Patents Issued in December 20, 2016
  • Patent number: 9522512
    Abstract: A composite structure comprises stacked sets of laminated fiber reinforced resin plies and metal sheets. Edges of the resin plies and metal sheets are interleaved to form a composite-to-metal joint connecting the resin plies with the metal sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Gary Ernest Georgeson, Kenneth Harlan Griess
  • Patent number: 9522513
    Abstract: A display panel is provided. The display panel comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a sealant. The first substrate has a display area. The second substrate is opposite to the first substrate. The sealant is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and surrounds and encloses the display area. The sealant comprises a plurality of node portions and a plurality of strip portions. The maximum width of the node portion is larger than the width of the strip portion. The node portions include a first node portion. The first node portion and two strip portions adjacent thereto form a first angle facing the display area. The first angle is larger than 90 degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shih-Hsiung Wu, Jui-Chu Lai, Lung-Sheng Sun, Chih-Hua Chang, Wen-Kuei Jao
  • Patent number: 9522514
    Abstract: Generally discussed herein are systems and apparatuses that can include a base with one or more recesses therein. The disclosure also includes techniques of making and using the systems and apparatuses. According to an example a technique of making a releasable core panel can include providing a releasable core, the releasable core including a first conductive foil integrally coupled with a base at a first side of the base and a first side of the conductive foil, the first conductive foil situated in a first recess in the first side of the base. The technique can include releasably coupling a second conductive foil to a second side of the first conductive foil through a temporary adhesive layer integrally coupled to a first side of the second conductive foil, the second side of the first conductive foil opposite the first side of the first conductive foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Shankar, Ching-Ping Janet Shen
  • Patent number: 9522515
    Abstract: The invention is directed to adhesives derived from animal or plant proteins, particularly canola and spent hen proteins. The adhesives are prepared by extracting the proteins by pH shifting; and either treating the extracted proteins with urea or sodium dodecyl sulfate, or polymerizing the proteins to form a protein-polymer conjugate. The invention is also directed to a wood based product comprising pieces of wood based material joined or consolidated with the adhesives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: THE GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
    Inventors: Jianping Wu, Chanchan Wang
  • Patent number: 9522516
    Abstract: There is provided an over-sheet for a card, the sheet being formed of at least three layers including a skin layer and a core layer and laminated by a coextrusion technique. The skin layer, which is an outermost layer on both sides of the three-layer sheet, is formed of a substantially amorphous aromatic polyester-based resin composition containing 0.01 to 3 parts by mass of at least one lubricant selected from the group of fatty acid ester, fatty acid amide, and fatty acid metal salt. The core layer is formed of a polycarbonate resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: JAPAN COLORING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshinori Sakagami, Akira Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9522517
    Abstract: Resin compositions, layers, and interlayers comprising two or more thermoplastic polymers and at least one RI balancing agent for adjusting the refractive index of at least one of the resins or layers is provided. Such compositions, layers, and interlayers exhibit enhanced optical properties while retaining other properties, such as impact resistance and acoustic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Solutia Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Lu, Zhou Li
  • Patent number: 9522518
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacturing of a low shrinkage flexible sheet, said sheet comprising a fabric containing polyolefin fibers, said method comprising the steps of: a) depositing a molten plastomer layer on at least one surface of the woven fabric to form a sheet having a thickness approximately equal with the sum of the thicknesses of said molten plastomer layer and of said fabric; and b) impregnating said fabric with at least part of the molten plastomer layer by drawing the sheet into a gap between two calendaring rollers at a temperature of between the melting temperature of the plastomer and the melting temperature as determined by DSC of the polyolefin fibers, said gap having a width smaller than the thickness of the sheet; wherein the width of the gap is chosen to apply an impregnation pressure on the sheet of at least 20 bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Dietrich Wienke, Roelof Marissen, Martinus Johannes Nicolaas Jacobs, Leonardus Jacobus Johannes Wilhelmus Welzen
  • Patent number: 9522519
    Abstract: To provide a polycarbonate resin laminate having the surface hardness remarkably improved and being excellent in color and impact resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Hitomi, Ryouhei Nishihara, Kiyotaka Hirano, Yoshitaka Shiraishi, Masanori Yamamoto, Tomonari Yokoyama, Masahide Shidou
  • Patent number: 9522520
