Physical Handling Patents (Class 347/104)
  • Patent number: 12291048
    Abstract: A control device for controlling an image processing apparatus including a disposition unit on which a printing medium is disposed and which has a plurality of suction holes for sucking the printing medium includes a display controller that displays, on a display, a display screen which is a screen showing the positions of the plurality of suction holes in the disposition unit, a selection receiver that receives selection of suction holes from the plurality of suction holes whose positions are displayed on the display screen, and an execution controller that performs control such that a suction operation is executed through at least some of the selected suction holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroka Osano
  • Patent number: 12269261
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a processing unit and a medium reception unit. The medium reception unit includes a flexible sheet-shaped reception member, a turning shaft coupled to one end of the reception member, an operation part coupled to the other end of the reception member, a pair of supporting parts configured to support both ends of the operation part, a rack provided to supporting parts, and a turning shaft gear configured to the rack. The reception member is wound around the turning shaft and housed inside the housing when the operation part approaches the turning shaft. The reception member is drawn out from the turning shaft to hang downward such that the medium is receivable when the operation part is separated from the turning shaft. A non-linkage structure in which the movement of the operation part and the turning of the turning shaft are temporarily not linked is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Bosoku, Shun Ito, Atsuhiko Takeuchi, Yosuke Nakano
  • Patent number: 12264024
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sensor, a roller, a support, circuitry, and a spool. The sensor detects a step at a leading end of a sheet roll. The roller and the sensor are disposed at different positions in a circumferential direction of the sheet roll. The support supports the sensor and the roller to bring the sensor and the roller into contact with the sheet roll. The circuitry acquires a sensor signal. The spool is insertable through a sheet tube of the sheet roll to rotate the sheet roll. The sensor and the roller face an axial center of the spool. The support is pivotable within a range in which the sensor does not contact the spool. The circuitry detects first and second inclinations of the sensor signal when the leading end passes by the roller and the sensor, respectively, to determine whether the leading end is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Katsumi Okada
  • Patent number: 12240228
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure relate generally to a printing apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatuses, systems, and methods for printing utilizing laser print head and reactive media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Sze Ping Ching, Suraini Binte Saptu, Phek Thong Lee, Cheng Khoon Ng, Deenadayalan Durairaju, Florante Sumalinog Go, David Pratama Djayaputra, Eng Hing Lim, Rajan Narayanaswami, Yong Xing Shu
  • Patent number: 12240227
    Abstract: A regulation device regulates movement in a width direction of a rolled sheet which is a recording medium of a printer. The regulation device includes: a first rack gear connected to one guide support unit supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to one side of the width direction is regulated, and provided to be movable in the width direction; a second rack gear connected to the other guide support unit supporting the rolled sheet so that movement to the other side of the width direction is regulated, and provided to be movable in the width direction; a pinion gear engaging with the first and second rack gears; and a regulation gear that engages with the pinion gear to rotate and regulates the movement of the first and second rack gears by regulating the rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Sanada
  • Patent number: 12202281
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit including a recorder configured to perform recording on a medium, and a first side plate and a second side plate being a pair of side plates positioned across the recording unit, and configured to support the recording unit. An apparatus gravity center position is on a side close to the second side plate with respect to an intermediate position between the first side plate and the second side plate, and the number of components, of the recording unit, supported by the first side plate is smaller than the number of components, of the recording unit, supported by the second side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusaku Amano, Takeshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 12194736
    Abstract: A printing system having a vacuum transfer belt conveyor includes a fixed or movable perforated platen that supports workpieces, e.g., substrates, boards or other parts, to be printed. The printing system is configured to apply vacuum action through apertures or perforations defined through the perforated platen. In an embodiment, the print system is configured to mitigate deflection of ink drops, through the implementation of both a passive system, which reduces air flow in the region below the a print bar that includes one or more printheads, as well as an active system, which distributes the workpieces, e.g., substrates or boards, with respect to perforations in the transfer belt. In some embodiments, the perforated platen is comprised of a plurality of modular plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Juan Escudero Gonzalez, Eduardo Bueno Espinal
  • Patent number: 12184821
    Abstract: A scanner includes the following features. A first driven roller sandwiches a document together with a first drive roller and is capable of rotating in a driven manner. A second driven roller sandwiches a document together with a second drive roller and is capable of rotating in a driven manner. A driving unit rotationally drives the first drive roller and the second drive roller. A transmission unit transmits a rotational force from one of the first driven roller and the second driven roller to another of the first driven roller and the second driven roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhito Noda, Keisuke Miyauchi, Kiyotaka Nakamura, Shuichi Kadota, Hidenori Harada
