Responsive To Condition Patents (Class 347/14)
  • Patent number: 10011129
    Abstract: Provided is a control unit of a conveying apparatus, the conveying apparatus including: a conveying unit that conveys recording paper along a conveyance path; an imaging unit that images the recording paper; and a light emitting unit arranged on an opposite side of the imaging unit across the conveyance path, wherein the control unit detects conveyance information of the recording paper based on image information of the recording paper imaged by the imaging unit in a state in which light from the light emitting unit is transmitted through the recording paper. The control unit detects the conveyance information of the recording paper based on a plurality of images of the recording paper imaged at different timings by the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: CANON COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventors: Masashi Ishimaru, Yoshihisa Negishi, Kenichi Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Hattori
  • Patent number: 10011108
    Abstract: A method of controlling a printer is disclosed, the printer including a number of print heads extending across a print zone, and each print head including at least one nozzle array extending in a direction of a print head axis. Each nozzle array comprises a center section of nozzles and side sections of nozzles, wherein the side sections of neighboring nozzle arrays overlap defining an overlap region and the center sections of the nozzle arrays define non-overlap regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Xavier Quintero Ruiz, Roma Segura Fabregas, Marcos Casaldaliga
  • Patent number: 10011115
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a dummy discharge controller. The liquid discharge head includes nozzles to discharge liquid onto a continuous medium. The dummy discharge controller controls a dummy discharge operation to discharge dummy discharge droplets onto the continuous medium. The dummy discharge controller controls the liquid discharge head to perform a pre-first-page dummy discharge operation to discharge dummy discharge droplets onto the continuous medium in a period from a start of feeding of the continuous medium to a start of printing of a first page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shino Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10005291
    Abstract: When sub-images are sequentially transferred and connected together to form a larger image than would be possible with a single transfer operation, the occurrence of a color change in the overlapping region of the sub-images is suppressed and the width of the overlapping region is reduced as much as possible. Color image data are divided into image data of two sub-images containing an overlapping region and having edges that coincide for each color ink transferred to paper. Color values of the color image data in the overlapping region are converted by using a color conversion factor group created in advance for each position on the overlapping region so as to cancel out a color change that occurs in the overlapping region when the sub-images are transferred with one overlapping the other. The image data of the sub-images are corrected by adjusting converted color values in the overlapping region by using a correction factor for print density at each position on the overlapping region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., CITIZEN SYSTEMS JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10005289
    Abstract: A printing apparatus has a plurality of nozzles capable of discharging dark ink and light ink that are of the same type color; the plurality of nozzles includes preceding nozzles that discharge the ink onto the printing medium before the ink discharge of the other nozzles, and succeeding nozzles that discharge the ink onto the printing medium after the ink discharge of the preceding nozzles, and if the amount of the dark ink discharged on the printing target region is larger than a predetermined amount, the printing apparatus discharges a smaller amount of the light ink than the amount of the discharged dark ink onto the printing target region from the plurality of nozzles so that the amount of the light ink discharged from the succeeding nozzles is larger than the amount of the light ink discharged from the preceding nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kakutani
  • Patent number: 10009508
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image reading portion, a position detection portion, and a print processing portion. The image reading portion is configured to read an image of a document. The position detection portion is configured to detect position information of each of check boxes included in a read image by the image reading portion. The print processing portion is configured to be able to print a position specifying image indicating the position information of each of check boxes detected by the position detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Harada
  • Patent number: 10005275
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a first discharge section that discharges a metallic ink, a second discharge section that discharges a pigment ink, a detection section that detects residual vibrations that occur in the first discharge section, and outputs a first detection signal, which shows a corresponding detection result, and detects residual vibrations that occur in the second discharge section, and outputs a second detection signal, which shows a corresponding detection result, and a determination section that executes a first determination, which determines whether or not the first detection signal satisfies first conditions, which should be satisfied in a case in which a discharge state of the first discharge section is normal, and executes a second determination, which determines whether or not the second detection signal satisfies second conditions, which should be satisfied in a case in which a discharge state of the second discharge section is normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hosokawa, Masashi Kamiyanagi, Osamu Shinkawa
  • Patent number: 9994015