    Abstract: A process and a laminating device for producing a microfluidic device are proposed, wherein a film is pressed onto a carrier under the effect of heat and thereby attached to it. During the attachment the film is lifted by the blowing in of gas on the carrier side to prevent it adhering in a non-attachment region and is vented on the remote side. The device is compressed between a holder and a thermode of the laminating device during the lamination. An elastic intermediate layer is arranged in each case between the device and the holder and between the device and the thermode, for evening out the contact pressure and obtaining uniform attachment of the film to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Microparts GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Kurowski, Oliver Paul
  • Patent number: 9522521
    Abstract: In various embodiments, an apparatus for separating a stacked arrangement including a first layer, a second layer and a release layer between the first layer and the second layer may be provided. The apparatus may include an attachment surface configured to suspend the stacked arrangement by attaching to the first layer. The apparatus may further include an actuating mechanism configured to form a curvature of the first layer by bending the attachment surface. The apparatus may also include a holder to hold an etchant for etching the release layer to separate the first layer from the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Nanyang Technological University
    Inventors: Soon Fatt Yoon, Dawei Xu, Chiew Yong Yeo
  • Patent number: 9522522
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for fabricating a solid article by three-dimensional printing. A bed of loose solid powder is formed, a fluid dispenser moved parallel to the bed, and a liquid dispensed from the fluid dispenser onto at least a portion of a surface of the powder to form a first printed layer having a first pattern printed thereon. The fluid dispenser includes a printhead inclined at an angle selected from a range of 2 to 20 degrees from vertical with respect to the bed. An apparatus includes a stage, a spreading mechanism to spread layers of loose powder on the stage, and a fluid dispenser disposed above the stage and configured to dispense droplets of fluid that travel in free flight to the stage, the fluid dispenser including a printhead tilted at an angle from 2 to 20 degrees relative to a line perpendicular to the stage surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: 3Dbotics, Inc.
    Inventor: James F. Bredt
  • Patent number: 9522523
    Abstract: A laser-engraveable composition comprises one or more elastomeric rubbers including at least 10 parts of one or more non-CLCB EPDM elastomeric rubbers, based on parts per hundred of the total weight of elastomeric rubbers (phr). The laser-engraveable composition further comprises 2-30 phr of a near-infrared radiation absorber and optionally 1-80 phr of an inorganic, non-infrared radiation absorber filler, as well as a vulcanizing composition that comprises a mixture of at least two peroxides. A first peroxide has a t90 value of 1-6 minutes as measured at 160° C., and a second peroxide has a t90 value of 8-40 minutes as measured at 160° C. This laser-engraveable composition can be used to form a laser-engraveable layer and to form various flexographic printing precursors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Shai Costy, Ophira Melamed
  • Patent number: 9522524
    Abstract: An anilox roll with low surface energy zone includes a cylinder having a curved contact surface, an ink transfer zone formed on a first portion of the curved contact surface, and a low surface energy zone formed on a second portion of the curved contact surface. The ink transfer zone includes a plurality of cells configured to transfer ink. The low surface energy zone includes a hydrophobic surface with a contact angle of at least 75 degrees and a surface roughness of less than 100 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Daniel van Ostrand
  • Patent number: 9522525
    Abstract: Apparatus, printers, and methods to remove material from a printer surface are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a fluid remover to remove printing material from a printer surface, and a coating material reservoir to store coating material and to apply the coating material to the fluid remover to reduce an amount of printing material transferred to the fluid remover from the printer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daihua Zhang, Napoleon J. Leoni, Henryk Birecki, Omer Gila
  • Patent number: 9522526
    Abstract: In a printer, an inkjet head includes a plurality of head units. Each head unit has a nozzle layout area in which nozzles are arranged in an alignment direction crossing a conveying direction. The head units are arranged in a first row and a second row in the conveying direction. One head unit in the first row and another head unit in the second row define an overlap length. The overlap length is a length in the alignment direction of an overlap region in which the nozzle layout area of the one head unit and the nozzle layout area of the another head unit partially overlap in the conveying direction. The one head unit is shifted from the another head unit in the alignment direction. The overlap length in a center portion of the inkjet head is larger than that in each end portion of the inkjet head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Aiba, Shohei Koide, Keita Sugiura
  • Patent number: 9522527