  • Patent number: 12168358
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to perform recording on a recording medium placed at a first position, a placement unit configured to place the recording medium on the placement unit, and a pressing member configured to apply a pressing force to the recording medium placed on the placement unit toward the placement unit in a case where the recording medium is at the first position, and to release the pressing force in a case where the recording medium moves from the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuka Tani, Toshiaki Tokisawa, Soma Nakai, Keisuke Arita
  • Patent number: 12162269
    Abstract: An inkjet printer (500) for printing on cloth (300) comprising a first vacuum belt (150) for conveying an unwoven fabric (200) which is, configured as a second vacuum belt, for conveying under an inkjet print head (505) a cloth (300); and a device for applying pressure to said cloth (300) on said second vacuum belt; wherein said device comprises a portion for traversing said cloth (300) with a rub by a relative movement between said pressure device and said second vacuum belt, carrying said cloth (300).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Agfa NV
    Inventor: Luc De Roeck
  • Patent number: 12157300
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, having a conveyer configured to convey a recording medium along a first conveying direction, an image recorder to record an image on the recording medium supported by a supporting portion, a liquid storage arranged on an outside of the supporting portion in a direction intersecting with the first conveying direction, a cutter assembly to cut the recording medium, and a controller, is provided. The controller is configured to move the cutter assembly to an outside of the supporting portion in a scanning direction, which intersects with the first conveying direction, to cut the recording medium; and control the cutter assembly to stand by at a standby position located on a side of the supporting portion opposite to the side, on which the liquid storage is arranged, on the other outside of the supporting portion in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Tsuji
  • Patent number: 12151486
    Abstract: A table mover includes a table assembly including a table carriage to support a table, and the table assembly is movable in sub-scanning directions along a first slide rail fixed to a left side frame and a second slide rail fixed to a right side frame. The table carriage includes a first left fixer to which a left fixing bracket coupled to a left slider to be engaged with the first slide rail is fixed and a first right fixer to which a right fixing bracket coupled to a right slider to be engaged with a second slide rail is fixed. The first left fixer is elastically deformable in main scanning directions relative to the left side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventor: Teruma Otsuka
  • Patent number: 12151466
    Abstract: A printer device includes a hopper configured to receive a roll of paper, a printing head, a conveyor, a flapper, and a remaining paper sensor. The printing head prints on the paper. The conveyor draws out an end of the paper from the roll and conveys the paper to the printing head. The flapper contacts an outer peripheral surface of the roll and presses the roll against an inner wall of the hopper at a drawing-out point where the paper is drawn out from the roll. The remaining paper sensor provides an indication that an amount paper remaining in the roll has reached a predetermined amount of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: In Seng Ooi
  • Patent number: 12138911
    Abstract: A printing device and method is described comprising: controlling movement of a printing medium along a printing medium path to position the printing medium relative to at least one printhead to allow printing on the printing medium by the at least one printhead; and applying a plurality of respective elastic forces in a direction substantially perpendicular to the printing medium path, wherein the respective elastic forces are applied by a plurality of elastic elements of a modular assembly arranged laterally across a width of the printing medium path, wherein the printing medium acts against the elastic forces of the respective elastic elements of the modular assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Eduard Lores Garcia, Martin Urrutia Nebreda, Andres Cano de la Fuente
  • Patent number: 12115793
    Abstract: At least one printing fluid of a printing fluid supply system of a printing press is changed. A printing unit of the printing press includes a print head. At least a first printing fluid or second printing fluid is selectively conducted from at least one supply unit to the print head. The at least one supply unit includes a reservoir of the first printing fluid and a reservoir of the second printing fluid. The at least one supply unit further includes an intermediate tank of the first printing fluid and an intermediate tank of the second printing fluid arranged between the reservoirs and the print head in the flow direction of printing fluid. The first and second printing fluids are conducted from their respective intermediate tanks to the print head, and there is no return of the printing fluids from the intermediate tanks to the respective reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: KOENIG & BAUER AG
    Inventors: Joachim Keupp, Marius Malina, Christian Michel, Andreas Rumpel, Patrick Walter
  • Patent number: 12090762
    Abstract: A control portion sets, as a control period, a period after arrival, at a position opposite a recording head, of a first recording medium until passage, at the position opposite the recording head, of a last recording medium. The control portion sets nozzles that do not face the recording medium during the control period as first nozzles, and nozzles that face the recording medium during the control period as second nozzles, to make the total amount of ink ejected by each of the first nozzles in flashing processing during the control period smaller than the total amount of ink ejected by each of the second nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 12092979
