v High temperature material compositions for high temperature thermal cutoff devices By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST The present disclosure provides a high-temperature thermal pellet composition that maintains structural rigidity up to a transition temperature of about 240° C. The composition comprises at least one organic compound (e.g., triptycene or 1-aminoanthroquinone). The pellet can be disposed in a housing of a thermally-actuated, current cutoff device, such as a high-temperature thermal cutoff device (HTTCO). Also provided are material systems, which include the pellet composition and a high-temperature seal that provides substantial sealing up to at least the transition temperature. Methods of making such high-temperature pellet compositions and incorporating them into a thermally-actuated, current cutoff device are also provided. Full Article
v Connection terminal of shunt resistor, and battery state detection device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 EST It is an object to provide a configuration with an enhanced sensing accuracy, in which a shunt resistance main body and a terminal member are formed as separate pieces. A shunt resistor includes a resistance main body and a terminal member (21) that is electrically connected to the resistance main body. The terminal member (21) includes a resistance connection portion (23) to be in contact with the resistance main body, and a circuit connection portion (24) provided so as to extend from the resistance connection portion (23). The circuit connection portion (24) is divided into two parts by a slit (27) being formed therein. The slit (27) is formed up to a part of the resistance connection portion (23). Full Article
v Components having voltage switchable dielectric materials By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 03 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EST Various aspects provide for structures and devices to protect against spurious electrical events (e.g., electrostatic discharge). Some embodiments incorporate a voltage switchable dielectric material (VSDM) bridging a gap between two conductive pads. Normally insulating, the VSDM may conduct current from one pad to the other during a spurious electrical event (e.g., shunting current to ground). Some aspects include gaps having a gap width that is greater than 50% of a spacing between electrical leads connected to the pads. Some devices include single layers of VSDM. Some devices include multiple layers of VSDM. Various devices may be designed to increase a ratio of active volume (of VSDM) to inactive volume. Full Article
v Terahertz dispersive spectrometer system By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT A spectrometer system for providing information about a target with terahertz radiation. The system may receive incident radiation from the target through fore optics, a slit aperture, secondary optics and a dispersive element which images a slit on an array of terahertz sensitive detectors. The detectors may include uncooled sensors. Each sensor may be connected to its own micro antenna. The array of detectors may be situated proximate to the dispersive element so that radiation from the element may be dispersed according to wavelength to the respective detectors optimally sensitive to the various respective wavelengths. Detector signals indicating the impingement of terahertz radiation may provide information for identifying a material of the target. Full Article
v Apparatus and method for improved current shunt sensing By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT An apparatus and method for improved current shunt sensing in an electrical system, such as a renewable energy electrical system, is disclosed. A current shunt according to aspects of the present disclosure includes a conductive portion that is placed in series with an electrical system The current shunt includes a sensing element that is used to measure the voltage across the conductive portion of the current shunt. The sensing element has an increased width relative to the width of the conductive portion of the shunt. The increased width of the sensing element provides for improved current shunt sensing that results in more accurate voltage (and thus current) measurements across a wide range of frequencies. Full Article
v Semiconductor ceramic and resistive element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:00:00 EDT Provided is a resistive element which has excellent inrush current resistance, and can suppress heat generation in a steady state. The resistive element has an element main body of a semiconductor ceramic in which the main constituent has a structure of R11-xR2xBaMn2O6 in which 0.05≦x≦1.0 when R1 is Nd and R2 is at least one of Sm, Eu and Gd; 0.05≦x≦0.8 when R1 is Nd and R2 is at least one of Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Y; 0≦x≦0.4 when R1 is at least one of Sm, Eu, and Gd and R2 is at least one of Tb, Dy, Ho, and Y; and 0≦x≦1.0 when R1 is at least one of Sm, Eu, and Gd and R2 is at least one of Sm, Eu, and Gd, but the Sm, Eu, and/or Gd in R1 is different from that in R2. Full Article
v Surface mountable over-current protection device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A surface-mountable over-current protection device comprises a PTC material layer, first and second conductive layers, first and second electrodes, first and second electrically conductive connecting members. The PTC material layer has a resistivity less than 0.18 Ω-cm. The conductive layers are in contact with opposite surfaces of the PTC material layer. The first electrode comprises pair of first metal foils and is insulated from the second conductive layer. The second electrode comprises a pair of second metal foils and is insulated from the first conductive layer. The first electrically conductive connecting member connects to the first metal foils and conductive layer. The second electrically conductive connecting member connects to the second metal foils and conductive layer. The first electrically conductive connecting member comprises 40%-100% by area of the first lateral surface, and the second electrically conductive connecting member comprises 40%-100% by area of the second lateral surface. Full Article
