Fluid Supply System Patents (Class 347/85)
  • Patent number: 11926158
    Abstract: The inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head, a first conveyor belt, and an ink receiving part. The ink receiving part includes a discharge port, a liquid-absorptive rotator, and a counter member. The discharge port is placed at an end portion in a crossing direction crossing a recording-medium conveyance direction, and discharges ink received in flashing. The liquid-absorptive rotator is formed from a liquid-absorptive material and rotated around a rotating shaft extending in the crossing direction. The counter member, being in contact with the liquid-absorptive rotator, has a conveyance structure for conveying ink in the ink receiving part in a carry-out direction directed toward the discharge port along an axial direction of the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ueda
  • Patent number: 11912040
    Abstract: A replenishing-type liquid storage tank includes a tank body, and a backpressure application member. Liquid is replenishable in the tank body and the tank body is configured to store the liquid therein. The backpressure application member is accommodated in the tank body to apply backpressure to the liquid stored in the tank body. The backpressure application member has a portion positioned equal to or higher than a liquid level of a maximum tolerable amount of the liquid storable in the tank body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa, Tsuyoshi Kuwayama, Yoshinori Osakabe
  • Patent number: 11915596
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for resolving a selected graphical element corresponding to a tactile user input associated with a graphical user interface display on a display device associated with a vehicle, such as an aircraft. The tactile user input is classified based on its temporal duration, and the classification of the tactile user input influences the identification of the selected graphical element or other response to the tactile user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Brock Graham, Rakshit R, Thea Feyereisen
  • Patent number: 11912038
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a housing including first and second protrusions; and a circuit board including an electrode. The first protrusion is positioned rearward but the second protrusion is positioned forward relative to the circuit board. When viewed in a width direction crossing a gravitational direction, an outline of the liquid cartridge between a first point and a second point is lower than an imaginary line. The imaginary line passes through the first point on the first protrusion and the second point on the second protrusion. A distance between a front edge of the electrode and the first point is smaller than a distance between the front edge and the second point. A dimension between a front end and a rear end of the second protrusion is greater than a distance between a frontmost end of the housing and the front end of the second protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akinari Ishibe
  • Patent number: 11905090
    Abstract: A fluid package, having a pouch with a compartment apartment delimited by a film and a spout, is provided. The film includes an outer layer, an inner layer, a light-shielding layer, and a bonding layer. An outer periphery of the light-shielding layer is located at a position on an inner side of outer peripheries of the outer layer and the inner layer, at one of a position same as an outer periphery of the container compartment and a position on an outer side with respect to the outer periphery of the container compartment. The light-shielding layer covers an entirety of the container compartment and blocks ultraviolet rays. The bonding layer bonds the outer layer and the inner layer with the light-shielding layer interposed there-between. The bonding layer includes a directly-bonded area, in which the outer layer and the inner layer are directly bonded, in a range surrounding the light-shielding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Nukui, Kenta Hasebe, Ai Sakaguchi, Eiichi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11897270
    Abstract: Some examples include a valve for a printing fluid supply system, the valve including a static portion and a dynamic portion. The static portion includes a stem extending along a longitudinal axis. The stem includes a head, a tail, and a shaft extending between the head and the tail. The dynamic portion is disposed around the stem. The dynamic portion is longitudinally movable along the stem between a closed position and an opened position. The dynamic portion includes a neck and a body extending longitudinally from the neck, the neck to seal around the head in the closed position and fluidly open in the opened position, the body to slidably fluidly seal against a housing between opened and closed positions. A liquid ink pathway and an air pathway are formed between the static portion and the dynamic portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: William Scott Osborne
  • Patent number: 11897269
    Abstract: A print material storage container has: a substrate on which an electric circuit having terminals is provided; a fixing portion on which the substrate can be mounted by re-fixing; and a fixing member that fixes the fixing portion and a non-terminal portion, which is formed by excluding the terminals from the substrate, to each other. The non-terminal portion includes a re-fixed portion, which can be re-fixed to the fixing portion by the fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Kudo, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Hiroyuki Kawate
