Of Fluid (e.g., Ink Flow Rate, Viscosity, Etc.) Patents (Class 347/6)
  • Patent number: 10399324
    Abstract: A control apparatus configured to control a forming apparatus which forms concavo-convex structure by ejecting ink obtains concavo-convex data indicating the concavo-convex to be formed and divide the concavo-convex data into a plurality of pieces of data. The control apparatus controls a formation order, performed by the forming apparatus, of the concavo-convex portions each corresponding to the plurality of pieces of data divided by the dividing unit based on a feature amount of the concavo-convex indicated by the concavo-convex data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Kubo, Hideki Kadoi
  • Patent number: 10377153
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a vacuum system in a printing device comprising obtaining a reference pressure value for a print zone of the printing device, measuring a calibration pressure value in the print zone of the printing device when the printing device is at an operating location and the vacuum system is in operation, determining an altitude based on the reference pressure value and the calibration pressure value and applying an operating setting to the vacuum system based on the determined altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alberto Arredondo, Eduardo Martin, Ricardo Sanchis
  • Patent number: 10308035
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a fluid level sensor includes a sensor plate and a current source. The fluid level sensor also includes an algorithm to bias the current source such that current applied to the sensor plate induces a maximum difference in response voltage between a dry sensor plate condition and a wet sensor plate condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew L. Van Brocklin, Paul A. Liebert, Adam L. Ghozeil, Scott A. Linn
  • Patent number: 10286677
    Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a connection body which includes a liquid introduction portion which is capable of connecting to a liquid outlet portion of a liquid container which includes the liquid outlet portion which contains the liquid which is supplied to the liquid ejecting unit which ejects the liquid and is capable of guiding out the liquid, a liquid container support portion which is capable of supporting the liquid container in a state in which the liquid introduction portion is capable of being connected to the liquid outlet portion to be capable of being freely attached and detached, and a connection body holding portion which holds the connection body in a state in which a connection of the liquid introduction portion with the liquid outlet portion is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yokozawa, Jun Shimazaki, Junpei Yamashita, Katsumi Shinkai, Masahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10239325
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a liquid chamber connected with a liquid discharge section that discharges liquid, a circulation section which circulates the liquid in a flow path containing the liquid chamber and the liquid discharge section, a liquid supply section, a pressure adjustment section and a control section that, according to fluctuation velocity of the pressure, replenishes the liquid through the liquid supply section if the detected pressure is equal to or smaller than a predetermined pressure value or lower than the predetermined pressure value and the pressure fluctuation velocity is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed or faster than the predetermined speed and adjusts the pressure of the liquid discharge section through the pressure adjustment section and the pressure fluctuation velocity is slower than the predetermined speed or equal to or smaller than the predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishikawa, Kazuhiko Ohtsu
  • Patent number: 10226938
    Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first reservoir for a printable composition, a pump fluidically coupled to the first reservoir and a second reservoir, a sensor, and a controller. The controller is to identify first and second reservoir statuses based on the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fernando Bayona, Michel Georges Encrenaz, Albert Crespi, Joan-Albert Miravet, Bhishma Hernandez Martinez
  • Patent number: 10220630
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes at least one electrical interface configured to be electrically connected to at least one contact, and a light attenuating portion configured to attenuate light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10207514
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting section that includes a nozzle that ejects a liquid; a supplying path that is capable of supplying the liquid accommodated in a liquid accommodating section to the liquid ejecting section; a pressure adjusting valve that is disposed in the supplying path, and includes a pressure chamber which is capable of storing the liquid, the pressure chamber being is provided with an outlet that draws out the stored liquid to the liquid ejecting section, and when a pressure in the internal portion of the pressure chamber decrease, the pressure adjusting valve being opened to adjust a pressure of the liquid supplied to the liquid ejecting section; a discharging path that connects to a communicating port which communicates with the pressure chamber in a separate position different from a position of the outlet; and a switching valve that is provided in the discharging path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kamei, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 10195867
    Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first reservoir for a printable composition, a pump fluidically coupled to the first reservoir and a second reservoir, and a valve to prevent backflow from the second reservoir to the pump. The valve is to selectively isolate the second reservoir from the pump based on a threshold pump pressure under which the valve is to close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fernando Bayona, Michel Georges Encrenaz, Albert Crespi, Joan Albert Miravet, Bhisma Hernandez Martinez
  • Patent number: 10195865
