Eastman-kodak Company

Scitex Digital Printing, Inc.

Michael Joseph Piatt

James Alan Katerberg

Randy Dae Vandagriff

Harsha Sanjeewa Bulathsinghalage

Terry Anthony Wozniak

David F Tunmore

Stephen F Pond

W Charles Kasiske, Jr

Timothy John Hawryschuk

Yonglin Xie

John Leonard Hryhorenko

Joseph Jech, Jr

Gilbert Allan Hawkins

Qing Yang

Robert E Kauffman

Randy Lee Fagerquist

Christopher M Muir

Eric Karl Zeise

Michael Frank Baumer

James Michael Enge

Amit Singhal

Charles D Rike

Douglas E Bugner

Allan Francis Sowinski

Samuel Chen

Randy Eugene Armbruster

John Charles Brazas, Jr

John T Keech

Hilarion Braun

Richard W Sexton

Mark C Rzadca

Wayne Cook

James D McCann

Brad Smith

Donald Saul Rimai

Daniel Gelbart

Ronald J Duke

Robert J Simon

Raouf Botros

W Charles Kasiske

Mark E Brown

Kevin L Houser

Joseph P Mangan

James Douglas Wolf

Theodore F Williams

Christopher L Watkins

Timothy P Grayson

Scott F Roberts

Jeffrey L Roberts

John C Brazas

Mark C Bowers

Russell L Bartley

Michael Patrick Fink

Joseph Edward Lill

Michael A Walters

Harry V March

Scott D Lehman

James T Theodoras, Ii

Randy Ray

Douglas S Maggart

Joshua H Howard

Chang-Fang Hsu

Shan Guan

John Lawrence Herman

Dan C Lyman

John M Schneider

William R Bitticker

Surinder K Bahl

Bruce W Gamble

Wilson P Rayfield

Gregory M Kopp

Brian W Gamble

David T Heider

Rodney J Stadum

Kenneth R McWilliams

Bradley A Frazier

Paul Rudolph

Kenneth E Hix

Jennifer L Addis

John Charles Brazas

Stephen Fullerton Pond

Gilbert Allen Hawkins

Randy L Fagerquist

An inkjet printing system includes a fluid coupling assembly for supplying fluid to a jetting module. The jetting module includes an electrical connector adapted to connect with a corresponding electrical cable, and a jetting module attachment face with a jetting module fluid port. The fluid coupling assembly includes a coupling assembly attachment face with a coupling assembly fluid port in a position corresponding to the jetting module fluid port. A latch mechanism on the fluid coupling assembly includes a latch handle and a latch fastener adapted to engage with a latch keeper on the jetting module. When the latch handle is in a first disengaged position the latch mechanism blocks the electrical connector, and when the latch handle is in a second engaged position the latch fastener engages the latch keeper to secure the fluid coupling assembly to the jetting module.

Jetting module fluid coupling system

An inkjet printhead assembly includes a repositionable shutter mechanism adapted to block a slot through which drops of ink ejected from the array of nozzles pass before they impinge on the print medium. The shutter mechanism includes a repositionable shutter blade extending in a cross-track direction having a pivot axis passing through first and second tabs affixed to its ends. A first slide mechanism component is pivotably attached to an end of an actuator rod, and a second slide mechanism component is rigidly attached to the repositionable shutter blade. An actuator is configured to translate the actuator rod, thereby pivoting the repositionable shutter blade about the pivot axis between a first pivot position where the shutter blade blocks the slot and a second pivot position where the shutter blade is moved away from the slot so that drops of ink can pass through the slot.

Inkjet printhead assembly with repositionable shutter mechanism

An inkjet printhead assembly includes a repositionable shutter mechanism adapted to block a slot through which drops of ink ejected from the array of nozzles pass before they impinge on the print medium. The shutter mechanism includes an actuator rod having a first actuation feature, and a repositionable shutter blade extending in a cross-track direction having first and second tabs affixed to its ends. The first tab includes a second actuation feature that engages with the first actuation feature of the actuator rod. An actuator is configured to translate the actuator rod, thereby pivoting the repositionable shutter blade about the pivot axis between a first pivot position where the shutter blade blocks the slot and a second pivot position where the shutter blade is moved away from the slot so that drops of ink can pass through the slot.

