Physical Handling Patents (Class 347/104)
  • Patent number: 10821750
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium, a first transport path through which the recording medium is transported in a first direction during the recording by the recording unit, and a second transport path which is connected to the first transport path at a downstream position of the recording unit in the first direction and through which the recording medium recorded by the recording unit is transported on a path that is different from the first transport path in a second direction that is different from the first direction. A transport distance between a position of the recording unit and a connecting position where the first transport path and the second transport path are connected to each other is configured to be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Niwa, Yasuo Sunaga
  • Patent number: 10814647
    Abstract: A medium discharging device includes a paper discharging tray that is disposed below a height position of a discharging roller which discharges a medium and includes a placing surface on which the medium discharged by the discharging roller is placed, and a supporting member that is configured to be movable between a retreat position on an upstream side and an advance position on a downstream side between the discharging roller and the placing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Kondo, Masayoshi Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 10806674
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey tablets sequentially supplied while sucking and holding the tablets; a print head arranged to face the conveyor to perform printing on each of the tablets being conveyed; a detector arranged upstream of the print head to detect the posture of each of the tablets; and a print condition tester arranged downstream of the print head to check print condition on each of the tablets. Suction force applied to the tablets is reduced at least in an area from a detection position to a print condition check position than in other area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Ogimoto, Ryo Ikuta, Yutaka Okabe, Hitoshi Aoyagi, Hikaru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10800189
    Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of performing jam processing includes a movable platen. For this purpose, once support of a platen supporting member is released, the platen will automatically turn to a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Matsuo, Seiji Ogasawara, Takaaki Ishida, Shuichi Tokuda, Masakazu Tsukuda, Masaaki Matsuura
  • Patent number: 10792941
    Abstract: A winding apparatus includes a winding core unit onto which a continuous medium is to be wound, the winding core unit having a notched portion having a shape in which a part of the winding core unit in a circumferential direction is cut out as viewed in an extending direction of the winding core unit, and a notch complementing unit to be detacheably inserted into the notched portion from one end portion side in the extending direction of the winding core unit, the notch complementing unit being configured to complement the notched portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Shintani
  • Patent number: 10792923
    Abstract: Certain examples described herein relate to calibrating a cleaning element for a printhead. A print medium sensor is aligned with a nozzle plane of the printhead to detect displacement, during a print job, of a print medium out of the nozzle plane. Relative movement between the cleaning element and the printhead is enacted. During this movement, activation of the print medium sensor is detected. A reference position for the cleaning element is stored based on the detected activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Francesc Tarrida Tirado, Marc Lupon Navazo, Alejandro Mielgo Barba
  • Patent number: 10787010
    Abstract: A print media feeding apparatus includes a stacking part configured to stack print media; a feeding roller which is movable to an abutting position at which the feeding roller contacts the print media stacked on the stacking part and to a separated position separated from the print media stacked on the stacking part and configured to feed a print medium by rotating at the abutting position; a separation member configured to separate the print media; and a return unit configured to perform a return operation of returning the print medium other than a top print medium which the feeding roller abuts. The feeding roller moves to the separated position after feeding the print medium from the stacking part. The return unit performs the return operation upon the feeding roller moving to the separated position. After the return operation, the feeding roller stops at the abutting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masakazu Tsukuda, Seiji Ogasawara, Takaaki Ishida, Shuichi Tokuda, Masaaki Matsuura, Kazuki Matsuo, Motoyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 10778853
    Abstract: A detection section that detects a value used for determining whether or not a jam of a paper sheet has occurred includes a sound detection unit that detects a sound and an auxiliary detection unit that detects a value different from the magnitude of a sound in the case where a jam of the paper sheet has occurred, and, in the case where the sound detection unit has detected a sound of a magnitude equal to or greater than a first threshold value, a control unit controls determines whether or not a jam of the paper sheet has occurred with reference to a detection result of the auxiliary detection unit, and controls a transport unit on the basis of a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Koyanagi, Kosuke Nomoto
  • Patent number: 10773537
