With Fluid Treatment (e.g., Filtering) Patents (Class 347/93)
  • Patent number: 9067428
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including a main tank configured to agitate a liquid accommodated in the main tank; a sub tank configured to receive the liquid supplied from the main tank; heads that eject the liquid supplied from the sub tank; and a liquid supply tube having connector tubes that branch off to the heads respectively; a pump that sucks liquid from the main tank and discharges such liquid to the sub tank; and a valve separated from the pump that operates to allow or restrict flow of the liquid between the main tank and the sub tank. The main ink tank may include a drawer assembly, a portion of which is manually movable to agitate the liquid. The main tank may have a capacity that is greater than that of the sub tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Toshio Kumagai
  • Patent number: 9061513
    Abstract: Ink reservoir subassemblies for phase change ink can be designed and configured to include at least one structure comprising elements disposed within the ink reservoir. The elements may include fibers and/or beads that occupy a majority of a volume of the reservoir. The elements may provide enhanced thermal conductivity, ink filtering and/or bubble reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Eric J. Shrader
  • Patent number: 9061510
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a liquid ejecting head having nozzles through which liquid can be ejected, a liquid supply path through which the liquid is supplied to the liquid ejecting head, and a filter chamber which is disposed in the middle of the liquid supply path and of which an inner portion is divided into a first chamber on a downstream side and a second chamber on an upstream side by a filter which filters the liquid, in which a liquid outlet through which the liquid is introduced from the first chamber of the filter chamber to a downstream side of the liquid supply path is formed in an upper position of the first chamber in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Kobayashi, Ken Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9061511
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an inkjet manifold with at least one ink supply port coupled to an ink supply and at least one ink delivery port. A flow path is between the ink supply and ink delivery ports, and the flow path includes a trap configured to collect particle contaminants in response to a pulsed cleaning flow and hold the particle contaminants during an operational flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kai Melde, John S. Paschkewitz, Eric J. Shrader, Terrance Stephens
  • Publication number: 20150145934
    Abstract: A liquid storage container, including: a housing; a liquid absorbing member configured to absorb and hold a liquid disposed inside the housing; a filter disposed at a position facing a first surface of the liquid absorbing member; and a liquid ejection substrate disposed at a position facing a surface of the filter opposite to a surface of the filter facing the liquid absorbing member, wherein the liquid absorbing member includes a through hole tubularly penetrating the liquid absorbing member from the first surface to a second surface which is a surface opposite to the first surface, and an opening of the through hole on the first surface side opens at a position facing the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kaneko, Masatoshi Ohira
  • Patent number: 9039156
    Abstract: A particle removal device for an ink jet printer is discussed. The particle removal device includes a first separator comprising an arrangement of obstacles including at least two rows of obstacles that extend laterally with respect to a flow path of ink in the first separator. The rows of obstacles are offset from one another by a row offset fraction. The arrangement of obstacles is configured to preferentially route larger particles having diameters greater than a critical diameter through the arrangement and along a first trajectory vector that is angled with respect to the direction of the flow path of the ink. The angle of the first trajectory vector with respect to the ink flow path is a function of the row offset fraction. Smaller particles having diameters less than the critical diameter travel through the arrangement along a second trajectory vector that is not substantially angled with respect to the flow path of the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventors: John Steven Paschkewitz, Eric J. Shrader
  • Patent number: 9039155
    Abstract: An ink system of an ink jet printer includes a fluid tank. The fluid tank includes a generally conically shaped side wall, the side wall sloping inwardly from a top portion to a bottom portion. A bottom surface is disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the side wall. A first fluid conduit is disposed in the fluid tank and includes an opening adjacent to and above the bottom surface of the fluid tank. A second fluid conduit is disposed in the fluid tank and includes an opening at a location above the opening of the first fluid conduit. A pump is in fluid communication with the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit. An ink supply line is in fluid communication with the pump. A print head is in fluid communication with the ink supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Videojet Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Smith, Michael Stamp, John Bostock, Carl Mann, Trevor Lye