    Abstract: A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes: a carriage configured to scan in a main scanning direction; a jetting head installed in the carriage, having nozzles arranged in a sub scanning direction intersecting with the main scanning direction, and configured to jet liquid droplets from the nozzles; a conveyer configured to convey the recording medium in the sub scanning direction; and a controller configured to control the carriage, the jetting head and the conveyer. The nozzles form nozzle groups including two nozzle groups adjacent in the sub scanning direction; and the controller is configured to execute a predetermined printing mode in which a pass printing and conveyance of the recording medium in the sub scanning direction are alternately performed. The pass printing causes the carriage to move one time in the main scanning direction while jetting the liquid droplets from the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 9975331
    Abstract: An inkjet printer comprising a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pressure chambers, a plurality of diaphragms, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, and a controller. Each of the plurality of diaphragms is deflected between a first state and a second state. The controller is configured to control voltage application to each of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. When a diaphragm is in the first state, the controller applies a first voltage so that the diaphragm is substantially flat; and when the diaphragm is in the second state, the controller applies a second voltage. The controller is configured to control the voltage such that a pressure chamber ejects an ink droplet from the corresponding nozzle in response to the deflection of the diaphragm reverting from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Kato, Toru Kakiuchi, Yuichi Ito, Tomoko Hibino
  • Patent number: 9975330
    Abstract: A method for operating an inkjet printhead includes identifying a number of ink drop ejections for an inkjet in the printhead to form a printed image with reference to image data corresponding to the printed image and generating control data that specify a sequence of a plurality of non-firing electrical signals to be applied to the inkjet with reference to a predetermined control sequence stored in a memory and the number of ink drop ejections. The method further includes generating non-firing electrical signals applied to the inkjet with reference to the control data and generating a plurality of firing electrical signals applied to the inkjet to eject ink drops after generating every non-firing electrical signal in the plurality of non-firing electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Metcalfe, Douglas D. Darling, David A. Mantell
  • Patent number: 9975353
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has a plurality of nozzles that discharge a column-shaped liquid; a liquid droplet generating unit that applies cyclically changing energy to positions of the column-shaped liquids discharged from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, which are separated from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, and that generates liquid droplets; and a direction changing unit that changes a flying direction of at least some liquid droplets of the generated liquid droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Patent number: 9975347
    Abstract: A liquid is reliably supplied to a liquid ejection head through a plurality of supply paths. The liquid is supplied to a plurality of areas of the liquid ejection head through the plurality of supply paths and a liquid ejection amount per unit time from the liquid ejection head is controlled so that a liquid flow amount of each of the areas becomes a predetermined flow amount or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ayako Tozuka, Shuzo Iwanaga, Shintaro Kasai, Yoshiyuki Nakagawa, Akiko Saito, Tomohiro Sato, Takatsugu Moriya, Koichi Ishida, Tatsuya Yamada, Tomoki Ishiwata
  • Patent number: 9969195
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for measuring the contamination of a transparent covering of a plate having LED emitters which are cooled individually or in groups by cooling units. The temperatures of the individual or grouped cooling units are measured and conclusions about contamination are drawn from a comparison of the temperatures with one another. An inkjet printing machine and an offset printing press having the device are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Oliver Gottschalt, Michael Kohlmann
  • Patent number: 9962928
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport section, a printing section, and a control section. The printing section is configured to move in an intersecting direction intersecting a transport direction of a recording medium. The printing section includes a plurality of nozzles that are configured to perform printing by discharging an ink onto the recording medium. The control section is configured to control the transport section and the printing section. The printing section includes a first nozzle row and a second nozzle row, the first and second nozzle rows form an overlapping section in which the first and second nozzle rows overlap each other as viewed in the intersecting direction. The control section is configured to control a plurality of adjacent nozzles among the first nozzle row and the second nozzle row, which are in the vicinity of the overlapping section, not to discharge the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Sakurada, Takamitsu Kondo, Seigo Momose, Akira Yamada
  • Patent number: 9962957
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a transport mechanism which transports a medium in a first direction; a pre-treatment liquid coating mechanism which coats a pre-treatment liquid on the medium; a liquid ejecting unit which includes a plurality of ink nozzles which eject ink; and a control unit which controls the pre-treatment liquid coating mechanism and the liquid ejecting unit, in which the pre-treatment liquid coating mechanism includes a first mechanism which is disposed in a first region A and a second mechanism which is disposed in a second region B positioned on an upstream side of the first region A in the first direction, and the plurality of ink nozzles has a portion which overlaps with respect to the first mechanism in a second direction which intersects with the first direction and a portion which does not overlap with respect to the second mechanism in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Kamibayashi, Masako Fukuda, Hironori Sato, Takahiro Kanegae, Hiroyuki Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 9944089
