Patents by Inventor Azusa Hirano

Azusa Hirano 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: 11203215
    Abstract: A tablet printing apparatus 1 includes an inspection unit 53 determining whether or not the printed tablet T is good product, a good product collecting device 43 collecting the tablet T of the good product from the carrying belt 31a, a defective product collecting device 41 collecting the tablet other than the good product from the carrying belt 31a, a discharge confirming sensor 41c detecting whether or not the tablet other than the good tablet is collected by the defective product collecting device 41, and a re-inspection product collecting device 42 collecting the tablet T other than the good product from the carrying belt 31 a when a collecting operation for collecting the tablet T other than the good product is performed by the defective product collecting device 41, and the discharge confirming sensor 41c detects that the tablet T other than the good tablet is not collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Hironori Haijima, Junpei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11155101
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor configured to convey a tablet while sucking and holding the tablet by the discharge of air; an inkjet head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor; an exhaust pipe which the air discharged from the conveyor passes through; an exhaust blower as a heat source that generates heat; a heat conductive member that is in contact with the exhaust pipe and the exhaust blower; and a housing configured to house the conveyor, the inkjet head, the exhaust pipe, the exhaust blower, and the heat conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka
  • Publication number: 20210213726
    Abstract: A tablet printing apparatus 1 according to embodiments includes an imaging device 23 that images a side surface of a tablet T on which a split line is formed on one surface, a carrying device 21 that carries the tablet T, a printing head device 24 that prints information on the tablet T carried by the carrying device 21, and a controlling device 50 that specifies an angle of the split line based on an image obtained by the imaging device 23, creates a printing data for printing the information in accordance with the split line using the specified angle, and controls the printing head device 24 using the created printing data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Junpei TANAKA, Junsuke KOMITO, Noritsugu TANIO, Yasutsugu TSURUOKA, Azusa HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20210094331
    Abstract: A tablet printing apparatus 1 includes an inspection unit 53 determining whether or not the printed tablet T is good product, a good product collecting device 43 collecting the tablet T of the good product from the carrying belt 31a, a defective product collecting device 41 collecting the tablet other than the good product from the carrying belt 31a, a discharge confirming sensor 41c detecting whether or not the tablet other than the good tablet is collected by the defective product collecting device 41, and a re-inspection product collecting device 42 collecting the tablet T other than the good product from the carrying belt 31 a when a collecting operation for collecting the tablet T other than the good product is performed by the defective product collecting device 41, and the discharge confirming sensor 41c detects that the tablet T other than the good tablet is not collected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa HIRANO, Hironori HAIJIMA, Junpei TANAKA
  • Patent number: 10864717
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a first rotator having an inner space; a duct configured to communicate with the inner space of the first rotator; a suction pipe configured to suck inside the duct; a second rotator arranged to face the first rotator across the duct; a conveyor belt wrapped around the first rotator and the second rotator; and a print head that performs printing on a tablet held on the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of suction holes which communicate with the inner space of the first rotator and that of the duct, and are arranged in the rotation direction of the first rotator. The first rotator and the duct constitutes a suction chamber that applies a suction force to those of the suction holes of the conveyor belt located around the outer periphery of the first rotator and the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Ogimoto, Ryo Ikuta, Yutaka Okabe, Hitoshi Aoyagi, Hikaru Hoshino, Azusa Hirano, Toru Kuribayashi, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Junpei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10814644
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes a conveyor, an inkjet print head, and a controller. The conveyor is configured to convey a tablet having an outer shape that does not determine the printing direction of a print pattern to be printed thereon. The print head includes a plurality of nozzles each configured to eject a liquid to print the print pattern on the tablet being conveyed. The controller is configured to control the print head to perform printing on the tablet being conveyed such that the printing direction of the print pattern is changed at predetermined intervals at least between a first direction which is parallel to or crosses the conveying direction of the tablet, and a second direction which crosses the conveying direction, and in which more nozzles are used for printing than in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Noritsugu Tanio, Shinichi Ogimoto, Junsuke Komito
  • Publication number: 20200282747
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor configured to convey a tablet while sucking and holding the tablet by the discharge of air; an inkjet head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor; an exhaust pipe which the air discharged from the conveyor passes through; an exhaust blower as a heat source that generates heat; a heat conductive member that is in contact with the exhaust pipe and the exhaust blower; and a housing configured to house the conveyor, the inkjet head, the exhaust pipe, the exhaust blower, and the heat conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa HIRANO, Yasutsugu TSURUOKA
  • Patent number: 10709639
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a belt-position detector configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet to hold the tablet. The belt-position detector includes an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 10596811
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] To provide a tablet printing apparatus that can prevent drying of ink on the tip end of each nozzle of an inkjet printing mechanism, when a tablet does not arrive at a print position. [Solution] A tablet printing apparatus includes: conveyor mechanism 17 that conveys sequentially fed tablets by moving a conveyor belt 171; an inkjet printing mechanism that performs printing on a tablet in a print position; a suction mechanism 174a that holds a tablet on the surface of the conveyor belt in a predetermined area including at least the print position by sucking in air; determination means (S15) that determines whether a tablet arrives at the print position; and head retreat means (32, S21) that retreats an inkjet head 31 such that a tip end part of each of the nozzles of the inkjet printing mechanism goes away from the surface of the conveyor belt, when it is determined that a tablet does not arrive at the print position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Ikuta, Hitoshi Aoyagi, Azusa Hirano, Hikaru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10596828
