Patents Issued in November 19, 2019
  • Patent number: 10479075
    Abstract: A print head substrate includes: a substrate surface including a plurality of printing elements and a plurality of pads disposed along a first side and electrically connected to the printing elements, the substrate surface having an acute angle portion formed by the first side and a second side; and a test element group (TEG) area including a TEG not electrically connected to the printing elements, at least a part of the TEG area being located between the second side and a pad closest to a vertex of the acute angle portion among the pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Kasai, Masataka Sakurai, Koichi Ishida
  • Patent number: 10479076
    Abstract: A droplet deposition head includes: one or more manifold components, providing one or more fluid inlets, each of which is connectable to a fluid supply system so that the head can receive a corresponding droplet fluid; and two or more arrays of fluid chambers, each chamber being provided with a respective actuating element and a respective nozzle, each actuating element being actuable to eject a droplet of fluid in an ejection direction through the corresponding one of the nozzles, each array extending in an array direction. The head extends, in the ejection direction, from a first end, at which the one or more fluid inlets are located, to a second end, at which the arrays of fluid chambers are located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Athanasios Kanaris, Colin Brook, Alfonso Cameno Salinas
  • Patent number: 10479077
    Abstract: There is provided a head module including: a head which has an inlet, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of driving elements, and in which the nozzles are aligned in rows in a longitudinal direction of a nozzle surface orthogonal to a attaching/detaching direction of the head module; a plurality of driver ICs; a heat spreader; a flexible substrate; and a rigid substrate. In the attaching/detaching direction, the driver ICs are arranged between the head and the heat spreader; the rigid substrate and the head are arranged side by side in the attaching/detaching direction; the rigid substrate and the heat spreader are arranged side by side in a short direction of the nozzle surface; and the rigid substrate has a thickness along the short direction of the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotoshi Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 10479078
    Abstract: A flow path forming substrate in which an individual flow path which communicates with a nozzle opening that discharges liquid is formed; and a communication plate in which a recess portion which configures at least a part of a common flow path that is common to and communicates with the plurality of individual flow paths is provided to be open on a side opposite to the flow path forming substrate, are provided, the recess portion includes a first recess portion, and a second recess portion which is deeper than the first recess portion, the communication plate includes a supply path which is provided to be open on a bottom surface of the first recess portion, communicates with the recess portion and the individual flow path, and becomes a throttle portion that throttles a flow path with respect to the individual flow path, and a communication path which communicates with the individual flow path and the nozzle opening, and in the individual flow path, a throttle portion which throttles the individual flow pat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunya Fukuda, Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Akira Miyagishi, Hajime Nakao
  • Patent number: 10479079
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head (recording head) includes a structure (flow path member) having a plurality of stacked plates (a nozzle plate, a flow path plate, and a diaphragm) in which end surfaces at both sides in one direction are aligned. At least two plates of the plates (the nozzle plate, the flow path plate, and the diaphragm) have different coefficients of linear expansion in the one direction, and holding members are fixed to the end surfaces of the structure (flow path member) at both sides in the one direction, the holding members having stiffness higher than stiffness of a plate having the highest coefficient of linear expansion in the one direction among the plates (the nozzle plate, the flow path plate, and the diaphragm).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kimura, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Wataru Takahashi, Satoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10479080
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a fluid ejection device includes a substrate with a fluid slot formed therein, a chamber layer formed on the substrate defining fluid chambers on both sides of the fluid slot, a thin-film layer between the substrate and chamber layer that defines an ink feedhole (IFH) between the fluid slot and the chamber layer, and a chamber layer extension that forms a bridge across the IFH between two chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Rio Rivas, Anthony M. Fuller, Ed Friesen
  • Patent number: 10479081
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure a flexible printhead is described. The printhead includes a number of printhead die, a printhead die including a number of nozzles to deposit an amount of fluid onto a print medium. The printhead also includes a fluid delivery system to deliver the amount of fluid from a fluid supply to the number of nozzles. The printhead also includes a number of electrical circuits to electronically couple the number of printhead die with a printing device. The printhead also includes a flexible substrate on which the number of printhead die and the number of electrical circuits are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Silam J. Choy
  • Patent number: 10479082
