Medium And Processing Means Patents (Class 347/101)
  • Patent number: 11896204
    Abstract: A device for inhibiting condensation distortion on an optical element is provided. The device may include a housing; a chamber within the housing; electrical circuitry in the housing; a plasma activation region configured to retain the optical element in a manner exposing an optical surface to the plasma activation region, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to form an electrical connection with a first electrode located on the first side of the dielectric barrier; a second electrode located on a second side of the dielectric barrier, opposite the plasma activation region; and at least one processor configured to: control electricity flow through the circuitry to cause an electric field associated with a voltage drop between the first electrode and a second electrode to generate plasma within the plasma-activation region; and maintain the generated plasma for a time period sufficient to cause the optical surface to become hydrophilic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: PLASMATICA LTD.
    Inventors: Adam Sagiv, Amnon Lam
  • Patent number: 11896203
    Abstract: A device for inhibiting condensation distortion on an optical element of a medical instrument configured for insertion into a body cavity is provided. The device may include a housing; a cavity within the housing, the cavity being sized to removably retain at least a portion of the medical instrument therein, wherein the portion includes the optical element; a plasma activation zone within the cavity and arranged such that when the at least a portion of the medical instrument is retained within the cavity, the optical element is located within the plasma activation zone; a plasma generator configured to be activated to cause formation of a plasma cloud in the plasma activation zone in a vicinity of the optical element; and a controller configured to activate the plasma generator for a time period sufficient to cause the optical element to become hydrophilic prior to insertion into the body cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: PLASMATICA LTD.
    Inventors: Adam Sagiv, Amnon Lam
  • Patent number: 11884058
    Abstract: An image formation device includes at least one frame portion supporting at least one emitter to emit airborne charges, at least one radiation element to emit radiation, and a fluid ejection device to deposit droplets of ink particles within a non-aqueous fluid carrier onto a substrate. Upon relative movement between the at least one frame portion and the substrate, the emitted airborne charges are to electrostatically fix, and the at least one radiation element is to emit radiation to cause at least further fixation of, the deposited particles relative to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Rajesh Kelekar, Napoleon J. Leoni, Omer Gila
  • Patent number: 11878548
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a printed paper layer. The method may involve providing the paper layer with a printed pattern. Providing the printed pattern may involve depositing water based inks using a digital inkjet printer. The water based inks may be pigment containing inks. The dry weight of the deposited pigment containing inks may be lower than 9 grams per square meter. The paper layer may include an inkjet receiver coating, such that the inks are deposited on the inkjet receiver coating. The inks may be of at least four colors including black, cyan, red, and yellow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventor: Benjamin Clement
  • Patent number: 11878894
    Abstract: A sheet discharger includes: an accommodator configured to accommodate sheets; a conveyor configured to convey and discharge a sheet to the accommodator; a detector configured to detect whether a jam of a sheet has occurred in the accommodator and a state of the jam; and a controller configured to control the conveyor to continue sheet discharge upon detection by the detector of the jam in a state where sheet discharge of a jammed sheet is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Hara, Yoshifumi Noguchi, Yoshiyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 11864737
    Abstract: A device for inhibiting condensation distortion on an optical element of a medical instrument configured for insertion into a body cavity is provided. The device may include a housing; a cavity within the housing, the cavity being sized to removably retain at least a portion of the medical instrument therein, wherein the portion includes the optical element; a plasma activation zone within the cavity and arranged such that when the at least a portion of the medical instrument is retained within the cavity, the optical element is located within the plasma activation zone; a plasma generator configured to be activated to cause formation of a plasma cloud in the plasma activation zone in a vicinity of the optical element; and a controller configured to activate the plasma generator for a time period sufficient to cause the optical element to become hydrophilic prior to insertion into the body cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PLASMATICA LTD.
