The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 17, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 13, 2008
Applicants:
Hirotaka Hayashi, Aichi, JP;
Kazumasa Ito, Gifu, JP;
Inventors:
Hirotaka Hayashi, Aichi, JP;
Kazumasa Ito, Gifu, JP;
Assignee:
Ricoh Elemex Corporation, Nagoya, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B41J 29/393 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A light-emitting element emits a beam onto a droplet discharged from a nozzle. A light-receiving element receives a scattered light generated by scattering of the beam by the droplet. A discharge-speed controller controls a speed of discharge of the droplet from the nozzle to be set at the speed outside a normal discharge-speed range that is determined depending on a viscosity of a liquid. Finally, a failure detecting unit detects a liquid discharge failure from data of the scattered light received by the light-receiving element.