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method capable of recording a high-quality image in which occurrence of fine unevenness is decreased. The ink jet recording method includes recording an image by ejecting ink from a recording head including an ejection orifice for ejecting the ink, an ejection element generating energy for ejecting the ink, and first and second flow paths that communicate between the ejection orifice and the ejection element and in which the ink flows. The ink jet recording method includes an ejection step of ejecting the ink from the ejection orifice, and a flow step of flowing the ink from the first flow path to the second flow path separately from the ejection step. The ink is an aqueous ink having a dynamic surface tension of 35 mN/m or more to 48 mN/m or less at 10 milliseconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouhei Nakagawa, Arihiro Saito, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 10479083
    Abstract: Disclosed is a peeling method of a cover member including forming a recessed portion that opens one side surface of a substrate, on a region different from a region in which a pattern is formed and forming an opening region including the opening of the recessed portion; attaching the cover member so as to cover the one side surface; adjusting a pressure for increasing a pressure within a space formed by the recessed portion and the cover member by attaching the cover member to the substrate to be higher than a pressure on a side opposite to the space with the cover member interposed therebetween; and peeling off the cover member from the substrate, in a state where the pressure within the space is increased by the adjusting of the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuro Hotta
  • Patent number: 10479084
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing liquid ejection heads includes the steps of forming ejection port members on a substrate, the ejection port members each having a liquid channel and an ejection port for ejecting liquid through the channel, the liquid channel communicating with the substrate; forming supply ports passing through the substrate to supply liquid to the channels; and forming a separation groove in the substrate to separate the substrate for each liquid ejection head. The step of forming the ejection port members includes the step of hardening a material constituting the ejection port member by heat treatment. The step of forming the separation groove is performed before the step of hardening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiichiro Yaginuma, Keiji Matsumoto, Koji Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10479085
    Abstract: In one example, a method for fabricating a printhead is described. The method may include applying an electrical interconnect between a printhead die and an electrical fan out structure embedded in a molding of a printhead via a direct patterning additive process. The method may further include applying a passivation layer over the electrical interconnect as a dry film laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Devin Alexander Mourey, Chien-Hua Chen, Michael W. Cumbie
  • Patent number: 10479086
    Abstract: In one example, a process for making a micro device assembly includes placing a micro device on a front part of a printed circuit board, molding a molding on the printed circuit board surrounding the micro device, and then forming a channel to the micro device in a back part of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Thomas R Strand, Michael G Groh
  • Patent number: 10479087
    Abstract: In order that the interior of a cap member, in a case where the cap member abuts to a cover member, is allowed to have improved airtightness so that the cap member can sufficiently function, a sealing member is used to seal between the cover member and first and second flow path members for retaining the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Zentaro Tamenaga, Shuzo Iwanaga, Shingo Okushima
  • Patent number: 10479088
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes: a printing head provided with ejection units in each of which ejection port arrays are formed, the ejection units being provided along a first direction; and a suction unit capable of contacting the ejection units and sucking the ejection units while moving relative to the ejection units. A contact region of the suction unit with each of the ejection units does not cover a corner portion among two corner portions of a second ejection unit located at opposite ends of a first end edge thereof on an upstream in a direction of movement, the corner portion being present at a position not overlapping with a second end edge of a first ejection unit on a downstream in the direction of movement when viewed from the direction of movement, the first ejection unit being provided upstream of the second ejection unit in the direction of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Sasaki, Takahiro Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 10479089
    Abstract: The supply liquid tank unit of the disclosure includes a supply liquid tank, and a detection sensor. The detection sensor detects a liquid level of liquid in the supply liquid tank. The supply liquid tank includes a first chamber provided with an inflow port, a second chamber provided with an outflow port, a partition wall for partitioning the first chamber and the second chamber from each other, and a lower communicating path which is formed from a lower end of the partition wall and a lower surface of the supply liquid tank and which makes the first chamber and the second chamber communicating with each other. The detection sensor detects a liquid level of the liquid in the second chamber and is placed above the lower end of the partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tatsuhiko Yoshii
  • Patent number: 10479090
