Of Medium Patents (Class 347/16)
  • Patent number: 8770700
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a transport passage which has a curved portion; a first transport roller pair which is disposed at the curved portion; a second transport roller pair which is located downstream of the first transport roller pair; and a controller which selectively executes a first recording mode or a second recording mode, wherein: in the first recording mode, the controller stops driving of the first transport roller pair for a predetermined period in an interposed state in which a recording medium is interposed by both of the first and second transport roller pairs, the controller controls a second driving motor intermittently and controls a recording head to discharge ink during a stopping period in which the second transport roller pair is stopped; and in the second recording mode, the controller controls first and second driving motors in synchronization in the interposed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga
  • Patent number: 8770697
    Abstract: A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a first print engine to print content on a web of paper and a vacuum unit to provide stabilization and cooling of the web. The vacuum unit operates in a first mode upon receiving an activation signal from the first print engine and operates in a second mode upon de-assertion of the activation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: InfoPrint Solutions Company, LLC
    Inventors: Tania Wolanski, William E. Manchester
  • Patent number: 8770696
    Abstract: A recording material feeding device for feeding a recording material on which an image is to be formed by a droplet of ink ejected from recording means includes a feeding roller pair, including rotatable rollers, for feeding the recording material; feeding means for feeding the recording material to the feeding roller pair; and a control portion for controlling the feeding means so that the recording material is fed to form a curl in a state in which a leading edge of the recording material contacts a nip of the feeding roller pair being at rest. The control portion controls the feeding means so that a curling degree of the recording material which has been subjected to recording on a first surface of the recording material is larger than that of the recording material which has not been subjected to recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadashi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8764153
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: an inkjet head having nozzles which eject ink onto a recording medium, the ink being curable by irradiation of an active light beam; a relative movement device recording medium; an active light beam irradiation device having an active light beam emission unit that emits the active light beam and is divided into units in a direction of the relative movement for irradiating the ink deposited on the recording medium with the active light beam while relative movement between the recording medium and the active light beam irradiation device is caused along with the inkjet head; and an active light beam irradiation control device which controls on or off switching with respect to each of the divided units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Sanada
  • Patent number: 8764154
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a printing unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The conveyance unit conveys a sheet that is a continuous sheet. The printing unit prints an image onto the conveyed sheet. The detection unit detects a splice of the conveyed sheet. A following sheet area follows and is continuous from the splice. The control unit adjusts, in response to the detection unit detecting a splice of the conveyed sheet, the conveyance by the conveyance unit of the following sheet area depending on conveyance characteristics of the following sheet area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Sugimura, Takashi Nojima, Shinya Asano
  • Patent number: 8764180
    Abstract: Printing methods are provided. In one method an inkjet image is printed using an ink having a colorant with an electrical charge of a first polarity dispersed in a hydrophilic liquid carrier fluid with an electrical charge of a second polarity that is the opposite polarity of the first polarity. A colorant attracting toner image conforming to the inkjet image is generated using toner particles of the second polarity. The colorant attracting toner image is transferred in registration with an unabsorbed volume of the ink jet image on the receiver. The difference in polarity between the toner particles and the colorant attracts the colorant and the toner particles. The toner particles are fixed to the receiver. After fixing colorant attracted to the toner particles is bound to the toner particles so that removal of the toner from the receiver also removes any colorant attached to the toner from the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Thomas Nathaniel Tombs, Donald Saul Rimai
  • Patent number: 8757756
    Abstract: A method of halftoning of an image comprising a pseudo-noise pattern of dots, whereby vectors between each dot and the nearest neighboring dot are orientated in a direction perpendicular to a line feed direction, and a density of the pattern of dots in a line feed direction is half of a density of the pattern of dots in a direction perpendicular to the line feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jumpei Ashida
  • Patent number: 8757758
    Abstract: An image registration system for determining a relative location of a first pattern and a second pattern includes a fiducial having a fiducial origin, a first side, and a second side. A first camera captures a first fiducial image of the first side of the fiducial and the fiducial origin and a first pattern image of the first printed pattern. A second camera captures a second fiducial image of the second side of the fiducial and a second pattern image of the second printed pattern. An image registration controller processes the first fiducial image, the first pattern image, the second pattern image, and the second fiducial image to determine the relative location of the first pattern and the second pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ronald J. Duke, Brad Smith, Thomas F. Powers, Morgan A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8757793
