Patents Issued in July 9, 2013
  • Patent number: 8480188
    Abstract: A computer desk assembly includes a desk and a display. The desk defines a receiving groove in a top thereof. The desk includes two sliding plates movably engaging in the receiving groove. The display is in the receiving groove of the desk and pivotably connected to the desk. When the computer desk assembly is in a first state, the sliding plates are disposed above the display. When the computer desk assembly is in a second state, the sliding plates slide laterally to expose the display, whereby the display is rotated up relative to the desk for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiang Cao, Hai-Qing Zhou
  • Patent number: 8480189
    Abstract: A cabinet has a cabinet body, a door with at least one support member on a rear side of the door, and at least one hinge pivotally coupling the support member or members to cabinet body. The cabinet body includes framing walls at least partially defining a storage space of the cabinet and a flange disposed laterally outward of an adjacent framing wall. A forwardly-facing surface of the flange is rearwardly offset relative to a front face of the adjacent framing wall. When the door is in a closed position, the support member(s) and the hinge(s) establish a distance between the forwardly-facing surface of the flange and the rear side of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Robern, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard S. Katz, James L. Stanley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8480190
    Abstract: A two-piece washing tank for a dishwasher and a method for manufacturing the two-piece washing tank for a dishwasher. The dishwasher includes a washing container and an assembly base made from plastic. The washing container has a base formed from a substantial portion of the top side of the plastic assembly base and side and rear walls formed substantially of stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Cengiz Kücük, Anton Oppel, Manfred Seessle, Wilhelm Thibaut, Ernst Stickel, Klaus Amann, Helmut Jerg
  • Patent number: 8480191
    Abstract: A storage apparatus comprising a basket assembly, a drawer assembly, a bin assembly and a charging assembly. The basket assembly has a pair of basket components defining a cavity, a shelf member extending between the pair of basket components and a plurality of barrier members extending between the pair of basket components. The drawer assembly is slidably positionable below the shelf member. The bin assembly positionable within the drawer assembly. The charging assembly positionable in one of the drawer assembly and the bin assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Fredricks Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Maurice Fredricks, Bruce Fredricks, Mitchell Mulder, Tony Dimovski
  • Patent number: 8480192
    Abstract: An enclosure includes a bottom plate, and a plurality of slide assemblies fixed to the bottom plate. Each of the plurality of slide assemblies includes a fixed member fixed to the bottom plate, and a rotary member rotatably received in the fixed member. The rotary member includes first and second fixed portions, and a wheel. The first fixed portion is fixed to the second fixed portion, the second fixed portion is connected to the fixed member, and the wheel is fixed to the first fixed portion. Each rotary member is operable to be in a first position to expose the respective wheel for moving the enclosure, and in a second position to be received in the respective fixed member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guang-Dong Yuan, Hai-Qing Zhou, Chung-Chi Huang
  • Patent number: 8480194
    Abstract: A shelf for an item of furniture, especially for a refrigerator or the like, includes a panel for supporting articles and a frame capable of enclosing the panel by its actual surrounding part, the frame configured to allow the shelf to be fitted into the body of the furniture. The shelf further includes at least one retaining member for retaining the panel at its lower part, which retaining member can be inserted laterally into a hole made in a rib of the frame, which rib runs along the panel, being offset internally relative to the external peripheral edge of the frame, and extends beyond the panel, and then can be fastened onto or behind the border wall of the hole, the retaining member bearing, in the fastened position, against the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Jean-Gerard Leconte, Francois Vardon
  • Patent number: 8480195
    Abstract: A printing device that forms a background by a first ink and images on the background by a second ink includes a head having first and second nozzle lines that eject, respectively, the first and second inks. The inks are ejected as the head moves, with respect to a medium, in a main scanning direction intersecting the first and second nozzle lines. A transport section transports the medium in a sub-scanning direction along the first and second nozzle lines. In an ejecting operation, the first and second inks are ejected in the relative movement in the main scanning direction and the relative transportation in the sub-scanning direction is performed. In the sub-scanning direction, first and second nozzle line used areas are set where the first and second inks, respectively, are ejected from the first and second nozzle lines. A nozzle unused area is defined therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Fujisawa, Mitsuaki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8480196
