Patents by Inventor Shigenori Fukasawa

Shigenori Fukasawa 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: 11673402
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection head that ejects a liquid, a supply flow path that supplies the liquid from a liquid containing portion, which is replaceable and contains the liquid, to the liquid ejection head, a liquid feeding portion that is provided in the supply flow path and is configured to suck the liquid from the liquid containing portion and to feed the liquid to the liquid ejection head, and a control unit that controls driving of the liquid feeding portion. The control unit changes driving control of the liquid feeding portion in accordance with a remaining amount of the liquid in the liquid containing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Hirai, Shigenori Fukasawa, Mitsuhiro Koseki, Masato Haga
  • Publication number: 20220072865
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection head that ejects a liquid, a supply flow path that supplies the liquid from a liquid containing portion, which is replaceable and contains the liquid, to the liquid ejection head, a liquid feeding portion that is provided in the supply flow path and is configured to suck the liquid from the liquid containing portion and to feed the liquid to the liquid ejection head, and a control unit that controls driving of the liquid feeding portion. The control unit changes driving control of the liquid feeding portion in accordance with a remaining amount of the liquid in the liquid containing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Yasuaki HIRAI, Shigenori FUKASAWA, Mitsuhiro KOSEKI, Masato HAGA
  • Publication number: 20180326731
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a wiping portion which wipes a nozzle forming surface by relatively moving in a main scanning direction with respect to a recording head; and a controller which moves at least one of the recording head and the wiping member. The controller selects and performs at least one of first wiping processing for wiping the nozzle forming surface until the wiping portion is separated from the nozzle forming surface in the main scanning direction, and second wiping processing for separating the wiping portion from the nozzle forming surface in a retracting direction different from the main scanning direction after wiping the nozzle forming surface until the wiping portion comes into contact with a defined position of the nozzle forming surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Shigenori FUKASAWA, Yasuaki HIRAI, Yuta KOMATSU, Seiji TOJO
  • Patent number: 9375935
    Abstract: A waste liquid container includes a fitted portion, in which a discharge unit is fittable in a removable manner, a container connection terminal, which contacts a device connection terminal, an insertion restriction portion, which contacts a device contact portion and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the insertion direction, and an engaged portion, which includes a contacted portion that contacts a removal restriction unit and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the removal direction. The engaged portion is located toward an inner side in the lateral direction from a side wall at a position lower than both of the container connection terminal and the insertion restriction portion. The removal restriction unit is receivable in a region located toward an outer side in the lateral direction from the engaged portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Harada, Masanori Nakata, Shigenori Fukasawa, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20160114589
    Abstract: A waste liquid container includes a fitted portion, in which a discharge unit is fittable in a removable manner, a container connection terminal, which contacts a device connection terminal, an insertion restriction portion, which contacts a device contact portion and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the insertion direction, and an engaged portion, which includes a contacted portion that contacts a removal restriction unit and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the removal direction. The engaged portion is located toward an inner side in the lateral direction from a side wall at a position lower than both of the container connection terminal and the insertion restriction portion. The removal restriction unit is receivable in a region located toward an outer side in the lateral direction from the engaged portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Shuhei HARADA, Masanori NAKATA, Shigenori FUKASAWA, Hitotoshi KIMURA
  • Patent number: 9227407
    Abstract: A waste liquid container includes a fitted portion, in which a discharge unit is fittable in a removable manner, a container connection terminal, which contacts a device connection terminal, an insertion restriction portion, which contacts a device contact portion and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the insertion direction, and an engaged portion, which includes a contacted portion that contacts a removal restriction unit and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the removal direction. The engaged portion is located toward an inner side in the lateral direction from a side wall at a position lower than both of the container connection terminal and the insertion restriction portion. The removal restriction unit is receivable in a region located toward an outer side in the lateral direction from the engaged portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shuhei Harada, Masanori Nakata, Shigenori Fukasawa, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20150375509
