Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha

Hirofumi Kondo

Yasuhiro Kato

Hiroto Sugahara

Masayoshi Hayashi

Masato Sueyasu

Hirotake Nakamura

Suguru Tomoguchi

Ayako Ohishi

Taro Nagano

Kenta Hayashida

Tomohiro Kanbe

Yuki Takagi

Ryoichi Matsushima

Reiko Toyama

Tomoyuki Kubo

Toru Yamashita

Shohei Koide

Hiromitsu Mizutani

Shuhei Hiwada

Yuko Iwamura

Hitomi Sadohara

Reiko Higashikawa

Tatsuya Nishikawa

Koji Imai

Shigeru Suzuki

Kazuteru Kojima

Suguru Tomoguchii

An image forming apparatus that utilizes a communication device is disclosed. A communication unit of a housing which corresponds to an antenna portion is provided at a position at which the communication unit can be seen without obstruction from the upper side. A communication device such as a smartphone can be brought close to or into contact with the communication unit readily. Accordingly, wireless communication between the antenna portion and the communication device can be established.

Image forming apparatus including antenna in cover

A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus, includes: an ejecting head having an ejecting surface, the ejecting head being configured to eject liquid droplets onto a print target based on image data, the print target including a parallel surface and an inclined surface; a distance detector which detects a distance between the ejecting surface and the parallel surface and a distance between the ejecting surface and the inclined surface; and a controller. If the controller determines that the liquid droplets are to be ejected onto the inclined surface based on a detection result of the distance detector, the controller obtains information about a print mode selected by a user from a plurality of print modes related to ejection control of the liquid droplets for the inclined surface; and executes an ejection control of the liquid droplets to the inclined surface based on the print mode selected by the user.

Liquid droplet ejecting apparatus

There is provided a printing apparatus including: a line head including a plurality of nozzles and a discharging surface in which the plurality of nozzles is opened, the line head being configured to discharge a photo-curing ink from the plurality of nozzles to a printing medium; a light irradiator configured to irradiate the photo-curing ink on the printing medium with a light; an optical sensor configured to measure a distance between the printing medium and the discharging surface, and a controller configured to cause the light irradiator to execute an irradiating operation of irradiating the photo-curing ink on the printing medium with the light at a first timing, and cause the optical sensor to execute a distance measuring operation of measuring the distance between the printing medium and the discharging surface at a second timing different from the first timing.

Printing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and medium

A printing device includes a head and a carriage. The head has a nozzle. The head is configured to eject liquid from the nozzle toward a printing medium. The carriage is configured to move the head in a first direction. The carriage includes a first distance sensor. The first distance sensor is configured to measure a distance between the head and the printing medium. The first distance sensor is a specular reflection type distance sensor. The first distance sensor includes a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element. The light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are aligned in the first direction.

Printing device including carriage having distance sensor for measuring distance between head and printing medium

There is provided a printer including: a carriage; a head; a position sensitive detector having a light-emitter and a light-receiver; and a controller. The head has: a first nozzle from which a printing ink is discharged, and a second nozzle from which a liquid scattering a light emitted from the light-emitter is discharged. The controller is configured to execute: formation of a scattering film on the object by discharging the liquid from the second nozzle onto the object; measurement of a distance between the head and the object, with the light emitted from the light-emitter and irradiated onto the scattering film; and adjustment, based on the measured distance, of a discharging condition of discharging the ink from the first nozzle, and performing printing on the object.

Printer

Image forming apparatus

An image processing apparatus, including an image processing unit, a controller, a power source, and a USB interface with a connector and a current detector, is provided. The controller starts delivering power to an external device through the USB interface by controlling the power source in a case where connection with the external device is detected, and, in a case where a job requiring the image processing unit to process an images is received, and in a case where a difference between a smallest value and a largest value among current values detected by the current detector within a predetermined length of time while the power is delivered to the external device exceeds a threshold value, the controller commands the USB interface to restrict power delivery to the external device.

Image processing apparatus with a USB interface to restrict power delivery to an external device

An image forming apparatus which utilizes a communication device is disclosed. A communication unit of a housing which corresponds to an antenna portion is provided at a position at which the communication unit can be seen without obstruction from the upper side. A communication device such as a smartphone can be brought close to or into contact with the communication unit readily. Accordingly, wireless communication between the antenna portion and the communication device can be established.

A liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber, a partitioning wall partitioning the liquid chamber into a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber, a communication opening through which liquid can flow from the first liquid chamber to the second liquid chamber, and a movable member which is movable between a block position and a communication position. When the movable member is in the block position, the movable member is configured to prevent the liquid from flowing from the first liquid chamber to the second liquid chamber through the communication opening, and when the movable member is in the communication position, the liquid is allowed to flow from the first liquid chamber to the second liquid chamber through the communication opening.

Liquid cartridge

An ink cartridge comprises a main body comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a chamber, configured to store ink, disposed between the first surface and the second surface; an ink outlet portion disposed on the first surface of the main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the main body; and an electronic circuit board disposed on the main body. The electronic circuit board comprises an electrical interface, a first portion facing a second direction that intersects a first plane that is perpendicular to the first direction, a second portion facing a third direction away from the ink outlet portion that intersects a second plane that is parallel to the first direction, and a connecting portion between the first portion and the second portion. The electrical interface is disposed on an area of the electronic circuit board including the connecting portion.

Ink cartridge

A liquid consuming apparatus includes a liquid container, a detector, and a controller. The liquid container includes a movable member, and the movable member includes a detection portion. The detector is configured to output a detection signal based on the presence or absence of the detection portion in a detection position. The controller is configured to measure, based on the detection signal output from the detector, a physical quantity, based on which a velocity of the detection portion can be specified, and is configured to determine whether the physical quantity is within a threshold range.

Liquid consuming apparatus

An ink containing device comprises an ink cartridge and an adaptor. The ink cartridge comprises a first main body comprising a chamber configured to store ink, an ink outlet portion disposed on a first surface of the first main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the first main body wherein the first surface faces a first direction, and an electrical interface disposed on the first main body. The adaptor is configured to be in an attached state with the ink cartridge. The adaptor comprises a second main body comprising a first contact disposed on a particular surface facing a particular direction, and a second contact disposed on a further surface and electrically connected to the first contact, wherein the second contact is electrically connected to the electrical interface in the attached state.

Ink containing device

Image forming apparatus with communication device

A liquid cartridge includes a liquid chamber configured to store liquid therein, a liquid supply portion configured to supply the liquid from the liquid chamber to the outside of the liquid cartridge, an air communication portion configured to bring the liquid chamber into communication with the atmosphere outside the liquid cartridge, and a capillary portion having a first end configured to be in communication with the liquid chamber and a second end configured to be in communication with the atmosphere outside the liquid cartridge. The capillary portion is configured to move the liquid from the first end to the second end therethrough by capillary force when the liquid chamber is brought into communication with the atmosphere outside the liquid cartridge via the air communication portion.

Growing community of inventors

Tajimi, Japan

Hirofumi Kondo