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a displacement detecting unit that detects a displacement of the image forming apparatus with respect to a first direction and a second direction that are parallel to a surface of a print medium when the image forming apparatus moves away from a first position, a skew information acquiring unit that acquires skew information of the image forming apparatus at the first position based on the displacement of the image forming apparatus, and a skew controlling unit that controls skewing of an image to be formed on the print medium based on the skew information of the image forming apparatus, the skewing of the image occurring when the image forming apparatus is skewed with respect to the print medium at the first position. The image forming apparatus further includes an image forming unit that forms the image skew-controlled by the skewing controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9946499
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a transmitter and an update unit. The transmitter refers to a memory in response to an availability determination request with designation of a requested usage amount of a function. The memory stores a usable amount for each of second periods which are set by dividing a first period into plural periods. An upper limit value of a usage amount of the function which it is not allowed to exceed being set to the first period. The usable amount for each of the second periods is set as an initial value by allocating the upper limit value to the second periods. The transmitter transmits executability information to a request source of the availability determination request when the function in the requested usage amount is executable. The update unit updates the usable amounts stored in the memory based on the requested usage amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noriaki Tanaka, Yusaku Kurihara, Tsubasa Kitai, Satoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9944073
    Abstract: The methods and apparatuses herein relate to inkjet printing a substrate at a desired print resolution. A substrate advances at a first speed under the first printhead and the second printhead such that a desired print resolution exceeds the maximum print resolutions of a first printhead and a second printhead. When the substrate is advancing at the first speed, the first printhead ejects ink onto the advancing substrate at a first firing frequency to create a first printed zone, and the second printhead ejects ink onto the advancing substrate at a second firing frequency to create a second printed zone. In turn, the first printed zone and the second zone together define a printed region having the desired print resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Andrew Strasemeier, Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 9937741
    Abstract: A method and system for performing color print quality monitoring for a color printing process, the method includes determining a calibration distance (ZCAL) between a Spectrophotometer (140) and an associated calibration patch (310) that provides a maximum luminescence value (LMAX) detected by the Spectrophotometer. The Spectrophotometer (140) is calibrated at the calibration distance by taking a color reading. A first color patch distance (Z1) between the Spectrophotometer and a color calibration patch (320) printed on a sheet (155) is determined from a first maximum color patch luminescence value (L1). A first color reading of the color calibration patch is taken and a second color patch distance (Z2) between the Spectrophotometer and a different area of the color calibration patch (320) is determined to provide a second maximum color patch luminescence value (L2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Eli Velner, Gilad Greenberg, Bar-Navi Miki
  • Patent number: 9937731
    Abstract: A system for printing an image on a surface includes a robot, a printhead having a reference line printing mechanism, and a reference line sensor. The robot has at least one arm. The printhead is mounted to the arm and is movable by the arm over a surface along a rastering path while printing a new image slice on the surface. The reference line printing mechanism is configured to print a reference line on the surface when printing the new image slice. The reference line sensor is configured to sense the reference line of an existing image slice and transmit a signal to the robot causing the arm to adjust the printhead in a manner such that a side edge of the new image slice is aligned with the side edge of the existing image slice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dennis R. Mathis, Philip L. Freeman
  • Patent number: 9931861
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus includes a defective nozzle detecting section that detects a defective nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles; and a complementing section that forms a complementary dot which complements dots of a first raster to be recorded using the defective nozzle on at least one of a second raster and the first raster using a complementary nozzle included in the plurality of nozzles. The complementing section includes an adjusting section which sets main scanning being performed after the defective nozzle is detected as a first main scanning, sets main scanning being performed M times after the defective nozzle is detected as a M-th main scanning, and allows a usage rate of ink in the first main scanning to be greater than a usage rate of ink in the M-th main scanning, regarding the usage rate of ink discharged using the same complementary nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Fukazawa, Akito Sato, Naoki Sudo, Hiroki Sato
  • Patent number: 9934446