    Abstract: A sensor images drops ejected from a printhead nozzle. The sensor has two parallel spaced-apart rows of imaging pixels. In one example, a lens projects an image of a drop ejected from a printhead onto the rows sequentially as the drop travels along a trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephan R. Clark, Alexander Govyadinov, Jonathan James Mott, Lorraine Theresa Widmann
  • Patent number: 9522528
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including: a low voltage system circuit block including a modulation portion which generates a modulation signal pulse-modulated from a source signal; a transistor which generates an amplification modulation signal amplified from the modulation signal; a first high voltage system circuit block which receives the signal from the low voltage system circuit block and performs a switching operation; a second high voltage system circuit block which does not perform the switching operation; a low pass filter which demodulates the amplification modulation signal and generates a driving signal; and a piezoelectric element which is displaced as the driving signal is applied, in which the second high voltage system circuit block is disposed between the low voltage system circuit block and the first high voltage system circuit block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomokazu Yamada
  • Patent number: 9522529
    Abstract: A substrate includes an AND circuit and an LVC. The AND circuit generates a control signal for switching an NMOS transistor. The LVC controls the gate voltage of the NMOS transistor on the basis of the control signal. The substrate applies a constant gate voltage to a PMOS transistor without using the AND circuit and the LVC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Yamaguchi, Toshio Negishi, Taku Yokozawa, Hiroaki Shirakawa, Kazunari Fujii
  • Patent number: 9522530
    Abstract: A printing apparatus may comprise a print head including nozzles to eject liquid drops, a drop sensor to detect flying liquid drops ejected by at least some of the nozzles, and a controller. The controller is to control at least some of the nozzles to sequentially eject liquid drops while the drop sensor is at a predetermined position relative to the nozzles, to determine the actual position of the drop sensor relative to the nozzles based on a sensor profile including a nozzle location specific signal characteristic of the sequentially ejected liquid drops detected by the drop sensor, and to calculate an offset between the determined actual position and the predetermined position. The controller may take the offset into account in positioning the drop sensor relative to one of the nozzles to detect a liquid drop ejected from that nozzle in a subsequent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: HFWI FTT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Jordi Bas, Laura Portela, Albert Serra
  • Patent number: 9522531
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a piezoelectric element in which a drive signal is applied and which is displaced to eject a liquid; a zeroth wire of a zeroth potential; a first wire of a first potential that is higher than the zeroth potential; a second wire of a second potential that is higher than the first potential; and a connection path selecting section that electrically connects one end of the piezoelectric element to the zeroth wire, the first wire, or the second wire in response to a voltage of a source drive signal that controls the voltage of the drive signal and a hold voltage of the piezoelectric element. Here, a first potential difference from the zeroth potential to the first potential is different from a second potential difference from the first potential to the second potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Otsuka, Tadashi Kiyuna, Toshifumi Asanuma
  • Patent number: 9522532
    Abstract: There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus equipped with an ink for ink jet recording, and a discharge unit that discharges a liquid droplet of the ink onto a recording medium, wherein the ink contains at least a colorant, a polymer particle, a water-soluble organic solvent, and water, and has a dynamic surface tension after 1 msec of 32 mN/m or less, a dynamic surface tension after 1 sec of less than 30 mN/m, when the dynamic surface tension is measured by a maximum bubble pressure method, and has a variation width in the dynamic surface tension for the period from 1 msec after to 1 sec after of from 0.2 mN/m to 3.0 mN/m, a recording speed is from 10 m/min to 50 m/min.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohito Yoneyama, Hiroyuki Ueki, Mami Hatanaka, Reika Yomogida
  • Patent number: 9522533
    Abstract: A droplet driving control device includes: a droplet ejection control unit which ejects droplets at requested droplet ejection periods; and an adjustment unit which adjusts control of the droplet ejection control unit using at least continuous two of the droplet ejection periods as one set based on an error of droplet speed with respect to a proper value thereof, so that droplets can be ejected at different droplet ejection periods within a range of the one set, and an average value of the droplet ejection periods within the range of the one set for ejecting the droplets can be equal to each of the requested droplet ejection periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Seto, Hirotake Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9522534