    Abstract: The present invention embraces printers such as hand-held printers and mobile/portable printer. One exemplary embodiment includes “print as you glide” (PAYG) devices. Such printers may comprise a modular print engine that is removable from the printer and may allow a user to easily access and load the ribbon in the mobile print engine. The modular print engine may comprise a modular print head and an encoder that may determine the movement of the print head relative to a stationary media. When a printer is pressed against the media, the print head's burn line may be resting on the media. When the printer is stationary relative to the media, the encoder may not trigger the printing. Once PAYG is being slid or glided across the media, the encoder may start to rotate and then send a signal to a processor, causing the printer to start printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chin Young Wong, Yaw Horng Yap, Ching Hong Chua
  • Patent number: 10752457
    Abstract: An ink jet card printer includes an ink jet print head, a gantry, and a card feeder. The ink jet print head is configured to perform a print operation on a card supported in a print position along a processing axis. The gantry is configured to move the print head through a print zone. The card feeder includes a feeder frame, a first pinch roller pair, and a lift mechanism. The first pinch roller pair is supported by the feeder frame and is configured to feed individual cards along a card feed axis. The lift mechanism is configured to move the feeder frame and the first pinch roller pair between a lowered position, in which the card feeder is displaced from the print zone, and a raised position, in which at least a portion of the card feeder extends into the print zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventors: Ted M. Hoffman, Tanya Snyder, John Skoglund
  • Patent number: 10723138
    Abstract: The present disclosure is drawn to printing systems. In one example, a printing system can include an electrode having a plurality of electrode protrusions associated therewith and a conductive plate. The electrode and conductive plate can be positioned with respect to one another to generate an electric field therebetween and to allow a media substrate to be positioned therebetween to be exposed to the electric field. Additionally, an inkjet print head can form a printed image on the media substrate after exposure to the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Tracy A. Lang, Thomas A. Saksa, Jay Shields
  • Patent number: 10717617
    Abstract: A medium processing apparatus includes a processing section performing a process on a sheet-like medium; a transport roller pair including a driving roller and a driven roller, and transporting the medium in a transport path including a region in which the processing section performs a process; a first casing accommodating the processing section and the transport roller pair; a second casing configured to close and open with respect to the first casing; and a displacement mechanism displacing the transport roller pair to a separation position and a contact position. The displacement mechanism displaces the transport roller pair from the contact position to the separation position in conjunction with an operation of opening the second casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyagawa, Shingo Waki, Shota Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10696059
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided that prints a print target on a medium made of chemical fiber fabric. The printing apparatus includes inkjet heads which are chromatic color heads that eject inks having chromatic colors, and an inkjet head which is a black color head that ejects ink having black color. The inks ejected from these inkjet heads are allowed to dry by evaporation and each contain a solvent and a coloring material for expressing the ink color. The inks are dried by evaporating the solvents in the inks to be fixed to the medium. The chromatic color heads include at least six or more inkjet heads that respectively eject the inks having chromatic colors distinct from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 10694065
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a device including a media ramp, in examples, the device includes a scanner disposed in a scan zone to image a medium traveling across the scan zone; a transparent member disposed over the scan zone; a media ramp disposed adjacent to the scan zone to direct the medium to an exit; and a film element disposed underneath the transparent member and adjacent to the scan zone at a first end and disposed to extend over at least a portion of the media ramp at a second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Janczyk, Shannon Lai, Ryan M Smith, Mikah Chou
  • Patent number: 10668747
    Abstract: A printing suction system for a printer can include at least one print bar with at least one print head, and at least one suction device arranged in proximity to an underside of the print bar thereby forming a gap through which a recording medium that can be printed to by the print bar can be directed. The suction device can extend along at least a portion (or the entire) width of the print bar. The section device can generate a suction pressure based on a suction pressure profile to suction and smooth the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Production Printing Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Admir Lela
  • Patent number: 10668749
    Abstract: In one example, a system for a inline duplexer media path includes a first print media pathway extending from an input roller to an output roller, wherein the first print media pathway provides the print media through a print zone, and a second print media pathway extending from the output roller to the input roller, wherein the second print media pathway is substantially parallel and separate from the first print media pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jun Hong Goh, Xiaoxi Huang, Lian Chye Tan, Wei Lit Teoh
  • Patent number: 10661583