    Inventors: Adam Sagiv, Amnon Lam
  • Patent number: 11857847
    Abstract: A first stamp and a second stamp are printed on the surface of a golf ball such that a transition printed area of the first stamp overlaps a transition printed area of the second stamp to create an overlap printed area between a main printed area of the first stamp and a main printed area of the second stamp. An ink density of the main printed area of the first stamp, an ink density of the main printed area of the second stamp, and an ink density of the overlap printed area are approximately the same after both the first stamp and the second stamp are printed on the surface of the golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Acushnet Company
    Inventors: Manjari Kuntimaddi, Vincent J. Simonds
  • Patent number: 11840031
    Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus includes a processor and a memory on which is stored machine readable instructions. The instructions may cause the processor to identify an intended surface property level for a surface of a three-dimensional (3D) object, determine an amount of radiation to be applied as a flash of radiation onto the surface to obtain the intended surface property level, and output the determined amount of radiation to be applied as a flash of radiation, in which a radiation source is to flash apply the determined amount of radiation onto the surface of the 3D object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Krzysztof Nauka, Andrew E. Fitzhugh, Lihua Zhao
  • Patent number: 11833847
    Abstract: A system includes: (a) a flexible intermediate transfer member (ITM) including multiple layers and markers including: (i) a structure engraved, in at least one of the layers, at respective marking locations along the ITM, and (ii) at least part of the structure is filled with a filling material that changes one or both of optical and magnetic properties of the ITM, the ITM includes an outer layer for receiving ink droplets, and transferring the ink image to a target substrate, (b) sensing assemblies disposed at respective predefined locations relative to the ITM, and configured to produce signals indicative of respective positions of the markers, and (c) a processor, which is configured to receive the signals, and based on the signals, to control a deposition of the ink droplets on the ITM, and the processor is configured to detect a deformation of the ITM based on the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: LANDA CORPORATION LTD.
    Inventors: Benzion Landa, Tomer Goral, Vitaly Burkatovsky
  • Patent number: 11813882
    Abstract: An aqueous composition can be used for pre-treating a substrate prior to inkjet printing to provide a white opaque background for inkjet-printed images. This aqueous composition includes: (a) one or more water-soluble salts of a multivalent metal cation at 5-30 weight %; (b) a nonionic or cationic water-soluble or water-dispersible polymeric binder material at 5-30 weight %; and (c) surface-treated visible light-scattering particles having a D50 (median) particle size of at least 0.04 ?m and up to and including 2 ?m in an amount of 5-60 weight % based on the total aqueous composition weight. The pre-treated substrate is useful as an inkjet receiving medium that can be readily inkjet-printed particularly with anionically-stabilized aqueous pigment-based inks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Edward Irving, Douglas Eugene Bugner, David D. Putnam
  • Patent number: 11794499
    Abstract: Example filters are disclosed herein. In an example, the filter includes a housing including a central axis, an inlet, and an outlet. The central axis extends perpendicularly to a fluid flow direction at the outlet. In addition, the filter includes an outlet flow path defined within the housing that extends angularly about the central axis to the outlet. Further, the filter includes a first plurality of vanes extending from a radially outer surface of the outlet flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael Kenneth Allen
  • Patent number: 11787216
    Abstract: A method for producing a relief-like printed image on containers is described in which print layers are layered onto one another by way of jet application of a printing paint, an ink, a varnish, or an adhesive from at least one print head onto a container, thereby producing elevated regions of the printed image. Due to the fact that the print layers are each applied in full tone printing, optical and haptic effects can be created on container surfaces with low equipment complexity and a minimal number of printing steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Peggy Augst, Alexandra Lyashenko
  • Patent number: 11712906
    Abstract: An apparatus including an illuminator to emit light on a media to be printed on is provided. The apparatus also includes an optical sensor disposed proximate to the illuminator to detect an amount of reflected light. In addition, the apparatus includes a processor to control the illuminator and the optical sensor. The processor is to calibrate the illuminator to determine a first brightness level for high sensitivity at the optical sensor. The processor is to calibrate the illuminator to determine a second brightness level iteratively based on a signal to noise ratio. The processor is to compare the second brightness level with the first brightness level to determine whether to proceed with detection of an edge of the media using the second brightness level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Tong Nam Samuel Low, Yu Zhao, Xiaoxi Huang