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveying path where a tablet is conveyed; a drying device configured to dry the tablet in the conveying path; and a print head device located on the downstream side of the drying device in the conveying path. The print head device is configured to perform printing on the tablet dried by the drying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Hironori Haijima, Ryo Ikuta
  • Patent number: 10486440
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus performs printing by using an inkjet print head device for a tablet conveyed by a conveying device. The conveying device includes a conveyor belt having a suction hole and configured to convey the tablet while sucking the tablet from the suction hole. The tablet printing apparatus further includes a rectifying board arranged at a distance from the conveyor belt so as to face a surface of the conveyor belt. The rectifying board has a gas permeability to let an airflow flowing toward the suction hole pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Hironori Haijima, Toru Kuribayashi
  • Patent number: 10406826
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing device 1 includes: a conveyer 10 configured to convey a tablet T; a laser displacement meter 30 configured to emit laser beams to the tablet T conveyed by the conveyer 10 and receive the laser beams reflected by the tablet T; a determination unit 81 configured to determine whether there is a split line on the upper surface of the tablet T conveyed by the conveyer 10 based on an output value of the laser displacement meter 30; and a printing unit 50 configured to perform printing on the tablet T conveyed by the conveyer 10 based on a determination result obtained by the determination unit 81.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka
  • Publication number: 20190217631
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes a conveyor, an inkjet print head, and a controller. The conveyor is configured to convey a tablet having an outer shape that does not determine the printing direction of a print pattern to be printed thereon. The print head includes a plurality of nozzles each configured to eject a liquid to print the print pattern on the tablet being conveyed. The controller is configured to control the print head to perform printing on the tablet being conveyed such that the printing direction of the print pattern is changed at predetermined intervals at least between a first direction which is parallel to or crosses the conveying direction of the tablet, and a second direction which crosses the conveying direction, and in which more nozzles are used for printing than in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Noritsugu Tanio, Shinichi Ogimoto, Junsuke Komito
  • Patent number: 10293597
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor belt that includes a suction hole connected to a suction chamber, and conveys a tablet while sucking the tablet to the suction hole; an ink jet print head that has a nozzle surface where a nozzle is formed, and is located above the conveyor belt such that the nozzle surface faces the conveyor belt, and performs printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a control plate that is located on the upstream side of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet between the conveyor belt and the height position of the nozzle surface of the print head, and controls an airflow generated between the conveyor belt and the print head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Yuki Umemura, Junsuke Komito
  • Publication number: 20190091990
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a first rotator having an inner space; a duct configured to communicate with the inner space of the first rotator; a suction pipe configured to suck inside the duct; a second rotator arranged to face the first rotator across the duct; a conveyor belt wrapped around the first rotator and the second rotator; and a print head that performs printing on a tablet held on the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of suction holes which communicate with the inner space of the first rotator and that of the duct, and are arranged in the rotation direction of the first rotator. The first rotator and the duct constitutes a suction chamber that applies a suction force to those of the suction holes of the conveyor belt located around the outer periphery of the first rotator and the duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi OGIMOTO, Ryo IKUTA, Yutaka OKABE, Hitoshi AOYAGI, Hikaru HOSHINO, Azusa HIRANO, Toru KURIBAYASHI, Yasutsugu TSURUOKA, Junpei TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20190084318
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveying path where a tablet is conveyed; a drying device configured to dry the tablet in the conveying path; and a print head device located on the downstream side of the drying device in the conveying path. The print head device is configured to perform printing on the tablet dried by the drying device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa HIRANO, Yasutsugu TSURUOKA, Hironori HAIJIMA, Ryo IKUTA
  • Publication number: 20180370256
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus performs printing by using an inkjet print head device for a tablet conveyed by a conveying device. The conveying device includes a conveyor belt having a suction hole and configured to convey the tablet while sucking the tablet from the suction hole. The tablet printing apparatus further includes a rectifying board arranged at a distance from the conveyor belt so as to face a surface of the conveyor belt. The rectifying board has a gas permeability to let an airflow flowing toward the suction hole pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa HIRANO, Yasutsugu TSURUOKA, Hironori HAIJIMA, Toru KURIBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10160217
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor; an inkjet head configured to eject ink from a nozzle to a tablet conveyed by the conveyor to perform printing; an ink tank configured to contain the ink to be supplied to the inkjet head; a moving device configured to change the height of the ink tank; and a control unit configured to control the moving device. The control unit controls the moving device to change the height of the ink tank based on a use amount of the ink figured out in advance to maintain a head difference between the height of the liquid level of the ink in the ink tank and the height of a nozzle forming surface, where the nozzle is formed in the inkjet head, at a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Aoyagi, Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka
  • Publication number: 20180344573
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a belt-position detector configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet to hold the tablet. The belt-position detector includes an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa HIRANO, Yasutsugu TSURUOKA
  • Patent number: 10124580
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] To provide a tablet printing apparatus and a tablet printing method that can perform printing with high quality by ejecting ink droplets to a tablet with a various posture from a plurality of nozzles. [Solution] A tablet printing apparatus includes: inclined posture detector (23, 100) that detects an inclined posture of a conveyed tablet with respect to a conveying surface; a printer including an inkjet head 21 equipped with a plurality of nozzles for ejecting an ink droplet, the printer performing printing on the conveyed tablet by ejecting ink to the conveyed tablet from the plurality of nozzles; and a controller 100 for adjusting preset printing data corresponding to an inclined posture of the tablet detected by the inclined posture detector such that predetermined printing is performed on the tablet, wherein the printer performs printing on the tablet based on printing data adjusted by the printing data adjuster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa Hirano, Yasutsugu Tsuruoka, Junsuke Komito