CPC Definition - Subclass B41J
This place covers:
- Only selective printing mechanisms including kinds of type-writers
- Manually controlled power-operated apparatus or apparatus of this type with additional control by input of stored program instructions, e.g. on punched cards or tapes;
- The "print-out" features of apparatus controlled by stored program instructions or electric signals in so far as these are of general interest, e.g. impression, inking, line-spacing mechanisms, printing heads;
The preceding image includes references to B41J, G03G, H04N 1/00, H04N 1/387, H04N 1/40, H04N 1/60, G06F 3/12, G06F 17/00 and G06K 15/00.
Examples of places where the subject matter of this place is covered when specially adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Machines for printing and issuing tickets |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Shaping of 3D-objects by means of liquid-jetting | |
Composing | |
Printing presses | |
Stamps or stamping | |
Erasers, rubbers or erasing devices | |
Fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating | |
Recording the results of measuring | |
Recognition or presentation of data, marking record carriers in digital fashion, e.g. by punching | |
Processing computer-generated data for printing or electrical features of apparatus controlled by record carriers or electric signals and of interest apart from the "print-out" features of said apparatus | |
Franking or ticket-printing and issuing apparatus | |
Electric keyboard switches, in general | |
Coding in connection with keyboards or like devices, in general | |
Receivers or transmitters for transmission of digital information | |
Transmission or reproduction of documents, or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission | |
Conversion of picture/colour signals for printing |
Printing mechanisms specially adapted for apparatus, e.g. cash registers, weighing machines, producing records of their own performance: see the relevant subclasses.
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Printing material/media | paper or temporary record carriers from which records are transferred to a paper (not: printing masters, e.g. formes or printing plates) |
Paper | printing material, including similar flexible material |
This place covers:
- Type-writers only.
- Publications of general interest and those not provided for in the lower sub-groups, e.g. complete machines.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Dot-marking printers as ink-jet printers, dot-matrix printers, laser printers |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Type-writer | device with printing elements having complete characters, thus not built up from dots |
This place covers:
In general with additional characters
This place covers:
Using type-belts.
Control circuits therefor.
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Drums and wheels in general
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Daisy wheel printers and general aspects of the machine
This place does not cover:
With types or dies on spherical, truncated-spherical, or like surfaces |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Details of the carriers, font change and interchangeable carriers |
This place does not cover:
With types or dies on spherical, truncated-spherical, or like surfaces |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Output mechanism with printing mechanisms, e.g. for character-at-a-time or line-at-a-time printing |
This place covers:
E.g. of the golf-ball type
This place covers:
Bringing liquid or particles selectively onto a printing material, either by jetting or through contact. In particular, the sub-groups contain inkjet printers and thermal printers. It covers the structure of the apparatuses used for bringing liquid or particles selectively onto a printing material, their driving/controlling methods and the methods to manufacture them.
This place does not cover:
Mounting, arrangement, or disposition of types or dies |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Marking methods |
This place covers:
Ink reaches paper without forming a flying drop
This place does not cover:
Printing by selective application of impact or pressure on a printing or impression-transfer material |
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Inkjet printers in general, when no details on structure is provided.
This sub group does not cover use of inkjet printers in manufacturing processes unless the printer itself has some significance
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For printing on special surfaces |
This place covers:
Heads generating a continuous stream of droplets, and selecting some to be printed while others are collected back into the ink supply system.
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
On-demand inkjet heads (every formed ink droplet will be printed).
B41J 2/14 takes precedence.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Magnetic and electrostatic actuators |
For control methods, each document should bear at least one code specifying the type of head being controlled, chosen from B41J 2/04575 - B41J 2/04586.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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This sub-group contains documents in which an electric field causes the ejection of ink directly, without involvement of a membrane or the like.
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Deflection sensors for continuous ink jet printers
Cameras for jet or dot position control
This place does not cover:
Nozzle clogging detection for cleaning reasons | |
Detection for compensation of nozzle failures |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
During manufacture or detection by means of print head drive signal response |
This place covers:
This group should be left empty. Classify in the lower subgroups that cover structures of on-demand inkjet heads (not only of nozzles). For nozzles and nozzle plates per se, see B41J 2/1433 and B41J 2002/14475. For manufacturing of nozzles and nozzle plates, see B41J 2/162. Heads in which an electric field causes the ejection of ink directly (thus without involvement of a membrane) are classified only in B41J 2/06 (thus not in the sub-groups of B41J 2/135).
