o Semiconductor ceramic and resistive element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Provided is a resistive element which is excellent in inrush current resistance even in the case of having a surface-mountable small chip shape. The resistive element has an element main body composed of a semiconductor ceramic in which a main constituent thereof is composed of a Mn compound represented by the general formula (Nd1-xMx)yBazMn2O6 (M is at least one rare-earth element selected from Sm, Gd, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Y), and x, y, and z respectively meet the conditions of: 0.05≦x≦0.4; 0.80≦y≦1.2; and 0.80≦z≦1.2 in the chemical formula. Full Article
o Touch sensing apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A touch sensing apparatus has a plurality of unit regions, and each of the unit regions includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a spacer structure. The first substrate has a first electrode layer thereon. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate and has a second electrode thereon. The spacer structure is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. In particular, there are plural of sensing units in each of the unit regions, and sensing trigger forces of the sensing units in the unit region are not completely the same. Full Article
o Movable contact and contact structure including the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The invention provides a movable contact movable on a fixed contact or a resistor. The movable contact includes first and second sliders. The first and second sliders are arranged in such a manner as to slide along different sliding tracks from each other on the fixed contact or the resistor in accordance with movement of the movable contact. Full Article
o Surface mountable over-current protection device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A surface mountable over-current protection device comprises one PTC material layer, first and second conductive layers, first and second electrodes, and an insulating layer. The PTC material layer comprises crystalline polymer and conductive filler dispersed therein. The first and second conductive layers are disposed on first and second planar surfaces of the PTC material layer, respectively. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second conductive layers. The insulating layer is disposed between the first and the second electrodes for insulation. At the melting point of the crystalline polymer, the CTE of the crystalline polymer is greater than 100 times the CTE of the first or second conductive layer, and the first and/or second conductive layers has a thickness which is large enough to obtain a resistance jump value R3/Ri less than 1.4. Full Article
o Articulated work holder for a remote controlled vehicle and the like By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT An articulated work holder for a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle including a base member and first, second and third, support arms having multiple degrees of rotational movement and a vise member carrying vehicle engagement pads for supporting a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle between the vise engagement pads. Full Article
o Clamping mechanism with detachable positioning member By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A clamping mechanism includes a positioning member, a support plate, a frame, a fastening assembly, and an operating assembly. The support plate defines a through hole. The fastening assembly is fixed to the frame. The fastening assembly includes a fastening member and an elastic member. The positioning member extends through the through hole of the support plate, and is fastened by the fastening member under an elastic force of the elastic member. The operating assembly resists the fastening member, thereby driving the fastening member away from the positioning member. Full Article
o Welding workbench assembly with wraparound dual stage barriers By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A welding workbench assembly comprises a base. The welding workbench assembly further comprises a first wraparound barrier comprising at least three panels, including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel. The second panel is adjacent to the first panel at a first end of the first panel and the third panel is adjacent to the first panel at a second end of the first panel. The welding workbench assembly further comprises a second wraparound barrier comprising at least three panels, including a fourth panel, a fifth panel, and a sixth panel. The fifth panel is adjacent to the fourth panel at a first end of the fourth panel and the sixth panel is adjacent to the fourth panel at a second end of the fourth panel. Full Article
o Apparatus for holding a ski or snowboard during repair and maintenance By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A ski tip hold down assembly for holding the tip end of the ski. The ski tip hold down assembly having a base attached to a work bench and an upright stand affixed to the base. The upright stand having a ski rest on a top surface thereof and a ski tip hold down bar secured to the upright stand in spaced apart relation to the ski rest defining an opening adapted to receive a ski tip, with the ski oriented in a base-up configuration, with the ski tip extending underneath the ski tip hold down bar. The apparatus further including a tail rest assembly having a base adapted to be used on the work bench in spaced apart relation to the ski tip hold down assembly and further including an upright stand affixed to the base with a ski rest provided on a top surface thereof. Full Article
o Method for the surface treatment of large parts, gripper of parts suitable for implementing such a method, use of said gripper and treatment cubicle By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A system and method of painting parts of large dimensions that present a certain amount of flexibility that makes their shape geometrically unstable in the event of being moved. The surface of a part is moved in front of a paint spray device by an arm of a robot, while the spray device remains stationary relative to the robot and while the part is being deformed. Other elements include a gripper for gripping parts of large dimensions, the gripper being adapted to implement the method; an installation; and a booth for performing surface treatment of parts. Full Article
