Cartridge Patents (Class 347/86)
  • Patent number: 10712701
    Abstract: In a communication device, a processor identifies first and second group printing devices in accordance with device information on each printing device, and outputs device information corresponding to the first and second group printing devices in a distinguishable manner. A printing device having a tank accommodating printing agent greater than or equal to a first reference is identified as the first and second group printing devices. A printing device having a tank accommodating printing agent less than the first reference is identified as the second group printing device. A printing device without tank and in which a cartridge accommodating printing agent less than a second reference and greater than or equal to a third reference is identified as the first group printing device. A printing device without tank and in which the cartridge accommodating printing agent less than the third reference is identified as the second group printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Nogawa, Masafumi Miyazawa, Akiko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10703107
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge attachment section includes: a cartridge body having a liquid storage chamber, and a liquid supply portion configured to supply the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to an outside. The liquid supply portion includes: a front end face facing frontward, an outer peripheral surface extending rearward from the front end face, and at least one guide provided at the outer peripheral surface. Each of the at least one guide is guided by corresponding at least one projection of the cartridge attachment section during attachment of a liquid supply tube of the cartridge attachment section to the liquid supply portion at a time of attachment of the liquid cartridge to the cartridge attachment section. Each of the at least one guide includes: a first guide portion, and a second guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Ono, Akinari Ishibe
  • Patent number: 10703343
    Abstract: A cleaning device, intended to spray at least one fluid towards a surface to be cleaned of a motor vehicle, such as an optical sensor of an optical detection system, comprises at least one fluid intake and distribution device (D) into which are selectively admitted a cleaning fluid and a drying fluid through two distinct sets of runs from an intake end-fitting (110, 111) specific to each fluid. According to the invention, a blocking element (5) is provided in the intake and distribution device (D). This blocking element is movable between a first position of blocking of the set of runs for a cleaning fluid and a second position of clearing of this set of runs for a cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Giuseppe Grasso, Marcel Trebouet
  • Patent number: 10703109
    Abstract: A filter unit has a filter chamber disposed in a channel through which liquid is to be supplied to a liquid discharge unit. The filter unit has a filter and a partition. The filter is disposed in the filter chamber, inclined relative to a horizontal direction. The filter separates the filter chamber into an upstream chamber the liquid to be supplied and a downstream chamber in communication with the liquid discharge unit. The partition has a wall surface facing the filter. The partition separates the upstream chamber into a first chamber the liquid to be supplied to and a second chamber adjacent to the filter. The filter unit has, in an upper portion of the partition, an opening that allows communication between the first chamber and the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ken Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 10688796
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section including a casing, a movable member, and an urging member. The casing includes a liquid chamber storing liquid therein; a liquid passage extending in a first direction in an upright posture, and a top surface. The top surface faces upward in the upright posture and formed with a recess. The movable member has a light blocking portion. The light blocking portion in the upright posture is configured to move between a first position and a second position. At least a part of the light blocking portion in the first position is positioned above the top surface in the upright posture. The urging member is configured to urge the movable member toward the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10688794
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section including a casing and a light blocking portion. The casing includes a liquid chamber; a liquid passage extending in a first direction; and a top surface facing upward. The light blocking portion is deformable between a non-deformed state and a deformed state. The light blocking portion, at least in the non-deformed state, is configured to block or attenuate light emitted from the cartridge-attachment section and traveling in a widthwise direction crossing the first direction and a gravitational direction in an upright posture. The light blocking portion in the non-deformed state is configured to be deformed to the deformed state by an external force. The light blocking portion returns to the non-deformed state when the external force is removed from the light blocking portion in the deformed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10675880
