Patents by Inventor Akira Koyabu
Akira Koyabu 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).
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Patent number: 9515501Abstract: The battery charger has a socket that is tubular, has a bottom, and accepts a rechargeable battery inserted to the socket. At least one side wall of the socket is an inclined surface that is inclined to the vertical when a bottom of the battery charger is placed on a horizontal surface. A charging terminal of the battery charger is disposed on this side wall.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2013Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Toshihiro Ota, Yoshiki Kinoshita, Akira Koyabu, Hiroki Godo
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Patent number: 9090089Abstract: A thermal printer and control method for a thermal printer is provided. The thermal printer includes a print head and a paper feed mechanism for conveying a print medium past the print head at a controlled print speed based on predetermined print speed control factors. Operations include determining the print speed of the print medium based on the print speed control factors; determining a change, if any, in the print speed; determining if the change in print speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and controlling the paper feed mechanism to limit the change in the print speed if the change in the print speed is determined to have exceeded the threshold value. The change of the print speed is decreased for at least one predetermined time when the change in the print speed is determined to have exceeded the threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Akira Koyabu, Satoshi Nakajima, Yuji Takiguchi
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Publication number: 20130328523Abstract: The battery charger has a socket that is tubular, has a bottom, and accepts a rechargeable battery inserted to the socket. At least one side wall of the socket is an inclined surface that is inclined to the vertical when a bottom of the battery charger is placed on a horizontal surface. A charging terminal of the battery charger is disposed on this side wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Inventors: Toshihiro OTA, Yoshiki KINOSHITA, Akira KOYABU, Hiroki GODO
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Patent number: 8525859Abstract: A thermal head enables printing even after printing for a long time to a print medium with low paper quality. A thermal head 20 to which a print medium P is pressed by a platen roller 10 has a heat unit 21 with a plurality of heat elements 21a arrayed on an axis, and an electrode connection unit 26 that is formed on an extension of the axis. A receptive space A to which the end 11a of the platen roller 10 contact surface 11 that is pressed to the thermal head 20 is positioned is formed on this axis between the heat unit 21 and the electrode connection unit 26.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2011Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Koji Yamada, Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: 8456499Abstract: Accumulation of foreign matter on the surface of a thermal head that can cause printing defects can be reliably prevented. The downstream edge of a surface of the thermal head is substantially flush with the downstream end of a paper nipping area and a platen roller in the thermal printer. The downstream end extending from the downstream edge perpendicular to the back side is connected to a through-hole formed in a heat sink. Foreign matter on a liner-less label paper clings to the downstream end of the thermal head after passing the paper nipping area, and is then fed along the downstream end into the through-hole on the back. Foreign matter does not accumulate on the surface of the thermal head, and problems such as streaking and other printing defects caused by foreign matter on the surface of the thermal head do not occur.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: 8330781Abstract: A thermal head avoids a drop in print quality caused by adhesion of printing chaff. A thermal head 39 that presses against thermal paper that moves from one side to the other side and prints by melting dye contained in the thermal paper has a glazed layer 150 that is formed in an area on one part of a ceramic substrate 43 and stores in-flowing heat, and a heating resistor 140 that is located offset to one side from the center of the glazed layer 150, selectively heats the thermal paper S pressed in contact therewith, and melts a dye material contained in the thermal paper. A smooth surface P against which the thermal paper S heated by the heating resistor 140 slides is formed to the other side of the glazed layer 150 from the heating resistor 140.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2008Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kohei Osawa, Satoshi Nakajima, Akira Koyabu
