Author: claimsbot

1. An aqueous ink composition, which comprises at least:
1) an alkali neutralized product of a copolymer containing constituent units of:
(i) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of alkene, styrene, styrene derivatives, vinyl naphthalene, and vinyl naphthalene derivatives;
(ii) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of monomers containing an acidic group that ion dissociate; and
(iii) at least one \u03b1,\u03b2-ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid alkyl ester;
2) a pigment; and
3) an aqueous medium,
wherein the alkali neutralized product of the copolymer in the aqueous ink composition forms micelle aggregations with an average diameter being set in the range of 10 nm to 300 nm; and
wherein an acid value of the copolymer is in the range of 60 to 160.
2. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein a number average molecular weight of the copolymer is in the range of 6,000 to 30,000.
3. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein in the copolymer, the constituent unit (i) is in the range from 15 to 55% by weight; the constituent unit (ii) is in the range from 9 to 28% by weight; and the constituent unit (iii) is the range from 20 to 75% by weight.
4. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein primary particles of the pigment have a number average particle size of 2 to 200 nm.
5. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein a content of the copolymer is 0.1 to 35% by weight.
6. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein a content of the pigment is 1 to 35% by weight.
7. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein a content of a solid component of the aqueous ink composition is in the range from 2 to 40% by weight.
8. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the micelle aggregations contain an aqueous medium inside thereof.
9. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous ink composition includes a copolymer solution, the copolymer solution transiting from a dissolved state or a colloidal state to a supernatant fluid state with a deposition when a pH of the copolymer solution is changed by no more than 2.5.
10. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the aqueous ink composition is adjusted to a pH area that is 0.5 to 4.0 higher than a pH point at which the copolymer generates a supernatant fluid and a deposition from a dissolved state.
11. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, wherein a pH adjustment is carried out by using a pH adjusting agent having a boiling point of 40\xb0 C. to 150\xb0 C.
12. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 11, wherein the addition amount of the pH adjusting agent is in the range from 50 mmolKg to 20 molKg.
13. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, further comprising 5 to 65% by weight of a moisturizer, wherein the moisturizer is a water-soluble liquid and has a boiling point of no less than 80\xb0 C. with a vapor pressure of no more than 100 mmHg.
14. An aqueous ink composition according to claim 1, further comprising 0.05 to 4% by weight of an antiseptic agent andor an fungicide.
15. A manufacturing method of an aqueous ink composition comprising at least the steps of:
stirring a solution containing a copolymer, an alkali, and an aqueous medium, while maintaining the solution at a temperature that is higher than the glass transition point of the copolymer by not less than 15\xb0 C. so as to form micelle aggregations of an alkali neutralized product of the copolymer; and
adding pigment fine particles to a solution containing the micelle aggregation so as to be dispersed therein,
wherein the copolymer contains constituent units of:
(i) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of alkene, styrene, styrene derivatives, vinyl naphthalene, and vinyl naphthalene derivatives;
(ii) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of monomers containing an acidic group that ion dissociate; and
(iii) at least one \u03b1,\u03b2-ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid alkyl ester.
16. A manufacturing method of an aqueous ink composition according to claim 15, wherein an amount of the alkali is less than the amount that is equivalent for neutralizing the total acidic groups in the copolymer by 2 equivalent % to 30 equivalent %.
17. A manufacturing method of an aqueous ink composition according to claim 15, wherein the copolymer has a glass transition point in the range from 10\xb0 C. to 120\xb0 C., the temperature of the solution during stirring is maintained at a temperature higher than the glass transition point by 20\xb0 C. to 50\xb0 C., and the solution is stirred with applying ultrasonic vibration.
18. An image forming method, wherein an image is formed on a image formation surface of a recording medium by using an aqueous ink composition and then a heating process is carried out onto the image formation surface of the recording medium at a temperature of 50\xb0 C. to 150\xb0 C., the aqueous ink composition comprising at least:
1) an alkali neutralized product of a copolymer containing constituent units of:
(i) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of alkene, styrene, styrene derivatives, vinyl naphthalene, and vinyl naphthalene derivatives;
(ii) at least one monomer selected from group consisting of monomers containing an acidic group that ion dissociate; and
(iii) at least one \u03b1,\u03b2-ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid alkyl ester;
2) a pigment; and
3) an aqueous medium,
wherein the alkali neutralized product of the copolymer in the aqueous ink composition forms micelle aggregations with an average diameter being set in the range of 10 nm to 300 nm; and
wherein an acid value of the copolymer is in the range of 60 to 160.