    Abstract: Described herein is a method and apparatus for driving a drop ejection device to produce drops having straight trajectories. In one embodiment, a method for driving a drop ejection device having an actuator includes building a drop of a fluid with at least one drive pulse by applying a multi-pulse waveform having the at least one drive pulse and a straightening pulse to the actuator. Next, the method includes causing the drop ejection device to eject the drop with a straight trajectory in response to the pulses of the multi-pulse waveform. The straightening pulse is designed to ensure that the drop is ejected without a drop trajectory error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: FujiFilm Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Letendre, Jr., Xi Wang, Robert Hasenbein, Marlene McDonald, Jaan Laaspere
  • Patent number: 8480197
    Abstract: A printing apparatus which prints by discharging ink droplets from a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array based on print data using a printhead including the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array for discharging ink droplets of the same color and different discharge amounts, the apparatus comprising: a specifying unit configured to specify a discharge failure nozzle in the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array; and a controller configured to assign print data corresponding to the discharge failure nozzle specified by the specifying unit to a nozzle of a nozzle array different from a nozzle array to which the discharge failure nozzle belongs, out of the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Nakanishi, Hiroshi Uemura
  • Patent number: 8480198
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an ejection head having a plurality of nozzle arrays arranged in an orthogonal direction to an array direction thereof, a carriage on which the ejection head is loaded, and a moving unit that moves the carriage. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit that controls the moving unit and the ejection head such that, when flushing is to be performed while the image is formed on a sheet as the carriage reciprocates, a liquid is ejected to an image forming region of the sheet from the plurality of nozzle arrays, the liquid is ejected to a first receiving area from a first nozzle array group disposed adjacent to an outward side, and the liquid is ejected to a second receiving area from a remaining second nozzle array group excluding the first nozzle array group and disposed adjacent to a homeward side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Nishizaka
  • Patent number: 8480199
    Abstract: A method of printing with an inkjet printer, the method includes moving the carriage along a first carriage scan direction while the second drop ejector array ejects drops of anti-curl solution onto the portion of recording medium providing a delay time that is greater than 15 milliseconds after the second drop ejector ejects drops of anti-curl solution at a given location on the portion of recording medium and before printing with the first drop ejector array moving the carriage along a second carriage scan direction while the first drop ejector array ejects drops of ink in an image-wise fashion onto the given location of the portion of recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Huijuan D. Chen, James A. Reczek, Richard P. Szajewski, Douglas W. Couwenhoven, Richard C. Reem, Richard A. Dibiase
  • Patent number: 8480200
    Abstract: An image processing method includes converting multilevel data of an image into a dot pattern using a multilevel error diffusion process. The conversion includes determining a pixel corresponding to an abnormal nozzle based on abnormal nozzle information provided for each of droplet sizes supported by nozzles of an image forming apparatus; preventing jetting of a droplet onto the determined pixel; distributing a quantization error of the determined pixel calculated in the multilevel error diffusion process to neighboring pixels; and if extra-large droplets with a droplet size greater than the droplet size of a full-size droplet capable of filling a pixel are to be formed in the neighboring pixels as a result of distributing the quantization error, removing one or more of the extra-large droplets or reducing the droplet size of one or more of the extra-large droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Hirano
  • Patent number: 8480201
    Abstract: A recording device has a medium-supporting part that supports a long recording medium, a recording processing part that performs recording process on the recording medium supported by the medium-supporting part, a recording processing part conveyance system that moves the recording processing part, a medium conveyance system that includes a first drive roller, a first drive motor, a second drive roller and a second drive motor, and a control unit that controls the recording device. The control unit retracts the recording processing part to an area outside of the medium-supporting part while maintaining the movement direction of the recording processing part at a time at which an abnormality has occurred in an interval in which the recording processing is carried out on the recording medium while the recording processing part scans above the recording medium by the recording processing part conveyance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Daiki Tokushima
  • Patent number: 8480202
    Abstract: There is provided an eccentricity amount estimation device, including: a rotation body provided with plural detected portions disposed along the rotation direction at predetermined rotation angle intervals, each of the plural detected portions being formed such that from an outer peripheral end towards an inner peripheral end a width of the detected portion at a position at the peripheral inside is the same as or greater than the width at a position at the peripheral outside; a generating section that generates a pulse signal according to passing of each of the plural detected portions accompanying rotation of the rotation body; and an estimation section that estimates a physical quantity corresponding to an eccentricity amount of the rotation body, based on a high level side pulse width and a low level side pulse width within one period of the pulse signal generated by the generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Kibayashi, Hiroaki Satoh, Toru Nishida, Takeshi Zengo