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus configured to convey a sheet includes a reversing portion, a reversing retraction portion provided in the reversing portion, a conveyance portion, a guide member provided in the reversing retraction portion, and a fan provided in the conveyance portion. The reversing portion conveys the sheet in a first direction and then a second direction opposite to the first direction. The reversing retraction portion temporarily retracts the sheet conveyed in the first direction. The conveyance portion has a conveyance path through which the sheet conveyed in the second direction passes and configured to convey the sheet. The guide member guides one surface of the sheet. The fan blows air toward the sheet guided by the guide member and is disposed to blow the air of the conveyance path in the conveyance portion toward the reversing retraction portion and along the guide member in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 12083807
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus in which: a platen includes a plurality of contact portions configured to be brought into contact with a printing medium to support the printing medium, and a plurality of non-contact portions configured not to be brought into contact with the printing medium; the plurality of contact portions are disposed at positions differing from each other in a transport direction, and are each provided between the non-contact portions; and when performing marginless printing for discharging ink to an end portion, in the transport direction, of the printing medium, a control unit changes an area of a nozzle used in the marginless printing to any of a plurality of nozzle areas corresponding respectively to the plurality of non-contact portions in the transport direction, in accordance with deposit information indicating the amount of deposits of the ink at the non-contact portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 12076981
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes a first tray for supporting sheets, a storage body for storing ink, a head for ejecting ink, a platen positioned between the head and the first tray, and a first guide member. The platen is configured to support a first surface of the sheet conveyed rearward at a position below the head. The first guide member is positioned frontward of the head and has a first curved surface configured to guide the first surface of the sheet conveyed from the first tray toward the platen. The first guide member has a portion arranged in alignment with the storage body in a widthwise direction perpendicular to an up-down direction and a front-rear direction. The first guide member has a portion positioned at the same height as the storage body in the up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa, Yoshinori Osakabe, Hirotaka Aoki, Takashi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 12073130
    Abstract: A control apparatus analyzes a job used to execute print processing and acquires sheet information of a page included in the job, decides a print speed in the print processing based on the acquired information, and executes the print processing using the decided print speed. The sheet information of each of a plurality of pages included in the job is acquired, the print speed is decided based on the acquired information, and the print processing is executed using the decided print speed. Print processing is not executed during the acquisition of the sheet information of each of the plurality of pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiji Kanamoto, Shogo Higashi, Kazuo Wakai, Koichiro Manabe, Kosuke Tsujita
  • Patent number: 12070937
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of set units to set rolled print media, a conveyance unit to convey the print media, a printing unit, a detection unit, and display units. The printing unit prints an image on the print media conveyed by the conveyance unit. The detection unit detects whether any one of the print media is fed to a predetermined printable position at which printing is performable by the printing unit. Each display unit is provided on a different one of the plurality of set units and configured to indicate whether a print medium set in a corresponding set unit is being fed. When the printing unit performs printing on the print medium, each display unit indicates whether the print medium set in the corresponding set unit is being fed in accordance with a result of detection performed by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouhei Tokuda, Toshinobu Tokita, Hideyuki Nozawa, Yasuyuki Asai, Ryutaro Taira
  • Patent number: 12064957
    Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including: an endless belt which extends in a conveying direction and which has a conveying surface configured to convey a medium; a driver configured to rotate the endless belt along the conveying direction; a support which is aligned with the endless belt in an orthogonal direction being parallel to the conveying surface and orthogonal to the conveying direction, the support having a pair of support walls extending in the conveying direction, and arranged at an interval in the orthogonal direction so as to define between each other a space opened in an orientation in which the conveying surface faces; an air flow generator configured to generate an air flow allowed to flow along the conveying direction in the space between the support walls; and a recorder configured to record an image on the medium supported by the endless belt and the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Sugiura, Masayuki Okumura, Shigeki Kato
  • Patent number: 12053975