Inkjet printhead assembly with compact repositionable shutter

A method for printing image data with a printing system having a staggered array of overlapping printheads. Adjacent printheads overlap in the cross-track direction defining an overlap region such that image pixels corresponding to the overlap region can be printed with either first or second printheads. The method includes defining an initial row interval N and an initial position of a transition boundary within the overlap region. N rows of image pixels are then printed wherein image pixels on one side of the transition boundary are printed using the first printhead and image pixels on the other side of the transition boundary are printed using the second printhead. A random process is used to iteratively determine updated row intervals, where the position of the transition boundary is shifted by an increment amount of between one pixel and three pixels for each row interval.

Printing with overlapping printheads

A modular inkjet printhead assembly including a plurality of printhead modules mounted on alternating sides of a central rail assembly. The rail assembly includes a beam and a rod attached to a side of the beam. The printhead modules include a jetting module having an array of nozzles, a first alignment tab having a first alignment datum and a second alignment datum, a second alignment tab having a third alignment datum and a fourth alignment datum, a rotational alignment feature including a fifth alignment datum, and a cross-track alignment feature including a sixth alignment datum. Portions of the alignment tabs of the jetting module are adapted to fit within corresponding notches in the beam. A jetting module clamping mechanism and a jetting module cross-track force mechanism apply forces to the jetting module that causes each alignment datum to engage with corresponding alignment features on the rail assembly.

Modular printhead assembly with common center rail

A print media moving apparatus includes a web guide positioned immediately upstream relative to a roller. The web guide has an arcuate surface including three sections with the second section located between the first and third sections. The arcuate surface includes a peak in the second section. The roller, having a diameter and rotational axis, includes three sections with the second section located between the first and third section as viewed along the rotational axis. The diameter of the roller in the first and third sections is greater than in the second section. The three sections of the web guide correspond to the three sections of the roller such that the contour of the arcuate surface causes the print media, after leaving the web guide, to contact the first and third sections of the roller prior to contacting the second section of the roller.

Transport using peaked web guide and roller

An inkjet printhead assembly includes a repositionable shutter mechanism adapted to block a slot through which drops of ink ejected from the array of nozzles pass before they impinge on the print medium. The shutter mechanism includes a frame, and a repositionable shutter blade extending in a cross-track direction having first and second tabs affixed to its ends. At least one of the first and second tabs includes a lever arm. The shutter blade is adapted to rotate around a pivot axis passing through the first and second tabs. An actuator is configured to apply a force to the lever arm, thereby pivoting the repositionable shutter blade about the pivot axis between a first pivot position where the shutter blade blocks the slot and a second pivot position where the shutter blade is moved away from the slot so that drops of ink can pass through the slot.

Inkjet printhead assembly with repositionable shutter

An inkjet printhead assembly includes a rail assembly and a removable jetting module. The rail assembly includes a beam and a rod attached to the beam. A printhead module includes the jetting module and a mounting assembly. The jetting module includes an array of nozzles, a first alignment tab having a first alignment datum and a second alignment datum, a second alignment tab having a third alignment datum and a fourth alignment datum, a rotational alignment feature including a fifth alignment datum, and a cross-track alignment feature including a sixth alignment datum. The mounting assembly includes a similar set of alignment features. Portions of the alignment tabs of the jetting module and the mounting assembly are adapted to fit within corresponding notches in the beam and engage with the rod. A jetting module clamping mechanism applies a force to the jetting module causing it to engage with the rail assembly.

