Liquid Patents (Class 399/57)
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Patent number: 11346837Abstract: A method for detecting a property of a liquid medium comprises generating an ultrasonic pulse, receiving a first echo and a second echo of the ultrasonic pulse transmitted through the liquid medium, and generating a first amplitude signal for the first echo and a second amplitude signal for the second echo. The method includes calculating an amplitude signal ratio between the first amplitude signal and the second amplitude signal and determining a property signal representing the property of the liquid medium.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY NORGE ASInventors: Bjornar Berge Lie, Hakon Boe
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Patent number: 10990039Abstract: In an example, a method includes providing a print agent with chargeable particles in a carrier fluid to a print agent concentration apparatus. The print agent may be passed between a conveyor and an electrode, and a potential applied to cause the chargeable particles to be attracted to the conveyor and to form a concentrated layer of particles on the conveyor. An indicator of particle concentration in the concentrated layer may be measured. It may be determined if the indicator of particle concentration meets predetermined criteria.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2020Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.Inventors: Benjamin Dayan, Ezra Cohen, Marc Klein
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Patent number: 10719036Abstract: In a case that a toner concentration of a liquid developer in a mixer is high and a liquid amount is small, when a supply flow rate of a carrier liquid by a carrier supplying pump is set, a “carrier amount for concentration adjustment” is preferentially assigned. Then, a remaining one is assigned to a “carrier amount for liquid amount adjustment”. By doing so, by a non-interacting function, a supply agent can be supplied to the mixer. That is, the carrier liquid can be supplied by decreasing the supply agent so that a liquid amount can be easily satisfied while improving followability of a toner concentration.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2019Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shoji Tanaka
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Patent number: 10712688Abstract: In an example, a method includes providing a print agent comprising chargeable particles in a carrier fluid to a print agent concentration apparatus (600). The print agent may be passed between a conveyor (604) and an electrode (602), and a potential applied to cause the chargeable particles to be attracted to the conveyor and to form a concentrated layer of particles on the conveyor. A proportion of the carrier fluid may be separated from the concentrated layer of particles and a thickness of a remaining layer on the conveyor may be measured. It may be determined if the measured thickness of the layer meets predetermined criteria and, if not, an operational parameter of the print agent concentration apparatus may be adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.Inventors: Benjamin Dayan, Ezra Cohen, Marc Klein
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Patent number: 10692022Abstract: A method for collecting and analyzing operational information from a network of components associated with a liquid energy commodity comprises the steps of: (a) measuring an amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage at one or more storage facilities in the network, and storing that measurement data; (b) determining a flow rate of the liquid energy commodity in one or more selected pipelines in the network, and storing that flow rate data; (c) ascertaining an operational status of one or more processing facilities in the network, and storing that operational status information; (d) analyzing the measurement data, the flow rate data, and the operational status information to determine a balance of the liquid energy commodity in the network or a selected portion thereof at a given time; and (e) communicating information about the balance of the liquid energy commodity to a third-party market participant.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Genscape Intangible Holding, Inc.Inventors: Deirdre Alphenaar, Walter F. Jones, Abudi Zein
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Patent number: 10606200Abstract: A developing roller is rotatable while carrying a liquid developer containing toner and a carrier liquid and contains an electroconductive agent, and includes a squeeze roller provided in contact with the developing roller through at least the carrier liquid, a voltage source capable of generating a potential difference between the developing roller and a squeeze roller, and a current detecting sensor for detecting a current passed between the developing roller and the squeeze roller. In addition, a controller controls the voltage source, and a display device outputs information on a lifetime of the developing roller. The controller outputs the information on the lifetime from the display device on the basis of a detection result by the current detecting sensor when a predetermined potential difference is generated between the developing roller and the squeeze roller by the voltage source.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2019Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takehiro Kojima