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording unit, a first ink storage unit, a second ink storage unit, a discharge unit, a first detection unit configured to detect that an amount of the ink stored in the first ink storage unit is below a first predetermined amount, and a second detection unit configured to detect that an amount of the ink stored in the second ink storage unit is below a second predetermined amount. The inkjet recording apparatus further includes a control unit configured to control the discharge operation after the detection by the first detection unit and the detection by the second detection unit based on a detection timing of the first detection unit and a detection timing of the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Danzuka, Taku Yokozawa, Masataka Kato, Akiko Aichi, Shin Genta, Kazuki Narumi
  • Patent number: 10479091
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge section configured to discharge liquid onto a medium, a holding section capable of holding a waste liquid container capable of containing waste liquid exhausted from the liquid discharge section, a sensor capable of detecting a state in which a containing amount of the waste liquid container has reached a threshold value, and a calculation section configured to calculate a waste liquid amount based on an exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted by the liquid discharge section. In the case where the sensor has detected the state in which the containing amount has reached the threshold value, the calculation section calculates the waste liquid amount by adding the exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted after the detection of the state by the sensor to the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Mashima, Seijun Horie
  • Patent number: 10479092
    Abstract: A waste liquid container configured to be attachably and detachably mounted in a mounting portion including an apparatus-side connection terminal includes a first container portion including a waste liquid introduction portion, the waste liquid introduction portion being configured to enable the waste liquid discharged from the discharge portion to be introduced; a second container portion disposed below the first container portion in a vertical direction and communicating with the first container portion in the state in which the waste liquid container is mounted in the mounting portion; and a container-side connection terminal electrically connected to the apparatus-side connection terminal. Further, in a plan view from above, the second container portion is formed so as to be larger than the first container portion, and in the second container portion, the container-side connection terminal is disposed at a position not overlapping with the first container portion in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Ochiai
  • Patent number: 10479093
    Abstract: A printer includes a head that injects a liquid, a cleaning mechanism, a waste liquid path, a waste liquid tank that is detachably attached and collects waste liquid, a displaceable member that is displaced to a first position when the waste liquid tank is attached and is displaced to a second position when the waste liquid tank is detached, a liquid receiving portion that is provided on the displaceable member and is located directly below an outlet of the waste liquid path when the waste liquid tank is not attached, a detection target that is provided on the displaceable member and moves together with the displaceable member, and a sensor that detects the detection target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Suzuki, Hirokazu Kakei
  • Patent number: 10479094
    Abstract: Energy efficient printheads are disclosed. An example printhead includes a substrate with channels to direct ink toward a plurality of nozzles of the printhead. The example printhead further includes a passivation layer on the substrate. The passivation layer includes a first thin film of a first dielectric material formed using atomic layer deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Zhizhang Chen, Mohammed Shaarawi, Brian Bolf, Paul Krause
  • Patent number: 10479095
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a liquid chamber; a liquid supply portion having a front end part of a liquid supply hole; a front wall and a rear wall away from the front wall in a rearward direction; a bottom wall extending between the front and the rear walls; a sub front wall; and a sub bottom wall extending between the front wall and the sub front wall. The sub front wall faces frontward and is positioned closer to the front wall than to the rear wall. The sub bottom wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid supply portion. The front wall is positioned frontward relative to the front end part of the liquid supply hole. The front wall has a length in an upward direction longer than a length of the sub front wall in the upward direction in an upright posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Hiroaki Takahashi, Akihito Ono, Takahiro Miyao, Suguru Tomoguchi, Kosuke Nukui, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10479096
    Abstract: A device for introducing and maintaining a cartridge in a CIJ-type inkjet printer comprises a first support having two lateral sides, a back side and a front opening, this first support able to contain a cartridge and the back side having a fluidic connector. A second support, called the cartridge support, against which a cartridge can be maintained, can be actuated in rotation about a first axis of rotation extending between the two lateral sides of the first support between a position for loading and unloading a cartridge and a position for connecting a cartridge to the fluidic connector. The second support is, in the position for connecting, contained within the first support and comprises at least an opening this is opposite, or in contact, with the fluidic connector of the back side of the first support. An actuator is provided to rotate the second support about the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DOVER EUROPE SÀRL
    Inventors: Vincent Audouard, Stéphane Collot
  • Patent number: 10479097