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a first roller that nips and conveys, in a conveyance direction, a printing medium, a second roller that nips and conveys the printing medium at a downstream side of the first roller in the conveyance direction, a print unit that prints an image on the printing medium conveyed by the second roller, and a control unit that, until printing by the print unit reaches a vicinity of a trailing end of a print length, sets a nip pressure of the first roller to a first pressure, and when printing by the print unit reaches the vicinity of the trailing end of the print length, sets the nip pressure of the first roller to a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Hada, Masato Eiyama
  • Patent number: 12058293
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a guide member that guides a medium by bringing the medium into contact with a contact surface of a medium placement portion is displaceable between a first position at which the contact surface forms a first inclination angle with respect to a placement surface when viewed in a width direction and a second position at which the contact surface forms a second inclination angle with respect to the placement surface when viewed in the width direction, the guide member moves from a first position to a second position as the medium placement portion moves from an opening position to an accommodation position, and moves from the second position to the first position as the medium placement portion moves from the accommodation position to the opening position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaki Namiki
  • Patent number: 12023909
    Abstract: A printing device includes an input tray in which sheets of media are loadable and a media guide movably adjustable along a dimension of the input tray and positionable against the sheets. The printing device includes a drive conductor electrically exposed parallel to the dimension of the input tray, detect conductors differently electrically exposed parallel to the dimension of the input tray, and a cross-conductor disposed on the media guide. The cross-conductor selectively electrically connects the drive conductor with the detect conductors according to a current media guide position to permit detection of the current media guide position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Dan Rothenbuhler, Kenneth K. Smith, Choon Siang Peck, Inn Chyun Goh, Aiqiang Yang, Jeffrey Nursalim
  • Patent number: 12020969
    Abstract: An aligner includes a driving pulley connected to a motor, a toothed belt hung with respect to a driven pulley connected to a spindle, and a pulley detection sensor detecting the rotation position of the driven pulley. Each time the driving pulley rotates the driven pulley once, the misalignment in the direction of rotation of the driven pulley is detected and a correction value of the rotational misalignment of the driven pulley is calculated based on the driving and driven pulleys having a known rotation ratio. In a case where the rotation angle information of the driving motor is lost, detection data for calibration is created so that a correction value corresponding to the current phases of the driven pulley and the toothed belt after origin search is searched for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: RORZE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daigo Tamatsukuri, Yasuharu Yamamoto, Katsumi Andoh
  • Patent number: 12015741
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to printing apparatuses and methods of operating the same. In various embodiments, a method of operating a printing apparatus to generate to generate an alert signal corresponding to a detected operating condition associated with the printing apparatus comprises selectively operating a drive component to generate an alert signal corresponding to a detected operating condition defined by the printing apparatus, the alert signal being defined by a vibration of the printing apparatus, wherein the drive component is configured to be operably engaged with a print media disposed within the printing apparatus such that the operation of the drive component causes a corresponding movement of the print media along a printing path defined by the printing apparatus; and wherein an operation of the drive component is defined at least in part by a rotation of the drive component in one or more rotational directions about a central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Phek Thong Lee, Christian Knut Schulz-Janisch, Kin Song Chan, Teng Beng Low, Jennelyn Libuit Requinto
  • Patent number: 12008273
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing having a front section and a rear section opposite to the front section in a front-rear direction, a print engine, a user interface disposed at the front section, a controller and a memory interface having a plurality of ports including a first port disposed at the front section and a second port disposed at the rear section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshikazu Hori
  • Patent number: 11964476
    Abstract: A print device includes a supply unit, a print unit, a conveyer, a tensioner, and a rotor. The conveyer is configured to nip and to convey, with a pair of rollers, a long medium in a conveyance direction. The tensioner is configured to contact a second surface of the medium to cause the medium to bend. The tensioner is pivotably supported at a position upstream of the conveyer in the conveyance direction. The rotor is rotatably supported at a position upstream of the conveyer in the conveyance direction, and positioned downstream, in the conveyance direction, of an upstream end portion, in the conveyance direction, of the tensioner. The rotor is positioned such that an upper end of the rotor and a nipped point are at a same height. The rotor is configured to contact the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiya Tomatsu, Mitsugi Tanaka, Yoji Tsujishita, Masayuki Okumura
  • Patent number: 11964837
    Abstract: A method of operating a device to receive a print medium is disclosed. Rotation of a receiving device to receive a print medium is detected, whereby the rotation is caused by an external force. An assisting force is applied to further rotate the receiving device in response to the detected rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ezequiel Jordi Rufes Bernad, Lluis Valles Casanova, Joan Marti Velasco Figueras
  • Patent number: 11932009