  • Publication number: 20150138285
    Abstract: An ink supply system for an ink jet printer, particularly a continuous ink jet printer, has a manifold assembly of two parts that are brought together at interfacing surfaces. At least one of the surfaces has a plurality of ink flow channels for conveying ink around an ink circuit between components. The other of the interfacing surfaces is configured to close and seal the channels. A plurality of ports is provided in fluid communication with the channels, the circuit components being connectable to the ports. The manifold assembly provides for a compact and neat arrangement free of many tubes and pipes. The lower number of connections significantly reduces the risk of leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Matthew Tomlin, Ian Fost, Jerzy Zaba, Ammar Lecheheb
  • Patent number: 9033481
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head includes plural nozzles; plural individual liquid chambers; a common liquid chamber supplying liquid to the plural individual liquid chambers; a filter sheet member including plural pores formed therein to filter the liquid; and a frame body including an opening part and being in connection with the filter sheet member with adhesive. Further, a size of a region where the plural pores are formed is greater than the opening part of the frame body; an adhesive accumulation area is formed on an inner peripheral end of the opening part; and a size of the adhesive accumulation area in a protruding direction of the adhesive is greater than a size of an area between adjacent pores in the filter sheet member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kinokuni, Keisuke Hayashi, Tatsuya Shimoda
  • Patent number: 9033482
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser is disclosed herein. An example of such a fluid dispenser includes a housing configured to store a quantity of fluid and an ejection assembly configured to controllably emit the fluid through a nozzle. The fluid dispenser also includes a fluid chamber configured both to supply a quantity of the fluid to the ejection assembly and to define a fluid flow path between the housing and the ejection assembly. The fluid dispenser further includes a filter positioned in the fluid flow path and configured both to conduct the fluid from the housing to the fluid chamber and to restrain particles in the fluid from entering the fluid chamber. The filter is further configured to define a bubble flow path that facilitates conduction of bubbles from the fluid chamber to the housing. Additional features of this fluid dispenser are disclosed herein, as are other examples of fluid dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Arun Agarwal, Paul Richards, Galen Cook
  • Patent number: 9022541
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an ink container tray which is capable of holding an ink container, a guide portion which guides the ink container tray in a movable manner between an ink container mounting position when mounting the ink container onto the ink container tray and an ink supply position, and a locking mechanism which, when moving the ink container tray, which is positioned further at the ink container mounting position side than a predetermined position between the ink supply position and the ink container mounting position, further to the ink supply position side than the predetermined position, stops the ink container tray from moving further to the ink supply position side than the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Seiko Hamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150109389
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an inkjet manifold with at least one ink supply port coupled to an ink supply and at least one ink delivery port. A flow path is between the ink supply and ink delivery ports, and the flow path includes a trap configured to collect particle contaminants in response to a pulsed cleaning flow and hold the particle contaminants during an operational flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Kai Melde, John S. Paschkewitz, Eric J. Shrader, Terrance Stephens
  • Patent number: 9004662
    Abstract: A filter, the alignment of which does not need to be adjusted, and an ink-jet recording apparatus having such a filter are provided, the ink-jet recording apparatus capable of avoiding leakage of residual liquids in filter exchange operation. The filter of the present invention includes an upper capsule member, a lower capsule member, and a filter medium. The upper capsule member has a central connecting port and a peripheral connecting port, and also has a pipe section that extends, within the capsule, from the peripheral connecting port to the vicinity of the bottom surface (the deepest section) of the lower capsule member. A liquid supplied from the peripheral connecting port via the pipe section is filtered through the filter medium, and the filtered liquid is output from the central connecting port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Matsushita, Toshihide Nagamine, Takahiro Arima
  • Publication number: 20150097902