o Rotary jig of battery cell and process of welding for battery cell using the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Disclosed herein is a rotary jig for battery cells to successively manufacture battery cells having different sizes including a main body configured to have a hexahedral structure having a rotary rod mounted at a lower end thereof, the main body being provided at sides thereof with mounting frames having sizes corresponding to sizes of battery cells so that the battery cells can be uprightly mounted in the mounting frames in a state in which electrode terminals of the battery cells are exposed upward, a die disposed at a lower end of the main body, the die connected to the rotary rod so that the die can be rotated manually or by a rotary motor, and support members formed at the die to support the mounting frames of the main body and the battery cells mounted in the mounting frames, wherein the rotary rod is rotated so that resistance welding is performed with respect to a portion of one of battery cells to be welded using a welding rod located above the battery cell in a state in which the battery cells are mounted to the corresponding sides of the main body. Full Article
o Support disk fixing apparatus, manufacturing method for a semiconductor device using this apparatus, and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A support disk fixing apparatus which includes an upper surface to which a wafer is bonded, a lower surface, a cylindrical side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a chamfered portion between the upper surface and the side surface, includes a base upon which the support disk is placed; and a fixture that is provided on the base, and that has a first surface that abuts against the side surface of the support disk and covers the side surface of the support disk, and a second surface that abuts against the chamfered portion of the support disk and covers the chamfered portion of the support disk. Full Article
o Bonding apparatus and bonding method By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The bonding apparatus is capable of effectively increasing temperature of a substrate and reducing occurrence of position gaps and poor connection in a process of flip-chip-bonding semiconductor devices to the substrate. The bonding apparatus comprises: a supporting unit for supporting the substrate, on which the semiconductor devices have been adhered by a non-conductive; and a heating/pressing unit for heating and pressing the substrate, the heating/pressing unit having a built-in heat source and a clamping face, onto which the substrate supported by the supporting unit is pressed. The substrate supported by the supporting unit is moved toward the clamping face of the heating/pressing unit so as to preheat the substrate and the semiconductor devices by radiation heat. Then, the semiconductor devices are pressed onto the clamping face of the heating/pressing unit so as to cure the non-conductive adhesive and bond bumps of the semiconductor devices to terminal sections of the substrate. Full Article
o Apparatus and method for supporting a workpiece during processing By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus for supporting a workpiece during processing of the workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a chassis having a vacuum chamber that is connectable to a vacuum source; a supporting device rotatable relative to the chassis, the supporting device having a hollow compartment and a supporting surface for holding the workpiece; and at least one sealing device arranged between the chassis and the supporting device, to provide an air-tight seal between the chassis and the supporting device while allowing for rotation of the supporting device with respect to the chassis, so as to form a vacuum passage extending from the supporting surface of the supporting device through the hollow compartment of the supporting device and the vacuum chamber of the chassis to the vacuum source, to thereby hold the workpiece to the supporting surface of the supporting device during processing of the workpiece. Full Article
o Adjusting device of wafer machine By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention relates to an adjusting device of wafer machine, which includes a rotary adjustment assembly that is rotatable to cause the rotation of a rod so as to displace a support block thereby elevating or lowering a support post. A balance board is thus caused to move a wafer substrate so as to realize balancing of wafer through the support post, whereby efficient adjustment of the wafer machine to a balanced position can be achieved without extra expense of time in adjustment operation and thus accelerating the time of manufacturing process and providing extremely high precision and further effectively reducing the potential risk of damage caused by over-adjustment. Full Article
o Loading container for a washing machine By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A loading container (10) for a washing machine (60) comprises a containing body (12) to support and position objects to be washed inside the washing machine (60) or washing devices (20, 22) containing the objects to be washed. The container (10) also comprises a base body (14), located below the containing body (12), and a rotation unit (45) to connect rotatably the base body (14) and the containing body (12) so as to allow a selective reciprocal angular positioning of the containing body (12) and the base body (14). Full Article
o Dual-toggle-type mobile platform structure By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A dual-toggle-type mobile platform structure comprises a base, a motor, a ball screw, a linear slide, a first toggle link rod, a second toggle link rod, a guide rail and a work platform. The second toggle link rod has an end coupled to the first toggle link rod and the other end coupled to the work platform. A connecting position of the second toggle link rod and the first toggle link rod is designed with an optimal configuration to provide a smaller footprint than the conventional dual-toggle-type mobile platform structure, and the advantages of a larger stroke of the work platform and a smaller feed resolution difference, and the structure serves as a reference of an optimal manufacturing area. Full Article