v Substrate device or package using embedded layer of voltage switchable dielectric material in a vertical switching configuration By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A substrate device includes an embedded layer of VSD material that overlays a conductive element or layer to provide a ground. An electrode, connected to circuit elements that are to be protected, extends into the thickness of the substrate to make contact with the VSD layer. When the circuit elements are operated under normal voltages, the VSD layer is dielectric and not connected to ground. When a transient electrical event occurs on the circuit elements, the VSD layer switches instantly to a conductive state, so that the first electrode is connected to ground. Full Article
v Over-current protection device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT An over-current protection device comprises a PTC material layer, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. The PTC material layer has opposite first and second surfaces and opposite first and second lateral surfaces. The first electrode layer is in physical contact with the first surface of the PTC material layer and extends to the first lateral surface. The second electrode layer is in physical contact with the first surface of the PTC material layer and extends to the second lateral surface. The second electrode layer is insulated from the first electrode layer by a first separation. The first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are substantially laterally symmetrical, and serve as interfaces for current flowing in and out of the device when the over-current protection device is in use. Full Article
v Non-linear resistive element By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT Provided is a non-linear resistive element which improves the degree of freedom of design of its mounting space. A ceramic sheet 10 which constitutes the non-linear resistive element is configured by a plurality of ceramic pieces 11 being consolidated in a plate like form by an insulating resin 12. One or a plurality of ceramic pieces 11 configure each of a plurality of conductive paths which penetrate the ceramic sheet 10 in a thickness direction thereof, and the ceramic pieces 11 which configure both ends of the conductive paths partially projects from the insulating resin 12. Full Article
v Aresistive device with flexible substrate and method for manufacturing the same By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A resistive device includes a resistive layer, a flexible substrate arranged on the resistive layer, and an electrode layer. The electrode layer includes two electrode sections arranged below the resistive layer and separate to each other. Moreover, a method for manufacturing the resistive device with flexible substrate is also disclosed. Full Article
v Elastomeric particle having an electrically conducting surface, a pressure sensor comprising said particles, a method for producing said sensor and a sensor system comprising said sensors By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An elastomeric particle (1, 1, 1″) comprises a non-conducting elastomeric body (2) having an electrically conducting surface (4a, 4b, 6). Pressure sensor elements (20, 20', 20″; 30, 30', 30″, 30'″) comprising such elastomeric particles are disclosed, as well as sensor clusters (50″, 50'″, 50IV, 50V, 50VI, 50VII, 70) comprising such sensor elements. There is also disclosed a pressure sensor element (40, 40', 40″, 40'″, 40IV, 40V, 40VI, 40VII), comprising a resistive element (44, 44', 44″) providing a conduction path, a first electrode (42a, 42a-1, 42a-2, 42a-3, 42a-4, 42a-5, 42a-6), connected to the resistive element, a second electrode (42b, 42b'), which in a quiescent state is spaced from said first electrode, wherein the second electrode, when the pressure sensor element is subjected to a pressure, is arranged to contact said first electrode or said resistive element. Systems comprising such sensor elements and sensor clusters are disclosed, as well as methods of their fabrication. Full Article
v 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
v 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
v 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
v Five axis machine vise By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A five axis vise includes two separated vise body portions that are supported on a machine tool table or other support that fixes the vise body portions in position. The vise body portions have jaws spaced up from the machine tool table sufficiently to permit machining five surfaces of a work piece held in the jaws. A vise screw is rotatably mounted in one of the vise body portions, and extends to the other vise body portion to actuate a movable jaw on the other vise body portion. The vise screw is threaded into a jaw nut that has a drive surface that engages and drives a driven surface on the movable jaw, with the drive and driven surfaces being inclined relative to the axis of force application to provide a downward force component on the movable jaw as it is tightened. The vise screw is an assembly of a threaded shank or shaft and a hub that is rotatably mounted in one of the body portions, with the threaded shank or shaft being locked in position in the hub. Full Article
v 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
v Fixing device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A fixing device for fixing a workpiece includes a base, a first pressing block pressing the workpiece to the base, a second pressing block, a first support member, a second support member, and a side pressing block. The workpiece includes a preprocessing portion to be machined, which has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner and outer surfaces of the preprocessing portion are sandwiched between non-rigid materials during a machining process to avoid the generating of swarfs. Full Article
v Machine vise parallel with angled edges By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A work orienting plate or angled vise parallel for use with a machine vise and which angled plate has first, second and third reference edges with the second and third reference edges being spaced apart side edges that are perpendicular to the first edge. Angled work piece support edges join the second and third reference edges, respectively. The angled work piece support edges are at different angles from one another so that a work piece can be supported on any one of the edges relative to a reference surface of a vise on which the work orienting plate is mounted to position the work piece at selected angles for machining angled surfaces. Full Article
