Patents by Inventor Toshio Sugiura

Toshio Sugiura 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: 11511540
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging head having nozzles, a tank which stores liquid, and a controller. The controller causes the liquid discharging head to perform a discharging operation for discharging the liquid from the nozzles based on a discharging data. The discharging data includes unit discharging data indicating whether the liquid is to be discharged from the nozzles within a predetermined time period. In the discharging operation, a) if a discharge amount based on the unit discharging data is less than a threshold value, the liquid discharging head performs a first discharging operation during the predetermined time period, and b) if the discharge amount based on the unit discharging data is equal to or more than the threshold value, the liquid discharging head performs a second discharging operation during another time period longer than the predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakano, Toshiyuki Yamane, Toshio Sugiura, Jiro Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20220305799
    Abstract: There is provides liquid discharging apparatus including: head having nozzle; reservoir configured to store the liquid such that liquid surface is positioned higher than opening of the nozzle in a state that the reservoir stores the liquid of maximum storable amount; and atmosphere port connecting gas layer and outside of the reservoir. Inner diameter d of the nozzle and head difference h satisfy expression of ?hd /?cos??4/g, provided that p is specific weight of the liquid, ? is surface tension of the liquid, ? is contact angle of the liquid in the nozzle and g is gravitational acceleration, the head difference h being difference in height between meniscus in the opening of the nozzle and the liquid surface in the state that the reservoir stores the liquid of the maximum storable amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: FUMIO NAKAZAWA, YOSHINORI OSAKABE, HIROYUKI ISHIKAWA, YUJI KOGA, NAOYA OKAZAKI, AKIRA IRIGUCHI, SHINGO ITO, TOSHIO SUGIURA
  • Publication number: 20210300034
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a liquid discharging head having nozzles, a tank which stores liquid, and a controller. The controller causes the liquid discharging head to perform a discharging operation for discharging the liquid from the nozzles based on a discharging data. The discharging data includes unit discharging data indicating whether the liquid is to be discharged from the nozzles within a predetermined time period. In the discharging operation, a) if a discharge amount based on the unit discharging data is less than a threshold value, the liquid discharging head performs a first discharging operation during the predetermined time period, and b) if the discharge amount based on the unit discharging data is equal to or more than the threshold value, the liquid discharging head performs a second discharging operation during another time period longer than the predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro NAKANO, Toshiyuki YAMANE, Toshio SUGIURA, Jiro YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200031132
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a liquid supply tube, a sealing member, and a cap. The sealing member seals an opening of the liquid supply tube. The sealing member includes a cylindrical portion, a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and a third protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes radially inward. The first protrusion has a first protruding end defining a first sealing surface facing an axis of the cylindrical portion. The second protrusion protrudes radially outward to have a second protruding end in a direction away from the axis. The second protrusion has a second sealing surface in contact with the liquid supply tube. The third protrusion protrudes along the axis to have a third protruding end. The third protrusion has a contacting surface inclined relative to the axis to face the axis. The contacting surface is in contact with the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito ONO, Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Toshio SUGIURA, Yuji KOGA
  • Patent number: 10279586
    Abstract: A method of printing a test pattern in a printer includes printing a related-information acquisition pattern as the test pattern in a particular state by driving a plurality of drive elements of a liquid ejection head to eject a liquid droplet from a plurality of nozzles based on a temperature detected by a temperature sensor. The related-information acquisition pattern is a pattern for acquiring related information relating to at least one of an ejection amount and a liquid droplet landing position of the liquid droplet ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles. The liquid droplet landing position is a position at which the liquid droplet ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles lands on a recording medium. The particular state is a state where a temperature difference between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and an actual temperature of the liquid ejection head is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Aya Kimura, Toshio Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20180072081
    Abstract: A method of printing a test pattern in a printer includes printing a related-information acquisition pattern as the test pattern in a particular state by driving a plurality of drive elements of a liquid ejection head to eject a liquid droplet from a plurality of nozzles based on a temperature detected by a temperature sensor. The related-information acquisition pattern is a pattern for acquiring related information relating to at least one of an ejection amount and a liquid droplet landing position of the liquid droplet ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles. The liquid droplet landing position is a position at which the liquid droplet ejected from each of the plurality of nozzles lands on a recording medium. The particular state is a state where a temperature difference between the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and an actual temperature of the liquid ejection head is constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Aya KIMURA, Toshio SUGIURA
