For Color Patents (Class 347/24)
  • Patent number: 11379163
    Abstract: In an example, there is provided a method and apparatus for generating a print output file, the method comprising receiving at least one image to be printed, determining a printing area corresponding to a region containing the at least one image to be printed and a non-printing area corresponding to a remaining region, providing a spit-on-page dot pattern limited to the non-printing area, and generating the print output file comprising the dot pattern and the at least one image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Li Qian, Francisco Guerrero Carvajal, Secundino Vicente Vicente
  • Patent number: 11192376
    Abstract: A wiping assembly includes a wiper that wipes a liquid ejection head, a wiper cleaner, and a mover that moves the wiper relative to the wiper cleaner. The wiper cleaner includes a first member, a second member, an absorbent, and a presser. An opening is located in the first member. The second member includes a projecting portion opposed to the opening. The absorbent has a plate shape and is disposed between the first member and the second member. The presser presses the second member toward the first member. The projecting portion presses the absorbent toward the opening. A portion of the absorbent is deformed to form a protruding portion that protrudes in a projection direction of the projecting portion from the opening by pressing by the projecting portion. The mover moves the wiper such that the wiper contacts the protruding portion of the absorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11083982
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure a device for coalescing a frothy fluid is described. The device includes a housing and alignment devices. The alignment devices receive a number of coalescing filters, space the number of coalescing filters to form a gap between adjacent coalescing filters, and seal the number of coalescing filters against the housing to enclose the gap. The device also includes an inlet port to drive incoming frothy fluid through the gap, an outlet port to drain coalesced fluid, and an air vent to allow air to escape the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anthony D Studer, Robert S Wickwire, David J Benson
  • Patent number: 10926556
    Abstract: An inkjet printing assembly includes: a support chassis having a plurality of datum surfaces; a print bar chassis liftably mounted on the support chassis, the print bar chassis having one or more printheads mounted thereon and a plurality of datum pins for engagement with the datum surfaces; a lift mechanism for moving the print bar chassis between a lowered position in which the datum pins are engaged with the datum surfaces and a raised position in which the datums pins are spaced apart from the datum surfaces; and one or more magnets for urging the print bar chassis towards the support chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventor: Mark Profaca
  • Patent number: 10792929
    Abstract: A supply liquid tank unit of the present disclosure includes a supply liquid tank and a detection sensor. The detection sensor detects a liquid surface of ink in the supply liquid tank. The supply liquid tank is provided with an inner space having a storage chamber which stores the ink and an atmosphere release port for making an inner pressure in the inner space equal to an atmospheric pressure. The detection sensor has a float which moves vertically in accordance with an amount of the ink in the storage chamber and a sensor main body which detects a liquid surface of the ink when the float moves vertically. An inner side surface of the storage chamber is disposed along and near an outer circumferential surface of the float.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masanobu Maeshima
  • Patent number: 10322585
    Abstract: A printer includes ink heads, an ink head conveyor, caps, a conveyor, suction pumps, opening passages, suction passages, and cap valves. The suction pumps are each provided for an associated one of the caps. The suction passages each connect an associated one of the caps to an associated one of the suction pumps. The conveyor 50 includes a base, a movable table, a guide wall, and a spring. The movable table supports the caps and includes a table wall extending upward from an end of the movable table facing in a first direction extending to a cap attaching position in a main scanning direction. The cap valves are disposed on a surface of the table wall facing in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Okuno, Naoki Ueda, Yuichi Sugiyama, Youichirou Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10286649
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head including a first discharge port configured to discharge a first amount of ink droplets and a second discharge port configured to discharge a second amount of ink droplets smaller than the first amount, a cap, a suction unit, and a determination unit configured to determine whether to perform a first recording operation by using the first and second discharge ports or a second recording operation by only using the first discharge port. If the first recording operation is determined to be performed, the suction unit performs a first suction operation with a first strength and a second suction operation with a second strength higher than the first strength. If the second recording operation is determined to be performed, the suction unit is controlled not to perform the second suction operation and to perform the first suction operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoko Furuyama, Kei Kosaka, Tomoyuki Tenkawa, Monta Matsui
  • Patent number: 10093101