  • Patent number: 11701910
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an article, especially a door and a door component, such as a door facing (or door skin), having a pattern, preferably a woodgrain pattern. This invention also is directed to a method of making the door and the door component such as the door facing (or door skin) by inkjet printing of a pattern on the door facing (or door skin). The printing direction and ink droplets are provided to deliver a high quality image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Masonite Corporation
    Inventors: Darshit Thakkar, Steven B. Swartzmiller, Steven Gutkowski
  • Patent number: 11654700
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing device to print an image on a sheet, a carriage mounting the printing device, the carriage to scan in a main-scanning direction, a detector on the carriage, the detector to detect a presence and an absence of the sheet, and circuitry to detect an edge position of the sheet in the main-scanning direction based on a detection result by the detector while the printing device prints a first scan of the image on the sheet, adjust a print start position at which the printing device starts printing a second scan of the image on the sheet based on the edge position detected in the first scan, and control the printing device to print the second scan of the image from the print start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kahei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11635745
    Abstract: A device and method for printing on cylindrical curved surfaces. In the preferred embodiment, the device is an inkjet printer including a printing rack that holds a plurality of cylindrical objects like test tubes or pipes, a printing unit including a UV light source and a removable ink cartridge. The ink cartridge includes a plurality of ink nozzles and ink reservoir. In the preferred embodiment, the printing rack moves the printing objects relative to the printing unit. The printing unit preheats the printing objects prior through the use of the UV light source, and after printing the UV light source is used to cure the ink on the surface to produce a high quality print result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TubeWriter LLC
    Inventor: Nagasatish Rao
  • Patent number: 11597847
    Abstract: A plasma-curable ink composition for offset printing having high reactivity with plasma and capable of being hardened into a sufficiently dried state even in the use of plasma generated by a remote-type plasma generator, and a method for producing printed matter and a method for printing information using the same. The plasma-curable ink composition for offset printing comprises a pigment, a binder resin, and at least one specific ingredient selected from the group consisting of castor oil, polymerized oil, and alkyd resins having an acid value of 10 mg KOH/g or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAKATA INX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Ishizuka, Yasutsugu Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 11584143
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a conveying part configured to convey a medium in a conveying direction. A discharge head is configured to discharge a droplet onto a medium carried by the conveying part. A heating part is arranged at the downstream of the discharge head and configured to heat a medium while contacting with the medium attached with a droplet discharged by the discharge head. The heating part is arranged at a position contacting with at least part of the droplet present on the surface of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Hamada, Kenichi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11577538
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes a treatment liquid attachment step, in which a treatment liquid is attached to a recording medium, and an ink attachment step, in which a water-based ink composition is attached to the recording medium. An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording medium support and a heating mechanism that heats the recording medium support. The ink attachment step is carried out with the recording medium supported and heated by the recording medium support. In the ink attachment step, the recording medium is heated so that a surface thereof reaches a maximum temperature of 28.0° C. or more and 45.0° C. or less. The ratio between absorbances A and B (A/B) is 0.5 or more and 0.95 or less, where absorbance A is that of a 0.1% by mass mixture of the water-based ink composition in the treatment liquid, and absorbance B is that of a 0.1% by mass mixture of the water-based ink composition in purified water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yuta Asakawa, Akira Mizutani
  • Patent number: 11565537
    Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods facilitate the calibration of a printer. The printer can print a calibration target and cut the calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer can determine a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: KODAK ALARIS INC.