    Abstract: There is provided a tank including: a wall defining a liquid storage chamber, the wall including: an upper wall defining an upper end of the liquid storage chamber, a lower wall defining a lower end of the liquid storage chamber, and an erected wall between the upper wall and the lower wall and through which the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber is visible from outside of the tank; an inlet penetrating through the upper wall or the erected wall; and an outlet, wherein the lower wall includes an upper stage wall making contact with the erected wall; a lower stage wall located at a position separated and away from the erected wall and below the upper stage wall; and a connecting wall connecting the upper and lower stage walls; and the outlet is disposed below the upper stage wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akinori Igarashi
  • Patent number: 10675877
    Abstract: Provided is an ink cartridge having an ink storage portion for storing an ink therein and a plurality of flow paths for supplying the ink to the outside of the ink cartridge. In the ink cartridge, the plurality of flow paths each has a bottom flow path having a bottom opening in a vertically lower direction in the ink storage portion during use of the ink cartridge and a top flow path having a top opening in a vertically upper direction in the ink storage portion than the bottom flow path during use of the ink cartridge; the bottom flow path has a resistance different from that of the top flow path; and air is not introduced into the ink storage portion when the ink is supplied from the bottom flow path and the top flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Murakami, Yasuo Kotaki, Tetsuya Ohashi, Ryoji Inoue, Takashi Fukushima, Kyosuke Nagaoka, Takeho Miyashita, Kenichi Kanno
  • Patent number: 10675875
    Abstract: Liquid and sedimentary components are kept from remaining in a bag of a liquid container. The liquid container includes a flexible bag in which a liquid storage portion for containing a liquid is provided, a liquid outlet member that is attached to one edge portion of the bag, and has a liquid outlet portion for leading out the liquid to a liquid ejection apparatus, a spacer member arranged in the liquid storage portion, and a liquid outlet tube that constitutes a flow path of liquid extending in the liquid storage portion from the liquid outlet member toward the spacer member. The spacer member is arranged at a position separated from an end portion of the liquid storage portion, and at least one directing channel extending from the end portion side of the liquid storage portion in a direction approaching the spacer member is formed in the liquid storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takumi Nagashima, Hiroyuki Kawate, Hiroyushi Ozeki, Manabu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10668735
    Abstract: A printing-fluid cartridge is inserted into a printing-fluid consuming apparatus in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction and attached thereto in a first posture. The printing-fluid cartridge includes: a storage chamber, a supply portion having a supply port, an upper surface and a locking surface positioned upward of the storage chamber, an electrical interface disposed at the upper surface, and a contact surface positioned rearward relative to the supply port of the supply portion in the insertion direction in the first posture. The printing-fluid cartridge inserted in the printing-fluid consuming apparatus is movable between the first posture and a second posture. In the first posture, the locking surface engages a lock portion and the contact surface abuts against a positioning portion. In the second posture, the locking surface is positioned downward relative to the lock portion and the contact surface is separated from the positioning portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Suguru Tomoguchi
  • Patent number: 10668732
    Abstract: An ink tank includes a storage chamber formed of a front face wall, a back face wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top plate, and a bottom plate, an injection port, a partition wall connected to the first side wall and the second side wall, a first space surrounded by the back face wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall, and a second space surrounded by the front face wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall are formed by the partition wall, and wherein the injection port is arranged on a side of the first space, and a communication portion that communicates the first space and the second space is formed at a position between the partition wall and the bottom plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Yokoi
  • Patent number: 10661577
    Abstract: An example device includes a frame having at least one outer opening and at least one inner opening recessed from the outer opening, at least one filter screen mounted on a perimeter of the at least one inner opening to form an inner chamber, and at least one cover layer mounted on a perimeter of the at least one outer chamber to form an outer chamber. The filter screen separates the inner chamber from the outer chamber, and the filter screen prevents froth from crossing and allows coalesced fluid to cross into the outer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Anthony Studer, Robert Wickwire
  • Patent number: 10661568
    Abstract: In one example, a printing fluid delivery system for a printer is described. The printing fluid delivery system includes a plurality of interconnected printing fluid supply modules forming a page-wide printing fluid manifold to supply printing fluid from one or more cartridges to one or more printheads along a print bar in a printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alfonso Camino Salinas, Daniel Gonzalez Perello, Jose Antonio Lopez Abances, Rafael Ulacia Portoles
  • Patent number: 10661570