    Abstract: A liquid consuming apparatus includes: a liquid consumer that consumes liquid; a liquid receiver that receives the liquid discharged from the liquid consumer; a first waste-liquid storage connected to the liquid receiver so as to allow communication of the liquid therebetween; a second waste-liquid storage connected to the first waste-liquid storage so as to allow communication of the liquid therebetween; a housing; and a sheet tray supported by the housing. The first waste-liquid storage is disposed on a side of the sheet tray. The second waste-liquid storage is disposed under the sheet tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuo Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 10040291
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to selectively control ink evaporation in printhead nozzles are disclosed. An example printhead for use with a printer includes a plurality of nozzles (142) and a plurality of valves (144) positioned adjacent respective ones of the nozzles (142) to selectively control fluid flow through the respective nozzle (142).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Wagner, Maria Magdalena Martinez Ferrandiz, Ronald Albert Askeland, Marian Dinares Argemi, Chandrasekhar Nadimpalli
  • Patent number: 9931846
    Abstract: A print device includes a head, a cap, a suction portion, an absorption member, and a plate-shaped member. The head has an ejection surface. The ejection surface has a plurality of nozzles formed in the ejection surface and is directed in a predetermined direction. The cap has a frame-shaped wall portion and a suction opening. The suction portion is connected to the inside of the cap via the suction opening. The absorption member is arranged in a position surrounded by the frame-shaped wall portion and is configured to absorb liquid. The plate-shaped member is surrounded by the frame-shaped wall portion and is arranged in a position facing the absorption member. The plate-shaped member is extending along an inner end surface of the frame-shaped wall portion and has a hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsunori Nishida
  • Patent number: 9925778
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head including a nozzle which ejects liquid, and an opening face to which the nozzle opens; a cap which forms a closed space between the cap and the opening face; and a holder which holds the cap so as to move in a tilting manner in a direction which goes along the opening face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Harada, Izumi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 9895893
    Abstract: A control unit 6 of a printer 1 determines the combination of conditions of regular flushing that ejects ink into a maintenance unit 5, and onto-paper flushing that ejects ink onto printing paper P, based on the set print mode. To achieve the dot density defined by the selected combination, flushing dots Df are added to the input data 10 to be printed and are printed. When printing, regular flushing is executed at the frequency and strength determined by the selected combination of conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukie Yamazaki, Kimitaka Kamijo
  • Patent number: 9888759
    Abstract: A drawing device includes a pen that applies a liquid material to a drawing surface and a cap that covers a tip side of the pen and is arranged at a standby position of the pen. The cap includes: an inner cap that has an opening and covers the tip side of the pen when a periphery of the opening is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the tip side of the pen; an outer cap that has an opening, is arranged outside of the inner cap, and covers the tip side of the pen that is covered by the inner cap when the pen is locked into the outer cap; and an elastic member that is arranged between the outer cap and the inner cap and energizes the inner cap towards an opening side of the outer cap. The pen and the outer cap each have an interlockable locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichiro Asako
  • Patent number: 9630413
    Abstract: First, second, and third ink absorbing bodies are accommodated in a container of a recovery reservoir in this order from the side corresponding to a bottom surface of the container, so that an introduction chamber is defined in the middle of a recovery space. A lid having a shutter plate and a communication hole is located over the third ink absorbing body. The upper side of the introduction chamber is covered by the shutter plate to suppress volatilization of solvent element of waste ink introduced into the introduction chamber. In addition, the communication hole is located in a portion of the upper surface of the third ink absorbing body, so that solvent element of ink absorbed by the third ink absorption body volatilizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Harada, Keiji Matsumoto, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 9481176
    Abstract: The image printing apparatus comprises: a droplet-discharging head in which a plurality of head modules including nozzle surfaces in which a plurality of nozzles discharging liquid are disposed are fixed and joined by head module support members and the nozzle surfaces are inclined with respect to a horizontal plane; a receiving member that receives the liquid discharged from the nozzles in the case where the droplet-discharging head performs pressure purging; and a liquid infiltration-preventing pad that is provided in the receiving member, comes into contact with the droplet-discharging head during the pressure purging, and prevents the ink, which is discharged by the pressure purging, from infiltrating into gaps between the head modules. The liquid infiltration-preventing pad is made of a non-absorbent material, and has a flow passage in which the liquid discharged by the pressure purging is collected by the inclination of the nozzle surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Takuma Nakano
  • Patent number: 9393790
