Patents Issued in June 10, 2014
  • Patent number: 8746835
    Abstract: A method evaluates printhead position in a staggered full width array (SFWA) printhead assembly. The method includes selecting a first printhead configuration for printing a first test pattern on an image receiving member, generating positional correction data for roll and stitch displacements obtained from captured image data of the first test pattern, comparing the positional correction data to at least one threshold in a displacement range, and operating at least one printhead actuator in accordance with the positional correction data in response to the positional correction data exceeding at least one predetermined threshold in the displacement range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John Albert Wright, Stan Alan Spencer, Cary Eric Sjolander
  • Patent number: 8746837
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a head body configured to eject liquid, a holding portion rotatable with respect to the head body about a rotation shaft provided on the head body and configured to support the head body, and a rotation regulation portion configured to regulate the rotation of the holding portion with respect to the head body beyond an arrangement in which the holding portion, the rotation shaft, and a center of gravity of the head body aligned in a line in a direction of gravity with the head body held by the holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Genji Inada, Kiyomitsu Kudo, Tomotsugu Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8746838
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a conveyor mechanism for conveying a recording medium in a conveying direction; a head including an ejection face including an ejection opening region having ejection openings, the region being longer than the recording medium in a conveyance perpendicular direction perpendicular to the conveying direction; a capping unit for selectively establishing a sealing state or an open state; an air supply opening and an air discharge opening; a humidification unit for performing a humidifying maintenance; a recording control unit for performing image recording; and a flushing control unit. The conveyor mechanism conveys the recording medium in the image recording such that one of opposite end portions of the ejection opening region and one of opposite edge portions of the recording medium are opposed to each other in the conveyance perpendicular direction when seen in a direction perpendicular to the ejection face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8746839
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus ejects a fluid from a nozzle and includes a nozzle opening surface in which the nozzle is formed. A fluid removal unit removes fluid adhering to the nozzle opening surface. The fluid removal unit includes a plate-shaped wiper member that is formed from an elastic material. The wiper member moves from one end of the nozzle opening surface to the other as the ejection head or the wiper member moves while in a state where the wiper member makes contact with the nozzle opening surface and elastically deforms. A splash catching member is erected in front of the wiper member when the wiper member moving relative along the nozzle opening surface separates from the nozzle opening surface and returns to its original shape. The splash catching member catches objects that had been adhering to the nozzle opening surface and are scattered by the wiper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takato Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8746840
    Abstract: A printer includes a fluid ejecting head having a plurality of nozzles, an ink supply channel and a maintenance device. The maintenance device includes a pressure regulating mechanism configured to reduce the pressures in the interiors of the ink supply channels at a position of pressure reduction, and a tight cap being brought into abutment with the fluid ejecting head so that the nozzle openings of the nozzles which receives a supply of ink through flow channels which are subject to relatively small pressure losses first by priority according to the magnitudes of the pressure losses in the respective flow channels extending from the position of pressure reduction to the respective nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kurebayashi, Yoichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8746841
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head configured to have a liquid jetting surface on which a plurality of nozzles, from which liquid is jetted, are open; a wiper configured to move, relative to and along the liquid jetting surface, while being brought in contact with the liquid jetting surface and to wipe the liquid adhered on the liquid jetting surface; a wiper movement mechanism configured to move the wiper in a direction orthogonal to the liquid jetting surface and to make the wiper approach to or separate from the liquid jetting surface. The wiper moving mechanism includes: a cam configured to have a cam surface; an axis configured to extend along the liquid jetting surface; and an arm member configured to make the wiper approach to the liquid jetting surface by pushing and moving the wiper in accordance with movement of the cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ayumu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8746842