  • Patent number: 11878317
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a coating device and a corresponding coating process for coating components, in particular motor vehicle body components, with a coating agent (e.g. paint), with a coating robot with a first printhead which is mounted on the coating robot. The disclosure provides that the first printhead is exchangeably mounted on the coating robot and can be exchanged for a second printhead during a color change. Another variant of the disclosure, on the other hand, provides for a second printhead to be mounted on the coating robot in addition to the first printhead, the two printheads each applying a specific coating agent in order to enable a color change without changing the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Dürr Systems AG
    Inventors: Hans-Georg Fritz, Benjamin Wöhr, Marcus Kleiner, Moritz Bubek, Timo Beyl, Frank Herre, Steffen Sotzny
  • Patent number: 11866245
    Abstract: A dispensable substance container may include an elongate body encompassing a lumen, wherein the lumen is to contain the dispensable substance; a dispensable; substance dispensing nozzle attached to a first end on the elongate body; a sealing material within the lumen, wherein the sealing material is moveable, by a pushrod, within the lumen to push the dispensable substance out the dispensing tip; and a structurally compromised portion of the elongate body extending along a length of the elongate body, wherein the elongate body is to be severed along the structurally compromised portion by the pushrod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeff Luke, Sean Daniel Fitzgerald, Mathew Lavigne
  • Patent number: 11865847
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a head having a nozzle; a tank; a gas channel; a valve unit; a memory; and a controller. The controller is configured to execute: making of the valve unit to be in an open state, under a condition that a count value indicating an amount of a liquid discharged from the nozzle has reached an opening threshold value ?V. The opening threshold value ?V is represented by: ?V?(Vtmax?Vi)×Pm/(P?Pm). Note that Vtmax represents a volume of the tank, Vi represents the maximum amount of the liquid storable in the tank, P represents an atmospheric pressure, and Pm represents a meniscus-withstanding pressure of the liquid formed in the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa, Yoshinori Osakabe, Taichi Shirono, Sosuke Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 11865837
    Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus includes a plurality of fluid ejectors. Each fluid ejector includes a pumping chamber, and an actuator configured to cause fluid to be ejected from the pumping chamber. The fluid ejection apparatus includes a feed channel fluidically connected to each pumping chamber; and at least one compliant structure formed in a surface of the feed channel. The at least one compliant structure has a lower compliance than the surface of the feed channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Menzel, Kevin von Essen, Steven H. Barss, Mats G. Ottosson, Darren T. Imai
  • Patent number: 11865836
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle; a flow path member in which a flow path communicating with the nozzle is formed and which has an inner wall surface defining the flow path and an outer wall surface that faces away from the flow path with respect to the inner wall surface; and a temperature sensor disposed on a part of the outer wall surface and configured to detect a temperature of the liquid in the flow path. The flow path includes a narrowed region having a narrow width in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction in a direction in which the flow path extends, and the temperature sensor is disposed on a portion of the outer wall surface that forms the narrowed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Kentaro Murakami, Hiroaki Okui
  • Patent number: 11865849
    Abstract: A first ink storage unit, a second ink storage unit, a discharging head configured to discharge the ink, a carriage configured to move the discharging head and the second ink storage unit in a first direction and a second direction, a tube that couples the first ink storage unit and the second ink storage unit, and a case provided with a first opening portion located vertically above a home position and a second opening portion located vertically above a first printing position, and including a beam located between the first opening portion and the second opening portion, are provided. The beam is an edge of the second opening portion, and when the carriage is located at the home position, the first ink storage unit and the second ink storage unit are located in the same direction with respect to the beam and the tube is supported by the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koki Fukasawa, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Tomosuke Gomi
  • Patent number: 11858278