    Abstract: A medium support unit of a liquid ejection device has a negative pressure chamber and a medium support surface so that an ejection medium is supported on the medium support surface by suction, and includes a plurality of first recesses and at least one second recess. The first recesses are in communication with a negative pressure generating unit, and aligned along a width direction. The second recess is disposed at a position corresponding to an end part in the width direction of the ejection medium, and arranged to accept liquid ejected from a liquid ejection head. The second recess is in communication with an adjacent one of the first recesses at a position inward of the end part of the ejection medium. The first recesses are respectively in communication with the negative pressure generating unit via the negative pressure chamber partitioned into a plurality of units in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8760709
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, the generating unit generates print data indicating whether a dot having one of a plurality of sizes is formed or not, by performing a halftone process on original image data. The correcting unit generates corrected print data by correcting the print data. The dividing unit divides the edge part data of the print data into a plurality of block data. The index value determining unit determines, for each block data, an index value relating to an amount of ink to be used based on the plurality of dot data included in the each block data. The changing unit changes, for each block data, the size information of at least one dot data among the plurality of dot data included in the each block data based on the index value such that the amount of ink to be used becomes reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Kuno
  • Patent number: 8757757
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an adjusting mechanism configured to change a gap between a print head and a continuous sheet, and the adjusting mechanism controls the gap to be larger than that at the time of printing when a splice of the continuous sheet passes the print head. An unprintable area is set on each of the upstream side and the downstream side of the splice, each having at least a width corresponding to a sum of a length of the plurality of print heads in the direction of sheet conveyance and a distance of movement of the continuous sheet in a period required for the adjusting mechanism to change the gap, and the printing is continued while avoiding the unprintable area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiki Takeuchi, Koichiro Kawaguchi, Kengo Nieda
  • Patent number: 8757761
    Abstract: A film paid out from a feed side film roll is conveyed so that an application target area of the film is located on a suction table in an application portion. Image-capturing cameras are disposed so as to be adjacent to ink-jet application heads so that one application head and one image-capturing camera are integrated with each other in terms of position of installation to form one application head unit portion. Each application head unit portion is moved above the suction table by a three-dimensionally movable XYZ-direction driving unit. A position where application will be performed next is image-captured by each of the image-capturing cameras in advance during the applying operation due to each of the application heads. A result of image capturing by each of the image-capturing cameras is processed by an image processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Mizutori, Junichi Matsui, Yoshitsugu Miyamoto, Katsuyoshi Watanabe, Hideo Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140168308
    Abstract: A sheet transporting apparatus is provided, including a transport mechanism provided with a roller, a motor, a controller, and a measuring input unit, wherein a transport route has a curved area for inverting the sheet, and the controller is constructed such that the control on the motor is executed by a closed loop control system by using a measured value of an control output at an initial stage of the transport of a sheet from a tray, and the control on the motor is switched from the control performed by the closed loop control system to control performed by an open loop control system on condition that a preset phenomenon arises after the sheet is taken out of the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji SAMOTO, Kenta HORADE, Mitsuhiro NOZAKI, Hirotaka AOKI
  • Publication number: 20140168307
    Abstract: A system implementing a method for determining smear tendency of a sheet of print media to reduce smearing on future media sheets of a similar type. The method includes creating an image on the sheet of print media. The sheet of print media is reversed to allow at least one upstream roller to contact and smear the image and create smear marks on the sheet of print media. Reference marks are created over the smear marks and at unsmeared areas of the sheet of print media. To determine the smear tendency, the reference marks over the smear marks are compared to the reference marks at the unsmeared areas. The smear tendency indicates future corrections to an imaging device to reduce smearing on the future media sheets when used by the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Funai Electric Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Rebecca Beth Silveston-Keith, John Thomas Writt
  • Publication number: 20140168309