    Abstract: A pumping circuit for fluid of an ink circuit in a continuous inkjet printer, including a diaphragm pump, an inlet circuit having an inlet conduit into the pump for the fluid to be pumped, an outlet conduit for the fluid pumped by the pump, the pumping circuit including a back-flow line which removes, from the outlet of the pump, part of the pumped fluid and returns it to the inlet circuit of fluid to be pumped, at least one singular restriction being arranged on the path of the fluid in the back-flow line, and the back-flow line regulating the pressure and the flow rate of the fluid at the outlet of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: MARKEM-IMAJE HOLDING
    Inventor: Francis Pourtier
  • Patent number: 10173431
    Abstract: A liquid containing member that can supply a liquid having a uniform concentration of a precipitating component to a liquid ejecting portion is provided. A liquid containing member includes: a liquid containing portion that can contain ink; a liquid supply port for supplying the ink contained in the liquid containing portion to a liquid ejection head; and a communication channel that is in communication with the liquid containing portion and the liquid supply port. The communication channel has a first end that is positioned at a lower end on the gravity direction side in the liquid containing portion and can suck the ink, and a second end that is positioned closer to the anti-gravity direction side than the first end is, and can suck the ink, in an in-use state in which the ink is supplied from the liquid supply port to the liquid ejection head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawate, Manabu Yamaguchi, Tadahiro Mizutani, Takuma Ozawa, Satoshi Oya, Hiroyoshi Ozeki
  • Patent number: 10104257
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printer unit that prints an image on a sheet, a network controller that instructs the printer unit to execute a preparation operation according to receipt of print data, and a controller that instructs the printer unit to execute the preparation operation according to input of an execution instruction in a case where a reservation function for reserving printing based on the print data received by the network controller until receipt of the execution instruction is received is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Hikichi
  • Patent number: 10000063
    Abstract: A liquid containing member that can supply a liquid having a uniform concentration of a precipitating component to a liquid ejecting portion is provided. A liquid containing member includes: a liquid containing portion that can contain ink; a liquid supply port for supplying the ink contained in the liquid containing portion to a liquid ejection head; and a communication channel that is in communication with the liquid containing portion and the liquid supply port. The communication channel has a first end that is positioned at a lower end on the gravity direction side in the liquid containing portion and can suck the ink, and a second end that is positioned closer to the anti-gravity direction side than the first end is, and can suck the ink, in an in-use state in which the ink is supplied from the liquid supply port to the liquid ejection head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawate, Manabu Yamaguchi, Tadahiro Mizutani, Takuma Ozawa, Satoshi Oya, Hiroyoshi Ozeki
  • Patent number: 9994022
    Abstract: A distance between a plurality of discharge orifice rows that discharge ink having a high permeation speed at a plurality of recording parts is made to be shorter than a distance between a plurality of discharge orifice rows that discharge ink having a low permeation speed at a plurality of recording parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuto Kajiwara, Akitoshi Yamada, Okinori Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Sakai, Junichi Nakagawa, Takeru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9956764
    Abstract: A pattern formation device, a liquid ejection device, and an electrical fault detection method capable of detecting electrical fault of a liquid ejection head on the basis of an analysis result of an electrical fault detection pattern are provided. An electrical fault detection pattern having an arrangement of dot arrays satisfying an arrangement condition with an arrangement of a plurality of ejection elements in a liquid ejection head is formed by ejecting liquid from a liquid ejection head in which M rows of ejection element groups in which a plurality of ejection elements are arranged in a first direction are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and M is an integer equal to or greater than 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Kyoso
  • Patent number: 9950536
    Abstract: A liquid supply mechanism includes a sub-tank that supplies liquid to a liquid ejection head and a liquid replenishing mechanism that suctions liquid from a main tank into the sub-tank. The liquid replenishing mechanism has a diaphragm, a biasing member, and a drive member. The diaphragm has a movable portion and a mounting portion and closes one end of a liquid container chamber provided on the sub-tank. The biasing member biases the diaphragm in a first direction in which a volume of the liquid container chamber is decreased. The drive member pulls the diaphragm in a second direction in which the volume of the liquid container chamber is increased. The movable portion of the diaphragm can move in the first direction and the second direction. The movable portion has a first portion, which is flexible, and a second portion that retains its shape when the liquid container chamber is pressurized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ken Inoue
  • Patent number: 9925789
    Abstract: A regulator component includes a pressure regulator, a liquid filter, a vent with air filter downstream of the liquid filter, a second vent with air filter upstream of the liquid filter, and an outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Silam J Choy, David Olsen, Kevin E Swier
  • Patent number: 9919891
