Patents Issued in July 4, 2017
  • Patent number: 9696607
    Abstract: An apparatus including a camera shutter having a shutter window therethrough; a shutter drive connected to the camera shutter; and an aperture member having an aperture therethrough. The shutter drive includes at least one magnet and at least one coil. The shutter drive is configured to move the camera shutter when the coil is activated. The shutter window is sized and shaped to be moved into registry with the aperture. The shutter window is substantially at least as large as the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventor: Michael Prados
  • Patent number: 9696608
    Abstract: An apparatus having a spring plate connecting with 3D circuit terminals comprises a base having a top surface and a thickness surface. At least one bulged plane is formed on a predetermined location of the top surface. A side surface of the bulged plane is declined from inside to outside. At least one extending end is formed on the thickness surface of the base, by corresponding to and extending toward a direction opposite to the bulged plane. A declined surface is formed on an outer side of the extending end, by extending and declining from top to bottom and also from inside to outside. At least one metal layer is formed on the bulged plane and the declined surface by means of 3D electroplating in order to form a circuit connecting the terminals and the spring plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: TDK Taiwan, Corp.
    Inventors: Fu Yuan Wu, Yi Ho Chen, Yu Sheng Li
  • Patent number: 9696609
    Abstract: A camera includes a camera housing with a housing wall demarcating the interior of the camera housing, an optical aperture and a lenslet aperture extending through the housing wall, and an opaque blocking wall adjoined to and extending inwardly from the housing wall and circumscribing the lenslet aperture; a lenslet in the lenslet aperture aligned with an on-camera light source; a lens contained within the camera housing and aligned with the optical aperture to receive light entering the camera housing through the optical aperture; an imager within the camera housing and aligned with the lens to capture light passing through the lens; and circuitry contained within the camera housing communicative with the imager and operable to operate the camera. The circuitry includes a printed circuit board that abuts the opaque blocking wall and on which is mounted a light source positioned to be circumscribed by the opaque blocking wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: AVIGILON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas W. Holbrook
  • Patent number: 9696610
    Abstract: The purpose of this clip is to attach to a chain link fence and provide a connection point for a device or structure. The method of attachment is provided by two mechanically combined structural members with peripheral retaining grooves that fit the fence wire. The clip is compressed or expanded to grip two parallel wires of a chain link fence. The structural members of the clip move the retaining grooves in parallel for a precise fit with the fence. The clip can be engaged with the fence in an internal or external manner. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the chain link fence clip utilizes a spring to force the two retaining grooves into engagement with the fence. The clip can be locked in place for a strong semi-permanent connection. Springs, cams, linkages, and screws can be used to automate engagement for quick tool-less attachment and removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventor: Gary Truesdale
  • Patent number: 9696611
    Abstract: A panoramic device includes a base member and a clamp member rotatably interconnected within a single plane of rotation with the base that includes a first rotatable knob to selectively inhibit the rotation of the clamp member with respect to the base. The upper surface includes a central region that is at a different elevation than another portion of the upper surface. The clamp includes a pair of opposed surfaces suitable to detachably secure a camera thereto. The one of the opposed surfaces is maintained in a fixed relationship with respect to the clamp member. The other one of the opposed surfaces is in a movable relationship with respect to the clamp member using a second rotatable knob. The first knob and the second knob are rotatably connected with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Really Right Stuff, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph M. Johnson, Sr.