    Inventors: Robert Mindler, Richard Paoletti, Joseph Repass
  • Patent number: 11529809
    Abstract: An ink jet printing recording apparatus includes a belt which supports a recording medium; a heating portion which heats the belt; and an ink jet recording head which ejects an ink jet ink composition, the belt is provided with an adhesive layer, the ink jet ink composition contains a heat cross-linking component, and the belt is heated by the heating portion to a temperature lower than a reaction temperature of the heat cross-linking component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventors: Satoshi Tsubamoto, Kosuke Chidate, Minoru Yamada, Ryota Miyasa, Tasuku Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11511557
    Abstract: An inkjet recording medium, comprising an ink-receiving layer containing an inorganic pigment, a binder, an inkjet ink-fixing agent comprising a cationic compound, and organic spherical particles disposed on at least one surface of a base paper, wherein the ink-receiving layer further contains a water-soluble metal salt and 5 parts by weight or more to 15 parts by weight or less of polyvinyl alcohol (A) with a polymerization degree of 700 or less and 20 parts by weight or more to 40 parts by weight or less of polyvinyl alcohol (B) with a polymerization degree of 1200 or more as the binder with respect to 100 parts by weight of the ink-receiving layer; and a volume 50% average particle diameter (D50) as measured by a laser diffraction/scattering method of the organic spherical particles is 15.0 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Kutsuwa, Tadashi Yoshida, Kentaro Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11504985
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a control unit that acquires information regarding shapes and sizes of a recording material and a transport material to which the recording material is to be bonded. The control unit is configured to operate in a first recording mode in which a positioning pattern is recorded on the transport material, the positioning pattern being used to position the recording material on the transport material, and also configured to operate in a second recording mode in which the data is recorded on the recording material positioned on the transport material during transport of the transport material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ito, Kensuke Tamai
  • Patent number: 11505288
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes acquiring positional information regarding a pallet being translated on a conveyance system with an encoding sensor disposed proximate to the conveyance system. The method also includes receiving, with at least one processor, the positional information from the encoding sensor. Further, the method includes determining timing information using the positional information. The timing information corresponds to when a substrate disposed on the pallet will be in a print zone of a print head. The method further includes controlling the print head to print on the substrate when the substrate is in the print zone and passing beneath the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Tracy Kucaba, Paul Konrath, Jared Herring
  • Patent number: 11465439
    Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a printed paper layer. The method may involve providing the paper layer with a printed pattern. Providing the printed pattern may involve depositing water based inks using a digital inkjet printer. The water based inks may be pigment containing inks. The dry weight of the deposited pigment containing inks may be lower than 9 grams per square meter. The paper layer may include an inkjet receiver coating, such that the inks are deposited on the inkjet receiver coating. The paper layer may have a mean air resistance according to the Gurley method (Tappi T460) of below 30 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Flooring Industries Limited, SARL
    Inventor: Benjamin Clement
  • Patent number: 11446939
    Abstract: A recording device includes a recording unit capable of performing recording on a medium, a transporting belt capable of transporting the medium, and a first contact portion and a second contact portion that contact the transporting belt, and are inclined in mutually different directions with respect to a movement direction of the transporting belt, wherein when a direction orthogonal to the movement direction and along the transporting belt is an orthogonal direction, a range, in which the first contact portion and the second contact portion are provided, in the orthogonal direction is wider than a width dimension of the transporting belt in the orthogonal direction, and an interval between the first contact portion and the second contact portion in the orthogonal direction increases in the movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Aoki
  • Patent number: 11400724
    Abstract: An ink receptacle includes an inner bag filled with an aqueous ink jet ink and a pliable sheath containing the inner bag. The inner bag contains a gas phase in a volume fraction of 0.001 or more relative to the capacity of the inner bag. The aqueous ink jet ink contains a dispersed component, an acetylene glycol surfactant having an HLB of 11 or more, and an acetylene glycol surfactant having an HLB of 9 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventors: Hideki Okada, Kosuke Chidate, Tasuku Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11383526
    Abstract: Provided are an inkjet printer and an inkjet printing method with which, when image forming is performed on a web-shaped printing base material with inkjet inks, nozzles for discharging the inks are less liable to clog, streaks or density unevenness is less liable to occur at the time of solid printing, and a density of a single-color printing portion is easily increased. The inkjet printer for an inkjet ink is configured to perform image forming by discharging inkjet inks on a web-shaped printing base material by a single-pass method. The inkjet printer includes: a conveyance mechanism configured to continuously convey the web-shaped printing base material; a plurality of single-pass inkjet heads configured to discharge the inkjet inks to a front surface of the web-shaped printing base material conveyed by the conveyance mechanism; and a curing device configured to cure the inkjet inks discharged on the front surface of the web-shaped printing base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: THINK LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuo Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11345826