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a mount base having a mount surface on which a sheet discharged through a medium discharge outlet is mounted, the mount surface facing the recording surface of the sheet; a projection rib that is provided in the mount base, is projectable from the mount surface, and extends along a discharge direction of the sheet discharged through the medium discharge outlet, through a center of the sheet in a width direction crossing the discharge direction of the sheet; and a projection mechanism that causes the projection rib to project from the mount surface to a rib height according to a dimension of the sheet in the width direction discharged through the medium discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Chiba, Hidetoshi Kodama, Toru Tanjo, Kohei Ueno
  • Patent number: 9868295
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting section that includes a nozzle that ejects a liquid; a supplying path that is capable of supplying the liquid accommodated in a liquid accommodating section to the liquid ejecting section; a pressure adjusting valve that is disposed in the supplying path, and includes a pressure chamber which is capable of storing the liquid, the pressure chamber being is provided with an outlet that draws out the stored liquid to the liquid ejecting section, and when a pressure in the internal portion of the pressure chamber decrease, the pressure adjusting valve being opened to adjust a pressure of the liquid supplied to the liquid ejecting section; a discharging path that connects to a communicating port which communicates with the pressure chamber in a separate position different from a position of the outlet; and a switching valve that is provided in the discharging path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kamei, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9849688
    Abstract: A density determination method includes a first process, a second process, and a third process. In the first process, ink is discharged onto a medium to print a plurality of colorimetric patches having mutually different densities on the medium so as to allow each of the colorimetric patches to include a base portion serving as a background of the each of the colorimetric patches and a low density portion forming a symbol and having a density lower than a density of the base portion. In the second process, images each associated with a corresponding one of the colorimetric patches are acquired. In the third process, a maximum printing density value for the medium is determined on the basis of a result of recognizing the symbol through each of the images, having been acquired in the second process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Ono
  • Patent number: 9849689
    Abstract: A method of filling a print head includes drawing a vapor into an empty print head to displace any air in the print head and filling the print head with ink. A method of filling a print head includes connecting a print head to a vacuum pump using a first valve, to a liquid supply using a second valve, and to an ink supply using a third valve, opening the first and second valves, applying vacuum to the print head and liquid supply using the vacuum pump, causing the liquid to generate a vapor that moves into the print head, closing the first valve and the second valve, and opening the third valve to move ink into the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Reid W. Gunnell, Nasser Alavizadeh, Douglas Dean Darling, Walter Sean Harris, Megan Schaffer, David L. Knierim
  • Patent number: 9821590
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus comprises a conveyance path, a color erasing section and a control section. The conveyance path conveys a sheet. The color erasing section erases the color of an image formed with color erasable recording agent serving as recording agent containing coloring agent the color of which can be erased by heating. The control section carries out a control, in a case where the image formed on the sheet is not an image formed with the color erasable recording agent, so that the sheet is not subjected to a color erasing processing by the color erasing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Masahiro Ikuta, Takafumi Hara, Motonari Udo, Takayasu Aoki, Yasuhito Noda
  • Patent number: 9770920
    Abstract: A test chart having printed regions is output at respective ink densities. An indication of a selected ink density is received. One or more resources of a printing device are determined according to the selected ink density to control one or more ink limits and a color separation of the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Andreas Muller, Jacint Humet Pous
  • Patent number: 9751323
    Abstract: A printing fluid delivery system includes a reservoir, a conduit system, and a first heating module. The reservoir may store printing fluid. The conduit system may include a plurality of conduit segments to transport the printing fluid between the reservoir and the printing fluid applicator. The first heating module may selectively heat one conduit segment to increase a temperature of the printing fluid therein to a first temperature which is greater than a second temperature of the printing fluid in an other conduit segment, and to thermally induce recirculation of the printing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Joan-Albert Miravet Jimenez, Alex Andrea Tallada, Francisco Lopez Moral
  • Patent number: 9751331
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge portion, a movement portion, and a control portion capable of executing an image forming operation of forming an image on the medium by a discharge operation of causing the discharge portion to discharge the liquid and a movement operation of causing the movement portion to move the medium and the discharge portion relatively to each other in a movement direction. The control portion is capable of changing a first amount of movement that is an amount of movement to be made by the movement operation to form a first image and a second amount of movement that is an amount of movement to be made by the movement operation to form a second image in a case where after the first image is formed, the second image is formed on the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Hamada
  • Patent number: 9744773