    Abstract: A liquid jet head includes a piezoelectric body substrate including a plurality of groove arrays in which a long and narrow ejection groove and a long and narrow non-ejection groove are alternately arrayed in a reference direction. The other side end portion of the ejection groove included in a one side groove array, and a one side end portion of the non-ejection groove included in the other side groove array do not overlap in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric body substrate, and the other side end portion of the ejection groove included in the one side groove array, and a one side end portion of the ejection groove included in the other side groove array communicate, or overlap in the reference direction, of adjacent groove arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Domae
  • Patent number: 9522535
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head and a recording apparatus are each capable of reducing a malfunction possibility that occurs on a piezoelectric actuator substrate due to contact between individual electrodes and a liquid. The liquid discharge head includes a head body including a flow channel member, a piezoelectric actuator substrate having a plurality of individual electrodes, a flexible wiring substrate, and an adhesive member adhering the flexible wiring substrate and head body, and surrounds the individual electrodes. When a surface of the head body surrounded by the adhesive member is a first region, and a surface of the head body other than the first region is a second region, the head body has a first through hole connecting the first region and the second region to permit communication between a space surrounded by the flexible wiring substrate, adhesive member, first region, and an outside other than the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenko Gejima
  • Patent number: 9522536
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprising a substrate having two surface sides; a vibration plate on one of the two surface side, a piezoelectric element including a first electrode provided on the vibration plate, a piezoelectric body layer provided on the first electrode, the piezoelectric body layer having a groove section on a side surface, the groove section including a first surface facing to the vibration plate, and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric body layer, and a stress application film having tensile stress and provided on an inner surface of the groove section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Furuya, Masao Nakayama, Hideki Hahiro
  • Patent number: 9522537
    Abstract: The liquid droplet discharge apparatus (ink jet printer) includes a head having a nozzle row in which nozzles capable of discharging liquid droplets onto paper as a medium are aligned, and a carriage unit as a movement portion which moves the head relatively to the paper, the ink jet printer discharging the liquid droplets onto the paper through the nozzles by causing the head to perform main scanning a plurality of number of times by the carriage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Yuda
  • Patent number: 9522538
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing section that ejects an ink, and a spectrometer that disperses incident light. The spectrometer includes a window section that transmits the light, an optical filter device, and a light receiving section. The optical filter device includes a variable wavelength interference filter as a dispersing element that disperses light transmitted by the window section. The light receiving section receives the light which is dispersed by the variable wavelength interference filter. A dirtiness of the window section is detected based on measured values corresponding to each of a plurality of wavelengths obtained by spectrally measuring light from a reference object, and reference values corresponding to each of the plurality of wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryohei Kuri
  • Patent number: 9522539
    Abstract: User concerns caused by a time lag between issuing a command for a specific operation and the start of the specific operation are reduced without reducing the accuracy of ejection problem detection by a nozzle check process. The nozzle check execution unit of an inkjet printer monitors if a cut button is pressed while a nozzle check process is in progress, interrupts the nozzle check process if the button is pressed, and after the cutting process ends, resumes the nozzle check process and checks the nozzles that have not been tested for ejection problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Motohiro Nakamaki
  • Patent number: 9522540
    Abstract: A method for measuring the volume of liquid, such as ink or solvent, remaining in a container, such as a replacement cartridge for a continuous ink jet printer, uses a reservoir enclosing an internal space having a variable volume for storage. The reservoir is adapted to provide a reduction in the pressure of the internal space, the reduction substantially monotonically increasing in magnitude as liquid is drawn into the printer, such that the volume of liquid remaining may be calculated from knowledge of the minimum withdrawal pressure required to draw further liquid from the reservoir into the printer. Containers for use with the method have a liquid dispensing port adapted to allow liquid to be dispensed when a withdrawal pressure at the exterior of the port is less than the pressure of the internal space and adapted to prevent the ingress of air into the internal space of the reservoir as liquid is dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Videojet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Tomlin, Carl Mann, Philip John Blowfield
  • Patent number: 9522541