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device includes an ink containing unit to contain a clear aqueous ink containing a resin, a compound represented by the following Chemical formula, and water, where R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a discharging head to discharge the clear aqueous ink to printed matter to form a layer thereon in a low gloss printing mode or high gloss printing mode, and a heating device to heat the printed matter, wherein the heating device heats the printed matter satisfying the following relationship 1: Tlgloss>Thgloss 1, where Tlgloss represents the temperature of the printed matter at a low gloss printing region in the low gloss printing mode and Thgloss represents the temperature of the printed matter in the high gloss printing mode when the clear aqueous ink is attached to the printed matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Kiminori Masuda, Mio Akima
  • Patent number: 11285740
    Abstract: A printer comprises at least one longitudinal cutter module to cut a print medium in a longitudinal direction with respect to a print media advance direction. The printer comprises a controller to position the longitudinal cutter module along a direction perpendicular to the print media advance direction. The controller is to receive a full-bleed print job and in response to receive print job to position the at least one cutter module along the direction perpendicular to the print media advance direction. The longitudinal cutter module is positioned by the controller to longitudinally cut the print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Isabel Sanz Ananos, Martin Urrutia Nebreda
  • Patent number: 11235608
    Abstract: A method for forming a printed material includes forming an image on a recording medium; applying particles to a surface of the recording medium, the surface having the image formed thereon; heating the particles applied to the recording medium; and pressurizing, in a thickness direction, a multilayer body obtained by folding the recording medium so that the heated particles are sandwiched between flaps of the recording medium or a multilayer body obtained by placing another medium on top of the recording medium with the heated particles therebetween. The particles contain a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin. The (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contains two (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units relative to a total of polymerization components is 90 mass % or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Iida, Satoshi Kamiwaki, Sakae Takeuchi, Satomi Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 11235593
    Abstract: A method for forming a printed material includes forming an image on a recording medium; applying particles to a surface of the recording medium, the surface having the image formed thereon; heating the particles applied to the recording medium; and pressurizing, in a thickness direction, a multilayer body obtained by folding the recording medium so that the heated particles are sandwiched between flaps of the recording medium or a multilayer body obtained by placing another medium on top of the recording medium with the heated particles therebetween. The particles contain a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin. The (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contains two (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units relative to a total of polymerization components is 90 mass % or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Iida, Satoshi Kamiwaki, Sakae Takeuchi, Satomi Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 11235587
    Abstract: An example of an inkjet pre-treatment fluid for dye sublimation printing consists of a humectant; a cationic polymer; a surfactant; a co-solvent present in an amount up to about 50 wt % based on a total weight of the inkjet pre-treatment fluid; and a balance of water. In an example of a printing method, the inkjet pre-treatment fluid is inkjet printed onto a textile substrate to form a pre-treated area on the textile substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Howard Doumaux, Ronald Albert Askeland, Raffaella Fior
  • Patent number: 11225066
    Abstract: A print system and a method for detecting and correcting underperforming LEDs in-line of a 3D object printer are disclosed. For example, the print system includes a plurality of printheads arranged in a two-dimensional array, a curing light source, an inline detection and correction (IDC) system, a movable member to hold an object and a test plate and a controller to control movement of the movable member to move the object and the test plate past the array of printheads, to operate the plurality of printheads to eject a marking material onto the object as the object passes the two-dimensional array of printheads, to operate the curing light source apply energy to the test plate and to cure the marking material, and to operate the IDC system to read the test plate to confirm that the curing light source is operating correctly based on a reading of the test plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Matthew LeFevre, Paul McConville, Douglas K. Herrmann, Seemit Praharaj, Michael Jon Levy
  • Patent number: 11220115
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveyance unit for conveying a print medium fed from a feeding apparatus, a detection unit for detecting the fed print medium, a printhead, provided downstream of the detection unit with respect to a conveyance direction of the print medium, for printing an image by discharging ink to the conveyed print medium, and a heating unit, provided downstream of the printhead with respect to the conveyance direction, for heating the print medium on which the image is printed. The printing apparatus exclusively controls to stop driving of the heating unit if it is determined, based on a timing of detecting the print medium, that the print medium is at a print position, and to drive the heating unit if it is determined that the print medium is not at the print position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Edamura
