Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro Hara

Kazuhiro Hara 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: 10737503
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fluid circulation apparatus includes a first tank to store fluid to be supplied to a fluid ejection head, a circulation path including a first flow path portion to provide fluid from the first tank to a supply port of the fluid ejection head, and a second flow path portion to return fluid from a collection port of the fluid ejection head to the first tank, a bypass flow path that connects the supply port to the collection port outside of the fluid ejection head, and a buffer tank in the bypass flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hara, Taiki Goto
  • Patent number: 10661575
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a booster pump that draws liquid from a liquid replenishing tank to supply it to a liquid discharge head; a pressure reducing pump that collects the liquid from the liquid discharge head to supply it to the liquid replenishing tank; a buffer tank connected between the liquid discharge head and the booster pump and between the liquid discharge head and the pressure reducing pump, and into which the liquid flows; a pressure sensor that detects pressure in the buffer tank; and a processor that controls driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump based on a nozzle surface pressure of the liquid discharge head calculated based on pressure data detected by the pressure sensor, and determines whether the liquid is deficient based on the nozzle surface pressure, the driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taiki Goto, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20200139721
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a booster pump that draws liquid from a liquid replenishing tank to supply it to a liquid discharge head; a pressure reducing pump that collects the liquid from the liquid discharge head to supply it to the liquid replenishing tank; a buffer tank connected between the liquid discharge head and the booster pump and between the liquid discharge head and the pressure reducing pump, and into which the liquid flows; a pressure sensor that detects pressure in the buffer tank; and a processor that controls driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump based on a nozzle surface pressure of the liquid discharge head calculated based on pressure data detected by the pressure sensor, and determines whether the liquid is deficient based on the nozzle surface pressure, the driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Taiki Goto, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20200139720
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a booster pump that draws liquid from a liquid replenishing tank to supply it to a liquid discharge head; a pressure reducing pump that collects the liquid from the liquid discharge head to supply it to the liquid replenishing tank; a buffer tank connected between the liquid discharge head and the booster pump and between the liquid discharge head and the pressure reducing pump, and into which the liquid flows; a pressure sensor that detects pressure in the buffer tank; and a processor that controls driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump based on a nozzle surface pressure of the liquid discharge head calculated based on pressure data detected by the pressure sensor, and determines whether the liquid is deficient based on the nozzle surface pressure, the driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Taiki Goto, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10603921
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a liquid circulation device comprises a plurality of piezoelectric pumps configured to circulate liquid in a replenishing tank to a liquid discharge head through an operation of a piezoelectric actuator thereof; a DC power supply; a switching circuit configured to switch an output of the DC power supply to supply a driving voltage to the piezoelectric actuator of the piezoelectric pump; and a control circuit configured to control the driving voltage by controlling a switching timing of the switching circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20190248150
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a liquid circulation device comprises a plurality of piezoelectric pumps configured to circulate liquid in a replenishing tank to a liquid discharge head through an operation of a piezoelectric actuator thereof; a DC power supply; a switching circuit configured to switch an output of the DC power supply to supply a driving voltage to the piezoelectric actuator of the piezoelectric pump; and a control circuit configured to control the driving voltage by controlling a switching timing of the switching circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20190248148
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device comprises a booster pump that draws liquid from a liquid replenishing tank to supply it to a liquid discharge head; a pressure reducing pump that collects the liquid from the liquid discharge head to supply it to the liquid replenishing tank; a buffer tank connected between the liquid discharge head and the booster pump and between the liquid discharge head and the pressure reducing pump, and into which the liquid flows; a pressure sensor that detects pressure in the buffer tank; and a processor that controls driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump based on a nozzle surface pressure of the liquid discharge head calculated based on pressure data detected by the pressure sensor, and determines whether the liquid is deficient based on the nozzle surface pressure, the driving voltages of the booster pump and the pressure reducing pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Taiki Goto, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10377143
    Abstract: A liquid circulator includes an upstream tank having a first pressure sensor, an intermediate tank, a downstream tank having a second pressure sensor, a circulation route for circulating liquid through an liquid ejecting head, the downstream tank, the intermediate tank, and the upstream tank, a first pump on the circulation route between the intermediate tank and the upstream tank, a second pump on the circulation route between the downstream tank and the intermediate tank, a first drive circuit configured to apply a first driving pulse to the first pump, a second drive circuit configured to apply a second driving pulse to the second pump, a controlling unit configured to calculate a pressure fluctuation value of the circulation route based on pressure values measured by the first and second pressure sensors, and adjust a phase difference between the first and second driving pulses as to minimize the pressure fluctuation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10272692
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a circulation path through which a liquid circulates through a liquid ejection head, a first pump in the circulation path on a first side of the liquid ejection head, a second pump in the circulation path on a second side of the liquid ejection head, an adjustment tank in the circulation path between the first pump and the second pump, an upstream tank in the circulation path between the liquid ejection head and the first pump, a downstream tank in the circulation path between the liquid ejection head and the second pump, a first pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in the upstream tank, a second pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in the downstream tank, and a controller configured to control the first and second pumps based on detected pressures in the upstream and downstream tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hara, Kazuhiko Ohtsu
  • Publication number: 20190092034
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fluid circulation apparatus includes a first tank to store fluid to be supplied to a fluid ejection head, a circulation path including a first flow path portion to provide fluid from the first tank to a supply port of the fluid ejection head, and a second flow path portion to return fluid from a collection port of the fluid ejection head to the first tank, a bypass flow path to connect the supply port to the collection port outside of the fluid ejection head, and a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure of the bypass flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Taiki GOTO, Kazuhiro HARA