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid chamber that is in communication with a nozzle that ejects liquid, a volume changing device that changes volume of the liquid chamber, an inflow channel that is connected to the liquid chamber and enables the liquid to flow into the liquid chamber, a discharge channel that discharges the liquid, a first flow path resistance changing device that changes flow path resistance of the inflow channel, a liquid supply section that supplies the liquid to the inflow channel by pressurizing the liquid, and a bypass channel that enables the liquid supplied from the liquid supply section to bypass the inflow channel and to flow into the discharge channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Katakura, Shinichi Nakamura, Junichi Sano, Hirofumi Sakai, Keigo Sugai
  • Patent number: 10479098
    Abstract: A tank is installed in a liquid consuming apparatus having a liquid consuming unit and is connected to the liquid consuming unit. The tank includes: a casing having a bottom wall and a side wall in a usable posture of the tank, the side wall extending in a direction intersecting the bottom wall; a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber provided in the casing and configured to store the liquid; an inlet provided to inject the liquid into the first storage chamber; a first communication port that communicates the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber; a second communication port provided in the second storage chamber to let the liquid flow out to an outside of the tank; and an air opening port that opens the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber to the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taichi Shirono, Masahiro Hayashi, Masako Kawagoe, Yoshinori Osakabe
  • Patent number: 10479099
    Abstract: A system includes a cartridge attachment section and a cartridge attachable to the cartridge attachment section. The cartridge includes a board supporting portion supporting a board provided with an electrical interface. The cartridge attachment section includes a slider having a first wall, a second wall and an electrical contact. During insertion of the cartridge, the slider is moved from a second posture where the electrical contact separates from the electrical interface into a first posture where the electrical contact contacts the electrical interface. Upon completion of attachment of the cartridge, the first wall and the second wall are received respectively in a first space and a second space defined between the cartridge and the cartridge attachment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10479100
    Abstract: A printer comprising a printing fluid circuit having at least one printing fluid supplier, an air pressurization system to build up air pressure inside the at least one printing fluid supplier, and a controller is provided, wherein the air pressurization system is fluidly connected to the at least one printing fluid supplier. The controller is to determine the air pressure which has been built up in the at least one printing fluid supplier by the air pressurization system, and to determine a degradation of the air pressurization system depending on the air pressure which has been built up in the at least one printing fluid supplier by the air pressurization system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gemma Bolumar, Joan Sanjuan, Oriol Parera Fiestas, Jose Ignacio Palacios Higueras
  • Patent number: 10479101
    Abstract: An element substrate has ejection ports for ejecting liquid, pressure chambers for storing the liquid to be ejected from the ejection ports, liquid supply paths for supplying liquid to the pressure chambers, and liquid recovery paths for recovering liquid from the pressure chambers. Filter chambers have respective filters for capturing foreign objects contained in liquid. Liquid is forced to flow upwardly from below relative to the filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Genji Inada, Naozumi Nabeshima, Soji Kondo, Noriyasu Nagai, Takuya Iwano
  • Patent number: 10479102
    Abstract: After obtaining printing data, a user is allowed to specify regions whose amounts of ink consumed are estimated using high-resolution images, by which two regions (high-resolution estimation areas and low-resolution estimation areas) are set in a printing region. Thereafter, the amounts of ink (first amounts of ink) consumed are estimated using the high-resolution images regarding the regions set as the high-resolution estimation areas, and the amounts of ink (second amounts of ink) consumed are estimated using low-resolution images regarding the regions set as the low-resolution estimation areas. Finally, the total amount of ink consumed by printing is calculated from the first amounts of ink and the second amounts of ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoko Sakurai, Shigenori Arizono
  • Patent number: 10479103
    Abstract: An aqueous ink composition contains: an alkanediol having a normal boiling point of 240° C. or higher; polyoxyethylene mono(2-ethylhexyl) ether having a carbon number of 14 or more and 22 or less; and water, in which a content of the polyoxyethylene mono(2-ethylhexyl) ether having a carbon number of 14 or more and 22 or less is 0.4% by mass or lower based on the total amount of the aqueous ink composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Iida, Tomohito Nakano, Keisuke Morita
  • Patent number: 10479104
    Abstract: An optical module includes: a measuring device including a measuring portion that measures light reflected at a measurement position of a measurement target, a light source that radiates light onto the measurement position in a direction crossing a measurement optical axis oriented from the measurement position to the measuring portion, and a window through which light incident on the measuring portion passes; and a shutter that opens and closes the window of the measuring device. The shutter is provided with a reference object disposed closer to the measuring portion side than the measurement position on the measurement optical axis, on a face of the shutter facing the measuring portion when closing the window, and the optical module includes a light guide that guides the light from the light source to the reference object when the window is closed by the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Oguchi