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid supplying apparatus. The liquid supplying apparatus includes a supply flow passage that is in communication with a liquid ejecting head configured to eject liquid, a first supply flow passage for communication between a first liquid container and the supply flow passage, the first liquid container containing liquid, and a second supply flow passage for communication between a second liquid container and the supply flow passage, the second liquid container containing the same kind of liquid as the liquid contained in the first liquid container, a switching unit configured to switch a flow passage that is in communication with the supply flow passage, between the first supply flow passage and the second supply flow passage, and a movement restriction unit configured to, linked with switching by the switching unit, restrict movement of the first liquid container and the second liquid container selectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eri Tanaka, Kazuyuki Fujioka, Masaki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 11858272
    Abstract: An ink circulation system, including an ink cartridge, an ink tank, an ink pump, first, second, and third valves, a print head, a heating assembly, and a positive-negative pressure assembly, is provided. The ink cartridge has an output pipeline and an ink cartridge valve. The ink tank is disposed on one side of the ink cartridge and connected to the output pipeline. The ink pump is connected to the output pipeline and the ink tank through an ink pipeline. The first valve is connected to the ink tank through a first pipeline. The second valve is disposed on the output pipeline. The third valve is connected to the output pipeline and the ink pipeline through a return pipeline. The print head is connected to the ink tank and the return pipeline. The heating assembly is disposed in the ink tank. The positive-negative pressure assembly is connected to the first pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Kinpo Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Po-Chih Chang, Pei-Chi Ho, Ya-Ching Tung, Chi-Kuang Shen, Shou-Chih Sun, Yao-Te Huang
  • Patent number: 11858696
    Abstract: A device may include a dispensable substance container to hold a dispensable substance; a dispensing nozzle attached to the dispensable substance container to dispense the dispensable substance out of an opening in the dispensing nozzle; and a frangible obstruction encompassing the dispensing nozzle and obstructing the opening of the dispensing nozzle wherein the frangible obstruction is to slide along the dispensing nozzle to uncover the opening when broken free from the dispensing nozzle by a wall of a receiving container during an engagement between the dispensable substance container and the receiving container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeff Luke, Dean Richtsmeier, Mathew Lavigne, Sean Daniel Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 11858274
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including: a tank having a liquid storing chamber, an erected wall through which the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber is visible from outside of the tank, and an inlet which is formed to penetrate through the erected wall and via which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber; a liquid consuming section which consumes the liquid stored in the liquid storing chamber; and a cover. A transmitting section and a checking section are formed in an upper surface, of the cover, under a condition that the cover is in the exposure position, the transmitting section configured to transmit information optically to a user of the liquid consuming apparatus and the checking section configured to prevent the liquid moving on a particular surface of the cover from arriving at the transmitting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11840093
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for suppressing adhesion of a liquid to the plug member. A disclosed liquid storage container has a storage chamber for storing a liquid, a supply port having a hollow cylindrical portion protruding from the storage chamber and being capable of supplying the liquid to the storage chamber, and a plug member detachably attached to the supply port. The plug member has a plug portion inserted into the hollow cylindrical portion to plug the supply port. On the plug portion, a first water repellent film having water repellency is formed on an exposed surface exposed at least to the inside of the hollow cylindrical portion in a portion inserted into the storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Shimamura
  • Patent number: 11833836
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a tube configured to form a flow channel to supply a liquid to a liquid ejecting unit configured to eject the liquid; a holding unit configured to hold the tube; and a valve unit configured to move to a closed position to press and close the tube held by the holding unit with a pressing portion from an open position to open the tube held by the holding unit, and to move to the open position from the closed position. Here, the valve unit includes a pivot shaft and moves pivotally around the shaft to move to the closed position and the open position, and a direction of extension of the pivot shaft is a direction intersecting with a direction of extension of the tube held by the holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Soya, Shingo Horita, Atsushi Miyahara
  • Patent number: 11833833