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a print head to form an image on a recording medium; a carriage, including the print head, which scans in a main scanning direction; a linear encoder scale with scale marks and elongated in the carriage moving direction to detect a position of the carriage; an encoder sensor disposed on a side wall of the carriage including a groove with an upper open concave-shaped cross-section if seen from the carriage moving direction and reads scale marks on the linear encoder scale by passing the linear encoder scale through the groove; and a through-hole forming member, disposed on the side wall of the carriage, configured to cover the encoder sensor, and forming a through-hole extending in the carriage moving direction which the linear encoder scale is passed through. The through-hole forming member is disposed openable with respect to the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8746843
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head and a carriage. The carriage includes a slide member that is provided so that the position of the slide member relative to a carriage body is changeable in a direction where a gap between the recording head and a medium changes, and moves together with carriage body in the scanning direction, a gap adjusting cam that is interposed between the slide member and the carriage body, and, upon reception of the dead weight of the carriage, changes in the scanning direction relative to the slide member and the carriage body to change the gap, and a restriction section that restricts at least one of expansion of the interval between the carriage body and the gap adjusting cam and expansion of the interval between the gap adjusting cam and the slide member in such a way as to keep a predetermined gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ohashi, Minoru Kishigami, Daisuke Tanaka, Shota Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8746844
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a printhead having a substrate. The substrate includes a nozzle face having a width direction and a length direction. The nozzle face includes a set of four columns of nozzles oriented in a column direction substantially along the width direction of the nozzle face, and the nozzles in each column are positioned on a straight line along the column. A spacing between two adjacent columns of the four adjacent columns is different than a spacing between another two adjacent columns of the four adjacent columns. In some implementations, a controller can control timing of ejection of fluid droplets from the nozzles to deposit lines of fluid droplets on a medium, and the medium can travel relative to the nozzle face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kusakari, Kevin von Essen, Paul A. Hoisington
  • Patent number: 8746845
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate, a pressure chamber, first and second common liquid chambers, a filter for inhibiting inflow of foreign matter in liquid supplied to the pressure chamber, first and second supply openings respectively communicating with the first and second common liquid chambers, and a liquid receiving portion formed on an opposite surface of the substrate. The second common liquid chamber, the pressure chamber, and the first common liquid chamber are arranged in the listed order in a direction from an end of the substrate to a center of the substrate. The first common liquid chamber communicates with the pressure chamber via the filter, and the second common liquid chamber communicates with the pressure chamber through no filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuma Kodoi
  • Patent number: 8746846
    Abstract: A nozzle plate includes: a nozzle plate main body made of metal, the nozzle plate main body having nozzle rows formed of nozzles arranged in parallel and penetrating the nozzle plate main body in a thickness direction, wherein at the outer edge of the nozzles on a droplet discharge surface of the nozzle plate main body, a water-repellent film is provided, and primer treatment is performed on at least part of the periphery of the droplet discharge surface of the nozzle plate main body, the periphery outside the water-repellent film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuji Arakawa
  • Patent number: 8746847
    Abstract: An ink jet print head is configured to reduce the inclination of an ink ejection direction to make improper print conditions such as stripes and density unevenness unnoticeable. An individual wire is extended to lie under a common wire. Thus, wires under ink channels arranged on the respective opposite sides of a pressure chamber are symmetric. Consequently, an equivalent step structure is provided at the bottoms of the ink channels arranged on the respective opposite sides of the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Kishikawa, Ken Tsuchii, Masataka Sakurai, Akiko Saito
  • Patent number: 8746848
    Abstract: Systems and methods of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a printhead with one or more actuators with associated nozzles and membranes. A voltage waveform can be applied to the actuators to fill the actuators with a volume of ink and eject the ink through the nozzles as ink drops. The voltage waveform can have associated pre-fill voltage to fill the actuator with ink and a firing voltage to eject the ink. The actuator membranes can have multi-height dimples to protect the membranes from contacting electrodes and reduce the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew W Hays, Richard P Germain, Joseph A Degroot, Peter J Nystrom, Jun Ma
  • Patent number: 8746849
