Patents by Inventor Hideki Yamakawa

Hideki Yamakawa 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: 20240140100
    Abstract: To prevent a failure of an ink jet printer due to ink clogging in a hollow needle and the vicinity thereof. A continuous ink jet printer includes: an ink tank that stores ink and a solvent as a printing ink; a printing head that performs printing with the printing ink; an ink hollow needle that accesses the ink in an ink cartridge when an ink reservoir receives the ink cartridge; a first ink tube that causes the ink to flow from the ink hollow needle to the ink tank; and a supply control section that executes suction control to generate a flow from the ink hollow needle toward the first ink tube when the ink is taken out from the ink cartridge received in the ink reservoir, and executes blowing control to generate a flow from the first ink tube toward the ink hollow needle when reverse-flow cleaning is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Hashimoto, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11852894
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser light output section, a laser light scanning section, a distance measurement light emitting section which emits distance measurement light, a pair of light receiving elements which receives the distance measurement light emitted from the distance measurement light emitting section and reflected by the workpiece, optical axes of the pair of light receiving elements being arranged inside the housing so as to sandwich an optical axis of the distance measurement light emitting section, a distance measuring section which measures a distance to the surface of the workpiece, and a light receiving lens which is arranged such that each of the optical axes of the pair of light receiving elements passes through the light receiving lens, and condenses the distance measurement light that has been reflected by the workpiece on respective light receiving surfaces of the pair of light receiving elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma Nehashi, Hideki Yamakawa, Kosuke Matano
  • Patent number: 11703659
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser light output section, a first scanner and a second scanner, a distance measurement light emitting section, a reference member which is arranged at a position which is the other end of a correction optical path formed with the distance measurement light emitting section as one end of the correction optical path and is arranged such that an optical path length of the correction optical path is a predetermined reference distance, a distance measurement light receiving section which receives distance measurement light reflected by the workpiece or the reference member, a distance measuring section which measures a distance to the workpiece or the reference member, and a distance correcting section which compares a measurement result of the distance to the reference member with the reference distance stored in advance to correct the measurement result obtained by the distance measuring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Yamakawa, Kazuma Nehashi, Yu Takabatake
  • Patent number: 11050212
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities formed in a Q switch. A laser machining device includes a Q-switch housing section configured by housing a Q switch and a first mirror and a wavelength converting section including a housing in which a transmission window section capable of transmitting a fundamental wave is formed, the wavelength converting section being configured by airtightly housing, with an internal space surrounded by the housing, at least a first wavelength conversion element, a second wavelength conversion element, and a second mirror. A resonator forming a resonant optical path passing through the transmission window section is configured by the first mirror in the Q-switch housing section and the second mirror in the wavelength converting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Sato, Yu Takabatake, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11000918
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities that could be formed in a guide-light emitting device or an imaging device. A laser-light guiding section includes a transmission window section, an optical component disposed to cause an optical path of the UV laser light emitted from the laser-light output section and an optical path of transmitted light transmitted through the transmission window section to cross, and a sealing member in which the transmission window section is provided, the sealing member configuring a sealed space for airtightly housing the optical component. At least one of a guide-light emitting device configured to emit guide light for visualizing a scanning position of the UV laser light toward the transmission window section and an imaging device configured to receive light for imaging a workpiece via the transmission window section is disposed on the outer side of the sealed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Masaki Saito, Hideki Yamakawa, Kazuyoshi Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20200209523
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser light output section, a laser light scanning section, a distance measurement light emitting section which emits distance measurement light, a pair of light receiving elements which receives the distance measurement light emitted from the distance measurement light emitting section and reflected by the workpiece, optical axes of the pair of light receiving elements being arranged inside the housing so as to sandwich an optical axis of the distance measurement light emitting section, a distance measuring section which measures a distance to the surface of the workpiece, and a light receiving lens which is arranged such that each of the optical axes of the pair of light receiving elements passes through the light receiving lens, and condenses the distance measurement light that has been reflected by the workpiece on respective light receiving surfaces of the pair of light receiving elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma NEHASHI, Hideki YAMAKAWA, Kosuke MATANO
  • Publication number: 20200209522