  • Patent number: 8186786
    Abstract: A printer includes: a recording head which records an image on a recording medium; a carriage which carries the recording head and is movable in a scanning direction; a guide member which extends in the scanning direction and guides a movement of the carriage in the scanning direction; an angle-controlling member which is supported by the carriage to be pivotable relative thereto and controls an angular position of the carriage relative to the guide member in a state in which at least one contact surface of the angle-controlling member is in contact with a surface of the guide member that extends in the scanning direction; and a pivotal-position adjusting device which adjusts a pivotal position of the angle-controlling member relative to the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kumiko Kuriki, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 8057339
    Abstract: A pulley holder for rotatably supporting a pulley around which a belt is wound, in which the pulley holder includes a shaft having a shaft body for supporting the pulley and a projection at least one end of the shaft body in its axial direction, and a holder body having a bearing for supporting the shaft body, and a fitting part for fitting the projection. Since the projection is biased from an axis of the shaft body, once the projection is fit into the fitting part, the shaft body would not rotate around the axis. Accordingly, a friction wear of the bearing of the holder body is prevented and thus a shift in conveying a carriage is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7909441
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including a housing; a recording head which ejects droplets of one or more sorts of inks; a carriage which is provided in the housing and which carries the recording head and reciprocates in opposite directions; one or more ink supply tubes which are connected, at respective one ends thereof, to a tube connection portion of the carriage so as to supply the sorts of inks to the recording head, and is fixed, at respective fixed portions thereof, to the housing such that respective intermediate portions thereof located between the respective one ends thereof and the respective fixed portions thereof forms respective curved portions that are each convex in one of the opposite directions, wherein the ink supply tubes have respective flexibilities assuring that when the carriage reciprocates, the ink supply tubes follow reciprocation of the carriage while the respective curved portions thereof change respective shapes thereof; a pivotable support member which is supported by the housing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7909442
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus including a housing; a recording head which ejects droplets of ink; a carriage which is provided in the housing and which carries the recording head and reciprocates in opposite directions; an ink supply tube which is connected, at one end thereof, to a tube connection portion of the carriage so as to supply the ink to the recording head, and is fixed, at a fixed portion thereof, to the housing such that an intermediate portion thereof located between the one end thereof and the fixed portion thereof forms a curved portion convex in one of the opposite directions, wherein the ink supply tube has a flexibility assuring that when the carriage reciprocates, the ink supply tube follows reciprocation of the carriage while the curved portion thereof changes a shape thereof; a pivotable support member which is supported by the housing such that the support member is pivotable about a supporting point, wherein the support member includes an arm portion having a support portion that suppor
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7837401
    Abstract: A multifunction apparatus includes a belt drive mechanism configured to move a carriage reciprocally placed on guide rails. The belt drive mechanism is comprised of a drive pulley, a driven pulley, and a timing belt, which is stretched between the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The carriage includes a belt holder, which is configured to hold the timing belt, and a torsion coil spring, which is configured to urge elastically the belt holder to the carriage. The belt holder is disposed in a position to urge the carriage to one of the guide rail, and movable toward the guide rail relative to the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7789483
    Abstract: A carriage driving unit comprises a carriage, an timing belt, an timing belt, which is jointed to the carriage, looped around between a driving pulley attached to a driving shaft of a motor and a driven pulley attached to a driven shaft, a frame for rotatably supporting said driving shaft in a cantilever manner and a regulating projection for regulating the timing belt from displacing in a direction closer to said frame with respect to said driving pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Tamaki, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7753481
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording head, a carriage mounted with the recording head and reciprocates in a reciprocation direction, a conductive wire extending from the carriage, a regulating wall which extends along a reciprocation direction of the carriage and suppresses the conductive wire from swelling in a direction separating away from the carriage, and a fixing member which fixes other end side of the conductive wire to an apparatus body by forming a curved portion inverted in the reciprocation direction of the carriage at a predetermined position between the regulating wall and the carriage in the conductive wire and pressing the other end side of the conductive wire toward the regulating wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kawamata, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7695101
