Fluid Or Fluid Source Handling Means Patents (Class 347/84)
  • Patent number: 8820900
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a downstream filter chamber that is disposed at an inlet opening of an ink introduction path and is provided with a filter disposed therein, and a flexible film that is disposed on an inner wall of the filter chamber at a position downstream of the filter, wherein the flexible film is configured to deform in accordance with the pressure changes in the flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8820905
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a head body which ejects a liquid supplied from a liquid storing member via a liquid supply path; a first supply member which is provided with a first liquid supply path forming a part of the liquid supply path; a second supply member which is provided with a second liquid supply path communicating with the first liquid supply path and forming a part of the liquid supply path, and which supplies the liquid to the head body; and a filter which is sandwiched between the first and second liquid supply paths, wherein a sandwiching portion including the first and second supply members and sandwiching the filter includes an inclination portion that is inclined to the downstream side so as to face the outside of the liquid supply path. A liquid ejecting apparatus includes the liquid ejecting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Munehide Kanaya, Katsuhiro Okubo, Nobuyoshi Uji, Kazuhide Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8820899
    Abstract: A system for ejecting droplets of a fluid is described. The system includes a substrate having a flow path body that includes a fluid pumping chamber, a descender fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, and a nozzle fluidically connected to the descender. The nozzle is arranged to eject droplets of fluid through an outlet formed in an outer substrate surface. The flow path body also includes a recirculation passage fluidically connected to the descender. The system for ejecting droplets of a fluid also includes a fluid supply tank fluidically connected to the fluid pumping chamber, a fluid return tank fluidically connected to the recirculation passage, and a pump fluidically connecting the fluid return tank and the fluid supply tank. In some implementations, a flow of fluid through the flow path body is at a flow rate sufficient to force air bubbles or contaminants through the flow path body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hoisington, Mats G. Ottosson, Tadashi Kyoso, Kanji Nagashima
  • Patent number: 8807719
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a fluid distribution layer between a fluid manifold and a substrate. The fluid distribution layer includes fluid supply channels and fluid return channels. Each fluid supply channel receives fluid from the fluid supply chamber and circulates a fraction of the received fluid back to the fluid return chamber through a return-side bypass. The substrate include a plurality of flow paths, each flow path includes a nozzle for ejecting fluid droplets. Each flow path receives fluid from a respective fluid supply channel, and channel un-ejected fluid into a respective fluid return channel. Each fluid return channel can collect the un-ejected fluid from one or more flow paths and a supply-side bypass, and return the collected fluid back to the fluid supply chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Hoisington, Christoph Menzel, Mats G. Ottosson, Kevin von Essen
  • Patent number: 8807716
    Abstract: Among other things, an apparatus for use in ink jetting includes a reservoir system including a reservoir to contain a volume of ink to be delivered to and jetted from at least two jetting assemblies onto a substrate in an ink jetting direction. The reservoir system is located adjacent to at least two of the jetting assemblies along the ink jetting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Bailey Smith, Joshua Allen, Roger Therrien
  • Patent number: 8807717
    Abstract: A liquid supply device 10 is equipped with a liquid containing chamber 16, a transport tube 15 for sending the liquid inside the chamber 16 to a liquid jetting device 20, first and second members 171 and 172 sandwiching the tube 15, and a cam 173 that determines the position of the first member 171 relative to the second member 172. The tube 15 is equipped with an elastic portion 151 that elastically deforms and is flattened. In the first rotation position, the cam 173 arranges the first member 171 such that there is a space that allows the liquid to flow inside the part 151 between the first and second members 171, 172. In the second rotation position, the cam 173 arranges the first member 171 such that the elastic portion 151 is flattened by the first and second members 171, 172, and the liquid inside cannot flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Taku Ishizawa, Yoshiaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8801157
    Abstract: A liquid ink transport assembly mitigates the migration of ink dye from one conduit in a plurality of conduits to another conduit in the plurality of conduits. The liquid ink transport assembly includes a plurality of conduits, each conduit in the plurality having a first end and a second end, the conduits in the plurality being arranged in a parallel configuration with at least one conduit being spatially separated from an adjacent conduit by a first distance that is greater than a second distance spatially separating other conduits in the plurality of conduits, and a heater, the plurality of conduits being positioned proximate to a first side of the heater to enable the heater to heat ink being carried between the first and the second ends of the plurality of conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Chad David Freitag, Pratima G. N. Rao, Patricia A. Wang, Tony R. Rogers, Bhaskar T. Ramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 8801156
