Patents by Inventor Chiaki Tanuma

Chiaki Tanuma 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: 20140063131
    Abstract: An ink jet head comprises a substrate including a mounting surface and a pressure chamber open to the mounting surface. The ink jet head further comprises a nozzle plate including an inner surface fixed to the mounting surface and covering the pressure chamber, a nozzle open to the pressure chamber, and a piezoelectric element surrounding the nozzle and configured to deform to thereby change a volume of the pressure chamber. The ink jet head further comprises a deformation control unit disposed on and extending from the inner surface of the nozzle plate and surrounding the nozzle, the deformation control unit configured to cause deformation of the piezoelectric element to be substantially symmetric with respect to the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuichi ARAI, Chiaki TANUMA, Ryutaro KUSUNOKI, Shuhei YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20130271530
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes: a vibration plates having a plurality of openings of a first diameter; ink pressure chambers, each arranged on one surface of the corresponding vibration plate; first electrodes, each formed on the other surface of the vibration plate; a plurality of piezoelectric layers, each portion of which is formed on a first electrode such that it surrounds the opening and that, when a driving voltage is applied, deforms the vibration plate to expand or contract the ink pressure chamber; second electrodes formed on each piezoelectric layer; a protective layer which is at least formed on the vibration plate and the second electrode and has a nozzle for ejecting the ink having a diameter smaller than the first diameter extending therethrough and through the opening; and an ink-feeding mechanism that feeds the ink into the ink pressure chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunhei YOKOYAMA, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma, Ryuichi Arai
  • Publication number: 20130235123
    Abstract: According to embodiments, a manufacturing method for an ink-jet head is disclosed. The method comprises forming an ink pressure chamber, forming an oscillating plate, and forming, on the oscillating plate, a first electrode having a predetermined footprint. The method further comprises forming, on the oscillating plate and on the first electrode, a piezoelectric film having a footprint that is geometrically similar to the predetermined footprint, forming, on the oscillating plate and the piezoelectric film, a second electrode having a footprint that is geometrically similar to the predetermined footprint, and forming a nozzle in the oscillating plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei YOKOYAMA, Ryutaro KUSUNOKI, Chiaki TANUMA, Ryuichi ARAI
  • Publication number: 20130222481
    Abstract: An inkjet head includes a nozzle plate in which a nozzle having an ejection hole for ink is formed, an ink pressure chamber for supplying the ink to the nozzle, a first oscillating plate formed to surround the ejection hole of the nozzle of the nozzle plate, a first electrode formed to surround the nozzle of the nozzle plate and that is in contact with the first oscillating plate, a piezoelectric film configured to surround the nozzle of the nozzle plate and that is in contact with the first electrode, a second electrode formed to surround the nozzle of the nozzle plate and that is in contact with the piezoelectric film or the first oscillating plate, and a second oscillating plate formed to surround the nozzle of the nozzle plate and that is in contact with the first electrode, the second electrode, or the first oscillating plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei Yokoyama, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma, Ryuichi Arai
  • Patent number: 8469489
    Abstract: An inkjet print head is fabricated by forming an electrode and two protection film layers composed of an inorganic insulating film and an organic insulating film over the electrode within a groove of a piezoelectric member, adhering a top board to the piezoelectric member covering the groove to form a pressure chamber, adhering a polyimide plate to cover the groove, and then forming a nozzle in the polyimide plate by the excimer laser processing aligning to the pressure chamber. The excimer laser light penetrates the polyimide plate to form a nozzle is then emitted on the organic insulating film. Consequently, part of the organic insulating film is damaged by the laser light. To prevent this damage, the thickness of the inorganic insulating film in the part to which the excimer laser light is emitted is prepared to be 0.5 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Seki, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma
  • Publication number: 20130100211
    Abstract: An inkjet recording head of an embodiment includes: an elastic film provided to form a part of a pressure-generating chamber connected to a nozzle opening; and a piezoelectric film-laminated part, an end thereof being fixed to the elastic film, a central part thereof facing the elastic film having an air gap in-between, the piezoelectric film-laminated part including a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventors: Takashi KAWAKUBO, Kazuhiko ITAYA, Chiaki TANUMA
  • Publication number: 20130070027