    Abstract: A liquid housing body recycling method is provided for a liquid housing body that includes a liquid housing unit that is configured to house liquid, a supply member with a supply port that is configured to be connected to a liquid supply tube of a liquid consuming device, and a filter through which the liquid is configured to pass, with the liquid inside the liquid housing unit being supplied to the liquid consuming device via the supply port by passing through the filter. The liquid housing body recycling method includes forming an opening part on the liquid housing unit at a position outside an area facing opposite the filter on the liquid housing unit, injecting the liquid from the opening part of the liquid housing unit on which the opening part has been formed, and sealing the opening part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Takumi NAGASHIMA, Taku ISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 8998383
    Abstract: An inkjet nozzle device for symmetrically constrained bubble formation includes: a firing chamber having and an end wall, opposite sidewalls and a nozzle aperture defined in a roof thereof; a baffle plate positioned between the sidewalls of the firing chamber, such that a pair of firing chamber entrances are defined between side edges of the baffle plate and the sidewalls; and an elongate heating element bonded to a floor of the firing chamber, the heater element extending longitudinally between the baffle plate and the end wall. The baffle plate is wider than the heater element. Further, a centroid of the heater element coincides with a midpoint between the baffle plate and the end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Angus John North
  • Patent number: 8991977
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head is disclosed that includes plural nozzles that discharge liquid droplets, plural individual channels that are in communication with the nozzles, a liquid introducing part that is in communication with the individual channels, a common liquid chamber that supplies liquid to the individual channels, and a filter part that is arranged between the common liquid chamber and the liquid introducing part. The filter part is configured to filter the liquid over a range of the individual channels in a nozzle array direction. A partition wall that partitions the individual channels has an end portion towards the liquid introducing part that is arranged to have a width in the nozzle array direction that becomes gradually narrower towards a tip of the partition wall. Further, at least a portion of the end portion of the partition wall is arranged to face the filter part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryota Yoneta
  • Patent number: 8991986
    Abstract: A method of printing an image with a continuous inkjet printer system employing bimodal drop size generation with pigmented inkjet ink compositions comprising a polymer additive, wherein the liquid ink is an aqueous inkjet ink comprises dispersed pigment colorant particles having a mean particle size of less than 150 nanometers and at least about 0.1 wt % of polymer additive distinct from any polymer dispersant used to disperse the pigment particles, and recirculating liquid ink supplied to the nozzle if the printer system from a liquid ink source is in-line filtered with a filter selected to be effective at retaining particles having particle sizes equal to and greater than 0.6 micrometers from the liquid ink and to pass the dispersed pigment particles. The invention enables high quality drop control in a continuous inkjet printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Allan Francis Sowinski, Simon C. Haseler, Robert Link, Rajesh Vinodrai Mehta, Todd Russell Griffin
  • Publication number: 20150085035
    Abstract: A liquid housing container recycling method is provided for a liquid housing container with a liquid housing body that includes a liquid housing unit that is configured to house liquid, a supply member with a supply port that is configured to be connected to a liquid supply tube of a liquid consuming device, and a filter through which the liquid is configured to pass, with the liquid inside the liquid housing unit being supplied to the liquid consuming device by, after passing through the filter, flowing to the supply port along a supply flow path of the supply member. The liquid housing container recycling method includes forming a detour flow path in the liquid housing body such that the liquid inside the liquid housing unit flows to the supply port without passing through the filter in the detour flow path, and injecting the liquid inside the liquid housing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: Yuji AOKI
  • Publication number: 20150085034
    Abstract: There is provided an ink composition which has excellent initial filling characteristics and continuous printing stability even in a case of an ink composition (for example, dissolved nitrogen is equal to or greater than 5 ppm) which is almost not deaerated or an ink composition (for example, dissolved nitrogen is equal to or greater than 7 ppm) which is not deaerated at all. The ink composition includes an alkylene oxide adduct (A) of acetylenic glycol in which a main chain has 12 or more carbon atoms, acetylenic glycol (B) in which a main chain has 10 or more carbon atoms, and polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether (C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Tomohiro Aruga, Yoichi Yamada, Masaru Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20150077487
    Abstract: A liquid containing vessel includes a liquid containing chamber configured to contain a liquid. The liquid containing chamber has a filter chamber with a filter through which the liquid is configured to pass, and a low pressure chamber having a pressure that is lower than atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Taku ISHIZAWA, Takumi NAGASHIMA, Noriaki OKAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150070436