Printhead assembly with removable jetting module

A method for printing a plurality of image planes on a substrate, the method includes providing a plurality of print head for depositing material on the substrate as the substrate moves along a transport path; providing a first sensor in a predetermined position along a transport path relative to predetermined positions of the plurality of print heads; providing an indication of position of the substrate along the transport path; providing a plurality of cue marks at predetermined positions or intervals on the substrate which are detected by the first sensor; and determining placement of an image plane printed by at least one of the plurality of print heads upstream of the first sensor based on the detection of position of the cue marks on the substrate by the first sensor.

Method for printing image planes on substrate

A method for printing an image with authentication features, including: printing a media treatment material onto a print medium in accordance with a pattern of predefined authentication features, and printing one or more visible printing materials onto the print medium in accordance with an image pattern, thereby providing a printed visible image. The media treatment material alters an interaction between the visible printing materials and the print medium so that characteristics of the interaction, such as printing material penetration characteristics, are different in image regions where the media treatment material was printed than in image regions where the media treatment material was not printed. The difference in the characteristics of the interaction between the one or more visible printing materials and the print medium causes the pattern of authentication features to be detectable.

Image authentication using material penetration characteristics

A system is described for tracking a position of a receiver medium as it travels along a media path. A heat source provides heat to the receiver medium in a localized area sufficient to permanently deform the receiver medium to form a reference mark. A light source illuminates the receiver medium, and a sensor is used to sense light from the light source that is transmitted through the receiver medium or reflected from the receiver medium thereby providing a sensed light level signal. The sensed light level signal is analyzed to determine a position of the receiver medium by detecting a change in the sensed light level signal that is characteristic of the physical deformation associated with the reference mark.

Media-tracking system using deformed reference marks

A method for printing an image with authentication features, including: printing a media treatment material onto a print medium in accordance with a pattern of predefined authentication features, and printing one or more visible printing materials onto the print medium in accordance with an image pattern, thereby providing a printed visible image. The media treatment material alters lateral spreading characteristics of the visible printing materials within the print medium, so that the lateral spreading characteristics are different in image regions where the media treatment material was printed than in image regions where the media treatment material was not printed. The difference in the lateral spreading characteristics causes the pattern of authentication features to be detectable.

Image authentication using lateral spreading characteristics

A method for printing an image with authentication features, including: printing a media treatment material onto a print medium in accordance with a pattern of predefined authentication features, and printing one or more visible printing materials onto the print medium in accordance with an image pattern, thereby providing a printed visible image. The media treatment material, the one or more visible printing materials and the print medium interact to produce surface deformations of the print medium. Characteristics of the surface deformations are different in image regions where the media treatment material was printed than in image regions where the media treatment material was not printed, so that the difference between the characteristics of the surface deformations causes the pattern of authentication features to be detectable.

Image authentication using surface deformation characteristics

A print media moving apparatus includes a vacuum assembly positioned immediately upstream relative to a roller. The vacuum assembly has an arcuate surface including three sections with the second section located between the first and third sections. The arcuate surface includes an extremum in the second section. The roller, having a diameter and rotational axis, includes three sections with the second section located between the first and third section as viewed along the rotational axis. The diameter of the roller in the first and third sections is greater than in the second section. The three sections of the vacuum assembly correspond to the three sections of the roller such that the contour of the arcuate surface causes the print media, after leaving the vacuum assembly, to contact the first and third sections of the roller prior to contacting the second section of the roller.

Apparatus for reducing wrinkles in moving web

A gas flow duct for use in redirecting drops of liquid ejected from a printhead in a continuous inkjet printer, including a sump, a first duct portion upstream of the sump, and a second duct portion downstream of the sump. The first duct portion rises from an entrance to an apex and then turns downward and exits into the sump, and the second duct portion rises from the sump toward an exit port. A cross-sectional area of the first duct portion is adapted to produce a gas flow velocity sufficient to transport entrained liquid through the first duct portion past the apex and into the sump. A cross-sectional area of the second duct portion is larger than the cross-sectional area of the first duct portion and is adapted to produce a gas flow velocity insufficient to transport entrained liquid through the second duct portion.

Negative air duct sump for ink removal

Growing community of inventors

Dayton, OH, United States of America

Michael Joseph Piatt