    Abstract: An ink cartridge storing ink inside the ink cartridge including an ink flow path extending from the inside where the ink is stored to outside of the ink cartridge, wherein the ink flow path includes a first opening that opens toward the outside, a second opening that opens to an opposite side of the first opening, a first valve configured to seal the first opening, a second valve configured to seal the second opening, and a biasing member connected to the first and second valves and configured to bias the first and second valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeho Miyashita, Yasuo Kotaki, Tetsuya Ohashi, Ryoji Inoue, Takashi Fukushima, Hironori Murakami, Kyosuke Nagaoka, Kenichi Kanno
  • Patent number: 10661572
    Abstract: There is provided a tank including: a casing; a liquid chamber including first and second chambers; a communicating channel configured by first, second, and third communicating channels; a liquid inlet port; a first communicating port; a second communicating port; an atmosphere open port; a liquid outflow port; and a gas-liquid separating membrane provided in the third communicating channel and blocking flowing (distribution, circulation) of liquid in the third communicating channel. A first end of the second communicating channel is communicated with the second chamber, and a second end of the second communicating channel is communicated with an end of the first communicating channel. A first end of the third communicating channel is communicated with the second end of the second communicating channel, and a second end of the third communicating channel is communicated with the atmosphere open port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Taichi Shirono, Masako Kawagoe, Yoshinori Osakabe
  • Patent number: 10633549
    Abstract: An ink includes water; a coloring material, and a polymer including a structure unit represented by the following Chemical formula 1 and a structure unit represented by the following Chemical formula 2 or the following Chemical formula 3, where R and T each, independently represent hydrogen atoms or methyl groups, L and N each, independently represent single bonds or carbonyl groups, M and Q each, independently represent naphthyl groups or biphenyl groups, p represents an integer of from 2 to 12, and q represents an integer of from 1 to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Harada, Takuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10625511
    Abstract: A reservoir cover for a continuous inkjet printer with a surface called the upper surface (4331), a surface called the lower surface (4332), between which there is an upper part (433a) and a lower part (433b) of the cover, at least said lower part of the cover being delimited laterally by a peripheral surface (Se), and: at least one through conduit (31) that passes through at least part of the cover to bring at least one liquid from said upper part to said lower part, at least one 1st liquid connection means (42, 42?), capable of being positioned removably relative to the upper surface (331) to bring at least one liquid to an inlet of said through conduit (31), that passes through the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: DOVER EUROPE SÀRL
    Inventor: Thomas Marzano
  • Patent number: 10618294
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a liquid supply port configured to provide communication between an interior and an exterior of the liquid cartridge, a first wall having the liquid supply port, and a second wall spaced from the first wall. A first storage chamber is between the first and second walls, and a second storage chamber is between the first and second walls communicating with both the liquid supply port and the first storage chamber. A prism is in the second storage chamber, and the prism has an inclined surface configured to change the state of received light in response to a level of liquid contained in the second storage chamber. The prism is positioned between the first and second walls and above the first storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Suguru Tomoguchi, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroaki Takahashi, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10618287
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes an ejection opening member having an ejection opening through which a liquid is ejected. The ejection opening member is provided with a cured layer of a composition over the surface thereof. The composition contains (a) a condensate of a hydrolyzable silane compound having a fluorine-containing group and a hydrolyzable silane compound having a cationically polymerizable group, and (b) a compound having a cationically polymerizable group and an ethylene oxide chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazunari Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 10618293
    Abstract: The ink adhesion surface sides of the plug member removed from the ink jet recording apparatus and the cap removed from the ink replenishment container are faced each other, superposed and attached so that the ink adhesion surfaces are not exposed to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Koshikawa, Kenta Udagawa
  • Patent number: 10596819
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a first surface, a second surface spaced apart from the first surface, and a third surface extending between the first surface and the second surface, with a liquid outlet through the first surface. A circuit board is mounted on the third surface. A locking mechanism includes a locking surface that extends above the third surface, and a liquid detection mechanism includes a light access portion. The light access portion is disposed between the circuit board and the locking surface, and the circuit board is disposed between the first surface and the light access portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Okazaki, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Kosuke Nukui, Akihito Ono, Mikio Hirano, Suguru Tomoguchi, Yutao Wang, Tomohiro Kanbe
  • Patent number: 10596818
