielding, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7699464
    Abstract: This invention details a contact lens that uses a reservoir of fluid compressed by the lower lid to dynamically shift the refractive power of the lens. This creates a lens that has a plurality of focal points depending on the position of gaze. This can be accomplished through using fluid pressure to dynamically change the optical power in the visual axis of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: In Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Michael J. Iuliano
  • Patent number: 7699465
    Abstract: A scleral lens has an optical zone, a peripheral zone and a sagittal depth control zone between the optical zone and the peripheral zone. The sagittal depth control zone may be configured to raise the optical zone above the level of a person's eye when the scleral lens is in use and create a tear layer between the optical zone and the person's eye. Tear flow control features are provided in the sagittal depth control zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventors: Rikke Dootjes, William L. Sturm
  • Patent number: 7699466
    Abstract: A visual training device 1 including: a screen arranged facing a subject H having visual impairment; a line of vision detection unit that detects a line of vision of the subject H and outputs line of vision signals indicating the line of vision; a visual field data storage unit that stores visual field data indicating the visible area AR2 and the area of visual impairment AR1 of the subject H; and a screen control unit 53 that, on the aforementioned screen, moves the visible area AR2 specified based on the aforementioned visual field data in correspondence to the movement of the line of vision of the subject H specified by the aforementioned line of vision signals. The display format of the visible area AR2 or a region including the vicinity thereof, is displayed different from the display format of the other region. By doing this, an attitudinal barrier of the person with visual impairment, the subject, can be removed, and the visual training device can allow easy training to be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
    Inventors: Tomoe Hayakawa, Norio Fujimaki, Hideo Eda