    Abstract: In the case of printing a test pattern with an inkjet print apparatus, two printing modes are prepared. In one printing mode, a preliminary ejection on the printing medium is performed during printing of a test pattern, and in the other printing mode, the preliminary ejection on the printing medium is not performed during printing of a test pattern. For a test pattern that is, if the test pattern is printed under the same condition as that for an actual image, convenient for a subsequent correction, the preliminary ejection on the printing medium is performed during printing of the test pattern. On the other hand, for a test pattern in which, if an irrelevant dot is printed within the pattern, inconvenience is taken into consideration in a subsequent correction, the preliminary ejection on the printing medium is not performed during printing of the test pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kano, Susumu Hirosawa, Kentarou Muro
  • Patent number: 9375933
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus is provided with a liquid ejecting unit capable of ejecting liquid, a plurality of liquid holding portions capable of holding the liquid that is discharged from the liquid ejecting unit, and a suction mechanism which is connected to the plurality of liquid holding portions. The liquid holding portion includes a liquid reception portion which receives the liquid that is discharged from the liquid ejecting unit, a liquid reservoir portion capable of storing the liquid further down in a vertical direction than the liquid reception portion, and an atmosphere communicating portion which communicates the liquid reservoir portion with the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Sho Kimura
  • Patent number: 9266333
    Abstract: First, second, and third ink absorbing bodies are accommodated in a container of a recovery reservoir in this order from the side corresponding to a bottom surface of the container, so that an introduction chamber is defined in the middle of a recovery space. A lid having a shutter plate and a communication hole is located over the third ink absorbing body. The upper side of the introduction chamber is covered by the shutter plate to suppress volatilization of solvent element of waste ink introduced into the introduction chamber. In addition, the communication hole is located in a portion of the upper surface of the third ink absorbing body, so that solvent element of ink absorbed by the third ink absorption body volatilizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Harada, Keiji Matsumoto, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 9254689
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a nozzle head that has nozzles ejecting ink that is cured by an electromagnetic wave and relatively moves with respect to a printing medium; an applying section that relatively moves together with the nozzle head, and applies the electromagnetic wave; and a control section that controls intensity of the electromagnetic wave, in which a first intensity of the electromagnetic wave in a region in which the applying section and the printing medium face each other and that is a constant speed region in which a speed of the relative movement is constant is greater than a second intensity of the electromagnetic wave in regions in which the applying section and the printing medium do not face each other in at least a part thereof and that are acceleration and deceleration regions in which the speed of the relative movement is not constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Tokunaga, Takeshi Tanoue
  • Patent number: 9061498
    Abstract: With a printing device that discharges a plurality of chromatic inks, to inhibit a decrease in printing quality due to mixed colors of ink that comes with the wiping operation, a printing device is equipped with a line head having a first nozzle row including a plurality of nozzles that discharge a first chromatic ink, and a second nozzle row including a plurality of nozzles that discharge a second chromatic ink that is brighter than the first chromatic ink, a wiper member for performing in sequence the wiping operation with the second nozzle row as the subject and the wiping operation with the first nozzle row as the subject, and a wiper member sweeping tool that sweeps the wiper member after the wiping operation with the first nozzle row as the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Furuta
  • Patent number: 8882239
    Abstract: In a method for determining a maintenance performance of a maintenance unit of an inkjet printing system, the inkjet system comprises an inkjet print head having an orifice surface, the orifice surface comprising an orifice, which orifice is in fluid communication with an ink chamber. The method comprises operating the maintenance unit to perform a maintenance operation on the orifice surface of the inkjet print head and detecting the presence of a wiper element or amount of ink over the orifice by detecting a pressure wave in the ink chamber and analyzing the detected pressure wave to determine the maintenance performance of the maintenance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Mark Miedema, Bastiaan J. H. Middelbos
  • Patent number: 8845080
    Abstract: A colour ink printing system includes a plurality of print head cartridges, each extending across a direction of print media propagation and spaced apart along the direction of print media propagation; a print head chassis for supporting the plurality of print head cartridges, the print head chassis actuable between a printing position, a transition position, and a maintenance position; and a maintenance chassis for supporting a plurality of maintenance cradles, the maintenance chassis actuable between a storage position and an operational position. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is held stationary with respect to a platen on which print media is propagated to effect printing on the print media. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is a monochrome print head cartridge ejecting a fluid different to the remaining plurality of print head cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, Julian Paul Kolodko, William John Stacey, Stephen John Sleijpen, Craig Donald Strudwicke, Neil Fyfe Edwards, Lance Thomas Brown, Toby Desmond Oste, Eric Patrick O'Donnell, Peter John Morley Sobey, David Bernardi, James Andrew