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a recording element substrate including an energy generation element for generating energy used to discharge a liquid and a terminal electrically connected to the energy generation element, and an electric wiring board including an electrode electrically connected to the terminal via a wire to transmit an electric signal supplied from outside to the energy generation element, wherein the terminal has an area twice or more larger than a contact area between the terminal and the wire and the electrode has an area twice or more larger than a contact area between the electrode and the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abe, Toshiaki Hirosawa
  • Patent number: 8746850
    Abstract: A printhead for an ink jet printer can be formed as a plurality of substructures which are connected subsequent to inspection and/or testing. A substructure can include a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate having a plurality of heater traces which are used to maintain a temperature of melted solid ink within a tolerance of a desired temperature. The traces can be accurately formed using semiconductor processing techniques. Testing and/or inspecting the substructures prior to assembly can reduce rework and scrap, and can allow the formation of printhead structures from a wide variety of materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley James Gerner, Peter J. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 8746851
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes: a nozzle plate including plural nozzles; a piezoelectric element including plural pressure chambers corresponding to the nozzles and sidewalls provided adjacent to the pressure chambers and serving as driving elements configured to press the pressure chambers to eject liquid from the nozzles; a substrate to which the piezoelectric element is bonded; and a frame member placed on the substrate to surround the piezoelectric element. Grooves are formed on the upper end, and in which an adhesive is applied to bond the upper ends of the sidewalls and the nozzle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Murochi, Hiroyuki Kushida
  • Patent number: 8746852
    Abstract: A liquid-ejecting head includes a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening and includes a piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric layer and electrodes. The piezoelectric layer contains bismuth sodium potassium titanate and satisfies the inequality 0?Pr/Pm?0.25 at 25° C., where Pm and Pr are the saturation polarization and remanent polarization, respectively, of the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Yonemura
  • Patent number: 8746853
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element comprises a piezoelectric layer and an electrode provided to the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer has a Perovskite-type structure containing bismuth and iron, and includes nitrogen in an oxygen site of the Perovskite-type structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Hiroaki Tamura
  • Patent number: 8746854
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a channel plate, a diaphragm member, and a piezoelectric member. The channel plate includes a separate liquid chamber, a fluid resistance portion, and a liquid introducing portion. The diaphragm member has a thin layer and a thick layer. The thin layer forms a wall face of each of the separate liquid chamber, the resistance portion, and the introducing portion and includes a vibration area facing the separate liquid chamber. The piezoelectric member is arranged to deform the vibration area and has a portion opposing the introducing portion. The thin layer has a thin portion forming the wall face of the introducing portion. The thick layer has a thick portion formed along the longitudinal direction of the separate liquid chamber on a first face opposite a second face opposing the introducing portion. In a plan view, the thin portion is divided by the thick portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yoshida, Hiroomi Yokomaku
  • Patent number: 8746855
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element is manufactured in a method including forming an adhesion layer of zirconium above a zirconium oxide insulating film, forming a first electrode above the adhesion layer, forming a piezoelectric layer of a complex oxide containing bismuth above the first electrode, and forming a second electrode above the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masahisa Nawano
  • Patent number: 8746856
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element comprises a first electrode including platinum, a piezoelectric layer disposed above the first electrode, made of a complex oxide having a perovskite structure containing at least bismuth, and a second electrode disposed above the piezoelectric layer. An oxide containing bismuth and platinum is disposed at the interface of the piezoelectric layer with the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sakai, Koichi Morozumi
  • Patent number: 8746857
    Abstract: An inkjet recording head of an embodiment includes: an elastic film provided to form a part of a pressure-generating chamber connected to a nozzle opening; and a piezoelectric film-laminated part, an end thereof being fixed to the elastic film, a central part thereof facing the elastic film having an air gap in-between, the piezoelectric film-laminated part including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kawakubo, Kazuhiko Itaya, Chiaki Tanuma
  • Patent number: 8746858
