Patents by Inventor Akihiro Makimoto

Akihiro Makimoto 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: 8827411
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a carriage incorporating an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink from an inkjet head; a scanning device which scans the recording medium by bi-directionally moving the carriage along a direction perpendicular to a direction of conveyance of the recording medium; a platen arranged opposite the carriage and supporting the recording medium from a rear surface side thereof; and a temperature control device carrying out temperature control of the platen by a temperature adjustment mechanism provided on the carriage or is provided detachably, wherein the temperature control device carries out temperature control throughout the whole range of the platen in the width direction, by moving the carriage by the scanning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Makimoto
  • Patent number: 8668327
    Abstract: A particle dispersion supply apparatus includes a roller, an ejection device and a particle dispersion permeation member. The roller rotates in a prescribed direction and touches an image formation face of a recording medium being conveyed by a conveyance body. The ejection device is disposed to oppose the roller at a roller rotation direction upstream side relative to the position at which the roller touches the image formation face of the recording medium, and ejects a particle dispersion in which numerous particles are dispersed in a liquid. The particle dispersion permeation member is disposed so as to be interposed between the ejection device and the roller and so as to contact the roller. The particle dispersion permeation member retains the particle dispersion and the particle dispersion can permeate therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Makimoto, Akihiro Hashiguchi, Kiyoshi Irita
  • Publication number: 20130257965
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a carriage incorporating an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink from an inkjet head; a scanning device which scans the recording medium by bi-directionally moving the carriage along a direction perpendicular to a direction of conveyance of the recording medium; a platen arranged opposite the carriage and supporting the recording medium from a rear surface side thereof; and a temperature control device carrying out temperature control of the platen by a temperature adjustment mechanism provided on the carriage or is provided detachably, wherein the temperature control device carries out temperature control throughout the whole range of the platen in the width direction, by moving the carriage by the scanning device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro MAKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8529053
    Abstract: Sheets of paper discharged from an apparatus main body are stacked in a stack unit and humidified air is blown to the stacked sheets of paper by a spray device (humidifying seasoning). The humidified air blown by the spray device is blown between the sheets of paper to supply moisture to a non-image-formed portion. After blowing the humidified air for 5 minutes, nozzles of a water pipe is closed under the control of a controller and non-humidified air of the atmosphere is blown to the sheets of paper for 10 minutes (blowing seasoning). Accordingly, since the amount of moisture in the non-image-formed portion is returned to the amount of moisture originally contained in the sheets of paper, the difference in the amounts of moisture between an image-formed portion and a non-image-formed portion is reduced, thereby suppressing the cockling generated in the sheets of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: FujiFilm Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Makimoto
  • Patent number: 8264549
    Abstract: An image stabilizer has a base block, a CCD holder, an intermediate member, a rectangular frame-shaped first sheet metal member, a rectangular frame-shaped second sheet metal member, and voice coil motors (VCMs). The first sheet metal member has a pair of mutually-parallel horizontal leaf springs that is formed by bending upper and lower sides of the first sheet metal member. The second sheet metal member has a pair of mutually-parallel vertical leaf springs that is formed by bending right and left sides of the second sheet metal member. The horizontal leaf springs are flexible along a Y-axis, and the vertical leaf springs are flexible along an X-axis in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis. The VCMs shift a CCD through the CCD holder, while bending the horizontal or vertical leaf springs, to counteract a camera shake in an X-axis or Y-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Tokiwa, Junji Hayashi, Akihiro Makimoto
  • Patent number: 8256867
    Abstract: The recording apparatus includes: an image forming device which deposits ink onto a recoding medium to form an image; a conveyance device which conveys the recording medium in a recording medium conveyance direction at a recording medium conveyance speed; a pressing member which presses the recording medium on which the ink has been deposited, onto the conveyance device; and a pushing device which pushes the pressing member to press the recording medium to suppress cockling occurring in the recording medium on which the ink has been deposited, the pushing device having a spring constant k that satisfies: 48 ? EI ( 1 ? / ? f ) 3 < k < v · 2 ? A t · 48 ? EI ( 1 ? / ? f ) 3 , where EI is a flexural rigidity of the recording medium, t is a thickness of the recording medium, v is the recording medium conveyance speed, A is an amplitude of the cockling in the recording medium, and f is a frequency of the cockling in the recording medium along the recording medium conv
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Makimoto
  • Publication number: 20120210892
    Abstract: A particle dispersion supply apparatus includes a roller, an ejection device and a particle dispersion permeation member. The roller rotates in a prescribed direction and touches an image formation face of a recording medium being conveyed by a conveyance body. The ejection device is disposed to oppose the roller at a roller rotation direction upstream side relative to the position at which the roller touches the image formation face of the recording medium, and ejects a particle dispersion in which numerous particles are dispersed in a liquid. The particle dispersion permeation member is disposed so as to be interposed between the ejection device and the roller and so as to contact the roller. The particle dispersion permeation member retains the particle dispersion and the particle dispersion can permeate therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro MAKIMOTO, Akihiro HASHIGUCHI, Kiyoshi IRITA
  • Patent number: 8208031
