Patents by Inventor Akie Shimizu

Akie Shimizu 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: 20130233217
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes at least one detecting portion, a processor, and a memory. The at least one detecting portion is configured to detect an ultrasonic wave that has been transmitted from a transmission source. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to execute steps including identifying a position of the transmission source of the ultrasonic wave based on information pertaining to the ultrasonic wave that has been detected by the at least one detecting portion, and controlling sewing based on the position of the transmission source that has been identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Akie SHIMIZU, Satoru MAKINO, Yuki IHIRA, Daisuke ABE, Yoshinori NAKAMURA, Satoru ICHIYANAGI, Yutaka NOMURA
  • Publication number: 20130233219
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a detector configured to detect ultrasonic waves transmitted from a specification-enabled area, a processor, and a memory storing non-transitory computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to perform specifying a prescribed position based on a positional relationship between a transmission area and the specification-enabled area, the transmission area being an area that is at least a portion of a sewing-enabled area and being an area that includes a position of a transmission source that transmits the ultrasonic waves, the prescribed position being a position of an embroidery frame when the entire transmission area is included in the specification-enabled area, moving the embroidery frame to the specified prescribed position, specifying a transmission position based on the ultrasonic waves that are detected by the detector, and performing a sewing operation based on the specified transmission position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshinori NAKAMURA, Satoru MAKINO, Akie SHIMIZU, Daisuke ABE, Yoshio NISHIMURA, Satoru ICHIYANAGI, Yutaka NOMURA
  • Publication number: 20130233222
    Abstract: A sewing machine that includes a processor, a plurality of detection devices that is configured to be capable of changing mounting positions and configured to detect an ultrasonic wave, and a memory that is configured to store computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to execute steps comprising, identifying, when a first ultrasonic wave transmitted from a transmission source of the ultrasonic wave is detected by the detection devices, a position of the transmission source of the first ultrasonic wave, based on information relating to the detected first ultrasonic wave, and controlling sewing based on the identified position of the transmission source of the first ultrasonic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio NISHIMURA, Satoru MAKINO, Yoshinori NAKAMURA, Yutaka NOMURA, Akie SHIMIZU, Yuki IHIRA, Daisuke ABE
  • Publication number: 20130233218
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a sewing portion, a detector, a processor, and a memory. The sewing portion includes a needle bar and a transport portion. The needle bar is configured to have a sewing needle on a lower end. The transport portion is configured to move a work cloth. The detector is configured to detect ultrasonic waves. The memory stores computer-readable instructions that instruct the processor to perform specifying a position of a transmission source of the ultrasonic waves based on the ultrasonic waves that are detected by the detector, specifying sewing information based on the specified position of the transmission source, the sewing information being information that pertains to sewing, and controlling the sewing portion based on the specified sewing information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio NISHIMURA, Satoru ICHIYANAGI, Yutaka NOMURA, Yoshinori NAKAMURA, Yuki IHIRA, Daisuke ABE, Akie SHIMIZU
  • Patent number: 8176860
    Abstract: A sewing machine including a needle bar; a sewing needle attached to the lower end of the needle bar; a needle bar drive mechanism vertically driving the needle bar; a presser foot capable of applying releasable pressure on a workpiece cloth and that releases the pressure to allow manual movement and sewing of the workpiece cloth; a regulatory needle including a tip and being capable of assuming a pierced state where the tip is pierced through the workpiece cloth and a non-pierced state, wherein the regulatory needle is moved along with the workpiece cloth while retaining the pierced state of the tip; a regulatory needle drive unit vertically driving the regulatory needle between the pierced state and the non-pierced state in coordination with vertical movement of the sewing needle; and a regulatory needle regulator limiting horizontal movement of the regulatory needle so as not to exceed a predetermined stitch pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akie Shimizu, Hirokazu Hirose, Yuki Ihira, Yoshio Nishimura, Yoshinori Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20100031860
    Abstract: A sewing machine including a needle bar; a sewing needle attached to the lower end of the needle bar; a needle bar drive mechanism vertically driving the needle bar; a presser foot capable of applying releasable pressure on a workpiece cloth and that releases the pressure to allow manual movement and sewing of the workpiece cloth; a regulatory needle including a tip and being capable of assuming a pierced state where the tip is pierced through the workpiece cloth and a non-pierced state, wherein the regulatory needle is moved along with the workpiece cloth while retaining the pierced state of the tip; a regulatory needle drive unit vertically driving the regulatory needle between the pierced state and the non-pierced state in coordination with vertical movement of the sewing needle; and a regulatory needle regulator limiting horizontal movement of the regulatory needle so as not to exceed a predetermined stitch pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akie Shimizu, Hirokazu Hirose, Yuki Ihira, Yoshio Nishimura, Yoshinori Nakamura