Patents by Inventor Masao MIMOTO

Masao MIMOTO 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: 20190351687
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a conveyance roller; a head; a discharge roller; a tray; a memory; and a controller that receives printing data, drives the conveyance roller and the discharge roller to convey a sheet at a first velocity in a conveyance direction, and controls the head to jet liquid on the sheet. The controller obtains a first amount and a second amount based on the printing data. After the liquid is jetted from the head on the first area, the conveyance roller and the discharge roller are driven to convey the sheet at a second velocity slower than the first velocity and to discharge the sheet on the tray, or conveyance of the sheet is stopped for a predefined time and then the sheet is conveyed at the first velocity to be discharged on the tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Shohei ICHIKAWA, Masao MIMOTO, Yoshimitsu TANIGUCHI, Tsuyoshi ITO
  • Publication number: 20190299673
    Abstract: When an image recording apparatus records an specific image over a boundary between a first dot formation range where dots are to be formed in a preceding recording operation of two consecutive recording operations and a second dot formation range where dots are to be formed in a subsequent recording operation of the two consecutive recording operations, the apparatus sets, as a correction portion, an end portion in a scanning direction of a specific region including at least one of a first boundary region adjacent to the second dot formation range and a second boundary region adjacent to the first dot formation range in the specific image, and forms the dot placed at the correction portion by discharging liquid of a discharge amount smaller than the discharge amount set for a dot element corresponding to the dot from nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao MIMOTO, Kengo NODA, Shohei ICHIKAWA, Yoshimitsu TANIGUCHI, Tsuyoshi ITO
  • Publication number: 20190299594
    Abstract: A control device for a printing execution unit, wherein, in a case where a character region and a non-character region are included in an overlap region which includes an upstream end of a partial region configured to be printed by a first partial printing, the printing execution unit is caused to print a print image by: forming a plurality of character dots, which are dots in the character region included in the overlap region, by one of the first partial printing and a second partial printing, and not forming the plurality of character dots by another of the first partial printing and the second partial printing; and forming some of a plurality of non-character dots, which are dots in the non-character region included in the overlap region, by the first partial printing, and forming other dots of the plurality of non-character dots by the second partial printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi ITO, Hirotoshi MAEHIRA, Masao MIMOTO, Yoshimitsu TANIGUCHI, Shohei ICHIKAWA, Kengo NODA
  • Publication number: 20190299608
    Abstract: A control device for a printing execution unit including a printing head, a head drive unit, and a movement unit, wherein, in a case where a non-character object region is located at an upstream end of a partial region which is configured to be printed by a first partial printing: dots are formed in a first overlap region by both the first partial printing and a second partial printing, the first overlap region including the upstream end of the partial region, wherein, in a case where a character region is located at the upstream end of the partial region, dots are formed in a second overlap region by both the first partial printing and the second partial printing, the second overlap region including the upstream end of the partial region, and wherein a length of the second overlap region is shorter than a length of the first overlap region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotoshi MAEHIRA, Tsuyoshi ITO, Masao MIMOTO, Yoshimitsu TANIGUCHI, Shohei ICHIKAWA, Kengo NODA
  • Publication number: 20190233231
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a conveying roller configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction; driven rollers arranged with intervals in a width direction intersecting with the conveying direction, the driven rollers being opposed to the conveying roller in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction and the width direction; and coil springs provided corresponding to the driven rollers respectively and serving as rotating shafts for rotatably supporting the driven rollers, wherein the coil springs include a right-handed twining coil spring and a left-handed twining coil spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Masao Mimoto, Shohei Ichikawa, Kengo Noda, Tsuyoshi Ito, Yoshimitsu Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10201992
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes first and second conveying passages, a recording portion for recording images, first and second conveying rollers, first and second motors, a power transmission mechanism switchable between a first state and a second state, and a controller. In the first state of the mechanism, the controller drives the first motor to rotate the first and second conveying rollers, thereby conveying a recording medium along the first conveying passage in a first conveying direction. During this conveyance, the controller controls the recording portion to record an image on one surface of the recording medium. Then, the controller switches the mechanism from the first state to the second state, and drives the second motor in the second state of the mechanism to rotate the second conveying roller independently of the first conveying roller, thereby conveying the recording medium along the second conveying passage in a second conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Masao Mimoto, Aya Kimura, Iwane Sano