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a modular inkjet configuration modification system and method for use in modifying electronics, such as a PLC, on a remanufactured or refilled inkjet cartridge. The modular system can include a receiver and one or more interchangeable adapters. The interchangeable adapters can include structures and geometry which allow each of the interchangeable adapters to be used with the receiver and swapped by an operator on an as-needed basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Retail Inkjet Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Kraig David White, Chris Alan Stratford, Juan Manuel Jimenez
  • Patent number: 10589533
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including a casing, a liquid consuming section, and a tank. The tank includes a box-shaped body having a light-transmitting property and having five walls and a partition wall; a film adhered to rear end portions of the walls; and a positioning section disposed at least on an outer surface of each of the upper and lower walls, or of each of the right and left walls. In a state that the liquid consuming apparatus is placed on a horizontal plane, the box-shaped body is positioned at a posture at which the positioning section is brought into contact with the casing to thereby allow the front wall to be exposed from a side surface of the casing which extends in a direction crossing the horizontal plane, and at which the rear end portions are located inside the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akinori Igarashi
  • Patent number: 10569565
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a supplying path supplying a liquid ejected from an ejection port includes a vent path branching from the supplying path to extend along a horizontal direction, the vent path enabling collection of bubbles mixed into the liquid. An inner surface of the vent path extending along the horizontal direction includes an area formed thereon and having a greater contact angle to the liquid than that of an inner surface of the supplying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shimpei Yoshikawa, Ryo Sato
  • Patent number: 10569537
    Abstract: An apparatus, for discharging a liquid through a head based on a first discharge instruction, is configured to: update a liquid amount V stored in the memory with a value equivalent to the amount of liquid instructed to be discharged by the first discharge instruction; determine whether the updated liquid amount V is equal to or larger a threshold amount; update the liquid amount V stored in a memory to a predetermined value in response to determining that the updated liquid amount V is equal to or larger than the threshold amount and receiving a second signal from the liquid level sensor; and prohibit the liquid from being discharged through the head in response to determining that the updated liquid amount V is less than the threshold amount and receiving the first signal from the liquid level sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10562329
    Abstract: A printing module configured to print a label on a curved surface of an article includes an expandable printing mechanism configured to be expanded to an open configuration for receiving the article or contracted to a closed configuration placing the curved surface in an operative position with respect to a print head and an article moving assembly configured to grasp and hold the article and effect relative movement between the curved surface and the print head. The printing mechanism includes contact elements, such as rollers, that contact or otherwise engage the article when the printing mechanism is in the closed configuration and maintain the curved surface in the operative position with respect to the print head during relative movement between the curved surface and the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: Rolf Silbert, Robert J. Rosati, David Buse, Olev Tammer, Matthias Merten
  • Patent number: 10562312
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid from a nozzle onto a medium, a liquid storage member which stores the liquid to be supplied to the liquid ejecting head, and a carriage on which the liquid ejecting head and the liquid storage member are installed and which is capable of moving on a movement path. The liquid storage member includes a liquid filling port which is disposed above the liquid ejecting head and is for filling the liquid. The liquid filling port is provided at a position which does not overlap with a nozzle forming surface in which the nozzle is formed in plan view from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Izumi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 10549540
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a liquid consuming apparatus in a first direction along a horizontal direction against an urging force directed in a second direction opposite the first direction, and thereby to be mounted to the liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid cartridge is configured to pivot about a pivot center in the liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid cartridge includes a lower face, and the lower face includes a first portion and a second portion which are positioned further in the second direction than the pivot center. The second portion is positioned further in the second direction than the first portion and is positioned further in the upward direction than the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutao Wang, Naoya Okazaki, Tomohiro Kanbe
  • Patent number: 10527564
    Abstract: Method to estimate the kerogen maturity of a rock containing organic material by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Significant changes in the XPS spectrum due to changes in C hybridization, particularly sp2 hybridization, allow to quantify kerogen maturity by comparison with an already known sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: YPF TECNOLOGIA S.A.