  • Patent number: 11192375
    Abstract: DOD ink delivery systems and methods are described herein that are used in DOD card printing systems of card processing systems for supplying ink for DOD printing on plastic cards of the type that bear personalized data unique to the intended cardholder and/or which bear other card information. The DOD ink delivery system is configured to recirculate the ink, or have a second pressure damper container that provides damping to eliminate large and abrupt spikes in ink pressure which can disturb the meniscus of the ink in each nozzle of the print head generated by a vacuum system, or simultaneously operate a supply pump at a lower flow rate than a return pump during an autofill/autodrain procedure on the ink delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Entrust Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Sarkinen, Brian O'Dell, Kyle Johnson, Randy Jordan
  • Patent number: 11142009
    Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a pressing roller for pressing a web for removing ink adhering to a conveying surface of a resist roller that conveys a sheet on which the ink has been discharged, against the conveying surface. A cleaning liquid supply unit supplies a cleaning liquid to an unused portion of the web. A web drive mechanism supplies the unused portion of the web to the nip region between the pressing roller and the conveying surface. A controller supplies the unused portion to which the cleaning liquid has been supplied by the cleaning liquid supply unit to the nip region by using the web driving mechanism thereby removing the ink from the conveying surface, and subsequently supplies the unused portion to which the cleaning liquid has not been supplied to the nip region by the web driving mechanism thereby removing the cleaning liquid remaining on the conveying surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Kei Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11135857
    Abstract: A system for a partially dried inkjet media conditioner can include a heated pressure roller to apply pressure to a first side of partially dried inkjet media and apply heat to a second side of the partially dried inkjet media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alan Shibata, Matthew Raisanen
  • Patent number: 11123996
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing head that performs printing in a printing region of a first surface of a medium, a support portion that supports a second surface of a medium, a transport unit that transports the medium in a transport direction, and a static electricity eliminating material that is provided facing the second surface and that eliminates, in a non-contact manner with the medium, static electricity accumulated in the medium. The support portion includes a spacer that maintains a predetermined distance between the medium and the static electricity eliminating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akina Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11077670
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of this invention, an apparatus comprises: a detachable inktank containing ink; a subtank containing the ink supplied from the inktank; a printhead configured to discharge the ink supplied from the subtank; an ink supply path connecting the subtank to the printhead; a valve arranged on the ink supply path; a supply unit configured to supply the ink from the inktank to the subtank by repeatedly opening and closing the valve; a suction unit configured to suck the ink from the printhead; and a control unit configured to control, when the inktank is attached, the supply unit to operate for a predetermined number of times to supply the ink from the inktank to the subtank, and to subsequently control the suction unit to operate to supply the ink from the subtank to the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Danzuka, Naoaki Wada, Kazuki Narumi, Tomoki Yamamuro, Hiroshi Taira, Akiko Aichi, Noboru Kunimine, Taku Yokozawa, Kazuo Suzuki, Kazuhiko Sato, Masataka Kato, Shin Genta, Hiroto Kango
  • Patent number: 11077679
    Abstract: A marker transport system and a method of operating the marker transport system can include one or more print heads and a marker transport platen upon which a sheet of media moves. The transport platen can include airflow sections comprising process-direction slots. The plates can move in a cross-process direction, and can control airflow in an area under the print heads. The one or more plates in a first position can allow for airflow when the sheet of media is located at the first position and in a second position can block the airflow at the second position. A vacuum can be provided under the sheet of media as the sheet of media traverses a print path across the marker transport platen. A no-vacuum inter-document zone can be provided, which moves along with the sheet of media under the one or more print heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David A. VanKouwenberg, Seemit Praharaj, Michael J. Levy, Douglas K. Herrmann, Paul McConville, Chu-Heng Liu, Linn C. Hoover, Jason M. Lefevre
  • Patent number: 11074441
    Abstract: Image analysis processing is performed on a scanned image to detect a document area and, based on the detected document area, a tilt-corrected document image is obtained by extraction and tilt correction of the document image. Further, an image output size of printing an image in a repeat target area specified based on the tilt-corrected document image is specified, magnification of the image in the repeat target area is changed to the output size, and the image is repeatedly laid out within a specified sheet size. Thus, in an apparatus that generates a repeat layout processed output image and controls print processing, an image output size which is the same as an image output size for the front side of a sheet is specified for the back side of the sheet in a case where the repeat layout processing is performed on both the sides of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Miyauchi, Naoki Ito, Yutaro Kamata
  • Patent number: 11065889