    Abstract: An ink jet recording ink including a pigment; water; and water-soluble compounds. The pigment comprises a resin-dispersed pigment dispersed with a (meth)acrylate-based random copolymer having an acid value of 100-160 mgKOH/g. The water-soluble compounds include at least ethylene urea and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient defined by the following equation (A) of 0.37 or less The total content of the water-soluble compounds is 22-50 mass % with respect to the total amount of the ink The content of the ethylene urea is 11.0 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the ink, and the proportion of the amount of the ethylene urea in the total amount of the water-soluble compounds is 50% by mass or less, Hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient=((water activity value of 20% aqueous solution)?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution))/(1?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution)) ??Equation (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kanako Aratani, Ryuta Aoto, Yuusuke Sumikawa, Takahiro Tsutsui, Shintaro Suzuki, Masato Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20150070449
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording ink set includes: an ink (I) containing a dye D1, a compound C1 represented by the following formula and having a U+V of S1, and water; and an ink (II) containing a dye D2, a compound C2 represented by the following formula and having a U+V of S2, and water in which in case that a surface tension ?L1 (mN/m) of an evaluation liquid L1 obtained by adding, to a 5 mass % aqueous solution of the dye D1, a compound C3 in an amount corresponding to 1 mass % of the aqueous solution, and a surface tension ?L2 (mN/m) of an evaluation liquid L2 obtained by adding, to a 5 mass % aqueous solution of the dye D2, the compound C3 in an amount corresponding to 1 mass % of the aqueous solution satisfy a relationship of ?L1??L2?10 (mN/m), the S1 and the S2 satisfy a relationship of 2?S2?S1?7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Eriko Himura, Takahiro Tsutsui, Yuusuke Sumikawa
  • Publication number: 20150070437
    Abstract: An ink jet recording ink including a coloring material; water; and three kinds of water-soluble compounds. The content of the water is 70 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the ink. Each water-soluble compound has a molecular weight of 80 or more and is a liquid compound having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of 5 Pa or less or a solid compound, and at least one kind of the water-soluble compounds is a solid compound. In case that the water-soluble compounds are mixed at a ratio at which the water-soluble compounds are incorporated into the ink to provide a mixture, a 40% aqueous solution of the mixture has a water activity value of 0.88-0.91 and a viscosity of 3.3 mPa·s or less. The total content of the water-soluble compounds in the ink is 20-25 mass % with respect to the total amount of the ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Yuusuke Sumikawa, Masato Kawakami, Ryuta Aoto, Eriko Himura, Kanako Aratani, Takahiro Tsutsui, Shintaro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8974046
    Abstract: A liquid circulation unit adapted to be provided in a liquid circulation apparatus to circulate a liquid, including, a first liquid storage unit to store the liquid, a sensor to detect a fluid level of the liquid stored in the first liquid storage unit, a liquid sending pump to send the liquid to an outside from the first liquid storage unit based on a detection result of the sensor, a pipe arrangement for deaeration to remove a dissolved gas in the liquid sent from the liquid sending pump, a filter to remove an impurity in the liquid sent from the liquid sending pump, a diaphragm valve which opens when the liquid is sent to the outside from the first liquid storage unit, and a cock valve which opens when the liquid is sent to the first liquid storage unit from the outside, wherein the liquid circulation unit is adapted to be provided so as to be detachable to or from the liquid circulation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasushi Ooishi, Haruhiko Ishihara, Kenichi Ooshiro
  • Patent number: 8960876
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes nozzles ejecting liquid droplets; individual liquid chambers in communication with the nozzles; liquid supply paths in communication with the individual liquid chambers; a common liquid chamber storing liquid to be supplied to the liquid supply paths; filter members disposed between the common liquid chamber and the respective liquid supply paths, the filter members including filter regions to filter the liquid; and one or more dividing wall sections, each disposed between the liquid supply paths. Further, the filter region of the filter member is bonded to the one or more dividing wall sections and the outer peripheral parts with adhesive and the filter region of the filter member is bent in a direction opposite to a direction in which liquid flows from the common liquid chamber to the liquid supply paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryohta Yoneta
  • Patent number: 8960875