    Inventors: Alejandra Calvo, Antonela Canneva, Ivan Santiago Giordana, Ines Lidia Labayen, Georgina Erra
  • Patent number: 10513124
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction and accommodated in the cartridge-attachment section in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes a casing, a movable member movably supported by the casing, and a circuit board provided at the movable member and facing upward in the upright posture. The movable member includes a receiving portion providing a receiving space that is open in the insertion direction and in a widthwise direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and the gravitational direction for receiving a protruding portion of the cartridge-attachment section in the insertion direction and in the widthwise direction. The receiving portion has a contact surface defining the receiving space and facing downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10513125
    Abstract: A fluid containing member includes a first containing chamber that contains a first fluid, and a second containing chamber that contains a second fluid. The first containing chamber and the second containing chamber are separated from each other by a first separation film on a side of the first containing chamber and a second separation film on a side of the second containing chamber. The first separation film and the second separation film are partly connected to each other or partly contact each other so as to move together in accordance with a change in an internal pressure of the first containing chamber or an internal pressure of the second containing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuto Kawahara, Yutaka Mita, Yoshimasa Araki, Noriyasu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10493765
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge casing having a liquid storage chamber; a first wall; a second wall; and an air communication passage. The first wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid storage chamber. The second wall is positioned upward relative to the first wall. The air communication passage has a first communication hole in communication with the liquid storage chamber and a communication opening open to an atmosphere. The air communication passage includes: an air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall and in communication with the liquid storage chamber through the first communication hole; a second communication hole formed in the second wall; and a labyrinth path. The labyrinth path is positioned upward relative to the air chamber, and has one end in communication with the second communication hole and another end in communication with the communication opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Fumio Nakazawa, Naoya Okazaki, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroshi Taira, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10486426
    Abstract: Provided is technology for improving a mechanism for attaching a cartridge to a printer. A cartridge includes a main body that includes a front face, a rear face that opposes the front face, a lower face, an upper face that opposes the lower face, and two side faces, a liquid container that is provided inside the main body, and contains liquid, a liquid supply port that is provided in the front face, and is connected to a liquid introduction portion of a printer so as to supply the liquid contained in the liquid container, a cartridge-side electrical connector that is provided in the front face, and is to be connected to a device-side electrical connector of the printer while receiving a biasing force from a terminal portion, and a lock mechanism that is provided in the rear face, and restricts movement of the cartridge in an attached state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takumi Nagashima, Hiroyoshi Ozeki
  • Patent number: 10486427
    Abstract: A tank, including a case, has a pair of lateral walls separated in a first direction with the tank in a usable posture, a first and a second chamber retaining a liquid, a liquid channel rendering communication between the second chamber and the outside of the case, a liquid inlet port for filling the first chamber with liquid, a first communicating port rendering communication between the first and second chambers, and a second communicating port rendering communication between the second chamber and the liquid channel. If the first and second chambers retain the liquid at the maximum amount retainable in the tank in the usable posture, then with the tank in a posture that one of the pair of lateral walls becomes the upper end of the tank along a vertical direction, the first communicating port is positioned above the liquid level at the maximum amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Masahiro Hayashi, Taichi Shirono, Masako Kawagoe
  • Patent number: 10479096
    Abstract: A device for introducing and maintaining a cartridge in a CIJ-type inkjet printer comprises a first support having two lateral sides, a back side and a front opening, this first support able to contain a cartridge and the back side having a fluidic connector. A second support, called the cartridge support, against which a cartridge can be maintained, can be actuated in rotation about a first axis of rotation extending between the two lateral sides of the first support between a position for loading and unloading a cartridge and a position for connecting a cartridge to the fluidic connector. The second support is, in the position for connecting, contained within the first support and comprises at least an opening this is opposite, or in contact, with the fluidic connector of the back side of the first support. An actuator is provided to rotate the second support about the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DOVER EUROPE SÀRL
    Inventors: Vincent Audouard, Stéphane Collot
  • Patent number: 10471724