19. An aqueous ink composition, which comprises at least:
1) an alkali neutralized product of a copolymer containing constituent units of:
(i) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of alkene, styrene, styrene derivatives, vinyl naphthalene, and vinyl naphthalene derivatives;
(ii) at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of monomers containing an acidic group that ion dissociate; and
(iii) at least one \u03b1,\u03b2-ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid alkyl ester;
2) a pigment; and
3) an aqueous medium,
wherein the alkali neutralized product of the copolymer in the aqueous ink composition forms micelle aggregations with an average diameter being set in the range of 10 nm to 300 nm; and
wherein in the copolymer, the constituent unit (i) is in the range from 15 to 55% by weight; the constituent unit (ii) is in the range from 9 to 28% by weight; and the constituent unit (iii) is the range from 20 to 75% by weight.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a recording head having a nozzle configured to jet a liquid drop of ink;
a cap member configured to be moved between a sealing position where a nozzle surface of the recording head is sealed and an opening position where the nozzle surface is opened;
a waste liquid tank movably provided and configured to receive a waste liquid of the ink, the waste liquid being generated by idle-ejecting the liquid drop not contributing to image forming from the recording head; and
a moving part configured to move the waste liquid tank tied to movement of the cap member,
wherein a position of the waste liquid tank in a case of idle-ejection being performed from the recording head last time and another position of the waste liquid tank in a case of idle-ejection being performed from the recording head this time are different.
2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the waste liquid tank is situated in a first position when the cap member is situated in the sealing position; and
the waste liquid tank is situated in a second position different from the first position when the cap member is moved to the sealing position again after the cap member is moved to the opening position.
3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the cap member is configured to be stopped in three or more positions including the sealing position and the opening position.
4. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a recording head having a nozzle configured to jet a liquid drop of ink;
a wiper member configured to be moved between a wiping position where a nozzle surface of the recording head is wiped and a non-wiping position where the wiper member is separated from the nozzle surface;
a waste liquid tank movably provided and configured to receive a waste liquid of the ink, the waste liquid being generated by idle-ejecting the liquid drop not contributing to image forming from the recording head; and
a moving part configured to move the waste liquid tank tied to movement of the wiper member,
wherein a position of the waste liquid tank in a case of idle-ejection being performed from the recording head last time and a position of the waste liquid tank in a case of idle-ejection being performed from the recording head this time are different.
5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the waste liquid tank is situated in a first position when the wiper member is situated in the wiping position; and
the waste liquid tank is situated in a second position different from the first position when the wiper member is moved to the wiping position again after the wiper member is moved to the non-wiping position.
6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the wiper member is configured to be stopped in three or more positions including the wiping position and the non-wiping position.
7. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a recording head having a nozzle configured to jet a liquid drop of ink;
a conveyance part configured to convey a sheet;
a waste liquid tank provided movably and configured to receive a waste liquid of the ink generated by idle-ejecting the liquid drop not contributing to image forming from the recording head; and
a moving part configured to move the waste liquid tank tied to movement of the conveyance part,
wherein a position of the waste liquid tank in a case of idle-ejection being performed from the recording head last time and another position of the waste liquid tank in a case of idle-ejection being performed from the recording head this time are different.
8. The image forming apparatus, as claimed in claim 7,
wherein a position of the waste liquid tank is changed when the idle-ejecting is performed from the recording head.

1. An electronic device performing a device activation, the electronic device comprising:
a wireless communication module operated in an access point (AP) mode to perform communication with a mobile terminal or operated in a client mode to perform communication with a server;
an input unit configured to receive a signal requesting conversion of a mode of the wireless communication module; and
a controller configured to convert a mode of the wireless communication module and generate device identification information,
wherein when a mode conversion request signal is received by the input unit, the controller converts the wireless communication module into the AP mode, and when user authentication information is received from the mobile terminal, the controller converts the wireless communication module into the client mode and transmits an activation request for requesting performing a registration to a device management server based on the user authentication information and the device identification information.
2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller transmits and receives a device management message to and from the device management server, and before the device management message is received, the controller transmits authentication information based on the device identification information to the device management server.
3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the device management message is a message according to a device management standard of an open mobile alliance (OMA), and the authentication information based on the device identification information is included in an SyncML (Synchronization Markup Language) message and transmitted.
4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the authentication information based on the device identification information is included in device information included in a package 1 and transmitted.
5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the user authentication information received from the mobile terminal is input by a user interface included in the mobile terminal.
6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller transmits the activation request including an alias to the server, and the alias is registered to the device management server such that it corresponds to the device identification information.
