Patents Represented by Attorney Global IP Counselors, LLP
  • Patent number: 8321121
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus is provided with a supply control section, a stop control section, a timing estimating section and a torque recovery control section. The supply control section controls fuel supplied to an engine based on a detected prescribed vehicle running state. The stop control section stops supplying fuel upon detecting a first prescribed vehicle running state. The timing estimating section estimates a timing at which a drive train transmitting a drive force from the engine to a wheel will change from a non-drive state in which the engine rotates due to a force from the wheel to a drive state in which the wheel rotates due to a drive force of the engine. The torque recovery control section resumes supplying fuel upon detecting a second prescribed vehicle running state and stops resumption of fuel being supplied for a prescribed amount of time based on the timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Santou, Taiki Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8319122
    Abstract: A hopper is provided with which damages of articles can be suppressed without lowering the processing speed. A hopper (4) includes a first hopper main body (40), and a first gate (G1). A first inner surface (41) of the first gate (G1) forms a collecting space (A1) for holding articles with the first hopper main body (40), and stores articles in the interior of the collecting space (A1) when in the closed state and discharges articles by turning to open. The first inner surface (41) includes a first upper slanted surface (S2) and a first lower slanted surface (S3) that are continuous. An angle formed by the first lower slanted surface (S3) and the horizontal plane is smaller than an angle formed by the first upper slanted surface (S2) and the horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Kishikawa, Toshikazu Shotsu, Toshiharu Kageyama, Teruo Hayakawa, Yuta Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8316827
    Abstract: An engine intake air quantity control apparatus is provided with a throttle valve, a supercharger, a variable intake valve operating device and an intake air control device. The throttle valve varies an intake air flow passage area of an intake passage. The supercharger supercharges intake air. The variable intake valve operating device changes an intake valve timing of an intake valve in accordance with an engine operating state. The intake air control device increases an opening degree of the throttle valve in accordance with a detected increase of an accelerator pedal depression amount, and increases an intake air quantity by starting to supercharge the intake air with the supercharger upon a prescribed throttle valve opening degree having been reached. The intake air control device changes the prescribed throttle valve opening degree in accordance with the intake valve timing of the intake valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyamoto, Takashi Nakazawa, Takao Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8321090
    Abstract: A steering mechanism control system is provided with a steering angle ratio varying device, a steering angle determining section, a steering state determining section, a steering reaction force control device and a characteristic setting section. The steering angle ratio varying device controls a ratio of a steered angle of a steerable wheel with respect to a steering input angle in accordance with a steering angle characteristic. The steering angle determining section determines the steering input angle resulting from a steering operation. The steering state determining section determines a steering state based on the steering input angle. The steering reaction force control device controls a steering reaction force in accordance with a reaction force characteristic. The characteristic setting section selectively sets the steering angle characteristic and the reaction force characteristic based on the steering state determined by the steering state determining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Sakuma
  • Patent number: 8312791
    Abstract: A bicycle pedal has a pedal spindle, a pedal body and a step-in cleat engagement structure. The pedal body includes a tubular mounting portion rotatably mounted on the pedal spindle. The tubular mounting portion includes a center tube section that has a widthwise dimension and a lengthwise dimension as measured from the center spindle axis to an outside surface of the center tube section along reference planes that are substantially perpendicular to each other. The widthwise dimension is substantially perpendicular to a cleat pedaling force direction applied to the pedal spindle, as viewed along in a direction of the center spindle axis. The outside surface of the center tube section has an overall transverse cross sectional shape that includes a generally convex arc that extends a majority of the outside surface of the center tube section on a side of the reference plane that faces the cleat engagement structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Inoue
  • Patent number: 8314442
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a package equipped on a front face with a window for installing a light emitting element, and outer lead electrodes that protrude from a bottom face of the package. The package has, on the bottom face, two side face convex components provided on the side face sides and a center convex component provided at a center. The outer lead electrodes are housed in a concave components defined by the side face convex components and the center convex component. The side face convex component has groove provided on the side face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Saiki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8311465
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image carrier that has a belt-like shape and carries an image; an image forming section that forms the image on the image carrier; a driving roller around which the image carrier is looped, the driving roller being rotationally driven by a first driving source to drive the image carrier; a roller around which the image carrier is looped; a transfer roller having a partially hollow peripheral surface and being rotationally driven by a second driving source, the transfer roller abutting on the image carrier to form a transfer nip at a position at which the image carrier is looped around the roller; a first tension roller that abuts on the image carrier between a position of the driving roller and a position of the roller to adjust a tensile force of the image carrier; and a second tension roller that abuts on the image carrier to adjust a tensile force of the image carrier, the second tension roller abutting on the image carrier on an abutting position opposite to that o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Nomura, Yoshihisa Saka
  • Patent number: 8308267
    Abstract: A droplet discharge device includes a head for discharging a functional liquid, a driving voltage generation unit for generating a driving voltage to drive the head, first and second temperature acquisition units, a temperature difference computing unit, and a driving voltage correction unit. The first and second temperature acquisition units are configured to acquire temperature of the functional liquid in the head as first and second temperatures, respectively, when the head is in a head waiting state and in a head driven state, respectively. The temperature difference computing unit is configured to compute a temperature difference between the first and second temperatures. The driving voltage correction unit is configured to correct the driving voltage based on the temperature difference. The driving voltage generation unit is configured to generate the corrected driving voltage to the head when the head is in the head driven state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Iwata, Tatsuya Ito, Osamu Kasuga