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Patent number: 10233417Abstract: A container (2) has flexible walls surrounding a container interior (6). At least one electrical sensor (3, 3?, 3?, 3??, 3??) projects into the container interior (6) and has at least first and second electrically conductive plates (8, 8?, 9, 9?, 9??) for determining the conductivity or impedance of a medium that surrounds the plates (8, 8?, 9, 9?, 9??). The plates (8, 8?, 9, 9?, 9??) are connected via connecting lines (10, 11) to a control and regulating unit (4) outside the container interior (6). At least the first plate (8, 8?) is on a closed free end of a sheathing (5, 5?, 5??) and has a contact area exposed to the surrounding medium. The sheathing (5, 5?, 5??, 17, 17??) is a flexible hose (7) or bellows (19, 19??) through which the electrical connecting line (10, 11) of the plate (8, 8?, 9, 9?, 9??) is routed.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2014Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbHInventors: Heinz-Ruediger Keitel, Bernward Husemann, Wolfgang Kahlert
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Patent number: 10031016Abstract: A fluid detection apparatus to detect quantity of a fluid having flowability and stored in a casing includes an oscillator disposed outside the casing to output a frequency of an oscillation signal corresponding to a magnetic flux passing through a space near the oscillator, a vibrator made of material effecting the magnetic flux and disposed inside the casing, a vibration trigger disposed inside the casing to vibrate the vibrator, and circuitry to acquire frequency-related information related to the frequency of the oscillation signal output from the oscillator, detect the vibration of the vibrator based on a change of the frequency-related information, determine whether the vibration of the vibrator converges during a convergence-checking time period defined after the vibrator is vibrated by the vibration trigger, and detect the quantity of the fluid in the casing based on a convergence determination result of the vibration of the vibrator.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Kazuho Satoh, Tomoki Shimohira, Tetsuhiko Mizuyama, Tetsuro Hirota
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Patent number: 9969180Abstract: The present disclosure provides an inkjet printing device includes a first sprayer and a second sprayer; a first alignment unit configured to align the first sprayer to be above a display region of a display substrate; a second alignment unit configured to align the second sprayer to be above a peripheral region of the display substrate, the peripheral region surrounding the display region; a control unit configured to control the first sprayer to spray a solution toward the display region of the display substrate and control the second sprayer to spray a second solvent toward the peripheral region of the display substrate, the solution being obtained by dissolving a film-forming material in a first solvent; and an evaporation unit configured to evaporate the first solvent and the second solvent so as to form a film at the display region of the display substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Dejiang Zhao, Jie Yin
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Patent number: 9886673Abstract: A method for collecting and analyzing operational information from a network of components associated with a liquid energy commodity comprises the steps of: (a) measuring an amount of the liquid energy commodity in storage at one or more storage facilities in the network, and storing that measurement data; (b) determining a flow rate of the liquid energy commodity in one or more selected pipelines in the network, and storing that flow rate data; (c) ascertaining an operational status of one or more processing facilities in the network, and storing that operational status information; (d) analyzing the measurement data, the flow rate data, and the operational status information to determine a balance of the liquid energy commodity in the network or a selected portion thereof at a given time; and (e) communicating information about the balance of the liquid energy commodity to a third-party market participant.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2014Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Genscape Intangible Holding, Inc.Inventors: Deirdre Alphenaar, Walter F. Jones, Abudi Zein
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Patent number: 9280086Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing container, a developer supplying member, and a measuring portion for measuring a print pixel number of an image to be formed. In addition, a supplying device supplies the developer to the developer supplying member on the basis of a measured print pixel number after image formation, and a detecting device detects an amount of the developer contained in the developing container by detecting electrostatic capacity between the first electrode member and the second electrode member after the supplying operation by the supplying device.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2011Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hideaki Hasegawa
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Patent number: 9193179Abstract: A treatment agent liquid application device for an ink jet printer includes a supply pan including a liquid chamber that stores treatment agent liquid; an application roller that applies the treatment agent liquid on a record surface of a recording medium; a squeeze roller that rotates to draw up a part of the treatment agent liquid in which a part of the squeeze roller is immersed in the supply pan and to supply the treatment agent liquid to a pressure contact part between the application roller and the squeeze roller; and a partition member arranged outside the squeeze roller and along a circumferential direction of the squeeze roller in the supply pan, the partition member dividing the liquid chamber in the supply pan into a liquid chamber on a squeeze roller side and an external liquid chamber outside the liquid chamber on the squeeze roller side.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Hironori Numata