o Repair alignment method and apparatus for turbine components By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A turbine component repair apparatus includes: a first die having male and female halves for clamping a first section of a turbine blade with a platform and a root portion of an airfoil, the first die having a recess shaped to receive the root portion and retain a faying surface thereof in predetermined alignment; and a second die having male and female halves for clamping a repair section which defines a tip portion of the airfoil, the second die having a second recess shaped to receive the tip portion and retain a faying surface of the tip portion in predetermined alignment. The first and second dies have mating front faces configured to align their bottom surfaces in a common plane. A alignment device is removably attached to the second die to temporarily align the repair section in the absence of the male half of the second die. Full Article
o Workpiece support By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A workpiece support, including: first and second arms pivotably connected to first and second support members respectively, the first and second support members being spaced apart, each arm including first and second receiving members for receiving the workpiece, the first and second receiving members being provided at first and second ends of each arm respectively, wherein each arm is pivotably connected to the respective first and second support members at a point between the first and second ends of each arm, such that a workpiece may be supported by the first and second receiving members of the first arm and the first and second receiving members of the second arm. Full Article
o Automated storage accessories By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Kit of improved accessories suitable for automated storage structures (20) comprising an automatic clamping system adapted to lock in position workpieces stored during transport on a truck, plant conveyor or any other vehicle and supporting elements (11) for the workpieces stored each formed by bending of iron wire according to the workpiece profile. Full Article
o Panel jig apparatus for vehicle By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A panel jig apparatus is provided which has first moving units that are respectively installed at the left and right sides of a base frame, and selectively reciprocate a first sliding plate provided on top of the base frame leftward and rightward on the base frame. Likewise, the second moving units are respectively installed at the front and rear sides of the base frame, and selectively reciprocate a second sliding plate provided on top of the base frame forward and rearward on the base frame. The first support units are movable leftward and rightward on the base frame by the respective first sliding plates, and movable upward and downward by an ascending and descending means so as to support a panel. The second support units are movable forward and rearward on the base frame by the second sliding plates, and provided to support the panel. Full Article
o Rocking jaw gripper for restraining tubulars By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A rocking jaw gripper for restraining tubulars including an arm with a rocking jaw gripper rocker jaw, a rocking jaw gripper frame connected with the arm, a locking pin connecting the rocking jaw gripper frame to the chain cylinder, a hinge pin connecting the rocking jaw gripper frame to the arm and a plate jaw fastener retaining the rocker jaw body between the top plate and the bottom plate by engaging the tail hole of the rocker jaw body. When the rocking jaw gripper is engaged, it acts to restrain the movement of a tubular during make-up and break-out. Full Article
o Reconfigurable clamping system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A reconfigurable clamping system is disclosed. An example clamping system for securing a workpiece comprises a retention assembly and an inflatable bladder. The retention assembly comprises a plurality of links, each pair of adjacent links having a pivotal connection to enable the retention assembly to be configured to the general shape of a workpiece, and each pair of adjacent links having a locking mechanism to selectively lock an angular relationship between the pair. The inflatable bladder is coupled between the retention assembly and the workpiece and is to apply a clamping force to the workpiece. Full Article
o Optical fiber fusion splicer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An optical fiber fusion splicer includes: a windshield cover having a rotating shaft and rotating around the rotating shaft so as to be openable and closable; a cable member wrapping unit coupled and fixed to the windshield cover on the same axis as the rotating shaft of the windshield cover or formed as a portion of the windshield cover, the cable member wrapping unit being rotatable in a normal direction or in a reverse direction around the rotating shaft; a first cable member winding unit that is a rotary pulley, a non-rotary pulley, or a rotary gear; and a closed-loop member including a deformable cable member wound around the cable member wrapping unit and the first cable member winding unit, the closed-loop member constituting a closed loop. Full Article
o Multi-functional vice base By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A multi-functional vice base including a main body and a plate is provided. The main body includes a bottom surface, side surfaces and fixing portions. At least two side surfaces form a groove therebetween. Each fixing portion is disposed between the groove and the bottom surface. A first fixing member goes through a through hole of one of the fixing portions and is fixed on a working machine bench. The plate is detachably disposed at one of the side surfaces. Whereby the vice base can be mounted on various sized horizontal machining centers. Besides, plates with different size are allowed to be mounted on the main body for clamping work pieces whose sizes are different. Full Article
