Measuring And Testing (e.g., Diagnostics) Patents (Class 347/19)
  • Patent number: 10730309
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is insertable into an attachment portion of a printing device in an insertion direction and attached thereto in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes: a housing defining a liquid chamber; a substrate; a contact; and a memory electrically connected to the contact. The substrate in the upright posture defines a sloped surface facing upward and sloping relative to a first imaginary plane extending in the insertion direction and a widthwise direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and a gravitational direction. The contact is formed on the sloped surface. An acute angle formed between the sloped surface and the first imaginary plane is greater than an acute angle formed between the first imaginary plane and a second imaginary plane passing through: a contact point between the contact and a contact of the device; and a lower end of a wall constituting a holder of the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Fumio Nakazawa, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10730310
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a cartridge including a first storage chamber storing liquid; a tank including a second storage chamber storing liquid; at least one nozzle; a detecting portion detecting whether a level of the liquid in the second storage chamber becomes equal to a prescribed position; a notifying portion; and a controller configured to perform: when the level of the liquid in the second storage chamber becomes equal to the prescribed position, calculating first and second volumes; and when the second volume is greater than the first volume, notify that the level of the liquid in the second storage chamber becomes equal to the prescribed position. The first volume is an amount of the liquid in the first storage chamber above the level of the second storage chamber at a time when the level of the liquid in the second storage chamber becomes equal to the prescribed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuma Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10723125
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, which uses a printhead including a circuit configured to inspect an ink discharge status of a selected nozzle using a temperature detection element, causes the printhead to inspect the ink discharge status by changing a threshold value for judging a detection result of the temperature detection element, in order to judge the ink discharge status in a state in which a heater in the selected nozzle is driven by each of a first pulse and a second pulse whose waveform is different from that of the first pulse, obtains first information about a change point where a judgment result obtained by the first pulse changes, and second information about a change point where a judgment result obtained by the second pulse changes, and sets the threshold value based on the first and second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuhei Oikawa, Toshiyuki Chikuma, Yutaka Kano, Kohei Sato
  • Patent number: 10717238
    Abstract: In a method for the further processing of a product (30) that is preferably prefabricated in large numbers, the product has a surface (31) for an additive multi-dimensional application of material. Information for the additive multi-dimensional application of material is input into a device in which the multi-dimensional application of material is digitised from this information and is deconstructed into elements that are suitable for the additive application of the application of material to the surface (31). The prefabricated product (30) is introduced into a device (I) for additive application of the material application such that the elements for the additive multi-dimensional application of material on the surface (31) are assembled in accordance with the information using an additive manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ARBURG GMBH + CO KG
    Inventors: Oliver Kessling, Eberhard Duffner
  • Patent number: 10712922
    Abstract: A tool allows a user to create new designs for apparel and preview these designs before manufacture. Software and lasers are used in finishing apparel to produce a desired wear pattern or other design. Based on a laser input file with a pattern, a laser will burn the pattern onto apparel. With the tool, the user will be able to create, make changes, and view images of a design, in real time, before burning by a laser. Input to the tool includes fabric template images, laser input files, and damage input. The tool allows adding of tinting and adjusting of intensity and bright point. The user can also move, rotate, scale, and warp the image input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Levi Strauss & Co.