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Patent number: 9031426Abstract: In a method or digital printer to print a recording material with toner particles applied with a liquid developer, toner concentration of the liquid developer is determined via measurement with aid of ultrasonic pulses. At least one ultrasonic pulse is generated by discharging an ultrasound emitter charged with a charge voltage. The ultrasonic pulse permeates the liquid developer and is received by an ultrasound receiver which generates a reception signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic pulse. With a control device, the charge voltage is regulated to a value such that a representative value of the reception signal corresponds to a predetermined desired value. The toner concentration is determined from the regulated charge voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbHInventors: Alfred Zollner, Alfons Ritzer, Martin Berg, Attila Bogdan
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Patent number: 8983321Abstract: A method includes controlling a charge level of fluid in a fluid chamber by detecting at least one fluid parameter corresponding to a charge level of a fluid in a fluid chamber having at least charge directors and carrier liquid, and controlling the charge level of the fluid based on the detected fluid parameter.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo B.V.Inventors: Elliad Silcoff, Eyal Bachar, Kobi Shkuri, Nava Klein
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Publication number: 20140348526Abstract: In one example, a processor readable medium has instructions thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a system to detect a change in electrical conduction of a liquid moving at an interface between two surfaces and determine a conductivity of the liquid based on the detected change in conduction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2013Publication date: November 27, 2014Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.Inventors: Matthew G. Lopez, David F. Chiu, David Sabo, John W. Godden, Christopher S. Tanner, Eric G. Nelson, Guang Jin Li, James Michael Pingel
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Patent number: 8879939Abstract: In a method to operate a digital printer having multiple developer stations operated with liquid developer, and wherein a number of the developer stations participating in printing is dependent on a respective print operating mode, liquid developer is supplied from a mixing container to at least one of the developer stations. With a regulatory device a fill level of liquid developer in the mixing container is kept substantially constant depending on the print operating mode. A desired different operating value is provided for the fill level for the regulatory device depending on the operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2013Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbHInventors: Alfred Zollner, Franz Kastner
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Patent number: 8873981Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a development member carrying developer for forming a toner image on an image carrier; a cleaning member in contact with the development member for removing the developer left on the development member; a carrying member provided in contact with the development member, for carrying the supplied developer to the development member; a driving part driving at least one of the carrying member and the development member; and a regulating mechanism for separating the cleaning member and the development member from each other. The driving part causes preliminary rotation of the development member and the carrying member with the cleaning member separated from the development member, before starting main rotation for image formation.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2011Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Kazuko Fukumoto, Atsuto Hirai
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Patent number: 8862006Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus forms a toner image on an image carrier using liquid developer containing carrier liquid and toner dispersed therein. The apparatus includes: a developing member carrying the liquid developer to develop a latent image thereby forming the toner image on the image carrier; a charger for charging the liquid developer on the developing member according to a current applied on the charger; a measuring member for measuring a potential of the liquid developer charged by the charger; and a controller for controlling an amount of the liquid developer on the developing member, before the toner image is formed on the image carrier, by setting plural values of the current to be applied on the charger and controlling the amount of the liquid developer based on results of measurement of potentials of the liquid developer charged by the charger with the plural values of the applied current.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Atsuto Hirai
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Patent number: 8774682Abstract: Methods and devices for measuring conductivity of ink in a printing system are disclosed. An embodiment of the method is used with a printing system having a developer roller, wherein the ink is formed on the developer roller using electrostatic forces and is used to print on a substrate. A first current charges the developer roller during the printing. The first current is measured and the conductivity of the ink is determined, wherein the conductivity is proportional to the square of the first current.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: Manoj K Bhattacharyya
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Patent number: 8774661Abstract: An image forming system includes a segregation tank to store a first imaging oil having a first percent purity, a reservoir to store a second imaging oil having a second percent purity, a slope identification module to identify a first slope value, and a slope comparison module to determine whether the first slope value is at least one of equal to, greater than, and less than a threshold slope value within a threshold slope range. The image forming system also includes a ratio adjustment module to obtain a variable ratio value corresponding to a ratio of a first amount of the first imaging oil to a second amount of the second imaging oil based on a determination by the slope comparison module.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Indigo, B.V.Inventors: Assaf Pines, Nir Freund, Oren Wilde