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a paper supply tray 31 that is provided on an upstream side of a transport direction in which recording paper P is transported, and which can feed the recording paper P from a first aperture portion 21 provided in a housing 20, a guide member 33, which is provided in the paper supply tray 31 wall surface portion 21a of the housing 20, and an ink tube 50 that passes through gap sections S1 and S2 between the guide member 33 and the wall surface portion and supplies ink from an ink accommodation portion 60 which is provided outside the housing 20 to a recording head 43 that is attached to a carriage 41.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Yoda, Kenji Oshima, Yoshisada Aoki, Satoshi Shimizu, Kazutoshi Sakamoto, Nobuhisa Nomoto
  • Patent number: 8746859
    Abstract: Among other things, an apparatus for use in fluid jetting is described. The apparatus comprises a printhead including a flow path and a nozzle in communication with the flow path that has a first end and a second end. The apparatus also includes a first container fluidically coupled to the first end of the flow path, a second container fluidically coupled to the second end of the flow path, and a controller. The first container has a first controllable internal pressure and the second container has a second controllable internal pressure. The controller controls the first internal pressure and the second internal pressure to have a fluid flow between the first container and the second container through the flow path in the printhead according to a first mode and a second mode. In either mode, at least a portion of the fluid flowing along the flow path is delivered to the nozzle when the nozzle is jetting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventor: Andreas Bibl
  • Patent number: 8746860
    Abstract: An ink supply system includes a print head assembly and a print head with one or more nozzles for a color. The print head is connected with the nozzles via a first connection line. A supply tank is connected with an intermediate tank via a filler line under an interconnection of a feed unit and a filter assembly. The pressure difference of the ink flow from a return tank to the supply tank is controlled by the print head. A method cleans the ink supply system, and a method cleans the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Durst Phototechnik Digital Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Verner Delueg
  • Patent number: 8746861
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a liquid cartridge having a plurality of liquid tanks, a cartridge mount, liquid applicators, communication paths to communicably connect the liquid tanks with the liquid applicators, a subsidiary tank arranged in an intermediate position in one of the communication paths, a first remaining amount detector to detect amounts of liquids remaining in the liquid tanks, a first liquid conveyer to transfer the liquid from the communicably connected liquid tank to the subsidiary tank, and a first liquid conveyer controller to manipulate the first liquid conveyer. When an amount of one of the liquids remaining in one of the liquid tanks is smaller than a first predetermined amount, the first liquid conveyer controller manipulates the first liquid conveyer to transfer the other of the liquids remaining in the other of the liquid tanks to the subsidiary tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Itogawa
  • Patent number: 8746862
    Abstract: Part of a liquid chamber communicating with a liquid storage is formed of a deformable portion which is deformed. Part of a lever is brought into abutment with the deformable portion and, when the deformable portion is deformed, the lever is rotated about a supporting portion. The liquid storage, the liquid chamber, and the lever are stored in the interior of the case having a through hole, and when the liquid container is mounted on the liquid consuming apparatus, the movable rod on the side of the liquid consuming apparatus is inserted from the through hole and is brought into abutment with the lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Karasawa, Yuji Aoki, Masaru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8746863
    Abstract: A printhead includes a jetting module, deflection mechanism, and catcher. The jetting module includes a linear array of nozzles having a pitch and extending along a length of the jetting module. The jetting module is configured to form drops travelling along a first path from liquid jets emitted from the nozzles. The deflection mechanism is configured to cause selected drops to deviate from the first path and begin travelling along a second path. The catcher, positioned to intercept drops travelling along one of the first and second paths, includes a drop contact surface and a liquid removal conduit connected in fluid communication by a Coanda surface including a radial surface having an array of grooves extending in the same direction as that of the nozzles. The array of grooves has a pitch that is greater than the pitch of the nozzle array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas W. Palone, Kathleen M. Vaeth, Kam C. Ng
  • Patent number: 8746864
    Abstract: A filter, the alignment of which does not need to be adjusted, and an ink-jet recording apparatus having such a filter are provided, the ink-jet recording apparatus capable of avoiding leakage of residual liquids in filter exchange operation. The filter of the present invention includes an upper capsule member, a lower capsule member, and a filter medium. The upper capsule member has a central connecting port and a peripheral connecting port, and also has a pipe section that extends, within the capsule, from the peripheral connecting port to the vicinity of the bottom surface (the deepest section) of the lower capsule member. A liquid supplied from the peripheral connecting port via the pipe section is filtered through the filter medium, and the filtered liquid is output from the central connecting port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Matsushita, Toshihide Nagamine, Takahiro Arima