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, including a conveyor, a liquid ejection head with nozzles, a contact part to contact a surface of a recording medium and a controller, is provided. The controller executes printing processes including a first printing process with a first conveying action and a second printing process with a second conveying action. The controller obtains a length of a non-printing region in the recording medium, and in the second printing process, designates a nozzle within a contact range, in which the recording medium is maintained contacted by the contact part upon completion of the conveying action in a final printing process, to be a second nozzle, which is activated to print a most downstream part of the image. The longer the length of the non-printing region is, the closer nozzle closer to an upstream end of conveyance among the plurality of nozzles is designated to be the second nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 10647133
    Abstract: A medium transporting device provided in a printer includes a curved path in which a paper sheet after recording is curved and inverted, a plurality of first ribs that extend in a medium transportation direction in a facing area facing a recording head, that are provided at intervals in a width direction intersecting the medium transportation direction, and that form cockling on the paper sheet, a plurality of second ribs that are provided on an outer curved portion of the curved path, and a plurality of third ribs that are provided on an inner curved portion of the curved path. The plurality of second ribs and the plurality of third ribs are disposed at positions in the width direction that correspond to a mountain portion and a valley portion of the cockling of the paper sheet that is formed by the plurality of first ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Kazuo Otsuka
  • Patent number: 10639887
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction, a printing unit that prints on a printing surface of the medium, and a removal unit that is provided on an upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the transport unit and is provided so as to come into contact with the printing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuaki Sakai, Takao Yamamoto, Akira Ishikawa, Yusuke Makishima, Daiki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10632766
    Abstract: An inkjet printer, and a printing method with the inkjet printer, includes a first conveyor belt wrapped around a vacuum table and supported by an upstream pulley and a downstream pulley and a vacuum area on the first conveyor belt, and a second conveyor belt wrapped-around the first conveyor belt and supported by an upstream sliding support and a downstream sliding support. The second conveyor belt is adhered in the vacuum area by vacuum power and a print receiver is attached to the second conveyor belt for conveying and printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: AGFA NV
    Inventor: Luc De Roeck
  • Patent number: 10632761
    Abstract: A printer includes a body, a cloth holder to hold a cloth thereon, a receiver to hold and move back and forth while holding the cloth holder partially within the body of the printer, and a printing unit to print an image on the cloth held by the cloth holder held on the receiver. The cloth holder is detachably attached to the receiver while holding the cloth thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Kenji Hiratani, Yoshinori Uchino, Tsuyoshi Miyata, Daisuke Nakamura, Ryoh Idehara
  • Patent number: 10625522
    Abstract: An image adding system includes a cloth holder to hold a cloth to which an image is added, a printer to print the cloth held by the cloth holder with an image, and a heater to heat the cloth. The cloth holder is used by both the printer and the heater with the cloth held on the cloth holder when the printer prints the image on the cloth and the heater heats the cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakamura, Kazuyoshi Matsumoto, Kenji Hiratani, Yoshinori Uchino, Tsuyoshi Miyata, Kohei Chubachi
  • Patent number: 10625505
    Abstract: An inkjet printer including an inkjet head, a head scanning unit, a wave shape generating mechanism to deform a recording medium into a predetermined wave shape, an obtaining device to obtain information concerning a type of the recording medium to be used in a printing operation, a gap information storing device to store gap information related to a gap between an ink discharging surface and the recording medium in association with a predetermined type of the recording medium, the gap information being acquired from a predetermined range in the recording medium, and a correcting device to correct the gap information according to the type of the recording medium obtained by the obtaining device when the type of the recording medium obtained by the obtaining device is different from the predetermined type of the recording medium stored in association with the gap information, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 10618322
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction, a support portion that supports the medium that is transported by the transport unit in a width direction that intersects with the transport direction, a printing unit that performs printing on a front surface of the medium which is supported by the support portion, a detecting unit that receives reflected light which is emitted on a rear surface of the medium that is transported on a detection position that is provided in a transport path of the medium, and a light-shielding portion that faces the detecting unit with the medium interposed therebetween during at least transport of the medium by the transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: So Yokota
  • Patent number: 10601345