    Abstract: A method for determining characteristics of an ink is described. The method includes subjecting the ink of an inkjet printing system to an alternating signal of a first frequency to generate response signals from the ink, where the response signals include at least a response voltage signal and a response current signal. The method further includes comparing the response voltage signal to a predetermined voltage threshold, to generate a voltage phase signal, and comparing the response current signal to a predetermined current threshold, to generate a current phase signal. The method also includes tuning at least one of the predetermined voltage threshold and the predetermined current threshold to determine a balance point, and identifying a first relative phase difference between the voltage phase signal and the current phase signal, where the first relative phase difference is indicative of characteristics of the ink corresponding to the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Daryl E Anderson
  • Patent number: 9701125
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an ink discharge head that discharges ink, a wiper that wipes the ink discharge head, a sub tank that stores the ink to be supplied to the ink discharge head, an ink circulation flow path, a circulation pump that causes the ink to circulate in the ink circulation flow path, and a first pressurizing unit that pressurizes the inside of the sub tank in the wiping operation in which the ink discharge head is wiped with the wiper to a first pressure that is higher than the pressure in the sub tank in the print operation for discharging the ink toward a print medium with the ink discharge head. The circulation pump stops the operation in the wiping operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Ando, Shinya Komatsu
  • Patent number: 9649849
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ink circulation device includes a first tank which stores ink to be supplied to an inkjet head, a second tank which stores the ink returned from the ink jet head, and a circulation pump which circulates the ink stored in the second tank to the first tank. In addition, the ink circulation device according to the embodiment further includes a heating device which is in contact with and heats a bottom surface of the first tank, a bottom surface of the second tank, and a bottom surface of the circulation pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 9573377
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a tank for holding a fluid for delivery to a printhead, the tank being open to the atmosphere. A manifold enables the fluid to flow from the tank to the printhead, a height of the manifold being lower than a level of the fluid in the tank when the fluid is flowing from the tank to the printhead. A siphon has a lower end of the siphon that is connectable to the manifold. An upper end of the siphon extends above the level of the fluid and is openable to the atmosphere. A height of a segment of the siphon between the upper end and the lower end is lower than the height of the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Industrial Printing LTD.
    Inventors: Semion Gengrinovich, Ran Vilk, Lev Superfin
  • Patent number: 9555627
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a modulation circuit that performs pulse modulation on an original signal to generate a modulated signal; a pair of transistors that generate an amplified modulated signal amplified from the modulated signal; a lowpass filter that smoothes the amplified modulated signal to generate a driving signal; an AD converter that performs AD conversion on a voltage based on the driving signal; a piezoelectric element that is displaced to eject a liquid when the driving signal is applied. The AD converter includes at least K (where K is an integer equal to or greater than 2) capacitors and a controller that causes the K capacitors to sample voltages based on the driving signal at temporally different timings, and subsequently equalizes the voltages and outputs a result of the AD conversion based on the equalized voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Sano
  • Patent number: 9550372
    Abstract: A decorator assembly is provided. The decorator assembly includes a mandrel turret assembly. The mandrel turret assembly includes a rotatable turret, a number of mandrels, and a number of independent ink stations. Each mandrel is rotatably coupled to the turret. Each mandrel extends generally radially from the turret and is disposed generally in a plane about an axis of rotation. The turret is structured to rotate about an axis of rotation thereby moving each mandrel over a generally circular path of travel. Each independent ink station is disposed adjacent to the path of travel of the mandrels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. Vella
  • Patent number: 9511592
    Abstract: A liquid storage container includes a liquid storage section configured to store a liquid, an injection port open to the liquid storage section and configured and arranged to receive the liquid injected into the liquid storage section, an air introduction valve configured and arranged to allow movement of air from an exterior of the liquid storage section to an interior of the liquid storage section and to prevent movement of air from the interior of the liquid storage section to the exterior of the liquid storage section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Kobayashi, Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9488949
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes an image forming section that forms an image layer on a recording medium by supplying and fixing a toner based on image information, a winding section that winds the recording medium on which the image layer is formed by the image forming section, an extraction section that extracts step portion which is formed at end portion of the image layer based on the image information, and an adjustment layer forming section that forms an adjustment layer which suppresses the step portion that is extracted by the extraction section on the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mamoru Fujita, Satoshi Tatsuura, Wataru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9475304