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes actuators configured to pressurize ink. The actuators include piezoelectric elements provided on an insulating layer, first electrodes electrically connected to the piezoelectric elements, and second electrodes connected to the piezoelectric elements and configured to hold the piezoelectric elements in cooperation with the first electrodes. The first electrodes of all the actuators are electrically connected to a common first energization pattern. The second electrodes of all the actuators are individually electrically connected to second energization patterns. The first energization pattern and the second energization patterns are separated from each other without overlapping each other on the insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuichi Arai, Chiaki Tanuma, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Shuhei Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20130070030
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes a substrate, a nozzle plate, and an actuator incorporated in the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate includes a nozzle provided to communicate with an ink pressure chamber, and a vibrating plate exposed to the ink pressure chamber. The actuator displaces the vibrating plate in the thickness direction to pressurize ink in the ink pressure chamber via the vibrating plate and eject the ink from the nozzle. The ink pressure chamber has a first dimension in the thickness direction of the substrate and a second dimension in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the substrate. The first dimension is larger than the second dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma, Shuhei Yokoyama, Ryuichi Arai
  • Publication number: 20130063522
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes nozzle rows. Each of the nozzle rows includes nozzles. The nozzles are arranged at a fixed pitch in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a recording medium and arranged spaced apart from one another in the conveying direction in each of the nozzle rows. At least one nozzle located at one end of each of the nozzle rows is provided on an upstream side along the conveying direction than another nozzle provided closest to the nozzle in an arraying direction of the nozzles. At least one nozzle located at the other end of each of the nozzle rows is provided on a downstream side along the conveying direction than another nozzle provided closest to the nozzle in the arraying direction of the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuichi Arai, Chiaki Tanuma, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Shuhei Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20120056947
    Abstract: An inkjet head including: a nozzle plate including: a nozzle configured to eject ink; a first electrode formed to surround the nozzle; a piezoelectric film provided to surround the nozzle and in contact with the first electrode; and a second electrode formed in contact with the piezoelectric film and made of a metal material forming the nozzle; and an ink supply path for supplying the ink to the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Chiaki Tanuma, Shuhei Yokoyama, Ryuichi Arai, Ryutaro Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 7914117
    Abstract: The invention provides an inkjet printer that gives an excellent print quality by accelerating the traveling speed of an ink droplet ejected from a nozzle of the inkjet head. The inkjet printer includes the inkjet head having a surface forming a nozzle and adapted to eject droplets from the nozzle, an ultrasound radiator mounted on both sides of the surface and adapted to radiate ultrasound in the direction of the ink droplets that have been ejected and imparting a pressure, in flight, to the ink droplets that have been ejected, and a recording medium conveying unit for moving a recording medium relative to the inkjet head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Tanuma
  • Publication number: 20110063380
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ink jet head includes a base portion and a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge ink formed in one end side of the base portion, an actuator including a plurality of pressure chambers corresponding to the plurality of nozzles, is provided on a first surface which is an end surface of the one end side of the base portion, ink guides which form ink channels are formed on a second surface which is a main surface of the base portion and crosses with the first surface, and a wiring connected to the actuator is formed on a third surface which is another main surface opposite to the second surface of the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Chiaki TANUMA
  • Publication number: 20100245475
    Abstract: An inkjet print head is fabricated by, fist, forming an electrode and two layers of a protection film composed of an inorganic insulating film and an organic insulating film over the electrode within a groove of a piezoelectric member, adhering a top board to the piezoelectric member covering the groove to form a pressure chamber, adhering a polyimide plate so as to cover the groove, and then forming a nozzle in the polyimide plate by the excimer laser processing aligning to the pressure chamber. Herein, the excimer laser light penetrates the polyimide plate to form a nozzle, and further proceeds to be emitted on the organic insulating film. Consequently, the part of the organic insulating film irradiated by the laser light is damaged. To prevent the damage of the organic insulating film, the thickness of the inorganic insulating film in the part to which the excimer laser light is emitted is prepared to be 0.5 ?m or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seki Masashi, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma
  • Patent number: 7654646