    Inventors: Jennifer Schultz, Debdulal Mahanty, Ozgur Taylan Kuzucu, James Barton Sights, Benjamin Bell, Christopher Schultz
  • Patent number: 10703097
    Abstract: An inkjet recorder includes at least one nozzle ejecting ink, at least one piezoelectric element, a power unit, and a processor. The at least one piezoelectric element deforms in response to an applied voltage and causing a change in pressure of ink to be supplied to the nozzle. The power unit supplies power for application of a driving voltage to the piezoelectric element. The processor cyclically applies the driving voltage in accordance with a predetermined driving voltage pattern to the piezoelectric element, acquires a representative value corresponding to the power supplied by the power unit in response to the application of the driving voltage, and detects an abnormal capacitance of the piezoelectric element determined based on the representative value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kyohei Hayashi, Akira Takeya
  • Patent number: 10695957
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image forming system of the present invention is characterized to include a density adjustment unit configured to adjust, for print data for printing a grayscale image used to cause a predetermined region of a thermally expandable sheet to thermally expand, density of the grayscale image according to types of pattern images included in the grayscale image, in print regions of the pattern images such that expansion heights of the print regions of the pattern images become desired heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takayuki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 10688789
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device is provided. The second liquid storage tank is connected to a second buffer tank and the second buffer tank is pressurized so that the pressure at one side of the spray head near the second liquid storage tank is greater than the pressure at another side near the first liquid storage tank. As a result, the chemical solution in the spray head flows back into the first liquid storage tank or the liquid supply tank. Consequently, there is no residual chemical solution at the spray head so that the problem of the blocked spray head is not induced. Furthermore, by pressurizing the second buffer tank, the boiling point of the chemical solution can be reduced. The volatilization and solidification of the chemical solvent is reduced even further. Therefore, the problem of the blocked spray head is further mitigated. The quality of the chemical solution is ensured for a long time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: WIHAN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fenghao Cai, Jeoung Kwen Noh, Donghwan Kim, Young Su Kim, Chienlin Wu, Xuwen Cao
  • Patent number: 10688814
    Abstract: A printer includes: a first fixed printhead; a second fixed printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction; a platen for supporting print media; an input media transport mechanism positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N1 on print media; an output media transport mechanism positioned downstream of the second printhead, the output media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N2 on print media; and an intermediary media transport mechanism positioned between the first and second printheads, the intermediary media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N3 on print media. The gripping forces satisfy the relationship N1>N2>N3 for optimal printing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Rommel Balala, Dan Baterna, Billy Sy, Christopher Hibbard
  • Patent number: 10688817
    Abstract: Examples associated with printer configuration are disclosed. One example includes printing, using a printer, a first portion of a test patch in a first print direction. A second portion of the test patch is printed in a second print direction. The second portion is printed at a first offset from the first portion. A first portion of a second test patch is printed in the first print direction, and a second portion of the second test patch is printed in the second print direction at a second offset from the first portion of the second test patch. The printer is configured to print in the second print direction using one of the first offset and the second offset based on a selection between the first test patch and the second test patch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Joan Albert Jorba Closa, Lluis Hierro Domenech, Mauricio Seras Franzoso
  • Patent number: 10682851
    Abstract: A controller is configured to receive an output signal outputted from a light reception element. The controller is configured to perform: an existence detection of controlling a light emission element to emit light and detecting whether an ejection target exists at a facing position based on the output signal; and a distance detection of controlling the light emission element to emit light toward a surface of the ejection target and detecting a distance between the surface of the ejection target and a nozzle surface based on the output signal outputted from the light reception element upon receiving light reflected off the surface of the ejection target. An amount of change of the output signal with respect to change of the distance in the distance detection is larger than an amount of change of the output signal with respect to change of the distance in the existence detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoji Sato, Satoru Arakane
  • Patent number: 10675883
    Abstract: A controller of a liquid discharge apparatus is configured to, in response to receipt of a second signal after receiving a first signal, assign a fixed value to at least one of a liquid amount Vc in a cartridge chamber, a liquid amount Vs in a chamber of the tank, and a total liquid amount Vt being a sum of the liquid amount Vc and the liquid amount Vs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 10675887
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus is provided with a head including a plurality of nozzle groups, a main scanning portion that scans the head in a main scanning direction, a sub-scanning portion that relatively moves the head and the medium in a sub-scanning direction, which intersects the main scanning direction, and a control portion, in which the control portion generates supplementing printing data, which corrects printing data in a manner in which it is possible to supplement with another nozzle within a predetermined nozzle group and executes a printing process on the basis of the supplementing printing data in a case in which it is determined that a predetermined nozzle within the predetermined nozzle group is a non-discharging nozzle when forming a plurality of raster lines on the medium by discharging the liquid from the nozzles of the plurality of nozzle groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Eishin Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 10674041