  • Patent number: 8480203
    Abstract: An inkjet printing method includes, in order, the steps of a) providing to an inkjet printer at least two or more colorless liquids having a different composition and at least one color inkjet ink; b) mixing the color inkjet ink in a controlled amount with the two or more colorless liquids; and c) printing the ink-mixture of the color inkjet ink and the two or more colorless liquids with the inkjet printer onto an ink-receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Agfa Graphics NV
    Inventors: Etienne Van Thillo, Frank De Voeght
  • Patent number: 8480204
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a head portion which ejects liquid; a plurality of liquid reception portions which receive the liquid discharged from the head portion and in which flow-out ports of the liquid are provided on the bottoms; a suction pump which is connected to each of the flow-out ports of the plurality of the liquid reception portions and sucks the flow-out ports; and closure members each of which is provided in each of the plurality of liquid reception portions, is formed so as to float in the liquid, and closes each of the flow-out ports in a state where the liquid has flown out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Hideya Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 8480205
    Abstract: An ink cleaning apparatus for a printer, includes an ink suction cover configured to suck loose ink and a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a rotating gear and two pipes connected to the ink suction cover. The rotating gear defines a first receiving hole and a second receiving hole. A first fan and a second fan are mounted in the holes. One pipe connects to the first receiving hole, the other pipe connects to the second receiving hole. The rotating gear rotates to alternatively drive the first fan and the second fan to force air and loose ink in one of the two pipes from the ink suction cover, and drive the other fan to exhaust air with loose ink out of the other pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kung-Huang Tsai
  • Patent number: 8480206
    Abstract: An inkjet carriage printer includes a carriage for transporting an inkjet printhead in a carriage scan direction across the print region in reciprocating fashion, the carriage including an encoder sensor; a linear encoder disposed along the carriage scan direction; and a controller for controlling the motor on the basis of signals provided by the encoder sensor, the controller includes: a first motion control mode for damping carriage vibrations during a period when the carriage is in the print region; and a selectable second motion control mode for dislodging air bubbles for removal from the inkjet printhead, wherein the selectable second motion control mode is configured to decrease damping in order to set the carriage into oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Murray
  • Patent number: 8480207
    Abstract: Methods and means for imaging are provided. A sequential application hierarchy of two or more colors is defined. A page-wide print array forms images on a moving media using colored inks. Shingling is performed in accordance with the sequential application hierarchy within the overlap print zones of the page-wide print array. Images formed on the media are visually seamless and of proper hue and color saturation throughout as a result of the present teachings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Shepherd, Erick B. Kinas, Mark H. MacKenzie
  • Patent number: 8480208
    Abstract: A liquid-droplet ejection head includes a nozzle substrate, a chamber substrate, a liquid supply substrate, a frame substrate, a driving circuit member, and wire members. The nozzle substrate includes nozzles. The chamber substrate is formed on the nozzle substrate and includes liquid chambers, diaphragms, and electro-mechanical transducers. The liquid supply substrate is formed on the chamber substrate and includes liquid supply channels. The frame substrate is formed on a first face of the liquid supply substrate opposite a second face of the liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate. The driving circuit member that drives the electro-mechanical transducers is mounted on the frame substrate. The wire members connect the electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member. A voltage applied to the electro-mechanical transducers through the wire members deforms the electro-mechanical transducers and the diaphragms to generate pressure in the liquid chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Takemoto, Yukitoshi Tajima
  • Patent number: 8480209
    Abstract: A printhead integrated circuit includes a substrate having a plurality of inkjet nozzles assemblies formed on a surface of the substrate. The substrate contains drive circuitry for supplying power to the nozzle assemblies. Each nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber for containing ink, the nozzle chamber having a roof and sidewalls extending from the roof to the surface of said substrate, the roof having a nozzle opening defined therein; an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle opening; a pair of electrodes positioned at the surface of the substrate; and a pair of connector posts encapsulated within the sidewalls, each connector post electrically connecting a respective electrode to the actuator. Each connector post extends linearly from a respective electrode to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Gregory John McAvoy, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8480210