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tablet printing method and apparatus for contactless-printing on a large number of tablets that are supplied successively and randomly in a predetermined plurality of rows. The apparatus includes a hopper 2 to supply tablets, a distributing unit 3 to distribute the supplied tablets in a predetermined plurality of rows, a conveyor 4 to convey the distributed tablets randomly with the plurality of rows maintained, a detection line sensor camera 5 to detect the tablets during conveyance of the conveyor 4, an inkjet printer 6 to print on the tablets during conveyance based on data detected by the detection line sensor camera 5, an inspection line sensor camera 7 to check printing state on the tablets, and a defective rejection unit 9 to reject a defective during conveyance of the tablets in the plurality of rows based on the check result of the inspection line sensor camera 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: KYOTO SEISAKUSHO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadao Morita, Shigeki Tasaka, Manabu Yamashita, Seiya Matsumoto, Keisuke Noda, Yuta Imai
  • Patent number: 8752929
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus, including: a supply tray; a supply roller; a manual tray; a recording device; a motor; a supply driving power transmitter which transmits a reverse driving power of the motor to the supply roller; a conveyance driving power transmitter; a switcher switchable between a first state in which a driving power of the motor is transmitted to the supply driving power transmitter and a second state in which the driving power is not transmitted to the supply driving power transmitter; and a controller configured to, when an image is to be recorded on a sheet placed on the manual tray and when the switcher is in the first state, switches the switcher to the second state and rotates the motor reversely to rotate a conveyor roller in a second rotational direction reverse to a first rotational direction for conveying a sheet in a conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Yuki Matsui
  • Publication number: 20140160197
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plasma treatment unit that performs plasma treatment on a surface of a treatment object to acidify at least the surface of the treatment object, a recording unit that performs an inkjet recording process on the surface of the treatment object subjected to the plasma treatment by the plasma treatment unit, and a control unit that adjusts plasma energy for the plasma treatment according to a type of an ink used in the inkjet recording process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Yohji HIROSE, Masakazu Yoshida, Toshitaka Osanai
  • Publication number: 20140160196
    Abstract: In a method to execute a pause in an ink printing system printing operation in which a printing substrate web is printed with print bars having print heads, with aid of a take-up roller moving the printing substrate web at printing speed past the print bars in a transfer printing zone in order to generate print images. Upon triggering the pause, a strain state of the printing substrate web is measured at a beginning of the pause and stored as a desired strain state. During the pause, the strain state of the printing substrate web is measured as a real strain state at selectable points in time, and the real strain state is compared with desired strain state. Given a deviation of the real strain state from the desired strain state, at the selectable points in time the take-up roller is controlled so that the strain state of the printing substrate web assumes the desired strain state at the beginning of the pause.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Mehrad Biglari, Admir Lela, Peter Thiemann, Stephan Pilsl
  • Patent number: 8746831
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a tray for holding a medium; a conveying portion for conveying the tray; a recording portion for recording an image onto the medium held by the tray; a detecting portion for detecting the medium. A detection-region determining portion determines, a detection region of the medium which is to be detected and a detection-region memory portion memorizes the determined detection region. Prior to the next image recording, the detecting portion detects the detection region, based on the detection region that has been memorized in previous image recording. A judging portion judges whether the image has been already recorded onto the medium or not, based on result of detection made by the detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 8746823
    Abstract: To reduce the tendency of glossiness to vary according to the ink ejection quantity, a printing device includes a color ink head for ejecting color ink to a medium, a clear ink head for ejecting transparent clear ink to the medium, and a controller for controlling ejection of the clear ink so that the clear ink is ejected to a region in which an ejection quantity of the color ink per unit area of the medium is less than a predetermined quantity, and the clear ink is not ejected to a region in which the ejection quantity of the color ink per unit area of the medium is greater than the predetermined quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Kondo, Toru Takahashi, Hiroshi Wada, Toshio Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8746825
    Abstract: When printing is to be performed on sheets by switching a plurality of sheet storage units and feeding the sheets, a user confirms, before the designated number of sheets is printed, whether the sheet matches a designated sheet type, and then instructs printing to be continued. Two or more sheet storage units among the plurality of sheet storage units are set as one group, and one sheet is conveyed from each of the two or more sheet storage units set as one group. An image is printed on the conveyed sheets which are then discharged to a sheet discharge unit, and printing is interrupted. If an instruction to continue the interrupted printing is received, control is performed to resume the interrupted printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Wakai
  • Patent number: 8746832