    Abstract: A liquid container includes a container body including a storage chamber configured to store a liquid and a supply port configured to supply the liquid to the storage chamber, and a plug member to seal the supply port, the plug member including a body portion located outside the storage chamber and the supply port and a plug portion located inside the storage chamber and the supply port. The plug portion has a press-fitted portion to be press-fitted into the supply port and a leading end portion exposed to the storage chamber, an axial line of the plug portion is perpendicular to an opening surface of the supply port, and a leading end surface of the leading end portion is an inclined surface inclined with respect to a surface of the plug portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuro Inaba, Masatoshi Ohira
  • Patent number: 11827025
    Abstract: A liquid storage container is configured to supply a liquid containing a precipitating component to a liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a partitioning member configured to divide a liquid storage chamber in a direction intersecting a direction of gravitational force; a plurality of liquid storage chambers divided by the partitioning member; and communication flow channel units provided to the plurality of liquid storage chambers, respectively, and configured to introduce the liquid in the liquid storage chambers and to supply the liquid to the liquid ejecting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatomo Ojima, Taketsugu Murakami, Junichiro Iri
  • Patent number: 11827031
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting head configured to eject a liquid from a nozzle provided on a nozzle surface; a first storage portion that has an introduction portion into which the liquid accommodated in a liquid accommodating portion is introduced, the introduction portion being provided at an upper portion of the first storage portion; a second storage portion that communicates with the first storage portion via a communication passage and to which the liquid is supplied from the first storage portion due to a water head difference; a supply flow path for supplying the liquid from the second storage portion to the liquid ejecting head; a pressurizing portion that pressurizes an inside of the second storage portion; and a first valve configured to close the communication passage at the time of pressurization by the pressurizing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nanami Sakai, Ayumi Yokoo, Rei Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11827024
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a liquid storing container including a storage chamber configured to store a liquid supplied to a printing unit that prints an image by discharging the liquid, an outlet portion of the liquid, and a channel configured to connect the storage chamber and the outlet portion. The liquid storing container includes a first side portion on a side of a print region where printing is executed by the printing unit, and a second side portion on an opposite side of the first side portion, and the channel is formed in the second side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koki Shimada, Nobuhiro Toki, Daiju Takeda, Fumie Kameyama, Shota Asada, Ken Takenaga, Yusuke Tanaka, Yuta Araki, Taiji Maruyama, Atsushi Matsuyama, Yusuke Naratani, Kousuke Tanaka, Koya Iwakura, Hideaki Matsumura, Tetsu Hamano
  • Patent number: 11820560
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid storage bottle that can ensure sufficient sealing performance when a liquid tank is replenished with a liquid. A liquid storage bottle stores a liquid with which a liquid tank is replenished, has a bottle body and a discharge port that discharges a liquid stored in the bottle body, and has a discharge nozzle in which a liquid injection tube of the liquid tank can be inserted via the discharge port and an annular fixed seal member that is provided to the discharge port and seals a part between the discharge port and the liquid injection tube inserted in the discharge port. The fixed seal member has a plurality of annular seal portions that are arranged apart from each other in the axis direction of a discharge nozzle and are individually in contact with the liquid injection tube inserted in the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Teshima
  • Patent number: 11820148
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid storage body, including: a liquid storage bag configured to store a liquid containing precipitation components; a liquid introduction pipe arranged in the liquid storage bag; and a liquid discharge unit fixed at one end portion of the liquid storage bag and configured to discharge the liquid introduced from the liquid introduction pipe to a liquid ejection apparatus, in which the liquid introduction pipe includes a spacer portion including at least two liquid introduction ports at different positions in a height direction at a predetermined orientation, a convergence portion at which the liquids introduced from the at least two liquid introduction ports are converged with each other; and a flow channel configured to introduce the converged liquids to the liquid discharge unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Asuka Horie
  • Patent number: 11813865