  • Patent number: 8746865
    Abstract: An image forming method including applying an ink composition onto a recording medium by an inkjet method, and applying an liquid including particles onto the recording medium is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Tojo, Toshihiro Kariya, Terukazu Yanagi, Akio Tamura, Minoru Sakai
  • Patent number: 8746866
    Abstract: An ink set containing a water-based ink for ink jet recording and a treatment liquid. The water-based ink contains a phosphate group-modified self-dispersing pigment, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent. The treatment liquid contains a monovalent metal ion, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Sago, Masashi Tsuda, Shunichi Higashiyama, Kazuma Goto, Akihiko Taniguchi, Narumi Koga, Michiko Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8746867
    Abstract: Provided is an ink jet recording method including primarily applying a resin ink containing resin components to a recording medium to form a first resin ink layer, and secondarily applying the resin ink to the first resin ink layer to form a second resin ink layer, to thereby form a resin ink layer, wherein each of the primary applying process and the secondary applying process includes drying the applied resin ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Aoyama, Hidehiko Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8746868
    Abstract: An oily ink including a pigment, a pigment dispersant, and an organic solvent, the oily ink further including 0.5 to 7% by mass of resin particles, which are swollen by the organic solvent, wherein (1) a dispersion of 1% by mass of the resin particles in an equilibrium state of swelling in the organic solvent has an optical transmittance at 700 nm ranging from 20 to 70%, and (2) a dispersion of 10% by mass of the resin particles in an equilibrium state of swelling in the organic solvent has such a viscosity that a ratio of the viscosity to a viscosity of the organic solvent ranging from 1.5 to 5.0. The oily ink form dense printed images on plain paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8746869
    Abstract: An ink for inkjet recording, containing: dispersed particles A; dispersed particles B; a water-soluble solvent; a surfactant; and water, wherein the dispersed particles A are coloring particles obtained by dispersing an organic pigment in water with assistance of a surfactant, and the dispersed particles B are coloring particles obtained by dispersing a polymer-coated organic pigment in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Matsuyama, Ichiroh Fujii, Yuuki Yokohama, Kiyofumi Nagai, Hiroshi Gotou
  • Patent number: 8746870
    Abstract: In a matting agent coating device, a matting agent within a supplying section is supplied to a metering section. A supplied amount of matting agent at a surface of a metering roller is metered by a metering blade, and an excess amount is filtered at a slit portion. Matting agent is supplied to an application roller that is provided directly beneath. For example, a closed-cell sponge rubber is used as a material of the metering roller, and a size of closed cells is around 5 to 100 times an average particle diameter of the matting agent. The matting agent that has been supplied to a surface of the application roller is transferred and applied onto a recording medium. The matting agent is transferred from the application roller onto image portions of the recording medium due to tackiness of an ink film forming an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Furukawa, Kiyoshi Irita
  • Patent number: 8746871
    Abstract: An image formation device includes an inkjet head that ejects ink onto a sheet, IR heaters that dry the ink ejected on the sheet, and warm air heaters between the IR heaters. At the IR heaters, a peak wavelength of infrared rays is set to be less than or equal to 1.2 ?m. By adjusting temperature of the IR heaters and temperature and wind speed of the warm air heaters, during an initial stage of drying in which a moisture content derived from ink at the sheet is greater than or equal to 4.0 g/m2, heating is carried out under a condition that a paper surface temperature of the sheet becomes less than or equal to 100° C., and, after the moisture content derived from ink at the sheet becomes lower than 4.0 g/m2, heating is carried out such that the paper surface temperature of the sheet exceeds 100° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yuhei Chiwata
  • Patent number: 8746872
    Abstract: A method for an ultraviolet (UV) inkjet printer to generate an irregular transparent matte particle surface and a completed printing object thereof are provided. After a pattern is printed on a substrate, an inkjet module is enabled to perform first transparent ink spraying on an entire pattern region with UV lights on, so as to form a first transparent color layer on the pattern, and then perform second transparent ink spraying on an entire region of the first transparent color layer with the UV lights off. After the spraying, the inkjet module is enabled to move back and forth above all printing regions of the substrate with the UV lights on, so as to form a second transparent color layer having irregular transparent matte particles on the first transparent color layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Great Computer Corporation
    Inventors: Chen-Chien Tsai, Chia-Shou Lai