  • Patent number: 8749840
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image processing unit acquiring image data, performing image processing, and generating color image data for respective colors; plural toner image forming units each forming and developing an electrostatic latent image on the basis of the color image data, and forming a color toner image; and a toner image holding member moving while holding each color toner image. Each electrostatic latent image has pixel rows arranged in a slow scan direction, with pixels aligned in a fast scan direction. The image processing unit performs, on the color image data, image processing to add or delete the pixel rows for a position of the electrostatic latent image in the slow scan direction. The number of the pixel rows corresponds to the amount of change in a moving velocity of the toner image holding member when each color toner image formed at the position is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Udaka
  • Patent number: 8724126
    Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of executing color printing and monochrome printing includes: a mode controller which controls a monochrome printing mode where the monochrome printing is executed, a first mode where reception of a printing job stops when a color image forming medium has run out, and a second mode where procession to the monochrome printing mode is possible; an exclusive controller which receives only one printing job in a first time period; and a print executing unit which execute printing on the basis of the printing job received by the exclusive controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norihiko Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8708451
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head for ejecting liquid, a cap unit for sealing an ejection surface of the head, a humidified air supply mechanism for performing a humidifying operation; a forcible discharge mechanism for performing a forcible discharge operation of forcibly discharging liquid from the ejection ports, a measuring unit for measuring a lapse time after a power supply becomes off and until the power supply becomes on, and a control unit for controlling the humidifying operation when the power supply becomes off, and controlling the forcible discharge operation when the power supply becomes on. When the power supply becomes on, the control unit controls the humidifying operation before performing the forcible discharge operation based on whether the lapse time measured by the measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 8705124
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes recording heads for ejecting recording liquids of colors onto a recording medium. The apparatus includes a reference-patch forming unit that records a reference patch, the reference patch being formed by overlaying dot array patterns recorded with the recording liquids of different colors, the dot array patterns having no correlation therebetween; a detection-patch-group forming unit that records a detection patch group including detection patches, each of the detection patches being formed by overlaying dot array patterns recorded with the recording liquids of the different colors, the dot array patterns having a same cycle of regular dot array, the detection patches being allocated with different misregistration amounts of the dot array patterns; and a color-misregistration correcting unit that corrects color misregistration based on results of comparison between color tone of the reference patch and color tone of each of the detection patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masanori Hirano
  • Patent number: 8675250
    Abstract: A waiting time Ts is decided on the basis of ink type information and ink feed amount information, referring to waiting time table A (Step 6). Along with this, a dried printing paper is carried to and stopped in a waiting area 9 (Step 7), a time period T is measured after stopping, and measurement processing in the next step is delayed until the time period T reaches the waiting time Ts. Then, when the time period T reaches the waiting time Ts, a measuring instrument 10 is used to measure a density of a patch printed on the printing paper (Steps 8 and 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentarou Muro, Susumu Hirosawa, Yutaka Kano, Shigeyasu Nagoshi, Minoru Teshigawara, Yoshiaki Murayama, Takeshi Murase, Satoshi Azuma, Masao Kato, Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8649020
    Abstract: A color chart having a plurality of mirror-image color blocks arranged in a matrix, with each color block a mirror image of an adjacent color block, each color block having rows and columns of color patches, wherein the concentration of a first color of the multiple colors changes unidirectionally across color patches in any given row of a color block, the concentration of a second color of the multiple colors changes unidirectionally across color patches in any given column of a color block, and the concentration of a third color of the multiple colors remains unchanged across all the plurality of color patches within a color block and differs only between color blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Ishizaki, Tadashi Kitai, Hitomi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8628168