    Abstract: A liquid jet head is provided with an actuator substrate having grooves spaced apart from one another through an intermediation of partition walls. Drive electrodes are formed on confronting side surfaces of the partition walls so as not to be electrically connected to one another and are configured to be driven independently from one another to independently deform the partition walls. Each of the partition walls has a first portion made of a first material and extending from a base surface of the corresponding groove, and has a second portion extending from the first portion and being made of a second material having a higher permittivity than that of the first material. A cover plate is mounted on the actuator substrate so as to cover the grooves, and a nozzle plate has nozzles communicating with respective ones of the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: SII Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Koseki
  • Patent number: 8480211
    Abstract: A wide format printer that has an ink supply, an accumulator reservoir, a valve coupling the accumulator reservoir to the ink supply, the valve being configured to open when the ink level in the accumulator reservoir reaches a lower limit of a predetermined ink level range, and close when the ink level in the accumulator reservoir reaches an upper limit of the ink level range and, a plurality of printheads collectively spanning a paper path more than 432 mm (17 inches) wide, each of the printheads being in fluid communication with the accumulator reservoir and each of the printheads having nozzles for ejecting ink onto media. During printing, the accumulator reservoir is fixed relative to the printheads such that hydrostatic ink pressure at the nozzles is generated by the elevation of the ink level in the accumulator reservoir relative to the elevation of the of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Robert Rosati, David Petch, David Burney, Jim Sykora, Kenneth A Regas, Andy Bound, Neil Doherty, Scott Dennis, Ben Jones, Oksana Buyda, Locson Tonthat, Andrew Buyda, Patrick Kirk, Loren Hunt, Jason Dewey, Jim Trinchera, Bill Cressman, Ron Zech
  • Patent number: 8480212
    Abstract: A fail-safe capability is realized that not only forestalls the execution by the user of the head replacement operation in an erroneous sequence while the printing apparatus is in operation but also prevents the splashing of ink even if the user attempts to inadvertently replace the print head. For this purpose, the ink supply and the opening and closing of the print head replacement cover are performed by a predetermined rotation of one drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Tsukuda, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Kanto Kurasawa, Yoshitaka Okamura, Takashi Nojima
  • Patent number: 8480213
    Abstract: A liquid containing tank for containing a liquid to be supplied to a liquid-jet head. The liquid containing tank includes a containing part containing the liquid supplied from the outside; and a supply channel separated from the containing part by a partition wall rising from the bottom surface of the containing part and supplying the liquid from the containing part to the liquid-jet head. The containing part includes a first region and a second region, the flow speed of the liquid in the first region of the containing part is lower than the flow speed of the liquid in the second region of the containing part, and the horizontal cross sectional area of the first region of the containing part is less than the horizontal cross sectional area of the second region of the containing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Akiyama, Hirotaka Kobayashi, Mitsuru Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8480214
    Abstract: In a liquid jetting head unit, a tank case in a head tank includes a first connection path connecting a downstream chamber of the tank case and a discharge path, and a second connection path connecting an upstream chamber of the tank case and the discharge path. The discharge path includes a filter member provided between a first part of the discharge path connected to the first connection path and a second part of the discharge path connected to the second connection path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 8480215
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sub tank that supplies a liquid to a head that ejects liquid droplets, the sub tank including a generating unit that generates a negative pressure inside the sub tank by expanding and contracting as the liquid is supplied to and ejected from the sub tank, and an opening mechanism that performs an opening operation of opening the sub tank to atmospheric air; a supply mechanism that supplies the liquid in a main tank to the sub tank; a carriage that moves in a main scanning direction above a sheet, the head being disposed in the carriage; a moving mechanism that changes a distance between the sheet and the head; and a control unit that causes the opening mechanism to perform the opening operation in conjunction with the moving mechanism changing the distance between the sheet and the ejecting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8480216
