With Particular Cooling Means Patents (Class 347/18)
  • Publication number: 20090267985
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including a head for ejecting liquid on a medium, a moving mechanism for moving the head in a predetermined direction, and a fan. The fan flows air in the liquid ejecting apparatus in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiki USUI
  • Patent number: 7597416
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes an ink tank in a layered form and having a plurality of ink storage chambers storing color inks; a driving circuit; a heat transfer plate; and a recording head having a plurality of nozzle rows arranged in one direction. The heat transfer plate is in contact with the driving circuit and faces, at a spacing distance, an ink storage chamber, among the ink storage chambers, storing a yellow ink included in the color inks, and formed on the lowest layer of the ink tank. The yellow ink is supplied to a center nozzle row among the nozzle rows. This construction reduces an influence on printing quality due to variation in extent by which the color inks are influenced by the heat from the driving circuit, thereby providing an ink-jet recording apparatus which can realize high-quality printing and made to be compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Takata
  • Publication number: 20090219327
    Abstract: A heating lamp unit (40) is mounted on a head carriage (10) of an inkjet printer (1). Since the heating lamp unit (40) is positioned very close to an ink drop, which is discharged from the inkjet head (11) and dropped on a recording medium (30), and that the heating lamp unit can directly harden the ink drop with heat, the ink drop can be efficiently fixed. When the heating lamp unit (40) is arranged very close to the inkjet head (11), there are possibilities of generating clogging of the nozzle of the inkjet head (11) and thermal failure of the inkjet head itself due to heat released from the heating lamp (40). Since the heating lamp unit (40) can be efficiently cooled by a cooling mechanism (50) using heat pipes (51, 52), the inkjet head can be prevented from being heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventor: Chizuo Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20090184995
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a head which ejects a liquid in accordance with a driving signal; a driving signal generator which generates the driving signal; a sensor which detects the temperature of the head; and a controller which allows the head to wait the liquid ejection performed in accordance with the driving signal on the basis of the detection result of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiki USUI
  • Publication number: 20090160899
    Abstract: An inkjet printer performs printing by circulating cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks in their respective passages. The printer includes a heat exchanger which the passages enter together, and which is configured to promote the temperatures of the inks to be equal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 7549730
    Abstract: A printhead assembly includes an ink ejection printhead mounted in fluid communication to a support member. The support member has a core element defining a plurality of ink reservoirs, in turn, storing ink to be supplied to the printhead. An outer shell is mounted to the core element. The outer shell has a tri-layer laminate of two different metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
  • Publication number: 20090141063
    Abstract: A temperature rise of a head due to a printing operation with a higher speed and a higher density is suppressed. To realize this, an inkjet printing head is provided in which a plurality of printing element substrates having an ejection opening array consisting of a plurality of ejection openings for ejecting ink are arranged on a support plate in a direction of the ejection opening array. The support plate includes therein a heat pipe and a flow path through which cooling liquid is flowed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Takano, Makoto Shihoh, Shoji Kanemura, Hiroyasu Nomura, Katsumasa Nishikawa, Shigeo Takenaka, Manabu Sueoka, Junji Yasuda, Noriyuki Chino
  • Publication number: 20090141064
    Abstract: An ink jet recording head includes a flow passage for a liquid for cooling a recording element substrate. The flow passage is provided inside a support plate that supports the recording element substrate along a recording element array of the recording element substrate. The shortest distance between a recording element and the flow passage at the end of the support plate is larger than the shortest distance between a recording element and the flow passage in the middle of the support plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Shihoh, Shoji Kanemura, Noriyuki Chino, Hiroyasu Nomura
  • Publication number: 20090141062
    Abstract: A print head having high printing reliability, in which temperature unevenness is suppressed even when printing is performed using a print head having an increased length and density of an ejection opening array can be provided. Specifically, a temperature equalizing member such as a heat pipe and a cooling liquid passage is disposed between a first support substrate and each of second support substrates or is disposed inside the first support substrate. This makes it possible to equalize temperature among the plurality of second support substrates and further equalize temperature among the printing element substrates bonded to these support substrates. In addition, the temperature equalizing member is made close to the printing element substrate, thus making it possible to efficiently equalize temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Takano, Manabu Sueoka, Junji Yasuda, Shigeo Takenaka, Katsumasa Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20090135219
    Abstract: A compliant cooling conduit is employed to extract heat from an inkjet print head array. The cooler conduit is implemented as a flexible conduit placed between the heat emitting surfaces. Cooling fluid pressure presses the conduit to the heat emitting parts of the print head modules. When fluid pressure is removed the conduit collapses and provides convenient access for print head service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Roi Nathan, Haggai Karlinski, Amit Henig, Gil Fisher
  • Patent number: 7538299
