With Recirculation Patents (Class 347/89)
  • Patent number: 11919318
    Abstract: Ink is circulated through a circulation flow path between a print head and an ink tank. Detection operation for detecting an ink ejection state in an ejection opening in the print head is performed. The ink circulation and the detection operation are simultaneously performed by performing the detection operation in response to a start of the ink circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Fukasawa, Yuhei Oikawa, Takatoshi Nakano, Yoshinori Nakagawa, Atsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11850868
    Abstract: A circulation device includes first and second valves, first and second pressure measuring portions, a detection unit, and a controller. The first valve controls the flow rate of a liquid from a storage to a droplet discharge unit. The second valve controls the flow rate of the liquid from the droplet discharge unit to the storage. The first pressure measuring portion measures the fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the first valve and the droplet discharge unit as a supply pressure. The second pressure measuring portion measures the fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the second valve and the droplet discharge unit as a recovery pressure. The detection unit detects information related to the droplet discharge unit. The controller controls the first and second valves in accordance with the information detected by the detection unit and adjusts the supply pressure and the recovery pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Hozumi, Hiroyuki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11850867
    Abstract: Ink supply system (1) for digital printing device comprising: a supply tank (9) suitable for containing ink; a delivery tank (2), in fluid connection with said supply tank (9), suitable for containing ink; one or more delivery conduits (4) suitable for connecting said delivery tank (2) to one or more print heads (100) associatable with said supply system (1); first pressure adjusting means (10) suitable for controlling the pressure inside the delivery tank (2); a supply pump (6) suitable for moving ink from said supply tank (9) to said delivery tank (2); a first level sensor (7) suitable for performing the continuous reading of the level variations inside the delivery tank (2); wherein said supply pump (6) is continuously feed-back controlled on the basis of the reading of said first level sensor (7) for keeping a pre-defined level inside said delivery tank (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NEOS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Vincenzo Palumbo
  • Patent number: 11840085
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a plurality of individual flow channels provided with nozzles; a common supply flow channel through which a liquid is supplied to the plurality of individual flow channels; a common discharge flow channel through which the liquid is discharged from the plurality of individual flow channels; and a bypass flow channel that bypasses the plurality of individual flow channels and causes the common supply flow channel and the common discharge flow channel to communicate with each other. A combined flow channel resistance of the bypass flow channel and the plurality of individual flow channels is greater than a flow channel resistance of the common supply flow channel and is greater than a flow channel resistance of the common discharge flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Watanabe, Hiroaki Okui
  • Patent number: 11801685
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion having a nozzle ejecting a liquid onto a medium, a liquid storage portion that stores the liquid, a supply flow path through which the liquid storage portion communicates with the liquid ejecting portion, an opening/closing mechanism having an opening/closing portion bringing the supply flow path into an open state or a closed state and an operation portion operating the opening/closing portion, a carriage mounted with the liquid ejecting portion and the opening/closing mechanism and configured to reciprocate in a main scanning direction, a contact portion that comes in contact with the opening/closing mechanism when the carriage moves while the supply flow path is in the closed state, and a detection portion that detects contact between the opening/closing mechanism and the contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Tojo
  • Patent number: 11789473
    Abstract: An ink delivery system for supplying ink to an inkjet printhead at a predetermined backpressure. The ink delivery system includes: a pressure regulating valve connected to a printhead inlet port; an ink tank connected to a valve inlet of the pressure regulating valve; and a pump connected to a printhead outlet port. The backpressure of ink supplied to the printhead is controlled by: a height h1 of ink in the ink tank relative to a valve orifice, a height h2 of the valve orifice relative to the printhead, a position of a valve member relative to the orifice and a pump speed of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Limited
    Inventors: Zhenya Yourlo, Mohammadreza Behi, Peter Crichton, Norman Micheal Berry
  • Patent number: 11757061
    Abstract: Several embodiments of semiconductor systems and associated methods of color corrections are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for producing a light emitting diode (LED) includes forming an (LED) on a substrate, measuring a base emission characteristic of the formed LED, and selecting a phosphor based on the measured base emission characteristic of the formed LED such that a combined emission from the LED and the phosphor at least approximates white light. The method further includes introducing the selected phosphor onto the LED via, for example, inkjet printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Tetz, Charles M. Watkins
  • Patent number: 11738564