  • Patent number: 9696612
    Abstract: An optical redirection adapter for an electronic device having a camera includes a housing and an optical element. The optical element is attached to the housing and positioned such that, when the adapter is attached the electronic device, the optical element is positioned in the camera's field of view. The optical element reflects light in the camera's field of view from a redirection angle that is offset from the camera's field of view. The optical redirection adapter facilitates ergonomically sound use of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Anderson
  • Patent number: 9696613
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to image a region including a target on which an image is projected to acquire imaged data, a distance measuring unit configured to compute distance data associated with a distance between the target and the imaging unit based on the imaged data acquired from the imaging unit, a plane estimating unit configured to estimate a plane corresponding to the target based on the distance data, and a range specifying unit configured to generate image data associated with the region based on the imaged data and specify a projectable range to the target based on the image data and in formation associated with the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Hasegawa, Shinichi Sumiyoshi
  • Patent number: 9696614
    Abstract: A projection optical system includes: a plurality of lenses; a lens frame that holds at least one lens of the plurality of lenses; a first diaphragm provided on the light incident side of the lens frame; and a second diaphragm provided on the light exiting side of the lens frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiko Sakai
  • Patent number: 9696615
    Abstract: A projector includes a light source, a light integration rod, a light valve, and a projection lens. The light source provides an illumination beam. The light integration rod has a light incidence end and a light emission end opposite to each other. Through the light incidence and emission ends, the illumination beam is emitted into and out from the light integration rod, respectively. Each of the light incidence end and the emission end is in a rectangular shape. The light incidence end has a first long edge and a first short edge. The light emission end has a second long edge paralleling to the first short edge and a second short edge paralleling to the first long edge. The light valve converts the illumination beam into an image beam. The projection lens is disposed on a transmission path of the image beam. A light integration rod is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: CORETRONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chuan-Te Cheng, Cheng-Ta Miao
  • Patent number: 9696616
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for controlling the focus of a projector of a portable terminal when the projector is operated. The method includes projecting screen data by enabling an auto-focusing operation of the projector; capturing the projected screen data through the camera, and detecting a change of a value of the captured screen through a sensor; and when the change of the value is greater than a preset threshold value, temporarily stopping the auto-focusing operation of the projector and projecting the screen data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Antoni Jakubiak
  • Patent number: 9696617
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides discussion of screen vibration to reduce speckle in display applications and/or projection screens. Electrical transducers or reactors may be used with a screen to reduce or remove speckle in projection screens and/or display applications. Electrical transducers may not be directly mounted to a screen, thus eliminating many mechanical failure modes associated with a vibrating transducer as well as resulting in a much quieter operation. By design, the reactors or transducers may actually contact the screen, and can take up less than one square inch of screen surface each, than previous designs, which may be outside of the active viewing area and within 12 inches of the screen border, preferably less than approximately 1 inch from screen edge. The reactors are magnets, though any ferrous material can be made to work with certain operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Mark DiLullo, Kevin Curtis, Douglas J. McKnight
  • Patent number: 9696618
    Abstract: A method for generating a pattern including patterns of cells having assist patterns arranged therein. The present invention provides a method for generating a pattern of a cell used when a mask pattern is generated by arranging cells selected from among a plurality of types of cells. The method includes generating a pattern including isolated rectangular pattern elements and an assist pattern as a cell pattern by obtaining data on a cell including the rectangular pattern elements and generating the assist pattern which assist resolution of the rectangular pattern elements in accordance with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Nakayama
  • Patent number: 9696619
    Abstract: During a calculation technique, a modification to a reflective photo-mask is calculated. In particular, using information specifying a defect associated with a location on a top surface of the reflective photo-mask, the modification to the reflective photo-mask is calculated. For example, the calculation may involve an inverse optical calculation in which a difference between a pattern associated with the reflective photo-mask at an image plane in a photo-lithographic process and a reference pattern at the image plane in the photo-lithographic process is used to calculate the modification at an object plane in the photo-lithographic process. Note that the modification includes a material added to the top surface of the reflective photo-mask using an additive fabrication process. Moreover, the modification is proximate to the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Dino Technology Acquisition LLC
    Inventors: Masaki Satake, Ying Li
  • Patent number: 9696620