    Abstract: An inkjet printing device includes a printer, including an inkjet head having a nozzle configured to eject ink, an ink tank configured to store the ink, a circulation path configured to circulate ink between the ink tank and the inkjet head, an ink pump configured to send the ink from the ink tank to the inkjet head in order to circulate ink and an ink temperature detector configured to detect an ink temperature, a pressure regulator configured to apply a negative pressure to the ink tank and to regulate a pressure in the ink tank and a controller configured to control the pressure regulator in accordance with the ink temperature in the printer to regulate the pressure in the ink tank and to regulate a driving rate of the ink pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugitani, Asayo Shimoda
  • Patent number: 9457580
    Abstract: A print device includes a mount portion, a lead-out needle, a head, liquid passages, a branch portion, and first resistance portions. The lead-out needle is provided on the mount portion and connected to a storage portion such that the liquid can be led out from the storage portion when the storage portion is mounted on the mount portion. The head has ejection areas capable of ejecting the liquid. Each of the liquid passages is connected to a corresponding one of the ejection areas and feeds the liquid from the storage portion. The branch portion causes the liquid led out from the lead-out needle to branch into each of the liquid passages. Each of the first resistance portions located between the branch portion and the head is provided corresponding to one of the liquid passages and generates a larger flow resistance than the lead-out needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kato
  • Patent number: 9452617
    Abstract: A printing device includes a paper medium print mode configured to execute printing on a paper medium; and a textile print mode configured to execute printing on a fabric medium, an ink weight required for forming a maximum dot in the textile print mode being less than an ink weight required for forming a maximum dot in the paper medium print mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sayama, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 9421804
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for use in a printing device, comprising outputting a test chart comprising a plurality of printed regions at respective ink densities, receiving an indication of a selected ink density, and determining one or more resources of the printing device according to the selected ink density to control one or more ink limits and a color separation of the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Andreas Muller, Jacint Humet Pous
  • Patent number: 9406004
    Abstract: If an ink color decomposition table with a maximum ink amount, which is different from a created color decomposition table, is automatically generated using the created color decomposition table, and used for, for example, inkjet printing, the ink use amount may be excessive, leading to unevenness in glossiness. According to an embodiment of this invention, for example, in a case where an ink limit amount at each grid point of a color decomposition lookup table to be used for image processing is held, and the color decomposition lookup table is automatically generated, the ink amount of each grid point is controlled to be equal to or smaller than the limit amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuhiro Yamagata
  • Patent number: 9399350
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting system includes a liquid ejecting apparatus, a containing unit configured to contain a liquid, and a liquid supply tube configured to supply the liquid from the containing unit to the liquid ejecting apparatus. The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a first casing and a second casing that opposes the first casing. The containing unit includes a third casing and a fourth casing that opposes the third casing. The first casing has a first penetration hole. The second casing has a second penetration hole that overlaps with the first penetration hole. The fourth casing has a first protruding section. The containing unit is fixed to the liquid ejecting apparatus in a state where the first protruding section is inserted into the first penetration hole and the second penetration hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Hidenao Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9375733
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for coating an alignment film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jie Chen
  • Patent number: 9358777
    Abstract: A system for measuring the viscosity of printing ink during a printing and ink correction process includes a printing press having an ink supply system, and an optical measuring device for measuring actual optical values of light that has interacted with at least parts of the printing picture. The printing press has an ink mass determination device to determine the weight of at least parts of the ink located in the ink supply system, and a control and evaluation device to receive measured values from the optical measuring device and from the ink mass determination device. The control and evaluation device determines an optical deviation, and, based on the optical deviation and the values from the weighing devices, an amount of corrective ink that is to be fed to the printing press in order to approximate the actual optical values to optical reference values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: WINDMOELLER & HOELSCHER KG, X-RITE SWITZERLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Ihme, Frank Twiehaus, Martin Flaspoehler, Hendrik Tepe, Frank Dirksmeier
  • Patent number: 9358796
    Abstract: A liquid supply apparatus includes: a plurality of liquid containers, each including a liquid container part that is capable of storing a liquid, and a liquid supply part that is in communication with the inside of the liquid container part and is capable of supplying the liquid in the liquid container part to a recording head of a liquid ejection recording apparatus; and a casing that detachably houses therein the plurality of liquid containers and that is supported by the liquid ejection recording apparatus. At least two of the plurality of liquid containers are arranged along a top-to-bottom direction within the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutomo Tsukahara, Eiko Yanagida