    Abstract: A printer includes: a fixed printhead assembly defining a print zone; a drive roller for feeding media along a media path and into the print zone, the drive roller being positioned upstream of the print zone; a fixed vacuum platen for receiving the media from the drive roller, the fixed vacuum platen being positioned in the print zone opposite the fixed printhead assembly; and a moving belt assembly positioned downstream of the print zone for receiving the media from the fixed vacuum platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Robert Rosati, David Petch, David Burney, Jim Sykora, Kenneth A Regas, Andy Bound, Neil Doherty, Scott Dennis, Ben Jones, Oksana Buyda, Locson Tonthat, Andrew Buyda, Patrick Kirk, Loren Hunt, Jason Dewey, Jim Trinchera, Bill Cressman, Ron Zech
  • Patent number: 8746874
    Abstract: A medium conveyance apparatus includes: a medium supporting device having a medium supporting surface which supports a rear surface of a medium opposite to a processing object surface; a gripping device which grips a leading end portion of the medium; a fastening device which fastens at least a non-gripped portion of the medium; a conveyance device which conveys the medium held by at least one of the gripping device and the fastening device to a processing region where a processing is performed to the processing object surface; and a control device which controls the gripping device such that after the gripping device has gripped the leading end portion and before the leading end portion arrives at the processing region, at least a part of the gripping device is temporarily opened and then the part of the gripping device having been opened is closed to grip the leading end portion again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Fukui, Atsushi Sejima
  • Patent number: 8746830
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming member that jets liquid droplets onto a recording medium and forms an image on a front face of the recording medium, a tension imparting member that induces tension of 100 N/m to 1000 N/m in the recording medium image-formed on the recording medium front face by the image forming member, and a drying member that dries the image formed on the front face of the recording medium when tension induced in the recording medium by the tension imparting member to a residual moisture level of 3 g/m2 or less in the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yuhei Chiwata
  • Publication number: 20140152733
    Abstract: An embodiment of this invention is directed to suppressing a circuit scale and ensuring quick response in control of a DC motor. According to the embodiment, upon driving the motor to feed roll paper, the current value supplied to drive the motor is compared with a target value for PWM-control. A value representing the comparison result is counted for a PWM-control signal of one cycle. The output tendency of the comparison result is checked based on an obtained count in every cycle of the signal, and the tendency is encoded. The code values are stored for a predetermined number of cycles of the signal. The code values stored in both the first period and the second period longer than the first period are checked in regard to the past tendency of PWM-control, and the signal is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Sano
  • Publication number: 20140152734
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a position detection unit which includes an optical element, a light source and a light receiving element, radiates light from the light source toward the printing surface, causes diffused reflection light of reflection light which is reflected by the printing surface to be incident to the light receiving element through the optical element and outputs positional information relating to a position of the printing surface at which the light from the light source reflects, from the light receiving element, and a controller which causes movement of the carriage to stop when lifting up of the printing medium is detected on a basis of the positional information output from the light receiving element, in which a virtual plane which contains the optical element and the light receiving element is in a state of being inclined in relation to a normal line of the printing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Tsunenobu Endo, Shogo Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 8740325
    Abstract: A method for operating a printer includes supplying liquid ink from two ink reservoirs to a printhead to enable the printhead to eject ink drops onto an image receiving substrate. A substrate transport moves the substrate past the printhead at a first speed. In response to detecting an interruption in the supply of liquid ink from one of the two ink reservoirs, the substrate transport moves the image receiving substrate at a slower second speed past the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Dahrea, Michael William Elliot
  • Patent number: 8740326
    Abstract: A recording medium lift detection apparatus for detecting a lift of a recording medium that is conveyed on a predetermined conveyance surface along a predetermined conveyance path, includes: a light projection/receiving, a light projection parallel flat plate, a light projection turning device, a control device and a recording medium lift detection control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Korogi, Takashi Fukui
  • Patent number: 8740337
    Abstract: A solid inkjet web printer for reducing wrinkles on a web including a solid ink jet engine for jetting a patterned layer of solid jettable ink and a system having a processor, and a spreader, the spreader having a pressure roller and a spreader roller forming a nip and means for adjusting the force applied at the nip. The processor controls the adjustment of the force applied by the pressure and spreader rollers to the printed portion on the web causing the spreader to reduce the force when the non-image portion is in the nip. A sensor for providing a signal to the processor indicates the location of the image and non-image portions of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Borden Hicks Mills, III, John Leonard Hryhorenko