    Abstract: A piezoelectric driving device includes: a substrate including a fixed portion, and a vibrating body portion which is provided with a piezoelectric element and is supported by the fixed portion; and a contact portion which comes into contact with a driven body, and transmits movement of the vibrating body portion to the driven body, the contact portion is provided at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating body portion, and a difference between a distance between the end portion when the contact portion is not pressed against the driven body and a tip end of the contact portion, and a distance between the end portion when the contact portion is pressed against the driven body and the tip end, is smaller than a total amplitude in the longitudinal direction in a case where the vibrating body portion is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Takahashi, Yutaka Arakawa
  • Patent number: 10589549
    Abstract: Provided are a carriage structure capable of preventing a carriage from contacting a side edge of a print medium, without requiring a discharge roller and facilitating reducing device size, and a printer having the carriage structure. Disposed to a carriage 21 carrying and inkjet head 22 and moving bidirectionally through a range of movement including the conveyance path of a cut-sheet paper S are: a panel member 78 able to protrude in the direction of carriage 21 movement; and a moving mechanism 126 causing the panel member 78 to protrude to the conveyance path of the cut-sheet paper S when the carriage 21 is at a standby position (home position) set in the range of carriage 21 movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsugo Ishida, Takumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10562730
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction; conveyance rollers arranged downstream of the recording unit in the conveyance direction to be apart from each other in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction; first spur rollers arranged opposingly to the conveyance rollers respectively and configured to nip the sheet between the conveyance rollers and the first spur rollers; second spur rollers arranged between the mutually adjoining first spur rollers respectively in the width direction; and a first guide member arranged upstream of the first spur rollers and the second spur rollers in the conveyance direction; and having a first guide surface configured to guide the sheet to a nip position at which the sheet is nipped by the conveyance rollers and the first spur rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 10562323
    Abstract: A conveying device to convey a conveyed object includes a supporter, a blower, a negative pressure generator, and a divider. The supporter has a front surface to support the conveyed object. The supporter has an air-permeable structure. The blower blows air toward the front surface of the supporter. The negative pressure generator creates a negative pressure state in a space at a back surface side of the supporter. The negative pressure generator includes a suction unit to suck air in the space through a plurality of suction ports. The suction ports are disposed away from and opposed to a back surface of the supporter. The divider is disposed away from the back surface of the supporter between the suction ports and the back surface of the supporter in the space. The divider has a plurality of ventilation holes smaller in opening area than each of the suction ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Ohtake, Masato Ogawa, Kohki Asada, Ryohei Ito
  • Patent number: 10554833
    Abstract: A paper conveying device includes: a roller shaft having a first engaging portion and configured to rotate integrally with the first engaging portion; and a roller unit having a second engaging portion and provided on the roller shaft, the roller unit being configured to convey a sheet of paper as the roller unit rotates while being in contact with the sheet of paper. In an engaged state where the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion engage with each other, the roller unit is restricted from moving in an axis direction relative to the roller shaft. In a disengaged state where the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion disengage from each other, the roller unit is movable in the axis direction relative to the roller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yusuke Hirano
  • Patent number: 10549554
    Abstract: A platen includes: a supporting portion that can support a sheet; a suction unit that sucks the sheet in such a manner as to attach the sheet to the supporting portion; a first ink receiver that receives ink ejected downstream of the leading end of the sheet passing the supporting portion; and a second ink receiver that receives ink ejected upstream of the trailing end of the sheet passing the supporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuji Kurata, Seiji Ogasawara, Masakazu Tsukuda, Takahide Onuma, Yasunori Saito, Arihito Miyakoshi, Masahiko Kubota, Yusuke Imahashi, Nobuhito Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Arimizu, Yoshinori Itoh
  • Patent number: 10549548
    Abstract: A plant and a process for printing a sheet fibrous material. The plant includes a conveyor belt, a preparing station, and a printing station. The conveyor belt is configured for temporarily receiving in contact a first side of the sheet fibrous material and, during a predetermined operative condition, for continuously moving the sheet fibrous material along an advancement direction. The preparing station is configured for placing on the sheet fibrous material a treatment composition. The printing station is adapted to ink-print at least part of a second side, opposite to the first side, of the sheet fibrous material. The printing station includes a printing module which, during the predetermined operative condition, is configured for defining a print on an overall width of the sheet fibrous material, staying in a fixed position and printing the second side of the sheet fibrous material sliding on the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: MS PRINTING SOLUTIONS S.R.L
    Inventor: Luigi Milini
  • Patent number: 10543679