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an ejection device, a suction device, and a controller. The ejection device has a first nozzle and a second nozzle to eject a first liquid and a second liquid, respectively. The first liquid contains pigment particles dispersed in a dispersion medium and the second liquid contains a color material. In a first image formation mode for ejecting the second liquid from the second nozzle without ejecting the first liquid from the first nozzle, the controller controls the suction device so as not to suction the first liquid for recovery operation. When the first image formation mode is switched to a second image formation mode for ejecting at least the first liquid from the first nozzle, the controller controls the suction device so as to suction a predetermined amount of the first liquid determined based on solidification of the first liquid to perform the recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20130300798
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention has been made to prevent an ink discharge failure or ink mixing caused by preliminary discharge executed with the ink discharge surface of a printhead capped. In the embodiment, to an inkjet printhead in which nozzle arrays are aligned in a direction different from that in which a plurality of nozzles are aligned the following preliminary discharge processing is executed. A cap including a suction port and an air communication port caps the ink discharge surface. After that, a suction recovery unit is driven, thereby performing preliminary discharge for nozzles, among the nozzles of the nozzle arrays, with a long distance to a straight line connecting the suction port with the air communication port before preliminary discharge for nozzles with a short distance to the straight line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nakagawa, Yuji Konno, Tomoki Yamamuro
  • Patent number: 8579410
    Abstract: The hand-held printer includes a print module configured for multidirectional printing, a print head in communication with the print module. The print head includes a plurality of nozzle arrays and wherein the nozzles in each of the plurality of nozzle are disposed substantially equidistant from a reference point. The hand-held printer further includes a circular cap configured to rotatably cooperate with the print head, wherein the circular cap cooperates with the print head to define a seal when the circular cap is disposed in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Asher Simmons
  • Patent number: 8529014
    Abstract: A color ink printing system includes a plurality of print head cartridges, each extending across and spaced apart along a direction of print media propagation; a print head chassis for supporting the plurality of print head cartridges, the print head chassis actuable between a printing position, a transition position, and a maintenance position; a maintenance chassis for supporting a plurality of maintenance cradles, the maintenance chassis actuable between a storage position and an operational position; and a plurality of supporting arms respectively extending upwards from each corner of the print head chassis. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is held stationary with respect to a platen on which print media is propagated to effect printing on the print media. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is a monochrome print head cartridge ejecting a fluid different to the remaining plurality of print head cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, Julian Paul Kolodko, William John Stacey, Stephen John Sleijpen, Craig Donald Strudwicke, Neil Fyfe Edwards, Lance Thomas Brown, Toby Desmond Oste, Eric Patrick O'Donnell, Peter John Morley Sobey, David Bernardi, James Andrew
  • Patent number: 8480198
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an ejection head having a plurality of nozzle arrays arranged in an orthogonal direction to an array direction thereof, a carriage on which the ejection head is loaded, and a moving unit that moves the carriage. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit that controls the moving unit and the ejection head such that, when flushing is to be performed while the image is formed on a sheet as the carriage reciprocates, a liquid is ejected to an image forming region of the sheet from the plurality of nozzle arrays, the liquid is ejected to a first receiving area from a first nozzle array group disposed adjacent to an outward side, and the liquid is ejected to a second receiving area from a remaining second nozzle array group excluding the first nozzle array group and disposed adjacent to a homeward side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Nishizaka
  • Patent number: 8382234
    Abstract: A printhead maintenance system for maintaining a printhead having an ink ejection face is provided. The maintenance system comprises: (a) a foaming system for providing liquid foam on the face, (b) a foam transfer surface for receiving the foam from said face, (c) a transport mechanism for feeding said transfer surface through a transfer zone and away from said printhead, and (d) a valve configurable in first and second positions, the first position for establishing fluid communication between said printhead and an ink supply system and the second position for establishing fluid communication between said printhead and said foaming system. The transfer zone is adjacent to and spaced apart from said ink ejection face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Vesa Karppinen, Kia Silverbrook, John Douglas Peter Morgan, David John Worboys, Patrick John McAuliffe
  • Publication number: 20130002754
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharge apparatus includes a head member. The head member is provided with a nozzle surface, a plurality of nozzle arrays including a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array is arranged on the nozzle surface, the nozzle array includes a plurality of nozzle holes which are arranged in a predetermined pattern, the first nozzle array discharges a pigment ink which contains water and a pigment, the second nozzle array discharges a dye ink which contains water and a dye, and the relationship between the conductivity [E1 (mS/cm)] of the pigment ink and the conductivity [E2 (mS/cm)] of the dye ink is expressed by the formula 0<(E2?E1)?3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro ARUGA, Daisuke ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 8322816