    Abstract: A waste liquid container includes a fitted portion, in which a discharge unit is fittable in a removable manner, a container connection terminal, which contacts a device connection terminal, an insertion restriction portion, which contacts a device contact portion and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the insertion direction, and an engaged portion, which includes a contacted portion that contacts a removal restriction unit and restricts movement of the waste liquid container in the removal direction. The engaged portion is located toward an inner side in the lateral direction from a side wall at a position lower than both of the container connection terminal and the insertion restriction portion. The removal restriction unit is receivable in a region located toward an outer side in the lateral direction from the engaged portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Shuhei HARADA, Masanori NAKATA, Shigenori FUKASAWA, Hitotoshi KIMURA
  • Patent number: 8480204
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a head portion which ejects liquid; a plurality of liquid reception portions which receive the liquid discharged from the head portion and in which flow-out ports of the liquid are provided on the bottoms; a suction pump which is connected to each of the flow-out ports of the plurality of the liquid reception portions and sucks the flow-out ports; and closure members each of which is provided in each of the plurality of liquid reception portions, is formed so as to float in the liquid, and closes each of the flow-out ports in a state where the liquid has flown out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Hideya Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 8025357
    Abstract: A method for maintaining a fluid ejecting apparatus including an ejecting head that has an ejecting surface in which a plurality of ejecting ports that eject fluid are formed, and a maintenance portion that performs maintenance processing to recover the ejection of fluid from the ejecting ports and that has a cap member and a wiping member. The method includes performing capping processing to put the cap member on the ejecting surface and to suck, and then wiping processing to wipe the ejecting surface with the wiping member, and performing the capping processing again and then waiting a predetermined time without performing the wiping processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Satoru Hosono, Hideki Okumura, Seiji Tojo
  • Publication number: 20110199427
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a head portion which ejects liquid; a plurality of liquid reception portions which receive the liquid discharged from the head portion and in which flow-out ports of the liquid are provided on the bottoms; a suction pump which is connected to each of the flow-out ports of the plurality of the liquid reception portions and sucks the flow-out ports; and closure members each of which is provided in each of the plurality of liquid reception portions, is formed so as to float in the liquid, and closes each of the flow-out ports in a state where the liquid has flown out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Hideya Yokouchi
  • Publication number: 20100045732
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a liquid by using a liquid ejecting head provided with nozzles, includes: a cap capable of being mounted on the liquid ejecting head, wherein the cap includes a seal member which comes into close contact with the liquid ejecting head when the cap is mounted on the ejecting head, and the seal member is a member which is in a state where fluid is supplied in the interior thereof at least when the cap is mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Fujimori, Shigenori Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 7524019
    Abstract: A printer includes a recording head having a nozzle through which ink is ejected onto a paper sheet and a waste tank in which the ink is retained as waste liquid after having been drained from the recording head. A deposit of the waste liquid is formed in the waste tank. The printer has a suction pump used for forcibly drawing and draining the ink from the nozzle. The suction pump functions also as a gas blasting device that blasts gas to the deposit in the waste tank for blowing off the deposit. This suppresses the amount of the ink consumed in maintenance of the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Hitoshi Hayakawa
  • Publication number: 20090079785
    Abstract: A method for maintaining a fluid ejecting apparatus including an ejecting head that has an ejecting surface in which a plurality of ejecting ports that eject fluid are formed, and a maintenance portion that performs maintenance processing to recover the ejection of fluid from the ejecting ports and that has a cap member and a wiping member. The method includes performing capping processing to put the cap member on the ejecting surface and to suck, and then wiping processing to wipe the ejecting surface with the wiping member, and performing the capping processing again and then waiting a predetermined time without performing the wiping processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigenori FUKASAWA, Satoru HOSONO, Hideki OKUMURA, Seiji TOJO
  • Publication number: 20060214981
    Abstract: A printer includes a recording head having a nozzle through which ink is ejected onto a paper sheet and a waste tank in which the ink is retained as waste liquid after having been drained from the recording head. A deposit of the waste liquid is formed in the waste tank. The printer has a suction pump used for forcibly drawing and draining the ink from the nozzle. The suction pump functions also as a gas blasting device that blasts gas to the deposit in the waste tank for blowing off the deposit. This suppresses the amount of the ink consumed in maintenance of the printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Hitoshi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 6991314
