Patents by Inventor Akira Mashima

Akira Mashima 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: 11370222
    Abstract: A liquid supply device for use in a printer is provided, which includes a mounting base on which a storing body filled with liquid is mountable, a tube capable of supplying the liquid from the storing body to the printer, a connector coupled to the tube and configured to be detached from the storing body, and moreover provided with a grip portion, and a cover configured to move to a first position for covering the grip portion and a second position for not covering the grip portion, in a state in which the connector is attached to the storing body mounted on the mounting base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Seiya Hayashi, Akira Mashima
  • Patent number: 11230106
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is a serial-type printing apparatus including a discharge head configured to discharge a liquid (ink) toward a medium, a carriage configured to reciprocate in a scanning direction in a state of supporting the discharge head, and a platen configured to guide transport of the medium, and a maintenance unit is installed sandwiching the platen from both sides in the scanning direction and configured to maintain performance of the discharge head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Junya Kato, Akira Mashima
  • Publication number: 20210101387
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is a serial-type printing apparatus including a discharge head configured to discharge a liquid (ink) toward a medium, a carriage configured to reciprocate in a scanning direction in a state of supporting the discharge head, and a platen configured to guide transport of the medium, and a maintenance unit is installed sandwiching the platen from both sides in the scanning direction and configured to maintain performance of the discharge head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Junya KATO, Akira MASHIMA
  • Patent number: 10933650
    Abstract: A liquid supplying apparatus includes a support table on which a container for storing liquid can be placed, a liquid flow path detachably connected to the container, a movable section configured to push up the container placed on the support table. A force of the movable section pushing up the container is smaller than a weight of the container at full capacity. As the residual amount of liquid decreases, the container placed on the support table is pushed up by the movable section and displaced while remaining connected to the liquid flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Mashima
  • Publication number: 20200391515
    Abstract: A liquid supply device for use in a printer is provided, which includes a mounting base on which a storing body filled with liquid is mountable, a tube capable of supplying the liquid from the storing body to the printer, a connector coupled to the tube and configured to be detached from the storing body, and moreover provided with a grip portion, and a cover configured to move to a first position for covering the grip portion and a second position for not covering the grip portion, in a state in which the connector is attached to the storing body mounted on the mounting base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Seiya HAYASHI, Akira MASHIMA
  • Patent number: 10479091
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge section configured to discharge liquid onto a medium, a holding section capable of holding a waste liquid container capable of containing waste liquid exhausted from the liquid discharge section, a sensor capable of detecting a state in which a containing amount of the waste liquid container has reached a threshold value, and a calculation section configured to calculate a waste liquid amount based on an exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted by the liquid discharge section. In the case where the sensor has detected the state in which the containing amount has reached the threshold value, the calculation section calculates the waste liquid amount by adding the exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted after the detection of the state by the sensor to the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Mashima, Seijun Horie
  • Patent number: 10207522
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a base unit that can move in a moving direction and a medium support unit that supports a medium on which printing will be performed and moves in the moving direction along with the base unit by being attached to the base unit. When a position of the medium support unit with respect to the base unit during printing is defined as a base position, the medium support unit is slidable with respect to the base unit from the base position in the moving direction. By employing such a configuration, it is possible to suppress deterioration of work efficiency when setting a medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Mashima
  • Publication number: 20180272737
    Abstract: A liquid supplying apparatus includes a support table on which a container for storing liquid can be placed, a liquid flow path detachably connected to the container, a movable section configured to push up the container placed on the support table. A force of the movable section pushing up the container is smaller than a weight of the container at full capacity. As the residual amount of liquid decreases, the container placed on the support table is pushed up by the movable section and displaced while remaining connected to the liquid flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventor: Akira MASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20180272720
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge section configured to discharge liquid onto a medium, a holding section capable of holding a waste liquid container capable of containing waste liquid exhausted from the liquid discharge section, a sensor capable of detecting a state in which a containing amount of the waste liquid container has reached a threshold value, and a calculation section configured to calculate a waste liquid amount based on an exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted by the liquid discharge section. In the case where the sensor has detected the state in which the containing amount has reached the threshold value, the calculation section calculates the waste liquid amount by adding the exhaust amount of the waste liquid exhausted after the detection of the state by the sensor to the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Akira MASHIMA, Seijun HORIE
  • Patent number: 10011122
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus that includes a support unit which has a support surface for supporting a medium and moves in a movement direction, and a print unit configured to perform printing on the medium supported by the support unit. The support surface includes a first side and a second side that is shorter in length than the first side and extends in a direction intersecting with the first side. The support unit can be displaced to be in a first state where the first side is so arranged as to be along the movement direction and in a second state where the first side is so arranged as to be along a direction intersecting with the movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Mashima