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes a sensor unit that image-captures a predetermined area including a subject; and a reference chart unit that is arranged in the predetermined area and captured with the subject by the sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Suguru Yokozawa, Tatsuhiko Okada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Daisaku Horikawa, Yuichi Sakurada
  • Patent number: 10661575
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a booster pump that draws liquid from a liquid replenishing tank to supply it to a liquid discharge head; a pressure reducing pump that collects the liquid from the liquid discharge head to supply it to the liquid replenishing tank; a buffer tank connected between the liquid discharge head and the booster pump and between the liquid discharge head and the pressure reducing pump, and into which the liquid flows; a pressure sensor that detects pressure in the buffer tank; and a processor that controls driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump based on a nozzle surface pressure of the liquid discharge head calculated based on pressure data detected by the pressure sensor, and determines whether the liquid is deficient based on the nozzle surface pressure, the driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taiki Goto, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10654282
    Abstract: A liquid supplying system includes a cartridge, a tank, and a detecting portion. The liquid stored in a first storage chamber of the cartridge is flowed into a second storage chamber of the tank through an inlet opening. The liquid stored in the second storage chamber is discharged through an outlet opening. The second storage chamber includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The second portion is positioned below the first portion and has a horizontal cross-sectional area greater than a horizontal cross-sectional area of the first portion. The third portion is positioned above the first portion and has a horizontal cross-sectional area greater than a horizontal cross-sectional area of the first portion. The outlet opening is in communication with the second portion. The detecting portion is configured to detect the level of liquid stored in the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10659644
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that executes a screen saver that provides information related with an accessory device connected to the image forming apparatus, and a method of controlling the image forming apparatus that executes a screen saver are provided. The method includes sensing an accessory device connected to the image forming apparatus, requesting execution of a screen saver corresponding to the sensed accessory device, searching for the screen saver corresponding to the sensed accessory device, and executing a found screen saver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jung-hoon Kim, In-Cheon Park, Hyuck Kim, Soo-Young Kang
  • Patent number: 10654267
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging head having an actuator, a nozzle-formed surface on which a nozzle opens and discharging liquid from the nozzle by activating the actuator, and an activation pulse generation circuit that generates an activation pulse for activating the actuator. The nozzle-formed surface has a liquid repellent film formed thereon. The activation pulse includes a first pull-in component that pulls a meniscus in the nozzle from an initial position of the meniscus, a first push-out component that pushes the meniscus that has been pulled, a second pull-in component that pulls the meniscus that has been pushed, and a second push-out component that pushes at least a portion of the meniscus that has been pulled again. The nozzle discharges a special-type liquid. The special-type liquid is a type of liquid that relatively tends to cause repellency of the liquid repellent film to deteriorate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shunya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10647138
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in generating calibration parameters for a printing apparatus comprising a plurality of print modules are disclosed. The method comprises printing a first plurality of test patches for each print module of the plurality of print modules, analysing the first plurality of test patches to identify at least two clusters of print modules, wherein each cluster comprises a sub-group of print modules having substantially similar performance, printing a second plurality of test patches comprising an extended calibration test patch set for each cluster of print modules, the second plurality of test patches being distributed across the print modules of the cluster, and analysing extended calibration test patch set for each cluster to determine a calibration parameter for the printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter Morovic, Jan Morovic, Jordi Arnabat Benedicto, Hector Gomez Minano
  • Patent number: 10639916
    Abstract: A conveyance device includes a conveyor to convey a conveyed object in a conveyance direction, a head unit to perform an operation on the conveyed object, an actuator to move the head unit in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, an actuator controller to control the actuator, a displacement sensor to detect a displacement amount representing an amount by which the head unit is moved by the actuator, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a detection result including at least one of a position of the conveyed object in the orthogonal direction, a speed of travel of the conveyed object, and a travel amount of the conveyed object. The controller is configured to calculate a command value based on the detection result and the displacement amount output from the displacement sensor, and output the command value to the actuator controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Tobita
  • Patent number: 10637998