This place covers:
Should be understood as "structure of on-demand inkjet heads", where the head is the part comprising the chambers and actuators, and not the whole cartridge. .
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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No membrane between the chamber and the piezo element.
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Should be understood as "production of on-demand inkjet heads". This group is used when the type of head manufactured (i.e. bubble-jet, piezo etc..) is not known or when no specific sub-group exists for said type (like for instance acoustic heads or head which work by lowering the surface tension of the meniscus). This group does not cover manufacturing of heads
in which an electric field causes the ejectiion of ink directly (without involvment of a membrane) nor manufacturing of continuous inkjet heads.
When classifying a manufacturing method, at least one classification should always be given for the type of head being manufactured (i.e. B41J 2/16 - B41J 2/162 or B41J 2/1648). A classification for each used manufacturing process (B41J 2/1623 - B41J2/M8T) should be given.
This place covers:
This group is used for bubble-jet heads when it is neither front shooter nor edge shooter (i.e. it is used when orientation is unknown or for back shooters)
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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This sub-group is used when the type of piezo electric head being manufactured in not defined.
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This group is not in use.
When classifying a manufacturing method, at least one class should always be given for the type of head being manufactured (i.e. B41J 2/16 - B41J 2/162 or B41J 2/1648). A classification for each used manufacturing process (from B41J 2/1623 - B41J2/M8T) should be given.
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Preventing clogging of nozzles;
Cleaning of nozzles;
Detection of defective nozzles for cleaning
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Conditioning of ink supply systems/circuits | |
Detection of defective nozzles for compensation of them by well-functioning nozzles | |
Cleaning of other parts than nozzles or ink supply systems of an ink jet printer | |
For powder toner printers |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "nozzles", "apertures", "print(ing) elements" and "openings"
- " discharge/ejection failure", "defect" "non-discharge", " clogging", "defective","failing", "non-operative", "inoperative" ,"non-firing", "malperforming"
- "cleaning", "maintenance", "recovery" and "priming"
This place covers:
Caps connected to the print head itself instead of to the printer frame.
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Cap/cover | to isolate the print head nozzles from the atmosphere |
Spittoon | ink collector in which the print head ejects ink (it may be the cap itself) |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Line or stationary printers | |
Collecting waste ink, ink collectors therefor |
This place does not cover:
Cap and wiper on the same support |
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place does not cover:
Cleaning of printer parts not mentioned under | |
Caps | |
Waste ink/suction circuits | |
Line or stationary printers | |
Cleaning of the ink supply system | |
Cleaning of printhead parts not dealing with the nozzle plate | |
Waste ink collection tanks |
This place covers:
Systems comprising waste ink transport from a cap to a waste ink collector.
Waste ink containers are classified in B41J 2/1721
This place covers:
Liquid from the inside of the print head is forced through the printing apertures by actuation of the drivers.
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "idle/idly discharge/ejection", "flushing", "priming", "spitting" and "purging"
This place covers:
Processes and means sucking liquid from the inside of the print head through the printing apertures into a cap connected to a vacuum pump.
This place covers:
Nozzle plate wipers as rollers or ribbons.
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place does not cover:
Brushes or blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate |
Devices cleaning the wipers: B41J 2/16541
This place covers:
Liquids or fluids for cleaning ink supply systems, nozzles or wipers.
This place does not cover:
Cleaning liquid compositions (Detergent compositions based essentially on surface-active compounds; Use of these compounds as a detergent) |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Nozzles | printhead openings for passing the printing liquid |
Wipers | material contacting a print head nozzle plate for removing liquid thereon. |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "cleaning", "cleansing", "rinsing liquid" and "fluid"
This place does not cover:
Detection during manufacture or detection by means of print head drive signal response | |
Detection of and compensation for defective nozzles |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For monitoring ink quality |
This place covers:
Line heads or stationary print heads.
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Page-width or stationary print head | print head not moving during printing |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "line", "page-width" and "paper-width"
- "non-reciprocating" and "stationary"
This place does not cover:
Forcing ink through nozzles for cleaning nozzles | |
Forced drying of ink/liquid printed onto a printing medium |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Ink | all kinds of liquid for printing onto a printing medium, may also be colourless |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Flushing | rinsing |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "rinsing", "flushing" and "priming"
This place covers:
Ink tanks collecting waste ink from caps or directly from a print head during borderless printing.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For collecting ink after ink ejection |
Closed waste ink collector:B41J 2002/1728
Open ink collector:B41J 2002/1742
Waste ink systems between cap and waste ink collector:B41J 2/16523
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages |
This place covers:
Also other data transfer as remaining liquid information
This place covers:
Remaining ink quantity measurement using floater, optical means, impedance measurements, vibration, temperature change or counting ejected dropletsLow level operation of printer
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For information data transfer therewith | |
For details |
This place covers:
Ink-catchers for ink jet printers of the continuous type.