    Abstract: A composition includes a photoacid generator and a fluorine-containing epoxy resin that is a polymer of monomers that include an acrylic monomer (a) having a perfluoropolyether group having 9 or more carbon atoms and an acrylic monomer (b) having an epoxy group in a composition ratio such that a number of acrylic functional groups derived from the acrylic monomer (b) is larger than a number of acrylic functional groups derived from the acrylic monomer (a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Ikegame, Miho Ishii
  • Patent number: 9696621
    Abstract: Provided is an optical waveguide photosensitive resin composition containing a photocurable resin and a photopolymerization initiator, in which the photopolymerization initiator is a specific photoacid generator represented by the general formula (1). Accordingly, when a core layer is formed by using the optical waveguide photosensitive resin composition as a material for forming an optical waveguide, especially a core layer-forming material, excellent high transparency (low loss effect) is obtained. In the formula (1), R1 and R2 each represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, and may be identical to or different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 9696622
    Abstract: New photoresist compositions are provided that are useful for immersion lithography. Preferred photoresist compositions of the invention comprise one or more materials that can be substantially non-mixable with a resin component of the resist. Further preferred photoresist compositions of the invention comprise 1) Si substitution, 2) fluorine substitution; 3) hyperbranched polymers; and/or 4) polymeric particles. Particularly preferred photoresists of the invention can exhibit reduced leaching of resist materials into an immersion fluid contacting the resist layer during immersion lithography processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC
    Inventor: Deyan Wang
  • Patent number: 9696623
    Abstract: The present invention relates to photosensitive compositions containing polynorbornene (PNB) polymers and certain additives that are useful for forming microelectronic and/or optoelectronic devices and assemblies thereof, and more specifically to compositions encompassing PNBs and certain hindered phenols as additives which are capable of controlling the adhesiveness by radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: PROMERUS, LLC, SUMITOMO BAKELITE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Brian Knapp, Cheryl Burns, Edmund Elce, Keitaro Seto, Hiromichi Sugiyama, Makoto Horii, Kazuyoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 9696624
    Abstract: A composite, which is a blend comprising: a nanoparticle comprising a core and a coating surrounding the core; and a polymer, wherein the coating of the nanoparticle comprises a ligand, wherein the ligand is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C16 carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C16 amino acid or a salt thereof, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C16 dialkyl phosphonate, or a combination thereof; and wherein the polymer is a polymerization product of a photoacid generator comprising a polymerizable group; at least one unsaturated monomer, which is different from the photoacid generator comprising a polymerizable group; and a chain transfer agent of formula (I); wherein: Z is a y valent C1-20 organic group, x is 0 or 1, and Rd is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-20 alkyl, C3-20 cycloalkyl, C6-20 aryl, or C7-20 aralkyl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: ROHM AND HAAS ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LLC, THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
    Inventors: James W. Thackeray, Meiliana Siauw, Peter Trefonas, III, Idriss Blakey, Andrew Keith Whittaker
  • Patent number: 9696625
    Abstract: A method of forming a resist pattern, including: step A in which a first resist pattern is formed on a substrate, step B in which a basic composition is applied to cover the first resist pattern, step C in which a base contained in the basic composition and the first resist pattern are neutralized to form a developing solution insoluble region on a surface of the first resist pattern, and step D in which the covered first resist pattern is developed, the basic composition containing a basic component, and the basic component containing a polymeric compound having a structural unit (x0) represented by general formula (x0-1) (R is H, C1˜5 alkyl group, C1˜5 halogenated alkyl group; Vx01 is divalent hydrocarbon group having ether bond or amide bond or divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group; Yx01 is single bond or divalent linking group; Rx1 is substituent having nitrogen atom).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO OHKA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hirano, Junichi Tsuchiya, Rikita Tsunoda, Tomonari Sunamichi, Takayoshi Mori
  • Patent number: 9696626
    Abstract: A composition for forming a resist underlayer film is provided, which contains: a calixarene-based compound obtained from a calixarene by substituting at least a part of hydrogen atoms each on phenolic hydroxyl groups comprised in the calixarene, with a monovalent organic group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms; and an organic solvent. The monovalent organic group preferably includes a crosslinkable group. A part of hydrogen atoms each on phenolic hydroxyl groups of the calixarene-based compound is preferably substituted. The ratio of the number of substituted phenolic hydroxyl groups to the number of unsubstituted phenolic hydroxyl groups in the calixarene-based compound is preferably no less than 30/70 and no greater than 99/1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: JSR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumihiro Toyokawa, Shin-ya Nakafuji, Gouji Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 9696627
    Abstract: New photoresist compositions are provided that are useful for immersion lithography. Preferred photoresist compositions of the invention comprise one or more materials that have base-reactive groups. Particularly preferred photoresists of the invention can exhibit reduced leaching of resist materials into an immersion fluid contacting the resist layer during immersion lithography processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC