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, when a correction request is received, a correction image including a correction pattern and identification information is printed on a printing medium. Thereafter, when a scanning request is received, the image is scanned and identification information is obtained. When the identification information corresponds to one stored in the storage, the driving information is corrected based on the scanned image. When a particular standby condition is satisfied, an information setting process is performed to set non-completion information, while, when a particular standby release condition is satisfied, the controller displays a screen corresponding to the satisfied standby release condition instead of the scan notification screen at a particular timing after the standby release condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Arakane, Yuka Hattori, Kenji Kawamoto, Tony Lee
  • Patent number: 10638016
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions that are executable by a computer in an information processing apparatus having a communication interface, through which the information processing apparatus is connected with a printer, is provided. The information processing apparatus has a first channel and a second channel configured to cause the printer to print an image based on image data. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to conduct a first printing control to cause the printer to print the image through the first channel, determine whether image printing to print the image by the printer under the first printing control failed, based on a determination that the image printing under the first printing control failed, conduct a second printing control to cause the printer to retry the image printing based on the image data through the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 10632770
    Abstract: A conveyance device includes a conveyor to convey a conveyed object, a head unit to perform an operation on the conveyed object, a sensor to obtain surface data of the conveyed object, provided for each head unit, and at least one processor. The processor is configured to calculate a first detection result including at least one of a position, a speed of movement, and an amount of movement of the conveyed object based on the surface data, set a detection area based on the first detection result, calculate a second detection result using the detection area according to the first detection result. The processor is further configured to control operation of the at least one head unit based on the second detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Mizuno, Tomoaki Hayashi, Tsuyoshi Nagasu, Masayuki Sunaoshi, Mitsunobu Gohda
  • Patent number: 10635016
    Abstract: A print head for writing data onto a photoreceptor, including a light source panel of light emitting elements arranged in a matrix, optical systems arranged in a matching matrix, light receiving elements, and a corrector. The optical systems each include at least a light-source-side lens and an image-side lens, and focus light from the light emitting elements onto different regions of the photoreceptor. The light receiving elements each include a light receiving surface disposed in a leaked light region and detect light incident on the light receiving surface. The leaked light region is in a gap between the light-source-side lens and the image-side lens of each of the optical systems occupied by optical paths of light transmitted through the light-source-side lenses but not incident on the image-side lenses. The corrector corrects amounts of light to be emitted from the light emitting elements based on the light detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takaki Uemura, Makoto Obayashi, Masayuki Iijima
  • Patent number: 10632742
    Abstract: A fluid ejection die including a plurality of drive bubble devices, a sensor operatively connected to each drive bubble device, and a current source connected to each sensor. Furthermore, the fluid ejection die may include an evaluation logic connected to each sensor and an impedance element. The evaluation logic can be configured to selectively connect the current source, through the impedance element, to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daryl E Anderson, Eric Martin, James Michael Gardner
  • Patent number: 10625526
    Abstract: A print device includes a first head, a second head, a platen, a guide member, a receiving portion, a processor, and a memory that stores computer-readable instructions that cause the print device to perform processes including: test printing that involves printing a test pattern by ejecting the second ink at a first timing and a second timing at a first sub-scanning direction position, and further, ejecting the second ink at a third timing and a fourth timing at a second sub-scanning direction position; and determining that involves, when one of the first and the second timing is received, determining the received timing to be the ejection timing of the second ink at the first sub-scanning direction position, and, when one of the third and the fourth timing is received, determining the received timing to be the ejection timing of the second ink at the second sub-scanning direction position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kayanaka, Hidekazu Komiya
  • Patent number: 10625499
    Abstract: A method for detecting and compensating for defective print heads in an inkjet printing machine uses a computer to analyze printing nozzle test charts and/or area coverage elements to obtain characteristic values of individual printing nozzles in a print head, to calculate the failure probabilities of these printing nozzles on the basis of thresholds, and to compensate for a printing nozzle that exceeds a specified failure probability. The computer uses the individual failure probabilities of the individual printing nozzles in a print head to calculate the failure probability of the print head and initiates compensation measures as a function of the calculation. The thresholds correspond to a multi-dimensional characteristic value threshold based on which the computer calculates the failure probability of a printing nozzle by using an algorithm including kernel density estimation through a multidimensional distribution function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Steffen Neeb, Nicklas Raymond Norrick, Andreas Henn, Jens Forche, Andreas Fehlner
  • Patent number: 10618306
    Abstract: A common supply channel is connected to one end of a discharge module having a discharge orifice that discharges liquid, and a common recovery channel is connected to the other end of the discharge module. A valve connecting the common supply channel and common recovery channel is provided in an adjustment channel, and is opened under a first opening pressure. A pump causes liquid to flow from the common supply channel toward the common recovery channel. Flow resistance of the common recovery channel is smaller than flow resistance of the discharge module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naozumi Nabeshima
  • Patent number: 10618275