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flow passage assembly includes forming a first flow passage in a first joint interface formed by welding a first surface of a first flow passage forming member to a first surface of a second flow passage forming member using an ultrasonic welding process, and forming, after the first flow passage is formed, a second flow passage in a second joint interface formed by welding a first surface of a third flow passage forming member to one of a second surface of the first flow passage forming member and a second surface of the second flow passage forming member using an ultrasonic welding process. A total area of weld portions used when the first flow passage is formed is greater than a total area of weld portions used when the second flow passage is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Shimamura, Takeshi Shibata, Akira Yamamoto, Toshiaki Hirosawa, Hiroki Tajima
  • Patent number: 8801162
    Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes apparatus electrical contacts corresponding to the liquid containers, respectively, photoreceptor means for receiving light, and an electric circuit connected with a line which is commonly connected with the apparatus electrical contacts, the liquid container includes a container electrical contact electrically connectable with one of the apparatus contacts; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; a controller for controlling emission of light of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative of individual information supplied through the container electrical contact and the information stored in the information storing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruyuki Matsumoto, Kenjiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8801126
    Abstract: A liquid chamber receives liquid flows from a liquid receiving unit. A first urging member urges a deforming portion of the liquid chamber. A lever provided on the liquid container side increases the displacement of the deforming portion. A sensor detects the displacement. A transmitting member transmits the increased displacement to the sensor. A second urging member provided on a liquid consuming apparatus side urges the transmitting member. When the liquid container is installed in the liquid consuming apparatus, the transmitting member comes in contact with the lever member due to the urging force of the second urging member, and the lever member is pushed against the deforming portion. In this manner, it is possible to divide the liquid detection system into the liquid consuming apparatus side and the liquid container side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Karasawa, Yuji Aoki, Masaru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8794748
    Abstract: A multi-channel valve arrangement for distributing ink from a plurality of ink supplies to a media width inkjet printhead via a plurality of ink tubes each defining an individual ink flow channel, the valve having a body, a plurality of ports defined through the body, each port being configured to receive a respective one of the ink tubes therethrough, a movable pinch element extending across the ports and a pinch drive arrangement for selectively moving the pinch element into and out of pinching contact with the ink tubes so as to respectively block and allow ink flow through the ink tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeff Borra, Jon Lucas, Ryan Root
  • Patent number: 8789905
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus, which discharges liquid from at least one nozzle on the basis of data, which includes a controller. When the controller is in a standby state and no liquid is being discharged from the at least one nozzle on the basis of the data, the controller performs a drawing operation wherein the liquid is drawn into the nozzle in a direction that is opposite to the direction that the ink is discharged from the at least one nozzle in order to form a space at a distal end portion of the at least one nozzle where no liquid is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Shimazaki, Eiichiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8783830
    Abstract: A droplet ejecting device includes an ejection head, a moving body, a guide part, an attachment part, a fixed part and a liquid reservoir. The ejection head is configured and arranged to eject liquid droplets onto a substrate. The moving body supports the ejection head, and is configured and arranged to move integrally with the ejection head with respect to the substrate. The guide part is configured and arranged to guide a relative movement of the moving body. The attachment part is attached to the guide part and supporting the moving body, and configured and arranged to move integrally with the moving body. The fixed part is fixed to the attachment part separately from the moving body. The liquid reservoir is provided to the fixed part, and configured and arranged to store the liquid supplied to the ejection head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Kanemoto, Toshihiro Yokozawa
  • Patent number: 8783827
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus has a configuration in which the volume of a reference space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid outlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a first state for ejecting the fluid from the fluid ejecting head to the fluid receiving unit is smaller than the volume of a space having an upper limit at the bottom of the fluid inlet port in the vertical direction in the fluid tank in a second state that is inclined by 90 degrees with respect to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 8783802