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Publication number: 20120293595Abstract: A thermal printer and control method for a thermal printer is provided. The thermal printer includes a print head and a paper feed mechanism for conveying a print medium past the print head at a controlled print speed based on predetermined print speed control factors. Operations include determining the print speed of the print medium based on the print speed control factors; determining a change, if any, in the print speed; determining if the change in print speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and controlling the paper feed mechanism to limit the change in the print speed if the change in the print speed is determined to have exceeded the threshold value. The change of the print speed is decreased for at least one predetermined time when the change in the print speed is determined to have exceeded the threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Akira KOYABU, Satoshi NAKAJIMA, Yuji TAKIGUCHI
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Patent number: 8253766Abstract: A thermal printer 1 and control method for controlling print speed to prevent variation in printing pitch due to frequent slight changes in the print speed following a significant change in print speed. The print speed, which is the speed at which the print medium i.e., paper is conveyed when printing, is controlled based on known print speed control factors. The thermal printer comprises a paper feed mechanism for conveying the print medium at a controlled print speed passed a thermal print head, a print speed control unit 9 for controlling the print speed of the paper feed mechanism based on the print speed control factors, a print speed change acquisition unit 3 for determining the change in the print speed over a predetermined time, and a comparison unit 7 for determining if the change in print speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2008Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Akira Koyabu, Satoshi Nakajima, Yuji Takiguchi
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Patent number: 8206046Abstract: A recording device that records images on both sides of a recording medium using two recording heads suppresses slack in the recording medium and conveys the recording medium reliably. A first recording unit 21 holds and conveys the roll paper 20 between a first recording head 22 that records images to one side of the roll paper 20 and a first platen roller 27. A second recording unit 41 located downstream from the first recording unit 21 holds and conveys the roll paper 20 between a second recording head 42 that records images to the other side of the roll paper 20 and a second platen roller 47. The first platen roller drive unit turns so that the circumferential speed of the second platen roller 47 is faster than the circumferential speed of the first platen roller 27.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Publication number: 20120133723Abstract: A thermal head enables printing even after printing for a long time to a print medium with low paper quality. A thermal head 20 to which a print medium P is pressed by a platen roller 10 has a heat unit 21 with a plurality of heat elements 21a arrayed on an axis, and an electrode connection unit 26 that is formed on an extension of the axis. A receptive space A to which the end 11a of the platen roller 10 contact surface 11 that is pressed to the thermal head 20 is positioned is formed on this axis between the heat unit 21 and the electrode connection unit 26.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Yamada, Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: 8139093Abstract: A thermal printer enables both duplex printing and simplex printing. A double-sided thermal printer 1 has a first arm 31 and a second arm 32 that opens and closes in conjunction with the first arm 31. A first platen roller 21 is mounted on the first arm 31, a second thermal print head 12 is mounted on the second arm 32, and a first thermal print head 11 and second platen roller 22 are disposed on the printer frame 30 side. When the operating cover 3 closes, the second thermal print head 12 on the second arm 32 is pressed against the second platen roller 22, the first platen roller 21 on the first arm 31 is pressed to the first thermal print head 11, and the double-sided thermal paper 6 can be set with no slack. For simplex printing, the paper transportation load can be reduced by pressing only the first platen roller 21 on the first arm to the first thermal print head 11.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Akira Koyabu, Toru Takami, Sadao Murata, Hitoshi Ishino
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Publication number: 20120007936Abstract: A thermal printer 1 and control method for controlling print speed to prevent variation in printing pitch due to frequent slight changes in the print speed following a significant change in print speed. The print speed, which is the speed at which the print medium i.e., paper is conveyed when printing, is controlled based on known print speed control factors. The thermal printer comprises a paper feed mechanism for conveying the print medium at a controlled print speed passed a thermal print head, a print speed control unit 9 for controlling the print speed of the paper feed mechanism based on the print speed control factors, a print speed change acquisition unit 3 for determining the change in the print speed over a predetermined time, and a comparison unit 7 for determining if the change in print speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2008Publication date: January 12, 2012Inventors: AKIRA KOYABU, Satoshi Nakajima, Yuji Takiguchi