Collecting ink after ejection from printers of the DOD-type.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Spittoons receiving ink by idle ink ejection during maintenance | |
Collectors receiving ink during printing (e.g. borderless printing) |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
DOD | drop on demand (opposite to ink jet of the continuous type) |
This place covers:
Monochrome gray levels.
Liquids of same hue but with different intensity.
This place does not cover:
For multi-colour printing | |
Halftoning by varying the number of within a pixel (dithering) for multi-colour printers |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "gray levels", "tone levels" and "colour intensity"
- "levels", "grayscale", "shading", "halftoning", "gradation" and "gradation value"
This place covers:
True half toning by means of superpositioning of droplets of the same colour.
This place covers:
Halftoning by a selectable number of adjacent dots of the same colour within a pixel.
This place does not cover:
Halftoning by dithering dots of different colour within a pixel |
This place covers:
Ejecting liquids of same hue but with different intensity, e.g. light and dark magenta/cyan inks.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Print resolution change | |
Print resolution change by print head rotation | |
Conversion of colour signals | |
Colour registering |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "colour", "color" and "hue"
This place covers:
Covering dye-based inks vs pigmented inks.
Inks reactive which each other.
This place does not cover:
Using solid state inks | |
Ink compositions |
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
B41J 2/2117: using white inks
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "processing liquid", "ink", "printing improvement liquid", and "ink"
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Half-toning or colouring by ejecting an ink droplet of selectable size from nozzles by using different drive power levels.
This place does not cover:
Drive signal shaping, stabilising ejection rates e.g. by temperature measurements |
This place covers:
Multi-pass printing; Interlacing, the printed pixels printed in both fast- as slow-scan direction.
Dithering: several non-overlapping dots of different colour (C,M,Y,K) within a pixel to give the impression of one colour.
Preventing banding: white or dark stripes due to systematic dot positioning errors.
This place does not cover:
Methods for local corrections by dot omission, image edge enhancement, or multi-pass mask selection | |
Colour conversion | |
Error diffusion |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Multi-pass | several movements of a print head in the main-scan direction, without a paper feed |
Interlacing/interleaving | filling up the lines between the raster lines caused by the distance between two adjacent nozzles. Sometimes also used for filling up the empty pixels in a mask in the fast-scan direction |
This place covers:
Alignment by nozzle drive control adjustment.
Test pattern
This place does not cover:
Mechanical adjustment |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine |
This place does not cover:
Compensation for malfunctioning nozzles during the process of manufacture |
This place does not cover:
During manufacture or detection by means of print head drive signal response | |
Sensors for jet control, e.g. deflection sensors | |
Detection for necessity of cleaning |
This place covers:
Direct printing type thermal head, i.e. using heat sensitive print media
This place covers:
Indirect thermal printing using ribbon between the head and the paper for printing.
This place covers:
All aspects relating to the head itself
This place covers:
Details concerning the electrodes: shape, geometry, dimension, material.
US2008100686
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
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Details of passivation layer:shape, dimension, geometry, material
WO2008081949
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Details of the protection layer: shape, dimension, geometry, material
US2010134583
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
Detail of the substrate such as architecture, material, geometry
EP0763431
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Geometrical characteristic:
US2011141216
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Dimension being one of the key issues of the invention
US6151054
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If a specific material is used for the head.
EP1195255
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Heater at the corner of the substrate.
US5426451
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Heater on the edge of the substrate
US2006098052
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Heater on the surface of the substrate
US5305021
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Method comprising steps for assembling parts of a head
WO9610490
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Architecture for cooling the head itself by heat dissipation on the substrate side.
US5568176
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Part of the substrate or first layer above the substrate having a groove filled or not in order to dissipate heat.
JP2007083532
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
EP2284010
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Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
EP1077135
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Print heads only.
This place does not cover:
Characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material | |
Copying machine subjects other than the print head: |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Electrography, magnetography | |
Copying machine subjects other than the print head |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Electronic switching circuits in general |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
DEP | Direct Electrostatic Printing, without the intermediate step of a latent image because the toner particles are directly driven through the holes or slits. |
This place covers:
Printing by selective heating by applying an electric current to a printing medium.