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus acquires an image including an object and divides the image into a plurality of superpixels based on similarity of adjacent pixels. There is an acquisition, from the superpixels, of a plurality of candidate areas acting as candidates of an area of the object. A feature quantity is extracted from each of the plurality of candidate areas and checked against registered information concerning a feature quantity of object area. The area of the object in the image is output, based on a checked result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kotaro Yano, Ichiro Umeda
  • Patent number: 9925787
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a fluid level sensor includes a sensor plate and a current source. The fluid level sensor also includes an algorithm to bias the current source such that current applied to the sensor plate induces a maximum difference in response voltage between a dry sensor plate condition and a wet sensor plate condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew L. Van Brocklin, Paul A. Liebert, Adam L. Ghozeil, Scott A. Linn
  • Patent number: 9925805
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to sequentially form images of an image group on a continuous sheet while providing a non-printing region between the images, a cutting unit to cut the continuous sheet, a discharge unit to which printed products on which an image is formed by the image forming unit and cut and created by the cutting unit, is discharged, and a control unit to control cutting of the continuous sheet at a leading end and a trailing end of a region in which an image is formed, to control cutting of the continuous sheet while having the non-printing region of a predetermined size at a leading end or a trailing end of a region in which a first or a last image of the image group is formed, and to control discharge of the created printed product to the discharge unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Kida
  • Patent number: 9925781
    Abstract: Provided is a maintenance system of an ink jet recording device which appropriately maintains an ink jet head and efficiently processes a job. In an ink jet recording device that acquires a job relevant to image recording and sequentially executes the job, the ejection state of the ink jet head is detected before the next job is executed. The ejection abnormality level of the ink jet head is determined on the basis of the detection result. A maintenance execution criterion which is set in advance refers to, and the necessity of maintenance of the ink jet head is determined from the determination result of the ejection abnormality level. In a case where maintenance is required, the ink jet head is maintained before the next job is executed. On the other hand, in a case where maintenance is not required, the next job is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takehisa Ono
  • Patent number: 9917966
    Abstract: Upon occurrence of an interruption factor before image data for one page of a target document has been stored in a storage device, a printing apparatus performs control to store specific data in a storage area of the storage device in which the remaining image data of the target document is to be stored. In a case where an interruption factor occurs before image data for one page of the target document has been stored in the storage device, the printing apparatus performs printing based on the image data of the target document and the specific data stored in the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumiaki Hirose
  • Patent number: 9908325
    Abstract: A first output section outputs a first parameter calculated for each nozzle in a group obtained by dividing the nozzles into groups for each certain number so that density unevenness of ink ejected from each nozzle in the group is corrected. A second output section outputs a second parameter calculated for each group so that change rate of the density unevenness between groups is corrected. A first register circuit divides first parameters for each nozzle in the group and stores the first parameters. A second register circuit divides second parameters for each group and stores the second parameters. A multiplication section sequentially multiplies the first parameters by the second parameters. A conversion section converts a multiplication value to correction data of each nozzle. A setting section sets the correction data in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noboru Nitta, Teruyuki Hiyoshi, Shunichi Ono
  • Patent number: 9892349
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a setting part that sets image data; an image forming part that forms an image based on the image data on a base member of a recording material; a groove forming part having an opposing member mounted on a portion facing the base member of having an image, the groove forming part urging a projecting part against the recording material to form a groove in the base member; an acquisition part that acquires a type of the opposing member; a storage part that stores a content of the image data and the type of the opposing member in an associated manner; and a control part that controls an image forming operation, on the basis of the association between the content of the image data and the type of the opposing member stored in the storage part in an associated manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamada, Kunihiko Sato
  • Patent number: 9889663
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus is disclosed. One apparatus includes a first head chip and a second head chip. The first head chip includes nozzle groups A1, A2, B1 and C. The second head chip includes nozzle groups D2, E1, E2 and F. The nozzle groups A1, A2, B1, C, D2, E1, E2 and F eject fluid at an average usage rates A1, A2, B1, C, D2, E1, E2 and F, respectively. The average usage rate A2 is smaller than the average usage rate A1. The average usage rate B1 is smaller than the average usage rate A1. The average usage rate C is smaller than the average usage rate A1. The average usage rate D2 is smaller than the average usage rate E2. The average usage rate E1 is smaller than the average usage rate E2. The average usage rate F is smaller than the average usage rate E2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuhei Suzuki, Takashi Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 9880795