    Inventors: Deyan Wang, Jinrong Liu, Cong Liu, Doris Kang, Anthony Zampini, Cheng-Bai Xu
  • Patent number: 9696628
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method includes forming a resist pattern on an under-layer, forming a recessed portion in the under-layer by etching the under-layer using the resist pattern as a mask, slimming the resist pattern, forming a neutral layer having an affinity for first and second polymers on a region of the under-layer not covered with the slimmed resist pattern, forming a block copolymer film containing the first polymer and the second polymer on the slimmed resist pattern and the neutral layer, and forming a microphase separation pattern comprising a first portion formed of the first polymer and a second portion formed of the second polymer by applying microphase separation processing to the block copolymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yusuke Kasahara, Hideki Kanai
  • Patent number: 9696629
    Abstract: Photoresist pattern trimming compositions are provided. The compositions comprise: a matrix polymer, an aromatic sulfonic acid and a solvent, wherein the aromatic sulfonic acid comprises one or more fluorinated alcohol group. Also provided are methods of trimming a photoresist pattern using the trimming compositions. The compositions and methods find particular applicability in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials LLC
    Inventors: Irvinder Kaur, Cong Liu, Kevin Rowell
  • Patent number: 9696630
    Abstract: Lithography apparatus and device manufacturing methods are disclosed in which means are provided for reducing the extent to which vibrations propagate between a first element of a projection system and a second element of a projection system. Approaches disclosed include the use of plural resilient members in series as part of a vibration isolation system, plural isolation frames for separately supporting first and second projection system frames, and modified connection positions for the interaction between the first and second projection system frames and the isolation frame(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V., Carl Zeiss SMT GMBH
    Inventors: Marc Wilhelmus Maria Van Der Wijst, Hans Butler, Erik Roelof Loopstra, Bernhard Geuppert, Marco Hendrikus Hermanus Oude Nijhuis, Rodolfo Guglielmi Rabe, Yim Bun Patrick Kwan, Dick Antonius Hendrikus Laro
  • Patent number: 9696631
    Abstract: A projection exposure system and a method for operating a projection exposure system for microlithography with an illumination system are disclosed. The illumination system includes at least one variably adjustable pupil-defining element. The illumination stress of at least one optical element of the projection exposure system is determined automatically in the case of an adjustment of the at least one variably adjustable pupil-defining element. From the automatically determined illumination stress, the maximum radiant power of the light source is set or determined and/or in which an illumination system is provided with which different illumination settings can be made. Usage of the projection exposure system is recorded and, from the history of the usage, at least one state parameter of at least one optical element of the projection exposure system is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kneer, Markus Deguenther, Toralf Gruner
  • Patent number: 9696632
    Abstract: A mirror (1) for the EUV wavelength range having a reflectivity of greater than 40% for at least one angle of incidence of between 0° and 25° includes a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement has at least one non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M), and wherein the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) has a doping with impurity atoms of between 10 ppb and 10%, in particular between 100 ppb and 0.1%, providing the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*1010 cm?3 and/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1*10?3 S/m, in particular with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*1013 cm?3 and/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1 S/m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Huber, Gisela Von Blanckenhagen
  • Patent number: 9696633
    Abstract: A substrate handling apparatus for handling a substrate is disclosed. The substrate handling apparatus includes a substrate feeding device to feed the substrate towards an exposure area, a substrate receiving device to receive the substrate from the exposure area, and a substrate stabilization device to maintain, at least in the exposure area, the substrate substantially flat at an exposure height and/or tilt, the substrate stabilization device configured for contactless stabilization of the flexible substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Onvlee, Robert-Han Munnig Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9696634
    Abstract: Immersion lithography system and method using a sealed wafer bottom are described. One embodiment is an immersion lithography apparatus comprising a lens assembly comprising an imaging lens and a wafer stage for retaining a wafer beneath the lens assembly, the wafer stage comprising a seal ring disposed on a seal ring frame along a top edge of the wafer retained on the wafer stage, the seal ring for sealing a gap between an edge of the wafer and the wafer stage. The embodiment further includes a fluid tank for retaining immersion fluid, the fluid tank situated with respect to the wafer stage for enabling full immersion of the wafer retained on the wafer stage in the immersion fluid and a cover disposed over at least a portion of the fluid tank for providing a temperature-controlled, fluid-rich environment within the fluid tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Burn Jeng Lin, Ching-Yu Chang
  • Patent number: 9696635
    Abstract: A method of controlling a lithographic apparatus, the method including setting an illumination system of the lithographic apparatus to effect a selected illumination mode, measuring a value of a first parameter of the lithographic apparatus, calculating a value of a second parameter of a projected image of a feature of a test pattern having a plurality of features using a model of the lithographic apparatus and the measured value of the first parameter, and controlling the lithographic apparatus with reference to the calculated value of the second parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Fransiscus Petrus Engelen, Henricus Johannes Lambertus Megens, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, Robert Kazinczi, Jen-Shiang Wang
