Patents by Inventor Akihito Ono

Akihito Ono has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10703107
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge attachment section includes: a cartridge body having a liquid storage chamber, and a liquid supply portion configured to supply the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to an outside. The liquid supply portion includes: a front end face facing frontward, an outer peripheral surface extending rearward from the front end face, and at least one guide provided at the outer peripheral surface. Each of the at least one guide is guided by corresponding at least one projection of the cartridge attachment section during attachment of a liquid supply tube of the cartridge attachment section to the liquid supply portion at a time of attachment of the liquid cartridge to the cartridge attachment section. Each of the at least one guide includes: a first guide portion, and a second guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Ono, Akinari Ishibe
  • Patent number: 10688796
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section including a casing, a movable member, and an urging member. The casing includes a liquid chamber storing liquid therein; a liquid passage extending in a first direction in an upright posture, and a top surface. The top surface faces upward in the upright posture and formed with a recess. The movable member has a light blocking portion. The light blocking portion in the upright posture is configured to move between a first position and a second position. At least a part of the light blocking portion in the first position is positioned above the top surface in the upright posture. The urging member is configured to urge the movable member toward the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10688794
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section including a casing and a light blocking portion. The casing includes a liquid chamber; a liquid passage extending in a first direction; and a top surface facing upward. The light blocking portion is deformable between a non-deformed state and a deformed state. The light blocking portion, at least in the non-deformed state, is configured to block or attenuate light emitted from the cartridge-attachment section and traveling in a widthwise direction crossing the first direction and a gravitational direction in an upright posture. The light blocking portion in the non-deformed state is configured to be deformed to the deformed state by an external force. The light blocking portion returns to the non-deformed state when the external force is removed from the light blocking portion in the deformed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Publication number: 20200180318
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge casing having a liquid storage chamber; a first wall; a second wall; and an air communication passage. The first wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid storage chamber. The second wall is positioned upward relative to the first wall. The air communication passage has a first communication hole in communication with the liquid storage chamber and a communication opening open to an atmosphere. The air communication passage includes: an air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall and in communication with the liquid storage chamber through the first communication hole; a second communication hole formed in the second wall; and a labyrinth path. The labyrinth path is positioned upward relative to the air chamber, and has one end in communication with the second communication hole and another end in communication with the communication opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro KOBAYASHI, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Takahiro MIYAO, Fumio NAKAZAWA, Naoya OKAZAKI, Akihito ONO, Kosuke NUKUI, Hiroshi TAIRA, Toyonori SASAKI
  • Patent number: 10654281
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge body accommodating a reservoir; a liquid-supply part; a movable member movably supported by the cartridge body; an urging member provided on the movable member; and a contact member provided at a surface of the reservoir. The movable member includes a detected part movable from a first position, to a second position rearward of the first position, and to a third position rearward of the second position, the detected part at the first position and at the second position being positioned higher relative to the cartridge body. The urging member is resiliently deformable, the urging member in a deformed state being deformed to urge the detected part toward the third position. The contact member can contact the movable member, the contact member in contact with the movable member restricting the detected part at the second position from moving to the third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Suguru Tomoguchi, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroaki Takahashi, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10618294
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a liquid supply port configured to provide communication between an interior and an exterior of the liquid cartridge, a first wall having the liquid supply port, and a second wall spaced from the first wall. A first storage chamber is between the first and second walls, and a second storage chamber is between the first and second walls communicating with both the liquid supply port and the first storage chamber. A prism is in the second storage chamber, and the prism has an inclined surface configured to change the state of received light in response to a level of liquid contained in the second storage chamber. The prism is positioned between the first and second walls and above the first storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Suguru Tomoguchi, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroaki Takahashi, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 10596819
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a first surface, a second surface spaced apart from the first surface, and a third surface extending between the first surface and the second surface, with a liquid outlet through the first surface. A circuit board is mounted on the third surface. A locking mechanism includes a locking surface that extends above the third surface, and a liquid detection mechanism includes a light access portion. The light access portion is disposed between the circuit board and the locking surface, and the circuit board is disposed between the first surface and the light access portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Okazaki, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Kosuke Nukui, Akihito Ono, Mikio Hirano, Suguru Tomoguchi, Yutao Wang, Tomohiro Kanbe