  • Patent number: 8746873
    Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a recording head having a nozzle capable of ejecting inductive ink including water, a first intermediate transfer body having a conductive surface on which an ink image is to be formed by temporarily forming a liquid-column bridge between the conductive surface and the nozzle, the liquid-column bridge being made of the inductive ink, a voltage application unit applying a voltage between the inductive ink and the conductive surface so that water included in the liquid-column bridge is electrolyzed, and a transfer unit transferring an ink image formed on the first intermediate transfer body to a recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Tsukamoto, Yuuma Usui, Manabu Seo, Aino Hasegawa, Takeshi Orito, Ryota Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8746874
    Abstract: A medium conveyance apparatus includes: a medium supporting device having a medium supporting surface which supports a rear surface of a medium opposite to a processing object surface; a gripping device which grips a leading end portion of the medium; a fastening device which fastens at least a non-gripped portion of the medium; a conveyance device which conveys the medium held by at least one of the gripping device and the fastening device to a processing region where a processing is performed to the processing object surface; and a control device which controls the gripping device such that after the gripping device has gripped the leading end portion and before the leading end portion arrives at the processing region, at least a part of the gripping device is temporarily opened and then the part of the gripping device having been opened is closed to grip the leading end portion again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Fukui, Atsushi Sejima
  • Patent number: 8746875
    Abstract: A printer has a base, first and second side members placed on opposite side portions of a base with respect to a first direction, at least one roller for transporting a sheet in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a print unit and a platen, the roller, the print unit and the platen being held with the first side member and the second side member. The first side member and the second side member are formed by a molded first resin material and the base is formed by a molded second resin material, and a bending elastic modulus of the first resin material is larger than that of the second resin material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruo Uchida, Yasuhiko Ikeda, Hiroyuki Saito, Kenji Shigeno, Koichiro Kawaguchi, Takaaki Ishida
  • Patent number: 8746876
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to eyewear configured to reduce stray light. An exemplary embodiment of the eyewear accounts for various design factors, including the cross sectional profile of the rim, the micro topography of the rim surface, the reflectivity, the theatre or room geometry, proximity of the eye to the lens, lens size, and the screen gain. An exemplary eyewear includes lenses connected to the rim sections of a frame, and a path may be defined through a maximum height of the outer flange portion of a rim section and a maximum height of the inner flange portion of the rim section. The path may be inclined at an angle relative to an angle ? relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Gary D. Sharp, David A. Coleman
  • Patent number: 8746877
    Abstract: Eyewear is provided that can comprise a frame, a lens, and at least one retention component that can secure the lens relative to the frame. The frame can be configured to support at least one lens in a field of view of a wearer. The retention component can be supported by the frame and/or the lens and can be movable or fixed relative to the frame and/or the lens. In some embodiments, the retention component can slidably engage an engagement portion of the frame and/or the lens for preventing the lens from separating from the frame in response to a ballistic event. In some embodiments, the eyewear can comprise a faceplate and a pair of straps that attach to the frame of the eyewear in a manner that evenly distributes compressive stresses across the surface of the faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Oakley, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Belbey, Steve Oldham, Hans Karsten Moritz, Jason Hutchison, Chad McCormick
  • Patent number: 8746878
    Abstract: An optical member includes a substoichiometric titanium oxide film formed by depositing substoichiometric titanium oxides in a vacuum chamber into which an oxygen gas for adjusting a vacuum is introduced. In the optical member, the film forming pressure p (Pa) in the vacuum chamber and the optical film thickness (a refractive index of 2.50, a wavelength of 500 nm) of the substoichiometric titanium oxide film have relations of (1) p?0.005, (2) optical film thickness ?0.500?, and (3) optical film thickness ?(0.001exp(905.73p)?0.050)? where exp is an exponential function with e as the base of the natural logarithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Tokai Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Fukagawa, Hirotoshi Takahashi, Kazuyoshi Umemura
  • Patent number: 8746879