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes recording heads and a head base. The recording heads include a first recording head, a second recording head, a third recording head, and a fourth recording head. The first to fourth recording heads each include three segment recording heads. The segment recording heads eject ink on to paper. The head base supports the 12 segment recording heads. One segment recording head among the 12 segment recording heads is selected as a reference head. The segment recording heads other than the reference head among the 12 segment recording heads are arranged such that longitudinal directions of the segment recording heads other than the reference head are parallel to a longitudinal direction of the reference head. The head base is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the reference head is orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kikunosuke Tsuji
  • Patent number: 10614412
    Abstract: The subject matter of the present invention is a computer device for tracing (100) surgical instruments (DMi, i being a positive integer) in a hospital environment, said device (100) comprising: —a support platform (10) designed to receive a surgical instrument (DMi, i being a positive integer), a digital camera (20) designed to capture at least one digital image (I) comprising a view from above of at least a portion of the surgical instrument (DMi), an electronic circuit for processing images (30) configured for detecting in said at least one digital image (I) at least one visual characteristic of said surgical instrument (DMi) and for determining at least one piece of visual data (P_PIC) associated with said pictorial element, a digital scale (40) configured to measure the weight of the surgical instrument (DMi) and to determine weight data (D_PDSi) containing information relating to the measured weight; the present invention also relates to the associated method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ANALYTIC-TRACABILITE HOSPITALIERE
    Inventor: Geoffrey Broninx
  • Patent number: 10611154
    Abstract: In various embodiments, printing is performed in a print mode with a higher ink flow rate per unit time period in a case where a time period from a time when an ink sucking operation is performed is longer, and printing is performed in a print mode with a lower ink flow rate per unit time period in a case where the time period is shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Yuji Hamasaki, Monta Matsui
  • Patent number: 10611166
    Abstract: A processor of a print device performs empty processing in a case where it has determined that it has received, from a remaining ink amount detector, a first signal that indicates that a remaining amount of an ink is not greater than a first prescribed amount. The processor also performs the empty processing in a case where it has not determined that it has received the first signal, but has determined that it has received a second signal. In the empty processing, the processor performs soak cleaning of a nozzle face and stores an empty soak standby flag in an EEPROM. The empty soak standby flag is a flag that prohibits the performing of a printing operation. Therefore, the print device is able to reduce the possibility that a decline in print quality will occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunori Nishida, Yoshinori Kato
  • Patent number: 10596811
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] To provide a tablet printing apparatus that can prevent drying of ink on the tip end of each nozzle of an inkjet printing mechanism, when a tablet does not arrive at a print position. [Solution] A tablet printing apparatus includes: conveyor mechanism 17 that conveys sequentially fed tablets by moving a conveyor belt 171; an inkjet printing mechanism that performs printing on a tablet in a print position; a suction mechanism 174a that holds a tablet on the surface of the conveyor belt in a predetermined area including at least the print position by sucking in air; determination means (S15) that determines whether a tablet arrives at the print position; and head retreat means (32, S21) that retreats an inkjet head 31 such that a tip end part of each of the nozzles of the inkjet printing mechanism goes away from the surface of the conveyor belt, when it is determined that a tablet does not arrive at the print position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Ikuta, Hitoshi Aoyagi, Azusa Hirano, Hikaru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10600733
    Abstract: Method of manufacturing electronic devices using a maskless lithographic exposure system using a maskless pattern writer. The method comprises generating beamlet control data for controlling the maskless pattern writer to expose a wafer for creation of the electronic devices, wherein the beamlet control data is generated based on a feature data set defining features selectable for individualizing the electronic devices, wherein exposure of the wafer according to the beamlet control data results in exposing a pattern having a different selection of the features from the feature data set for different subsets of the electronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ASMl Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcel Nicolaas Jacobus van Kervinck, Vincent Sylvester Kuiper, Marco Jan-Jaco Wieland
  • Patent number: 10589522
    Abstract: A fluidic die may include a number of actuators. The number of actuators form a number of primitives. The fluidic die may include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to drive a number of the delay circuits. The delay circuits delay a number of activation pulses that activate the actuators associated with the primitives to reduce peak power demands of the fluidic die. A number of delay circuits may be coupled to each primitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott A. Linn, George H. Corrigan, III, Michael W. Cumbie
  • Patent number: 10589554
    Abstract: A printer is operated to determine an attribute of a field of view of the scan sensor. A calibration test pattern is determined based on the field of view (e.g., size of the field of view relative to dimension of individual bar in pattern).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chin Hung Koh, Tong Nam Samuel Low, Kang Leng Tan
  • Patent number: 10576738
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a calibration method and a calibration device for a volume of an ink droplet and a printing apparatus including the calibration device. The calibration method for a volume of an ink droplet comprises: calculating a first volume of a single ink droplet based on a mass and a density of an ink droplet; calibrating a measurement parameter used in an optical measurement approach based on the first volume; and acquiring a second volume of a single ink droplet using the optical measurement approach based on the calibrated measurement parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dejiang Zhao, Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10576735