    Abstract: There is provided an insert method of a negative-pressure generating member where, upon inserting a negative-pressure generating member 130 into a negative-pressure generating member accommodating chamber, the negative-pressure generating member 130 is inserted while being rotated to a predetermined rotation angle, is inserted to the bottom portion in the negative-pressure generating member accommodating chamber while retaining the rotated angle, and further, is inserted by rotating the negative-pressure member 130 in a reverse direction to the previous rotation direction, thereby increasing a density of the negative-pressure generating member in the partition wall adjacent section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Shiba, Isamu Yoneda, Ryota Yamada
  • Patent number: 8960868
    Abstract: An automated system for filling printer ink cartridges comprising at least one of a particle filtration element and a degassing filter element for removal of suspended particles and gas from ink. The system transfers ink from a large ink reservoir to an ink dispending element which dispenses ink into reservoirs within printer ink cartridges. The system can include one or more of each of the particle filtration elements and the degassing filter elements. When a plurality of filtering elements are present, the filtering elements can be integrated into the system in a parallel arrangement, a serial arrangement or both. When both the particle filtration element(s) and the degassing filter element(s) are included, the particle filtration element(s) are located up-flow from the degassing filter element(s). The degassing filter element(s) are preferably located down-flow of an ink pump. The reduced particles and gasses improves the print quality and print head lifespan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Inventor: Shahar Turgeman
  • Publication number: 20150049148
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a head body configured to eject liquid, a flow path member including a liquid flow path for supplying the liquid to the head body, and a circuit substrate held by the flow path member and including a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature. The flow path member includes a detection region, which has a thermal resistance lower than a thermal resistance of other regions and which is provided in a part of a partition wall that partitions the liquid flow path. The circuit substrate is fixed to the flow path member in a state in which the temperature detection unit faces the detection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroshige OWAKI, Katsuhiro OKUBO, Haruhisa UEZAWA
  • Patent number: 8939563
    Abstract: A filter plate has an interior cavity, at least one filter contained in the interior cavity, a first port on a first side of the plate, at least one second port on a second side of the plate, forming a flow path with the first port through the filter, wherein the second port is positioned higher on the plate than the first port. A print head has an ink reservoir having an ink supply port connected to an ink supply, and a filter plate attached to the reservoir and positioned between the ink supply port and the ink reservoir, the filter plate including an interior cavity, at least one filter contained in the interior cavity, a first filter port on a first side of the filter plate in contact with the ink supply port, and at least one second filter port on a second side of the filter plate facing the ink reservoir, wherein the second port is positioned higher on the filter plate than the first port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David Paul Platt, Joseph Andrew Broderick
  • Patent number: 8939564
    Abstract: A sub tank configured to supply ink supplied from a main tank to a print head while suppressing a pressure fluctuation is formed with an ink storage chamber in which the ink is stored, and includes a filter configured to allow passage of the ink while suppressing passage of the fine particles when the fine particles of the ink are precipitated, an ink introducing portion configured to introduce the ink supplied from the outside into the ink storage chamber, and an ink discharging portion configured to discharge the ink in the ink storage chamber to the outside. The filter divides the ink storage chamber into an introducing-side storage chamber communicating with the ink introducing portion, and a discharging-side storage chamber communicating with the ink discharging portion, and the discharging-side storage chamber is arranged on an upper side of the introducing-side storage chamber in the perpendicular direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomomi Igawa
  • Patent number: 8936160
    Abstract: Nozzle device and nozzle for atomisation and/or filtration as well as methods for using the same. The present invention relates to a nozzle and nozzle device for atomisation, in particular a micro-machined reinforced nozzle plate, that may produce small liquid droplets in air (spray) or into a liquid (emulsion) with a narrow droplet size distribution and to make small air bubbles into a liquid (foam) and to methods of making the same. The invention is further related to a nozzle part for filtration as well as means and methods to facilitate atomisation and filtration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Aquamarijn Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Cornelis Johannes Maria Van Rijn, Jeroen Mathijn Wissink, Wietze Nijdam
  • Publication number: 20150015647