    Abstract: A recording system, includes a recording apparatus configured to perform recording using a recording head having a plurality of recording elements; and an information processing apparatus configured to send a print job to the recording apparatus to shift a range of use of the recording elements in an array direction of the recording elements. The information processing apparatus includes a head shading correction unit configured to execute, based on information indicating that the range of use of the recording elements is one of plural ranges of use, head shading correction corresponding to the one range on image data; and a sending unit configured to send the image data subjected to the head shading correction to the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus includes a recording control unit configured to control the recording head to perform recording at the one range by using the image data subjected to the head shading correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Nisca, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Ueda, Yasukazu Ono
  • Patent number: 9878539
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes an individual flow passage member; and a common flow passage member joined to the individual flow passage member in a first direction. The individual flow passage member has nozzle groups formed on a surface on a side opposite to the common flow passage member and connecting hole groups formed on a surface on a side of the common flow passage member; and the common flow passage member has manifold flow passages corresponding to the connecting hole groups respectively. Each of the nozzle groups includes nozzles aligned in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and each of the connecting hole groups includes connecting holes aligned in the second direction and connected to the nozzles respectively. Each of the manifold flow passages extends in the second direction and is connected to the nozzles via the connecting holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9883053
    Abstract: A printer apparatus comprises one or more ports (2011 to 201M) for receiving one or more colorant units (INK1 to INKN), and a processing unit. The processing unit is adapted to determine which one or more colorant units (INK1 to INKN) have been loaded into the printer apparatus. The processing unit is adapted to retrieve colorant information from each loaded colorant unit (INK1 to INKN), and determine an ink-set configuration using the colorant information retrieved from each loaded colorant unit (INK1 to INKN). Operation of the printer apparatus is configured according to the determined colorant-set configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter Morovic, Jan Morovic
  • Patent number: 9873271
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a main body; an image recorder; a sheet supporter movable between an opposed position and a retracted position; a cap movable between a contact position and a distant position; a distance-defining member movable between a first position and a second position and configured to define a distance between an upper surface of a sheet and a lower surface of the recorder, the first position being a position where the member partially overlaps a region of the cap at the contact position, the second position being a position where at least a part of the member does not overlap the region; and a controller to control the cap to move from the distant position to the contact position after the supporter has been moved from the opposed position to the retracted position and the member has been moved from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shota Iijima
  • Patent number: 9868308
    Abstract: A controller performs: correcting a pre-correction pulse signal and outputting the corrected pre-correction pulse signal as a post-correction pulse signal that switches between third and fourth levels, the correcting including: switching the post-correction pulse signal from the third to fourth level when first or second condition is satisfied, the first condition being that the pre-correction pulse signal switches from the first to second level, the second condition being that duration of the third level exceeds a first reference period; and switching the post-correction pulse signal from the fourth to third level when both of third and fourth conditions are satisfied, the third condition being that duration of the fourth level exceeds a second reference period, the fourth condition being that the pre-correction pulse signal is on the first level; and calculating a relative moving velocity of the moving device based on temporal changes between the third and fourth levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhito Shikama, Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 9868294
    Abstract: A controller of an inkjet printer performs control to: during ink delivery in a first ink tank pair, as a preparation of ink delivery in a second ink tank pair, generate positive pressure and negative pressure respectively in third and fourth ink tanks of the second ink tank pair and supply ink to the second ink tank pair; and upon completion of the ink delivery in the first ink tank pair, perform printing by ejecting the ink from an inkjet head while delivering the ink between the third and fourth ink tanks of the second ink tank pair prepared for the ink delivery via an ink flow passage and the inkjet head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Hori
  • Patent number: 9862218
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing on a media object supported by a flat bed of a printer, the printer comprising a print head and a camera above the flat bed, the method comprising the steps of detecting a media object on the flat bed surface of the printer by means of a digital camera image captured by the camera, deriving camera coordinates of the media object in the digital camera image, applying a direct transformation from the camera coordinates into print head coordinates of the media object without using coordinates of the flat bed surface, and printing a digital target image on the media object by ejecting recording material on the media object from the print head, the print head controlled according to the print head coordinates appropriate for the media object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: OCE-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventor: Bruno Bianchi