This place does not cover:
Printing by contacting a printing medium by heated electrodes | |
Printing by heating through selective radiation |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Printing medium | e.g. a paper sheet on which is printed |
This place covers:
Optical print heads as laser print heads
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ablation writing by laser on work pieces | |
Optical elements, systems, or apparatus | |
Modulation or deflection of light | |
Electrophotography | |
Using a test patch for electrographic printers |
This place covers:
Laser characteristics as power, power density.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Working material by laser beam in general | |
Ablative marking methods and sheet materials for use therein |
This place covers:
General lay-outs of printers with light array print heads
This place does not cover:
Characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material for heating selectively: |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern by application of light, e.g. using a LED array |
Light beam arrays are also used as light source in rotating mirror printers:
For reciprocating print head carriers: B41J 2/47
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Printers using one or more glass fibres as optical waveguide to guide light from a light source to the printing medium.
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Light-switching mirrors or valves for modulating.
Light slits for focusing light beams.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Photographic composing |
This place covers:
Light array print heads reciprocating (scanning) over the media to be printed.
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Light modulation | light source intensity being set on a level corresponding with an image data map |
This place covers:
A modulated light beam from e.g. a laser diode array is directed to a rotating mirror. From there the light beam is directed through a lens and is moved (scanned) over a medium (e.g. an electrically chargeable drum).
An example of a rotating polygonal scanning mirror for moving (scanning) a laster light beam over an imaging drum.
Here the laser is neutralizing a negative charge on the photoreceptive drum to form an electrostatic image.
Source: Wikipedia
This place does not cover:
Printer aspects other than the print head, e.g. toner powder subjects |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Optical devices or arrangements using movable or deformable optical elements for controlling the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
ROS | raster output scanner |
Rotating polygon | rotating device having a plurality of mirrored facets |
Scanning mirror | moving mirror, e.g. rotating |
Main-scanning | here: light beam moving over e.g. a drum |
Sub-scanning | drum, belt or paper movement; |
Light modulation | light source intensity being set on a level corresponding with an image data map. |
This place covers:
A plurality of light beams directed to the same scanning mirror (e.g. a light source array).
This place covers:
Heating for writing or erasing on print media
This place does not cover:
Erasing by a thermal head by contacting the print media | |
Erasing by an electric or magnetic field |
This place covers:
Matrix printing having means to control the print result e.g. negative print, background shaded, avoiding of wearing out by selective use of print elements. E.g. use of ultra-sonic vibrations therefor.
This place covers:
Reproducing of handwriting.
Signatures.
Pens on carriages (plotters).
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
With multiple print heads of different type |
This place covers:
Matrix printer print quality adjustment;
Print resolution adjustment;
Interlacing for printers not being of the ink-jet type.
This place does not cover:
Ink-jet subjects not having resolution change | |
Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the digital output data using matrix printers, e.g. individual print element control for printing letters |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
With multiple print heads of different type |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Printing elements | e.g. nozzles, electrodes, LED's to form dots on a material to be printed (print media) |
Identical printing elements | e.g. an array of nozzles |
NLQ | Near letter quality, which means high print quality |
Registration/registering | In color printing the method of correlating the overlapping colours on one single position of an image |
Print resolution | printing at a predetermined dot density |
Dot density | number of dots per unit of surface |
Raster | line or grid with a predetermined dot density |
This place does not cover:
Ink jet for multi-colour printing characterised by the ink properties |
This place covers:
Print heads other than of the ink jet type.
This place covers:
Printers with a print head reciprocating over the material to be printed in order to print a single line or swath
E.g. geometry aspects as columns/rows of print elements (monochrome), functional aspects as inclination of characters (matrix printers).