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Patent number: 8731421Abstract: In a method or apparatus to optimize transfer of a developer fluid having toner embedded in a carrier fluid in an electrophoretic printing apparatus, charge images of print images are generated on an intermediate image carrier. The print images are inked into toner images by means of a developer station with the developer fluid. The toner images are transfer printed onto a printing substrate in a transfer printing zone by a transfer unit. The toner embedded in the carrier fluid is thus transported from the developer station to the intermediate image carrier in a first transport path segment and from the transfer unit to the printing substrate in a second transport path segment. A temperature acting on the carrier fluid in the first transport path segment is above a melting point of the carrier fluid, and a temperature acting on the carrier fluid in the second transport path segment is below the melting point of the carrier fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2011Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbHInventors: Michael Pohlt, Martin Berg, Gunnar Raschke
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Patent number: 8693908Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the invention includes; a cleaning member that collects liquid developer by cleaning a developer carrier; a first transporting path that moves the liquid developer collected by the cleaning member; an oscillating member that applies vibration to the liquid developer transported from the first transporting path; a developer supply unit that stores the liquid developer transported from a first transporting mechanism; a second transporting mechanism that includes a second transporting path that transports the liquid developer stored in the developer supply unit to a developer storage in a developing unit; and a control unit that adjusts a toner charge current applied to the toner charging unit and controls vibration applied to the oscillating member on the basis of the adjusted toner charge current.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Nishiyama, Akihiro Gomi, Tsutomu Sasaki, Naotaka Higuchi
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Patent number: 8682223Abstract: An image forming device includes a development member carrying a developer for forming a toner image at an image carrier, a cleaning member abutting against the development member for removing the developer remaining on the development member, a transportation member provided in contact with the development member for transporting the developer supplied to the development member, and a driving unit controlling driving of at least one of the transportation member and the development member. The driving unit executes preliminary driving of the development member and transportation member for a given time under a state where supply of the developer to the transportation member is stopped, prior to main driving in image formation. Consumption and/or degradation of the developer in preliminary driving is suppressed while strain at the development member or transportation member formed of a resilient member is removed.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2011Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Keiko Momotani
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Publication number: 20140079420Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner developer layer, and a toner amount detection unit. The toner amount detection unit includes a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit. The wavelength characteristics of a light emission intensity of the light-emitting unit and light reception sensitivity of the toner amount detection unit are set such that an intensity of detection sensitivity of the toner amount detection unit in accordance with a product of a light emission intensity of the light-emitting unit and light reception sensitivity of the light-receiving unit is greater in a wavelength region in which a characteristic value based on a product of a transmittance of the toner developer layer and a reflectivity of the image carrier as a reference for an emission light wavelength is included in a predetermined range, than in other wavelength regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventor: Yuuya SATO
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Publication number: 20130322903Abstract: In a method to determine particle mass concentration in a dispersion having particles and fluid, the dispersion in a measurement cell is exposed to an alternating field of variable frequency to set the particles into oscillation to generate sound pressure waves. Amplitudes of the sound pressure waves are measured depending on the frequency so that a maximum amplitude of the sound pressure waves is established and a frequency associated with the amplitude is determined as a resonance frequency of the sound pressure wave. The mass concentration of the particles in the dispersion is established from the resonance frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Inventor: Christian Kopp
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Publication number: 20130294790Abstract: A deaerator and a density detector are provided in a liquid developer circulating path through which the liquid developer in a main tank is circulated, wherein the deaerator includes a bundle of hollow fibers each forming a hollow fiber membrane whose inside is depressurized and over whose outer peripheral surface the liquid developer is forced to flow under pressure, thereby sufficiently removing dissolved air in the liquid developer, and a toner density of the liquid developer is detected when the liquid developer of which dissolved air is sufficiently removed is passed through the density detector utilizing ultrasonic waves, making it possible to detect the toner density with a high degree of precision.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Kotaro Harada, Sumito Mera