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet head driven by a drive IC for ejecting an ink droplet having conductivity, comprising a chamber for storing ink, a nozzle plate attached to the chamber, an actuator provided with an electrode electrically contacting ink in the chamber and activated by a current flowing through the electrode from a power supply, a conductive plate including an opening and glued to the nozzle plate such that the nozzle is exposed through the opening, and a current limiter limiting the current when the ink is purged from the nozzle during a period other than that of ink being ejected. Even if the purge is repeatedly carried out, an extraordinarily rising in temperature of the drive IC and resultant breakdown of the IC can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Tanuma
  • Patent number: 7597428
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet head which can eject an ink droplet while preventing failure of ink ejection, resulting in printing an image having good print quality. The ink jet head comprises a plurality of pressure chambers, a nozzle fluidly communicating with respective pressure chamber, first common ink chamber provided on one edge of the pressure chamber, second common ink chamber provided on the other edge of the pressure chamber, and an ink channel fluidly communicating the first common ink chamber with the second. An ultrasonic transducer arranged in a part of the ink channel causes the ink in ink channel to circulate through a passage way formed of the ink channel, the first and second common, ink chambers and pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Tanuma
  • Patent number: 7500745
    Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid ink including a photo acid generating agent that generates an acid upon irradiation with light, a coloring component, and at least one kind of a solvent that is polymerized in the presence of an acid. It is preferable that the amount of the photo acid generating agent contained in the liquid ink falls within a range of between 1 part by weight and 10 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the solvent, the coloring component consists of a pigment, and the solvent contains at least 50 parts by weight of an acid polymerizable compound, the acid polymerizing compound polymerizing in the presence of the acid, having an alicyclic skeleton and/or an aliphatic skeleton having a viscosity of 50 mPa·s or less and a boiling point of 150° C. or more under room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toru Ushirogouchi, Chiaki Tanuma, Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Ryozo Akiyama, Masashi Hiroki, Yoshito Endo
  • Patent number: 7387380
    Abstract: There is disclosed a liquid ink including a photo acid generating agent that generates an acid upon irradiation with light, a coloring component, and at least one kind of a solvent that is polymerized in the presence of an acid. It is preferable that the amount of the photo acid generating agent contained in the liquid ink falls within a range of between 1 part by weight and 10 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the solvent, the coloring component consists of a pigment, and the solvent contains at least 50 parts by weight of an acid polymerizable compound, the acid polymerizing compound polymerizing in the presence of the acid, having an alicyclic skeleton and/or an aliphatic skeleton having a viscosity of 50 mPa·s or less and a boiling point of 150° C. or more under room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toru Ushirogouchi, Chiaki Tanuma, Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Ryozo Akiyama, Masashi Hiroki, Yoshito Endo
  • Publication number: 20080036823
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet head which can eject an ink droplet while preventing failure of ink ejection, resulting in printing an image having good print quality. The ink jet head comprises a plurality of pressure chambers, a nozzle fluidly communicating with respective pressure chamber, first common ink chamber provided on one edge of the pressure chamber, second common ink chamber provided on the other edge of the pressure chamber, and an ink channel fluidly communicating the first common ink chamber with the second. An ultrasonic transducer arranged in a part of the ink channel causes the ink in ink channel to circulate through a passage way formed of the ink channel, the first and second common, ink chambers and pressure chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CHIAKI TANUMA
  • Publication number: 20080024562
    Abstract: The invention provides an inkjet printer that gives an excellent print quality by accelerating the traveling speed of an ink droplet ejected from a nozzle of the inkjet head. The inkjet printer comprises the inkjet head that ejects an ink droplet from a nozzle, an ultrasound radiator that radiates an ultrasound in the direction of the ink droplet that has been ejected, and a recording-medium conveying unit, wherein the recording-medium conveying unit moves the inkjet head and the recording medium relatively to each other, and the ultrasound radiator imparts a pressure by the ultrasound to the ink droplet ejected from the nozzle causing the ink droplet to land on the recording material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CHIAKI TANUMA
  • Publication number: 20070182788
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet head driven by a drive IC for ejecting an ink droplet having conductivity, comprising a chamber for storing ink, a nozzle plate attached to the chamber, an actuator provided with an electrode electrically contacting ink in the chamber and activated by a current flowing through the electrode from a power supply, a conductive plate including an opening and glued to the nozzle plate such that the nozzle is exposed through the opening, and a current limiter limiting the current when the ink is purged from the nozzle during a period other than that of ink being ejected. Even if the purge is repeatedly carried out, an extraordinarily rising in temperature of the drive IC and resultant breakdown of the IC can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Chiaki Tanuma