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a pressure control unit provided in a liquid flow path so as to control pressure. The pressure control unit includes a liquid introduction unit, a liquid chamber having a diaphragm, a communication hole that allows communication between the liquid introduction unit and the liquid chamber, a movable member including an opposing surface disposed on the side of the liquid chamber so as to oppose the communication hole, the movable member being disposed so as to move in response to the displacement of the diaphragm unit, and a displacement member that displaces the opposing surface between a first posture of opposing the communication hole and a second posture in which the opposing surface is tilted with respect to the communication hole in an angle different from the first posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 8480217
    Abstract: An ink jet cartridge comprising an ink container which comprises a bottom portion and an upper portion, said bottom portion being in communication with the printhead through an ink supply port, and said upper portion being in communication with a vent hole, wherein said bottom portion comprises a first ink absorbing member, and said upper portion comprises a second ink absorbing member, wherein said first ink absorbing member is a compressible porous material and said second ink absorbing member is an incompressible porous material, and wherein the capillarity of said first ink absorbing member is higher than the capillarity of said second ink absorbing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Morandotti, Sergio Amato
  • Patent number: 8480218
    Abstract: A set of ink cartridges is configured to mount in a cartridge mounting portion of a recording apparatus in an insertion direction. The set of cartridges includes a first and a second ink cartridge, and each cartridge includes a main body and a particular protrusion positioned adjacent to a bottom wall of the main body and extending from a portion of the main body in the insertion direction away from an ink chamber. The main body includes a first wall, the ink chamber, a communication portion disposed at the first wall; a second wall disposed opposite the first wall, and the bottom wall. The ink chamber is disposed between the first and second walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8480219
    Abstract: Provided is an ink cartridge for containing a water-based ink for ink-jet recording including a pigment, water, and a nonionic surfactant, the ink cartridge including a remaining ink detecting portion detecting an amount of remaining ink on the basis of whether or not light is transmitted therethrough. The remaining ink detecting portion is formed of a hydrophobic resin containing a water-repellent material in the proportion of 0.14 wt % to 10 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriatsu Aoi, Kazuma Goto
  • Patent number: 8480220
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes an ink bag that is configured to store ink inside, a spout that is provided on the ink bag and that includes a hollow portion that leads from a first opening to a second opening, and a case that houses the ink bag, an end portion of the case on a side of the second opening including at least a first corner portion and a second corner portion, a width in a first direction being smaller than a width in a second direction in the case, an axial line of the spout being, in the second direction, located closer to one end portion of the case on a side having the first corner portion, and at least one of the first corner portion and the second corner portion forming one of an obtuse angle and a curved surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Mizuno, Yutaka Takagiwa
  • Patent number: 8480221
    Abstract: A wide format printer that has an ink supply, a feed line to the ink supply, a return line coupled to the ink supply, and a plurality of printheads collectively spanning a paper path more than 432 mm (17 inches) wide. Each printhead is fluidically coupled to the feed and the return via separate couplings. During printing, the printheads receives ink from both the feed and return lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Robert Rosati, David Petch, David Burney, Jim Sykora, Kenneth A Regas, Andy Bound, Neil Doherty, Scott Dennis, Ben Jones, Oksana Buyda, Locson Tonthat, Andrew Buyda, Patrick Kirk, Loren Hunt, Jason Dewey, Jim Trinchera, Bill Cressman, Ron Zech
  • Patent number: 8480222
    Abstract: The droplet ejection head includes: a plurality of droplet ejection units which include ejection ports through which droplets of liquid are ejected, pressure chambers which are connected to the ejection ports through connection channels, drive elements which apply pressure to the liquid in the pressure chambers, supply channels through which the liquid is supplied to the pressure chambers, and return channels through which the liquid is returned from the connection channels; a common supply channel through which the liquid is supplied to the supply channels; and a common return channel through which the liquid is returned from the return channels, the common return channel including a stagnant flow region having a bubble collection section where bubbles are collected, wherein pressure variation occurring in each pressure chamber when ejecting a droplet of the liquid propagates more readily in the common return channel than in the common supply channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Baku Nishikawa, Shinji Seto, Naoki Morita
  • Patent number: 8480223