    Abstract: The hand-held printer includes a print module configured for multidirectional printing, a print head in communication with the print module. The print head includes a plurality of nozzle arrays and wherein the nozzles in each of the plurality of nozzle are disposed substantially equidistant from a reference point. The hand-held printer further includes a circular cap configured to rotatably cooperate with the print head, wherein the circular cap cooperates with the print head to define a seal when the circular cap is disposed in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Asher Simmons
  • Patent number: 8240810
    Abstract: An inkjet printer has an inkjet printhead and a printhead maintenance station. The maintenance station includes a maintenance roller which is rotatable and moveable between a first position in which a capping portion is sealingly engaged with the printhead and a second position in which the capping portion is disengaged from the printhead. The maintenance roller is mounted on a chassis which is reciprocally moveable between the first and second positions. The printer includes an engagement mechanism for moving the chassis between the first and second positions by complementary engagement with engagement formations on the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Zamtec Limited
    Inventors: John Douglas Peter Morgan, Vesa Karppinen, Patrick John McAuliffe, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 8223384
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for defining an image in a handheld imaging translation device are described herein. The image may be defined as a plurality of color planes having a plurality of bits, the bits of each color plane stored in consecutive memory addresses, and the color planes separated by a consistent offset, such that each bit and its associated bits are equally separated by the consistent offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: James D. Bledsoe, Todd A. McClelland, Gregory F. Carlson, Asher Simmons
  • Patent number: 8205959
    Abstract: A method of maintaining a printhead in an operable condition is provided in which a pad is moved between a first position in which the pad is sealingly engaged with the printhead, a second position in which the pad is disengaged from the printhead and a third position in which the pad is engaged with a pad cleaner. The pad is biased towards the second position relative to the third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Zamtec Limited
    Inventors: John Douglas Peter Morgan, Kia Silverbrook, Christopher Hibbard, Bruce Gordon Holyoake
  • Publication number: 20120133704
    Abstract: A colour ink printing system includes a plurality of print head cartridges, each extending across and spaced apart along a direction of print media propagation; a print head chassis for supporting the plurality of print head cartridges, the print head chassis actuable between a printing position, a transition position, and a maintenance position; a maintenance chassis for supporting a plurality of maintenance cradles, the maintenance chassis actuable between a storage position and an operational position; and a plurality of supporting arms respectively extending upwards from each corner of the print head chassis. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is held stationary with respect to a platen on which print media is propagated to effect printing on the print media. Each of the plurality of print head cartridges is a monochrome print head cartridge ejecting a fluid different to the remaining plurality of print head cartridges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Mark Profaca, Julian Paul Kolodko, William John Stacey, Stephen John Sleijpen, Craig Donald Strudwicke, Neil Fyfe Edwards, Lance Thomas Brown, Toby Desmond Oste, Eric Patrick O'Donnell, Peter John Morley Sobey, David Bernardi, James Andrew
  • Patent number: 8169657
    Abstract: A method of registering a print between print stages in a printing system is provided. The method comprises: printing a first part of a digital image on a substrate with a first print engine, wherein the first part of the digital image includes a plurality of reference features; scanning image content on the substrate as it is readied for the second print engine; determining the actual positions of the reference features; using the actual positions of the reference features to determine desired adjustments for the second part of the digital image; applying electronic registration according to the desired adjustments to modify image content of the second print to be aligned with content already on the substrate; and printing a second part of the digital image on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Shen-Ge Wang, Robert P. Loce
  • Patent number: 8162436
    Abstract: A fluid discharging apparatus including a head that has a nozzle which discharges fluid from the nozzle and a sheet shaped wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface of the head. The wiping member is moved relative to the nozzle surface so that portions of the wiping member are sequentially in contact with the nozzle surface in order to wipe the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Takahashi, Eiichiro Watanabe, Jun Shimazaki, Takayuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8157348
    Abstract: A page wide array printer comprises a print head bar which carries an array of print nozzles, and which is static during a printing operation. A carriage has print head service elements. The print head bar is movable perpendicularly to the plane of the print medium beneath the print head, between a lowered print position and a raised service position. The carriage is moveable along the print head to perform a service operation when the print head is in the raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Silvia Miramanda, Alex Andrea, Angel Martinez, Joan Jorba, Paul Ray