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser light output section, a first scanner and a second scanner, a distance measurement light emitting section, a reference member which is arranged at a position which is the other end of a correction optical path formed with the distance measurement light emitting section as one end of the correction optical path and is arranged such that an optical path length of the correction optical path is a predetermined reference distance, a distance measurement light receiving section which receives distance measurement light reflected by the workpiece or the reference member, a distance measuring section which measures a distance to the workpiece or the reference member, and a distance correcting section which compares a measurement result of the distance to the reference member with the reference distance stored in advance to correct the measurement result obtained by the distance measuring section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki YAMAKAWA, Kazuma NEHASHI, Yu TAKABATAKE
  • Publication number: 20190190227
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities formed in a Q switch. A laser machining device includes a Q-switch housing section configured by housing a Q switch and a first mirror and a wavelength converting section including a housing in which a transmission window section capable of transmitting a fundamental wave is formed, the wavelength converting section being configured by airtightly housing, with an internal space surrounded by the housing, at least a first wavelength conversion element, a second wavelength conversion element, and a second mirror. A resonator forming a resonant optical path passing through the transmission window section is configured by the first mirror in the Q-switch housing section and the second mirror in the wavelength converting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Sato, Yu Takabatake, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20190184491
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities that could be formed in a guide-light emitting device or an imaging device. A laser-light guiding section includes a transmission window section, an optical component disposed to cause an optical path of the UV laser light emitted from the laser-light output section and an optical path of transmitted light transmitted through the transmission window section to cross, and a sealing member in which the transmission window section is provided, the sealing member configuring a sealed space for airtightly housing the optical component. At least one of a guide-light emitting device configured to emit guide light for visualizing a scanning position of the UV laser light toward the transmission window section and an imaging device configured to receive light for imaging a workpiece via the transmission window section is disposed on the outer side of the sealed space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Masaki Saito, Hideki Yamakawa, Kazuyoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9144992
    Abstract: An object is to directly detect the emptiness of a solvent cartridge being mounted. An emptiness detection unit body includes a light transmissive tube which constitutes part of internal piping of a printer body, a light emitter, and a light receiver. The light transmissive tube is composed of a transparent tube, typically, a glass tube or a fluororesin (PFA) tube. The light emitter and the light receiver are arranged to face the light transmissive tube. The light transmissive tube is filled with a solvent supplied from the solvent cartridge. On the other hand, the light transmissive tube is filled with gas when the solvent cartridge is empty. The emptiness of the solvent cartridge is detected by a change in the amount of light received by the light receiver associated with the change in the light transmissive tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20150197096
    Abstract: An object is to directly detect the emptiness of a solvent cartridge being mounted. An emptiness detection unit body includes a light transmissive tube which constitutes part of internal piping of a printer body, a light emitter, and a light receiver. The light transmissive tube is composed of a transparent tube, typically, a glass tube or a fluororesin (PFA) tube. The light emitter and the light receiver are arranged to face the light transmissive tube. The light transmissive tube is filled with a solvent supplied from the solvent cartridge. On the other hand, the light transmissive tube is filled with gas when the solvent cartridge is empty. The emptiness of the solvent cartridge is detected by a change in the amount of light received by the light receiver associated with the change in the light transmissive tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8772669
    Abstract: The present invention aims to rapidly and easily create processed data for scan controlling a laser light beam, and to create the processed data for the laser processing apparatus at high precision. A setting plane corresponding to a scanning region of a laser marker is displayed on a processed data generating device. A user operates the processed data generating device to arrange the processing pattern on the setting plane. Here, a marker head coincides an optical axis of the laser light beam L on a position corresponding to the reference point of the processing pattern, and photographs a work W with a camera which light receiving axis is coaxial with the optical axis of the laser light beam L. A photographed image monitor displays the photographed image along with a symbol indicating the position of the light receiving axis of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Akio Takeuchi, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8399803
    Abstract: A method of setting processing data for a computer-assisted laser processing apparatus is disclosed, along with a system for setting a laser processing data. The method comprises a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, a function of generating processing data representing the processing conditions for the object, and a function of visually displaying a two dimensional representation of the processing data on a display screen and a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, wherein it is enabled to set the three-dimensional profile and the processing pattern while displaying the object in two dimensions on the display screen disposed within a processing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8399802