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Patent number: 8571430Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer bearing member for bearing liquid developer containing toner and carrier liquid on the circumferential surface thereof, a bias applying unit for applying a developing bias to the developer bearing member, a first charging unit for charging the toner in the liquid developer to a first polarity before supplying the liquid developer to the image bearing member, and a second charging unit for reversely charging the toner in residual liquid developer remaining on the circumferential surface of the developer bearing member to a second polarity opposite to the first polarity after the development process. When VD denotes the developing bias and V0 denotes the surface potential of the residual liquid developer when the reverse charging is not performed, a surface potential V of the residual liquid developer after reverse charging satisfies the equation: 0.1?(VD?V)/(V0?VD)?1.0.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2011Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Kyocera Mita CorporationInventor: Tomohisa Soda
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Publication number: 20130272734Abstract: In a method or digital printer to print a recording material with toner particles applied with a liquid developer, toner concentration of the liquid developer is determined via measurement with aid of ultrasonic pulses. At least one ultrasonic pulse is generated by discharging an ultrasound emitter charged with a charge voltage. The ultrasonic pulse permeates the liquid developer and is received by an ultrasound receiver which generates a reception signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic pulse. With a control device, the charge voltage is regulated to a value such that a representative value of the reception signal corresponds to a predetermined desired value. The toner concentration is determined from the regulated charge voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2013Publication date: October 17, 2013Inventors: Alfred Zollner, Alfons Ritzer, Martin Berg, Attila Bogdan
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Publication number: 20130272733Abstract: In a method to operate a digital printer having multiple developer stations operated with liquid developer, and wherein a number of the developer stations participating in printing is dependent on a respective print operating mode, liquid developer is supplied from a mixing container to at least one of the developer stations. With a regulatory device a fill level of liquid developer in the mixing container is kept substantially constant depending on the print operating mode. A desired different operating value is provided for the fill level for the regulatory device depending on the operating mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2013Publication date: October 17, 2013Inventors: Alfred Zollner, Franz Kastner
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Patent number: 8509656Abstract: In a device or method to develop charge images generated on a charge image carrier, a rotating applicator moves developer fluid having charged toner particles charged to a predetermined charge and carrier fluid past the charge image carrier. The developer fluid is moved into a developer gap between the applicator and a counter-electrode where it is exposed to an electrical field between the counter-electrode and the applicator. The toner particles of the predetermined charge are moved in a direction of the applicator depending on their charge, uncharged toner particles remaining unaffected and toner particles of opposite charge being repelled. Via a separation electrode protruding into the developer gap, the developer fluid in the developer gap is divided at an exit of the developer gap into a first partial flow adjacent to the application electrode and into a second partial flow adjacent to the counter-electrode where it is discharged.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2010Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbHInventor: Christian Kopp
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Patent number: 8509638Abstract: In a method or system for regulation of real values of toner concentration and fill level in a mixing unit to predetermined desired values in a developer station of an electrographic printing apparatus, the real value of the toner concentration in the mixing unit is adjusted with a first control unit by supplying toner concentrate from a first reservoir. A desired toner concentrate value is determined from the predetermined desired values of the toner concentration and the fill level. A real concentrate value is also determined from the real values of the toner concentration and the fill level measured in the mixing unit. With the first control unit, a feed of toner concentrate into the mixing container is regulated depending on a difference between the real toner concentrate value and the desired toner concentrate value. The real value of the fill level in the mixing unit is also adjusted with a second control unit by supplying carrier fluid from a second reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2011Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: OcéPrinting Systems GmbHInventor: Alfred Zollner