o Hand tool for inserting a variety of connectors into plastic irrigation piping By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A hand tool for inserting a large variety of connector components into narrow plastic irrigation piping is disclosed. This tool is an improved and progressive development of my previous Israeli patent no: 152089 in that it is designed to work with a large variety of connector components and is designed to accommodate both sizes of narrow spaghetti piping, whereas the previous patent could accommodate only a single size of narrow piping. The tool as shown in FIG. 2 has a body onto which all the elements are connected and the body is configured to sit comfortably in the palm of the hand. When pressing down on the handle, the grips secure the narrow piping and cause a connector component, deployed in appropriate recess provided in the tool to be easily inserted into the narrow piping. Full Article
o Rotating cylinder By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A rotating cylinder includes and a main body, a piston head, a piston rod and a guide assembly. The piston head slidably is received within the main body. The piston rod partially received within the main body, the piston head is fixed to the piston head, the piston rod defines one or more guiding groove adjacent to the piston head, the guiding groove includes a straight portion, a first helix portion and a second helix portion, the straight portion extends axially toward the piston head, the first helix portion curvedly extends away from the straight portion toward the piston head, the second helix portion curvedly extends from an end of the first helix portion toward a direction away from the piston head and the straight portion. The guide assembly is mounted on the main body and includes one or more guiding member slidably engaged with the guiding groove. Full Article
o Optical fiber fusion splicer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An optical fiber fusion splicer that heats and fusion-splices optical fibers to each other, the optical fiber fusion splicer includes: a coating clamp installation base; a coating clamp that is attached to the coating clamp installation base and has a coating clamp lid that is openable and closable; and a first power source for advancing the coating clamp installation base and opening the coating clamp lid. An operation of opening the coating clamp lid is performed using the first power source after the fusion splicing is completed. Full Article
o Interlocking and removable grid system for floral arranging By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An interlocking and removable tool for floral arranging, consisting of two interlocking pieces which form a sturdy grid when assembled. This grid is placed on top of a vase, jar, bowl, or other vessel used for housing arranged flowers. This grid keeps flowers in place while being arranged, without falling over, and allows the user to construct floral arrangements with ease. When the desired arrangement is complete, the interlocking components slide apart and are removed without disrupting the floral arrangement. Full Article
o Reconfigurable clamping system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for clamping along a work piece. In one embodiment, a clamping system includes one or more force applying units each including a plunger or force applying member adapted to apply clamping force to the work piece, and one or more coupling units linked with the force applying units forming a chain of force applying units and coupling units. The coupling units may include a lockable pivot adapted to pivot to conform the chain to the surface of the work piece when unlocked, and adapted to be locked when at least one of the plurality of force applying units applies clamping force to the work piece. In another embodiment, a clamping system may include multi-axis pivot units. In a further embodiment, a clamping system may include length adjusting units. Full Article
o Support structures and clamping systems for semiconductor devices during wire and ribbon bonding operations By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A support structure for supporting a semiconductor device during a bonding operation is provided. The support structure comprises a body portion defining an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor device during a bonding operation. The upper surface defines a constraining feature for constraining at least a portion of the semiconductor device during the bonding operation. Full Article
o Device for cleaning baking trays By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device for cleaning trays comprises a tub that has a bottom and a wall. The tub is dimensioned such that a baking tray can be placed therein. The device further comprises a dish drain that can be placed in the tub. Said device for cleaning a baking tray uses only a small amount of space in a kitchen and is easy to handle. In fact, in a typical kitchen that already has a dish drain, the device requires no additional space. Full Article
o Prosthetic inserter By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A prosthetic inserter includes an inserter head having at least first and second bosses, at least one of the bosses movable from a first position to a second position, that couple the inserter to a femoral provisional component via a pair of corresponding apertures, such as drill holes, within the articulating surfaces of a selected one of a series of femoral provisional components. Each provisional component of the series is capable of having different aperture distances measured between a respective pair of apertures. The bosses of the inserter are biased into an engagement position in which the inserter can be secured to a femoral provisional component to eliminate the need for an external engagement force to be supplied to the inserter. Full Article
o Device for re-contouring a gas turbine blade By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A device for recontouring a gas turbine blade includes at least one support configured to rest on an edge of the gas turbine blade during the recontouring, at least one side bearing configured to rest on an intake side or an outlet side of the gas turbine blade during the recontouring and a machining unit for machining the gas turbine blade. The machining unit is configured to fuse at least one partial area of the edge of the gas turbine blade using a beam of energy that is targeted such that material of the blade solidifies into a new contour, substantially without the addition of supplementary material. Full Article