7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the device identification information is a UUID (universally unique identifier).
8. A product activation method comprising:
receiving a mode conversion request signal;
when the mode conversion request signal is received, changing a wireless communication module too an AP mode;
transmitting a configuration page to a terminal through the wireless communication module;
receiving a product activation request including user authentication information from the terminal;
generating a device identifier;
changing the wireless communication module to a client mode; and
transmitting the product activation request to a server based on device identifier, the user authentication information, and the device identifier.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus for pallet inspection and repair comprising:
an inspection station comprising at least one laser and at least one camera to collect light from the at least one laser after being reflected from a pallet comprising a number of elements to be inspected;
a computer configured to run analysis software that analyses the reflected light, the analysis software configured to perform steps comprising
receiving from the at least one camera a stream of three-dimensional points, each point having an x-, a y-, and a z-coordinate,
filtering the stream of three-dimensional points to obtain a top surface geometry and topography by discarding points having a z-coordinate below a threshold,
locating four corner points from the stream of three-dimensional points, the corner points having coordinates of (minimum x, minimum y), (minimum x, maximum y), (maximum x, minimum y), and (maximum x, maximum),
identifying edges of each element based on the four corner points, thereby identifying a type and number of each element,
determining a pallet design from the type and number of each element,
loading a set of criteria from a database based on the pallet design,
comparing each element of the pallet to the set of criteria to construct a list of repairs, and
creating a repair recipe from the list of repairs; and

an automated repair station configured to repair the pallet based on the repair recipe.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inspection station moves the pallet relative to the at least one laser using a robotic arm that grips the pallet in subsequent repair steps.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the element type is selected from a list comprising any of a top board, a leading board, an intermediate board, a bearer, a stringer, a block, and a bottom board.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the repair station comprises a robot arm for holding the pallet during a repair step, tools for performing the repair step, and a controlling computer.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controlling computer further comprises a robot controller, a programmable logic controller, and a repair recipe generation sub-system, with the robot controller comprising a master job that is in communication with the programmable logic controller, and a series of sub-jobs activated by the master job, with the master job performing a recipe step using the tools.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the master job performs the steps comprising determining position of the pallet in the robot arm, moving the pallet to a new position by activating the robot arm, initializing a first sub-job to perform a first repair step, initializing subsequent sub-jobs to perform subsequent repair steps, and terminating when the sub-jobs in the series of sub-jobs have been performed.
7. An apparatus for pallet inspection and repair comprising:
an inspection station comprising at least one laser and at least one camera to collect light from the at least one laser after being reflected from a pallet comprising a number of elements to be inspected; and
a computer configured to run analysis software that analyses the reflected light, the analysis software configured to performing the following
receiving from the at least one camera three-dimensional points, each point having an x-, a y-, and a z-coordinate,
filtering the three-dimensional points to obtain a top surface geometry and topography by discarding points having a z-coordinate below a threshold,
identifying a type and number of each element based on the top surface geometry and topography,
determining a pallet design from the type and number of each element,
comparing each element of the pallet to a database to generate a list of repairs, and
generating a repair recipe from the list of repairs.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a repair station configured to repair the pallet based on the repair recipe.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the inspection station moves the pallet relative to the at least one laser in subsequent repair steps.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a transport system for moving the pallet during inspection and repair.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transport system comprises a conveyor.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the repair station comprises tools for performing a repair step.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the repair station comprises a controlling computer comprising a controller for moving the pallet, a programmable logic controller, and a repair recipe generation sub-system, with the controller comprising a master job that is in communication with the programmable logic controller, and a series of sub-jobs activated by the master job, with the master job performing a recipe step using the tools.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the master job performs the steps comprising determining position of the pallet, moving the pallet to a new position, initializing a first sub-job to perform a first repair step, initializing subsequent sub-jobs to perform subsequent repair steps, and terminating when the sub-jobs in the series of sub-jobs have been performed.
15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the analysis software is further configured to performing the following to identify the type and number of each element:
locating four corner points from the three-dimensional points, the corner points having coordinates of (minimum x, minimum y), (minimum x, maximum y), (maximum x, minimum y), and (maximum x, maximum y); and
identifying edges of each element based on the four corner points, thereby identifying the type and number of each element.
16. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the analysis software is further configured to loading a set of criteria from the database based on the pallet design, with the set of criteria being compared to each element to generate the list of repairs.
17. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the element type is selected from a list comprising at least one of top board, a leading board, an intermediate board, a bearer, a stringer, a block, and a bottom board.