Patents by Inventor Akio Tamura

Akio Tamura 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).

  • Publication number: 20110242200
    Abstract: An image forming method including applying an ink composition onto a recording medium by an inkjet method, and applying an liquid including particles onto the recording medium is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru TOJO, Toshihiro KARIYA, Terukazu YANAGI, Akio TAMURA, Minoru SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20110227990
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing composite particles is disclosed. The method includes preparing an aqueous dispersion of a polymer (a) by a phase inversion emulsification method, using water and a solution of the polymer (a), the polymer (a) containing at least one anionic structural unit and at least one hydrophobic structural unit; and forming composite particles through seed polymerization using at least one crosslinking monomer (b) in the presence of the aqueous dispersion of the polymer (a). Further, composite particles, an aqueous ink composition and an image forming method using the aqueous ink composition are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoko KUWABARA, Terukazu YANAGI, Akio TAMURA
  • Patent number: 7951854
    Abstract: An ink composition includes: first particles which are insoluble and dispersed in an aqueous dispersion medium, a polarity of the first particles being one of positive and negative; and second particles which are insoluble and dispersed in the aqueous dispersion medium, the second particles including both a cationic group and an anionic group, the second particles having a zeta potential that changes along with a change in pH of the aqueous dispersion medium, percentage of a water-soluble component in the second particles being not higher than 5% by mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Terukazu Yanagi, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Ishizuka, Takashi Hirakawa, Katsuyuki Hirato
  • Publication number: 20110039027
    Abstract: An aqueous ink composition includes: composite particles; and a colorant, wherein the composite particles are prepared by polymerizing at least one monomer capable of forming a second polymer in the presence of a polymer aqueous dispersion, and the polymer aqueous dispersion is prepared by adding a water-soluble electrolyte selected from an acidic compound or a salt thereof to either a first-polymer solution containing a first polymer and a solvent which dissolves the first polymer, or a first-polymer dispersion obtained from the first-polymer solution and water; and wherein the first polymer includes a hydrophilic structural unit and a hydrophobic structural unit, and at least one of the first polymer or the second polymer has a glass transition temperature of 120° C. or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio TAMURA, Takahiro ISHIZUKA, Terukazu YANAGI
  • Publication number: 20110025753
    Abstract: An inkjet ink composition includes a colorant, two or more hydrophilic organic solvents, and particles of a polymer containing a structural unit derived from a hydrophilic monomer and a structural unit derived from a hydrophobic monomer. The polymer has a glass transition temperature of 150° C. or higher and an I/O value of from 0.2 to 0.55, and the particles of the polymer have a volume average particle diameter of from 0.1 to 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terukazu Yanagi, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 7812660
    Abstract: A level shift circuit prevents a through current in an output circuit connected to a high-voltage power supply, thereby reducing power consumption and noise and enabling a high-speed operation. The level shift circuit includes first and second bias generating circuits that supply a gate bias voltage to each of a PMOS transistor as a first transistor and a NMOS transistor as a second transistor. Each of the first and second bias voltage generating circuits includes a series connection of a diode-connected PMOS transistor and a diode-connected NMOS transistor. The discharge of a capacitor to the high-voltage power supply is prevented, and a through current is prevented when an output signal transitions from a high-level to a low-level and vice versa, whereby power consumption and noise can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Tamura
  • Publication number: 20100227064
    Abstract: An ink composition for ink-jet recording, including: coloring particles containing a pigment that is coated with a water-insoluble polymer dispersant, and self-dispersing polymer particles containing a first polymer which includes a constituent unit derived from a hydrophilic monomer and a constituent unit derived from a hydrophobic monomer, and which has a glass transition temperature from 150° C. to 250° C. and an I/O value of from 0.20 to 0.55; an ink set including the ink composition; and an image forming method using the ink set are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Terukazu Yanagi, Takahiro Ishizuka, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20100227065
    Abstract: An ink-jet ink composition comprising: a pigment, a polymer pigment dispersion, polymer particles, a hydrophilic organic solvent, water, and at least one of a water-soluble acidic compound having a molecular weight of 200 or less or a salt thereof in an amount of from 50 ppm to 1,000 ppm; an ink set that includes the ink-jet ink composition and a treatment liquid that forms an aggregate when contacted with the ink-jet ink composition; and an image forming method using the ink set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Terukazu YANAGI, Takahiro Ishizuka, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20100203247
    Abstract: There is provided an ink set including an aqueous ink composition and a maintenance liquid. The aqueous ink composition includes water; a pigment; resin particles having a minimum film-forming temperature MFT0, which is a minimum film-forming temperature obtained when the resin particles are dispersed in water, of 60° C. or higher; and a water-soluble organic solvent, wherein a minimum film-forming temperature MFT25 of the resin particles, which is a minimum film-forming temperature obtained when the resin particles are mixed with the water-soluble organic solvent in an amount of 25% by mass relative to the solid content of the resin particles, and water, is at least 40° C. lower than MFT0. The maintenance liquid includes an organic solvent and water. There is also provided an image recording method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kariya, Terukazu Yanagi, Yoshimitsu Arai, Akio Tamura
  • Publication number: 20100166963