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include a media conditioning module for being connected between a media source supplying sheets of media and a printing device. The media conditioning module is adapted to remove moisture from the sheets of media received from the media source before the sheets of media are supplied to the printing device. The media conditioning module comprises a heater and a cooler. The heater has manifolds positioned to supply heated air to both sides of the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass through the media conditioning module. The cooler is positioned to supply non-heated air to both sides of the sheets of media as the sheets of media pass through the media conditioning module. The heater is positioned with respect to the cooler such that the sheets of media pass by the heater before the sheets of media pass by the cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: James J. Spence, David R. Kretschmann, David M. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7533955
    Abstract: A recording apparatus, including: a recording head including an actuator; a head holder holding the head; a circuit board disposed on the holder and configured to be connected to an external signal source; a drive circuit operable to drive the actuator; a flexible wiring member which includes wires that connect the actuator and the circuit board, which is elongated in a direction in which the wires extend, which is connected to the actuator and the circuit board at longitudinally opposite ends thereof, respectively, and on which the drive circuit is mounted between the longitudinal opposite ends, the wires including (a) a common voltage wire which connects common-voltage portions of the drive circuit and the circuit board and (b) a drive signal wire for driving the actuator; and a radiator having heat conductivity and electric conductivity and disposed between the head and the circuit board so as to extend along the wiring member, the radiator being heat-conductively and electrically joined to: (a) the common
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20090085950
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a liquid discharging head that is provided on a carriage being moved with respect to a recording medium, a recording liquid, which is supplied from a recording liquid supply source, being supplied to the liquid discharging head through a recording liquid flow channel on the carriage; a heat emitting element that emits heat with an discharging operation of the liquid discharging head; a cooling liquid flow channel that is provided on the carriage and passes around the heat emitting element; and a heat sink that is provided between the heat emitting element and the cooling liquid flow channel, at least a part of the heat sink being exposed to the cooling liquid flow channel so as to serve as a part of an inner surface of a wall partitioning the cooling liquid flow channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayuki TAKATA
  • Publication number: 20090085951
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus is provided. The liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging head that is provided on a carriage reciprocating in a running direction of the carriage, a cooling liquid flow channel that is provided on the carriage; a cooling liquid outgoing channel; and a cooling liquid returning channel, wherein the recording liquid flow channel is led to a first side of the running direction from the carriage, at least one of the cooling liquid outgoing channel and the cooling liquid returning channel is led to a second side that is opposite the first side of the running direction from the carriage, and the recording liquid flow channel and the cooling liquid flow channel are partially separated from each other by a pressure transmission unit so as to enable the recording liquid flow channel and the cooling liquid flow channel to transmit pressure to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayuki TAKATA
  • Publication number: 20090066745
    Abstract: A recording unit is mounted on a thermal transfer printer in which heating elements of a thermal head are heated to thermally transfer ink a recording material. The recording unit includes a head unit having the thermal head; and a cooling unit having a cooling medium flow path for circulating a cooling medium to cool the thermal head. The cooling unit is configured to cause the head unit to be held at an immovable state relative to the cooling medium flow path so as to surround the cooling medium flow path by the pressure contact of the cooling medium flow path by means of a pressure contact and release mechanism. Separation of the head unit from the cooling unit body is allowed by the release of the pressure contact and release mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventor: Kazuo Ueda
  • Patent number: 7500730
    Abstract: There is disclosed an inkjet recording apparatus which comprises a head having an actuator and at least one nozzle row each of which comprises a plurality of nozzles for ejecting an ink droplet therethrough onto a recording medium by driving of the actuator, a drive element which outputs to the actuator a drive signal for ejecting the ink droplet, an ink supply portion which is connected to the head so as to supply ink to the head, a heat radiating member which has a contact portion in contact with the drive element and an extending portion disposed alongside at least a part of the ink supply portion so as to release heat generated at the drive element, and a head holder which holds the head, the drive element, ink supply portion, and the heat radiating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsunori Nishida, Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Publication number: 20090058917
    Abstract: A liquid discharging device is provided. The liquid discharging device includes a sub coolant tank that is held by a carriage and stores a coolant for cooling a discharge head; and a coolant replacement portion that includes a main coolant tank which can communicate with the sub coolant tank, and replaces the coolant in the sub coolant tank with a coolant in the main coolant tank when the main coolant tank communicates with the sub coolant tank. The sub coolant tank does not communicate with the main coolant tank when the carriage is disposed at a liquid discharge position, and the sub coolant tank communicates with the main coolant tank when the carriage is disposed at a liquid refill position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayuki Takata
  • Publication number: 20090051724
    Abstract: A head array unit includes a plurality of liquid discharging heads configured to discharge liquid and a head supporter configured to support the plurality of liquid discharging heads. The head supporter includes a plurality of liquid inlets, a channel system, and at least two ports. The plurality of liquid inlets is configured to supply liquid to the plurality of liquid discharging heads, respectively. The channel system is configured to sandwich or surround each of the plurality of liquid inlets and contain coolant to control a temperature of the head array unit. The at least two ports are connected to the channel system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD
    Inventor: Tomomi KATOH
  • Publication number: 20090047521
    Abstract: A heat exchange laminate for use as a heat exchange member in a heat exchange unit for a printing system including a base layer extending substantially planar, said base layer being bilaterally coated with an electrical conductive non-metallic contact layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Cornelis J. GROENENBERG, Herman KUYPERS, Peter J. HOLLANDS, Rick WALRAVEN
  • Publication number: 20090002407
    Abstract: A carrier for an array comprising a plurality of print heads, comprises an elongate bar having an ink conduit extending through the bar in a longitudinal direction. The carrier also comprises a print head receiving area adapted to receive or mount the plurality of print heads, and a heat transfer fluid conduit extending through the bar in a longitudinal direction. The carrier is arranged so that each print head received or mounted in the print head receiving area is in fluid communication with the ink conduit, wherein the heat transfer fluid conduit is disposed adjacent both the ink conduit and the print head receiving area. The carrier may comprise two ink conduits and two heat transfer fluid conduits. Heat transfer fluid may in use be conducted along the first and second heat transfer conduits in opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Nir Karin, Roni Mor, Ran Vilk, Vladimir Naivelt
  • Patent number: 7438377
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus, including nozzles each of which ejects a droplet of ink toward a recording sheet and which are arranged in one or more arrays in a first direction; pressure changing devices each of which changes a pressure of the ink to be supplied to a corresponding one of the nozzles so that the one nozzle ejects the droplet of ink, wherein the pressure changing devices are grouped into two groups arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; two flexible wiring cables which are electrically connected to the two groups of pressure changing devices, respectively, and which extend from the two groups of pressure changing devices in opposite directions, respectively, parallel to the second direction; two driver circuits which are provided on, and electrically connected to, the two wiring cables, respectively, and each of which outputs respective drive signals to drive the respective pressure changing devices of a corresponding one of the two groups; and a heat sink includ
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Publication number: 20080211895
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inkjet recording apparatus, which performs high resolution image recording by inhibiting propagation of heat from a light-radiation device to a recording medium, is provided with a recording medium conveyance device to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction; a recording head 10 to emit ink from a nozzle towards the recording medium; a first supporting member 5 to convey the recording medium so that the recording medium faces the recording head; a light radiation device 16 to radiate an activation energy ray towards the in emitted from the recording head; and a second support member 7 to convey the recording medium in a conveyance direction so that the recording medium faces the light radiation device; wherein between the first supporting member 5 and the second supporting member 7, in a recording medium conveyance direction, there are disposed a guide section 6 having a cooling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventor: Satoshi Nishino
  • Patent number: 7419237
    Abstract: A recording head comprises: a plurality of recording elements; a driver for driving the recording elements; a circuit board for supplying to the driver a signal for driving the recording elements; a wiring member connecting the recording elements to the driver, and connecting the driver to the circuit board; and a heatsink for releasing heat generated at the driver. A surface of a first portion of the wiring member is held in contact with a surface of the heatsink, and the first portion of the wiring member is separated from the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20080174628
    Abstract: A recording head where an actuator, a cavity portion and a flexible flat cable are placed one on another is provided in a head holder of a carriage. A drive IC chip is mounted on the flexible flat cable. A bottom plate portion of a first heat sink is in contact with the drive IC chip so as to be thermally conductable, and a side plate portion thereof is disposed in a standing condition. A base end of a second heat sink is in contact, so as to be thermally conductable, with a wiring pattern formed portion of the flexible flat cable between the drive IC chip and the actuator, and a heat dissipating portion of the second heat sink is extended below the bottom plate portion, and a part of the heat dissipating portion is exposed to the outside of the head holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Kubo, Hirofumi Kondo
  • Publication number: 20080136858
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus, including a recording head having a nozzle array to eject photo-curable ink onto a recording medium, and a radiating device which is placed next to the recording head, and which radiates an ink-curing light onto the photo-curable ink ejected on the recording medium, wherein the radiating device includes a plurality of light source units which radiate photo-curable ink, and a plurality of flow channels which are mounted to intersect with the nozzle array, and in which cooling water is made to flow to cool the plurality of the light source units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventor: Kenichi UENO
  • Publication number: 20080136857
    Abstract: In a construction which uses a wiping member to wipe off ink adhering to the surface of an ink jet print head formed with ink ejection nozzles, it is realized that a desired wiping performance in any environment without requiring a large space to accommodate a liquid supplied to the wiping member for satisfactory wiping. To this end, a cooling unit is used which can produce water by cooling the atmosphere. This cooling unit is operated to produce water, which is brought into contact with and transferred onto the wiping member before the wiping member performs wiping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Ogasawara, Mikio Sanada
  • Patent number: 7380914