    Abstract: An inkjet printer has a nozzle surface on a head and having nozzle rows each having nozzles, manifolds suppling ink to the nozzles in each nozzle row, supply flow paths connected to the manifold and suppling the ink, circulation flow paths connected to the manifold and circulating the ink from the manifold to which the ink is supplied through the supply flow path, a cap to be in contact with the nozzle surface on an outside of the nozzles respectively in two nozzle rows, and a controller executing circulation processing where circulation of the ink through one supply flow path, one manifold and one circulation flow path is performed, and circulation of the ink through another supply flow path, another manifold and another circulation flow path is not performed, in a state where the ink or a cleaning liquid supplied in the cap is contacted with the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunori Nishida, Naoki Mizuno, Shunsuke Okai, Eiji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11673401
    Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a first conduit, a second conduit, one or more pumps, a heater, a filter, and a bypass conduit. The first conduit is connected to an upstream side of a liquid discharge head. The second conduit is connected to a downstream side of the liquid discharge head. The liquid is supplied through the first conduit to the liquid discharge head and recovered from the liquid discharge head through the second conduit. The heater is provided along the first conduit. The filter is provided in the first conduit on a downstream side of the heater. The bypass conduit is connected between a portion of the first conduit upstream with respect to the filter and a portion of the second conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 11667071
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a mixer and a metering system that system provides appropriate amounts of the resin's precursors into the mixer. The mixer thoroughly mixes these precursors and feeds the resulting resin to the printheads. The inkjet printer may include a cleaning system that removes residual resin during or after printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Inkbit, LLC
    Inventors: Javier Ramos, Gregory Ellson, David B. Russell, Wenshou Wang
  • Patent number: 11660904
    Abstract: A device for filling cartridges for a writing implement, the device including at least two separate connectors, a system for metering inks and a system for filling a cartridge, each connector being configured to connect a reservoir containing an ink to the cartridge. The invention also concerns an assembly comprising a device as previously defined and a plurality of ink reservoirs, each ink reservoir being connected to a connector of the device and a method for filling a cartridge using such an assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SOCIÉTÉ BIC
    Inventors: Franck Rolion, Etienne Roudaut
  • Patent number: 11623454
    Abstract: A continuous inkjet printer (5) having a printhead (7) that includes first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9), each operable to generate a stream (10) of ink droplets, and a common gutter (11) arranged to receive unprinted ink droplets from the first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9), the printer (5) further including control means configured to determine receipt into the common gutter (11) of ink droplets from the first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9), wherein the control means are operable to use a single sensor (17) to determine receipt into the common gutter (11) of ink droplets from one, both, or neither of the first and second ink droplet generators (8, 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: Richard Thomas Calhoun Bridges, Colin Jon Partridge
  • Patent number: 11518172
    Abstract: A cleaning method of a liquid ejection head where recording element substrates having an ejection orifice forming-face having ejection orifice arrays which are aligned, and at least one array ejects a different recording liquid than another, includes wiping and preliminary ejection. In the wiping, a wiping member is caused to move along and wipe the arrays. In the preliminary ejection, before the wiping of the entire ejection orifice forming-face is completed, preliminary ejection from the wiped ejection orifices is started. The wiping and preliminary ejection are sequentially performed from a recording element substrate at one end to a recording element substrate at the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shintaro Kasai
  • Patent number: 11498331
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head including a liquid distribution path with a first liquid circulation flow path that is branched from the liquid distribution path and a second liquid circulation flow path joined to the liquid distribution path. A flow path wall sections the first and second liquid circulation flow paths and an ejection orifice is provided in each of the second liquid circulation flow path. Energy generating elements and liquid circulating elements are provided in each of the first and second liquid circulation flow paths. A structure is provided on an extension line of a center line of the first flow path wall and is placed at a position at which the structure overlaps the liquid distribution path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiichiro Yaginuma
  • Patent number: 11390075
    Abstract: A fluidic die includes a fluid channel layer including at least one fluid channel defined along a length of the fluid ejection device. The fluidic die also includes an interposer layer coupled to the fluid channel layer. The interposer layer includes a number of inlet ports defined in the interposer layer to fluidically couple the at least one channel layer to a fluid source, and a number of outlet ports defined in the interposer layer to fluidically couple the at least one channel layer to the fluid source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Si-lam Choy, Chien-Hua Chen, Michael W Cumbie
  • Patent number: 11345163
    Abstract: An ink delivery system for at least one printing module comprising a closed-loop ink recirculation circuit and a vacuum discharge circuit, which is configured to produce a vacuum condition in the at least one printing module. A method for delivering ink to the at least one printing module is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SICPA HOLDING SA
    Inventors: Silvano Tori, Alessandro Scardovi, Tazio Sandri, Marco Sarti
  • Patent number: 11298953
