Patents by Inventor Akira SHINOTO

Akira SHINOTO 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: 20240133208
    Abstract: A locking mechanism includes a first member that is provided on one side to lock and is rotated about a rotating shaft, a second member that is provided on the other side to lock and comes into contact with the first member to rotate the first member, a rotation applying member that further applies a rotational force to the first member rotated by the second member, a restriction portion that restricts movement of the first member to be rotated in a direction in which the first member is released from a locked state, and an elastic portion that allows the first member and the restriction portion to be in elastic contact with each other and allows the first member and the restriction portion to start to be in elastic contact with each other before the first member rotated by the second member is further rotated by the rotation applying member in a release direction which is the direction in which the first member is released from the locked state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Keigo Shinoto, Shuichi Nishide, Michiaki Yoshida, Akira Ueshima, Akira Tanaka, Takahiro Iizuka, Wataru Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20240126202
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing, a cover that is opened and closed on the housing, a detection part that detects opening and closing of the cover using ON and OFF, a rotating part that is rotatably supported and turns on and off the detection part, a pushing portion that comes into contact with the rotating part to rotate the rotating part in a case where the cover is closed, and a rotation applying part that applies a rotational force to the rotating part rotated by the pushing portion in a direction in which the detection part is turned on in a case where the cover is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Akira TANAKA, Keigo Shinoto, Shuichi Nishide, Michiaki Yoshida, Akira Ueshima, Takahiro IIzuka, Wataru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11920398
    Abstract: An opening/closing mechanism includes a first inclined portion disposed in an opening/closing body that opens/closes while a first shaft serves as a fulcrum in a main body, a second inclined portion disposed in the opening/closing body, and a swing portion that swings between the first inclined portion and the second inclined portion while a second shaft disposed in the main body serves as a fulcrum, in which during a closing operation of the opening/closing body, the swing portion applies a force in a closing direction of the opening/closing body by coming into contact with the first inclined portion, after applying a force in an opening direction of the opening/closing body by coming into contact with the second inclined portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.
    Inventors: Akira Ueshima, Shuichi Nishide, Michiaki Yoshida, Keigo Shinoto, Wataru Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20230321974
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, a supply path that supplies a liquid from a liquid supply source to the liquid discharge head, a pump configured to suck and exhaust air, an air suction path in communication with an air suction side of the pump, an air exhaust path in communication with an air exhaust side of the pump, a first storage portion having a portion formed of a flexible wall that is flexible, a first air chamber provided on a side opposite to the first storage portion across the flexible wall and having at least a portion facing the flexible wall and configured to be displaced, and a first switching portion configured to switch a path coupled to the first air chamber between the air suction path and the air exhaust path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Akira SHINOTO, Ken INOUE, Ryota TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20230294413
    Abstract: A liquid reservoir includes: an inflow portion configured to have a liquid flow therethrough; a storage portion configured to store the liquid flowing in through the inflow portion; an outflow portion configured to have the liquid in the storage portion flow out therethrough; a first channel having one end coupled to the outflow portion and the other end opening into the storage portion; a second channel having one end coupled to the outflow portion and the other end opening into the storage portion; and an opening/closing portion configured to open and close the first channel, in which the other end of the first channel opens at a position higher than the other end of the second channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Munechika OTSURU, Toshio KUMAGAI, Akira SHINOTO
  • Patent number: 11084290
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid from a plurality of nozzles disposed on a nozzle surface; an absorbing member which makes contact with the nozzle surface and can absorb a liquid which is adhered to the nozzle surface; and a pressing member which causes the ink absorbing member to contact the nozzle surface by pressing the absorbing member from a side which opposes a side which contacts the nozzle surface. In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a pressure applied to a nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface due to the absorbing member which is pressed by the pressing member making contact with the nozzle surface is smaller than a pressure applied to a region other than the nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichiro Yoshino, Akira Shinoto
  • Publication number: 20200254764
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid from a plurality of nozzles disposed on a nozzle surface; an absorbing member which makes contact with the nozzle surface and can absorb a liquid which is adhered to the nozzle surface; and a pressing member which causes the ink absorbing member to contact the nozzle surface by pressing the absorbing member from a side which opposes a side which contacts the nozzle surface. In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a pressure applied to a nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface due to the absorbing member which is pressed by the pressing member making contact with the nozzle surface is smaller than a pressure applied to a region other than the nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Keiichiro YOSHINO, Akira SHINOTO
  • Patent number: 10682858
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid from a plurality of nozzles disposed on a nozzle surface; an absorbing member which makes contact with the nozzle surface and can absorb a liquid which is adhered to the nozzle surface; and a pressing member which causes the ink absorbing member to contact the nozzle surface by pressing the absorbing member from a side which opposes a side which contacts the nozzle surface. In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a pressure applied to a nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface due to the absorbing member which is pressed by the pressing member making contact with the nozzle surface is smaller than a pressure applied to a region other than the nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichiro Yoshino, Akira Shinoto
  • Patent number: 9994035
    Abstract: A filter unit which is detachably mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting section which ejects liquid, the filter unit including a filter which filters the liquid; and a storage medium which stores information on the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shinoto, Hitotoshi Kimura, Takanori Seki, Takeshi Iwamuro
  • Publication number: 20170225482
    Abstract: A filter unit which is detachably mounted on a liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid ejecting section which ejects liquid, the filter unit including a filter which filters the liquid; and a storage medium which stores information on the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Akira SHINOTO, Hitotoshi KIMURA, Takanori SEKI, Takeshi IWAMURO