  • Patent number: 10479105
    Abstract: A droplet discharge apparatus to discharge droplets while moved by a user includes a head to discharge a droplet onto a recording medium, a sensor to detect a movement amount of the droplet discharge apparatus in a predetermined period, and a memory to store determination information indicating whether droplet discharging has been instructed for each pixel of the image data. The droplet discharge apparatus further includes a processor configured to accumulate the movement amount to calculate a total movement amount of the droplet discharge apparatus; instruct droplet discharging from the head based on the total movement amount and the image data; instruct droplet discharging only for an unprinted pixel for which the determination information indicates that droplet discharging has not been instructed; and rewrite the determination information of the unprinted pixel to indicate that droplet discharging has been instructed, based on a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Hosokawa, Jun Watanabe, Tetsuyoshi Nakata, Yasunari Harada, Hideaki Iijima, Shunsuke Shitaoka
  • Patent number: 10479106
    Abstract: A drop detector includes a printed circuit board (PCB) including a number of optical channels each formed by a light emitter and a light detector and a number of holes defined in the PCB over which the optical channels pass over and through which a number of ejected drops from a number of printheads pass through wherein each of the number of holes defined in PCB are sized to contour the shape of the number of the printheads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregory N Burton, Jody L Clayburn, Kurt F Olsen, Steven B Elgee, Jacob McDonald Smith, Kenneth Williams, Lorraine T Golob
  • Patent number: 10479107
    Abstract: A printer a housing, a printer cover that is rotatable relative to the housing about a first rotary axis, a thermal head configured to print on print medium, a connecting part capable of being connected to and disconnected from the thermal head, and a head cover that is rotatable about a second rotary axis being parallel to the first rotary axis, the head cover pivotally supported at the printer cover, the head cover rotating between a first position at which the head cover closes the connecting part and a second position at which the head cover does not close the connecting part to connect and disconnect the thermal head and the connecting part. The space is defined between the head cover located at the second position and the printer cover. The connecting part is exposed through the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Hoshi
  • Patent number: 10479108
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a light source configured to emit a light beam; a rotary polygon mirror including a plurality of reflection surfaces each configured to deflect the light beam emitted by the light source so that the light beam scans a surface of a photosensitive member; a light receiving portion configured to output a light receiving signal by receiving the light beam reflected by each of the plurality of reflection surfaces; a conversion unit configured to convert the light receiving signal to a pulse signal; a measurement unit configured to measure pulse widths of a plurality of pulse signals corresponding to the plurality of reflection surfaces, respectively; and an identification unit configured to identify a rotation phase of the rotary polygon mirror based on a measurement result of the measurement unit and reference values to be compared with the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Morishita
  • Patent number: 10479109
    Abstract: An automatic facial makeup method includes receiving a makeup template, wherein the makeup template comprises a plurality of defined areas and a plurality of makeup instructions relating to application of at least one makeup to the plurality of defined areas, and wherein each of the plurality of defined areas is defined by a plurality of first feature points. A facial image comprising a facial block is received, wherein the facial block corresponds to a facial region depicted in the facial image. Makeup areas in the facial block are defined by mapping, for each of the plurality of defined areas, first feature points to second feature points in the facial block, wherein each second feature point has a same relative position on the facial block as a corresponding first feature point. A makeup component performs a makeup operation according to each makeup instruction on the makeup area corresponding to each makeup instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ZONG JING INVESTMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Charlene Hsueh-Ling Wong, Yi-Hsueh Yang
  • Patent number: 10479110
    Abstract: In one example, a system for partially dried inkjet media fusers include a plurality of fusers aligned to receive partially dried inkjet media from a printing device, wherein the plurality of fusers each comprise a top roller and a bottom roller to apply pressure to the received partially dried inkjet media, and a finisher to receive the partially dried inkjet media from the plurality of fusers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Steve O Rasmussen, Mark H MacKenzie, Bradley B Branham, Jeffrey G Bingham
  • Patent number: 10479111
    Abstract: A lamp array for drying liquid ink on a media in a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a transport system arranged to move the media through the printing apparatus in a process direction. The lamp array includes a plurality of lamps, each lamp of the plurality of lamps having a longitudinal axis arranged in a direction parallel to the process direction and adjacent to the transport system, wherein the plurality of lamps are equidistantly positioned substantially across a cross process width of the transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Leighton, Paul M. Fromm, Robert P. Herloski