    Abstract: An example printing fluid container (100) comprising a container body (102) defining a cavity (104), and a piston (106) located within the cavity (104), is described. The piston (106) divides the cavity (104) into a first chamber (108) to receive printing fluid and a second chamber (110), fluidically isolated from the first chamber (108), to receive a positively pressurized fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlos Chover Lopez, Francesc Ros Cerro, Joan-Albert Miravet Jimenez
  • Patent number: 10457053
    Abstract: A printer includes a first ink head including first nozzles arranged in a sub-scanning direction and a first nozzle surface on which the first nozzles are disposed, a second ink head disposed at a side of the first ink head in a main scanning direction and including second nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction and disposed partially at a position identical to a position of a portion of the first nozzles in the sub-scanning direction and a second nozzle surface on which the second nozzles are disposed, a first wiper that wipes the first nozzle surface at a first wiping position, and a second wiper that wipes the second nozzle surface at a second wiping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ROLAND DG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Okuno, Hideki Yagi
  • Patent number: 10457055
    Abstract: One example provides a replaceable cartridge for user-installation in a printer system. The replaceable cartridge includes a cartridge body, a cartridge lid and a lid manifold. The cartridge lid covers the cartridge body and includes a lid aperture to supply printing fluid into the cartridge body. The lid manifold is mounted to the cartridge lid and includes a lid manifold input port to be fluidly connected to and disconnected from a carriage manifold of the printer system. The state of the fluid connection depends on a pivot position of the carriage manifold, if the replaceable cartridge is installed in the printer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Aidan O'Reilly, Bryan Murphy, Michael Reynolds, Frank Campbell, Lynn Walsh, Christopher Wallace, Michael E. Peterschmidt, Tommy O'Connor
  • Patent number: 10449772
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: a case; an accommodation part inside of the case; a liquid leading-out port; a cartridge side electrical connection part; and a cartridge side fixation structure. Engagement of the device side fixation structure and the cartridge side fixation structure restricts moving the case in a state of being imparted with the force directing to ?Z direction. The cartridge side fixation structure and the cartridge side electrical connection part overlap with each other at least in a part when the cartridge is viewed in Z directions. A width of the cartridge in the Z direction is smaller than a width in Y direction and a width in the X directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takumi Nagashima, Hiroyoshi Ozeki, Hiroyuki Kawate, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10442209
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including a liquid discharge head, a tank, and a controller configured to perform: estimating an amount of liquid remained in the tank; estimating a viscosity of the remained liquid; estimating an amount of the refilled liquid; estimating a viscosity of the refilled liquid; and estimating a viscosity of a mixed liquid of the remained liquid and the refilled liquid at a point of time of finishing a refill of the tank with the liquid, based on the estimated amount of the remained liquid, the estimated viscosity of the remained liquid, the estimated amount of the refilled liquid, and the estimated viscosity of the refilled liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 10421284
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction includes a casing, and a lever supported by the casing. The lever is pivotable about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position. The lever includes a light-blocking portion configured to block or attenuate light traveling in a widthwise direction crossing the insertion direction and a gravitational direction, and a force-receiving portion positioned closer to a front wall of the casing than the light-blocking portion is to the front wall in the insertion direction. The light-blocking portion is positioned lower at the second position than at the first position. The pivot axis is positioned frontward of the light-blocking portion and rearward of the force-receiving portion in the insertion direction. The lever pivots from the second position to the first position upon application of an external force to the force-receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10414164
    Abstract: A cartridge comprises a liquid container that is at least partly made of a flexible material and is configured to contain a liquid therein; a recess that is configured to be open toward a mounting direction of the cartridge to a liquid ejection apparatus; and a fluid receiving portion that is placed inside of the recess and is configured to receive supply of a pressurized fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Koizumi, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Ayumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10414150
    Abstract: An active-energy-ray-curable composition including at least one monofunctional (meth)acrylate, at least one multifunctional (meth)acrylate, and at least one polyester-structure-containing polymer. Preferable is an aspect where the active-energy-ray-curable composition further includes a polymer obtained through polymerization of at least one selected from the group consisting of styrene, styrene derivatives, acrylic acid esters, and acrylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Hiraoka, Masato Iio, Daisuke Miki
  • Patent number: 10414183