    Abstract: A liquid holding amount of a porous body of a liquid absorbing member for removing at least a portion of an aqueous liquid component from an image obtained by ink jet printing is controlled so as to reduce damage to the porous body while maintaining performance of removing attached matters from the porous body by using a cleaning member which abuts on the porous body and has an adhesive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Masuda, Toru Yamane, Kyosuke Deguchi, Ryosuke Hirokawa, Toru Ohnishi, Akihiro Mouri, Noboru Toyama, Atsushi Sakamoto, Yoshiyuki Honda, Taku Higashiyama, Susumu Hirosawa
  • Patent number: 10532591
    Abstract: A cloth holder stacker includes a first cloth holder and a second cloth holder. The first cloth holder includes a first base including a first bottom, a first platen to hold a first cloth, and a first clearance former mounted on the first bottom of the first base. The second cloth holder includes a second base including a second bottom, a second platen to hold a second cloth, and a second clearance former mounted on the second bottom of the second base. The second clearance former defines a clearance between the second bottom of the second base and the first cloth held by the first cloth holder when the second cloth holder is stacked on the first cloth holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Ueno, Yoshinori Uchino, Tsuyoshi Miyata
  • Patent number: 10532589
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing unit that prints on a front surface of a medium, a detection unit that receives reflected light of light emitted on a back surface of the medium, and a control unit that stops printing based on a detection result of the detection unit. In a case in which a second image is to be printed on the front surface of the medium of which back surface a first image being printed, when a range in which the first image is printed on the back surface of the medium is defined as a first range and a range corresponding to the first range on the front surface of the medium is defined as a second range, when printing the second image in the second range, the control unit continues printing irrespective of the detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: So Yokota
  • Patent number: 10532590
    Abstract: The printing apparatus includes a medium support member including a support surface that supports a sheet of paper on which printing is to be performed, and a positioning member that positions the support surface of the medium support member. The positioning member is a plate-shaped member and is configured to position the support surface of the medium support member, with the medium support member contacting with an end face intersecting a plate surface of the positioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Tamaki
  • Patent number: 10525736
    Abstract: A smaller recording apparatus is provided, and includes a transport device that transports a print target medium using an endless transport belt placed around a plurality of rollers, an inkjet head that performs a recording on a medium on the endless transport belt, and a cleaning unit that cleans the endless transport belt. The cleaning unit includes a cleaner, making contact with the endless transport belt in a width direction thereof, so as to clean the endless transport belt with a cleaning liquid; a cleaning liquid tank, storing the cleaning liquid and includes at least a part of the cleaner; and a moving mechanism, supporting the cleaner and the cleaning liquid tank, and moving the cleaner in a horizontal direction between a contact position where the cleaner makes contact with the endless transport belt and a separated position where the cleaner is separated from the endless transport belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomonori Amari
  • Patent number: 10500874
    Abstract: In a support member that is disposed to face a liquid emitting head and supports a medium, in a first region through which an edge of a first medium in a medium width direction passes, a liquid receiving portion is provided which receives a liquid emitted on a region deviated from the edge of the first medium in the medium width direction, and in a second region as a region through which an edge of a second medium in which a size thereof in the medium width direction is larger than that of the first medium passes, an absorbing material disposing portion at which a liquid absorbing material which absorbs the liquid guided from the liquid receiving portion is disposed to be capable of being exposed from an upper side of the support member is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Otsuka, Yosuke Nakano, Eiji Taketsugu, Atsuhiko Takeuchi, Kazuhisa Kawakami
  • Patent number: 10500615
    Abstract: To improve cleaning properties of a transport belt which transports a recording medium. A recording apparatus includes a transport belt (2) which supports and transports a recording medium (P), a recording head (6) through which ink is discharged onto the recording medium (P), and a cleaning portion (10) for the transport belt (2). The recording apparatus has a first cleaning mode in which the cleaning portion (10) cleans the transport belt (2) during transporting of the recording medium (P) by the transport belt (2) and a second cleaning mode in which the cleaning portion (10) cleans the transport belt (2) during a period except for transporting of the recording medium (P) by the transport belt (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Itaru Kozuma
  • Patent number: 10470546
    Abstract: Decorating a human nail including: (i) using a positioning aid to place a user's finger beneath a camera; (ii) capturing an image of the user's fingernail; (iii) based on the captured image, determining at least one measurement of the fingernail or finger; (iv) calculating a print area based on the at least one measurement; (v) communicating the print area to the ink jet printer assembly; (vi) placing the user's finger in contact with a touchscreen of the portable electronic device; (vii) detecting that the user's finger is within the print area; and (viii) applying a nail-coating material to the print area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: PREEMADONNA INC.