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging head including: a pressure chamber configured to apply a pressure to a liquid so as to discharge the liquid from a nozzle; a descender arranged to overlap, in a plan view, with the nozzle and communicating the pressure chamber and the nozzle with each other; at least one return throttle channel connected to the descender; and a return manifold which communicates with the at least one return throttle channel and which is configured to receive the liquid not having been discharged from the nozzle. A cross section of the descender orthogonal to a depth direction of the descender is a non-circular shape having a major axis and a minor axis. The at least one return throttle channel is connected to at least one of a first end side of the minor axis and a second end side of the minor axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Sugiura, Jiro Yamamoto, Shotaro Kanzaki, Taisuke Mizuno, Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 11807018
    Abstract: Provided is an inkjet printing apparatus comprising: a print head that ejects ink; a tank that contains ink to be supplied to the print head; a floating body that floats on the liquid surface of the ink inside the tank; and an electrode pin that detects the level of the liquid surface inside the tank. The floating body includes an opening portion in which to insert the electrode pin, and a perimeter of the opening portion protrudes from a top surface side of the floating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Abe, Tsuyoshi Saeki
  • Patent number: 11801682
    Abstract: An image former includes: an inkjet head; a plurality of ink storages that is connected to the inkjet head and stores ink; a pressure generator that generates a difference in internal pressure between the plurality of ink storages so that ink flows between the plurality of ink storages and the inkjet head; and a storage communicator that causes the plurality of ink storages to communicate with each other so that the difference in internal pressure decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Satoru Osawa
  • Patent number: 11794476
    Abstract: A micro-valve includes an orifice plate including a first surface and a second surface, and an orifice extending from the first surface to the second surface. The micro-valve also includes a spacing member disposed on the first surface and offset from the orifice, a valve seat disposed on the first surface. The valve seat defines an opening in fluid communication with the orifice in a flow direction. The micro-valve also includes an actuating beam disposed on the spacing member extending from the spacing member toward the orifice, the actuating beam being moveable between an open position and a closed position. The micro-valve also includes a sealing member affixed to an end portion of the actuating beam. In a closed position, a sealing surface of the sealing member contacts the valve seat to close the micro-valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Matthews International Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Buskirk, Steven E. Flego, Charles C. Haluzak, John Whitlock, Eric R. Miller, Glenn J. T. Leighton
  • Patent number: 11787209
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus which includes a tank including a liquid storage chamber, an inlet, a liquid lead-out channel, and an atmosphere communication channel, a conveyance mechanism, a carriage, and a head. A lower end of the inlet is positioned at a lower side of the nozzles, and the liquid storage chamber is arranged at a position shifted from the nozzles, in a first-direction side of the front-rear direction, and shifted from the conveyance route, to a second-direction side of the left-right direction. The liquid storage chamber is connected to the liquid outflow channel at a position on a lower side of a center in a up-down direction of the liquid storage chamber, and in the first direction from a center in the front-rear direction of the liquid storage chamber, and on the second-direction side of a center in the left-right direction of the liquid storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akinori Igarashi, Masataka Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11787192
    Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a tank and a cartridge. The cartridge is configured to be detachably attached to the tank in an attachment-detachment direction crossing a vertical direction. The cartridge includes a first storage chamber. The tank includes a second storage chamber, a liquid passage, and a gas passage. The liquid passage has a first end, a second end, and a first extending portion. The second end is formed with a second opening open to an atmosphere. The first extending portion extends from the second opening in the attachment-detachment direction. The gas passage has a third end, a fourth end, and a second extending portion. The fourth end is formed with a fourth opening open to the atmosphere. The second extending portion extends from the fourth opening in the attachment-detachment direction. The second opening is at a position different from the fourth opening in the attachment-detachment direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Yoshinori Osakabe, Akinari Ishibe, Tatsuya Shindo, Masahiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11780236
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from a nozzle, a liquid storage portion having a storage chamber configured to store the liquid supplied from a liquid supply source to the liquid ejecting head, and a carriage on which the liquid ejecting head and the liquid storage portion are mounted and configured to reciprocate in a scanning direction. The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a discharge flow path configured to discharge air in an upper part of the storage chamber, a coupling portion configured to be coupled to and separated from a coupled portion of the discharge flow path, and a negative pressure generating portion that applies a negative pressure to the coupling portion. When the carriage moves to a predetermined position, the coupling portion is coupled to the coupled portion of the discharge flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Koase