  • Patent number: 9862217
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that is capable of executing, based on printing data, printing onto a first side of a printing medium and printing onto a second side, which is the back side of the first side, after the printing onto the first side is provided. A print density of a predetermined region at a rear end of the printing medium in a transporting direction at a time of printing of the first side is identified based on the printing data. Conversion data, which is a conversion coefficient to make the identified print density equal to or lower than a predetermined density, is acquired. The printing data is converted by means of the conversion data. Printing onto the first side is executed based on the converted printing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Ogimura
  • Patent number: 9865374
    Abstract: A multi-core cable includes a plurality of coaxial wires, each coaxial wire including a center conductor whose sectional area is 0.0006 mm2 to 0.25 mm2, a wrapping tape configured to cover all of the plurality of coaxial wires, and a sheath configured to cover the wrapping tape. The sheath is configured by a resin material coated with polyparaxylylene or fluorine resin in a thickness of 0.5 ?m to 3.0 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsunori Hayashishita, Kazuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9864524
    Abstract: An integrated circuit including a first EPROM, a second EPROM, and a circuit. The first EPROM is configured to provide a first state and a second state. The second EPROM is configured to provide a third state and a fourth state. The circuit is configured to select the first EPROM and the second EPROM individually and in parallel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ning Ge, Paul I. Mikulan, Bee Ling Peh
  • Patent number: 9855774
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of recording elements arranged in a predetermined direction, and a determination unit configured to determine a first mode in which a specified image is recorded or a second mode in which a pattern is recorded in each of recording scannings in forward and backward directions to form an adjustment pattern for adjusting a recording position in the intersecting direction of the recording head, and the recording position of the recording head in accordance with the formed adjustment pattern is adjusted, in which a driving unit controls driving of the recording elements in a manner that a correspondence relationship between positions in the predetermined direction and the intersecting direction among a plurality of dots that form the same column is varied or is the same in the recording scannings in the forward and backward directions in accordance with the determined mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Seki, Kiichiro Takahashi, Hirokazu Tanaka, Fumiko Suzuki, Gou Sasaki, Mayuko Yamagata, Tsukasa Doi
  • Patent number: 9834014
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer including a printing head, a DC motor, an energization control part, a short-circuiting device, a temperature detecting device, and a braking control part. The DC motor is configured to generate a driving force for feed by a feeder. The energization control part is configured to control energization by an energizing device. The short-circuiting device is configured to short-circuit a positive electrode and an negative electrode of the DC motor and brake when deenergized under control of the energization control part. The temperature detecting device is configured to detect a temperature of ambient surroundings. The braking control part is configured to control the short-circuiting device in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detecting device, to thereby variably control an operation mode of the braking by the short circuiting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryosuke Ishikawa, Yasuhiko Murakami, Yushi Kato
  • Patent number: 9832428
    Abstract: A droplet measurement system (DMS) is used in concern with an industrial printer used to fabricate a thin film layer of a flat panel electronic device. A clear tape serves as a printing substrate to receive droplets from hundreds of nozzles simultaneously, while an optics system photographs the deposited droplets through the tape (i.e., through a side opposite the printhead). This permits immediate image analysis of deposited droplets, for parameters such as per-nozzle volume, landing position and other characteristics, without having to substantially reposition the DMS or printhead. The tape can then be advanced and used for a new measurement. By providing such a high degree of concurrency, the described system permits rapid measurement and update of droplet parameters for printers that use hundreds or thousands of nozzles, to provide a real-time understanding of per-nozzle expected droplet parameters, in a manner that can be factored into print planning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Hauf, Eliyahu Vronsky
  • Patent number: 9827764
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure chamber substrate in which a pressure chamber space is formed, a flow path substrate having a first surface on which the pressure chamber substrate is installed and a second surface that is on the opposite side to the first surface, and in which a first space, a supply hole that enables communication between the first space and the pressure chamber space, and a communication hole that communicates with the pressure chamber space are formed, a nozzle plate that is installed on the second surface and in which a nozzle that communicates with the communication hole is formed, a second space that is installed on the first surface and that communicates with the first space of the flow path substrate, a housing unit in which an opening portion that communicates with the second space is formed, a compliance unit that is flexible and installed on the second surface and that seals the communication hole and the first space, and a beam-like portion that extends between inner wa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiya Takino, Shunsuke Watanabe, Kenta Anegawa