o Image forming apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part including a recording head to form an image on a recording medium, a conveyance mechanism disposed opposite the image forming part to convey the recording medium, and a cover closably openable relative to a body of the image forming apparatus and disposed opposite the conveyance mechanism with the image forming part interposed therebetween. The recording head is detachably attachable to the cover and is configured to move away from the conveyance mechanism when the cover is opened. Full Article
o Image forming apparatus, aspirator device, and method for aspirate dust in an image forming apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a conveyer configured to convey a recording medium along a conveying path in a conveying direction, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the recording medium being conveyed, a supporting member arranged in a position to face the image forming unit and configured to support the recording medium, and an aspirator configured to aspirate dust through an aspiration inlet, which is formed in a downstream position along the conveying direction with respect to the image forming unit and in proximity to a downstream end of the supporting member. Full Article
o Tire printing device and method for printing onto tire surface By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention aims to provide a technique that prints characters and patterns clearly onto a tire surface without complicated operations. A tire printing device of the present invention includes a printer head that ejects and applies a coating material onto a tire surface, a widthwise moving unit that moves the printer head along the width direction of the tire, a radial moving unit that moves the printer head along the radical direction of the tire, and a swinging unit that swings the printer head around the axis along the circumferential direction of the tire. Full Article
o Inkjet recording method and recording apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The present invention addresses the problem of improving the quality of recorded images in ink jet recording technologies in which a plurality of nozzle lines that discharge ink of the same color are used. As a solution, nozzle lines (10) of n columns (where n is a natural number of three or more) each record a recording pixel column (2) on a recording medium by discharging ink of the same color while scanning over the recording medium (1); and when the nozzle lines (10) of n columns each extract a recording pixel column (2), which is recorded in a single scan, for each n columns in the scanning direction, ink is discharged in such a manner that there are at least two permutation patterns for the nozzle columns (10) that record each column of the extracted recording pixel columns (3). Full Article
o Fluidic structure that allows removal of air bubbles from print heads without generating waste ink By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A fluidic structure has a first chamber having a connection to a fluid reservoir and a connection to an array of apertures, the chamber forming a flow path between the fluid reservoir and the array of apertures, a second chamber having a connection to at least one vent connected to an atmosphere external to the fluidic structure, and at least one path between the first chamber and the second chamber. Full Article
o Ink-jet printing module By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An ink-jet printing module is used for a page-width array ink-jet printer. The ink jet printing module includes a page-width array platen and a plurality of ink-jet cartridges. The page-width array platen has a plurality of receiving cavities arranged as an array. Each of the ink-jet cartridges is detachably and independently embedded into one of the receiving cavities, and includes a body for storing ink, an ink-jet chip to be driven for ejecting the ink, a plurality of nozzles disposed on the ink-jet chip, and a control node for receiving signal to drive the ink-jet chip. The ink-jet chip is disposed on a bottom of the page-width array platen and is driven to eject the ink through the nozzles onto a printing medium. Full Article
o Ink jet recording head and method for manufacturing the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An ink jet recording head includes a substrate having a plurality of discharge energy generation elements and having an ink supply port, a protective film provided on the substrate and configured to protect wiring connected to the discharge energy generation elements, and an ink discharge port forming member, wherein the protective film has a protruding portion, wherein the ink discharge port forming member has a beam-like protrusion, wherein the beam-like protrusion has a reinforcing rib, and wherein a separation film containing gold is formed at a portion where the protruding portion and the reinforcing rib are held in close contact with each other. Full Article
o Material deposition system and method for depositing materials on a substrate By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A material deposition system includes a frame, a support coupled to the frame to support an electronic substrate during a deposit operation, a gantry coupled to the frame, and a deposition head coupled to the gantry. The deposition head is movable over the support by movement of the gantry. The deposition head includes a chamber to hold material, an actuator to push a volume of material out of the chamber, a needle extending from the chamber and terminating in a needle orifice, and at least two air jets located on opposite sides of the needle orifice. A desired volume of material is formed at the needle orifice in response to the actuator, and each of the at least two air jets produce a timed pulse of air to create a micro-droplet from the desired volume and to accelerate the micro-droplet to high velocity. Full Article
