Assa Abloy Ab

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Avago Technologies Fiber IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd

Tanya Jegeris Snyder

Dale James Ziebarth

Brent D Lien

James Rieck

Jeffrey Lee Stangler

Evan Pastor

Andrew William Slotto

Scott Eugene Olson

John P Skoglund

Roger Lee Hipwell, Jr

YongJun Zhao

Robert E Wilson

James R Meier

Ted M Hoffman

Joseph Michael Stephan

Robert H Yi

Douglas Hampton Cole

Lijuan Zhong

Jon Everett Freise

Mark Mizen

Ruben Rosario

Lyndon James Hanson

Bradley O'Hara

David Allen Sluzewski

Michael Jon Woizeschke

Daniel Fowell

Phillip Umberger

Kyrsten Dominique Elemino

Chad Everett Beery

James A Rieck

Techniques for handling and reducing ink overspray of an ink jet printer are provided. In an example, an ink overspray collector for an ink jet printer can include a first opening defining a first print area of the ink jet printer, and a frame about the first opening. The frame is configured to receive overspray from operation of the ink jet printer and can be formed of a woven material. In some examples, a controller of the ink jet printer can reduce an amount of ink ejected near the edges of the print media to reduce overspray.

Ink jet printer overspray techniques

Systems and techniques for preserving and improving ink jet nozzle health and printing reliability are disclosed herein. The method may include monitoring whether a triggering event has occurred. In response to detecting the triggering event has occurred, pumping at least a portion of ink contained in a header tank in a direction toward an ink cartridge through a tube connecting the header tank to the ink cartridge. The header tank connected to a print head included as a part of a scan head. The method may further include circulating the ink through the tube back into the header tank, and agitating the scan head by moving the scan head along an x-y gantry. Additional methods may include reverse purging, ejecting a portion of ink through nozzles on the print head while simultaneously wiping a nozzle plate included on the print head, and randomizing print head location when printing.

Ink jet nozzle health and printing reliability

Techniques for reducing or eliminating image banding in an ink-jet image are provided. In an example, a method of operating a printer to reduce or eliminate image banding can include generating command profile for printing a given image, applying a filter to the command profile to provide a filtered profile, and dispensing ink from a printhead of the printer based on the filtered profile. In certain examples, the filter can randomize droplet sizes of ink dispensed while executing the printing to reduce or eliminate image banding.

Inkjet printer image improvement techniques

Systems and techniques for improving ink jet ink durability and adhesion to a substrate. The techniques may include applying a varnish to the surface of the substrate, curing, in an initial curing step, the varnish with an ultraviolet (UV) lamp, and applying a pigmented ink to at least a portion of the substrate. The initial curing step may comprise pinning the varnish with the UV lamp in a low-power state. The techniques may additionally or alternatively include applying a layer of pigmented ink and varnish at substantially the same time, allowing the pigmented ink and varnish to at least partially mix, then pinning or curing the ink/varnish combination.

Method for ink jet durability and adhesion

Techniques for operating a printer are provided. In an example, the printer can include a print head a cure light and a controller. The controller can be configured to move the print head relative to a print media to print a given image, to move the cure light relative to the print media at a cure speed in response to the cure light passing over a printed portion of the given image to cure the ink of the given image, and to move the cure light at an index speed in response to the cure light passing over a non-printed portion of the given image, wherein the index speed is greater than the cure speed.

Ink jet printer production techniques

The disclosure describes a method for aligning a card on a printer belt. A printer includes the belt, a print unit having a head, and a card feeder having an alignment bracket. The card feeder deposits a card onto the belt along a processing axis in a first orientation. The belt moves the card away from the card feeder in a first direction. The card feeder is positioned in a second orientation where the alignment bracket aligns with the belt. The alignment bracket has a rear wall and a guide extending therefrom that align the card within the alignment bracket. The belt is overdriven in a second direction and the card moves into the alignment bracket for alignment. The belt then moves in the first direction and the card clears the alignment bracket. The card feeder is then positioned in a third orientation to allow printing with the head.

Card printer alignment bracket

A print section sensor for detecting registration marks on a transfer ribbon in a ribbon feed path includes a reflective sensor configured to detect the registration marks and a transmissive sensor configured to detect the registration marks. The reflective sensor is located upstream of the transmissive sensor relative to a feed direction of the transfer ribbon.

Sensor for identifying registration marks on a ribbon

A transfer printing device includes a transfer ribbon, a print unit, a mark sensor and a controller. The transfer ribbon includes a transfer layer that is attached to a carrier layer. The transfer layer includes a series of transfer sections. The controller is configured to perform a print operation, in which a transfer section that is available for printing is selected by detecting an absence of a used mark in a predetermined position on the transfer ribbon corresponding to the transfer section using the mark sensor. An image is printed to the selected transfer section and a used mark is printed on the transfer ribbon using the print unit. At least a portion of the used mark is in a predetermined position relative to the selected transfer section and is outside the selected transfer section.

Used transfer layer detection in a transfer printing device

In a method of detecting a location of a print section of a transfer ribbon, the transfer ribbon is fed in a feed direction relative to a print section sensor. The print section sensor includes a reflective sensor and a transmissive sensor. The reflective sensor is positioned upstream of the transmissive sensor relative to the feed direction. A registration mark on the transfer ribbon, which indicates the location of the print section on the transfer ribbon, is detected using the reflective sensor. The registration mark is detected using the transmissive sensor. The location of the print section is determined based on the detection of the registration mark using the transmissive sensor.

In a method of operating a transfer printing device, which includes a transfer ribbon having a series of transfer sections, a print unit, and a mark sensor, the transfer ribbon is fed in a feed direction. A transfer section that is available for printing is selected through the detection of an absence of a used mark in a predetermined position on the transfer ribbon corresponding to the transfer section using the mark sensor. An image is printed to the selected transfer section using the print unit. A used mark corresponding to the selected transfer section is printed in a predetermined position on the transfer ribbon.

An apparatus includes a slider with a cavity in a trailing end of the slider. A laser is positioned in the cavity and has an output facet positioned adjacent to a first wall of the cavity. A cap is connected to the trailing end of the slider and covers the laser.

Capping method for laser diode protection

A method includes: positioning a laser in the cavity in an end of a slider, wherein the laser has an output facet positioned adjacent to a first wall of the cavity to define a first gap between the output facet and the first wall of the cavity, and filling at least a portion of the first gap adjacent to the output facet. An apparatus including a slider including a cavity in a trailing end of the slider, a laser positioned in the cavity and having an output facet positioned adjacent to a first wall of the cavity to define a first gap between the output facet and the first wall of the cavity, and a sealing material filling at least a portion of the first gap adjacent to the output facet is also provided.

An apparatus includes a transducer assembly including a waveguide and a grating structured to couple electromagnetic radiation into the waveguide, and a laser module including a laser diode and a transparent cover adjacent to an output facet of the laser diode, wherein the laser module is bonded to the transducer assembly and the laser diode directs electromagnetic radiation through the transparent cover and onto the grating. A method of making the apparatus is also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Edina, MN, United States of America

Tanya Jegeris Snyder