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a liquid ejection head that ejects a liquid via nozzles; a first passage that communicates with the liquid ejection head, the first passage being configured to supply the liquid to the liquid ejection head; a second passage that communicates with the first passage in the liquid ejection head, the second passage forming, in cooperation with the first passage, a circulation passage; and a liquid driving unit provided in the circulation passage, the liquid driving unit being configured to move the liquid in the circulation passage when driven. The liquid is moved, by the driven liquid driving unit, at a first flow rate that maintains a meniscus of the liquid inside the nozzles after the liquid is moved at a second flow rate that is faster than the first flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideya Yokouchi, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9522542
    Abstract: A method of enhancing spot color printing in a digital inkjet press having a fixed number of monochrome inkjet printheads, the fixed number of monochrome inkjet printheads printing inks comprising at least process colors (CMY) and a spot color, the method comprising the steps of: (a) printing a process color combination comprising a predetermined ratio of at least two process colors, the process color combination approximating the spot color; and (b) printing the spot color with the process color combination to provide an enhanced spot color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Marcus Scholz, Yvette Durham
  • Patent number: 9522543
    Abstract: An image processing method includes: forming an image for density unevenness measurement on a recording medium in a single-pass method, using an inkjet head in which nozzles are disposed in a main scanning direction; acquiring a density measurement value of each set gradation value from an image for density unevenness measurement before drying; converting the acquired density measurement value into a conversion density measurement value corresponding to a post-dry density measurement value, using a density measurement value conversion value set for each region in the main scanning direction; and deriving a new unevenness correction value using this conversion density measurement value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Ueshima
  • Patent number: 9522544
    Abstract: A thermal printer head and print control device capable of controlling what is printed onto a voucher, which includes a printer head and an image control sensor placed in an upper part of the printer head, and including an electronic card on a control unit and cables for connecting the image control sensor to the electronic card and the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Custom S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alberto Campanini
  • Patent number: 9522545
    Abstract: A leaf spring includes a first pressing portion that presses a reflection mirror supported by a mirror support, and an engagement portion that engages with an engagement portion provided on a housing. In a first state in which the engagement portions are engaged with each other, the first pressing portion presses the reflection mirror so that the reflection mirror is urged against the mirror support. When a state of the leaf spring is being changed to the first state from a second state in which the engagement portions are not engaged with each other, the leaf spring comes into contact with the engagement portion provided on the housing and rotates such that the engagement portion provided on the housing serves as a fulcrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Aruga
  • Patent number: 9522546
    Abstract: Apparatus to make business cards comprising a supply operating unit to supply a plurality of pairs of sheets and a printing unit configured to print distinctive signs on at least one printable surface of the sheets. The apparatus comprises a coupling unit configured to reciprocally couple, with their coupling surfaces opposite the printable surfaces, the sheets of the pair, an electronic device conformed as a sheet being associated to one of the coupling surfaces; and an electronic writing unit configured to introduce encoded information readable by a reader into the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ROTAS ITALIA SRL
    Inventors: Francesco Celante, Enrico Mason, Davide Torresin
  • Patent number: 9522547
    Abstract: A board for retaining three dimensional decorations in a printer is provided. The board includes a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. A plurality of openings extends from the first surface to the second surface. The openings are configured to retain a flange portion of the three dimensional decoration so that a decorative portion of the three dimensional decoration rests on the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ROYER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Williams Roger
  • Patent number: 9522548
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes a recording medium conveyance mechanism, a head portion, and a liquid applying section. The recording medium conveyance mechanism is configured to convey a recording medium. The head portion is configured to eject ink onto the recording medium. The liquid applying section is configured to apply liquid to the recording medium. The recording medium may have a first surface and a second surface. The head portion may eject the ink onto the first surface of the recording medium. The liquid applying section may apply the liquid to the second surface of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takatoshi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9522549