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an ink tank that stores ink, a supply tube that supplies the ink from the ink tank, and a printing head that includes therein a pressure chamber arranged with an ejection port to eject the ink and performs reciprocal moving. The printing head includes a first liquid chamber that includes a connection portion with the supply channel, a second liquid chamber that communicates with the first liquid chamber by way of the pressure chamber, and a volume variable unit that changes an inner volume of the second liquid chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sae Mogi, Kazuo Suzuki, Shin Genta, Hiroshi Taira
  • Patent number: 11292265
    Abstract: A fluid circulation and ejection system may include a microfluidic die, a single orifice fluid ejector having a drive chamber in the microfluidic die and a pressurized fluid source remote from the microfluidic die to create a pressure gradient across the drive chamber to circulate fluid across the drive chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Si-Lam Choy, Michael W. Cumbie, Chien-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 11267244
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes an individual channel, a first manifold, a filter, a second manifold, and a bypass path. The individual channel has a nozzle. The first manifold is in fluid communication with the individual channel. The filter is disposed in the first manifold. The second manifold is in fluid communication with the individual channel. The bypass path is positioned between the individual channel and the filter in a direction in which liquid flows. The bypass path extends from the first manifold. The bypass path provides fluid communication between the first manifold and the second manifold not via the individual channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kishigami, Shotaro Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 11260655
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer including a printing part that is provided with a plurality of printing heads and a distribution tank, a buffer tank, a heat exchanger, a manifold, a main flow pipe that successively connects the buffer tank, the heat exchanger and the manifold to one another, a sub-flow pipe that connects the manifold and the buffer tank with each other, a supply flow pipe for connecting the manifold and the printing part with each other, a collection flow pipe for connecting the printing part and the buffer tank with each other, and pumps respectively installed on the sub-flow pipe, the supply flow pipe and the collection flow pipe. The main flow pipe and the sub-flow pipe constitute a first circulation flow passage for circulating ink, and the main flow pipe, the supply flow pipe and the collection flow pipe constitute a second circulation flow passage for circulating the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Wataru Itabashi, Mizuki Sugahara
  • Patent number: 11254138
    Abstract: A liquid storage device includes a tank, an agitation blade, and a first tube. The tank is configured to store ink to be supplied to an inkjet head. The agitation blade is disposed inside the tank, and is configured to agitate the ink stored in the tank. The first tube is configured to supply the ink stored in the tank to the inkjet head. A lower end portion of the first tube extends in a direction different to the downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daisuke Kuno
  • Patent number: 11207891
    Abstract: In the first head unit, the first supply port is positioned on a first side, which is one side of the first direction, and the first exhaust port is positioned on a second side, which is the other side of the first direction with respect to a center of the plurality of first nozzles, and in the second head unit, the second supply port is positioned on the second side and the second exhaust port is positioned on the first side with respect to a center of the plurality of second nozzles. The first head unit and the second head unit are arranged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hagiwara, Nobuaki Ito
  • Patent number: 11203204
    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: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Abe, Tsuyoshi Saeki
  • Patent number: 11198296
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes an individual channel, a first manifold, a filter, a second manifold, and a bypass path. The individual channel has a nozzle. The first manifold is in fluid communication with the individual channel. The filter is disposed in the first manifold. The second manifold is in fluid communication with the individual channel. The bypass path is positioned across the filter from the individual channel with respect to a direction perpendicular to a surface extending direction of the filter. The bypass path provides fluid communication between the first manifold and the second manifold not via the individual channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kishigami, Shotaro Kanzaki
  • Patent number: 11155082
    Abstract: A fluid ejection die includes a fluid slot, laterally adjacent fluid ejection chambers each communicated with the fluid slot and having respective drop ejecting elements therein, and orifices each communicated with a respective one of the laterally adjacent fluid ejection chambers. The laterally adjacent fluid ejection chambers are spaced substantially a same distance from the fluid slot along a same side of the fluid slot, and the orifices communicated with the laterally adjacent fluid ejection chambers are spaced different distances from the fluid slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sean P McClelland, Jesse Rushen, Larry H White
  • Patent number: 11143956
    Abstract: Provided is an ejection device and an imprint apparatus which can suppress ejection failures and breakage of a mold. To achieve this, a circulation mechanism including a degassing unit is provided in an ejection head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Namba, Noriyasu Hasegawa, Ken Katsuta
  • Patent number: 11141990
    Abstract: Ink is circulated through a circulation flow path between a print head and an ink tank. Detection operation for detecting an ink ejection state in an ejection opening in the print head is performed. The ink circulation and the detection operation are simultaneously performed by performing the detection operation in response to a start of the ink circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Fukasawa, Yuhei Oikawa, Takatoshi Nakano, Yoshinori Nakagawa, Atsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11130333