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing section that performs printing on a medium containing calcium carbonate, a transport section that rotationally drives a transport belt that forms at least a portion of a transport path in which the medium is transported, a voltage supply section that supplies a charging voltage to a charging roller for charging the transport belt, a detection section that detects whether or not charging abnormality has occurred in the transport belt, a determination section that determines whether a cause of the charging abnormality is abnormality of the voltage supply section or abnormality of the transport belt, and a machine learning section that performs machine learning of a determination condition in the determination section, based on a learning model in which a rotation amount of the transport belt and a detection result of the detection section are associated with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Matsumoto, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 11932032
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a voltage supply section that supplies a charging voltage for charging a transport belt, a detection section that detects whether or not charging abnormality has occurred in the transport belt, and a determination section that determines a cause of the charging abnormality. The determination section determines that the cause of the charging abnormality is abnormality of the voltage supply section, when the movement period includes the period for which the detection section detects the charging abnormality and does not include the period for which the detection section does not detect the charging abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Matsumoto, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 11932033
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing section that performs printing on a medium containing calcium carbonate, a transport section that rotationally drives a transport belt that forms at least a portion of a transport path in which the medium is transported, a voltage supply section that supplies a charging voltage to a charging roller for charging the transport belt, a detection section that detects whether or not charging abnormality has occurred in the transport belt, and a determination section that determines whether abnormality has occurred in the voltage supply section or the transport belt, or abnormality has occurred in the voltage supply section and the transport belt, based on a rotation amount of the transport belt and the detection result of the detection section. The transport belt is coated with melamine resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Matsumoto, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 11932038
    Abstract: An authentication mark system and method are provided for authentication of an object having indicia associated therewith. The authentication mark system includes an inkjet printer configured to propel microscopic ink drops onto the object to form a pattern of ink on the object. A microscope camera has a lens directable at the pattern of ink on the object. The microscope camera records an enlarged image of the pattern of ink on the object. A processor is operatively connected to the microscope camera and is configured to transmit the enlarged image of the pattern of ink and the indicia associated with the object to a database for secure storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Aharon A. Karan
  • Patent number: 11912047
    Abstract: A hybrid printing machine is described having both silk screening stations and a direct-to-garment digital printing station with a raster image processor to control a portion of a printing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: M&R Printing Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard C. Hoffman, Jr., Geoff Baxter
  • Patent number: 11897258
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a conveyor; a first conveyance path through which a print medium is conveyed in a first conveyance direction; an image recording device; a cutter provided downstream of the image recording device and configured to cut the print medium into a first print medium having a first region and a second print medium having a second region; and a controller configured to cause the printing apparatus to: record an image in the first region; after the recording, cut the print medium into the first and second print medium; after the cutting, discharge the first print medium to an outside; after the discharging, convey the second print medium in a second conveyance direction; and after the conveying, record an image in the second region of the second print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11890877
    Abstract: A food product platform, system and method for supporting a food product thereon during printing. The platform has a first surface for supporting the food product thereon, the first surface having a surface topography configured to securely support the food product thereon; and a second surface supporting an attachment mechanism for removably coupling to a reciprocal attachment mechanism on a receiving arm of a printer, wherein the attachment mechanism prevents movement of the platform with respect to the receiving arm when coupled to the receiving arm. The food product platform is removably connectable to the receiving arm manually and without the use of tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Primera Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. Cummins, Todd Britz, Erick Hagstrom
  • Patent number: 11884063
    Abstract: A friction reduction system for reducing friction of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) of a printing system, while the ITM is guided along the printing system by a guiding arrangement. The friction reduction system includes a fluid reservoir mounted within the printing system, a fluid depositing arrangement disposed along the ITM, and a control mechanism, adapted to control depositing of fluid, from the fluid depositing arrangement onto the guiding arrangement or onto at least a portion of the ITM. Depositing of the fluid reduces friction between the ITM and the guiding arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LANDA CORPORATION LTD.