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Patent number: 8452214Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a developer accumulation portion; a developer drawing-up portion that draws up the liquid developer accumulated in the developer accumulation portion; a developing roller that supplies the liquid developer to the image supporting body in a region facing the image supporting body; a developer removing portion that is disposed to contact a predetermined position on a surface of the developing roller on a downstream side to the region facing the image supporting body in a rotational direction of the developing roller, and removes the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the developing roller; and an accumulated developer delivery portion that delivers the liquid developer accumulated in the developer accumulation portion to a predetermined region on the surface of the developing roller between the region facing the image supporting body and the predetermined position contacting the developer removing portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Jumpei Hobo
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Publication number: 20130108297Abstract: An image forming system includes a segregation tank to store a first imaging oil having a first percent purity, a reservoir to store a second imaging oil having a second percent purity, a slope identification module to identify a first slope value, and a slope comparison module to determine whether the first slope value is at least one of equal to, greater than, and less than a threshold slope value within a threshold slope range. The image forming system also includes a ratio adjustment module to obtain a variable ratio value corresponding to a ratio of a first amount of the first imaging oil to a second amount of the second imaging oil based on a determination by the slope comparison module.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2011Publication date: May 2, 2013Inventors: Assaf Pines, Nir Freund, Oren Wilde
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Patent number: 8380095Abstract: A charge director injection system includes a charge director tank, a liquid toner tank, a charge director pump to pump charge director from the charge director tank into the liquid toner tank, and a control system configured to measure a change in charge density per amount of charge director injected into the liquid toner tank, and create a charge profile indicating a relationship between amount of charge director injected into the liquid toner and change in charge density of the liquid toner within the liquid toner tank.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2010Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Ido Elad, Sasi Moalem, Gal Amit, Eyal Shelef
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Patent number: 8331811Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer storage portion which stores a liquid developer including toner and carrier liquid; a first coating member which rotates and coats the liquid developer stored in the developer storage portion; a second coating member which comes into contact with the first coating member and rotates in a direction opposite to that of the first coating member and slower than a rotary peripheral velocity of the first coating member; and a developer supporting body which comes into contact with the second coating member and rotates in the same direction as that of the second coating member and faster than a rotary peripheral velocity of the second coating member.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kazuma Miyazawa, Tsutomu Sasaki, Ken Ikuma
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Patent number: 8301043Abstract: A liquid-level detection device detects the liquid level in the developer storing container for storing liquid developer, and includes a first water wheel, a first rotation detection mechanism, and first liquid-level detection device. The first water wheel is disposed in the interior of the developer storing container, and is configured to be rotated by liquid developer to be supplied to the developer storing container. The first rotation detection mechanism is configured to detect a rotation state of the first water wheel. The first liquid-level detection device detects the liquid level of liquid developer based on a result detected by the rotation detection mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Jumpei Hobo, Koji Murase, Hiroyuki Ueda, Nobuhiro Horiuchi, Hidenori Takenaka, Tomoyuki Oda
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Publication number: 20120263485Abstract: In order to improve the precision of liquid level computation in an accommodating part for accommodating a developer, the image forming device of the invention includes an accommodating part for accommodating a developer including a toner and a carrier, a developer container into which is supplied developer from the accommodating part, an electrostatic capacity detector for detecting electrostatic capacity, the electrostatic capacity detector having a first electrode provided to the accommodating part, a second electrode provided to the accommodating part, and a counter electrode opposite the first electrode and the second electrode, interposed by the developer; and a controller for stopping supply of developer from the accommodating part to the developer container based on a first electrostatic capacity detected by the first electrode and the counter electrode of the electrostatic capacity detector, and a second electrostatic capacity detected by the second electrode and the counter electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Masashi OBA, Akihiro GOMI, Kunihiro KAWADA, Yuki OGUCHI, Mitsukazu KUROSE, Ken IKUMA