  • Patent number: 11782463
    Abstract: A pressure regulating valve for an inkjet printhead. The valve includes: a valve inlet connect to a valve outlet; via a flow path; a first orifice positioned in the flow path having a sealable first seat; a movable first valve member configured for sealing engagement with the first seat; a second orifice positioned in the flow path; a movable second valve member configured for regulating a fluid flow rate through the second orifice; a regulator chamber having the valve outlet and comprising a diaphragm operatively connected to the second valve member, such that movement of the diaphragm moves the second valve member relative to the second orifice; and a biasing mechanism for resiliently biasing the diaphragm away from the second orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Zhenya Yourlo, Mohammadreza Behi, Peter Crichton, Norman Micheal Berry
  • Patent number: 11780233
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a discharge head that discharges ink, and a housing that contains the discharge head, wherein the housing contains a first ink storage member and a second ink storage member that each store ink, and the ink is supplied from each of the first ink storage member and the second ink storage member to the discharge head, wherein the first ink storage member is an ink cartridge not having an ink refilling port for enabling ink refilling by opening a stopper member, and detachable from the inkjet printing apparatus, and wherein the second ink storage member has the ink refilling port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiaki Muraoka, Yuji Tamaru, Kazumasa Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11780232
    Abstract: According to one aspect, the disclosure provides an image recording apparatus including a liquid supplying device. The liquid supplying device includes a tank, a cartridge, an atmospheric communication portion, and a recording portion. The tank has a second storage chamber configured to store liquid, a liquid passage in communication with the second storage chamber, and a gas passage in communication with the second storage chamber. The atmospheric communication portion includes a buffer tank defining a buffer chamber configured to store gas, a single communication flow passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with the second storage chamber, and an air communication passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with an atmosphere. When the cartridge is attached to the tank, the buffer chamber is positioned below the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber is positioned below the buffer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Yoshinori Osakabe, Akinari Ishibe, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11766873
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a tube configured to establish communication of a flow channel by connecting an ejecting portion configured to eject a liquid to an ejection target medium to a container configured to contain the liquid to be supplied to the ejecting portion; a valve mechanism configured to switch between a close state of pressing and closing the tube and an open state of opening the tube depending on a rotational position of a cam member configured to be rotated by a driving source; and a detection unit configured to detect whether the valve mechanism is in the close state or in the open state. The valve mechanism includes a detection target portion. The detection unit detects whether the valve mechanism is in the close state or in the open state by detecting the detection target portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Kohnotoh
  • Patent number: 11766872
    Abstract: A print head includes a nozzle array comprising a plurality of nozzles, and a negative pressure generating portion configured to apply a negative pressure to the nozzle array. A tank includes a storage portion and an air communication port. A tube connects the print head and the tank and supply the liquid from the tank to the print head. A highest position of a liquid level in the tank in the vertical direction is higher than a position of the nozzle array, and an absolute value of a water head difference caused by a difference between the highest position of the liquid level in the tank and the position of the nozzle array is not larger than an absolute value of a negative pressure generated by the negative pressure generating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Matsumura, Daiju Takeda, Tetsu Hamano, Nobuhiro Toki, Fumie Kameyama, Koki Shimada, Shota Asada, Ken Takenaga, Yusuke Tanaka, Yuta Araki, Taiji Maruyama, Atsushi Matsuyama, Yusuke Naratani, Kousuke Tanaka, Koya Iwakura
  • Patent number: 11766743
    Abstract: A frame as a multi-layer steel plate is a multi-layer steel plate including a plurality of steel plates being stacked, outer peripheries of which have a plurality of sides, in which positions of the plurality of sides of the plurality of steel plates include portions located at identical positions in plan view, the plurality of steel plates are fixed to each other by welding at the plurality of sides located at the identical positions in plan view, and among the plurality of steel plates, at least one of the steel plates is processed into a shape different from a shape of other steel plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yosaku Tamura