    Abstract: A method and equipment to form a digital image on a surface by applying a powder layer including colour pigments on the surfaces, bonding a part of the powder and removing the non-bonded powder from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: CERALOC INNOVATION AB
    Inventor: Darko Pervan
  • Patent number: 11059988
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method is provided for a low or non-absorbable recording medium using a solution containing a colored ink, a clear ink, and an aggregating agent for aggregating constituents in the colored ink. The method includes: causing the solution containing the aggregating agent to adhere to the recording medium; and a main scanning in which the colored and the clear inks are ejected while relative positions of an ink jet head and the recording medium are changed to a main scanning direction, and a sub-scanning in which the relative positions of the ink jet head and the recording medium are changed to a sub-scanning direction. The main scanning involves a region where a recording region in which the colored ink is ejected in the main scanning and a recording region in which the clear ink is ejected in the main scanning overlap one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Inventors: Ippei Okuda, Tsuyoshi Sano
  • Patent number: 11027544
    Abstract: An ink jet method includes: a discharging step of discharging a radiation-curable ink jet composition onto a recording medium at an ink weight per dot of 22 ng/dot or less by using an ink jet head configured to discharge the radiation-curable ink jet composition and having a nozzle density of 600 npi or more; and an irradiating step of irradiating, with radiation, the radiation-curable ink jet composition attached to the recording medium. The radiation-curable ink jet composition contains polymerizable compounds including a monofunctional monomer and a multifunctional monomer. The monofunctional monomer includes a nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomer. The amount of the monofunctional monomer is 90 mass % or more relative to the total amount of the polymerizable compounds. The amount of the nitrogen-containing monofunctional monomer is from 1 to 15 mass % relative to the total amount of the polymerizable compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Keitaro Nakano, Kyohei Tanaka, Midori Sekine, Chigusa Sato
  • Patent number: 11027560
    Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to printing systems. In one example, a printing system can include a first excimer irradiation source positioned to irradiate a media substrate. Additionally, an inkjet print head can be positioned with respect to the excimer irradiation source to form a printed image on the media substrate after irradiation with the excimer irradiation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jay Shields
  • Patent number: 11001056
    Abstract: The invention relates to a printing control device (10) to control printing of a cover layer on a tissue or cell sample to be examined, a system (1) for printing of a cover layer (1) on a tissue or cell sample to be examined, a method to control printing of a cover layer on a tissue or cell sample to be sample to be examined, a computer program element for controlling such device or system for performing such method and a computer readable medium having stored such computer program element. The printing control device (10) comprises an imaging unit (11) and a printing control unit (12). The imaging unit (11) is configured to provide image data of the sample, and to determine a local image parameter from the image data. The local image parameter relates to local tissue porosity and/or a local capillary force of the sample. The printing control unit (12) is configured to control a printing parameter for printing the cover layer on the sample based on the local image parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Anke Pierik, Reinhold Wimberger-Friedl, Danielle Elisa Willemine Clout, Fei Zuo, Ruud Vlutters
  • Patent number: 10990052
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an image former and a detection sensor. The image former forms an image on paper delivered in a first paper delivery path. The detection sensor includes an irradiator and an acquirer. The irradiator and the acquirer are arranged at positions facing each other through the first paper delivery path. The irradiator irradiates the paper with a predetermined pattern image while the paper is passing through the detection sensor. The acquirer acquires a calculation image including a transmission image formed after the predetermined pattern image has been transmitted through the paper. In the image formation apparatus, the degree of image expansion is calculated from a predetermined area including the transmission image in the calculation image, and printing conditions are adjusted according to the degree of image expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Usui
  • Patent number: 10974530
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a water-insoluble pattern on and/or within a substrate is described. Also described, is a substrate obtained by such a method, a product including such a substrate and the use of the substrate in different applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: OMYA INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Roger Bollström, Patrick A. C. Gane
  • Patent number: 10960692
    Abstract: A printer includes a printer main body that performs printing on a medium, a supporting frame that supports the printer main body from a lower side, a tension applying mechanism including a tension bar that comes into contact with a medium before printing and applies a tension to the medium, and a first roll attaching portion and a second roll attaching portion to which the medium before printing wound into a roll shape is attachable. The roll attaching portion, the tension bar, and the roll attaching portion are disposed on a back side of the supporting frame and are disposed in such order from a supporting frame side; and a medium after printing is wound into a roll shape on a front side of the supporting frame. The tension applying mechanism includes a frame having a guide groove for guiding the tension bar in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomonori Amari