    Abstract: A method for laminating a functional film on to an optical base element and a tri-layer adhesive system for use in the method. The tri-layer adhesive includes a first latex adhesive layer disposed on the functional film and a second latex adhesive layer disposed on the optical base element. An HMA layer is disposed in between the latex layers to form a tri-layer adhesive to permanently retain the functionalized film on the optical base element. The method includes first coating a latex adhesive on the functional film and second coating a latex adhesive on the optical base element. An HMA is then coated on to one of the dried latex adhesive layers. The film is hot pressed on to the optical base element with the HMA sandwiched in between the latex layers to form a laminated optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Générale d'Optique)
    Inventors: Peiqi Jiang, Bruce Keegan
  • Patent number: 8746880
    Abstract: An antifouling film is introduced on a base of an optical product such that (1) an absolute value of a charged electrostatic potential is 2.00 kV or less, and (2) a surface peel strength is 0.10 N/19 mm or less. A hard coat film and an optical multilayer film are placed between the base of the optical product and the antifouling film. An antireflection film is provided as the optical multilayer film, and a base of a spectacle plastic lens is provided as the base of the optical product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Tokai Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Fukagawa, Noboru Otani, Hirotoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8746881
    Abstract: For processing eye tissue (8) by means of femtosecond laser pulses, an ophthalmological device (1) includes a projection optical unit (2) for the focused projection of the femtosecond laser pulses into the eye tissue (8). Disposed upstream of the projection optical unit (2) is a first beam-deflecting scanner system (3) for scanning the eye tissue (8) with the femtosecond laser pulses along a processing line. A second beam-deflecting scanner system (5) is disposed upstream of the first scanner system (3) and is designed for scanning the eye tissue (8) with the femtosecond laser pulses in a scanning movement superimposed on the processing line and running in a deflection plane. The second scanner system (5) has a scanner speed that is a multiple of the scanning speed of the first scanner system (3). A rotation system is provided for aligning the deflection plane with a defined angle with respect to the processing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: SIE AG, Surgical Instrument Engineering
    Inventor: Christian Rathjen
  • Patent number: 8746882
    Abstract: Selecting an optimal intraocular lens (IOL) from a plurality of IOLs for implanting in a subject eye, including measuring anterior corneal topography (ACT), axial length (AXL), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) of a subject eye; selecting a default equivalent refractive index depending on preoperative patient's stage or calculating a personalized value or introducing a complete topographic representation if posterior corneal data are available; creating a customized model of the subject eye with each of a plurality of identified intraocular lenses (IOL) implanted, performing a ray tracing through that model eye; calculating from the ray tracing a RpMTF or RMTF value; and selecting the IOL corresponding to the highest RpMTF or RMTF value for implanting in the subject eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Abbott Medical Optics Inc.
    Inventors: Carmen Canovas Vidal, Pablo Artal, Marrie Van Der Mooren, Patricia Ann Piers
  • Patent number: 8746883
    Abstract: Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). In certain disclosed embodiments, a multi-wavelength light source can be controlled to illuminate the ocular tear film. Light emitted from the multi-wavelength light source undergoes optical wave interference interactions in the tear film. An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: TearScience, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Korb, William L. Weber, Randal B. Chinnock, Benjamin T. Gravely, Stephen M. Grenon
  • Patent number: 8746884
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical image acquisition apparatus, while controlling the amount of light within the range prescribed by safety standards, etc., decreasing in image acquisition time by using a simple configuration, as well as securing a high resolution of an optical image by using adaptive optics. Provided is an optical image acquisition apparatus having adaptive optics, the adaptive optics includes: a wavefront aberration detector for detecting a wavefront aberration in a reflected or backscattered beams generated when a plurality of beams are scanned on a surface, and a single wavefront aberration corrector for correcting a wavefront aberration in each of the plurality of beams, based on the wavefront aberration, and the plurality of beams enter the single wavefront aberration corrector with different incident angles and are overlapped on each other, and the wavefront aberration in each of the plurality of beams is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8746885
    Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, cataracts in the human eye are assessed and mapped by measuring the perceptual impact of forward scattering on the foveal region. The same method can be used to measure scattering/blocking media inside lenses of a camera. Close-range anisotropic displays create collimated beams of light to scan through sub-apertures, scattering light as it strikes a cataract. User feedback is accepted and analyzed, to generate maps for opacity, attenuation, contrast and sub-aperture point-spread functions (PSFs). Optionally, the PSF data is used to reconstruct the individual's cataract-affected view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ramesh Raskar, Vitor Pamplona, Erick Passos, Jan Zizka