  • Publication number: 20200070530
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a housing having a storage chamber; a liquid passage in communication with the storage chamber; a circuit board; a deformable member; and a movable surface. The liquid passage extends in a first lateral direction from the housing when the housing is in an operational posture. The circuit board is positioned higher than the storage chamber in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction and vertically movable relative to the housing. The deformable member is positioned higher than the storage chamber and is lower than the circuit board. The deformable member is deformable vertically relative to the housing. The circuit board is movable vertically in accordance with deformation of the deformable member. The movable surface is positioned further in a second lateral direction opposite the first lateral direction than the circuit board. The movable surface faces upward and is vertically movable relative to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke NUKUI, Akihito ONO, Fumio NAKAZAWA, Tetsuro KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20200062001
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction includes a casing, and a lever supported by the casing. The lever is pivotable about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position. The lever includes a light-blocking portion configured to block or attenuate light traveling in a widthwise direction crossing the insertion direction and a gravitational direction, and a force-receiving portion positioned closer to a front wall of the casing than the light-blocking portion is to the front wall in the insertion direction. The light-blocking portion is positioned lower at the second position than at the first position. The pivot axis is positioned frontward of the light-blocking portion and rearward of the force-receiving portion in the insertion direction. The lever pivots from the second position to the first position upon application of an external force to the force-receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Takahiro MIYAO, Akihito ONO, Tetsuro KOBAYASHI, Fumio NAKAZAWA, Kosuke NUKUI
  • Publication number: 20200066847
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to enhance the device yield of SiC epitaxial wafers. The SiC epitaxial wafer includes a drift layer which is a SiC epitaxial layer. The drift layer has a film thickness of 18 ?m or more and 350 ?m or less and has arithmetic average roughness of 0.60 nm or more and 3.00 nm or less, and the impurity concentration thereof is 1×1014/cm3 or more and 5×1015/cm3 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichiro MITANI, Yasuhiro KIMURA, Akihito ONO
  • Patent number: 10569557
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a cartridge-attachment portion and an ink cartridge attachable thereto. The ink cartridge includes: a main body formed with an opening; an ink chamber disposed in the main body; a first valve opening and closing the opening; and a first pressing surface. The cartridge-attachment portion includes: an ink supply member providing an ink passage formed with an inlet; a second valve opening and closing the inlet; and a second pressing surface. In the attachment process, the ink supply member enters the ink chamber through the opening, the first pressing surface moves the second valve to a position opening the inlet, and the second pressing surface moves the first valve to a position opening the opening. In an attached state, the inlet is opened and positioned in the ink chamber, and the ink passage is in communication with the ink chamber through the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Akinari Ishibe, Yoshinori Osakabe, Akihito Ono, Hiroaki Takahashi, Akihito Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20200031132
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a liquid supply tube, a sealing member, and a cap. The sealing member seals an opening of the liquid supply tube. The sealing member includes a cylindrical portion, a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes radially inward. The first protrusion has a first protruding end defining a first sealing surface facing an axis of the cylindrical portion. The second protrusion protrudes radially outward to have a second protruding end in a direction away from the axis. The second protrusion has a second sealing surface in contact with the liquid supply tube. The third protrusion protrudes along the axis to have a third protruding end. The third protrusion has a contacting surface inclined relative to the axis to face the axis. The contacting surface is in contact with the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito ONO, Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Toshio SUGIURA, Yuji KOGA
  • Publication number: 20200001614
    Abstract: A printing-fluid cartridge is inserted into a printing-fluid consuming apparatus in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction and attached thereto in a first posture. The printing-fluid cartridge includes a front surface, a rear surface, a storage chamber, a supply portion having a supply port, an upper surface, an electrical interface disposed at the upper surface, and a locking surface. The printing-fluid cartridge inserted in the printing-fluid consuming apparatus is pivotable between the first posture and a second posture. The electrical interface is positioned closer to the supply port than the locking surface is to the supply port in the insertion direction. The electrical interface is positioned rearward relative to the pivot center in the insertion direction. The locking surface is positioned upward relative to the storage chamber and closer to a rearmost point of the printing-fluid cartridge than to the electrical interface in the insertion direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumio NAKAZAWA, Suguru TOMOGUCHI, Kosuke NUKUI, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Akihito ONO, Takahiro MIYAO
  • Publication number: 20200001613