    Abstract: An intermediately fluid supply apparatus is to fluidically couple a primary fluid supply to one or more fluid-ejection printheads. A reservoir of the apparatus has a bottom surface and a number of side surfaces, and is open at the top of the reservoir. The reservoir is to store fluid supplied by the primary fluid supply, for ejection by the fluid-ejection printheads. A flexible membrane of the apparatus seals the top of the reservoir. The flexible membrane is to expand and contract over the reservoir in accordance with the volume of the fluid currently stored within the reservoir. A sensing mechanism of the apparatus is to directly or indirectly sense the volume of the fluid currently stored within the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David Shmuel, Yehuda Ben Abu
  • Patent number: 8777388
    Abstract: A fluid distribution system for a printhead, the system having a fluid container fluidically interconnected with the printhead via a closed fluid flow loop, a bypass fluid path bypassing the printhead on the closed loop, a gas vent on the closed loop and a four-way valve on the closed loop for selectively allowing fluid flow along the closed loop via the printhead and the bypass path and venting of gas in the closed loop via the gas vent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Zamtec Ltd
    Inventors: Jeff Borra, Ryan Root, Jon Lucas, Tom Alesi, Neal Cekalski, Bob Mallory, Robert Rosati, Raul Perez
  • Patent number: 8777384
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses an ink cartridge comprises a housing; a reservoir portion disposed so that an end portion on one side in a thickness direction contacts the housing; a detection plate that is supported with respect to the housing at a lower end portion, comes in contact with the other side of the reservoir portion in the thickness direction, and rotates in accordance with an ink volume, thereby executing a display in accordance with the ink volume by that rotational position; and a collapse prevention rib that creates a predetermined gap between an end portion on one side in the thickness direction and a left wall portion of the housing, extends above the detection plate, and causes the upper portion of the reservoir portion to be inserted through the gap, thereby suppressing the displacement of the reservoir portion to the other side in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8777389
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a head tank, an exhaust unit, and a suctioning device. The head tank has liquid chambers with exhaust ports. The exhaust unit includes an exhaust channel connected to the suctioning device to exhaust air from the head tank, an exhaust chamber connected to the ports of the liquid chambers, a valve member to collectively open and close the ports, a valve driving chamber communicating with the exhaust channel and having a flexible member forming a wall face thereof, a valve driving member disposed at the flexible member to open and close the valve member, and a choke channel communicating the exhaust chamber with the valve driving chamber. When the suctioning device suctions air through the exhaust channel with the liquid being in the choke channel, a volume of the valve driving chamber contracts and the valve member opens the ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomomi Katoh
  • Patent number: 8770728
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming device including a carriage including recording heads and sub-tanks; a platen having a conveyance surface; flexible tubes for supplying liquids to the sub-tanks, the flexible tubes being extended along a main scanning direction above the platen, wherein extended portions of the flexible tubes are folded at middle portions of extended portions in the main scanning direction; first and second tube guides that support the folded extended portions of the flexible tubes, wherein the flexible tubes are arranged in a height direction, wherein the first tube guide is disposed at a position higher than that of the second tube guide, and wherein the tubes are supported by a thin plate-like sheet member formed of an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Motoyama
  • Patent number: 8770687
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a change detection device detecting a change in a relative position between an ink cartridge and a recording head, and when the change in the relative position exceeds a certain threshold value, a printer controller closes a valve mechanism so that the destruction of a meniscus in the nozzle is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8770217
    Abstract: An apparatus for purging air from a fluid conveying tube includes a housing member comprising an inner bore having an inlet and an outlet (115); and a vented piston member slidably disposed within the inner bore, the vented piston member comprising a filter element and at least one air vent. The filter element is configured to allow air to pass through the vented piston member to the at least one air vent and to prevent fluid from passing through the vented piston member to the at least one air vent. A method of purging accumulated air from a fluid conveying tube includes providing a vented piston member slidably disposed within a housing member; displacing air from the fluid conveying tube through a filter element disposed within the piston member using pressurized fluid; and displacing the piston member with the pressurized fluid; wherein the displacement of the piston member exposes an outlet for the pressurized fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Arnold, Gregory K. Justice
  • Patent number: 8764170
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inkjet recording method wherein an image is formed on a recording medium by spraying an ink containing at least a photopolymerizable compound onto the recording medium through a nozzle of an inkjet head. This inkjet recording method enables to perform a stable image recording by suppressing formation of a precipitate in the head. This inkjet recording method is characterized in that in an inkjet head, which is used for forming an image on a recording medium by spraying an inkjet ink containing at least a photopolymerizable compound through a nozzle, the surface of at least a part of metals constituting the internal member of the inkjet head which is in contact with the inkjet ink is subjected to a passivation treatment or an insulation coating treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Wataru Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8764171
    Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to first and second locking portions of a mounting portion of an apparatus. The liquid container includes a casing for containing liquid and a supply port for supplying the liquid to an ink jet head. At respective first and second sides of the casing, first and second engaging portions are provided, respectively engageable with the first and second locking portions. A supporting member displaceably supports the second engaging portion, and a contact is contactable to a member provided in the mounting portion to permit of display information relating to the liquid container. The supply port is disposed in a third side of the casing which is between the first and second sides, and the contact is disposed at a corner region between the second and third sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiichiro Shimizu, Hajime Yamamoto, Yukuo Yamaguchi, Kenjiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8764173
    Abstract: A removable ink supply comprises an ink container including a coupler configured to removably engage a receiver of an ink supply station of an image forming apparatus. The coupler includes an end portion including an array of key holes with each key hole configured to removably receive a respective one key of an array of at least partially conductive keys of the receiver of the ink supply station. A conductive component of the coupler is positioned within the coupler and spaced apart from the end portion. The conductive component is in axial alignment with at least some of the respective key holes to be positioned for selective, removable contact with at least some of the respective keys of the receiver. An absence or a presence of removable contact between the conductive component and the key indicates an out-of-ink status of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Mark Haines, Ronald J. Ender, Craig L. Malik
  • Patent number: 8757745
    Abstract: The printing apparatus includes: a print unit to print on a medium using a pigment ink and a dye ink; a stir mechanism capable of stirring at least the pigment ink; and a control unit to perform control to make the duration of the stirring operation executed prior to starting the printing operation longer when the pigment ink is included in the ink to be used in the printing operation than when it is not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kanto Kurasawa
  • Patent number: 8757782
    Abstract: Liquid ejecting head comprises a unit head bonded to a communication substrate. A plurality of liquid chamber forming portions are formed in the unit case, along a first direction at positions that are separated by a partition wall. A plurality of empty liquid chamber portions and supply-side communication paths are formed in the communication substrate. The supply-side communication paths include a common communication path formed in a opposite side with a thin thickness portion left in the surface side of the communication substrate, and individual communication paths. With a surface of the partition wall and a surface of the thin thickness portion bonded together, the empty liquid chamber forming portions and the empty liquid chamber portions communicate with each other so as to define a plurality of common liquid chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsuke Watanabe, Yoshinao Miyata, Satoshi Oguchi, Hiroaki Okui
  • Patent number: 8757781
    Abstract: A tank unit includes two or more liquid accommodating containers disposed in a row. Each of the liquid accommodating containers includes a main body having a concave shape defining a side opening and a film that blocks the side opening. The main body and the film at least partially define a liquid accommodating chamber for accommodating a liquid. The main body includes a facing wall that faces the film across the liquid accommodating chamber and has a wall larger than the side opening. The liquid accommodating containers are disposed such that the film of at least one of the liquid accommodating containers is covered by the facing wall of an adjacent one of the liquid accommodating containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Taku Ishizawa, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Masaru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8752941
    Abstract: A consumable supply item for an imaging device holds an initial or refillable volume of fluid. Users orient a housing to deplete the fluid in a direction of gravity toward a bottom surface of the interior en route to an exit port. The imaging device has a rotating latch to keep in place the supply item during use Users activate the latch to eject the supply item. The latch mates with a notch on the supply item. A first face of the notch angles to allow the latch to swing into and away from contact with the notch while a second face substantially parallels a side of the latch when the latch is engaged with the first face. The faces have differing angles and differing lengths. Further embodiments note angular degrees, biasing members, container slots, and consumer features of the supply item, to name a few.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Edmund H. James, III, Steven R. Komplin, Randal S. Williamson
  • Patent number: 8752940
    Abstract: A technique capable of efficient, high speed processing for the formation of an organic compound layer by using an ink jet method is provided. In the method of forming an organic compound layer by using the ink jet method, a composition containing an organic compound having light emitting characteristics is discharged from an ink head, forming a continuous organic compound layer. The organic compound layer is formed on pixel electrodes aligned in a matrix shape, and is formed in a continuous manner over a plurality of pixel electrodes. A light emitting device is manufactured using organic light emitting elements in accordance with this manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8746861