    Abstract: A non-contact printer controls the sensitivity of sensors provided upstream of a print head, to detect the approach of an object. In a calibration operation to set the sensitivity level of the sensors before a printing operation, the printer displays instructions to guide the operator and adjusts the sensor sensitivity to find detection threshold levels for a background (object absent) condition and when the object is present. The calibration results may be stored in association with data identifying the conveyor and the type of object used in the calibration operation. If the same conveyor and/or object type is used again in a later printing operation, the sensitivity level of the sensors can be set using the stored calibration results so that a further calibration operation is not necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: LINX PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventor: Matthew Langhelt
  • Patent number: 10569575
    Abstract: It is possible to more securely reduce the printing time of printing processing to perform printing while conveying printing sheets in an overlapping manner. An image forming apparatus including: a determination unit configured to analyze print data for printing an image on one printing sheet and to determine, based on the analysis results, an overlap amount of the one printing sheet and another printing sheet conveyed in a state of overlapping part of the one printing sheet; and a conveyance unit configured to convey the one printing sheet and the other printing sheet in an overlapping manner in accordance with an overlap amount determined by the determination unit, and a target image range of the analysis of the print data is determined in accordance with a predetermined overlap amount determined in advance, which a printing unit can permit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keita Hidaka
  • Patent number: 10562298
    Abstract: An apparatus with an ink printing device generates imprints on items moving in a transport direction. The ink printing device displaces the ink cartridge, which is a single inkjet print head of at least 1 inch in width transverse to the transport direction, as well as in a vertical direction, and counter to the vertical direction. A movement mechanism of the printing module is provided to vertically raise and lower the inkjet print head. The movement mechanism has a mechanism for motorized movement of the inkjet print head, and a mechanism for manual displacement in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Muhl
  • Patent number: 10562300
    Abstract: Thermal inkjet printing wherein a printhead has ink ejection elements which are energizable by electrical pulses of a given energy with fire pulses of an amplitude (V) and a fire pulse width (fp). A printer controller sends commands to the printhead to spit ink drops, one or more temperature sensors coupled to the printhead measure a temperature of the printhead, and a calibration component coupled to the temperature sensor variably adjusts the fire pulse energy provided to the having ink ejection elements of the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Diana Canto Estany, Lawrence H White, Macia Sole Pons
  • Patent number: 10562296
    Abstract: Fluid ejection devices with multiple activation modes are disclosed. An example printhead assembly includes a fluid ejection nozzle, a first resistor fluidically coupled to the fluid ejection nozzle, and a second resistor fluidically coupled to the fluid ejection nozzle. The example printhead also includes an addressing circuit to receive a nozzle address and an activation mode to activate the fluid ejection nozzle. The activation mode determines which of the first resistor and the second resistor are to be energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Eric T Martin, Chris Bakker
  • Patent number: 10562295
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser calibration system includes a fluid dispenser having a plurality of nozzles, a balance having a balance surface, and a mask positioned between the fluid dispenser and the balance surface. A nozzle pitch is a distance between two adjacent nozzles. The balance measures mass of fluid dispensed from a single nozzle and measures a change in mass on the balance surface. The balance surface has a linear dimension that is greater than the nozzle pitch. The mask includes an aperture and a catch region. The aperture allows fluid dispensed from the single nozzle to impact the balance surface. The catch region catches fluid dispensed from remaining nozzles in the plurality of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Matthew C. Traub, Whitney Longsine, Antoine Dellinger, Steven C. Shackleton, Roger R. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 10556424
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting the volume of a liquid drop, and a method for adjusting the volume of a liquid drop are disclosed, so as to improve the convenience in making adjustment and measurement, and to alleviate a measure error. The detecting apparatus includes at least one measuring unit, where each of the at least one measuring unit includes: a first measurement groove, at least one second measurement groove, and a third measurement groove arranged adjacent to the second measurement groove, where the capacity of the first measurement groove is more than the total capacity of the second measurement grooves, the height of a sidewall of the first measurement groove shared by the second measurement groove arranged adjacent thereto is less than the height of a sidewall of the first measurement groove not shared by the second measurement groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dejiang Zhao
  • Patent number: 10556382
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for optimizing printing parameters, such as slicing parameters and tool path instructions, for additive manufacturing. The present invention comprises a property analysis module that predicts and analyses properties of a filament object model, representing a constructed 3D object. The filament object model is generated based on the tool path instructions and user specified object properties. Analysis includes comparing the predicted filament object model properties with the user specified property requirements; and further modifying the printing parameters in order to meet the user specified property requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Arevo, Inc.
