Patents by Inventor Mika Matsushima

Mika Matsushima 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: 20230312970
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an aqueous coating composition which exhibits a small viscosity change and can form a coating film having a superior coating film appearance even when the amount of the solvent contained in the aqueous coating composition is reduced due to changes in the coating environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: NIPPON PAINT AUTOMOTIVE COATINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki SEKINE, Hiromi FUJIMOTO, Mika MATSUSHIMA, Masatoshi OHTONARI, Sayaka SAITO, Takuma OKADA, Mari NAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230203730
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery patter relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika MATSUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 11608577
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery patter relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20210261809
    Abstract: An aqueous coating composition comprising an acrylic resin dispersion (A) having a core/shell structure and a melamine resin (B) comprising a hydrophobic melamine resin, wherein the acrylic resin dispersion (A) is a dispersion of a solution-polymerization product of a core part preparation monomer (a-1) and a shell part preparation monomer (a-2), wherein the shell part preparation monomer (a-2) comprises an acid group-containing polymerizable monomer. The aqueous coating composition exhibits a small viscosity change and can form a coating film having a superior coating film appearance, even when the amount of the solvent contained in the aqueous coating composition is reduced due to changes in the coating environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: NIPPON PAINT AUTOMOTIVE COATINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki SEKINE, Hiromi FUJIMOTO, Mika MATSUSHIMA, Masatoshi OHTONARI, Sayaka SAITO, Takuma OKADA, Mari NAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210156062
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery patter relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika MATSUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 10934649
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery pattern relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika Matsushima
  • Patent number: 10626534
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes at least one needle bar, a threading motor, a threading mechanism, a processor, and a memory. The threading mechanism is configured to pass an upper thread through an eye of a sewing needle. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include making one of a setting that prohibits operation of the threading mechanism and a setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism. The processes include switching the operation of the threading mechanism by prohibiting the operation of the threading mechanism in a case where the setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is made, and permitting the operation of the threading mechanism in a case where the setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mika Matsushima, Tsuneo Okuyama, Aki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10590579
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes needle bars, a notification portion, a processor, and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include acquiring sewing data for sewing an embroidery pattern made up of a plurality of partial pattern, setting correspondences between a needle bar among the needle bars and an upper thread data set included in the sewing data, for each of the needle bars, and the sewing embroidery pattern, detecting an error that occurs during the sewing, stopping the sewing when the error is detected, specifying a change-eligible needle bar, for which the sewing is completed, when a target data set exists, the correspondence with one of the needle bars not being set for the target data set, and causing the notification portion to notify information indicating the specified change-eligible needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuneo Okuyama, Aki Yokoyama, Mika Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20200010994
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a projector and a controller. The controller determines a sewing area inside an embroidery hoop such that the sewing area is greater than a projection area where the projector projects a projection image. The controller determines an embroidery pattern and a position of the embroidery pattern located relative to the sewing area. The controller determines, in the sewing area, a target area corresponding to the projection area. The controller generates projection image data representing a part or a whole, which falls in the target area, of the embroidery patter relative to the sewing area, and controls the projector to project a projection image based on the projection image data after moving the embroidery hoop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika MATSUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20180016721
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes at least one needle bar, a threading motor, a threading mechanism, a processor, and a memory. The threading mechanism is configured to pass an upper thread through an eye of a sewing needle. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include making one of a setting that prohibits operation of the threading mechanism and a setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism. The processes include switching the operation of the threading mechanism by prohibiting the operation of the threading mechanism in a case where the setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is made, and permitting the operation of the threading mechanism in a case where the setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism is made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Mika MATSUSHIMA, Tsuneo OKUYAMA, Aki YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20180016720
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes needle bars, a notification portion, a processor, and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include acquiring sewing data for sewing an embroidery pattern made up of a plurality of partial pattern, setting correspondences between a needle bar among the needle bars and an upper thread data set included in the sewing data, for each of the needle bars, and the sewing embroidery pattern, detecting an error that occurs during the sewing, stopping the sewing when the error is detected, specifying a change-eligible needle bar, for which the sewing is completed, when a target data set exists, the correspondence with one of the needle bars not being set for the target data set, and causing the notification portion to notify information indicating the specified change-eligible needle bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Tsuneo OKUYAMA, Aki YOKOYAMA, Mika MATSUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 9302404
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a moving device moving a holding member and a cutting or printing head relative to each other. The apparatus specifies, as a designated position, a position of an ultrasonic source located within a projection range on the holding member. The apparatus determines an edit pattern to be applied to an object based on the designated position to be specified and also determines a cutting or printing position on the object based on the designated position to be specified. The edit pattern is projected onto a holding region of the holding member and a menu image is projected onto an edge region of the holding member. The apparatus edits the edit pattern according to editing contents and generates data to perform cutting or printing on the object. The apparatus controls the moving device based on the generated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mika Matsushima, Masayuki Hori