  • Patent number: 9498959
    Abstract: A maintenance unit mounted in a removable manner in a liquid ejector that ejects liquid. The maintenance unit includes an elongated maintenance member, which is used to perform maintenance on the liquid ejector, and a memory, which is configured to store information related to the maintenance member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shinoto, Keiichiro Yoshino
  • Patent number: 9463629
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion provided with a nozzle opening area in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting liquid onto a medium are open; and a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle opening area in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, in which the nozzle opening area includes a first wiping target area and a second wiping target area which are at different positions in a direction intersecting with the first direction, and the wiping portion wipes the first wiping target area in the first direction, and wipes the second wiping target area in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shinoto, Keiichiro Yoshino, Masaki Uchiyama
  • Publication number: 20160136959
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion provided with a nozzle opening area in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting liquid onto a medium are open; and a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle opening area in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, in which the nozzle opening area includes a first wiping target area and a second wiping target area which are at different positions in a direction intersecting with the first direction, and the wiping portion wipes the first wiping target area in the first direction, and wipes the second wiping target area in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Akira SHINOTO, Keiichiro YOSHINO, Masaki UCHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160121614
    Abstract: A maintenance unit mounted in a removable manner in a liquid ejector that ejects liquid. The maintenance unit includes an elongated maintenance member, which is used to perform maintenance on the liquid ejector, and a memory, which is configured to store information related to the maintenance member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Akira SHINOTO, Keiichiro YOSHINO
  • Patent number: 9254665
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion provided with a nozzle opening area in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting liquid onto a medium are open; and a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle opening area in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, in which the nozzle opening area includes a first wiping target area and a second wiping target area which are at different positions in a direction intersecting with the first direction, and the wiping portion wipes the first wiping target area in the first direction, and wipes the second wiping target area in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shinoto, Keiichiro Yoshino, Masaki Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9085159
    Abstract: A wiper cassette includes a long wiping member which wipes a liquid adhered to a liquid ejecting head which ejects the liquid; a feed roller around which an end of the wiping member is wound in a longitudinal direction; and a winding roller around which other end of the wiping member is wound in the longitudinal direction, and the wiper cassette is mounted so as to be freely detachable and attachable into a wiper holder. Furthermore, the wiper cassette further includes a winding gear supported by the winding roller; and a power point acting portion on which a load acts in a removal direction when the wiper cassette is removed from the wiper holder, in which the power point acting portion is positioned closer to the removal direction side than the winding gear in a mounted state in which the wiper cassette is mounted into the wiper holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shinoto, Keiichiro Yoshino
  • Patent number: 9067415
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a plurality of nozzles through which an ink composition containing an inorganic pigment is ejected, a nozzle surface having nozzle orifices, and a liquid-repellent film disposed on the nozzle surface; an absorbing member that absorbs the ink composition from the nozzle orifices and the nozzle surface; and an actuating mechanism including a pressing member that presses the absorbing member and the nozzle surface relative to each other with a force of 50 to 500 gf. The actuating mechanism moves at least one of the absorbing member and the recording head relative to the other to perform a cleaning operation in which the ink composition is removed from the nozzle surface with the absorbing member. The absorbing member contains an impregnation liquid during the cleaning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masako Fukuda, Keiji Matsumoto, Masato Murayama, Hiroshi Mukai, Keiichiro Yoshino, Hiroki Nakane, Akira Shinoto, Toshihiko Wakabayashi, Shoki Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20150158302
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting portion provided with a nozzle opening area in which a plurality of nozzles ejecting liquid onto a medium are open; and a wiping portion that wipes the nozzle opening area in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, in which the nozzle opening area includes a first wiping target area and a second wiping target area which are at different positions in a direction intersecting with the first direction, and the wiping portion wipes the first wiping target area in the first direction, and wipes the second wiping target area in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Akira SHINOTO, Keiichiro YOSHINO, Masaki UCHIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20140152739
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a plurality of nozzles through which an ink composition containing an inorganic pigment is ejected, a nozzle surface having nozzle orifices, and a liquid-repellent film disposed on the nozzle surface; an absorbing member that absorbs the ink composition from the nozzle orifices and the nozzle surface; and an actuating mechanism including a pressing member that presses the absorbing member and the nozzle surface relative to each other with a force of 50 to 500 gf. The actuating mechanism moves at least one of the absorbing member and the recording head relative to the other to perform a cleaning operation in which the ink composition is removed from the nozzle surface with the absorbing member. The absorbing member contains an impregnation liquid during the cleaning operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masako Fukuda, Keiji Matsumoto, Masato Murayama, Hiroshi Mukai, Keiichiro Yoshino, Hiroki Nakane, Akira Shinoto, Toshihiko Wakabayashi, Shoki Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20140152740
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid from a plurality of nozzles disposed on a nozzle surface; an absorbing member which makes contact with the nozzle surface and can absorb a liquid which is adhered to the nozzle surface; and a pressing member which causes the ink absorbing member to contact the nozzle surface by pressing the absorbing member from a side which opposes a side which contacts the nozzle surface. In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a pressure applied to a nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface due to the absorbing member which is pressed by the pressing member making contact with the nozzle surface is smaller than a pressure applied to a region other than the nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichiro YOSHINO, Akira SHINOTO