This place does not cover:
Movements parallel to the plane of printing other than reciprocating: |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ink jet nozzle arrangements for serial printing | |
Features not dealing with the colouring process per se, e.g. construction of printers or heads, driving circuit adaptations |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Serial printer | printer with a print head reciprocating over the material in order to print a single line or swath. |
Line head printer | page-width printer printing at least one raster line at the same time. |
This place covers:
Page-width printers printing at least one raster line at the same time.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ink jet nozzle arrangements for line printing | |
Movements parallel to the plane of printing other than reciprocating |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Serial printer | printer with a print head reciprocating over the material in order to print a single line or swath. |
Line printer type | page-width printer printing at least one raster line at the same time. |
This place does not cover:
Arrangement for multi-color printing, not covered by group B41J 2/21, e.g. applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking process |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ink jet | |
For photomechanical production | |
Gradual grey tones |
This place covers:
In particular bar code printers, flat-bed ink-jet printers, ink-jet printers for printing on bank books, passports or the like, portable printers, hand-held printers, stamp-type ink-jet printers, printers for printing on CDs or DVDs, ink-jet printers for printing on three-dimensional objects, label printers, ink-jet printers for printing on textile, printers for printing on the front and on the back of sheets or continuous material.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Cryptographic typewriters |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Selective printing mechanisms for portability | |
Selective printing mechanisms for marking on special material | |
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on disk-shaped media, e.g. CDs | |
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on three-dimensional objects | |
Tape printers; Label printers | |
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on rewritable, bistable "electronic paper" by a focused electric or magnetic field | |
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on textile | |
Conveyor belts | |
Flat page-size platens | |
Drawing instruments | |
Automatic drafting machines |
This place does not cover:
Tape printers; label printers |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Printers with reduced dimensions | |
Stackable printers | |
Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers having printing equipment |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Toy imitations of typewriters |
This place covers:
Marking devices having a set of marking elements, for example a set of numerals, wherein each marking element can be selected and used independently from the others in order to carry out the impression operation.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Surface shaping, e.g. embossing | |
Mechanical deformation of paper or cardboard without removing material | |
Machines or apparatus for embossing decorations or marks |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers having printing equipment |
This place does not cover:
Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits by printing or dispensing a conductive paste or ink |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Methods of making colour filters, e.g. printing |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Recording by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation | |
Guiding record carriers from consecutive-access magazine of disc records, e.g. for optically recording on CDs |
This place does not cover:
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on bank books or the like | |
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on boxes | |
Building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Tape cartridges containing continuous copy material to be printed |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Displays in which the positions of movable elements are controlled by the application of an electric field | |
Displays in which the positions of movable elements are controlled by the application of a magnetic field |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Electrochromism means | the phenomenon displayed by some chemical species of reversibly changing colour when a burst of charge is applied (adjective: electrochromic). |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Printing mechanisms coupled to typographical composing machines |
In patent documents, the following abbreviations are often used:
RFID | radio frequency identification |
In patent documents, the following abbreviations are often used:
RFID | radio frequency identification |
This place covers:
Selective printing or marking mechanisms with two or more sets or types of printing elements
This place does not cover:
Selective printing mechanisms for printing on both faces of the printing material |
This place does not cover:
Ink cartridges; ink cartridges mounted on a common carriage | |
Construction of print heads for multi-colour ink-jet printing; multi-colour print heads mounted on a common carriage |
This place covers:
The cases of two or more cut sheets or at least one cut sheet and at least one strip of printing material that are conveyed simultaneously to or through the printing zone.
This place does not cover:
Selective printing mechanisms with two or more sets or types of printing elements |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Multiple web-feeding apparatus | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus for webs superimposed during printing | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus for feeding webs in separate paths during printing | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus with means for registering the webs with each other |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place does not cover:
Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers: |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Interpreting |
This place covers:
Keyboards for type-writers.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Keyboards not for type-writers |
This place covers:
E.g. repeat actions for type-writers.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
E.g. font or memory cartridges.
This place does not cover:
Control means for physically disabled persons in general |
This place covers:
E.g. print sequence control for type-writers.
This place covers:
E.g. carrousel type carriers for type-writers.
This place covers:
E.g. accelerated or delayed impression for type-writers.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Output mechanism with printing mechanisms |
This place covers:
E.g. selection over the shortest rotation in type-writers.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Apparatus or local circuits for transmitting or receiving codes wherein each character is represented by the same number of equal-length code element - at the receiving end, using aggregate motion translation |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
E.g. control of selected characters for type-writers
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group.
This place covers:
Hammer banks.
This place covers:
Mechanisms for quiet printing, mechanical means for print density adjustment.
This place covers:
Preloaded springs.
This place covers:
Circuits.
General features.
Noise reduction.
This place covers:
Flight time adjustment.
Print intensity adjustment by flight time control.
This place covers:
Print intensity adjustment by drive energy control.
This place covers:
Also compensating for source voltage variations, paper feed variations.
This place covers:
In general: limiting the number of fired hammers.
Detection of the impact.
Preventing overheating.
This place covers:
Inventions that are independent from the length of the copy material (the copy material therefore including cut sheets and continuous webs), e.g. ink-jet printers with irradiating or cutting devices.
The preceding image includes references to B41J, B41J 11/00, B41J 13/00, B41J 15/00, B65H, H04N, H04N 1/04, G03G, and G03G 15/00.