    Abstract: A fluid ejection assembly includes a first layer, and a second layer positioned on a side of the first layer. The second layer has a side adjacent the side of the first layer and includes barriers defining a fluid chamber on the side, a drop ejecting element formed within the fluid chamber, and a thermal conduction path extended between the fluid chamber and the barriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Hector Jose Lebron, Paul Crivelli, Scott W. Hock
  • Patent number: 7347522
    Abstract: An ink-jet head which includes: a flow passage unit having plural nozzles and pressure chambers respectively communicating with the nozzles, the pressure chambers being arranged along a planar surface; an energy transfer unit which is fixed to the planar surface and transfers ejection energy to ink in the pressure chambers; a driver IC which generates a driving signal supplied to the energy transfer unit; a flat flexible cable in which the driver IC is mounted and plural wirings that make connection between the driver IC and the energy transfer unit are formed; and a heat transfer body which sandwiches at least a part of the energy transfer unit between the heat transfer body and the planar surface of the flow passage unit, the heat transfer body having a thickness in a direction perpendicular to the planar surface, the thickness decreasing in a direction away from the driver IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Publication number: 20080018690
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has: an ejection head which ejects droplets of liquid toward a recording medium in accordance with image data; a hold device which holds the recording medium; a conveyance device which conveys the recording medium relatively to the ejection head while the recording medium is held by the hold device; a heating device which is provided with the hold device and is capable of heating a part of the recording medium selectively; and a control device which controls the heating device in accordance with the image data so that, before the droplets of the liquid are ejected by the ejection head, the recording medium is heated by the heating device in accordance with a heating pattern in which a first temperature not greater than an allowable temperature of the recording medium is set for a first region of the recording medium where a liquid ejection rate is not less than a first threshold value while a second temperature less than the first temperature is set for a second region of the record
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: Isao Nishida
  • Patent number: 7311372
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet recording head which ejects a droplet of an ink toward a recording medium, a driver circuit device which applies an electric voltage to the ink jet recording head so that the ink jet recording head ejects the droplet of the ink toward the recording medium, a carriage on which the ink jet recording head and the driver circuit device are mounted, and a first heat sink and a second heat sink which are mounted on the carriage such that the first and second heat sinks cooperate with each other to sandwich the driver circuit device and define an inner space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Patent number: 7261389
    Abstract: A thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage device is used to dissipate heat from a thermal fluid ejector module in a fluid ejection device. The thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage device is molded from a polymer, or a polymer material including at least one thermally-conductive filler material. The thermal fluid ejector module is brought into contact with the thermally-conducting polymer carriage to dissipate heat. The polymer can be a highly thermally-conductive polymer. A method of manufacturing the thermally-conductive polymer carriage includes molding the carriage at least partially from a polymer that includes thermally-conductive filler materials, and contacting the thermally-conducting polymer carriage with the fluid ejector module. A method for use of the thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage device includes establishing a heat flow path from the fluid ejector module to ambient air through the thermally-conductive fluid ejector carriage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eric A. Merz, Roger G. Markham
  • Patent number: 7252358
    Abstract: A recording apparatus comprising: a printing head which has a plurality of recording elements and performs recording on the recording medium; a head holder which holds the printing head; a flexible wiring board comprising a flexible insulating band and a plurality of conductive wires and a driver element for actuating the printing head, which are provided on the flexible insulating band; and a heatsink for releasing heat generated by the driver element, wherein the heatsink is disposed between the flexible wiring board and the head holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Katayama
  • Patent number: 7222953
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head that jets photo-hardening ink which is hardened when it is exposed to ultraviolet rays on a recording medium, a radiation apparatus equipped with a light source that radiates ultraviolet rays to jetted ink, a cooling device that cools the radiation apparatus, a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the radiation apparatus and a controller that controls temperature of the cooling device depending on the temperature detected by the temperature detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7188922
    Abstract: A recording apparatus having: (a) a head unit including an actuator which generates energy required for recording predetermined patterns of image on a recording medium; (b) a circuit board including a driver element which drives the actuator of the head unit; and (c) a heatsink disposed in thermally conductive communication with the driver element. The heatsink has a void portion which is opposed to the head unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Patent number: 7168778
    Abstract: A printhead cartridge for a multi-printhead ink jet printer includes an array of ink jet nozzles and a heat sink for controlling the temperature of the nozzles. The heat sink is made up of a copper block and thinner copper wing regions extending from the block parallel to the array of nozzles. A passageway for coolant water is formed in the block and extends into the wings as a thinner channel. The block and the wing regions are mounted in thermal contact with the array of ink jet nozzles. The heat sink has the advantage that it allows the cartridges in the printer to be stitched together to cover the full width of a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V.