    Abstract: Provided is an inkjet head including: ink discharge sections with pressure chambers, nozzles, and first individual ink ejection flow paths and second individual ink ejection flow paths; a first common ink ejection flow path which communicates to the first individual ink ejection flow paths and into which ink flows through the first individual ink ejection flow paths in a first flow-in section; and a second common ink ejection flow path which communicates to the second individual ink ejection flow paths and into which ink flows through the second individual ink ejection flow paths in a second flow-in section. As a position of the nozzles is nearer to a one end, corresponding positions at which ink ejected from the ink end respectively in the first flow-in section and the second flow-in section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Souichi Tanaka, Hikaru Hamano
  • Patent number: 11117377
    Abstract: Provided are an inkjet printing apparatus and a recovery method capable of suppressing ink thickening in the ejection openings in the suction process for the ejection openings. A vacuum wiper is moved being in contact with the ejection opening surface of the print head to perform a vacuum wiping process for the arrayed ejection openings sequentially. Ink is circulated in flow paths including the flow paths communicating with the ejection openings for which the vacuum wiping process has been finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Nakagawa, Takatoshi Nakano, Atsushi Takahashi, Takuya Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 11084297
    Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a connection body which includes a liquid introduction portion which is capable of connecting to a liquid outlet portion of a liquid container which includes the liquid outlet portion which contains the liquid which is supplied to the liquid ejecting unit which ejects the liquid and is capable of guiding out the liquid, a liquid container support portion which is capable of supporting the liquid container in a state in which the liquid introduction portion is capable of being connected to the liquid outlet portion to be capable of being freely attached and detached, and a connection body holding portion which holds the connection body in a state in which a connection of the liquid introduction portion with the liquid outlet portion is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yokozawa, Jun Shimazaki, Junpei Yamashita, Katsumi Shinkai, Masahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11040534
    Abstract: The first flow path includes a portion having a first cross-sectional area on a side that is closer to the second flow path than the nozzle, and a portion having a second cross-sectional area, which is smaller than the first cross-sectional area, on a side that is opposite to the second flow path across the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Miyagishi
  • Patent number: 11040544
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of pressure chambers, a plurality of individual supply channels, a plurality of common supply channel branches, a common supply channel mainstream, a plurality of individual collection channels, a plurality of common collection channel branches, a common collection channel mainstream, a supply-side filter, and a bypass channel. The common supply channel mainstream is communicated with the common supply channel branches. The common collection channel mainstream is communicated with the common collection channel branches. The supply-side filter is in the common supply channel mainstream. The bypass channel bypasses the supply-side filter and communicates the common supply channel mainstream with the common collection channel mainstream. The bypass channel is connected to the common supply channel mainstream at a downstream of the supply-side filter in a direction of flow of the liquid along a longitudinal direction of the common supply channel mainstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Bandoh
  • Patent number: 11034159
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus that the throughput until a start of a recording operation in the structure in which an ink is circulated between a recording head and an ink tank includes the recording head which discharges the ink to perform a recording operation, the ink tank which stores the ink, and a buffer chamber having a volume which is changed according to a pressure. When the inkjet recording apparatus is changed from a circulation state in which a supply pump and a collection pump are driven to circulate the ink between the recording head and the ink tank to a pause state in which the driving of the supply pump and the collection pump is stopped to stop the circulation of the ink, a negative pressure due to a change in the volume of the buffer chamber is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Saeki, Toshiaki Tokisawa, Kyoshiro Okude
  • Patent number: 10994552
    Abstract: In an example, a printer controller is coupled to a fluid pump, a primer pump, and a pressure sensor of a printer, wherein a flow channel provides a fluid communication between the fluid pump and the printhead for enabling fluid recirculation in the printer. The printer controller: activates the fluid pump; activates the primer pump for a first predefined time interval; and identifies or determines a movement of fluid in the flow channel based on the fluid pressure measured by the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David Butinya, Albert Crespi Serrano, Joan-Albert Miravet Jimenez
  • Patent number: 10994551
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent a sub tank the does not need replenishment from being replenished with ink. The present invention is a printing apparatus that includes: a print head; a sub tank; a main tank; a supply valve; an atmosphere release valve; and one pump, and performs a replenishment operation to replenish the sub tank with ink from the main tank by driving the pump in a state where the atmosphere release valve is closed and the supply valve is open, wherein a second ink, and a third ink, and in a case where replenishment of a first ink and the third ink is necessary and replenishment of the second ink is not necessary, the atmosphere release valve is opened after the supply valve of the first ink is closed and before the supply valve of the second ink is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tokisawa, Kyoshiro Okude, Yumi Mukoyama, Ryoma Arai