    Inventors: Helena Chechik, Shoham Livaderu, Matan Bar-On, Zohar Goldenstein
  • Patent number: 11872806
    Abstract: A printer includes a recording unit, a platen unit, and a driving unit. The platen unit includes a support surface, a negative pressure chamber, a first suction port, a second suction port, and a third suction port, and a partition mechanism. The partition mechanism includes a shutter member, a lever member, and a coupling unit. The driving unit includes a motor and a cam. The coupling unit couples the shutter member and the lever member with a predetermined idle angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Ito, Haruna Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11845263
    Abstract: Provided is a technique that enables proper sorting of discharged print media by suppressing curling of each of the print media sufficiently. A determining unit determines a curling suppressing operation to be executed such that in a case where sorting operation is executed, the suppressing operation having a higher effect of suppressing curling is executed than in a case where the sorting operation is executed. Then, a print control unit controls a print head to perform printing on print media while executing the suppressing operation determined by the determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Somano, Kosuke Yamamoto, Norio Sakurai, Yuki Emoto, Kentaro Muro
  • Patent number: 11813848
    Abstract: A printer includes a printer body, a hopper, an open-and-close cover, a paper support, and a support holder. The hopper pushes paper up while supporting the paper. The open-and-close cover is able to be opened from and closed toward the printer body. The paper support is provided in such a way as to be able to be housed inside and drawn away from the open-and-close cover, and is configured to support the paper by being drawn out. The support holder supports the paper, together with the hopper and the paper support. The support holder switches between an upright orientation for being housed into the printer body and a tilted orientation for supporting the paper together with the hopper and the paper support by the opening and closing of the open-and-close cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventors: Toshio Miyake, Masaki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11815840
    Abstract: A printer includes a case including an input port for rolled paper, a cover provided to be rotatable between a closed position of the input port and an open position of the input port, a holding portion that holds the rolled paper, a biasing member that biases the holding portion in a first direction, a stopper mechanism that stops rotation of the holding portion in the first direction, and a linkage mechanism that rotates the holding portion in conjunction with the rotation of the cover. When the cover is in the closed position, the holding portion rotates in the first direction in accordance with an outer diameter of the rolled paper by a biasing force of the biasing member. When the cover rotates from the closed position to the open position, the holding portion rotates together with the cover against the biasing force of the biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Citizen Systems Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Daimon, Takeo Komiyama, Hiroyuki Yasuda, Katsunori Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11787168
    Abstract: A releasing system for a printing machine includes a pallet configured to support a substrate for receiving indicia printed thereon. A layer is disposed intermediate the pallet and the substrate. A releasing station selectively stretches the layer to release a surface of the substrate from a state of adhesion with the pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SCRIBE OPCO, INC.,
    Inventors: Steve Rosato, Andrew Chollett, Tim Sull
  • Patent number: 11787208
    Abstract: A printing device and method is described comprising: controlling movement of a printing medium along a printing medium path to position the printing medium relative to at least one printhead to allow printing on the printing medium by the at least one printhead; and applying a plurality of respective elastic forces in a direction substantially perpendicular to the printing medium path, wherein the respective elastic forces are applied by a plurality of elastic elements of a modular assembly arranged laterally across a width of the printing medium path, wherein the printing medium acts against the elastic forces of the respective elastic elements of the modular assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Eduard Lores Garcia, Martin Urrutia Nebreda, Andres Cano de la Fuente
  • Patent number: 11787204