  • Patent number: 10179715
    Abstract: A sheet-feeding device includes: a first feeding roller configured to contact a sheet accommodated in a sheet-accommodation portion to feed the sheet; a second feeding roller movable between a non-feeding position and a feeding position; a driving source configured to generate a rotational driving force to the first feeding roller; a transmission portion configured to transmit the rotational driving force to the second feeding roller; a first sensor; a second sensor; and a roller actuating portion. The roller actuating portion is configured to: move the second feeding roller from the non-feeding position to the feeding position in a case where the second detector detects rotation of the first feeding roller is stopped during a sheet-feeding operation; and move the second feeding roller from the feeding position to the non-feeding position in a case where the first sensor detects the sheet-feeding operation is completed for the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Mimoto, Aya Kimura, Tsuyoshi Ito, Iwane Sano
  • Patent number: 10160240
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jie Xiu, Keisuke Wakakusa, Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20180282090
    Abstract: A conveyor device, including: a first roller; a second roller disposed under the first roller and configured to be movable between a nip position at which the second roller cooperates with the first roller to nip a sheet therebetween so as to discharge the sheet in a discharge direction and a separated position located at a height level lower than the nip position; a cover configured to be movable between a first position and a second position located at a height level lower than the first position, the cover including a downstream wall which at least partially covers a downstream portion of the second roller located at the nip position when the cover is located at the first position; and a moving mechanism configured to move the second roller between the nip position and the separated position and to move the cover between the first position and the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Aya KIMURA, Masao MIMOTO, Tsuyoshi ITO
  • Publication number: 20180281473
    Abstract: A printer includes a first roller, a second roller, a motor and a head. The printer includes a controller configured to control the head and the motor to print a first pattern comprising a plurality of first pattern elements on the sheet by alternately repeating, ejecting a liquid droplet to print one of the first pattern elements on the sheet and conveying a sheet in a conveyance direction by a first distance. The controller is configured to, after printing the first pattern on the sheet, control the motor to convey the sheet in the conveyance direction by a second distance and control the head to eject the liquid droplet to print a second pattern on the sheet without conveying the sheet, a respective first pattern element and a corresponding second pattern element being disposed at a same location in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Masao Mimoto, Aya Kimura
  • Publication number: 20180281479
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes first and second conveying passages, a recording portion for recording images, first and second conveying rollers, first and second motors, a power transmission mechanism switchable between a first state and a second state, and a controller. In the first state of the mechanism, the controller drives the first motor to rotate the first and second conveying rollers, thereby conveying a recording medium along the first conveying passage in a first conveying direction. During this conveyance, the controller controls the recording portion to record an image on one surface of the recording medium. Then, the controller switches the mechanism from the first state to the second state, and drives the second motor in the second state of the mechanism to rotate the second conveying roller independently of the first conveying roller, thereby conveying the recording medium along the second conveying passage in a second conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi ITO, Masao MIMOTO, Aya KIMURA, Iwane SANO
  • Publication number: 20180273316
    Abstract: A sheet-feeding device includes: a first feeding roller configured to contact a sheet accommodated in a sheet-accommodation portion to feed the sheet; a second feeding roller movable between a non-feeding position and a feeding position; a driving source configured to generate a rotational driving force to the first feeding roller; a transmission portion configured to transmit the rotational driving force to the second feeding roller; a first sensor; a second sensor; and a roller actuating portion. The roller actuating portion is configured to: move the second feeding roller from the non-feeding position to the feeding position in a case where the second detector detects rotation of the first feeding roller is stopped during a sheet-feeding operation; and move the second feeding roller from the feeding position to the non-feeding position in a case where the first sensor detects the sheet-feeding operation is completed for the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao MIMOTO, Aya KIMURA, Tsuyoshi ITO, Iwane SANO
  • Publication number: 20180037039
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jie Xiu, Keisuke Wakakusa, Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9884493