  • Patent number: 9283687
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an information obtaining device configured to obtain information representing an optionally designated position on an object, a projector, a processing device, a pattern specifying device and a control device. The control device is configured to cause the apparatus to specify two designated positions on an object based on information obtained by the information obtaining device, to change a size of a specified pattern according to a distance between the specified designated positions, to cause the projector to project a marker onto the object in a size matched with the changed size of the pattern, based on the specified designated positions on the object, to determine a cutting or printing position of the pattern based on the specified designated positions on the object and to control the processing device to perform cutting or printing of the pattern in the changed size at the determined cutting or printing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoko Yamanashi, Mika Matsushima, Masayuki Hori
  • Patent number: 9194068
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a feed mechanism, a swinging mechanism, a display device, and a control device. The control device determines whether each one of a plurality of sets of sewing data for sewing a pattern is editable, displays on the display device, editable pattern described by the sewing data that has been determined to be editable, and acquires a selection command that selects an object pattern from among the editable pattern. The control device also acquires edit command to edit the selected object pattern, edits object sewing data that are for the object pattern, in accordance with the edit command that has been acquired, and causes the sewing machine to sew the object pattern on a sewing workpiece, based on the edited object sewing data, by operating the feed mechanism that moves the sewing workpiece and the swinging mechanism that swings the needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuneo Okuyama, Mika Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9145632
    Abstract: The sewing machine includes a needle bar, a needle bar mechanism, a moving mechanism, a projector, a processor, and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes comprising specifying, a plurality of times, a position of an ultrasonic wave transmission source on a workpiece based on ultrasonic waves, setting a first stitch pattern and a sewing position of the first stitch pattern, based on a plurality of specified positions, causing the projector to project an image that shows the first stitch pattern onto the workpiece in the sewing position, creating first stitch pattern data for sewing the first stitch pattern in the sewing position, and causing, based on the first stitch pattern data, the moving mechanism to move the workpiece and the needle bar mechanism to move the needle up and down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mika Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9127383
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a position acquisition device, a projection device, a processor, and a memory. The position acquisition device is configured to acquire information describing at least one designated position, each of the at least one designated position being a position on a sewing workpiece. The projection device is configured to project an image onto the sewing workpiece. The memory is configured to store non-transitory computer-readable instructions that instruct the processor to execute a step that includes specifying the at least one designated position on the sewing workpiece described by the information acquired by the position acquisition device. The memory is also configured to store non-transitory computer-readable instructions that instruct the processor to execute a step that includes causing the projection device to project a visually recognizable marker onto the sewing workpiece, based on the specified at least one designated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoko Yamanashi, Mika Matsushima, Masayuki Hori
  • Publication number: 20150128837
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a feed mechanism, a swinging mechanism, a display device, and a control device. The control device determines whether each one of a plurality of sets of sewing data for sewing a pattern is editable, displays on the display device, editable pattern described by the sewing data that has been determined to be editable, and acquires a selection command that selects an object pattern from among the editable pattern. The control device also acquires edit command to edit the selected object pattern, edits object sewing data that are for the object pattern, in accordance with the edit command that has been acquired, and causes the sewing machine to sew the object pattern on a sewing workpiece, based on the edited object sewing data, by operating the feed mechanism that moves the sewing workpiece and the swinging mechanism that swings the needle bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Tsuneo OKUYAMA, Mika MATSUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 8930816
    Abstract: An image reproducing apparatus sets event information including date of an event and retrieves a related image from images stored in a storing device on the basis of the event information. The image reproducing apparatus calculates an event waiting period from present date to the date of the event, determines display ratio for inserting the retrieved related image into images to be reproduced on the basis of the event waiting period, and displays an event related image group obtained by inserting the related image into the images to be reproduced at the display ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Ishii, Mika Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20140352511
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an information obtaining device configured to obtain information about cutting or printing of an object, a projector configured to be capable of projecting a marker onto the object, and a control device configured to instruct the apparatus to specify a position on the object based on the information obtained by the information obtaining device and to cause the projector to project the marker onto the object based on the specified position on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoko Yamanashi, Mika Matsushima, Masayuki Hori
  • Publication number: 20140352559
    Abstract: An apparatus performing cutting or printing on an object includes a moving device, a detection device detecting ultrasonic waves and a control device configured to cause the apparatus to specify, as a designated position, a position of an ultrasonic source on the object, based on the detected ultrasonic waves, when the object is located at a predetermined position, to determine at least one of an edit pattern to be applied to the object and a cutting position or a printing position, based on the specified designated position, to generate data to perform cutting or printing on the object based on the determined one of the edit pattern and the cutting or printing position, and to control the moving device based on the generated data to move the object and the cutting or printing head relative to each other, performing cutting or printing on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mika Matsushima, Masayuki Hori