o Liquid feed valve unit and liquid ejection device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A liquid feed valve unit is configured to switch between a releasing mode for forcibly opening a valve and a blocking mode for closing the valve, and the valve can therefore be opened and closed in a short time as needed. Since the releasing mode is implemented by pushing the peripheral part and the pressure-receiving part of the flexible member, the flexible member can be prevented from flexing toward the outside of the liquid accommodating chamber even in the case that the pressure-receiving part is pushed. In this case, since a residual pressure can be prevented from forming in the liquid accommodating chamber, there is no need to suspend operation, and it is possible to immediately proceed to the next operation. A fast-operating liquid feed valve unit can thereby be obtained. Full Article
o Ink supply reservoir By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An ink supply reservoir, and method of supplying ink, is described. Full Article
o Liquid feeding device and method of determining time of exchange of gas control element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Ink in an ink tank is fed through a dissolved gas control filter to a printer head. A gas pressure changing mechanism reduces pressure in a gas pressure control tank. In response, the dissolved gas control filter removes gas dissolved in the ink. The gas pressure control tank is placed under pressure corresponding to a sum of the pressure reduced by the gas pressure changing mechanism and the pressure of the gas having been removed from the liquid. A gas pressure measuring part measures the sum of these pressures as pressure in the gas pressure control tank. Then, a controller determines when time of exchange of the dissolved gas control filter has come based on the magnitude of a gradient of gas pressure variation in the gas pressure control tank. Full Article
o Liquid container and liquid ejecting apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A liquid container includes a liquid which generates gases over time due to a chemical change in components; a liquid storage chamber in which the liquid is stored; a liquid flow port which communicates with the liquid storage chamber, via which the liquid inside the storage chamber flows out; and an information holding portion which holds time information on manufacturing of the liquid container. Full Article
o Liquid ejection apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a head including: a reservoir tank; an inlet opening; and ejection openings; an air-discharge passage for discharging air from the reservoir tank to an outside; a first sucking device for sucking air from the reservoir tank via the air-discharge passage; a semipermeable membrane dividing a space in the reservoir tank and the air-discharge passage, into a reservoir-tank-side space and a first-sucking-device-side space and allowing communication of the air and inhibiting communication of liquid between the reservoir-tank-side space and the first-sucking-device-side space; and a first valve mechanism dividing the reservoir-tank-side space into a first space on a semipermeable-membrane side and a second space on an inlet-opening side, inhibiting fluid from flowing from the first space to the second space, and allowing fluid to flow from the second space to the first space. The first space is located above the ejection openings. Full Article
o Liquid cartridge and image forming apparatus incorporation same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A liquid cartridge is detachably attachable to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus. The liquid cartridge includes a cartridge case, an information memory element, and a holding unit. The cartridge case includes at least two dividable case parts. The at least two dividable case parts form a front face of the cartridge case to face the apparatus body when the liquid cartridge is attached to the apparatus body. An information memory element is held at the front face of the cartridge case. The holding unit is provided in one of the at least two dividable case parts to hold the information memory element with only the one of the at least two dividable case parts. The holding unit includes a groove to receive the information memory element and a displaceable claw to hold the information memory element between the groove and the claw. Full Article
o Particle removal device for ink jet printer By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT 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. The first separator causes a pressure drop of the ink of less than about 100 Pa. Full Article
o Image processing method and image processing apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT There are provided an image processing apparatus and an image processing method which can shorten a drying time of inks in an edge region of an image, and can form a sharp image without bleeding of the ink applied onto the edge region into a blank paper. The image processing method generates applying data for forming an image on a print medium by a relative scan between print heads for ejecting a first ink and a second ink having the same color with the first ink and lower in surface tension than the first ink, and the print medium. The image processing method generates first data for applying the first ink to a predetermined region that is adjacent to an edge region of the image and that is included in an inside region inward of the edge region, and generates second data for applying the second ink to the edge region. Full Article
o Ink stick identification system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A solid ink stick identification system enables accurate and efficient identification of solid ink sticks in a solid ink imaging device. The solid ink identification system includes an actuator configured to move one of an optical source and an optical sensor between a plurality of predetermined positions. The optical source emits light toward a face of the ink stick, and the optical sensor generates signals corresponding to an amount of reflected light received. A controller identifies features on the solid ink stick based on the signals as the one of the optical source and optical sensor is moved between the plurality of predetermined positions. Full Article