v Part fixturing systems having expanding clamping devices By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 08:00:00 EDT A part fixturing system for securing a workpiece includes an expanding clamping device and a work holding device. The expanding clamping device includes a clamp base portion, first and second traversing wedge blocks, an actuation screw, and a clamp plate portion. The clamp base portion comprises a longitudinal recess, and the traversing wedge blocks are located inside the longitudinal recess, each block including an inclined contact surface and a threaded aperture. The actuation screw passes through the longitudinal recess of the clamp base portion and the threaded apertures of the traversing wedge blocks. The clamp plate portion comprises first and second declined contact surfaces. The work holding device comprises first and second support columns that define a longitudinal loading envelope. The expanding clamping device is positioned inside the longitudinal loading envelope of the work holding device and couples the workpiece to the first and second support columns. Full Article
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v Clamp device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A clamp device includes a clamp main body, an engagement assembly, a clamp rod, a drive mechanism, and a support mechanism. The engagement assembly can be changed over between a diameter-expanded state in which it engages with an inner circumferential surface of an aperture in a workpiece, and a diameter-reduced state in which it does not so engage. The clamp rod is engaged with an interior of the engagement assembly. The drive mechanism drives the clamp rod to and from the clamp main body. The support mechanism supports the engagement assembly with a pneumatic force of pressurized air. At least a part of the pneumatic force is released after the engagement assembly has been expanded in diameter. Full Article
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v 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
v Liquid ejection apparatus including curl reduction device, curl reduction method executed in the apparatus, and storage medium used for the apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A liquid ejection apparatus includes: (a) a storage device for storing an image data set representing a plurality of images; (b) a liquid ejection head for performing an image formation on each recording medium; (c) a curl reduction device for reducing curl caused in each recording medium having the corresponding image formed thereon by the liquid ejection head; (d) an output tray for receiving each recording medium whose curl has been reduced by the curl reduction device, such that the received recording media are stacked on the output tray; and (e) a control device configured to control the curl reduction device, such that the curl caused in an earlier one of the recording media is reduced by a smaller degree than the curl caused in a later one of the recording media that has been subjected to the image formation later than the earlier one of the recording media. Full Article
v Medium conveyance apparatus and image forming apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT According to an aspect of the present invention, in a medium conveyance apparatus which securely supports and conveys a medium, by providing a function for applying a back tension to the medium, in a guide section which forms a guide for supporting the medium in a medium conveyance unit, it is possible to apply a back tension to the medium of which at least a portion is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit, thereby restricting the occurrence of creasing and floating when the medium is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit and maintaining the flatness of the medium which is securely supported by the medium conveyance unit. Full Article
v Printing apparatus and method of restricting movement of carriage By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A printing apparatus includes a housing, a carriage in which a print head is mounted, the carriage moving inside the housing, and an openable cover provided for the housing. A restricting member configured to restrict movement of the carriage during transport of the printing apparatus is attachable to the printing apparatus. While the restricting member is attached to the apparatus, the restricting member engages with the carriage, the cover in a closed position, and the housing and part of the restricting member is exposed outside of the cover in the closed position. When the part is pulled, the restricting member disengages from the carriage, the cover, and the housing and is detached from the apparatus. Full Article
v Sheet discharging device and erasing device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A sheet discharging device includes a first conveying path that guides a sheet to be conveyed. A second conveying path branches from the first conveying path. A sorting section sorts a sheet being conveyed on the first conveying path into either a downstream side of the branch point or the second conveying path. A first discharge tray is placed at a position downstream of the first conveying path and receives a sheet discharged from the first conveying path at a first sheet loading surface. A second discharge tray is placed at a position downstream of the second conveying path and below the first discharge tray, and receives a sheet discharged from the second conveying path at a second sheet loading surface whose distance to the first sheet loading surface increases toward a downstream side thereof in a sheet discharging direction. Full Article
v Optical scanning device, optical scanning device control method, and image forming apparatus By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An optical scanning device includes: a driving unit that drives a light source that outputs multiple light beams; a deflecting unit that scans a scanning surface in a main-scanning direction by deflecting the light beams, the scanning surface moving at a predetermined line speed in a sub-scanning direction; and a control unit that changes number of the light beams according to the line speed by controlling the driving unit, changes a scanning speed of the deflecting unit in the main-scanning direction according to a difference between an exposure amount per unit length in the main-scanning direction after a change in the number of the light beams and a predetermined exposure amount, and changes light intensity of each of the light beams output by the light source according to an amount of a change in the scanning speed. Full Article