  • Patent number: 10479112
    Abstract: There is provided a printing device that carries out printing with respect to a medium; the printing device including inkjet heads, which are ejection heads that eject an ink to the medium; and an infrared irradiating portion that irradiates an infrared light in which a wavelength is smaller than or equal to 3 ?m with respect to the ink on the medium; where the inkjet heads eject the ink containing a solvent that generates heat by absorbing the infrared light; and the infrared irradiating portion volatilizes and removes at least one part of the solvent in the ink by irradiating the infrared light with respect to the ink on the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Ohnishi, Toshiya Otsuka
  • Patent number: 10479113
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments illustrate a thermal printer apparatus that includes a media sensor. The sensor generates an input signal indicative of a measure of a media transmissivity/reflectivity. Further, the thermal printer includes a processor that is configured to receive the input signal from the sensor, while the media is stationary with respect to a print head. The processor further determines one or more characteristics of the input signal. Thereafter, a first transmissivity/reflectivity threshold is determined based on the one or more characteristics in the input signal. Further, the processor receives the input signal from the sensor, while the media traverses with respect to the print head. Subsequently, the processor determines one or more current characteristics of the input signal while the media traverses with respect to the print head. A media jam condition is detected based on the one or more current characteristics and the first transmissivity/reflectivity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Hatle, Ronald Schwallie, Jose Fernando Sanchez Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 10479114
    Abstract: A vacuum table for a wide format printing system, wherein a medium support surface with vacuum holes therein is spaced apart from a bottom plate by a spacer array. The spacer array is formed by an integrally formed spacer structure with a first and a second longitudinal plate positioned between the bottom plate and the medium support surface. These plates comprise a plurality of air flow through-holes as well as a top support edge and a bottom support edge extending equidistantly to one another. A connection element connects the first longitudinal plates and is positioned between the bottom support plane and the top support plane. The use of longitudinal plates allows the spacer to be cheaply and easily produced by punching. The plates further offer the advantage of a low air flow resistance while maintaining a high rigidity of the spacer array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: OCÉ HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Bryde, Alexander Rybolov, Aaron Mak
  • Patent number: 10479116
    Abstract: A base material processing apparatus includes first and second edge sensors and a displacement amount calculation part. The first edge sensor acquires a first detection result (R1) by detecting the position of an edge of a base material in a width direction at a first detection position. The second edge sensor acquires a second detection result (R2) by detecting the position of the edge of the base material at a second detection position. The displacement amount calculation part calculates the amount of displacement in the position of the base material in the transport direction or the amount of difference in the transporting speed of the base material on the basis of the first and second detection results (R1, R2). Thus, the amount of displacement in the position or the amount of difference in the transporting speed can be detected without depending on images such as register marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Usumoto, Mitsuhiro Yoshida, Takaharu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10479117
    Abstract: A printer includes a print head configured to print along a raster direction portions of an image in units of a raster, a movement mechanism that includes a stepping motor and is configured to move one of the printing medium and the print head so as to change a relative position between the printing medium and the print head in a direction intersecting the raster direction, and a control unit configured to control the print head and the movement mechanism. The print head is controlled to perform printing of one raster each time the relative position between the printing medium and the print head is changed by an interval of the raster. The movement mechanism is controlled to make a drive interval of the stepping motor at least one time step longer than a preceding drive interval before a rotation speed of the stepping motor reaches a predetermined target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahide Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10479118
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet printer including a conveyer, a recording head, a carriage, an ink receiver and a controller. The controller executes: receiving a recording instruction; determining an ink amount to be jetted in a flushing process; moving the carriage in a first orientation up to a returning position corresponding to the ink amount; moving the carriage in a second orientation opposite to the first orientation from the returning position to a sheet facing area; executing a flushing processing; and executing recording. The returning position is located at a first position downstream from the sheet facing area in the first orientation, under a condition that the determined ink amount is less than a threshold value; and the returning position is located at a second position downstream from the first position in the first orientation, under a condition that the determined ink amount is not less than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 10479119