    Abstract: Free axis or free-rolling printer is a self-propelled printer capable of printing on any stationary flat horizontal surface by moving itself around the stationary flat horizontal surface while ejecting the ink or colorants onto the stationary flat horizontal surface to create the clear image on the stationary flat horizontal surface. Free axis or free-rolling printer has at least one print media socket that is capable of accepting a plurality of interchangeable print media cartridges. Free axis or free-rolling printer has an X-axis tread system with a servomotor. Free axis or free-rolling printer has a retractable Y-axis tread system with a drive servomotor, a gantry servomotor, and a gantry assembly to lift and lower the Y-axis tread system. Free axis or free-rolling printer has a main circuit board with electrical continuity with a power source, the X-axis tread system servomotor, the Y-axis tread system drive servomotor, and the Y-axis gantry servomotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph L. Zeleny
  • Patent number: 10408698
    Abstract: A force dynamometer includes at least one plate, a controller with a memory and at least one force sensing resistor that senses a force exerted on the one or more plates. The controller receives a signal indicating magnitude of the force and transmits a signal to at least one color variable light emitting diode (LED) to change color of the color variable LED in response to the force sensing resistor changing magnitude of the force signal transmitted to the controller. The controller may transmit a signal to one or more piezoelectric sensors such that the controller controls intensity of vibrations and/or magnitude of frequency of the vibrations of the one or more piezoelectric sensors. A force dynamometer system includes a computing device that displays or controls speed of a variable motion speed image or object or displays or controls a direction controllable image or object via the force dynamometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Barrett Productions, LLC
    Inventor: Dennis Waldman
  • Patent number: 10399353
    Abstract: A valve unit includes a valve seat that has a hole provided therethrough, the hole serving as part of a flow path, and a valve body that moves in a first direction relative to the valve seat. In the valve unit, the valve body includes a first portion that opens/closes the hole in collaboration with the valve seat, a second portion that is located inside the hole when viewed in the first direction, and a third portion that is located between the first portion and the second portion in the first direction and is located inside the hole while the hole is closed by the first portion. When viewed in the first direction, a gap between the hole and the third portion is larger than a gap between the hole and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Sato, Masahiko Sato
  • Patent number: 10399344
    Abstract: A liquid container comprises a liquid supply port provided in a bottom wall, a first chamber configured to contain a liquid, a second chamber configured to contain the liquid and to include at least one sub-chamber having a smaller dimension in the X direction than that of the first chamber, a partition wall configured to part the first chamber from the second chamber, and a connecting hole configured to connect the first chamber with the second chamber. The second chamber is connected with the liquid supply port, and the first chamber is connected with the liquid supply port via the connecting hole and the second chamber. The liquid contained in the first chamber is flowed from the connecting hole into the second chamber and is subsequently introduced through the sub-chamber to the liquid supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Taku Ishizawa, Atsushi Kobayashi, Koichi Toba, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Shun Oya
  • Patent number: 10399333
    Abstract: An apparatus, for discharging a liquid through a head based on a first discharge instruction, is configured to: update a liquid amount V stored in the memory with a value equivalent to the amount of liquid instructed to be discharged by the first discharge instruction; determine whether the updated liquid amount V is equal to or larger a threshold amount; update the liquid amount V stored in a memory to a predetermined value in response to determining that the updated liquid amount V is equal to or larger than the threshold amount and receiving a second signal from the liquid level sensor; and prohibit the liquid from being discharged through the head in response to determining that the updated liquid amount V is less than the threshold amount and receiving the first signal from the liquid level sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10399352
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge body defining a liquid chamber; a liquid-supply part; a deformable member protruding upward relative to the cartridge body; and a detection member having a detected part. The liquid chamber is configured such that an internal pressure thereof is reduced in accordance with outflow of liquid from the liquid chamber. The deformable member defines an inner space communicating with the liquid chamber, the deformable member being deformable such that a volume of the inner space is reduced in accordance with the reduction in the internal pressure of the liquid chamber. The detected part is movable from a first position to a second position, the detected part at the second position being in contact with the deformable member, the detected part being further movable from the second position to a third position below the second position in accordance with deformation of the deformable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10399349
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid, an inlet through which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid flow channel configured to let the liquid flow therethrough from the liquid storage chamber; a cap configured to be attachable to the tank to cover the inlet; a cover configured to be movable relative to the tank between a closed position where a surface, of the tank, in which the inlet is formed is covered and an open position where the surface of the tank is exposed; and a holder configured to hold the cap removed from the tank. The cover is prevented from moving to the closed position by the cap held by the holder to be positioned in a movement area of the cover moving from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi, Suguru Tomoguchi