  • Patent number: 11745511
    Abstract: An ink tank includes: a first liquid storage chamber having a lower limit indicator; a second liquid storage chamber; a liquid inlet communicated with the first liquid storage chamber; a cap openable or closeable the liquid inlet; a rotation shaft extending from an inside of the first liquid storage chamber to an outside through a through hole provided on a side wall of the first liquid storage chamber; a valve member opening or closing the communication passage; a first lever arm rotatable around the rotation shaft and connected to the valve member; a second lever arm provided outside the ink tank and rotatable around the rotation shaft; and a slider member connected to the second lever arm and movable in conjunction with the cap, the through hole being provided at a position above the lower limit indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Oki, Yoshinori Osakabe
  • Patent number: 11745510
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink tank including an ink storage chamber configured to store ink to be supplied to a recording head configured to discharge ink. An injection portion is provided through which ink is injected from an ink bottle into the ink storage chamber. An ink reception portion is configured to receive ink inside the injection portion. A communication portion is configured to communicate with the ink storage chamber inside the injection portion. A guide portion is configured to guide ink received by the ink reception portion to the communication portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koki Shimada
  • Patent number: 11751466
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide an apparatus having a device with a micronozzle array disposed on a micro-fabricated fluidic die. The device may include a first gas distribution plate and a second opposing plate, where the micro-fabricated fluidic die is disposed between the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate, wherein the first gas distribution plate is irreversibly joined to the micronozzle array with a seal that is gas-tight, and where the first gas distribution plate includes a plurality of sealed flow paths. A manifold may be reversibly joined to the first gas distribution plate, where the micro-fabricated fluidic die and the first gas distribution plate and the second opposing plate are disposed between the manifold. A thermally conductive plate may have at least one window that provides a clearance fit for the device across a range of motion relative to the thermally conductive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew King, Gregg Kottas, Gregory McGraw, William E. Quinn
  • Patent number: 11745512
    Abstract: An ink supply container configured to supply an ink to a printer includes a container part configured to contain the ink, a conduit part on a top side of the container part, the conduit part being configured to lead the ink out, a cap configured to protect the conduit part, the cap being detachably attached to the conduit part, and a film attached to at least one of an inner surface of the container part, an inner surface of the conduit part, and an inner surface of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawate, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11738580
    Abstract: A printer including: (i) a guide device extending in a first direction; (ii) a carriage reciprocateable in the first direction, while being guided by the guide device; (iii) a recording head carried by the carriage; (iv) a feed device for feeding the recording medium in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; (v) a flexible ink-supply tube for supplying ink to the recording head; and (vi) a carriage movement detector including an encoder strip which extends in the first direction. The ink-supply tube has a U-shaped body including a pair of arm portions extending in the first direction and spaced apart from each other in the second direction. The guide device, the ink-supply tube and the encoder strip are located on respective different positions in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The ink-supply tube has a part that overlaps with the guide device and the encoder strip as seen in the third direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Tamaki
  • Patent number: 11738561
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an ink cartridge verification method, a system, a readable storage medium and a device. The method comprises: obtaining the total quantity of spray points of the ink cartridge; detecting the spray points of the ink cartridge to obtain the quantity of malfunctional spray points; when the ratio of the quantity of malfunctional spray points to the total quantity is less than or equal to a first preset ratio, determining that the ink cartridge passes verification. The malfunctional spray points are detected to obtain the ratio of the quantity of malfunctional spray points to the total quantity; when the ratio is low, it is determined that the ink cartridge passes verification, there will be no obvious influences on ink cartridge printing and the ink cartridge can be in normal use; and thus, the printing effect can be reflected after the ink cartridge is regenerated after being filled with ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: HANGZHOU CHIPJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuanjin Shao, Haining Gu