    Abstract: An image stabilizer has a base block, an inner frame for holding a CCD, an outer frame, a pair of horizontal leaf springs, a pair of vertical leaf springs, voice coil motors (VCMs) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). Upon a shake of a digital still camera due to hand-held shooting, the VCMs shift the inner or outer frame while bending the horizontal or vertical leaf springs so that the CCD is shifted to counteract the camera shake. The FPC connected to the CCD and the VCMs is routed from the inner frame, through the horizontal leaf spring, the outer frame and the vertical leaf spring, and pulled out above the base block. The FPC is glued to the horizontal and vertical leaf springs, and elastically bent together with the horizontal and vertical leaf springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Makimoto, Junji Hayashi, Kentaro Tokiwa
  • Publication number: 20120038722
    Abstract: Sheets of paper discharged from an apparatus main body are stacked in a stack unit and humidified air is blown to the stacked sheets of paper by a spray device (humidifying seasoning). The humidified air blown by the spray device is blown between the sheets of paper to supply moisture to a non-image-formed portion. After blowing the humidified air for 5 minutes, nozzles of a water pipe is closed under the control of a controller and non-humidified air of the atmosphere is blown to the sheets of paper for 10 minutes (blowing seasoning). Accordingly, since the amount of moisture in the non-image-formed portion is returned to the amount of moisture originally contained in the sheets of paper, the difference in the amounts of moisture between an image-formed portion and a non-image-formed portion is reduced, thereby suppressing the cockling generated in the sheets of paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro MAKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8111295
    Abstract: A CCD support mechanism includes a CCD holder for holding a CCD, a first printed circuit board having a first printed coil, a second printed circuit board having a second printed coil, a pair of horizontal leaf springs, and a pair of vertical leaf springs. When a camera shake occurs by hand-held shooting, a VCM composed of the first printed coil and a first stationary magnet shifts the CCD, while bending the horizontal leaf springs, to counteract the camera shake in a Y-axis direction. A VCM composed of the second printed coil and a second stationary magnet shifts the CCD, while bending the vertical leaf springs, to counteract the camera shake in an X-axis direction. Current values of the VCMs are determined by feedback control by using an output signal from a shake detector as a target value and a present position from a position detector as a measurement value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Makimoto, Kentaro Tokiwa
  • Publication number: 20110069103
    Abstract: The recording apparatus includes: an image forming device which deposits ink onto a recoding medium to form an image; a conveyance device which conveys the recording medium in a recording medium conveyance direction at a recording medium conveyance speed; a pressing member which presses the recording medium on which the ink has been deposited, onto the conveyance device; and a pushing device which pushes the pressing member to press the recording medium to suppress cockling occurring in the recording medium on which the ink has been deposited, the pushing device having a spring constant k that satisfies 48 ? EI ( 1 ? / ? f ) 3 < k < v · 2 ? A t · 48 ? EI ( 1 ? / ? f ) 3 , where EI is a flexural rigidity of the recording medium, t is a thickness of the recording medium, v is the recording medium conveyance speed, A is an amplitude of the cockling in the recording medium, and f is a frequency of the cockling in the recording medium along the recording medium conve
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventor: Akihiro MAKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20100165132
    Abstract: An image stabilizer has a base block, a CCD holder, an intermediate member, a rectangular frame-shaped first sheet metal member, a rectangular frame-shaped second sheet metal member, and voice coil motors (VCMs). The first sheet metal member has a pair of mutually-parallel horizontal leaf springs that is formed by bending upper and lower sides of the first sheet metal member. The second sheet metal member has a pair of mutually-parallel vertical leaf springs that is formed by bending right and left sides of the second sheet metal member. The horizontal leaf springs are flexible along a Y-axis, and the vertical leaf springs are flexible along an X-axis in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis. The VCMs shift a CCD through the CCD holder, while bending the horizontal or vertical leaf springs, to counteract a camera shake in an X-axis or Y-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro TOKIWA, Junji Hayashi, Akihiro Makimoto
  • Publication number: 20100165131
    Abstract: An image stabilizer has a base block, an inner frame for holding a CCD, an outer frame, a pair of horizontal leaf springs, a pair of vertical leaf springs, voice coil motors (VCMs) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). Upon a shake of a digital still camera due to hand-held shooting, the VCMs shift the inner or outer frame while bending the horizontal or vertical leaf springs so that the CCD is shifted to counteract the camera shake. The FPC connected to the CCD and the VCMs is routed from the inner frame, through the horizontal leaf spring, the outer frame and the vertical leaf spring, and pulled out above the base block. The FPC is glued to the horizontal and vertical leaf springs, and elastically bent together with the horizontal and vertical leaf springs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro MAKIMOTO, Junji HAYASHI, Kentaro TOKIWA
  • Publication number: 20100149354
    Abstract: A CCD support mechanism includes a CCD holder for holding a CCD, a first printed circuit board having a first printed coil, a second printed circuit board having a second printed coil, a pair of horizontal leaf springs, and a pair of vertical leaf springs. When a camera shake occurs by hand-held shooting, a VCM composed of the first printed coil and a first stationary magnet shifts the CCD, while bending the horizontal leaf springs, to counteract the camera shake in a Y-axis direction. A VCM composed of the second printed coil and a second stationary magnet shifts the CCD, while bending the vertical leaf springs, to counteract the camera shake in an X-axis direction. Current values of the VCMs are determined by feedback control by using an output signal from a shake detector as a target value and a present position from a position detector as a measurement value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: AKIHIRO MAKIMOTO, KENTARO TOKIWA