    Abstract: A method of setting processing data for a computer-assisted laser processing apparatus is disclosed, along with a system for setting a laser processing data. The method comprises a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, a function of generating processing data representing the processing conditions for the object, and a function of visually displaying a two dimensional representation of the processing data on a display screen and a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, wherein it is enabled to set the three-dimensional profile and the processing pattern while displaying the object in two dimensions on the display screen disposed within a processing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8153931
    Abstract: A method of setting processing data for a computer-assisted laser processing apparatus is disclosed, along with a system for setting a laser processing data. The method comprises a function of setting a profile of a three-dimensional object and a processing pattern, a function of generating processing data representing the processing condition, a function of visually displaying representation of the processing data on a display and a function of detecting an defective area of the object surface that is processable but defectively with the laser beam under the printing conditions by making a calculation based on the object profile and an incident angle of the laser beam incident upon the object surface and hiding a processing pattern from the display means when the processing pattern cuts across the defective area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Yamakawa, Koji Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20120061360
    Abstract: A method of setting processing data for a computer-assisted laser processing apparatus is disclosed, along with a system for setting a laser processing data. The method comprises a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, a function of generating processing data representing the processing conditions for the object, and a function of visually displaying a two dimensional representation of the processing data on a display screen and a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, wherein it is enabled to set the three-dimensional profile and the processing pattern while displaying the object in two dimensions on the display screen disposed within a processing zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20120062972
    Abstract: A method of setting processing data for a computer-assisted laser processing apparatus is disclosed, along with a system for setting a laser processing data. The method comprises a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, a function of generating processing data representing the processing conditions for the object, and a function of visually displaying a two dimensional representation of the processing data on a display screen and a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, wherein it is enabled to set the three-dimensional profile and the processing pattern while displaying the object in two dimensions on the display screen disposed within a processing zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 8121717
    Abstract: A three-dimensional processing data setting system comprises an information input device for inputting information on a shape of a three-dimensional work surface to be processed and information on a processing pattern to be specified, a display for displaying a work surface representing the shape information virtually in three dimensions thereon, and a coordinate conversion means for converting data describing the pattern information in two dimensions to three-dimensional space coordinate data so that a pattern representing the pattern information virtually matches with the work surface on the display, thereby generating and setting the three-dimensional processing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Hideki Yamakawa, Hiroyasu Hasebe, Kotaro Morizono
  • Patent number: 8084713
    Abstract: A method of setting processing data for a computer-assisted laser processing apparatus is disclosed, along with a system for setting a laser processing data. The method comprises a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, a function of generating processing data representing the processing conditions for the object, and a function of visually displaying a two dimensional representation of the processing data on a display screen and a function of setting a three-dimensional profile of a object and a processing pattern as processing conditions, wherein it is enabled to set the three-dimensional profile and the processing pattern while displaying the object in two dimensions on the display screen disposed within a processing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20090154504
    Abstract: It is an object to enable easily adjusting a focus position for coping with thermal lens effects. There is provided a laser-light scanning portion including a Z-axis scanner capable of adjusting the focus position of laser light in the direction of the optical axis, an X-axis scanner and a Y-axis scanner. Further, there are provided a laser driving control portion for controlling a laser oscillation portion and the laser-light scanning portion, a processing-condition setting portion for setting a laser-light outputting condition and a processing pattern as processing conditions for processing in a desired processing pattern, and an amount-of-correction identification section for identifying, as an amount of focus-position correction, the deviation of the focus position in the direction of the optical axis which is caused by thermal lens effects induced based on the laser-light outputting condition set by the processing-condition setting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Keyence Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Sato, Hideki Yamakawa