  • Patent number: 9696636
    Abstract: The invention relates to intensity values for a plurality of beams used to irradiate a plurality of locations on a target are determined with reference to the position and/or rotation of the locations. Also provided is an associated lithographic or exposure apparatus, an associated device manufacturing method and an associated computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Patricius Aloysius Jacobus Tinnemans, Arno Jan Bleeker, Erik Roelof Loopstra
  • Patent number: 9696638
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a substrate table position measurement system and a projection system position measurement system to measure a position of the substrate table and the projection system, respectively. The substrate table position measurement system includes a substrate table reference element mounted on the substrate table and a first sensor head. The substrate table reference element extends in a measurement plane substantially parallel to the holding plane of a substrate on substrate table. The holding plane is arranged at one side of the measurement plane and the first sensor head is arranged at an opposite side of the measurement plane. The projection system position measurement system includes one or more projection system reference elements and a sensor assembly. The sensor head and the sensor assembly or the associated projection system measurement elements are mounted on a sensor frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch, Joost Jeroen Ottens, Emiel Jozef Melanie Eussen, Johannes Henricus Wilhelmus Jacobs, William Peter Van Drent, Frank Staals, Lukasz Jerzy Macht, Erik Willem Bogaart
  • Patent number: 9696639
    Abstract: A projection exposure system (10) for microlithography which includes: a mask holding device (14) holding a mask (18) with mask structures (20) disposed on the mask, a substrate holding device (36) holding a substrate (30), projection optics (26) imaging the mask structures (20) onto the substrate (30) during an exposure process, and a measurement structure (48) disposed in a defined position with respect to a reference element (16) of the projection exposure system (10), which defined position is mechanically uncoupled from the position of the mask holding device (14). The projection exposure system (10) also includes a detector (52) arranged to record an image of the measurement structure (48) imaged by the projection optics (26). The projection exposure system (10) is configured such that during operation of the projection exposure system (10) the imaging of the mask structures (20) and the imaging of the measurement structure (48) take place at the same time by the projection optics (26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Mueller, Joachim Stuehler, Oswald Gromer, Rolf Freimann, Paul Kaufmann, Bernhard Geuppert
  • Patent number: 9696640
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a first body including a heat source, a second body and a heater device is presented. The second body has a facing surface facing the first body via a gap between the first and second bodies. The heat source is for providing a heat flux to the second body via the gap. The heater device is attached to the facing surface. The heater device is configured to provide a further heat flux to the second body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Hendrik Koevoets, Theodorus Petrus Maria Cadee, Harmeet Singh
  • Patent number: 9696641
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer contains a charge generating material and a hole transport material represented by general formula (1) shown below in a single layer. Titanyl phthalocyanine contained as the charge generating material exhibits a main peak at a Bragg angle 2?±0.2°=27.2° in a CuK? characteristic X-ray diffraction spectrum and satisfies either (B) or (C), shown below, in a differential scanning calorimetry spectrum. (B) A peak is not present in a range from 50° C. to 400° C., other than a peak resulting from vaporization of adsorbed water. (C) A peak is not present in a range from 50° C. to 270° C., other than a peak resulting from vaporization of adsorbed water, and a peak is present in a range from 270° C. to 400° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yuko Iwashita, Kazutaka Sugimoto, Takafumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9696642
    Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor having excellent cleaning performance and high durability for a long time and an electrophotographic imaging apparatus employing the electrophotographic photoreceptor are provided. The electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a photosensitive layer and a protective layer sequentially formed in this stated order on a conductive support. The protective layer includes a metal oxide surface-treated with a phosphorous-containing compound, wherein the metal oxide includes at least one selected from a group consisting of tin oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium oxide. The phosphorous-containing compound is a polymer including a phosphorus-oxoacid moiety reacting with the metal oxide, a photo-reactive moiety, and a lubricative moiety including at least one selected from a group consisting of fluorine and silicon at side chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mami Adachi, Manabu Takezawa, Hiroshi Miyao
  • Patent number: 9696643
    Abstract: A multilayer laminate such as a label assembly having high opacity and desirable appearance characteristics is described. The laminate includes a facestock layer, an adhesive layer, and a liner layer. The facestock layer includes a print-receiving top coat layer that includes a combination of titanium dioxide and one or more optical brighteners. The combination of these materials avoids build up of static charges upon laser printing on the facestock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: CCL Label, Inc.