    Abstract: There is provided a printer including: a printing part which is provided with: a conveyor configured to convey a medium in a conveying direction, a printing head having a plurality of nozzles from which an ink of a specified color is discharged and of which positions in the conveying direction are mutually different, the printing head being configured to discharge the ink from the plurality of nozzles to the medium so as to form dots in the medium, and a facing member configured to be capable of facing a print surface of the medium on an upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the plurality of nozzles of the printing head; and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shingo Saito
  • Patent number: 11780245
    Abstract: A recording device has: a recording head configured to perform recording on a medium; a medium storage below the recording head configured to store the medium to be recoded; a supply path comprising a first curved supply path curved so as to be convex upward and transporting the medium fed out of the medium storage in a reversed direction via the first curved supply path; and a reversing path comprising a second curved path curved so as to be convex downward and transporting the recorded medium into a direction including a vertically upward component via second curved path from a direction including a vertically downward component; wherein the supply path joins the reversing path, and the first curved path and the second curved path overlap when viewed horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Misawa, Toshihiro Imae
  • Patent number: 11776111
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to: acquire, as a first image, a read image of an image formed on a medium; generate a second image based on document data; detect reference points from the second image; compare the first image with the second image to calculate an amount of positional deviation of the medium for each of the reference points; detect, based on the amount of positional deviation, a malfunction of a conveying device that conveys the medium; cause an image forming apparatus to print a correction chart for correction of conveyance of the medium, in response to detection of the malfunction of the conveying device; calculate, from a read image of the correction chart, an amount of fluctuation in conveyance of the medium performed by the conveying device; and calculate a correction value for the calculated amount of fluctuation in conveyance of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Koyama
  • Patent number: 11752784
    Abstract: A printing system having a vacuum transfer belt conveyor includes a fixed or movable perforated platen that supports workpieces, e.g., substrates, boards or other parts, to be printed. The printing system is configured to apply vacuum action through apertures or perforations defined through the perforated platen. In an embodiment, the print system is configured to mitigate deflection of ink drops, through the implementation of both a passive system, which reduces air flow in the region below the a print bar that includes one or more printheads, as well as an active system, which distributes the workpieces, e.g., substrates or boards, with respect to perforations in the transfer belt. In some embodiments, the perforated platen is comprised of a plurality of modular plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Juan Escudero Gonzalez, Eduardo Bueno Espinal
  • Patent number: 11745524
    Abstract: There are provided a medium support section that forms a support surface that supports a medium before feeding; a feeding roller that sends out the medium supported by the medium support section in a feeding direction; and an apparatus main body, the medium support section is configured to switch between a stored state of being stored in the apparatus main body and a protruding state, the protruding state being a state where protrudes from a first side surface which is one of side surfaces that form a periphery of the apparatus main body, and in the protruding state of the medium support section, a downstream end of the support surface in the feeding direction is at a position close to a second side surface, which is a side surface opposite to the first side surface, between the first side surface and the second side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Nomoto, Toshihiro Kumagai, Masaharu Iwamoto, Keiichi Okamura
  • Patent number: 11745519
    Abstract: A direct heat vacuum platen having a main case with an open top portion, a print surface having a main top configured to fit over the open top portion of the main case, the main top having a rectangular arrangement of suction ports configured to secure an above print substrate using suction provided from vacuum fans attached to the main case, heating elements attached to a bottom portion of the main top, a thermoregulator having a thermostat controller attached to temperature sensors and the heating elements within the main case, and a power controller having a power slot attached to a power switch and main fuse holder, a fan fuse holder, the thermostat controller and the suction fans. The suction ports are configured to hold a print substrate of a desired size. The usage of the internal vacuum fans reduces noise and power usage when compared to external vacuum apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Said Canales, Victor Pena