  • Publication number: 20140146105
    Abstract: A load applying unit includes a motor and a rotation transmission mechanism. A unit for causing the motor to be in a state where the motor creates a counter-electromotive force when rotational force from the roll body is received by applying a voltage less than a minimum driving voltage to the motor and a unit for changing a conveyance speed with which the conveyance unit conveys the print medium are included. While the print medium is pulled out from the roll body and the print medium is set in a state where image forming can be started, the motor is caused to be in the state where the motor can create the counter-electromotive force, and the conveyance unit performs a conveyance operation by changing the conveyance speed of the print medium in accordance with a detection result of the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kikuya Nakada
  • Publication number: 20140146106
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage in which recording heads including nozzles for jetting liquid droplets are mounted; and a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium facing the recording heads. The recording heads include a first recording head and a second recording head having a wider printing width than that of the first recording head. The conveying unit includes a guide member configured to guide the recording medium facing the recording heads. Recessed shape parts arranged in at least a medium conveying direction are formed in the guide member. The recording medium can be suctioned by generating negative pressure at the recessed shape parts. A partition wall part between the recessed shape parts is provided at a position corresponding to a downstream side edge in the medium conveying direction of the first recording head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Maeyama
  • Patent number: 8733879
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a drying chamber on a downstream side of a recording head along a conveyance path for a sheet-shaped recording medium originally wound to be like a roll; and a drying unit circulating gas. The drying unit includes a heat pump separating water droplets from gas containing moisture returned after moisture is moved from the sheet-shaped recording medium, heating the gas, supplying the gas as high temperature dried gas to the drying chamber, causing moisture to move from the sheet-shaped recording medium to the gas in the drying chamber and returning the gas to which the moisture has been moved and which becomes gas containing moisture to the drying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori Numata
  • Patent number: 8733878
    Abstract: A liquid discharger is provided that includes a sheet detector, a second discharging head discharging second liquid, a rotary roller, and a first discharging head discharging first liquid disposed in the above order from an upstream side in a feeding direction. The liquid discharger further includes an arrival time storing unit storing a standard arrival time for the predetermined position of a sheet to reach the first discharging head from the sheet detector when there is no second liquid attaching onto the rotary roller, a delay time storing unit storing a relationship between a attachment amount and a delay time, a delay time determining unit determining a delay time corresponding to a determined attachment amount based on the relationship, and a controller determining a moment when the first discharging head is to discharge the first liquid based on the stored standard arrival time and the determined delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunji Uchino
  • Patent number: 8733880
    Abstract: A digital printing method includes printing timing marks for each of images; in reprinting after printing is temporarily suspended, feeding a web of paper to travel backwards so that a plurality of images and timing marks printed thereon before printing is temporarily suspended move towards upstream of a digital printer and thereafter feeding the web of paper to travel forwards again, and counting by mark sensors, upstream of the digital printer, the number of such timing marks moving in each of the backward feed and forward re-feed of the web of paper; and when the number of counts of the timing marks counted in the forward re-feed coincides with the number of counts of the timing marks counted in the backward feed, reinitiating to print consecutive images from a position following an image last printed before printing is temporarily suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Yuuichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8737906
    Abstract: A system and method for determining substrate media height including a media transport having a transport surface for carrying thereon substrate media along a media path in a process direction past a print zone. A media height detector is disposed upstream of the print zone. The height detector includes an elongate member disposed above the transport surface and extending across the transport surface in a cross-process direction. The elongate member is slanted with respect to the transport surface with a distance between the elongate member and the transport surface decreasing as the detector extends in the process direction. The height detector includes a deflection sensor operably connected to the elongate member. The deflection sensor senses deflection of the elongate member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Joannes N. M. de Jong, Thomas Wyble
  • Patent number: 8733925
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus 100 makes a record on a web 1, including a line head 10 disposed on the side of a recording surface 1a of the web 1, guiding rollers 2 that guide the web 1, and a suction mechanism 20 disposed on the side of a non-recording surface 1b of the web 1, wherein, during travelling of the web 1, the line head 10 makes a record on the recording surface 1a of the web 1, and the suction mechanism 20 secures the non-recording surface 1b of the web 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Kouichi Ooyama, Masahito Sato