  • Patent number: 10919319
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an installation for printing and drying a part having a surface. The installation includes a printing means comprising a printhead, a control unit, a support device suitable and intended for supporting the part, the support device and printhead being movable relative to each other, drying means including a source and an emission output, the emission output and support device being movable relative to each other, and means for adjusting and orienting the beam specifically associated with the source and/or with emission output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventors: Jérôme Boniface, Romuald Richebourg, Marc Saelen
  • Patent number: 10906314
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting head including a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid and a supply passage through which the liquid to be supplied to the plurality of nozzles flows. The nozzles are arranged in a line; one of the nozzles at a first end of the line being a first end nozzle, whereas one of the nozzles at a second end of the line being a second end nozzle. A height of the first end nozzle is set to be greater than a height of the second end nozzle. The liquid flows through the supply passage in a direction from the first end nozzle to the second end nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Yamagishi, Shigeki Suzuki, Shuji Funada
  • Patent number: 10894265
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: individual channels respectively including nozzles; a supply channel allowing an outlet of a storage chamber storing a liquid to communicate with an inlet of each of the individual channels; a return channel allowing an outlet of each of the individual channels to communicate with an inlet of the storage chamber; a return filter provided in the return channel; and a return branching channel branching off from a return upstream portion of the return channel. The return upstream portion is positioned upstream of the return filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10864735
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes: individual passages; supply liquid passages; return liquid passages; a supply coupling liquid passage; and a return coupling liquid passage. The supply liquid passages and the return liquid passages extend in an extending direction and are arranged in an arrangement direction. The supply coupling liquid passage and the return coupling liquid passage extend in the arrangement direction, are located on one side of the supply liquid passages and the return liquid passages in the extending direction, and include an overlapping portion at which the supply coupling liquid passage and the return coupling liquid passage overlap each other when viewed in an orthogonal direction. A damper film is provided between the supply coupling liquid passage and the return coupling liquid passage in the orthogonal direction at at least a portion of the overlapping portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Kakamu, Masaaki Deguchi
  • Patent number: 10696050
    Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus including: an image forming unit which forms an ink image containing an aqueous liquid component and a coloring material, including a reaction solution applying unit and an ink applying unit; and a liquid absorbing unit for absorbing at least a portion of a liquid component from the ink image by bringing a porous body into contact with the ink image, the liquid absorbing unit including a liquid absorbing member having the porous body, wherein the ink applying unit includes a liquid ejection head including a plurality of printing element substrates each having an element which generates energy that is utilized for discharging a liquid, a pressure chamber which has the element in the inside, and a plurality of ejection orifices which discharge a liquid, and the ink is circulated between the inside of the pressure chamber and the outside of the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Takada, Ryosuke Hirokawa, Mitsutoshi Noguchi, Shingo Okushima, Toru Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 10618304
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge head to discharge a liquid, a liquid storage portion to store the liquid, a first channel to discharge the liquid from the liquid storage portion via the liquid discharge head, and a second channel to connect a top portion of the liquid storage portion and the first channel, a fluid resistance of the first channel is less than a fluid resistance of the second channel. The first channel extends from a junction between the liquid storage portion and the first channel to a junction between the first channel and the second channel. The second channel extends from a junction between the liquid storage portion and the second channel to the junction between the first channel and the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Ichinowatari
  • Patent number: 10569563
    Abstract: A printer includes a first storage, a head, a first supply flow path, a first circulation flow path, a second supply flow path, and a second circulation flow path. The first storage is configured to be supplied with ink from a second storage, and is configured to store the supplied ink. The head configured to eject the ink. The first supply flow path merges with one of the second supply flow path and the second circulation flow path at one of a first connector and the first storage. The first circulation flow path merges with the other of the second supply flow path and the second circulation flow path at one of a second connector and the first storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Nishio
  • Patent number: 10562308