  • Patent number: 9827766
    Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus capable of performing a printing operation to eject ink from an ejection port provided for a print head to a print medium while covering the ejection port with a capping portion in a standby state in which the printing operation is not performed, the apparatus including: a humidifying unit configured to perform a humidification operation to humidify a space formed between the capping portion and the print head in the standby state; and a control unit configured to cause the humidifying unit to perform the humidification operation on the space in the standby state, wherein the control unit suspends the humidification operation at a predetermined timing after performing the humidification operation multiple times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH INC.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Ito
  • Patent number: 9823513
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display includes: forming a first alignment layer on a passivation layer and a pixel electrode to form a first display panel; forming a second alignment layer on a common electrode to form a second display panel; and combining the first and the second display panels, wherein formation of the first and second alignment layers includes spraying a first alignment mixture and second alignment mixture on, respectively, the first and second display panels using an inkjet head while moving the inkjet head across the first and second display panels to form a first alignment mixture layer and a second alignment mixture layer, and hardening the first and second alignment mixture layers, and spray progressing directions of the first and second alignment mixture are more than 7 degrees to less than 45 degrees with respect to the first substrate and the second substrate respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeon Gu Cho
  • Patent number: 9819834
    Abstract: A processor of a printing device automatically raster image processes print data in a print job to produce a first, relatively low resolution, bitmap for printing the print job with the printer's main colors and one or more optional colors. The processor automatically compares the extended gamut of the lower-resolution first bitmap and the main color gamut of the printing engine to identify image quality improvement pixels of the extended gamut that are outside the main color gamut. The processor automatically either raster image processes the print data with the main colors and one of the optional colors, or raster image processes the print data with only the main colors, based on whether the number of image quality improvement pixels of the extended gamut that are outside the main color gamut exceeds a pixel quantity threshold, to produce a second, relatively higher resolution, bitmap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Robinson, Mark A. Smith
  • Patent number: 9796196
    Abstract: A carriage includes a base plate, a liquid jet head which includes a support plate attached to the base plate, a first engagement portion which is formed on one end in a Y direction of the support plate, and a fixing tool for positioning the support plate with respect to the base plate, the fixing tool being slidable in an X direction with respect to the base plate and engaged with the first engagement portion. The fixing tool allows movement in the Y direction of the first engagement portion with respect to the fixing tool, and restricts movement in the X direction of the first engagement portion and movement in the thickness direction of the base plate of the first engagement portion with respect to the fixing tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SII PRINTEK INC.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Hamano
  • Patent number: 9789718
    Abstract: When performing printing for every M columns, a print buffer stores printing data by dividing the data into M groups. When data is multilevel data or when performing no column thinning printing, the print buffer stores the data without dividing it. When data to be stored in the print buffer is binary data and printing is to be performed for every M columns, printing data is stored as it is divided into M groups, and these data groups are read out as they are switched for each scan of the printhead. When data to be stored in the print buffer is multilevel data or when performing no column thinning printing, data is read out without switching readout regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hisanori Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 9776434
    Abstract: An inkjet printer having a platen to which a suction unit is disposed suppresses increasing the time required for printing to end and suppresses unnecessary operation of the suction fan. The inkjet printer 1 receives control data from a host computer 3, and starts operation of the suction fan 26f if a printing-related command instructing rendering image data to be printed by the inkjet head 10 in the image buffer BF is included in the received control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Saikawa
  • Patent number: 9776393
    Abstract: The positional displacement shift amount between the head modules is calculated in a first dynamic range and with a first arithmetic accuracy, and calculated in a second dynamic range wider than the first dynamic range and with a second arithmetic accuracy rougher than the first arithmetic accuracy and finer than the first dynamic range, and as a positional displacement shift amount between the head modules in the first direction, the positional displacement shift amount with the second arithmetic accuracy is selected if the positional displacement shift amount with the second arithmetic accuracy exceeds the first dynamic range, and the positional displacement shift amount with the first arithmetic accuracy is selected if within the first dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Ueshima