Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110261105 | INDICATION OF PRINT MEDIA QUALITY TO PRINTER USERS - A printing system for indicating print media quality to printer users includes a printing assembly configured to route print media along a pathway for printing. In an example, the system includes, but is not limited to, a thermal printer having a thermal print head for printing onto paper. The system also includes a light meter configured to detect light reflected from the print media, such as the paper. The light meter also measures a characteristic of the detected light. An indicator is coupled to the light meter, and configured to present a quality level of the print media to a user based on the measured characteristic of the detected light. | 10-27-2011 |
20120327583 | ROBUST POWER PLANE CONFIGURATION IN PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS - A robust printed circuit board (PCB) that includes at least two power layers that are used in providing power to components connected to the PCB. The power layers may be a power plane layer and a ground plane layer. The power plane layer is situated such that its edge is pulled back a second distance from the planar edge of the PCB. The ground plane layer is situated such that its edge is pulled back a first distance from the planar edge of the PCB. The second distance and the first distance are different, and as a result, the planar edges of the power plane layer and the ground plane layer respectively do not coincide. | 12-27-2012 |
20130057634 | INDICATION OF PRINT MEDIA QUALITY TO PRINTER USERS - A printing system for indicating print media quality to printer users includes a printing assembly configured to route print media along a pathway for printing. In an example, the system includes, but is not limited to, a thermal printer having a thermal print head for printing onto paper. The system also includes a light meter configured to detect light reflected from the print media, such as the paper. The light meter also measures a characteristic of the detected light. An indicator is coupled to the light meter, and configured to present a quality level of the print media to a user based on the measured characteristic of the detected light. | 03-07-2013 |
20130140727 | VISUAL INDICATION OF IMPROPERLY PROCESSED PLASTIC PARTS - a method comprising injection molding a plastic part from a polymer formulation comprising an injection moldable thermoplastic and an additive, wherein the additive has a decomposition temperature that establishes a maximum processing temperature for the polymer formulation. The additive will thermally decompose to generate gaseous products causing visible bubble formation in the surface of the plastic part in response to exposure to a processing temperature that exceeds the decomposition temperature of the additive. A suitable additive may be, for example, selected from oxalates, carbamic acids, carbonic acids, diazocarbonyl compounds, and combinations thereof. | 06-06-2013 |
20130143993 | INDICATION OF IMPROPERLY MOLDED PARTS - A method of determining that a thermoplastic was insufficiently dried before forming into a molded plastic part. The method comprises preparing a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and an off-gassing compound, wherein the off-gassing compound is selected to release all water of hydration in response to target drying conditions specified for the thermoplastic polymer. The mixture is dried at actual drying conditions, and then heated to reduce the viscosity of the thermoplastic polymer and allow the mixture to flow. The mixture is then made to flow into a mold to form a plastic part at a molding temperature, wherein the molding temperature will cause any remaining water of hydration in the off-gas sing compound to off-gas and form surface irregularities in the plastic part. Non-limiting examples of the off-gassing compound include hydrated metal halides and ionic hydrates. | 06-06-2013 |
20130180271 | CONDUCTIVE DUST DECTECTION - An apparatus is provided, which includes a dust detector, a voltage source, and a controller. The dust detector includes two opposing surfaces and a conductive dust sensor. The two opposing surfaces are disposed in spaced, opposing relation to allow for the passage of airflow between the surfaces, and the conductive dust sensor is disposed at a surface of the two opposing surfaces. The voltage source is configured and controlled to establish an electrostatic field at least partially between the two opposing surfaces to facilitate directing conductive particles in the airflow passing between the two opposing surfaces towards the dust sensor. The controller monitors for a leakage current within the conductive dust sensor and determines whether the leakage current exceeds a predetermined trigger level indicative of the presence of conductive dust, and if so, automatically indicates a conductive dust warning. | 07-18-2013 |
20130333199 | FLUORESCENT COMPOUNDS FOR DETECTING USE OF PROPER PLASTIC MOLDING TEMPERATURES - A method comprising injection molding a plastic part from a polymer formulation comprising an injection moldable thermoplastic and a fluorescent compound, wherein the fluorescent compound has a decomposition temperature that establishes a maximum processing temperature for the polymer formulation. The fluorescent compound will thermally decompose to generate gaseous products causing visible bubble formation in the surface of the plastic part in response to exposure to a processing temperature that exceeds the decomposition temperature of the fluorescent compound. If the plastic part was processed without exposure to a processing temperature that exceeds the decomposition temperature of the fluorescent compound, then any fluorescent compound within the plastic part will cause the plastic part to fluoresce in response to exposure to black light. A suitable fluorescent compound may be, for example, selected from oxalates, carbamic acids, carbonic acids, diazocarbonyl compounds, and combinations thereof. A preferred fluorescent compound is bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate. | 12-19-2013 |
20140034375 | PREVENTING THE FORMATION OF CONDUCTIVE ANODIC FILAMENTS IN A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD - A conductive via and method of forming a conductive via in a multilayer printed circuit board are disclosed. A hole is drilled into a printed circuit board that is reinforced with glass fibers, wherein the hole extends between two conductive elements on different layers of the printed circuit board and cuts through a portion of the glass fibers. A tungsten nitride layer is then deposited on the walls of the hole, wherein the tungsten nitride layer has a thickness between 1.5 nanometers and 20 nanometers. A copper layer is deposited over the tungsten nitride layer, wherein the copper and tungsten nitride form a conductive via that provides an electrically conductive pathway between the two conductive elements, and wherein the tungsten nitride layer isolates the copper layer from the glass fibers. | 02-06-2014 |