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a liquid ejecting head having nozzles through which liquid can be ejected, a liquid supply path through which the liquid is supplied to the liquid ejecting head, and a filter chamber which is disposed in the middle of the liquid supply path and of which an inner portion is divided into a first chamber on a downstream side and a second chamber on an upstream side by a filter which filters the liquid, in which a liquid outlet through which the liquid is introduced from the first chamber of the filter chamber to a downstream side of the liquid supply path is formed in an upper position of the first chamber in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Satoru KOBAYASHI, Ken YAMAGISHI
  • Publication number: 20150015646
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes nozzles ejecting liquid droplets; individual liquid chambers in communication with the nozzles; liquid supply paths in communication with the individual liquid chambers; a common liquid chamber storing liquid to be supplied to the liquid supply paths; filter members disposed between the common liquid chamber and the respective liquid supply paths, the filter members including filter regions to filter the liquid; and one or more dividing wall sections, each disposed between the liquid supply paths. Further, the filter region of the filter member is bonded to the one or more dividing wall sections and the outer peripheral parts with adhesive and the filter region of the filter member is bent in a direction opposite to a direction in which liquid flows from the common liquid chamber to the liquid supply paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryohta Yoneta
  • Patent number: 8919930
    Abstract: A jetting module includes a nozzle plate, a thermal stimulation membrane, and an enclosure. Portions of the nozzle plate define a nozzle. The thermal stimulation membrane includes a plurality of pores. The enclosure extends from the nozzle towards the thermal stimulation membrane to define a liquid chamber positioned between the nozzle and the thermal stimulation membrane. The liquid chamber is in fluid communication with each of the nozzle and the plurality of pores. The liquid chamber is spanned by a portion of the thermal stimulation membrane. A source provides a liquid under pressure through the thermal stimulation member with the pressure being sufficient to jet a stream of the liquid through the nozzle after the liquid flows through the thermal stimulation membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael F. Baumer, Yonglin Xie, Ali G. Lopez
  • Patent number: 8911060
    Abstract: A printhead assembly comprising the printhead and filters intended for use with the printhead is passivated by passing a gaseous coating such as Parylene through the assembly. In this way dirt particles created during manufacture of the printhead are encapsulated and thus prevented from blocking the nozzles. The printhead assembly is also prevented from interacting physically or chemically with ink flowing through the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Xaar Technology Limited
    Inventor: Paul R. Drury
  • Publication number: 20140362149
    Abstract: Enhanced printing systems, structures, and processes provide ultrasonication of ink, such as to degas the ink, and/or to maintain the size of particles within the ink. At least one ultrasonic module, such as comprising any of an ultrasonic probe or an ultrasonic bath, is located within an ink delivery system. Ink is delivered to the ultrasonic module, and ultrasonic energy is applied to the ink, such as at a sufficient level and duration to degas the ink, and/or to reduce the size of particles within the ink. In some embodiments, the particles may be agglomerates, wherein the applied energy is configured to reduce the size of the agglomerates to a size that can be jetted through the print head. In other embodiments, the particles may be metallic particles, wherein the applied energy is configured to create smaller metallic particles that can be jetted with the ink through the print head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel F. GLOSTER, Paul Andrew EDWARDS, Lianhui CONG, Michael R. QUINT
  • Patent number: 8905528
    Abstract: An ink tank includes a body for retaining ink which body includes an outlet hole for permitting ink to pass from the reservoir body; a flange portion surrounding the outlet hole; a filter affixed to a periphery of the outlet hole that prevents ink transfer below a predetermined fluid pressure; and at least a first wick positioned in the flange portion and having fibers that are oriented in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to ink flow out of the outlet hole which permits transfer of ink while having a predetermined insertion force at or below a predetermined force during an insertion process of the ink tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Eric Peschan Hochreiter
  • Patent number: 8905532
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus including a recording head for ejecting an ink, an auxiliary reservoir having an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber both open to the atmosphere and configured to store the ink, a first supply passage for supplying the ink from the downstream chamber of the auxiliary reservoir to the recording head, a return passage for returning the ink from the recording head to the upstream chamber of the auxiliary reservoir, and a partition portion which divides an internal space of the auxiliary reservoir into the upstream and downstream chambers and which has a filter section at least partially contacting the ink in the upstream and downstream chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20140354741