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge attachment section includes: a cartridge body having a liquid storage chamber, and a liquid supply portion configured to supply the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber to an outside. The liquid supply portion includes: a front end face facing frontward, an outer peripheral surface extending rearward from the front end face, and at least one guide provided at the outer peripheral surface. Each of the at least one guide is guided by corresponding at least one projection of the cartridge attachment section during attachment of a liquid supply tube of the cartridge attachment section to the liquid supply portion at a time of attachment of the liquid cartridge to the cartridge attachment section. Each of the at least one guide includes: a first guide portion, and a second guide portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito ONO, Akinari ISHIBE
  • Publication number: 20200001611
    Abstract: A printing-fluid cartridge is inserted into a prescribed insertion space of a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction to be attached thereto in an attached posture. The printing-fluid cartridge includes: a housing including a storage chamber, a supply portion having a supply hole, an electrical interface disposed at an upper surface of the housing, and an interfering surface. The interfering surface is positioned upward of the storage chamber and extends in a widthwise direction of the housing. The interfering surface is positioned downward and frontward relative to the electrical interface and is configured to abut against a projection provided at another insertion space different from the prescribed insertion space of the cartridge-attachment section during an insertion of the printing-fluid cartridge into the another insertion space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke NUKUI, Fumio NAKAZAWA, Suguru TOMOGUCHI, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Akihito ONO, Tetsuro KOBAYASHI, Takahiro MIYAO
  • Patent number: 10518545
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into an attachment portion of a printing device in an insertion direction and attached thereto in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes: a housing having a contact; a circuit board; and a pivoting member. The circuit board is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the housing. The contact of the cartridge faces upward in the upright posture when the circuit board is in the first position. The contact of the cartridge slopes relative to the insertion direction in the upright posture and is electrically connectable to a contact of the device in an attached state of the liquid cartridge when the circuit board is in the second position. The pivoting member is pivotably supported by the housing about a pivot axis and moves the circuit board between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 10513124
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction and accommodated in the cartridge-attachment section in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes a casing, a movable member movably supported by the casing, and a circuit board provided at the movable member and facing upward in the upright posture. The movable member includes a receiving portion providing a receiving space that is open in the insertion direction and in a widthwise direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and the gravitational direction for receiving a protruding portion of the cartridge-attachment section in the insertion direction and in the widthwise direction. The receiving portion has a contact surface defining the receiving space and facing downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Publication number: 20190366726
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section including a casing, a movable member, and an urging member. The casing includes a liquid chamber storing liquid therein; a liquid passage extending in a first direction in an upright posture, and a top surface. The top surface faces upward in the upright posture and formed with a recess. The movable member has a light blocking portion. The light blocking portion in the upright posture is configured to move between a first position and a second position. At least a part of the light blocking portion in the first position is positioned above the top surface in the upright posture. The urging member is configured to urge the movable member toward the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro MIYAO, Akihito ONO, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Tetsuro KOBAYASHI, Fumio NAKAZAWA, Kosuke NUKUI
  • Patent number: 10493765
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge casing having a liquid storage chamber; a first wall; a second wall; and an air communication passage. The first wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid storage chamber. The second wall is positioned upward relative to the first wall. The air communication passage has a first communication hole in communication with the liquid storage chamber and a communication opening open to an atmosphere. The air communication passage includes: an air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall and in communication with the liquid storage chamber through the first communication hole; a second communication hole formed in the second wall; and a labyrinth path. The labyrinth path is positioned upward relative to the air chamber, and has one end in communication with the second communication hole and another end in communication with the communication opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Fumio Nakazawa, Naoya Okazaki, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroshi Taira, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10479095
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a liquid chamber; a liquid supply portion having a front end part of a liquid supply hole; a front wall and a rear wall away from the front wall in a rearward direction; a bottom wall extending between the front and the rear walls; a sub front wall; and a sub bottom wall extending between the front wall and the sub front wall. The sub front wall faces frontward and is positioned closer to the front wall than to the rear wall. The sub bottom wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid supply portion. The front wall is positioned frontward relative to the front end part of the liquid supply hole. The front wall has a length in an upward direction longer than a length of the sub front wall in the upward direction in an upright posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Hiroaki Takahashi, Akihito Ono, Takahiro Miyao, Suguru Tomoguchi, Kosuke Nukui, Naoya Okazaki