    Abstract: A jumper is configured to replace a printhead connected to an ink delivery system to enable a controller operating the ink delivery system to prime the ink supply conduit and the ink waste conduit of the ink delivery system. The jumper includes a pressure impedance element that simulates a pressure drop across the printhead when the printhead is connected to the ink delivery system. The jumper enables the ink supply conduit and the waste ink conduit to be primed with reduced risk of air being urged into the inkjets of the printhead once the printhead is reconnected to the ink delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher D. Atwood, Michael A. Durfee
  • Patent number: 10543690
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a head that defines an individual channel including a nozzle, a feed channel communicating a reservoir and an inlet port of the individual channel, and a feedback channel communicating the reservoir and an outlet port of the individual channel. A pump assembly has at least one pump. A controller is configured to drive the pump assembly to draw air into the individual channel through the nozzle, and to drive the pump assembly to apply a pressure in the individual channel from the feed channel toward the feedback channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Katayama, Keita Sugiura
  • Patent number: 10538087
    Abstract: The liquid ejecting head includes a first individual flow path and a second individual flow path for supplying liquid to a pressure chamber, a first common flow path for supplying liquid to the first individual flow path, and a second common flow path for supplying liquid to the second individual flow path. A first circulation for causing liquid to flow in the order of the first individual flow path, the pressure chamber, and the second individual flow path and a second circulation for causing liquid to flow in the reverse order of the first circulation are switched. A flow path resistance of the first common flow path is designed to be less than a flow path resistance of the second common flow path and a flow path resistance of the first individual flow path is designed to be less than a flow path resistance of the second individual flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nakagawa, Kazuhiro Yamada, Yohei Nakamura, Naozumi Nabeshima
  • Patent number: 10518552
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting section from which liquid is ejected. A return passage has a first end connected to a supply passage at a first location and a second end connected to the supply passage at a second location. The second location is positioned closer to the liquid ejecting section than the first location. The return passage and the supply passage constitute a circulating passage. A pump can cause fluid to flow through the circulating passage. A replaceable filter unit is a portion of the return passage. A discharge passage through which the fluid is discharged to the outside is connected to the return passage. An inflow controller can suppress external fluid from entering the discharge passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Murayama, Takeshi Yoshida, Kaoru Koike, Ryoji Fujimori
  • Patent number: 10513115
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes an ejecting section including a pressure chamber filled with liquid, a communicating flow channel communicating with a nozzle which ejects the liquid filling the pressure chamber, and a piezoelectric element driven with a drive signal, a circuit substrate provided above the ejecting section, a switch circuit which is provided on the circuit substrate, and a reserve chamber which reserves the liquid to be supplied to the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric element is provided in a sealed space defined by a plurality of members including the circuit substrate, the pressure chamber includes an inlet port allowing the liquid within the reserve chamber to flow into the pressure chamber, an outlet port allowing the liquid within the pressure chamber to flow to the reserve chamber, and a supply port allowing the liquid within the pressure chamber to be supplied to the communicating flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motonori Chikamoto, Toru Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 10513122
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus control the ejection of fluid from a nozzle by selectively actuating a fluid actuator that displaces and ejects fluid through an ejection orifice of the nozzle. The methods and apparatus at least partially closing the ejection orifice of the nozzle, while the fluid actuator is inactive, to reduce evaporation of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Wagner, Maria Magdalena Martinez Ferrandiz, Ronald Albert Askeland, Marian Dinares Argemi, Chandrasekhar Nadimpalli
  • Patent number: 10507660
    Abstract: There is provided a waste liquid tank including: a casing including an inner wall surface and a communication port; an absorber; a rib protruding from the inner wall surface, extending along the inner wall surface in an extending direction from a position distant from the communication port to a position close to the communication port, and being in contact with the absorber to form a gap between the absorber and the inner wall surface; and an atmosphere communication hole provided in a part, of the inner wall surface, facing the gap. An end of the rib on a side opposite to the communication port in the extending direction is closer to the communication port than the atmosphere communication hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10479097
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid chamber that is in communication with a nozzle that ejects liquid, a volume changing device that changes volume of the liquid chamber, an inflow channel that is connected to the liquid chamber and enables the liquid to flow into the liquid chamber, a discharge channel that discharges the liquid, a first flow path resistance changing device that changes flow path resistance of the inflow channel, a liquid supply section that supplies the liquid to the inflow channel by pressurizing the liquid, and a bypass channel that enables the liquid supplied from the liquid supply section to bypass the inflow channel and to flow into the discharge channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Katakura, Shinichi Nakamura, Junichi Sano, Hirofumi Sakai, Keigo Sugai