    Abstract: There is provided is an ink for inkjet recording, including: a pigment coated with a water-insoluble resin including a structural unit represented by the following formula (1) and a structural unit having an ionic group; a nitrogen-containing organic solvent; resin particles; and water, wherein a mass ratio [nitrogen-containing organic solvent/resin particles] is from 2.0 to 6.0: wherein, in formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or a halogen atom; L1 represents *—COO—, —OCO—, *—CONR2—, *—O—, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group, wherein “*—” represents a bond linking to the main chain; R2 represents a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and L2 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and an image forming method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Naoya Shibata
  • Patent number: 8480224
    Abstract: An aqueous inkjet printing fluid composition for use in an inkjet printer having a silicon-based material which contacts the aqueous printing fluid composition, including in a concentration sufficient to inhibit corrosion of the silicon-based material when contacted by the aqueous printing fluid composition a soluble metal ligand complex of Formula (I): wherein M represents a divalent or a trivalent metal; each of X and R may independently be chosen from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, carboalkoxy, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, hetaryl, carboxy, hydroxy, sulfo and phospho substituents; n and m independently represent an integer from 0-3; and the number of ligands y is 2 or 3; with the proviso that n+m is an integer from 1 to 6, and at least one of X and R comprises a solubilizing group capable of imparting water solubility to the complex. The useful lifetime of microelectromechanical fluidic devices based on silicon fabrication is extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark E. Irving, Steven Evans
  • Patent number: 8480225
    Abstract: An inkjet recording medium including: a coated paper substrate; and an inkjet-receptive coating applied to at least one side of the coated paper wherein the inkjet-receptive coating includes inorganic oxide particles, a multivalent metal salt and a binder; wherein said inorganic oxide particles includes a cationic porous silica having an average particle size less than 0.5 microns and a pore volume of at least 0.70 ml/g and a surface area less than 200 m2/g, and said inkjet recording medium has a 75° gloss of at least 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Newpage Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Romano, Jr., Rhonda G. Justice
  • Patent number: 8480226
    Abstract: An eyeglass assembly is provided and includes a frame assembly and at least one subframe assembly. The frame assembly has at least one lens and a pair of temples. The frame assembly also has a bridge. A rear side of the frame assembly has at least one member extending outwardly therefrom and wherein the extending member has at least one securing surface. The securing surface has a magnetic member thereon. The subframe assembly has a front side and a rear side. The subframe assembly has at least one arm extending rearwardly therefrom. The arm has a first end secured to the subframe assembly and a second end opposite said first end. The second end has a magnetic member thereon. The subframe assembly is magnetically secured to the frame assembly at least in part by the magnetic members, one of the magnetic members being a magnet and a second of the magnetic members being a material that is attracted to a magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: Nonu Ifergan
  • Patent number: 8480227
    Abstract: The invention is related to a hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens having a layered structural configuration: a lower water content silicone hydrogel core (or bulk material) completely covered with a layer of a higher water content hydrogel totally or substantially free of silicone. A hydrated silicone hydrogel contact lens of the invention possesses high oxygen permeability for maintaining the corneal health and a soft, water-rich, lubricious surface for wearing comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Yongxing Qiu, John Dallas Pruitt, Sibichen J. Thekveli, Robert Carey Tucker, Jared Nelson
  • Patent number: 8480228
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing enhanced image quality across a wide and extended range of foci encompass vision treatment techniques and ophthalmic lenses such as contact lenses and intraocular lenses (IOLs). Exemplary IOL optics can include a circular surface structure with limited adjacent echelettes which act as a diffractive or phase shifting profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: AMO Groningen B.V.
    Inventor: Hendrik A. Weeber
  • Patent number: 8480229
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing contact lenses includes providing a lens design with a nominal set of stabilization zone parameters, applying a merit function to the lens design based on balancing moments of momentum, and creating a contact lens design with improved stabilization based on the application of the merit functions to the lens design with a nominal set of stabilization zone parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Gerligand, Edgar V. Menezes
  • Patent number: 8480230
    Abstract: Models of anatomical parts and methods utilizing and fabricating such anatomical models are provided. The model can include an assembly of one or more optically transmissive media having a first portion and a second portion. The one or more optically transmissive media can be configured to provide similar optical properties as that between two regions of the anatomical part. For example, in an example eye model, the two regions can be a corneal surface and/or retina regions of an eye. A rendered retina can be formed in the second portion of the assembly and can be representative of the retina of the eye. The rendered retina can have one or more features associated with the retina of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Rowe Technical Design, Inc.