  • Patent number: 8733870
    Abstract: There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet head; a scanning mechanism for scanning the ink-jet head; a transport mechanism including nip sections for nipping a recording medium; and a controller including a pattern forming mechanism, which controls the ink jet head to form a pattern including a mark for detecting a deviation between a landing position in a forward scanning and a landing position in a backward scanning; wherein the pattern forming mechanism controls the ink jet head to form a part of the mark on the recording medium in one of an area which overlaps in the transport direction with one of the nip sections and areas which are placed at outside positions of the nip sections nipping the recording medium at outermost positions in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 8733884
    Abstract: A printing system includes a print media having two sets of test patterns formed or printed in at least two margins adjacent a content area on the print media. The two sets of test patterns are separated by a pattern distance and at least two test patterns in each set of test patterns have a different number of marks. Two integrated imaging systems are disposed opposite the print media and are mechanically tied together and separated by a fixed distance. The integrated imaging systems substantially simultaneously capture images of the two sets of test patterns. An image processing device can process the images to determine if one or more size variations have occurred in the print media in the in-track direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark C. Rzadca, Samuel Chen
  • Patent number: 8733883
    Abstract: A printing system includes a print media having two sets of test patterns formed or printed in at least two margins adjacent a content area on the print media. The two sets of test patterns are separated by a pattern distance and at least two test patterns in each set of test patterns have a different number of marks. Two integrated imaging systems are disposed opposite the print media and are mechanically tied together and separated by a fixed distance. The integrated imaging systems substantially simultaneously capture images of the two sets of test patterns. An image processing device can process the images to determine if one or more size variations have occurred in the print media in the in-track direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark C. Rzadca, Samuel Chen
  • Publication number: 20140139582
    Abstract: A recording apparatus including: a medium support tray capable of supporting a recording medium; a moving mechanism moving the medium support tray; a recording head capable of recording on the recording medium which is transported by moving the medium support tray; a protective member of the recording head; an instruction receiving section which receives an instruction of a maintenance start of the protective member; and a controller which controls the moving mechanism so as to retract the medium support tray from a set position in which the recording medium is set on the medium support tray when the instruction receiving section receives the instruction of the maintenance start.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Yanagishita
  • Patent number: 8727526
    Abstract: In an inkjet printing apparatus capable of automatic duplex printing, time required to fix ink is shortened and throughput is improved without producing uneven fixing. The inkjet printing apparatus includes a printing unit that prints onto a sheet, a fixing unit that heats a sheet printed by the printing unit, a conveying unit that conveys a sheet with respect to the printing unit and the fixing unit, and a controller that controls the conveying unit such that a printing region of a sheet printed on the first side by the printing unit passes through the fixing unit, and afterwards, the conveyance direction of the sheet is reversed in order to print on the second side and the printing region once again passes through the fixing unit. The controller variably controls the conveyance speed of the sheet when the printing region once again passes through the fixing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamamoto, Tetsuya Saito, Yoshiaki Suzuki, Koji Furusawa, Hiroshi Tajika, Masahiko Watanabe, Atsuhiko Masuyama, Atsushi Miyahara, Masashi Ito, Fumie Kameyama
  • Publication number: 20140132658
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a pretreatment unit to apply a pretreatment liquid on a recording medium before an image is formed on the recording medium, a posttreatment unit to apply a posttreatment liquid on the recording medium after the image is formed on the recording medium, and a dry unit to dry the image formed on the recording medium and the posttreatment liquid. The pretreatment unit controls an applying amount of the pretreatment liquid based on resolution of the image to be formed on the recording medium, the posttreatment unit controls an applying amount of the posttreatment liquid based on the resolution of the image to be formed on the recording medium, and the dry unit controls drying strength based on the resolution of the image to be formed on the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinari Suzuki, Yukihito Niino, Kazuki Yasu
  • Patent number: 8721031
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing images deposited on an image receiving member of a printer, and more particularly analyzing images deposited on a surface of an imaging drum in an inkjet printer. A photoelectric sensor supported by a sled in contact with the surface of the imaging drum can be used to detect missing jets in the printhead, to align the printhead, to reduce the amount of purged ink, and to determine run out of the imaging drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Trevor J. Snyder, David D. Martenson, David L. Knierim, Ernest I. Esplin, James B. Campbell