    Inventors: Linwood G. Koger, William J. Buehne, Tamara L. McCartney, Wendy Shuttleworth, Le-Hoa Hong, Iliana Velazquez, Anahit Tataryan, Vikaas Gupta
  • Patent number: 9696644
    Abstract: The present invention provides a crystalline polyester resin having a sharp melt property that realizes both fixing performance and blocking property and demonstrates favorable charging performance, in which the crystalline polyester resin for toner, satisfying the following relationships, 25?Tg?70, and (Tg+273)/(Mp+273)?0.75, wherein Tg (° C.) represents a glass transition temperature of the crystalline polyester resin for toner, and Mp (° C.) represents a melting point of the crystalline polyester resin for toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hayato Ida, Takashi Hirasa, Junichi Tamura, Yuya Chimoto, Takaho Shibata, Daisuke Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9696645
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner for electrostatic charge image development containing a binder resin, wherein the binder resin contains a hybrid crystalline polyester resin in which a crystalline polyester resin segment and a segment of an amorphous resin other than a polyester resin are chemically bonded, and an amorphous resin, the hybrid crystalline polyester resin and the amorphous resin having a specific phase-separated structure; and the hybrid crystalline polyester resin is a graft-copolymer having a specific structure, the toner having the specific thermal properties. According to the present invention, a means capable of providing an excellent low temperature fixability even to uneven media, and of improving both of image storability and heat-resistant can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Tomoko Mine, Kaori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9696646
    Abstract: Suspension polymerization toner of a core-shell structure with dense charges comprises core-shell composite particles prepared by mixing suspension dispersion liquid of toner core particles with shell monomer emulsion and resin-type CCA dispersion liquid, and carrying out a polymerization reaction to form rigid shell layers with dense charges coated on the soft toner core particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN LEPUTAI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhijun Liu, Yuanyuan Zhang, Huan Zhang, Xiao Yuan, Hong Meng, Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 9696647
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing toner contains toner particles each containing a toner core, and a shell layer dividedly disposed as a plurality of segments on a surface of the toner core. The shell layer contains a hydrophobic thermoplastic resin and a hydrophilic thermosetting resin. A toner core-shell layer interface formation rate is 3.78×106 m?1 or more and 7.02×106 m?1 or less. A ratio of the hydrophobic thermoplastic resin to the toner core is 0.40% by mass or more and 1.55% by mass or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hideharu Hori
  • Patent number: 9696648
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge that includes an image bearer including a rotary shaft and rotates about the rotary shaft; a charger to charge a surface of the image bearer; and a developing device to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearer into a visible toner image. The charger includes a charging roller that rotates about a shaft together with the image bearer during image formation and electrically charges a surface of the image bearer. A surface linear speed of the charging roller is made slower than a surface linear speed of the image bearer. The image forming apparatus includes a charging roller controller that switches the rotational speed of the charging roller to a first rotational speed slower than the linear speed of the image bearer and a second rotational speed identical to the linear speed of the image bearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maehata, Nobuo Kuwabara, Kenji Honjoh, Yasuhito Kuboshima, Yusuke Ishizuka, Takeshi Shintani
  • Patent number: 9696649
    Abstract: An optical head includes a lens array including resin lenses, a holder that holds the lens array, and a positioning mechanism that positions the holder such that the holder is opposed to a target. The positioning mechanism is configured to change a distance between the lens array and the target depending on a change in at least any one of temperature and humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Taishi Kaneto
  • Patent number: 9696650
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit in which multiple chips including multiple light emitting elements are arranged in a main scanning direction, the image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium, a reading unit that reads the image fixed on the recording medium by a fixing unit, a density specification unit that specifies a density of a region in the image for each of the chips, the region corresponding to each of the chips, a correction amount specification unit that specifies a correction amount of light quantity from the chip based on an approximate value obtained by approximating the density of a region corresponding to a chip arranged in a predetermined range from a chip for which the correction amount of the light quantity is specified, and a correction unit that corrects the light quantity in accordance with the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Takaishi, Shigeru Arai
  • Patent number: 9696651