  • Publication number: 20190092035
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fluid circulation apparatus includes a first tank to store fluid to be supplied to a fluid ejection head, a circulation path including a first flow path portion to provide fluid from the first tank to a supply port of the fluid ejection head, and a second flow path portion to return fluid from a collection port of the fluid ejection head to the first tank, a bypass flow path that connects the supply port to the collection port outside of the fluid ejection head, and a buffer tank in the bypass flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HARA, Taiki GOTO
  • Patent number: 10160223
    Abstract: An ink circulation device for an ink jet head includes a first ink storage unit that stores ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, a second ink storage unit that stores ink to be returned from the ink jet head, a pump that operates according to an electric signal to transport the ink from the second ink storage unit to the first ink storage unit, a filter between the pump and the first ink storage unit, a first pressure sensor configured to detect an internal pressure of the first ink storage unit, a second pressure sensor configured to detect an internal pressure between the pump and the filter, and a drive circuit configured to generate the electric signal according to a pressure difference between the internal pressure detected by the second pressure sensor and the internal pressure detected by the first pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kaneko, Kazuhiro Hara, Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Taiki Goto
  • Patent number: 10155395
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an ink circulation device comprises an ink supply section, an ink return section, an ink circulation pump, a filter and a bypass section. The filter partitions an upstream side ink flow path arranged between an ejection section of the ink circulation pump and the ink supply section into a first flow path communicating with the ejection section of the ink circulation pump and a second flow path communicating with the ink supply section. The bypass section is arranged at the upper part of a vertical direction with respect to the filter, directly communicates the first flow path with a downstream side ink flow path arranged between the ink return section and a suction section of the ink circulation pump. An inkjet recording device of the present embodiment comprises the foregoing ink circulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hara, Yoshiaki Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20180257384
    Abstract: A liquid circulator includes an upstream tank having a first pressure sensor, an intermediate tank, a downstream tank having a second pressure sensor, a circulation route for circulating liquid through an liquid ejecting head, the downstream tank, the intermediate tank, and the upstream tank, a first pump on the circulation route between the intermediate tank and the upstream tank, a second pump on the circulation route between the downstream tank and the intermediate tank, a first drive circuit configured to apply a first driving pulse to the first pump, a second drive circuit configured to apply a second driving pulse to the second pump, a controlling unit configured to calculate a pressure fluctuation value of the circulation route based on pressure values measured by the first and second pressure sensors, and adjust a phase difference between the first and second driving pulses as to minimize the pressure fluctuation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10065428
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a liquid circulation module comprises a liquid ejection head for ejecting liquid, a storage section connected with the liquid ejection head to store the liquid, a circulation section configured to circulate the liquid in a predetermined circulation path passing through the liquid ejection head and the storage section, a pressure detection section configured to detect pressure in the storage section, a pressure adjusting section configured to adjust pressure in the storage section, and a module controller configured to control a circulation operation of the circulation section and a pressure adjusting operation of the pressure adjusting section independently from a host controller arranged separately from the liquid circulation module and when communicating with the host controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10022978
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ink circulation device includes a first tank which stores ink to be supplied to an ink jet head, a second tank which stores the ink returned from the ink jet head, and a circulation pump which circulates the ink stored in the second tank to the first tank. In addition, the ink circulation device according to the embodiment further includes a heating device which is in contact with and heats a bottom surface of the first tank, a bottom surface of the second tank, and a bottom surface of the circulation pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ohtsu, Kazuhiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20180193449
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel antigens of an allergy to a quail egg, methods and kits for diagnosing an allergy to a quail egg, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such an antigen, and quail eggs or processed products of quail egg which are devoid of such an antigen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Kayoko Matsunaga, Akiko Yagami, Yasuto Kondo, Kazuhiro Hara, Masashi Nakamura, Yuji Aoki
  • Publication number: 20180170066
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a circulation path through which a liquid circulates to and from a liquid discharging head, the circulation path including a supply flow path on a first side of the liquid discharging head and a collection flow path on a second side of the liquid discharging head, a first tank in the circulation path on the first side of the liquid discharging head, the first tank supplying liquid to the liquid discharging head via the supply flow path and receiving liquid from the liquid discharging head via the collection flow path, a filter in the supply flow path, the filter including an air bubble filter and a before-filter chamber between the first tank and the air bubble filter, and a bypass flow path having a first end fluidly connected to the before-filter chamber and a second end fluidly connected to the collection flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuhiko OHTSU, Kazuhiro HARA, Yoshiaki KANEKO
  • Publication number: 20180072069
    Abstract: A liquid circulation device includes a circulation path through which a liquid circulates through a liquid ejection head, a first pump in the circulation path on a first side of the liquid ejection head, a second pump in the circulation path on a second side of the liquid ejection head, an adjustment tank in the circulation path between the first pump and the second pump, an upstream tank in the circulation path between the liquid ejection head and the first pump, a downstream tank in the circulation path between the liquid ejection head and the second pump, a first pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in the upstream tank, a second pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure in the downstream tank, and a controller configured to control the first and second pumps based on detected pressures in the upstream and downstream tanks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HARA, Kazuhiko OHTSU
  • Publication number: 20180068585
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for acquiring information designating a plurality of menu items provided in a meal; reading a characteristic of each of the plurality of menu items provided in the meal, from a menu item database that stores a characteristic for each menu item; generating an classification model for classifying a specified menu item from among the plurality of menu items, based on characteristics of the menu items; acquiring measurement data measured by a sensor attached to a utensil during the meal; and classifying a menu item corresponding to the measurement data, from a characteristic corresponding to the measurement data, using the classification model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HARA, Hiroki NAKANO, Hiroki NISHIYAMA, Ai OKADA, Tadayuki YOSHIDA, Mayumi YOSHITAKE