    Inventor: T. Scott Rowe
  • Patent number: 8480231
    Abstract: An ophthalmological measuring device for determining geometric structures in an eye includes an optical, triangulating measurement system for determining at least one geometric reference in the eye by triangulation, and an optical, interferometric measurement system for determining geometric detailed structures in the eye by optical interferometry. The measuring device is designed to position the geometric detailed structures determined by the interferometric measurement system on the basis of the at least one geometric reference in the eye determined by the triangulating measurement system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: SIS AG, Surgical Instrument Systems
    Inventor: Christian Rathjen
  • Patent number: 8480232
    Abstract: A fundus imaging apparatus comprises: a plurality of light source modules with different wavelengths; a moving unit adapted to move one of the plurality of light source modules to a position to illuminate a fundus of an eye to be examined through an illumination optical system, based on a selected imaging mode; and an image sensor which captures feedback light from the fundus of the eye illuminated through the illumination optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Aikawa
  • Patent number: 8480233
    Abstract: An ophthalmic endoillumination system comprises a self-contained power source and a laser light source powered by the self-contained power source to produce light. The system further comprises an elongated member sized for insertion into an eye and for conducting the light produced by the laser light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith
  • Patent number: 8480234
    Abstract: A filter wheel having spirally shaped left and right channel 3D filters. The 3D filters are, for example, spectral separation filters. The filter is mounted, for example, close to an integrating rod output of a projector. The left and right channel filtered light scrolls across a modulation device which is energized with correspondingly scrolling left and right image data. In one embodiment, the integrating rod comprises mirrored surfaces to facilitate recycling of light reflected off the filter wheel. The filter wheel may be placed in a single or dual projector configuration. In one embodiment, the filters are fixed at the end of an integrating rod using “re-cycled” light to illuminate different channels of a projection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Richards
  • Patent number: 8480235
    Abstract: An illumination optical system for illuminating a surface to be illuminated with a light beam from a light source, in a first plane which is parallel with the optical axis of the illumination optical system, the light beam from the light source is split, and a plurality of first light source images are formed in a first light source image zone with the use of the thus split light beams; light beams from the plurality of first light source images being led to the surface to be illuminated, in a second plane which is parallel with the optical axis of the illumination optical system and which is perpendicular to the first plane, the light beam from the light source is split, and a plurality of second light source images are formed in a second light source image zone, with the use of the thus split light beams, light beams from the plurality of second light source images being led to the surface to be illuminated, where the width of the first light source image zone in the first plane is greater than that of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Inoko
  • Patent number: 8480236
    Abstract: A projector includes: an illumination system which has a light source, and a light control unit opened and closed to shield a part of light emitted from the light source; a light modulation device illuminated by illumination light received from the illumination system; an air supply device which supplies air to the light control unit and the light modulation device; and an air supply control unit which decreases an air supply amount to the light modulation device when increasing an air supply amount to the light control unit in accordance with a relatively closed condition of the light control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Tadachi
  • Patent number: 8480237
    Abstract: A projector includes a light modulation section provided with a plurality of pixels arranged, and adapted to modulate light from a light source by the pixel, and when executing a keystone distortion correction on an image to be projected on a projection surface in response to an operation of an operation section, a maximum pixel area, which is a maximum area in which an image of the light modulation section is formed, and an image forming area in which the image to be the object of the keystone distortion correction is formed are projected simultaneously on the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 8480238
    Abstract: A projector array includes a plurality of projectors, which together project images into a projection area on a projection surface. Aspect ratios are normalized for all of multiple images designated for display. The normalized aspect ratios are aligned at a common central point. An aspect ratio of a minimum rectangular shape is determined that will encompass all of the aligned aspect ratios. A maximum rectangular projection area is determined within the projection area having the same aspect ratio as the minimum rectangular shape. The center of the maximum rectangular area is designated as a centralization point. Each of all of the multiple images is sequentially projected into the projection area. Each image is scaled for display at its aspect ratio and is displayed centered at the centralization point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hung Khei Huang, Sangwon Chae, Yasuhiro Komori