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a carriage that carries a recording head capable of recording an image on a recording medium and reciprocates in a main scanning direction; a substantially box-shaped main frame having an open upper side and a pair of side plates extending in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction; and first and second guide members over which the carriage extends and by which the carriage is guided, the first and second guide members being disposed to be apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the sub-scanning direction, extended in the main scanning direction at the upper side of the main frame and fixed to the pair of side plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7631965
    Abstract: An image-recording device including a carriage, a recording head, a guide rail, a flexible flat cable, a flexible ink supply tubes, and a top cover. The recording head is provided at the carriage. The guide rail extends in a widthwise direction of a recording medium fed in a feeding direction perpendicular to the widthwise direction. The flat cable has a broad surface extending in a horizontal direction and bent into U-shape so that an upper region of the flat cable faces the top cover whereas a lower region of the flat cable faces the base. The carriage is reciprocally movable in the widthwise direction. The flat cable is oriented upward from the carriage at a prescribed angle with respect to a horizontal plane and extends in the widthwise direction, so that at least the U-shaped bent portion of the flat cable is in continuous contact with the top cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Samoto, Noriyuki Kawamata, Shuichi Tamaki, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7559623
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a linear encoder which includes a linear scale and a support section which supports one end of the linear scale, the support section including: a support member which has a holding portion that holds said one end of the linear scale and which is movable such that the holding portion moves along a predetermined path; and an elastic member which biases the support member in a direction in which tension is given to the linear scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Tamaki, Toshio Sugiura, Kenji Samoto
  • Publication number: 20080297560
    Abstract: A printer includes: a recording head which records an image on a recording medium; a carriage which carries the recording head and is movable in a scanning direction; a guide member which extends in the scanning direction and guides a movement of the carriage in the scanning direction; an angle-controlling member which is supported by the carriage to be pivotable relative thereto and controls an angular position of the carriage relative to the guide member in a state in which at least one contact surface of the angle-controlling member is in contact with a surface of the guide member that extends in the scanning direction; and a pivotal-position adjusting device which adjusts a pivotal position of the angle-controlling member relative to the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kumiko Kuriki, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7431278
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a platen, a transporting device, and a suction device. The image forming unit forms an image on one surface of a printing medium. The transporting device transports the printing medium in a transportation direction along the platen while the other surface of the printing medium faces a surface of the platen. The suction device sucks air. The platen includes a plurality of rollers, which are rotatable around rotation axes perpendicular to the transportation direction and protrude from the surface of the platen, and a suction opening which is defined on the surface of the platen and communicates with the suction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Hiraki, Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7422320
    Abstract: A recording medium conveying device that conveys a recording medium to a recording area, includes a pair of first conveyor rollers that are provided upstream of the recording area and convey a recording medium by nipping the recording medium therebetween, a detector that detects a position of the recording medium, a nipping force changing unit that changes the nipping force of the pair of first conveyor rollers, and a controller that controls an operation of the nipping force changing unit in accordance with the position of the recording medium detected by the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Sugiura
  • Patent number: RE40543
    Abstract: For each section forming a music piece, music template information is supplied which includes at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in the section. A plurality of already-composed music pieces are preferably analyzed to store a plurality of pieces of such music template information so that any users can select from the stored pieces of music template information. For a music piece to be composed, the user enters information indicative of a tendency relating to the number of notes, such as syllable information of desired words or scat words, in each section of the music piece. On the basis of one of the pieces of music template information supplied and the user-entered information indicative of the number-of-notes tendency (syllable information), the length and pitch of notes in each section can be determined, which permits automatic generation of music piece data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Aoki, Toshio Sugiura