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a liquid cartridge having a plurality of liquid tanks, a cartridge mount, liquid applicators, communication paths to communicably connect the liquid tanks with the liquid applicators, a subsidiary tank arranged in an intermediate position in one of the communication paths, a first remaining amount detector to detect amounts of liquids remaining in the liquid tanks, a first liquid conveyer to transfer the liquid from the communicably connected liquid tank to the subsidiary tank, and a first liquid conveyer controller to manipulate the first liquid conveyer. When an amount of one of the liquids remaining in one of the liquid tanks is smaller than a first predetermined amount, the first liquid conveyer controller manipulates the first liquid conveyer to transfer the other of the liquids remaining in the other of the liquid tanks to the subsidiary tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Itogawa
  • Patent number: 8746860
    Abstract: An ink supply system includes a print head assembly and a print head with one or more nozzles for a color. The print head is connected with the nozzles via a first connection line. A supply tank is connected with an intermediate tank via a filler line under an interconnection of a feed unit and a filter assembly. The pressure difference of the ink flow from a return tank to the supply tank is controlled by the print head. A method cleans the ink supply system, and a method cleans the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Durst Phototechnik Digital Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Verner Delueg
  • Patent number: 8740324
    Abstract: In a stand-by state, when an instruction unit issues the printing instruction, a control unit is switched in a maintenance state, in the maintenance state, the control unit closes an air valve and operates a first pump, and when a sensor detects that the ink of a second tank is reduced by discharging the ink from a nozzle by the pressure of a second tank, the control unit opens the air valve to be switched in a printing state, and when a predetermined time elapses after an operation of the first pump before the sensor detects the reduction of the ink of the second tank, the control unit excludes the solidified ink from the nozzle, and in the printing state, the control unit is switched in the stand-by state when the ink is discharged from the nozzle of the head based on a printing instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kikuchi, Jun Takamura
  • Patent number: 8727519
    Abstract: Provided are an inkjet printing apparatus and a method of controlling an inkjet printing apparatus whereby the performing of a suction discharge operation, for air bubbles that have penetrated inside an ink supply line, can be suppressed to a minimum necessary number of times, and whereby the ink discharge volume that accompanies air bubble suction discharge operations can be kept low. The volume of an air bubble that penetrates into an ink supply line is estimated on the basis of an elapsed time since the last air bubble suction discharge operation, and in addition, the volume of an air bubble that penetrates into the ink supply line during main tank installation is predicted. The suction discharge operation (choke suction operation) for suctioning out and discharging air bubbles is conducted when the sum of these estimated volumes becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nakagawa, Yuji Hamasaki, Atsushi Takahashi, Nobuhiro Kitabatake, Kei Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8727512
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses an ink cartridge comprises a housing, a detection plate configured to execute a display in accordance with an ink volume, and a support mechanism comprising a concave portion configured to rotatably support the detection plate, wherein: the detection plate comprises a shaft portion of a shape capable of engaging with a concave portion provided protruding from arm portions; at least one of the arm portions is capable of elastic deformation in which, upon receipt of an external force, changes the position of the shaft portion provided to the one of the arm portions to the extent that the concave portion and the shaft portion do not engage; and generates an elastic force that positions the shaft portion in a location that includes the rotation center of the arm portion when the external force is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8727513
    Abstract: A system for automatic cleaning in a liquid ink printing system includes an ink tank, a pump which is configured pump a carrier liquid from the ink tank as a pressurized carrier liquid flow. A filter is configured to remove particulates from the pressurized carrier liquid flow to produce a filtered carrier liquid flow. A sprayer is configured to receive the filtered carrier liquid flow and spray the filtered carrier liquid flow into an interior of the ink tank. The pump recirculates the filtered carrier liquid flow through the filter and the sprayer. A method for automatic cleaning in a printing system is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Eyal Bachar, Albert Teishev, Kobi Shkuri
  • Patent number: 8714694
    Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a recording head; an ink storage section; a tube having one end thereof connected to the ink storage section; a channel member having an ink channel that communicates with the recording head formed therein; a joint connecting the other end of the tube and the ink channel in the channel member; a circuit board mounted on the recording head; and a cable electrically connected to the circuit board. The channel member, the cable, and the tube are disposed in this order from a lower side to an upper side in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihito Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8714717