    Abstract: A recording method includes a first drying step of evaporating 50 to 85 wt % of ink adhering on a recording medium, the ink being ejected from a recording head onto a surface of the recording medium back side of which is supported on a medium-supporting unit which faces the recording head, and a second drying step of drying the recording medium, which has been subjected to the first drying step, at the downstream side of the medium-supporting unit in a feeding direction of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyohiko Takemoto
  • Patent number: 9522550
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes (A) a carriage that moves a nozzle ejecting a liquid which is cured by irradiation of an electromagnetic wave in a moving direction, (B) a first irradiation section that is installed on the carriage and irradiates electromagnetic waves on dots formed by landing the liquid which is ejected from the moving nozzle, on a medium, and (C) a second irradiation section that is installed on the carriage and irradiates electromagnetic waves on the dots which are irradiated by the electromagnetic waves from the first irradiation section, in which an irradiance level of the electromagnetic waves from the second irradiation section is different from that of the electromagnetic waves from the first irradiation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toyohiko Mitsuzawa
  • Patent number: 9522551
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveying belt assembly for a printing device. The assembly comprises an endless conveyor belt having a conveying part and a return part; an upstream and downstream sliding support having a surface curved in rotational direction of the conveyor belt; a driving roller arranged downstream of the conveying part in urging contact with the conveyor belt; a friction element arranged upstream of the conveying part in urging contact with the conveyor belt for tensioning the conveying part; and a control system for controlling the position of the conveying part with respect to the transverse direction. The control system comprises: a position sensing device; an upstream and/or downstream actuator device for moving the conveying part in transverse direction; and a controller for transmitting control signals, generated by the controller on the basis of the sensor signals, to the upstream and downstream actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: OCÉ-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventor: Antonius G. H. Albers
  • Patent number: 9522552
    Abstract: A cutter has a first cutter blade moving mechanism 24 that moves a first cutter blade 21 reciprocally between a forward position 21A where recording paper 3 is cut and a retracted position 21B separated from the forward position 21A; and a second cutter blade moving mechanism 25 that moves a second-cutter blade 22 between a contact position 22A where the paper is cut in contact with the first-cutter blade 21 and a release position 22B separated from the contact position. The second cutter blade moving mechanism 25 sets the second cutter blade 22 to the release position 22B before the first cutter blade moving mechanism 24 moves the first cutter blade 21 from the forward position 21A to the retracted position 21B. Wear and noise can be prevented because the two cutter blades 21, 22 do not contact after cutting the recording paper 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsugo Ishida, Hideaki Nishijima
  • Patent number: 9522553
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a convey unit, an obtaining unit, a determining unit, and a control unit. The convey unit conveys sheets. The obtaining unit obtains attribute information about sheets used in a job. The determining unit determines a first interval and a second interval. The first interval is an interval between sheets that are conveyed by the convey unit in a case where the attribute information about the sheets obtained by the obtaining unit is first attribute information. The second interval is an interval between sheets that are conveyed by the convey unit in a case where the attribute information about the sheets obtained by the obtaining unit is second attribute information that is different from the first attribute information. The control unit performs control to make the convey unit convey sheets at the interval between sheets determined by the determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 9522554
    Abstract: A first area in which an image is printed in K scans and a second area in which an image is printed in (K+1) scans are arranged in an arranging direction to print an image. When an image is printed in the second area from ejection ports disposed at one end of the ejection port array and ejection ports disposed at the other end, mask patterns having first pixel group areas at different positions therein are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoko Baba, Shingo Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9522555
    Abstract: A control system includes: a motor; a driving unit including a driving target and displacing the driving target in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction by transmitting power from the motor to the driving target; a detection unit detecting a position of the driving target; and a controller controlling the motor. The controller is configured to execute: a displacement control process to displace the driving target in the first direction and the second direction; a determination process to determine a holding current value holding the driving target at a target stop position; and a holding control process to hold the driving target, which has been disposed at the target stop position in the displacement control process, at the target stop position based on the holding current value determined by the determination process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 9522556