    Abstract: The recording medium guide member is placed along the main scanning direction scanned by the carriage mounted with a recording head, and ink-receiver holes for receiving ink discharged from the recording head are formed on the guide member in positions beyond the edges of the recording medium being conveyed. Ink absorbing materials are placed in said ink-receiver holes, and a discharged ink accumulating means that cumulatively counts the amount of ink discharged into the ink absorbing materials is provided. The amount of ink discharged into the ink-receiver holes can be controlled by the discharged ink accumulation means so that contamination of the left and right edges or the top and bottom as well as left and right edges of the recording medium, caused by excessive ink collecting in the ink-receiver holes, can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hayakawa, Takahiro Naka, Shigenori Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 6932456
    Abstract: Flushing regions for receiving ink droplets to be ejected when flushing signal is supplied to a recording head are provided in both of non-print regions situated at both sides of print region in order to prevent throughput during the flushing operation from deteriorating. A guide member having a slant surface is disposed between the recording head and an ink absorbing member to which the ink landed on the slant surface flows in order to reduce in size of the ink absorbing member. A porous sheet member closely faced to nozzle orifices of the recording head for receiving the ink droplets ejected therefrom is provided in order to prevent undesired mist of fine ink droplets from generating. A plurality of plate members closely faced to the nozzle orifices are provided at a predetermined angle with respect to the flight direction of the ink droplets in order to prevent the undesired mist from generating. The flushing operation is performed so as to prevent solidification of the ejected ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Munehide Kanaya, Kazuhiko Hara, Shigenori Fukasawa, Atsushi Kobayashi, Kazunaga Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6830311
    Abstract: A cap holder on which a cap member is formed is mounted on a slider which constitutes a capping device. This slider is driven along vertical direction by receiving driving force executed by moving a carriage, so that an interval between the cap member and a nozzle forming surface of a recording head is adjusted. As a result, since a stopping position of the carriage is controlled in response to an adjustment amount of a platen gap, a distance between the recording head and the capping device when a flushing operation is carried out can be controlled under proper condition. Also, even when the control operation is advanced to a capping condition, the capping device can cap the nozzle forming surface under proper pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigenori Fukasawa, Atsushi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6779860
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus has a flushing signal generating unit that generates a flushing signal, and a recording head provided with nozzles and capable of jetting ink particles through the nozzles when driven by the flushing signal. The flushing signal causes the recording head to jet only main ink particles through the nozzles. The ink-jet recording apparatus suppresses the formation of mist of ink particles during a flushing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Hara, Shigenori Fukasawa, Nobuhito Takahashi, Norihiro Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20040135843
    Abstract: The recording medium guide member is placed along the main scanning direction scanned by the carriage mounted with a recording head, and ink-receiver holes for receiving ink discharged from the recording head are formed on the guide member in positions beyond the edges of the recording medium being conveyed. Ink absorbing materials are placed in said ink-receiver holes, and a discharged ink accumulating means that cumulatively counts the amount of ink discharged into the ink absorbing materials is provided. The amount of ink discharged into the ink-receiver holes can be controlled by the discharged ink accumulation means so that contamination of the left and right edges or the top and bottom as well as left and right edges of the recording medium, caused by excessive ink collecting in the ink-receiver holes, can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hayakawa, Takahiro Naka, Shigenori Fukasawa
  • Publication number: 20040085391
    Abstract: Flushing regions for receiving ink droplets to be ejected when flushing signal is supplied to a recording head are provided in both of non-print regions situated at both sides of print region in order to prevent throughput during the flushing operation from deteriorating. A guide member having a slant surface is disposed between the recording head and an ink absorbing member to which the ink landed on the slant surface flows in order to reduce in size of the ink absorbing member. A porous sheet member closely faced to nozzle orifices of the recording head for receiving the ink droplets ejected therefrom is provided in order to prevent undesired mist of fine ink droplets from generating. A plurality of plate members closely faced to the nozzle orifices are provided at a predetermined angle with respect to the flight direction of the ink droplets in order to prevent the undesired mist from generating. The flushing operation is performed so as to prevent solidification of the ejected ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Munehide Kanaya, Kazuhiko Hara, Shigenori Fukasawa, Atsushi Kobayashi, Kazunaga Suzuki