  • Patent number: 9352555
    Abstract: An inkjet printer is provided which can alleviate the degradation of print quality caused by the deviation of ink temperature from a proper temperature range. A controller performs printing while controlling the correspondence of ejection data to nozzle rows so that the ink temperature difference between regions caused by ink ejection operations may be smaller than that in the case where printing is performed with the correspondence of upstream nozzle row ejection data and downstream nozzle row ejection data to an upstream nozzle row and a downstream nozzle row fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisayuki Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 9346284
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head including a plurality of nozzles discharging liquid droplets; a discharge failure detection unit detecting a defective nozzle of the liquid discharge head, the defective nozzle having a discharge failure; and a notification unit giving, when the defective nozzle is detected during image formation, a notification of the possibility of the generation of an image failure at least one of during and after the image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shinta Moriya
  • Patent number: 9289979
    Abstract: A design assistance method for a liquid ejection device includes an acquiring step of acquiring a pulsation frequency fp of a liquid pressure applying unit, a compliance capacity C of a pressure absorber, and a composite inertance L of a liquid ejection head and a liquid supply flow channel; a determining step of determining whether a relationship between a cutoff frequency fc expressed by fc=1/(2?(LC)0.5) using the acquired C and L, and the pulsation frequency fp satisfies a predetermined relationship that satisfies fp?fc; and an outputting step of outputting a determination result in the determining step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Arimoto
  • Patent number: 9277075
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus comprises a conveyance path, a color erasing section and a control section. The conveyance path conveys a sheet. The color erasing section erases the color of an image formed with color erasable recording agent serving as recording agent containing coloring agent the color of which can be erased by heating. The control section carries out a control, in a case where the image formed on the sheet is not an image formed with the color erasable recording agent, so that the sheet is not subjected to a color erasing processing by the color erasing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takeda, Tsuyoshi Itou, Masahiro Ikuta, Takafumi Hara, Motonari Udo, Takayasu Aoki, Yasuhito Noda
  • Patent number: 9272522
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a main tank for containing ink; a sub tank for containing ink supplied from the main tank and containing ink to be supplied to a print head; a detection unit configured to detect an ink amount in the sub tank; and a filling unit configured to perform ink filling operation that fills the sub tank with ink from the main tank by driving a driving unit, in a case where the detection unit detects the ink amount in the sub tank that is less than a first predetermined amount, wherein in a case where the ink amount in the main tank is less than a second predetermined amount, the filling unit drives the driving unit at smaller drive amount than that in a case where the ink amount in the main tank is greater than the second predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kei Kosaka, Atsushi Takahashi, Tomoyuki Tenkawa, Akiyoshi Sahara, Toshiyuki Kuroda, Kei Takarabe
  • Patent number: 9266368
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for use in a printing device, comprising outputting a test chart comprising a plurality of printed regions at respective ink densities, receiving an indication of a selected ink density, and determining one or more resources of the printing device according to the selected ink density to control one or more ink limits and a color separation of the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jacint Humet Pous, Andreas Müller
  • Patent number: 9268507
    Abstract: A image forming apparatus acquires an amount of a printing material for image data of each page included in the print job formed from a plurality of pages; and transmits, to an image forming unit, image data of an Mth page included in the print job after transmitting, to a temperature control unit, information of the acquired amount of the printing material for the image data of the Mth page included in the print job. Particularly, when another job to be executed with a higher priority, the transmission unit transmits image data of a page included in the other job to the image forming unit after transmitting, to the image forming unit, the image data of the page corresponding to the information of the amount of the printing material transmitted to the temperature control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seijiro Morita
  • Patent number: 9227419
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a supply unit that forms a flow path supplying a liquid from a reservoir unit; a collection unit that forms a flow path collecting the liquid to the reservoir unit; and N number of the connection units provided respectively corresponding to N number of ejection units ejecting the liquid forming a flow path connecting the supply unit and the collection unit via the ejection units, wherein with regard to each of N number of the connection units, a connection order of the connection units with respect to the supply unit, which is counted from upstream in a flow direction of the liquid in the supply unit coincides with a connection order of the connection units with respect to the collection unit, which is counted from upstream in the flow direction of the liquid in the collection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Ando, Kaoru Koike