  • Patent number: 8311445
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image bearing member on which a latent image is formed; a developing unit that develops the latent image using a liquid developer; a transfer member onto which the image is transferred; a cleaning unit that cleans the latent image bearing member; a cleaning roller, to which a bias is applied, that cleans the transfer member by making contact with the transfer member; a blade that cleans the cleaning roller by making contact with the cleaning roller; a cleaning blade that cleans the transfer member cleaned by the cleaning roller by making contact with the transfer member; a holding unit that holds collected material scratched by the blade and the cleaning blade; an application unit that applies the collected material to the cleaning roller; and a transport channel that transports the collected material collected by the cleaning unit to the holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Shiiya, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 8307611
    Abstract: A strip-pack manufacturing apparatus is adapted to attach an end part of an article to a strip. The strip-pack manufacturing apparatus includes a holding part, first and second rollers, a stopper member and an adjusting part. The holding part is configured and arranged to hold and transport the article to a predetermined attaching position. The first and second rollers are arranged in a receiving position at which the holding part receives the article. The first and second rollers are configured and arranged to rotate while sandwiching the end part of the article therebetween. The stopper member is configured and arranged to control the position of the end part of the article that has been drawn by rotation of the first and second rollers to stop at a predetermined position. The adjusting part is configured and arranged to adjust a distance between rotation axes of the first and second rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Iwasaki, Akira Yamamoto, Michio Nishi
  • Patent number: 8307774
    Abstract: A rowing boat footrest assembly is provided with a base, a foot-rudder control member, a footrest member and a positioning structure. The foot-rudder control member pivotally coupled to the base. The foot-rudder control member includes a rudder control attachment. The footrest member is supported on the foot-rudder control member. The footrest member includes a shoe attachment. The positioning structure is operatively coupled between the base and the foot-rudder control member. The positioning structure includes a contact member and a setting member. The contact member is movably provided to one of the base and the foot-rudder control member. The contact member is biased into contact with the other of the base and the foot-rudder control member. The setting member is adjustably arranged to change an urging force on the contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keiji Matsueda
  • Patent number: 8308256
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting unit which repeatedly ejects a liquid every predetermined unit, a first storing unit which stores the liquid to be supplied to the ejecting unit, a second storing unit which stores the liquid to be supplied to the first storing unit, a pump which supplies the liquid from the second storing unit to the first storing unit, and a control unit which performs a first operation and a second operation. The first operation includes an operation of creating the ejection signal and an operation of performing a predetermined unit of a subsequent ejection using the ejecting unit. The second operation includes an operation of supplying the liquid using the pump, an operation of creating a detection signal, and an operation of detecting the liquid of the second storing unit, wherein the control unit performs the second operation while the first operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiko Sano
  • Patent number: 8307618
    Abstract: A packaging apparatus includes a conveyance unit having first and second position control plates. The first position control plate is arranged to selectively move forward or backward so as to obstruct or pass the group of packaged objects conveyed on the conveyance unit. When positions of the packaged objects are adjusted, the second position control plate is arranged to move from a downstream-side portion of the conveyance unit toward the first position control plate, rotate in a direction toward the first position control plate. or move from the downstream-side portion of the conveyance unit toward the first position control plate and simultaneously rotate in the direction toward the first position control plate. A subsequent process step delivery unit is arranged to deliver the group of packaged objects after the positions thereof are adjusted by the first and second position control plates, to a subsequent process device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seisaku Iwasa, Motoki Takayama, Tatsuya Arimatsu, Yuji Yokota, Takashi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8303401
    Abstract: A progressive jackpot (PJP) system of the invention increments two types of jackpot values. A PJP controller increments a first jackpot value by a percentage of each bet placed on gaming machines. The increment rate of the first jackpot value is predetermined from a payout percentage of the PJP system. A second jackpot value is incremented at a higher rate than the first jackpot value. Each gaming machine or the PJP controller may increment the second jackpot value. The actual amount of an award for a jackpot corresponds to the second jackpot value. The second jackpot value is reduced at appropriate intervals, even if no jackpot has been won. Preferably, the probability of the reduction of the second jackpot value is adjusted, and thereby, the average difference between the first and second jackpot values at the time a jackpot has been won is adjusted to be zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Konami Gaming, Incorporated
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8303386
    Abstract: The present invention is related to controlling a video game in which ability of a game character is adjusted on the basis of events in the video game. For example, in a baseball video game, if the game player operating a pitcher character keeps selecting a pitching trajectory that a batter character is bad at hitting the ball object, the extent that the batter character is bad at hitting the ball object in the pitching trajectory will be gradually reduced. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the pitcher character to make the batter character out. Accordingly, advantageous level for the pitcher character will be reduced. Therefore, imbalance of the baseball video game is to be solved between the pitcher character and the batter character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Sogabe
  • Patent number: 8303168
    Abstract: A device has a magnetically shielded component that is magnetically shielded from an external magnetic field, and a housing. The housing is made from a ferritic stainless steel that has an austenitized surface layer rendered on the surface, and an internal layer portion having an internal ferrite phase that functions as a magnetic shield for the magnetically shielded component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koki Takasawa
  • Patent number: D670989
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Kawase, Tomoyuki Kondo, Zhiqiang Lu
  • Patent number: D671094
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyozumi Kokawa, Tomonori Kawase
  • Patent number: D671455
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: D671466
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Matsuda, Ken Okabe