    Abstract: A fluid dispenser is disclosed herein. An example of such a fluid dispenser includes a housing configured to store a quantity of fluid and an ejection assembly configured to controllably emit the fluid through a nozzle. The fluid dispenser also includes a fluid chamber configured both to supply a quantity of the fluid to the ejection assembly and to define a fluid flow path between the housing and the ejection assembly. The fluid dispenser further includes a filter positioned in the fluid flow path and configured both to conduct the fluid from the housing to the fluid chamber and to restrain particles in the fluid from entering the fluid chamber. The filter is further configured to define a bubble flow path that facilitates conduction of bubbles from the fluid chamber to the housing. Additional features of this fluid dispenser are disclosed herein, as are other examples of fluid dispensers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Arun Agarwal, Paul Richards, Galen Cook
  • Patent number: 8888260
    Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes nozzles ejecting liquid drops, individual liquid chambers in communication with the corresponding nozzles, a common liquid chamber supplying the liquid to the individual liquid chambers, and a filter member filtering the liquid inside the common liquid chamber. The filter member includes a thin layer having pores and a thick layer on a circumferential part of the thin layer, the thick layer being bonded to the first common liquid chamber member; the thin layer includes a first surface having the thick layer and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a circumferential part of the second surface being bonded to the second common liquid chamber member with an adhesive; and part of or all the pores in the circumferential part of the second surface are exposed in a direction toward the thick layer, and the adhesive overflows into the pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Hayashi, Tomohiko Koda
  • Patent number: 8882254
    Abstract: Among other things, a device for use in printing is described. The device comprises a first chamber for receiving a liquid and a first filter member in the first chamber. The first filter member separates the first chamber into a first part and a second part laterally adjacent to the first part. The first filter member comprises pores having an average size. The pores are configured to filter the liquid passing from the first part to the second part. The first filter member further comprises an opening adjacent to a top of the first chamber for air to pass from the first part to the second part. The opening has a size at least 10 times larger than the average size of the pores. There is a first inlet in fluid communication with the first part and a first outlet in fluid communication with the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Von Essen, John A. Higginson, Paul A. Hoisington, Don S. Minami
  • Patent number: 8882241
    Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes nozzles, pressurized chambers to communicate with the nozzles, a common liquid chamber to communicate with each of the pressurized chambers, each of the common liquid chamber and the pressurized liquid chambers having a negative pressure of a predetermined value, first communicating paths to communicate between the common liquid chamber and the pressurized liquid chamber to serve as a filter to prevent air bubbles from intruding into the pressurized liquid chamber, the filter having openings, each opening having an opening area smaller than an opening area of each of the nozzles, and an air bubble discharge chamber including a second communicating path to communicate with the common liquid chamber having an air bubble remaining part in a region downstream in a liquid flow direction, and an opening part from which the air bubbles having entered via the second communicating path are discharged during a maintenance-restoration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8876270
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head having a head body that ejects liquid from nozzle openings and a flow path member that includes a liquid flow path through which the liquid is supplied to the head body, the liquid flow path being provided with a filter chamber disposed at a position in the liquid flow path with a filter disposed inside the filter chamber, and a portion of the filter chamber which opposes the filter being made of an elastic member; a pressing unit that presses the elastic member toward the filter; and a suction unit that suctions the liquid in the liquid flow path from the nozzle openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Munakata
  • Publication number: 20140292965
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an ink container tray which is capable of holding an ink container, a guide portion which guides the ink container tray in a movable manner between an ink container mounting position when mounting the ink container onto the ink container tray and an ink supply position, and a locking mechanism which, when moving the ink container tray, which is positioned further at the ink container mounting position side than a predetermined position between the ink supply position and the ink container mounting position, further to the ink supply position side than the predetermined position, stops the ink container tray from moving further to the ink supply position side than the predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiko HAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8842143
