Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Funaki

Hitoshi Funaki 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: 8149257
    Abstract: A printer includes printing unit provided on a conveying path of a recording sheet and sheet feed unit provided on the downstream and upstream sides of the printing unit in a conveying direction of a recording sheet. The printer includes a platen roller, a first sheet feed roller, a second sheet feed roller, a first branch transmission gear group, a second branch transmission gear group, and thrust amount adjusting unit. A tooth trace of one of the gears of each of the first and second branch transmission gear groups has an inclination angle with respect to an axial direction, and the first and second branch transmission gear groups are formed of first and second idler gears including inclined gear portions of which inclined directions of tooth traces are the same as each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zenko Motoki, Minoru Sato, Hitoshi Funaki, Keigo Wakana
  • Publication number: 20100238256
    Abstract: A printer includes printing unit provided on a conveying path of a recording sheet and sheet feed unit provided on the downstream and upstream sides of the printing unit in a conveying direction of a recording sheet. The printer includes a platen roller, a first sheet feed roller, a second sheet feed roller, a first branch transmission gear group, a second branch transmission gear group, and thrust amount adjusting unit. A tooth trace of one of the gears of each of the first and second branch transmission gear groups has an inclination angle with respect to an axial direction, and the first and second branch transmission gear groups are formed of first and second idler gears including inclined gear portions of which inclined directions of tooth traces are the same as each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zenko MOTOKI, Minoru Sato, Hitoshi Funaki, Keigo Wakana
  • Publication number: 20090074498
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette structure integrated with a paper feed tray includes a ribbon cassette that includes a pair of bobbin receiving units and is integrated with a paper feed tray. One of the pair of bobbin receiving units that are connected to each other, and the paper feed tray are pivotally connected to each other so as to be opened or closed between an open state where the one of the pair of bobbin receiving units and the paper feed tray are mostly separated from each other, and a closed state where the one of the pair of bobbin receiving units and the paper feed tray come in contact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Takashi Nakai, Mitsuo Tsushima, Hitoshi Funaki, Susumu Arauchi, Keigo Wakana, Teru Nishiyama, Yasutoshi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20050213172
    Abstract: In a printer having a printing means for printing a desired image on a recording paper, a switching means for switching a print condition of the printing means corresponding to the type of the recording paper is arranged. In a vicinity of a storage unit of the paper tray, a switching knob for switching printing in a full-page layout on the entire surface of the recording paper or in a divided layout on the recording paper divided into a predetermined number of pieces is arranged. By mounting the paper tray in a tray mounting portion of the printer, the print condition is switched corresponding to the type of the recording paper used, and by operating the switching means with the switching knob, the switching is performed to print in the divided layout or in the full-page layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventor: Hitoshi Funaki
  • Publication number: 20050084310
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette contains an ink ribbon, a supply core and winding core around which ends of the ink ribbon are wound, a cassette case for rotatably supporting the supply rewinding cores, and a ribbon guide part guiding the path of the ink ribbon. The ink ribbon guide part is a meandering preventing portion constructed such that a portion of the ink ribbon guide part to be brought into slidable contact with a widthwise middle portion of the ink ribbon is wider than portions to be brought into slidable contact with widthwise ends of the ink ribbon. Further, by fitting both ends of a guide shaft for guiding the ink ribbon into first and second holes formed in first and second wall portions formed on the cassette case, the guide shaft 8 is rotatably supported in the first and second holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Hitoshi Funaki, Shigeto Tokuta
  • Publication number: 20050017445
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a paper carrying mechanism for a printing device, in which the number of parts and assembly processes can be reduced, and which the carrying deviation does not occur even if a recording medium is reciprocally carried. The paper carrying mechanism for a printer comprises a rotatable carrying roller 2, and a rotatable pressing roller 3 arranged above the carrying roller 2. The pressing roller 3 is arranged to have a gap G of ½ of the thickness of a recording medium 5, between the pressing roller 3 and the carrying roller 2. When the recording medium 5 is carried to the gap G, the pressing roller 3 is pushed up so that the carrying roller 2 is pressed against the recording medium 5 due to the weight of the pressing roller 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventor: Hitoshi Funaki