    Abstract: A tape cassette for use with a label printer having a plurality of tape type detecting switches that includes a housing having a front wall, a tape feed exit on the front wall, a top surface, and a bottom surface, a tape included at least partially in the housing and configured to be fed along a tape feed path extending to the tape feed exit, a recess on the front wall extending from the bottom surface towards the top surface, and an aperture on the front wall. The aperture is positioned downstream, in a tape feed path direction, of the recess, and is configured to receive one of the tape type detecting switches. The tape feed path direction is a direction in which the tape is configured to be fed along a portion of the tape feed path proximate to the front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Masato Kato, Tsuyoshi Nagae, Teruo Imamaki, Takashi Horiuchi, Akira Sago, Yasuhiro Iriyama, Yasuhiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 9522557
    Abstract: An electronic printing device in the form of a manual stamp has a housing in which an electronic printing unit cartridge is received to which an electronic control unit is assigned for setting the printed image and of which the lower printing head is disposed in order to generate a printed image via the open lower side of the housing on a base via which the housing is displaced, a slide cover being provided that is arranged so as to be displaceable between a closing or rest position in which it covers the lower printing head of the cartridge, and an open or printing position in which the lower printing head of the cartridge is exposed; the slide cover is displaceably arranged immediately on the lower side of the housing, the slide cover being guided in control links which are provided on the sides of the housing and into which the slide cover engages via guide pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Colop Stempelerzeugung Skopek Gesellschaft m.b.H. & Co. KG.
    Inventor: Ernst Faber
  • Patent number: 9522558
    Abstract: An apparatus for post-processing sheets which is installed at a discharge end of a longitudinal discharge type image forming apparatus includes a tamper which arranges opposite ends of one side of a longitudinal direction of a sheet stack discharged from the discharge end in a first direction and stacked as many as a preset number of sheets, and transfers the arranged sheet stack in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a sheet post-processing unit which performs post-processing in parallel with a longitudinal end of the sheet stack transferred in the second direction by the tamper or performs post-processing while being rotated by an arbitrary angle with respect to a corner end portion of the sheet stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: KRDC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong woo Lee, Myoung soo Kang
  • Patent number: 9522559
    Abstract: A reusable paperclip can accommodate a large range of paper stack sizes. It is configured to bind a stack from one corner without becoming distorted in shape when used on a large stack. The clip has vertical members to prevent horizontal and vertical movement of the stacked papers and connected horizontal members to apply pressure to the surfaces of the stack to frictionally bind the stacked papers. The clip is easily placed and removed by the user, and allows a person to view all information on a standard formatted page with little to no obstruction of the printed information. The clip also allows a user to flip though a stack of papers and easily remove individual papers from the stack or insert additional pages without disturbing the sheets and without the need to remove or adjust the position of the clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Inventor: Shahrouz Y. Ghodsian
  • Patent number: 9522560
    Abstract: A clipboard having first and second panels that are integrally coupled together. In one embodiment, the clipboard comprises a first panel having a top end; a second panel having a top end, the first and second panels coupled together by a first hinge connecting the top end of the first panel to the top end of the second panel; the second panel comprising: a second hinge that divides the second panel into a cover portion and a clip portion; and a third hinge that divides the clip portion of the second panel into a first section and a second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Inventors: John F. Paulick, James J. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 9522561
    Abstract: A ring binder mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages has a housing and rings movable between closed and open positions. The rings are mounted on hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting movement relative to the housing. An actuator is moveable relative to the housing to pivot the hinge plates to move the rings between the closed and open positions. A travel bar operatively connected to the actuator includes a locking element. The travel bar is moveable between a locked position in which the locking element blocks pivoting of the hinge plates and an unlocked position in which the locking element permits pivoting of the hinge plates. The travel bar and housing each include a retaining formation. The retaining formation on the housing is adapted to contact the retaining formation on the travel bar to releasably hold the travel bar in the locked position when the rings are closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chen Yuen To