    Inventors: Hemant Bheda, Wiener Mondesir, Riley Reese, Shekar Mantha
  • Patent number: 10549542
    Abstract: Disclosed are a laser printer for pathological embedding cassettes and a printing method thereof. The laser printer includes an ink jet cartridge (3) filled with pigment ink, where a conveyor belt (6) is disposed below the ink jet cartridge (3), the semiconductor laser (4) is disposed on a side of the ink jet cartridge (3), and a photoelectric sensor (10) for detecting the position of an embedding cassette (1) is disposed on the conveyor belt (6). The beneficial effects brought by the printer and the printing method thereof are as follows: 1. By ejecting pigment ink droplets on an embedding cassette and irradiating the ink droplets with a laser beam from a semiconductor laser, the ink droplets have a rapid increase in temperature and are cured, so that colors are applied on a plastic surface and can be easily recognized. 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SHENZHEN DFST TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaoxin Liu, Zhongqiu Hua
  • Patent number: 10549545
    Abstract: A method for detecting and compensating defective printing nozzles in an inkjet printing machine includes periodically printing at least one printing nozzle test chart having horizontal rows of equidistant vertical lines underneath one another, with only nozzles contributing to the test chart in every row corresponding to horizontal rows, and printing an area coverage element geometrically associated with the test chart. Both elements are recorded by an image sensor and evaluated by a computer. The computer identifies print defects by evaluating the area coverage element and allocates the defects to defective nozzles. The computer evaluates the test chart based on thresholds to detect defective nozzles and compensate detected defective nozzles. The computer compares the detected defective nozzles from the area coverage element and the test chart to identify detected defective nozzles causing defects in only one element and calculates the thresholds based thereon to minimize the detected defective nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Steffen Neeb, Nicklas Raymond Norrick, Andreas Henn, Andreas Fehlner, Thomas Wolf
  • Patent number: 10549531
    Abstract: An image-recording apparatus includes a cartridge including a first storage chamber, a tank including a second storage chamber, a recording portion for ejecting liquid stored in the second storage chamber, a detected portion, and a detector. The first and second storage chambers can communicate with an atmosphere. The tank includes a liquid inlet port and a liquid outlet port positioned lower than the liquid inlet port. Liquid in the first storage chamber is supplied to the second storage chamber through the liquid inlet port, and from the second storage chamber to the recording portion through the liquid outlet port. The detected portion can change in state when a level of the liquid stored in the second storage chamber becomes equal to a vertical position of the liquid inlet port. The detector is configured to detect the change in state of the detected portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akinari Ishibe, Yuma Tanabe, Masahiro Hayashi, Masatake Sato, Yoshinori Osakabe, Hiroaki Takahashi, Akihito Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10538107
    Abstract: From among a plurality of elements included in a printing head and arrayed in a predetermined direction, a faulty element that is unable to form dots properly on a printing medium is identified. At least one of correction processing for increasing a value of multi-valued input image data corresponding to the faulty element and correction processing for decreasing a threshold in a quantization process for the faulty element is performed. Complementary dot data is generated for the faulty element by taking the dot data generated for the identified faulty element as dot data corresponding to an element near the identified faulty element in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Abe, Yumi Yanai, Tetsuya Edamura, Junichi Nakagawa, Kouta Murasawa
  • Patent number: 10538083
    Abstract: In a processing apparatus, with an inkjet print head, that processes individual items, a drive motor that operates a transport mechanism to transport the individual items in the x-direction of a Cartesian coordinate system past the inkjet print head in a printing position so as to execute a printing operation with the inkjet print head on each individual item. The drive motor arrangement also moves the inkjet print head in the y-direction into a first position that is any of an exchange position, the printing position, a cleaning position or a sealing position. The drive motor arrangement also moves the inkjet print head vertically, in the z-direction of the exchange position or the sealing position, into at least one other position that is either the printing position or the cleaning position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Muhl, Karsten Von der Waydbrink, Volker Baum