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a light-irradiation unit configured to move a spot of laser light on a surface of a photosensitive member at a non-constant scanning velocity in a main scanning direction to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, an image data correcting unit configured to correct a length in the main scanning direction of image data by inserting one or more image data pieces into the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity increases, and/or extracting one or more image data pieces from the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity decreases, and a brightness correcting unit configured to correct a brightness of the laser light so that an emission brightness increases as the scanning velocity increases and/or the emission brightness decreases as the scanning velocity decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kawana, Kazuyuki Ishihara, Yuuji Takayama, Hikaru Uchidate, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hiroyuki Fukuhara, Shuichi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9696652
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus has a developing roller, wherein a glossiness of a surface of the developing roller is in a range of about 4 to about 15, the developing roller includes a plurality of protruding beads, a number average distance (Rsm) between the protruding beads is in a range of about 200 ?m to about 400 ?m, a supplying roller includes a plurality of foam cells, a number average size of the foam cells is in a range of about 300 ?m to about 500 ?m, and the developing roller is arranged to rotate at a rotation linear velocity that is about 120% to about 150% of a rotation linear velocity of a photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tae-hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9696653
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier, a thickness restricting portion, and an airflow rotor. The developer carrier rotates while carrying a developer on an outer circumferential surface thereof. The thickness restricting portion is disposed spaced apart from the developer carrier, and restricts the thickness of the two-component developer carried by the developer carrier. The airflow rotor is a rotor that rotates in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the developer carrier, at a position spaced apart from an upper surface of the thickness restricting portion and from the outer circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The airflow rotor generates airflow in a space between the airflow rotor and the upper surface of the thickness restricting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ikebata
  • Patent number: 9696654
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device, a toner concentration detector, a toner supply device, an image density detector, and a controller including a memory device. At a predetermined timing before image formation is started, the controller adjusts a developing potential to adjust an image density of a detection toner image on the image bearer and drives the toner supply device or the developing device to adjust a toner concentration in the developing device. After the image formation is started, the controller drives the toner supply device to adjust the toner concentration, and, in a predetermined sheet interval, adjusts the target concentration based on the image density of the detection toner image formed in a non-image area of the image bearer. When the toner concentration is higher than the target concentration plus a threshold, the controller suspends image formation and readjusts the developing potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Nakayama, Takuma Higa, Hiroyuki Kunii, Masaki Sukesako, Kazuaki Kamihara, Yuichi Aizawa, Masahiro Katoh, Kohei Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9696655
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: a casing including a developer accommodation part for accommodating developer; an agitator for agitating the developer and rotatable about a first rotational axis extending in an axial direction; a receiving member rotatable about a second rotational axis upon receipt of a drive force inputted thereto; a first drive-force transmission member rotatable about a third rotational axis upon receipt of the drive force from the receiving member; and a second drive-force transmission member rotatable about the first rotational axis together with the agitator. The second drive-force transmission member can contact the first drive-force transmission member and receive the drive force therefrom, the first rotational axis being positioned closer to the second rotational axis than the third rotational axis is to the second rotational axis when projected in the axial direction of the agitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9696656
    Abstract: A developer replenishment device includes a developer transport member, a joint member, and an elastic member. The developer transport member transports a developer to a developing device. The joint member is attached to an end portion of the developer transport member on a side of the developing device so as to be relatively displaceable with respect to the developer transport member to be joined to the developing device so as to be able to replenish the developing device with the developer. The elastic member is interposed between the developer transport member and the joint member, and includes a guide hole that guides the developer from the developer transport member to the joint member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuji Matsumoto, Yosuke Ninomiya, Kenichi Shimada
  • Patent number: 9696657
    Abstract: A removable device to be detachably attached to an apparatus main body includes a container body to store developer; a discharge opening to discharge the developer inside the container body; an internal shutter to open and close the discharge opening; an external shutter to open and close the discharge opening, the external shutter being disposed at an outer side with respect to the internal shutter, wherein the internal shutter and the external shutter are configured to be driven separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kubota, Naoki Nakatake, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Shoh Tsuritani, Manabu Hamada, Masato Tsuji, Masanari Fujita