    Abstract: A printing system having a chassis for housing a modular print station; a power source in communication with the print station; a controller circuit card assembly encoded with at least one feature module and being in communication with the print station; a display panel in communication with the print station; a media rewind hub; a pair of adjustable media guides connected about a base of the print station; and at least one sensor affixed to the print station base and being operable for detecting the presence and position of media passing through a media feed path of the printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Bouverie, Richard Hatle, Dwayne Steven Tobin, Roger Keith Owens, Marjorie Hitz
  • Patent number: 8840230
    Abstract: A system for recycling waste phase change ink in a phase change ink imaging device includes a waste ink collector positioned within a phase change ink imaging device to collect waste phase change ink produced by a printhead in the phase change ink imaging device. The waste ink collector includes a heater for heating the waste phase change ink in the collector to at least a phase change ink melting temperature. A waste phase change ink conveyor is configured to convey melted waste phase change ink from the waste ink collector to an ink reservoir for the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David P. Platt, Trevor J. Snyder, Steven R. Slotto
  • Patent number: 8833916
    Abstract: An liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head main body which ejects liquid and a flow channel member to which the head main body is fixed, the flow channel member includes a plurality of liquid chambers to which the liquid is supplied, and a filter chamber which communicates with each liquid chamber and in which a filter is provided, the liquid passing through the liquid chamber and the filter chamber is supplied to the head main body, inlets which are opened to the liquid chamber and communicate with each filter chamber, the filter chamber includes a plurality of first filter chambers which are juxtaposed in a first row and a plurality of second filter chambers which are juxtaposed in a second row, the first filter chambers directly communicate with the inlet, and the second filter chambers communicate with the inlet through the communicating flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Hara, Hajime Nakao
  • Publication number: 20140253649
    Abstract: A filter, the alignment of which does not need to be adjusted, and an ink-jet recording apparatus having such a filter are provided, the ink-jet recording apparatus capable of avoiding leakage of residual liquids in filter exchange operation. The filter of the present invention includes an upper capsule member, a lower capsule member, and a filter medium. The upper capsule member has a central connecting port and a peripheral connecting port, and also has a pipe section that extends, within the capsule, from the peripheral connecting port to the vicinity of the bottom surface (the deepest section) of the lower capsule member. A liquid supplied from the peripheral connecting port via the pipe section is filtered through the filter medium, and the filtered liquid is output from the central connecting port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Matsushita, Toshihide Nagamine, Takahiro Arima
  • Publication number: 20140253648
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes nozzles discharging liquid droplets; liquid chambers in communication with the nozzles; liquid supply paths in communication with the individual liquid chambers; and a common liquid chamber in communication with the liquid supply paths. Further, liquid is supplied from a direction from the common liquid chamber to the liquid supply paths, the direction crossing a direction of liquid flowing in the liquid supply paths, and in a wall surface of the common liquid chamber on a side closer to the individual liquid chambers, an inclined surface is formed in a direction orthogonal to a nozzle array direction in a manner that the common liquid chamber gradually expands as the common liquid chamber approaches the liquid supply paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryohta Yoneta
  • Patent number: 8827425
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid droplet jetting apparatus configured to jet liquid droplets onto an object, including: a channel member in which a nozzle for jetting the liquid droplets and a liquid channel communicating with the nozzle are formed; an energy conversion element which is configured to apply a jetting energy to the liquid in the nozzle; a drive unit which is configured to supply a driving signal to the energy conversion element; a flow detecting sensor which is configured to detect a liquid flow inside the liquid channel; and a cabling member which includes a drive line connected to the energy conversion element, and a signal output line connected to the flow detecting sensor to transmit a detection signal corresponding to the liquid flow inside the liquid channel output from the flow detecting sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroto Sugahara, Shuhei Hiwada