This place does not cover:
Script supports connected to the typewriter or printer |
Examples of places where the subject matter of this place is covered when specially adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Devices or arrangements specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets | |
Devices or arrangements specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in continuous form, e.g. webs |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "recording medium", "paper to be printed" and "copy material"
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Means for tensioning webs in general | |
Means for tensioning webs in selective printing or marking devices | |
Smoothers in general | |
Taking out curl from webs in general | |
Article bending or stiffening arrangements | |
Decurling sheets after fixing process in copying machines |
This place covers:
Selective printing machines which are designed such that they allow to handle copy materials being wider than "usual" copy materials.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Selective printing machines adapted to print on wide cut sheets |
This place does not cover:
Selective coating, i.e. coating dot by dot |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Methods of application of ink fixing material by inkjet printers | |
Methods of after-treatment of prints relating to the nature of material | |
Methods of after-treatment of prints using protective coatings or layers |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Methods of after-treatment of prints using UV radiation | |
Methods of after-treatment of prints using IR radiation |
This place does not cover:
Platen adjustments for varying the strength of impression, for a varying number of papers or for alignment | |
Movable mechanisms for print heads with print gap adjustment mechanisms |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Guiding webs |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Guides in the printing section for copy material in short lengths |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "borderless printing", "marginless printing", "bleed printing", "full bleed printing" and "edge-to-edge printing"
Examples of places where the subject matter of this place is covered when specially adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Conveyor belts specially adapted for handling sheets | |
Conveyor belts specially adapted for handling copy material in continuous form |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Conveyor belts in general | |
Separating articles from piles using endless belts | |
Feeding articles by belts |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Using suction for maintaining copy material on rotatable drums |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Selecting type of paper | |
Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means | |
Investigating moving sheets |
This place does not cover:
Structure of platen surface |
This place does not cover:
Using suction for maintaining printing material flat |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Flat-bed ink-jet printer |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Platen adjustments for varying the strength of impression, for a varying number of papers, for wear or for alignment |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface with print gap adjustment mechanisms | |
Mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface with print pressure adjustment mechanisms |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Print head carriage guides |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Controlling the print head to print on accurate positions on the copy material | |
Control of the transport of cut sheets |
This place does not cover:
Supporting or feeding devices for loading rolled-up continuous copy material into printers, e.g. for replacing a used-up paper roll; Point-of-sale printers with openable casings allowing access to the rolled-up continuous copy material |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Simultaneous conveyance of sheets or strips |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Detecting type of paper |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Multiple web-feeding apparatus | |
Multiple web-feeding apparauts for webs superimposed during printing | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus for feeding webs in separate paths during printing | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus with means for registering the webs with each other |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Multiple web-feeding apparatus | |
Multiple web-feeding apparauts for webs superimposed during printing | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus for feeding webs in separate paths during printing | |
Multiple web-feeding apparatus with means for registering the webs with each other |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Selective printing mechanisms for portability |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides | |
Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides for the sheet feeding section | |
Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides for the sheet output section |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Cutting tools in general, independent from the field where the cutting tools are used |
This place covers:
In particular selective printing mechanisms comprising devices for the control of the conveyance of sheets, paper sheet guides, rotatable drums for holding sheets by suction or by clamps
The preceding image includes references to B41J 11/00, B41J 13/00, B41J 15/00, B65H, G03G 15/00, and H04N 1/04.
The preceding image includes references to B41J 13/00 and B65H.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Guides for the sheet feeding section |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Guides for the printing section |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Guides in the output section |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Printing on both faces |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "duplex printing", "printing on both faces" and "perfect printing"
This place does not cover:
Platen adjustments for varying the strength of impression, for a varying number of papers, for wear or for alignment | |
Devices specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like, e.g. credit cards, business cards | |
Adjustment by moving the print head |
This place does not cover:
Roller platens |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Rollers for conveying in general | |
Separating articles from piles using friction rollers in general | |
Feeding articles by rollers in general |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Conveyor belts adapted both for handling copy material in sheet form and in continuous form |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Supports and (paper feeding) cassettes for supporting articles horizontally in general |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Pile receivers in general |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Handling thick cut sheets larger than credit cards |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
"visting cards" means | "business cards" |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Registering, e.g. orientating, articles in general |
This place covers:
In particular selective printing mechanisms comprising devices for feeding web material and devices for tensioning web material
The preceding image includes references to B41J 11/00, B41J 13/00, B41J 15/00, B65H, G03G 15/00, and H04N 1/04.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Unwinding mechanisms not restricted to selective printing mechanisms for a continuous web depletion |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Conveyor belts adapted both for handling copy material in sheet form and in continuous form |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Machines for separating superposed webs |
This place covers:
Thermal transfer webs.