    Inventors: Herpreet Walia, Casey Schulz, Deepak Boggavarapu, Janet Peterson, Peter Peterson
  • Patent number: 10464309
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transfer drum configured to rotate while supporting a plurality of transfer members on each of which an image is formed by discharging ink from a printhead, a rotating member configured to apply a processing liquid while being pressed against each of the plurality of transfer members, and a concave portion formed lower than a surface of each of the plurality of transfer members between the adjacent transfer members. In addition, the printing apparatus includes a driving unit configured to driven-rotate the rotating member in accordance with rotation of the transfer drum in a state in which the rotating member is pressed against the plurality of transfer members, and driving-rotate the rotating member in a state in which the rotating member faces the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kota Uchida
  • Patent number: 10449785
    Abstract: A tray includes a holding portion configured to hold a print medium in a predetermined holding area and an ink absorption portion positioned adjacent to the holding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10450157
    Abstract: Examples described herein include a star wheel mount that includes a support element. The support element includes a first clip element coupled to a first end to engage a first mounting element on a media handler housing, and a second clip element coupled to a second end opposite the first end to engage a second mounting element on the media handler housing. The star wheel mount also includes a star wheel support axle coupled to hold a star wheel in a plane perpendicular to a surface of the media handler housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Timothy J Luedeman
  • Patent number: 10434801
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a platen, a contact portion disposed between a pair of first ribs of the plurality of first ribs with respect to a scanning direction. A lower end of the contact portion is located lower than each upper end of the pair of first ribs. The platen includes a second rib disposed between one first rib of the pair of first ribs and the contact portion with respect to the scanning direction, and an upper end of the second rib is located lower than the upper end of the one first rib of the pair of first ribs and higher than the lower end of the contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 10427427
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a hold unit holds a print medium, with an image being printed on a first surface, to print on a second surface, as a back surface of the first surface, in double-sided printing. If a detection unit detects that a print medium fed from a feeding unit runs out, while the hold unit holds the print medium, with the image being printed on the first surface by a print unit, during execution of double-sided printing, a control unit controls data reading so as to read and to discard image data, corresponding to an image to be printed on the runout print medium, from a storage unit, to cause a conveyance unit to convey the held print medium from the hold unit to the print unit, and to cause the print unit to print an image on the second surface of the held print medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10421634
    Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a roll motor which applies torque for rotating a roll body to the roll body, a storage portion which stores output measured value, which is measurement result of output value to the roll motor for rotating the roll body, and a roll control portion which corrects the output measured values stored in the storage portion to correction value in accordance with stop time of the roll motor, and controls the roll motor based on the corrected output measured values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Ushiama
  • Patent number: 10421304
    Abstract: A printer includes two supporters disposed at a storage section, an adjuster movably supporting at least a specific supporter of the two supporters, a protrusion protruding upward from a second section, the second section being an upper portion of the specific supporter, a locking section locking a first section in a position to which the first section is moved via the adjuster, the first section being a lower portion of the specific supporter, and an engagement section having elastically-deformable engagement pieces arranged at intervals in a particular direction intersecting a vertical direction, the protrusion being configured to, when the cover is closed, engage with at least a specific engagement piece from beneath, the specific engagement piece being maintained elastically deformed upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kita, Yusuke Ikemoto, Ryuichi Kanda, Yuichiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10407260
    Abstract: A cut-out is provided in a lower guide so as to permit a return claw to move between a retracted position and a protruded position. Furthermore, an upper surface of the return claw positioned in the protruded position functions as a guide portion that guides an underside of a sheet that has been manually fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Murakami, Daisuke Aoki, Yu Shuhama
  • Patent number: 10391795
    Abstract: A target transport apparatus includes a transport roller pair that has a plurality of segmented roller members disposed at intervals in a width direction that intersects with a transport direction of continuous paper and that imparts a transport force on the continuous paper by the segmented roller members pinching the continuous paper; and an image capturing unit, disposed in a location that corresponds to a pinched area in the width direction of the continuous paper that is pinched by the segmented roller members and to the pinched area along the transport direction, that detects, without making contact with the continuous paper, an amount by which the continuous paper is transported by the transport roller pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Abe
  • Patent number: 10391732
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a label producing apparatus including a driving roller, a driven roller, a driving force transmission mechanism, and a coordination adjusting mechanism. The driving roller is disposed to a downstream side of a movable blade on a tape feeding path and configured to contact and discharge a label tape. The driven roller is configured to advance and retreat with respect to the tape feeding path. The driving force transmission mechanism is configured to perform a switching operation between a transmission state where a driving force of a motor is transmitted to the driving roller and an interruption state where the transmission of the driving force to the driving roller is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsugi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10392207
    Abstract: A medium feed apparatus includes a first support face and a second support face. The first support face supports a medium fed by a feed unit that feeds medium by supporting such that the medium adopts an inclined orientation. The second support section is positioned upstream of the first support face in a feed direction, and supports the medium together with the first support face. The second support face is at a position set back from the first support face, and an angle of inclination from a lower end portion to an upper end portion of the second support face is steeper than an angle of inclination of the first support face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Kanemaru