    Abstract: The three-dimensional fabrication apparatus is provided with: a first discharge section and a second discharge section, which have multiple discharge nozzles disposed in rows and which discharge molding material from the discharge nozzles toward a fabrication stage; a guide member of a head unit-moving unit, which is equipped with the guide member to guide the movement of the first discharge section and the second discharge section in the main scanning direction (X-direction) that is orthogonal to the direction in which the discharge nozzles are disposed and which moves the first discharge section and the second discharge section relative to the fabrication stage along said guide member; and a stage rotating unit for changing the rotational position of the main scanning direction of the first discharge section and the second discharge section relative to the fabrication stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Taiya Munenaka, Kuniaki Kashiwakura, Yoshiyuki Hashimoto, Teruaki Yagura
  • Patent number: 10479120
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a print head implemented on a wire and cable manufacturing line, the apparatus comprising a sleeve, wherein the sleeve has an internal portion and an external portion and wherein the sleeve forms an internal void marginally larger than the size of the print head and wherein the sleeve further comprises an elongated surface; a front surface connected to the elongated surface, wherein the front surface comprises an ink outlet opening; a rear surface connected to the elongated surface, wherein the rear surface comprises a cable opening; a channel connected to the internal portion of the sleeve, wherein the channel comprises an open side facing the internal void and wherein the channel on the internal portion of the sleeve extends from the rear to the front of the sleeve; an air inlet compartment in communication with the channel and enclosed by the rear surface; an air inlet in communication with the air inlet compartment; and an exhaust channel connected to the sleeve and extending from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew P. Hull, Jeffrey T. Mileger
  • Patent number: 10479121
    Abstract: A method for processing an object for printing, the object comprising a plurality of properties defined at each of a plurality of locations within the object, each property represented by a metamer set of possible combinations of proportions of at least one of a set of printing materials, the method comprising: selecting a combination of the metamer sets of a given location within an object that provides all of the plurality of properties defined for the given location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jan Morovic, Peter Morovic
  • Patent number: 10479122
    Abstract: A method for evaluating performance of a plurality of nozzles of a printing head includes repeatedly operating each of the nozzles to print test marks on a surface of a substrate, each of the test marks printed by that nozzle being printed at a different time. At least once during the repeated operation of each of the nozzles, at least some of the test marks are erased from the surface. The test marks that were printed by that nozzle are inspected for a feature that is indicative of the performance of that nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: XJET LTD.
    Inventors: Eliahu M. Kritchman, Timofey Shmal
  • Patent number: 10479123
    Abstract: The invention relates to a security feature for securing value documents, comprising a chemically unstable inorganic feature substance and a stabilizing component that comprises a substance that stabilizes the feature substance, which substance has at least the same solubility in water as the feature substance to be protected and releases ions when said substance is decomposed, which ions conform to the ions of the feature substance at least in part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventor: Johann Kecht
  • Patent number: 10479124
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an inkjet printing apparatus capable of controlling temperatures of a transfer member and a printhead properly, and printing a high-quality image is provided. More specifically, in an inkjet printing apparatus that includes a transfer member, a printhead configured to discharge ink to form an image on the transfer member, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the image on the transfer member to a print medium, the following control is performed. That is, the transfer member is heated, a temperature of the heated transfer member is measured, and a temperature of the printhead is adjusted based on the measured temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuto Moriguchi, Yusuke Nakaya, Ryosuke Sato
  • Patent number: 10479125
    Abstract: A bookbinding device includes a control unit for calculating set parameter values for a clamper and a processing unit on the basis of thickness on a book body to be bound, and initially setting the clamper and the processing unit in accordance with the set parameter values. The control unit includes an input unit for receiving an input of a reference parameter value for two or more different book body thicknesses; a function generation unit for generating, on the basis of the reference parameter value, a function for calculating a set parameter value that has been adjusted in accordance with the book body thickness; a parameter calculation unit for calculating, on the basis of the book body thickness, the set adjusted parameter value by using the function; and an initial setting unit for initially setting the clamper and the processing unit in accordance with the set adjusted parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Fukuda, Takehito Yokogi, Yoshihide Iwayama