  • Patent number: 8149456
    Abstract: Restriction information on a total colorant amount for a medium is obtained. Patches at grid points in a color space corresponding to a plurality of colorants at which the total colorant amount falls within a restriction represented by the restriction information, and a patch at a point surrounded by the patches are generated. Color values are obtained by measuring the colors of the patches printed on the medium. It is determined based on a color prediction value between the grid points whether the measured color values are appropriate, and if so, a color value at a grid point at which the total colorant amount exceeds the restriction is estimated based on the measured color values. A color separation table is created based on the measured color values and the estimated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yingying Fan, Kazuhiro Saito, Takayuki Ogasahara
  • Patent number: 8147020
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording method is provided. The ink-jet recording method includes (i) supplying an aqueous treatment liquid containing a fixing agent for fixing the components contained in an aqueous ink, on an art paper or a coat paper, in an amount of from ?50% to +30% with respect to the value of ?V [ml/m2] determined by the following formula (I), and (ii) recording an image by ejecting an aqueous ink containing a colorant, resin particles, an aqueous organic solvent and water, on the art paper or coat paper by an ink-jet method. In Formula (I), Vr represents a roughness index of the art paper or coat paper obtained from a measurement of liquid absorbability according to the Bristow method, and Vi represents an amount of transfer at the inflection point where the value of the absorption coefficient of the art paper or coat paper changes in the measurement of liquid absorbability according to the Bristow method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Kariya
  • Patent number: 8139245
    Abstract: An approach is provided for managing the processing of print data at a printing device based upon available consumable resources. A printing device includes a print process configured to determine consumable resources that are currently available at the printing device. The print process is further configured to determine which print data is to be processed based upon the consumable resources currently available at the printing device and the consumable resources required to completely process each of the print data. Print data that can be completely processed using the currently available consumable resources are selected for processing. The print process may also be configured to cause a notification to be provided to a client device to indicate the consumable resources currently available at a printing device and/or that insufficient consumable resources were available to process particular print data and to recommend other consumable resources to process the particular print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Lifen Tian
  • Patent number: 8139266
    Abstract: The color printing control device outputs color material reduction processed data generated by applying a color material reduction process to each pixel of bitmaps converted to color material colors to be used in printing, when it is judged that the color material reduction printing mode is specified. The color material reduction process includes chroma conversion that reduces chroma and under-color removal/black generation that replaces at least a portion of achromatic components generated by overlaying of a plurality of color materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Iida
  • Patent number: 8128192
    Abstract: The hand-held printer includes a print module configured for multidirectional printing, a print head in communication with the print module. The print head includes a plurality of nozzle arrays and wherein the nozzles in each of the plurality of nozzle are disposed substantially equidistant from a reference point. The hand-held printer further includes a circular cap configured to rotatably cooperate with the print head, wherein the circular cap cooperates with the print head to define a seal when the circular cap is disposed in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Asher Simmons
  • Patent number: 8118393
    Abstract: A method of removing foreign particulates from an ink ejection face of a pagewidth printhead mounted on a substrate. The substrate has a film guide positioned adjacent the printhead. The method comprises the steps of: (a) flooding the face with ink and dispersing the particulates into the flooded ink; (b) positioning a polymer film in a transfer zone so as to define a cavity defined by the ink ejection face, the film guide and the polymer film; and (c) guiding the polymer film through the transfer zone. The movement of the film in the transfer zone transfers the flooded ink onto the polymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Vesa Karppinen
  • Patent number: 8094165
    Abstract: An evaluation apparatus includes an image reproduction section, which obtains a reproduction image by reproducing an original image with a plurality of color elements visually mixed for defining colors, and which obtains a plurality of reproduction images respectively corresponding to twelve types of color element groups having different types of color elements and/or different numbers of color elements from one another. The apparatus also includes a calculation section which calculates a level of a difference between colors of each of the plurality of reproduction images and colors of the original image; and a display section which displays the level of the difference calculated by the difference calculation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kondo