    Inventor: William Ronald Stuart Baxter
  • Patent number: 7077490
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical actuator assembly includes a substrate that defines a fluid reservoir. An actuator is positioned in the reservoir and has a region of bend material and a heater. The heater is positioned so that heating of the actuator results in differential thermal expansion of the actuator to generate movement and subsequent ejection of ink. The actuator has at least one region of heat conductive material that is positioned to conduct heat from the actuator to facilitate cooling of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Gregory John McAvoy
  • Patent number: 7066568
    Abstract: A determining method and the like is achieved for determining more accurately whether or not ink has been ejected. A determining method for determining whether or not ink was ejected from a plurality of nozzles includes a step of printing a non-ejection print pattern, a step of obtaining an output value upon non-ejection that is output based on the light that has been emitted toward the non-ejection print pattern, a step of printing an all-ejection print pattern, a step of obtaining an output value upon ejection that is output based on the light emitted toward the all-ejection print pattern, a step of setting a threshold value between the output value upon non-ejection and the output value upon ejection, and a step of comparing the threshold value with an output value that is output from a light-receiving section based on the light that has been emitted toward the print patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Komatsu, Hironori Endo
  • Patent number: 7057138
    Abstract: A heater is provided. The heater includes a first material having a circular form and a first sheet resistively. The first material has a first radius of curvature. The heater also includes a second material having a circular form and a second sheet resistively. The second material is positioned adjacent to the first material and has a second radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature is greater than the second radius of curvature and the first sheet resistively is less than the second sheet resistively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Ali Lopez, Christopher N. Delametter, Thomas M. Stephany, Gilbert A. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 7040732
    Abstract: A system, method and structure that promotes removing mist, dissipating heat, and/or drying a receiving medium in a fluid ejection device. This is achieved by substantially enclosing the sweep path of the fluid ejector carriage and manipulating the generally enclosed airflow that results from translating the fluid ejector carriage in a sweep direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lesley P. Dudek
  • Patent number: 7030898
    Abstract: A color thermal printer is provided with a cooling fan for cooling a thermal head and a fan rotational speed controller for controlling the rotation speed of the cooling fan, a head temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the thermal head and an environmental temperature sensor for measuring an environmental temperature around the thermal head. A controller predicts the head temperature in each recording position based on the printing rate (printing density) calculated from the image data, a measured temperature of the thermal head and a measured environmental temperature, and also predicts a delay time of a heat transmitting system and a measuring system based on a fluctuation of the printing rate. The controller controls an air amount of the cooling fan in each recording position based on the predicted temperature and the delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiji Tsubota
  • Patent number: 6951378
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a print head of an ink jet printer before capping includes the steps of determining an ambient temperature, determining a print head temperature, and waiting a predetermined time after receipt of the last print data for the print job, ejecting a predetermined number of ink droplets from nozzles of the print head at a frequency lower than a frequency used for printing, determining a drop in print head temperature caused by ejecting the predetermined number of ink droplets, and repeating the steps of waiting a predetermined time and ejecting a predetermined number of ink droplets until the print head temperature falls below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akitoshi Yamada, Hiromitsu Hirabayashi, Akihiko Sukigara
  • Patent number: 6908170
    Abstract: A fluid ejector assembly includes a container that stores a fluid to be ejected, a heat sink attached to the container, and a die module bonded to the heat sink. The heat sink is molded from a polymer that has at least one thermally conductive filler material mixed into the polymer. The heat sink is shaped to dissipate heat. The fluid ejector assembly is manufactured by mixing the at least one thermally conductive filler material with the polymer, molding the heat sink using the polymer and thermally-conductive filler material mixture, and attaching the heat sink to a die module and, optionally, to a fluid-containing container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric A. Merz