  • Patent number: 11724507
    Abstract: An ink refilling container includes a bottle and a cap. The bottle includes an ink outlet forming portion including an ink outlet and a valve. The valve has valve segments segmented by slits. The cap includes a top portion, which faces the ink outlet when the cap is put on the bottle. A protruding portion extending in the central axis direction is provided at the center of the top portion. An annular-shaped sealing portion is provided on the top portion radially outside the protruding portion. The radius of the protruding portion is less than the length of the slit. In a sealed state wherein the cap is in thread engagement with the bottle and wherein the sealing portion seals the ink outlet, the tip end of the protruding portion is inserted in the inside of the bottle through the slits at the center region of the ink outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriyuki Fukasawa, Seigo Miyazawa, Tadashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11718098
    Abstract: A device to supply printing material to a printing material container of a printing apparatus includes a container including a plunger and to contain the printing material, a portal couplable to a refill port to the printing material container. The portal includes a discharge port through which the printing material is transferrable from the container, and a connector to receive power to move the plunger, to cause a transfer of the printing material contained in the container to the printing material container through the discharge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
    Inventors: Justin Pettingill, Gabriel McDaniel, Jeffrey H. Luke, Sean Daniel FitzGerald
  • Patent number: 11712893
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head is provided, the liquid discharge head comprising a plurality of individual channels, a first manifold connected to the plurality of individual channels, a second manifold connected to the plurality of individual channels, and a bypass channel connecting the first manifold and the second manifold and being distinct from the individual channels. A flow channel resistance Rct brought about by the plurality of individual channels, a flow channel resistance Rbp of the bypass channel, a bending loss ?P provided when the liquid flows from the first manifold via the bypass channel to the second manifold, and a flow rate Q of the liquid flowing through the bypass channel fulfill a relationship of: 0.5<[Rct/(Rbp+(?P/Q))]<2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shotaro Kanzaki, Toru Kakiuchi, Takaaki Yoshino, Taisuke Mizuno, Jiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11707934
    Abstract: A printing-fluid containing device configured to be inserted into a cartridge attachment section in an insertion direction includes: a printing-fluid cartridge and an adaptor to which the cartridge is detachably assembled. The cartridge includes: a casing; a supply portion; a detection portion; and an engagement portion. The adaptor includes: an adaptor body; and an electrical interface. The detection portion includes a light accessible portion accessed by light from an outside of the cartridge. The engagement portion is engageable with the cartridge attachment section. The adaptor body has a front wall at its leading end in the insertion direction. The front wall has an opening through which the supply portion extends. The electrical interface is disposed on an outer surface of the adaptor body and electrically connectable to an electric contact of the cartridge attachment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Nukui, Hiroaki Takahashi, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11701892
    Abstract: An image-recording apparatus includes: a first tank defining a first storage chamber; a second tank defining a second storage chamber; a conveying mechanism for conveying sheets along a conveying path extending in a depthwise direction and a widthwise direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and the depthwise direction; and a recording head including a nozzle. Liquid in the first storage chamber is supplied through a communication port to the second storage chamber and then to the recording head through a liquid outlet port. The second storage chamber is positioned further in a first depthwise direction relative to the nozzle and further in a first widthwise direction relative to the conveying path. A volume of a prescribed space above a liquid level equal to a height of the communication port in the second storage chamber is greater than that of a liquid channel between the liquid outlet port and the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Akinari Ishibe, Yuma Tanabe, Masatake Sato, Akihito Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11701891
    Abstract: A printing system to hold printing material comprises a sealing interface to seal a container with respect to a printing chamber volume of the printing system, the container to hold the printing material. The printing system comprises a lifting system to move the container between a first position in which the container is to be lifted and a second position at which the container is lifted and contacts the seal so as to seal the container. The lifting system is to non-hyperstatically constrain the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Victor Ruiz Rivas, Sergi Culubret Cortada, Esteve Comas Cespedes