Ink donor films (IDF).
Page-wide ribbons.
IDF-identification means.
This place does not cover:
In manifolding devices |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Sheet material for duplicating or marking |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Cores, formers, supports, or holders for coiled, wound, or folded material, e.g. reels, spindles, bobbins, cop tubes, cans |
This place covers:
In general cassettes
This place covers:
Reading the IDF
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For colour ribbons | |
For ribbons |
This place covers:
Peeling-off.
Deleting the information.
This place covers:
Re-use of impression material by using all the remaining ink thereofl
This place covers:
Mechanisms for relative movement in two directions between printing element and medium to be printed and parallel thereto:
- Type-writer carriages.
- Serial (reciprocating) or oscillating print head constructions for selective printing devices.
- Print head carriage guide bar constructions.
This place does not cover:
Superimposed movements for serial printing |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Key actions |
Dot printing devices: B41J 19/00 - B41J 19/04, B41J 19/14 - B41J 19/207, B41J 19/305, B41J 19/76, B41J 19/78
Dot printer with continuous moving drum and serial printing head: B41J 19/16
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Character and line spacing | in type-writers generally performed by means of the paper carriage while the print element head is stationary. Character spacing is in the direction of the paper width and line spacing is in the direction of the paper sheet length |
Main- and sub-scanning | In modern serial dot printers the character (dot) spacing is generally done by the movement of the print head over the width of a paper sheet (main-scanning) and the line spacing is done by paper movement (sub-scanning). If a drum is continuously rotating during printing, then this movement is called main-scanning. The step-wise movement of the print head after one revolution of the drum is then called sub-scanning |
Fast-scanning | see main scanning |
Slow-scanning | see sub-scanning |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "print head-carrier -shuttle or - carriage"
This place covers:
Mechanical constructions making the movement of carriages possible or easier.
Also including the electrical cables (guiding, attachment).
This place covers:
Type-writers only
This place does not cover:
Adapted for silent return (type-writers) |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
X,Y-printers with a print head movable in X- and Y-direction |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "bidirectional or rearward" and "forward/backward printing"
This place covers:
Serial print head above a rotating drum (spiral printing with main-scanning in rotating direction and sub-scanning in the width direction);
A continuously rotating drum with a print head carriage movement after each drum rotation (circular dot bands).
This place covers:
Only type-writers.
The carriage of a typewriter is for carrying paper.
This place covers:
Type-writers.
Ink jet, matrix or optical print head carriers moving along the width of material to be printed (fast-scan direction).
This place does not cover:
Typewriters controlled by escapements |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Print head movement in slow-scan direction parallel to the rotating axis of a drum or belt | |
Lead-screws in general | |
Motors and control for carriage movement in general |
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used as synonyms:
- "print head-carrier, -carriage, -shuttle, and -chute"
- "pitch, spacing and distance"
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group
In patent documents, the following words/expressions are often used with the meaning indicated:
"main/fast-scan direction" | "reciprocating movement direction of the print head carriage" |
"sub/slow-scan direction" | "paper feed direction" |
This place covers:
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
Linear motors therefor.
This place covers:
Printers using a linear motor instead of a cable, belt or lead screw to move the print head carrier
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this group
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Carriage | a paper supporting device moving sideward during printing (opposed to a print head carriage of e.g. an ink jet printer) |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Paper movement in horizontal line direction for only type-writers.
This place does not cover:
Special line-feeds, e.g. long feeds |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Paper transport other than for type-writers |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place does not cover:
Carrier-release mechanisms therefor |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Tabulating |
This place does not cover:
Adjusting side margins for type-writers |
This place covers:
In general: decimal tabulation for type-writers.
This place covers:
Memory.
Register controlled
This place does not cover:
Hammer printers | |
Linear motors |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Dot printers |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Selective printers, including type-writers, ink jet and thermal printers.
This place covers:
E.g. page-width print heads moving during printing for compensating for print element aberrations.
This place does not cover:
Character- or line-spacing mechanisms |
This place covers:
Serial and line print heads.
This place covers:
Serial print heads only.