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Patent number: 8285165Abstract: The present invention provides a toner concentration adjusting system and an image forming apparatus which can accurately adjust toner concentration by controlling the supply of a concentrated developer even if a production lot of the concentrated developer is different. In the method, for controlling the toner concentration, in which the supply of the concentrated developer and the like to a wet type developer for which a first control target value is set is controlled while detecting a substitute characteristic of toner concentration, the first control target value is corrected depending on a second control target value based on a substitute characteristic of the toner concentration of the lot of the concentrated developer to be supplied, and depending on a cumulative supply amount of the lot of the concentrated developer.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2010Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Atsuto Hirai
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Patent number: 8278018Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there is a method of forming a toner. The method can include blending two or more colorants to form a sample toner and forming a sample color specimen including a printed image comprising the sample toner. The method can further include comparing spectral distribution curves of the sample color specimen with that of a target color specimen including a target color and repeating the disclosed steps until acquiring a desired spectral match between the sample toner and the target color.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2007Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: James M. Proper, Scott Silence, Rick Veregin, Daryl Walter Vanbesien, Eric Strohm, Raj Patel, Maria McDougall
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Publication number: 20120237237Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus forms a toner image on an image carrier using liquid developer containing carrier liquid and toner dispersed therein. The apparatus includes: a developing member carrying the liquid developer to develop a latent image thereby forming the toner image on the image carrier; a charger for charging the liquid developer on the developing member according to a current applied on the charger; a measuring member for measuring a potential of the liquid developer charged by the charger; and a controller for controlling an amount of the liquid developer on the developing member, before the toner image is formed on the image carrier, by setting plural values of the current to be applied on the charger and controlling the amount of the liquid developer based on results of measurement of potentials of the liquid developer charged by the charger with the plural values of the applied current.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Inventor: Atsuto Hirai
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Patent number: 8208825Abstract: An electrostatographic printing machine has a liquid toner supply chain incorporating at least a toner supply device (10), a metering roller (21) and a development member (31) and an image carrying member (41). An electrostatic charging device (33) acts onto the development member to impress an electrostatic charge onto the development member and to induce a voltage thereon with respect to a machine electrical common earth potential. The toner supply roller, the metering roller and the developer member are each electrically connected to the machine electrical common earth potential (37) via a respective voltage regulating or controlling means (25, 27, 35) to regulate or control induced voltages on each of the toner supply roller, the metering roller and the developer member.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Xeikon IP BVInventor: Minghua Mao
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Patent number: 8204395Abstract: The invention provides a wet development device, wet development method and image forming apparatus having the device by which appropriate cleaning can be performed, the wear of the blade or developing roller can be reduced, and good images can be obtained without toner contamination even when the amount of toner for development or that of electric charge of the toner is changed for changing the density or gradation of image or type of paper. The toner in the developer is electrically charged to an arbitral charging amount by a discharging section and provided for the development and the charge of the toner is eliminated after development by that a discharging section is provided before cleaning the developer remaining on the developing roller and the output of the discharging section is appropriately controlled corresponding to the output of the discharging section.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventor: Atsuto Hirai
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Publication number: 20120121282Abstract: An image formation device comprises a control portion for controlling the amount of liquid developer supplied from a toner supply portion and the amount of carrier solution supplied from a carrier solution supply portion to adjust the toner concentration of liquid developer of a liquid developer concentration adjustment portion and to control the amount of liquid developer of the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion on the basis of the measured toner concentration of the liquid developer and the amount of the liquid developer, wherein the control portion adjusts the toner concentration of the liquid developer in the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion and controls the amount of the liquid developer in the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion when a recovered liquid stagnation detection portion does not detect that a recovered liquid is stagnant.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Masashi OBA, Akihiro GOMI