  • Patent number: 6504564
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette 10 includes a cassette case 11 having a first accommodating portion 12, a second accommodating portion 13, and a connecting portion 14 connecting the first and second accommodating portions 12 and 13, a feeding core 12 and a take-up core 42 rotatably accommodated respectively in the first and second accommodating portions 12 and 13, and an ink ribbon R having a large width which can be fed from the feeding core 40 and taken up by the take-up core 42 through a connecting member 14, wherein there is provided in the first accommodating portion 12 in the vicinity of the connecting member 14 a shaft 19 extending along the direction of the width of the ink ribbon R, wherein there is provided in the connecting member 14 an edge portion 18a of a wall portion 18 opposed to the shaft 19, and wherein the ink ribbon R fed out from the feeding core 40 is bent at the shaft 19, and then bent in the opposite direction by the edge portion 18a before it is taken up by the take-up core 42, whereby it is possib
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Funaki, Mitsuo Tsushima, Eihin Setsu
  • Patent number: 6000866
    Abstract: A printer including, from an upstream side to a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction, a sheet feed mechanism, a carriage, a curl straightening device, and a sheet discharge mechanism. A curl straightening head of the curl straightening device is resilient. The carriage and the curl straightening device are driven by a same drive source. The printer is a cheap printer which can allow reliable straightening of curled recorded sheet, even when sheets of different thicknesses are used, and which can reliably discharge the sheet out the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Funaki, Hideki Yorozu, Yuusai Ishitobi, Mitsuo Tsushima
  • Patent number: 5623390
    Abstract: A computer including a body case housing a display, an outer member formed of an impact-resistant material integrally formed on the outside surface of the body case, and an outwardly-projecting cushioning portion formed at each corner of the outside member. Each of the cushioning portions has a first protective portion extending outwardly from the body case, and a second protective portion projecting curvilinearly with respect to the first protective portion and extending onto a surface or a back side of the body case. The cushioning portions are formed of an elastic material. Further, vent holes are formed in the body case which are sealed with a porous film which is permeable to gas but not permeable to water. The vent holes provide an escape path for gas produced by a battery, such as a nickel-hydrogen battery, in the event that the battery explodes within the body case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Noda, Hitoshi Funaki, Naoyoshi Sainokami
  • Patent number: 5583742
    Abstract: A computer including a body case housing a display, an outer member formed of an impact-resistant material integrally formed on the outside surface of the body case, and an outwardly-projecting cushioning portion formed at each corner of the outside member. Each of the cushioning portions has a first protective portion extending outwardly from the body case, and a second protective portion projecting curvilinearly with respect to the first protective portion and extending onto a surface or a back side of the body case. The cushioning portions are formed of an elastic material. Further, vent holes are formed in the body case which are sealed with a porous film which is permeable to gas but not permeable to water. The vent holes provide an escape path for gas produced by a battery, such as a nickel-hydrogen battery, in the event that the battery explodes within the body case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Noda, Hitoshi Funaki, Naoyoshi Sainokami
  • Patent number: D446239
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Funaki
  • Patent number: RE40202
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette 10 includes a cassette case 11 having a first accommodating portion 12, a second accommodating portion 13, and a connecting portion 14 connecting the first and second accommodating portions 12 and 13, a feeding core 12 and a take-up core 42 rotatably accommodated respectively in the first and second accommodating portions 12 and 13, and an ink ribbon R having a large width which can be fed from the feeding core 40 and taken up by the take-up core 42 through a connecting member 14, wherein there is provided in the first accommodating portion 12 in the vicinity of the connecting member 14 a shaft 19 extending along the direction of the width of the ink ribbon R, wherein there is provided in the connecting member 14 an edge portion 18a of a wall portion 18 opposed to the shaft 19, and wherein the ink ribbon R fed out from the feeding core 40 is bent at the shaft 19, and then bent in the opposite direction by the edge portion 18a before it is taken up by the take-up core 42, whereby it is possib
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: ALPS Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hitoshi Funaki, Mitsuo Tsushima, Eihin Setsu
  • Patent number: D358582
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Funaki