E.g. mechanical alignment parallel to the printing medium
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Serial print head | reciprocating print head printing during its movement along the width of a medium to be printed (main-scanning) |
Line-spacing | movement step in the length direction of the printing material, by means of a medium transport system (sub-scanning) |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Linear drive mechanisms for carriage movement |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
In general: repeat actions
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For repeat keys |
This place covers:
Only for type-writers, in general half-space keys.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
In machines using index setting |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
Examples of places in relation to which this place is residual:
Platen-shift mechanisms; Driving gear therefor |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Key actions |
This place does not cover:
Line print heads movable towards a cleaning unit |
This place covers:
With print gap adjustment means on the print head carriage (e.g. for rotation around a guide bar or using a rotatable eccentric bearing).
With print gap adjustment means between the print head and its carriage.
With print gap adjustment means on the printer frame (e.g. for rotation of an eccentric carriage guide shaft).
Examples of places in relation to which this place is residual:
By platen movement |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Print gap | Distance between print head nozzle plate and print medium |
Guide shaft/rod/bar/rails | Guiding means supporting and guiding a reciprocating print head carriage |
Print/printing medium/media | Material to be printed, e.g. a sheet of paper |
Carriage/carrier | Print head holder which is movable over the width of a print medium |
Platen | Surface supporting the print medium, e.g. flat surface or a rotating drum |
Examples of places in relation to which this place is residual:
By platen movement |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Mounting in general |
This place covers:
Type-writers only.
This place covers:
Print head carriages, e.g. for ink jet.
Interchangeable type-writer print heads, as disks.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms with types or dies mounted on endless bands or the like | |
Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms with types or dies mounted on carriers rotatable for selection | |
Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms with types or dies on spherical, truncated-spherical, or like surfaces |
For mounting an ink-jet cartridge into a carriage, see also B41J 2/1752 (only ink jet).
This place covers:
Inking in type-writers and desk-top printers other than of the ink-jet type.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ink supply in ink-jet printers | |
Ink ribbons or devices to apply ink to them |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Office furniture |
Examples of places in relation to which this place is residual:
Sound-deadening or shock-absorbing devices or measures therein |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Tables, desks, office furniture, in general |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Erasers, rubbers, or erasing devices; Holders therefor |
This place does not cover:
Cleaning of nozzles | |
Conditioning of ink supply systems (inside/outside) |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ink-ribbon shifts |
This place covers:
Only type writers
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Erasers, rubbers or erasing devices; Holders therefor | |
Correcting fluids, e.g. media for correction of typographical errors by coating |
This place covers:
E.g. vertical ruling.
Examples of places in relation to which this place is residual:
Ink ribbons characterised by areas carrying media for obliteration or removal of typing errors |
This place covers:
Using fans or cooling liquid.
Detecting ambient temperature
This place covers:
Printing and reading test patterns requiring mechanical action.
Battery mounted in the printer.
Wireless communication between the carriage and the printer.
Examples of places in relation to which this place is residual:
Nozzle failure detection | |
Ink residue control | |
Density or colour adjustment | |
Print head/platen gap adjustment | |
Using a test patch for electrographic printers |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Responsive to transfer-material breakage or exhaustion | |
Responsive to ink-ribbon breakage or exhaustion |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Page width ink ribbons | |
Sheet material for duplicating or marking | |
Storing webs or tapes, e.g. on reels | |
Coated or treated non-woven strips or sheets used as ink ribbons |
This place covers:
Contains general features about ink ribbon cartridges and those with ribbons stored on spools.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
For page width ink ribbons | |
Magnetic tape cassettes |
This place covers:
In general, ribbon-sized impression transfer material. But in some cases, also page-width impression transfer material if B41J 17/00 does not provide an appropriate entry.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Ink-ribbon cartridges |
This place does not cover:
For page width ink ribbons | |
Spools in general |
This place covers:
Containing in general correcting ribbons on separate holders
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Mechanisms permitting the selective use of a plurality of ink ribbons |
This place does not cover:
Slow, e.g. "creep", feed mechanisms |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
By adjustment of vibrator mechanisms |
This place covers:
Impression transfer ribbon material.
Also covering page-width impression transfer material in the sub-groups if B41J 17/00 does not provide an appropriate entry.
In general the heating or pre-heating of ink ribbons.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Key actions |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Vibrator mechanisms; Driving gear therefor | |
Colour picture communication systems |
This place covers:
Use of correcting ribbons.
This place does not cover:
Ribbons placed on separate holders |
This place covers:
Avoiding "ghost printing"
This place covers:
E.g. deleting the printed text from the ribbon or making the text illegible.