  • Patent number: 9969188
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording portion capable of executing recording on a medium, a support portion that supports the medium and that is movable in a movement direction, and a movement operation portion that accepts a movement operation for moving the support portion to a desired position in the movement direction. Due to this construction, the support portion movable in the movement direction can be easily moved to any desired position in the movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Mashima
  • Patent number: 9878866
    Abstract: A recording device includes a recording unit that performs recording on a recording medium with the recording medium being stored in a rolled state and unrolled from one end. The recording device includes a pair of abutting rollers, a support roller and a movable mechanism. The abutting rollers face each other, and convey the recording medium while the recording medium is nipped between the abutting rollers. The support roller is arranged on a downstream side of the abutting rollers in a conveyance path of the recording medium. The support roller abuts the recording medium to support the recording medium. The movable mechanism changes a position of at least one of the abutting rollers to switch between an abutting state in which the other of the abutting rollers abuts the recording medium and a released state in which the other of the abutting rollers does not abut the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Mashima, Seijun Horie
  • Publication number: 20170232764
    Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus that includes a support unit which has a support surface for supporting a medium and moves in a movement direction, and a print unit configured to perform printing on the medium supported by the support unit. The support surface includes a first side and a second side that is shorter in length than the first side and extends in a direction intersecting with the first side. The support unit can be displaced to be in a first state where the first side is so arranged as to be along the movement direction and in a second state where the first side is so arranged as to be along a direction intersecting with the movement direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventor: Akira MASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20170129262
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a base unit that can move in a moving direction and a medium support unit that supports a medium on which printing will be performed and moves in the moving direction along with the base unit by being attached to the base unit. When a position of the medium support unit with respect to the base unit during printing is defined as a base position, the medium support unit is slidable with respect to the base unit from the base position in the moving direction. By employing such a configuration, it is possible to suppress deterioration of work efficiency when setting a medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventor: Akira MASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9592686
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a supporting section capable of supporting a medium; an ejecting section capable of ejecting liquid onto the medium supported by the supporting section; and a first detecting section capable of detecting whether an amount of space between the medium supported by the supporting section and the ejecting section is equal to or more than a first threshold value. The liquid ejecting apparatus thus configured makes it possible to prevent liquid from being ejected from an ejecting section onto a medium in a state where an amount of space between the medium and the ejecting section is too large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Mashima
  • Patent number: 9434187
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a support unit that is capable of supporting a target recording medium, a recording unit that is capable of recording on a target recording medium that is supported by the support unit, and a plurality of adjustment units that adjust an interval between the support unit and the recording unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Mashima, Nobuhiko Hamada
  • Publication number: 20160221365
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording portion capable of executing recording on a medium, a support portion that supports the medium and that is movable in a movement direction, and a movement operation portion that accepts a movement operation for moving the support portion to a desired position in the movement direction. Due to this construction, the support portion movable in the movement direction can be easily moved to any desired position in the movement direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventor: Akira MASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20160214419
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a supporting section capable of supporting a medium; an ejecting section capable of ejecting liquid onto the medium supported by the supporting section; and a first detecting section capable of detecting whether an amount of space between the medium supported by the supporting section and the ejecting section is equal to or more than a first threshold value. The liquid ejecting apparatus thus configured makes it possible to prevent liquid from being ejected from an ejecting section onto a medium in a state where an amount of space between the medium and the ejecting section is too large.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventor: Akira MASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9302510
    Abstract: A medium loading device includes a support unit having shaft members mounted on both end portions of a roll paper and flange member and a loading portion where the roll paper with the support unit is loaded. The loading portion includes a rotary driving portion as a driving source to rotate the roll paper, a rotation shaft to transmit torque of the rotary driving portion to the roll paper via the shaft member, and an operation portion that moves the rotation shaft between a transmission position to transmit the torque to the roll paper and a non-transmission position not to transmit the torque to the roll paper. In an axial direction of the roll paper when the roll paper is loaded into the loading portion, the operation portion is disposed between the position where the shaft member is located when the roll paper is loaded and the rotary driving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Akatsu, Akira Mashima, Tomoya Murotani, Yoshitaka Shimada
  • Publication number: 20150367658
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a support unit that is capable of supporting a target recording medium, a recording unit that is capable of recording on a target recording medium that is supported by the support unit, and a plurality of adjustment units that adjust an interval between the support unit and the recording unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Akira MASHIMA, Nobuhiko HAMADA