    Abstract: An agitating device includes: a movement portion which is provided in a liquid accommodation portion that has an accommodation chamber accommodating a liquid containing a functional material and a deformation portion that is deformed so as to change a volume of the accommodation chamber, and is moved along with deformation of the deformation portion; and an agitating portion which agitates the liquid in the accommodation chamber along with movement of the movement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takuya Okina
  • Patent number: 8708468
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, head tanks, replaceable main tanks, liquid feed pumps, a first driving source, and a drive switching assembly. The feed pumps feed liquids from the main tanks to the head tanks and in reverse from the head tanks to the main tanks. The drive switching assembly selectively transmits a driving force of the first driving source to the feed pumps. The drive switching assembly includes a second driving source, a cam, a slider member, and a switching gear. The switching gear receives the driving force of the first driving source and is movable with the slider member between positions to engage driving gears of the feed pumps and a position to disengage from the driving gears. With movement of the switching gear, the driving force of the first driving source is selectively transmitted to the feed pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michiharu Suzuki, Junji Seto
  • Patent number: 8702211
    Abstract: A technique to maintain a positive pressure at a septum during depressurization of an ink supply in an inkjet printing device is disclosed. In one example, the ink supply is depressurized to a first predetermined positive pressure using an air pump. Further, a second predetermined positive pressure is maintained at the septum when the ink supply is at the first predetermined positive pressure. Furthermore, the ink supply is further depressurized to a third predetermined positive pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Sheshadri Rangaraju
  • Patent number: 8702190
    Abstract: A liquid jet head has a piezoelectric, a pair of electrodes for applying an electric field, and a drive section for driving the piezoelectric body. The drive section drives the piezoelectric body by setting a voltage of one of the electrodes to a first low voltage having a relatively small absolute value, and by supplying a drive signal of one polarity to the other electrode. The driving section restores the piezoelectric body by setting the voltage of the one electrode to a high voltage having the same one polarity as the drive signal and having a relatively large absolute value, and by setting a voltage of the other electrode to a second low voltage having a relatively small absolute value. The drive section applies a voltage for generating an electric field exceeding a coercive field of the piezoelectric body to the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: SII Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Koseki
  • Publication number: 20140104343
    Abstract: A mist collection device is adapted to collect a mist of liquid generated by ejecting the liquid from a plurality of nozzles in an ejection head, the mist collection device includes a suction section, a tube section, a collection part, an outlet section and a suction device. A suction port is formed in the suction section with the suction port being an opening having a length in an arrangement direction of the nozzles greater than a width in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. The tube section is in communication with the suction section and having a hollow tube shape whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the arrangement direction. The collection part collects the mist by separating the mist from air suctioned by the suction section. The suction device is configured and arranged to generate an air flow flowing from the suction section to the collection part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norihiro MASUDA
  • Patent number: 8696095
    Abstract: A fluid supply device, a printing device, and a control method for a fluid supply device can appropriately determine when the main tank should be replaced without increasing device cost or size. In a structure in which an expansion mechanism draws ink from an ink cartridge by expanding an ink cartridge using the force of carriage movement, a calculation means 112 calculates the remaining ink volume in the ink cartridge based on the ink discharge volume from the inkjet head, and a CPU 115 determines the ink cartridge replacement time has arrived when ink consumption in a specified number of ink packs has reached a specified remaining ink volume in a near-end range based on the result calculated by the calculation means 112.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Urabe
  • Patent number: 8690284
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including a liquid discharge head having a plurality of nozzles; a common chamber; a liquid chamber; a liquid supply port; and a communication channel; and a discharge control mechanism which controls the liquid discharge head to perform a discharge operation of discharging the liquid from the nozzles to the medium. The discharge control mechanism controls the liquid discharge head to perform a flushing operation, as the discharge operation, so that the liquid is discharged from a first nozzle group in a discharge mode, which is different from a discharge mode of a second nozzle group, to generate a flow of the liquid in the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Takata, Tatsuya Shindo
  • Patent number: 8678569
    Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes apparatus electrical contacts corresponding to the liquid containers, respectively, photoreceptor means for receiving light, and an electric circuit connected with a line which is commonly connected with the apparatus electrical contacts, the liquid container includes a container electrical contact electrically connectable with one of the apparatus contacts; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; a controller for controlling emission of light of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative of individual information supplied through the container electrical contact and the information stored in the information storing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruyuki Matsumoto, Kenjiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8678573
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes a front side, a rear side, an upper side, a lower side, a tubular fluid supply portion positioned at the lower side of the front side, a pivotable member configured to pivot about a pivot point and comprising an end portion. The pivot point is positioned at the upper side and the end portion is positioned at the rear side. The printing fluid cartridge also includes a light attenuating portion protruding from the upper side of the front side and configured to attenuate light, and an electrical interface positioned between the pivotable member and the light attenuating portion. An upper end of the light attenuating portion is positioned below the electrical interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotake Nakamura, Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi
  • Patent number: 8678570
    Abstract: A liquid container detachably mountable to a recording apparatus to which a plurality of liquid containers are detachably mountable, wherein the recording apparatus includes apparatus electrical contacts corresponding to the liquid containers, respectively, photoreceptor means for receiving light, and an electric circuit connected with a line which is commonly connected with the apparatus electrical contacts, the liquid container includes a container electrical contact electrically connectable with one of the apparatus contacts; an information storing portion capable of storing at least individual information of the liquid container; a light emitting portion; a controller for controlling emission of light of the light emitting portion in response to a correspondence between a signal indicative of individual information supplied through the container electrical contact and the information stored in the information storing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruyuki Matsumoto, Kenjiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8672437
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus is characterized by a configuration in which it has a first carriage movement mode, in which a stop position of a carriage in movement of this time is determined to be at a given position in a width direction on the basis of a size in the width direction of a liquid-ejected medium, and a second carriage movement mode, in which the stop position of the carriage in the movement of this time is determined on the basis of at least one of the liquid ejection data in this movement and the liquid ejection data in the next movement, and liquid ejection is carried out with one of the first carriage movement mode and the second carriage movement mode selected in accordance with a setting mode that is a mode set up with respect to liquid ejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Narihiro Oki, Satoshi Nakata
  • Patent number: 8672461
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid ejection head including: an inlet opening; an outlet opening; an inside channel; and ejection openings; a tank; a supply channel; a return channel; a supply device; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the supply device to perform a circulating operation in which the liquid in the tank is transferred to the supply channel, the inside channel, and the return channel in order and returns to the tank, and wherein the controller is configured to control the supply device such that a unit-time supply amount that is an amount of the liquid to be supplied to the inside channel per unit time in a first period in the circulating operation is less than that in a second period that is after the first period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akinori Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8673660
    Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a liquid ejection head substrate, the method including, in sequence; grinding a second surface of a silicon substrate, which is an opposite surface of a first surface on which a function element is formed, polishing the ground second surface, etching the polished second surface by reactive ion etching using ion incident energy, forming an etching mask on the second surface after the reactive ion etching, and forming a liquid supply port by subjecting the silicon substrate to wet etching using the etching mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichi Yonemoto
  • Patent number: RE45067
    Abstract: The invention concerns a contactless numerical printing machine for products of average fluidity, such as varnish, glue, and conducting or scratchable ink, onto a substrate of variable thickness and dimensions. The machine includes a special device for printing without contact by projection. The projected materials are materials of average fluidity or composed of large-dimension molecules. The process used includes an electro-acoustic device for control of the projection, and a multiplicity of projection nozzles, each controlled individually. The machine also includes a production chain with different work stations, whose printing devices are controlled by a computer management system. The production chain allows printing with a certain precision in given zones located during the processing by an appropriate work station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: MGI France
    Inventors: Edmond Abergel, Raphael Renaud