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for manufacturing a water-based dispersion of a self-dispersing polymer, including: obtaining a copolymer solution including a copolymer having a hydrophilic constituent unit and a hydrophobic constituent unit, and a solvent dissolving that dissolves the copolymer; obtaining a water-based dispersion of the copolymer through dispersion using the copolymer solution and water; and adding a water-soluble electrolyte selected from an acidic compound and the salt thereof to either or both of the copolymer solution and the water-based dispersion, as well as a water-based ink composition including the water-based dispersion, an ink set including the water-based ink composition, and an image forming method using the water-based ink composition or the ink set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Akio TAMURA, Takahiro Kato, Takahiro Ishizuka, Terukazu Yanagi
  • Publication number: 20100075044
    Abstract: The invention provides a water-based ink composition including: a water-based medium, a colored particle containing a pigment and a water-insoluble polymer dispersant, and a self-dispersing polymer particle including a hydrophilic constituent unit, and a hydrophobic constituent unit derived from alicyclic (meth)acrylate, as well as an ink set comprising the water-based ink composition, and an image forming method using the aqueaous ink composition or the ink set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro KATO, Akio TAMURA, Takahiro ISHIZUKA, Terukazu YANAGI
  • Publication number: 20100062160
    Abstract: There are provided an ink composition including a coloring material, a hydrophilic organic solvent, polymer particles that have a minimum filming temperature (MFTdisp) of 60° C. or more when dispersed in water and that have a MFT 40° C. or more lower than the MFTdisp when mixed with water and 25 mass % of the hydrophilic organic solvent based on a solid content of the polymer, and water; an ink set including the ink composition and a treating liquid capable of forming an aggregate upon contact with the ink composition; and an ink-jet recording method using the ink composition or the ink set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terukazu YANAGI, Takahiro Ishizuka, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20100003408
    Abstract: An ink set for ink jet recording including an ink composition containing a coloring material, and a polymer particle including 65 mass % or more of a constituent unit derived from a methacrylic acid derivative, and a treating liquid which forms an aggregate when contacted with the ink composition, and an ink jet recording method using the same are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terukazu YANAGI, Takahiro ISHIZUKA, Akio TAMURA, Takahiro KATO
  • Publication number: 20090246488
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording method is provided. The ink-jet method includes recording an images by ejecting, onto a recording medium by an-inkjet method, a liquid composition containing polymer particles having a glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than the minimum film forming temperature (MFT), a hydrophilic organic solvent, a surfactant, and water under ejection conditions satisfying all of the following (1) to (3): (1) Tg>the temperature of the liquid composition at the time of ejection>MFT, (2) MFT>20° C., and (3) the temperature of the liquid composition at the time of ejection is 30° C. or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terukazu Yanagi, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Ishizuka, Takahiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20090202722
    Abstract: An ink set for inkjet recording is provided. The ink set includes: at least one kind of ink composition that contains self-dispersing polymer particles, a color material, a hydrophilic organic solvent and water; and a reaction liquid capable of forming an aggregate upon contact with the ink composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terukazu Yanagi, Takahiro Ishizuka, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20090163646
    Abstract: The invention provides a self-dispersible polymer having one or more hydrophilic structural units and one or more aromatic group-containing structural units. The content of the aromatic group-containing structural units is in a range from 10 mass % to 95 mass % with respect to the total mass of the self-dispersible polymer, and the content of one or more water soluble components, which are contained in the self-dispersible polymer and exhibit solubility in water when the self-dispersible polymer is dispersed in a water-based medium, is 10 mass % or less with respect to the total mass of the self-dispersible polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro KATO, Akio Tamura, Takahiro Ishizuka, Terukazu Yanagi
  • Publication number: 20090134930
    Abstract: A level shift circuit prevents a through current in an output circuit connected to a high-voltage power supply, thereby reducing power consumption and noise and enabling a high-speed operation. The level shift circuit includes first and second bias generating circuits that supply a gate bias voltage to each of a PMOS transistor as a first transistor and a NMOS transistor as a second transistor. Each of the first and second bias voltage generating circuits includes a series connection of a diode-connected PMOS transistor and a diode-connected NMOS transistor. The discharge of a capacitor to the high-voltage power supply is prevented, and a through current is prevented when an output signal transitions from a high-level to a low-level and vice versa, whereby power consumption and noise can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventor: Akio Tamura
  • Publication number: 20090122410
    Abstract: An anti-reflection film, which comprises: a low refractive index layer that is formed by curing a coating solution composition comprising: a fluorine-free copolymer containing a constituent having a polysiloxane structure represented by formula (1) as defined in the specification in a main chain and a constituent containing a hydroxyl group in a side chain; and a fluorine-containing copolymer; a polarizing plate wherein the anti-reflection film is used as one of two protective films for a polarizing film; and an image display device wherein the anti-reflection film or the polarizing plate is used in the outermost surface of the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Akio Tamura, Masaki Noro, Masato Nagura
  • Publication number: 20090082503
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing an inkjet ink, the method including at least subjecting a polymer particle dispersion liquid to centrifuge processing, and mixing the polymer particle dispersion liquid that has been subjected to the centrifuge processing and a water-insoluble coloring particle dispersion liquid, as well as an ink set including the produced inkjet ink and a processing liquid that causes the ink to aggregate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Terukazu YANAGI, Takahiro ISHIZUKA, Akio TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20090041932
    Abstract: There is provided a water-based ink composition including water-insoluble colored particles, and water-insoluble particles that includes a carboxylate emulsifier and a water-insoluble polymer, and an ink set including at least one water-based ink composition, and a treating liquid that changes pH of the water-based ink composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Ishizuka, Akio Tamura, Terukazu Yanagi