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a recording section configured to record an image on a sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction in a conveyance route; and an abutment member having a plurality of abutment portions which are arranged apart from each other in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction so that the plurality of abutment portions abut against the sheet convened in the conveyance route respectively, and a connecting portion connecting adjacent abutment portions among the plurality of abutment portions. The connecting portion twists so as to rotate with the width direction as a rotation axis, under a condition that the plurality of abutment portions abuts against the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Mimoto, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 9789711
    Abstract: A conveyor includes: a first roller; a second roller opposed to the first roller; a roller holder including a roller supporter; a frame supporting the roller holder and having a first surface and second surface; and a moving member that is moved to move the roller supporter. The roller holder includes: a contact portion that is located upstream of the roller supporter in a conveying direction and contacts the second surface; a thin portion disposed between the roller supporter and the contact portion; and an engaging portion engaged with the moving member at a position located downstream of the thin portion in the conveying direction. The roller supporter is moved from a first position to a second position by bending of the thin portion, which bending is caused when the engaging portion is moved away from the second roller with movement of the moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Mimoto, Yuta Uchino
  • Patent number: 9790043
    Abstract: A slider moving in a sliding direction between first and second positions shifts a second path-defining member, relative to a first path-defining member, between first and second states. A pair of movable members each disposed on a corresponding side of a slider in a width direction is movable individually in the sliding direction to shift between third and fourth states. The movable members, when both in the third state, position the slider to the first position and, when both in the fourth state, position the slider to the second position. Each movable member supports a corresponding widthwise end of the slider immovably in the sliding direction and movably in the width direction. A support frame supporting the second path-defining member supports a widthwise central portion of the slider movably in the sliding direction and rotatably on a plane parallel to the sliding direction and the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shota Iijima, Masao Mimoto
  • Patent number: 9776432
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a recording section which records an image on a sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction in a conveyance route; a first abutment member having a plurality of first abutment portions arranged apart from each other in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and configured to abut against the sheet conveyed in the conveyance route; a first supporting member which supports the first abutment member; and a plurality of second abutment members which are supported by the first supporting member at both sides in the width direction, respectively, of the first abutment member, at a distance from the first abutment member, and each of which has a second abutment portion capable of contacting with the sheet conveyed in the conveyance route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Mimoto, Shingo Ito
  • Patent number: 9738096
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a roller pair for conveying a sheet in a conveying direction along a conveyance path; a head for ejecting liquid; a platen opposite the head; contact portions, spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction and opposite the platen, for contacting the sheet between the roller pair and nozzles of the head; first and second guide members disposed upstream of the roller pair in the conveying direction and disposed in the conveyance path nearer to the head and the platen, respectively; a rotatable lever including an arm protruding from the first guide member toward the second guide member into the conveyance path; and a sensor for detecting rotation of the lever. The arm in the widthwise direction overlaps at least one of the contact portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masao Mimoto
  • Patent number: 9713930
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jie Xiu, Keisuke Wakakusa, Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20170113471
    Abstract: A conveyor includes: a first roller; a second roller opposed to the first roller; a roller holder including a roller supporter; a frame supporting the roller holder and having a first surface and second surface; and a moving member that is moved to move the roller supporter. The roller holder includes: a contact portion that is located upstream of the roller supporter in a conveying direction and contacts the second surface; a thin portion disposed between the roller supporter and the contact portion; and an engaging portion engaged with the moving member at a position located downstream of the thin portion in the conveying direction. The roller supporter is moved from a first position to a second position by bending of the thin portion, which bending is caused when the engaging portion is moved away from the second roller with movement of the moving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao MIMOTO, Yuta UCHINO