v Image forming device with smoothing correction for plural light emitting segments By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 26 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An image forming device includes a photoreceptor drum including a target surface that is scanned in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, an exposure head including a plurality of light emitting segments aligned in parallel to the main scanning direction, an exposure driving unit which selectively drives the plural light emitting segments, a storing unit which stores a profile where the respective positions of the plural light emitting segments correspond to a correction amount from the main scanning direction toward the sub-scanning direction at every position, and a correcting unit which smoothes a local change of the correction amount in the profile. Full Article
v Substrate for inkjet head and inkjet head having protection layer including individual sections corresponding to heating resistors By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:00:00 EDT There are provided a substrate for an inkjet head and an inkjet head wherein in a case where a protection layer of heating resistors is energized, an electrical connection with portions around the protection layer is more reliably cut. A first protection layer provided for the substrate for an inkjet head includes individual sections provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of heating resistors and a common section which commonly connects the plurality of individual sections. The individual sections and the common section are connected via connect sections which are eluted and connect in a case where an electrochemical reaction occurs between the connect sections and ink when electricity flow therethrough, so that an electrical connection between the individual sections and the common section is cut. Full Article
v Cover and liquid container By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Jun 2015 08:00:00 EDT A cover for a liquid container which exposes at least a portion of a detecting member, having a liquid supply portion to a liquid ejecting apparatus through communicating with the liquid containing unit, and a first surface provided with a first container side engagement portion arranged between the liquid supply portion and the detecting member. The cover includes a first cover side engagement portion engaging with the first container side engagement portion. Full Article
v Tray unit and image recording device By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 13 Oct 2015 08:00:00 EDT A tray unit includes a first tray, a second tray, and a cover. The first tray includes a first holding surface for holding thereon a first sheet. The second tray includes a second holding surface for holding thereon a second sheet. The second tray is configured to slide above and along the first holding surface between a first second-tray position and a second second-tray position, and is configured to pivot between the second second-tray position and a third second-tray position in which the second tray stands upward with respect to the first holding surface. The cover is configured to cover from above at least a part of the second tray when the second tray is in the second second-tray position, and is configured to pivot between a first cover position in which the cover extends along the first holding surface and a second cover position in which the cover stands upward with respect to the first holding surface. Full Article
v Method and system for locating signal emitters using cross-correlation of received signal strengths By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT A method and system for determining a location of a first device that emits a signal: provide at least three sensors separated and spaced apart from each other; at each of the sensors, receive the signal emitted by the first device; determine the received signals for each of the sensors; determine cross-correlations of the received signals for pairs of the sensors; and determine the location of the first device from the magnitudes of the cross-correlations of the received signals. Full Article
v Electromagnetic wave reverberation chamber By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT An electromagnetic wave reverberation chamber includes: an electromagnetic wave absorbing apparatus installed in an intended space of the electromagnetic wave reverberation chamber for adjusting a reflection characteristic of an inside of the electromagnetic wave reverberation chamber, wherein the electromagnetic wave absorbing apparatus have an electromagnetic bandgap structure including a plurality of unit cells arranged periodically. Full Article
v Air defense system architecture combining passive radars and active radars By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT The architecture includes a passive radar using opportunistic transmitters and a plurality of active radars that cooperate in the form of a coalition to assure the surveillance of an area of space. The passive radar and the active radars that form the architecture include means for exchanging information and the passive radar is configured to adopt two alternate operating modes: (i) a “watching” mode in which the passive radar carries out surveillance of the area of space concerned and generates detection information, and (ii) an “on-demand data feed” mode in which the passive radar executes at the request of one or more active radars an object search in a given sector of the area under surveillance or an analysis of certain characteristics of the signal received in a given sector. Full Article
v Measurement device, measurement system, measurement method, and program By www.freepatentsonline.com Published On :: Tue, 19 May 2015 08:00:00 EDT Provided is a technique capable of suppressing the deterioration in azimuth resolution and distance resolution in even a modulated and transmitted or received signal or a signal reflected by an object and varied in intensity when acquiring waveform information. A measurement device comprise: a plurality of sensors which receive waves propagating through a space; and a sampling timing calculation means which obtains, on the basis of the relative positions of the sensors and the velocities of the waves, the difference between the arrival times of the waves received by the respective sensors and calculates, for each sensor, sampling timing for acquiring the waveform information relating to the waves, on the basis of the difference between the arrival times. Full Article