  • Patent number: 8721067
    Abstract: A printer apparatus (10) is provided with a front and rear drive motor, which rotationally drives a feed roller (21) in a state that the plate-like medium (B) is pinched by the feed roller (21) and a pinch roller (24) which are paired to feed the plate-like medium (B) to the front side and to set to be located on the platen (13), a right and left drive motor which moves the printer head (32) in the right and left direction, and a controller which performs control for feeding the plate-like medium (B) and control for moving the printer head by the right and left drive motor (32). The platen (13) is provided with a feeding auxiliary member (40) which is protruded from a support face for supporting the plate-like medium (B) and is located on the front side with respect to a portion facing the printer head (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Kobayashi, Takaaki Kambara
  • Patent number: 8721023
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a roller and a control device. The roller is configured and arranged to convey a recording medium. The control device is configured and arranged to set a pressure load of the roller contacting with the recording medium. The control device is configured and arranged to set the pressure load of the roller to a first pressure load when the recording medium is conveyed, and to set the pressure load of the roller to a second pressure load which is lower than the first pressure load when the recording medium is not conveyed while the roller is in contact with the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiro Yamashita, Hideo Mikuriya
  • Patent number: 8721026
    Abstract: A method compensates for changes in drop velocity of drops emitted by inkjets in a printhead of an ink jet imaging device. The method includes operating inkjet ejectors in a plurality of printheads to eject ink in a pattern of structured dashes on an image receiving member, the structured dashes corresponding to a predetermined image data pattern, generating image data corresponding to the pattern of structured dashes on the image receiving member, identifying a process direction correction parameter for each ejector in the plurality of printheads with reference to the generated image data, modifying image data to be printed by the plurality of printheads with reference to the process direction correction parameter identified for at least one of the ejectors, and operating the plurality of printheads with reference to the modified image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Helen HaeKyung Shin, Howard A. Mizes, Jeffrey J. Folkins, David A. Mantell
  • Patent number: 8721022
    Abstract: Images, one per page, are printed by a digital printer consecutively on a web of paper fed to travel forward. A timing mark is printed for each image. In case printing is temporarily halted, the web of paper is first fed backward, and then it is fed forward again. The number of timing marks in each of the backward feed and forward feed of the web of paper are counted. When the number of counts of the timing marks counted in the forward feed coincides with the number of counts of the timing marks counted earlier in the backward feed, printing of consecutive images is reinitiated from a position immediately following an image last printed before printing was temporarily halted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Yuuichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8714685
    Abstract: A printing control apparatus configured to execute printing using continuous sheets stored in a plurality of storage portions includes a determination unit configured to determine a continuous sheet usable by each print job in a print queue, and a decision unit configured to decide a use order of the continuous sheets stored in the plurality of storage portions based on a result of determination by the determination unit, wherein the decision unit decides the use order so that a continuous sheet with a smaller remaining amount is used preferentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiya Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 8714682
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a conveyance belt, a reverse passage, and a charger. The belt is looped around at least two rollers to adhere a recording medium thereto by electrostatic force and convey the medium. The belt defines a normal conveyance area in which the medium is conveyed in a first direction with the medium facing the head. The reverse passage sends the medium back again to a portion of the belt upstream from the head in the first direction. The reverse passage includes an opposite conveyance area of the belt in which the medium is conveyed in a second direction and a bypass passage to guide the medium separated from the opposite conveyance area toward the normal conveyance area. The charger is disposed between the bypass passage and an outer surface of the belt to charge the outer surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Tanaka, Yoichi Ito, Kuniyori Takano, Hideaki Iijima
  • Patent number: RE44938
    Abstract: A recording apparatus for forming images using a recording head includes a feeding roller, a conveying roller, a conveyance control unit, and a recording control unit. The conveyance control unit performs a conveying operation a number of times after the trailing end of a sheet reaches a predetermined position defined between the feeding roller and the conveying roller such that the trailing end of the sheet is disposed in a predetermined range upstream of the conveying roller in a sheet conveying direction after the conveying operations. At least one of the conveying operations performed a number of times is performed based on a distance from the position of the trailing end of the sheet to the position of the conveying roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Onuma, Haruyuki Yanagi, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Minoru Teshigawara