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Patent number: 8072475Abstract: If the recording medium and the thermal head stick together, a recording device, a control method for a recording device, and a control program enable avoiding media transportation problems caused by such adhesion. If the recording medium has a release coat layer or an overcoating layer and the recording medium is left in contact with the thermal head, an operating pattern is set according to the contact conditions for moving the surface of the recording medium a specific distance from the thermal head, and transportation is controlled according to the set operating pattern.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2011Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: 8031216Abstract: A printer avoids scratching or damaging the platen and print defects caused by adhesive. The printer 1 prints to thermal paper S that has an adhesive area 150 formed on one side with the edges of the paper adhesive-free, and color layers formed on the other side of the paper. The thermal paper S is wound sequentially into a roll so that the other side is on the outside without applying a liner protecting the adhesive area 150 on the one side. The printer 1 has a platen 18, a heating element unit 43, and a guide incline 45. The platen 18 is disposed to a main cover, rotates in the thermal paper S transportation direction, and applies pressure to the thermal paper S from the one side. The heating element unit 43 selectively heats the other side of the paper.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kohei Osawa, Akira Koyabu
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Publication number: 20110199453Abstract: If the recording medium and the thermal head stick together, a recording device, a control method for a recording device, and a control program enable avoiding media transportation problems caused by such adhesion. If the recording medium has a release coat layer or an overcoating layer and the recording medium is left in contact with the thermal head, an operating pattern is set according to the contact conditions for moving the surface of the recording medium a specific distance from the thermal head, and transportation is controlled according to the set operating pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: 7940291Abstract: If the recording medium and the thermal head stick together, a recording device, a control method for a recording device, and a control program enable avoiding media transportation problems caused by such adhesion. If the recording medium has a release coat layer or an overcoating layer and the recording medium is left in contact with the thermal head, an operating pattern is set according to the contact conditions for moving the surface of the recording medium a specific distance from the thermal head, and transportation is controlled according to the set operating pattern.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2009Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Publication number: 20100194840Abstract: Accumulation of foreign matter on the surface of the thermal head that can cause printing defects can be reliably prevented. The downstream edge 54a of the surface 52 of the thermal head 5 is substantially flush with the downstream end of the paper nipping area C of the thermal head 5 and the platen roller 8 in the thermal printer 1. The downstream end 54 extending from the downstream edge 54a in a direction perpendicular to the back side is connected to a through-hole 66 (foreign matter receptacle) formed in the heat sink 6. Foreign matter on liner-less label paper 11 clings to the downstream end 54 of the thermal head 5 after passing the paper nipping area C, and is then fed along the downstream end 54 into the through-hole 66 on the back. Foreign matter does not accumulate on the surface 52 of the thermal head 5, and problems such as streaking and other printing defects caused by foreign matter on the surface 52 of the thermal head 5 do not occur.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2010Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: 7724273Abstract: Accumulation of foreign matter on the surface of the thermal head that can cause printing defects can be reliably prevented. The downstream edge 54a of the surface 52 of the thermal head 5 is substantially flush with the downstream end of the paper nipping area C of the thermal head 5 and the platen roller 8 in the thermal printer 1. The downstream end 54 extending from the downstream edge 54a in a direction perpendicular to the back side is connected to a through-hole 66 (foreign matter receptacle) formed in the heat sink 6. Foreign matter on liner-less label paper 11 clings to the downstream end 54 of the thermal head 5 after passing the paper nipping area C, and is then fed along the downstream end 54 into the through-hole 66 on the back. Foreign matter does not accumulate on the surface 52 of the thermal head 5, and problems such as streaking and other printing defects caused by foreign matter on the surface 52 of the thermal head 5 do not occur.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Akira Koyabu
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Patent number: D680066Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Yoshiki Kinoshita, Ayumu Nakamura, Seiji Kimura, Akira Koyabu, Toshihiro Ota, Hiroshi Narita
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Patent number: D686981Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Akira Koyabu, Yoshiki Kinoshita, Masaki Hirai