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Patent number: 8180237Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method charges and exposes a latent image carrier to form a latent image. Bias is applied to liquid developer on a developer carrier, and liquid developer collected by a developer carrier cleaning member is stored in a collected developer storing portion. The state of the collected liquid developer is determined based on a state of bias application or detected image data, and a stirring amount of a conveying member that stirs the collected liquid developer is controlled based on the determined state to improve a property of the collected liquid developer conveyed to a storing unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2009Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Tsutomu Sasaki, Kazuhiro Nishiyama, Akihiro Gomi
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Patent number: 8150285Abstract: A toner supplier apparatus 1 is provided for stabilizing the concentration of toner reserved in a main tank. A concentration sensor for measuring the concentration of the toner is provided in a toner-feeding pipeway for supplying liquid toner from a main tank for adjusting the concentration to the developer apparatus. High concentration toner and diluent supplied to the main tank are controlled based on the concentration measured by the concentration sensor. Accordingly, accuracy of the toner supplier apparatus used for an electronic photograph printer in measuring the concentration of the toner can be improved, thereby permitting accurate control for the concentration in a printed image.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2009Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Sumito Mera, Kotaro Harada, Seiji Komatsuda
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Publication number: 20120014704Abstract: A charge director injection system includes a charge director tank, a liquid toner tank, a charge director pump to pump charge director from the charge director tank into the liquid toner tank, and a control system configured to measure a change in charge density per amount of charge director injected into the liquid toner tank, and create a charge profile indicating a relationship between amount of charge director injected into the liquid toner and change in charge density of the liquid toner within the liquid toner tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2010Publication date: January 19, 2012Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.Inventors: Ido Elad, Sasi Moalem, Gal Amit, Eyal Shelef
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Patent number: 8095027Abstract: An image forming device contains: a latent image holding member; a latent image forming unit; a developer storage unit that stores a liquid developer including a toner and an aqueous medium; a developer supply member that supplies the liquid developer to a latent image holding member; and a transfer unit that transfers a toner image to a recording medium. The developer supply member has a surface formed of a liquid absorbent member and is disposed such that a part of the liquid absorbent member is immersed in the liquid developer stored in the liquid developer storage unit and that another part of the liquid absorbent member is in contact with and compressed by the latent image holding member. The water repellency of the surface of the latent image holding member is higher than the water repellency of the surface of the developer supply member.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2008Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keitaro Mori, Ryosaku Igarashi, Yasuaki Watanabe
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Patent number: 8090299Abstract: A developer supply device, includes: a developer holder; and a developer reservoir which is disposed inside of the developer holder, holds a liquid developer, and has at least one supply section that supplies the liquid developer from the developer reservoir to the developer holder, the liquid developer including a toner and an aqueous medium, and the developer supply device supplying the liquid developer that has been supplied to the developer holder to a medium which is a supply target for the liquid developer.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2008Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Keitaro Mori, Ryosaku Igarashi, Yasuaki Watanabe
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Publication number: 20110286757Abstract: In a method or system for regulation of real values of toner concentration and fill level in a mixing unit to predetermined desired values in a developer station of an electrographic printing apparatus, the real value of the toner concentration in the mixing unit is adjusted with a first control unit by supplying toner concentrate from a first reservoir. A desired toner concentrate value is determined from the predetermined desired values of the toner concentration and the fill level. A real concentrate value is also determined from the real values of the toner concentration and the fill level measured in the mixing unit. With the first control unit, a feed of toner concentrate into the mixing container is regulated depending on a difference between the real toner concentrate value and the desired toner concentrate value. The real value of the fill level in the mixing unit is also adjusted with a second control unit by supplying carrier fluid from a second reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2011Publication date: November 24, 2011Inventor: Alfred Zollner
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Patent number: 8036555Abstract: A liquid measuring device includes a floating member that is moved in accordance with a liquid surface, a first magnetic field generator that is disposed in the floating member and positions its north (N) pole to face a first direction, a second magnetic field generator that is disposed in the floating member to be spaced apart from the first magnetic field generator and positions its south (S) pole to face the first direction, and a plurality of proportional output-type hole elements that detect magnetic fields generated by the first magnetic field generator and the second magnetic field generator in positions facing the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Tanaka, Ken Ikuma