  • Publication number: 20040263554
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus including an ink jet recording head which ejects a droplet of an ink toward a recording medium, a driver circuit device which applies an electric voltage to the ink jet recording head so that the ink jet recording head ejects the droplet of the ink toward the recording medium, a carriage on which the ink jet recording head and the driver circuit device are mounted, and a first heat sink and a second heat sink which are mounted on the carriage such that the first and second heat sinks cooperate with each other to sandwich the driver circuit device and define an inner space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Publication number: 20040257393
    Abstract: A fluid ejector assembly includes a container that stores a fluid to be ejected, a heat sink attached to the container, and a die module bonded to the heat sink. The heat sink is molded from a polymer that has at least one thermally conductive filler material mixed into the polymer. The heat sink is shaped to dissipate heat. The fluid ejector assembly is manufactured by mixing the at least one thermally conductive filler material with the polymer, molding the heat sink using the polymer and thermally-conductive filler material mixture, and attaching the heat sink to a die module and, optionally, to a fluid-containing container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Fuji Xerox Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Eric A. Merz
  • Patent number: 6820959
    Abstract: The invention described in the specification relates to an improved ink jet printer cartridge structure which includes a substrate carrier or nose piece upon which semiconductor devices for ink jet printheads are mounted. The substrate carrier has a top surface containing one or more substrate locator wells each well having well walls, a well base and at least one ink feed slot in each well base and side walls attached to the top surface along the perimeter thereof. One or more of the side walls contain fins for heat removal from the substrate carrier and at least two alignment devices attached adjacent at least one of the side walls for precisely aligning the substrate carrier in a printer carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Lexmark International, In.c
    Inventors: Donald Norman Spitz, Carl Edmond Sullivan, David Amos Ward, Benjamin Alan Askren, Michael David Lattuca, Ashok Murthy, Ronald Monroe Nowell, Jr., Darrin Wayne Oliver
  • Publication number: 20040189730
    Abstract: A recording apparatus having: (a) a head unit including an actuator which generates energy required for recording predetermined patterns of image on a recording medium; (b) a circuit board including a driver element which drives the actuator of the head unit; and (c) a heatsink disposed in thermally conductive communication with the driver element. The heatsink has a void portion which is opposed to the head unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kubo
  • Patent number: 6796630
    Abstract: Droplet deposition apparatus includes a base and a printhead adjustably mounted on the base and positionable relative to a datum on the base such that a swath or print produced by the printhead is in a predetermined position relative to the datum, the base being locatable on a printer using the datum. This can enable the printer to be easily replaced without any loss of alignment of the produced print swath relative to the carriage or body of the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Xaar Technology Limited
    Inventors: Robert M. Ison, Werner Zapka, Jerzy M. Zaba
  • Publication number: 20040135831
    Abstract: An apparatus discharges a discharge liquid in the form of droplets from apertures by mechanically deforming piezoelectric elements by a normal drive signal. The droplets are discharged from the apertures by a cooling drive signal, which is different from the normal drive signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Hidenori Usuda, Yasushi Hashizume, Yasuhiro Hiraide
  • Patent number: 6742884
    Abstract: A method and system for masking a surface to be etched is described. A droplet source ejects droplets of a masking material for deposit on a thin-film or other substrate surface to be etched. The temperature of the thin-film or substrate surface is controlled such that the droplets rapidly freeze upon contact with the thin-film or substrate surface. The thin-film or substrate is then etched. After etching the masking material is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: William S. Wong, Robert A. Street, Stephen D. White, Robert Matusiak, Raj B. Apte
  • Patent number: 6733103
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided which includes a carriage that has a plurality of print heads and that reciprocates with respect to a recording sheet, a printer main body having a main power supply, and a cable that establishes electric conduction between the main power supply and the plurality of print heads. In addition, a voltage generating unit that generates head drive voltages according to the plurality of print heads from a voltage supplied from the main power supply is provided on the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akikazu Murata