Patents by Inventor Katsuhiro Okubo

Katsuhiro Okubo 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: 20080117270
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid-jet apparatus which can suppress liquid consumption by preventing air that can turn into bubbles from entering a liquid introducing columnar body in replacement of a liquid storage member and thus reducing a frequency of execution of a cleaning operation for discharging the bubbles inside a liquid passage. An ink introducing needle 21 in a printer includes: a needle-like protrusion 23 having a tapered portion 48 whose diameter is gradually increased toward its base from its tip; and a straight portion 51 formed linearly and continuously from the tapered portion 48. In the tapered portion 48 of the needle-like protrusion 23 in the ink introducing needle 21, groove portions 54 extending to an edge portion of the tapered portion 48 are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori KOIKE, Katsuhiro OKUBO, Noriaki OKAZAWA, Keiichi KUMAGAI, Takeshi FUJISHIRO
  • Publication number: 20080030531
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus and a liquid jetting method are achieved that can prevent unexpected landing position displacement relating to satellite droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yue GAO, Katsuhiro OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20070252877
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a head main body including a plurality of nozzle openings that eject a liquid; a first supply channel that supplies the liquid from a reservoir unit containing the liquid to the head main body for each nozzle group of the head main body; a first filter disposed at a halfway position of the first supply channel; a filter chamber that is provided as an enlarged width portion for accommodating the first filter; a second supply channel that communicates with the upstream side of the filter chamber of the first supply channel and that communicates with the downstream side of the filter chamber; and a second filter that is provided on an opening of the second supply channel, the opening communicating with the upstream side of the filter chamber of the first supply channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuhiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 7237878
    Abstract: A vibration plate forms a part of a pressure chamber communicated with a nozzle orifice from which a liquid droplet is ejected. The pressure chamber is defined by first edges extending in a first direction with a first dimension and second edges extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction with a second dimension shorter than the first dimension. A piezoelectric vibrator is disposed on the vibration plate so as to oppose to the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a drive electrode extending beyond one of the second edges, a first piezoelectric layer laminated on the drive electrode so as to extend beyond the second edges, and a first common electrode laminated on the first piezoelectric layer. A drive terminal is electrically connected to the drive electrode to supply a drive signal thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 7168786
    Abstract: A plurality of nozzles forms the first row of nozzles, the second row of nozzles, the third row of nozzles and the fourth row of nozzles, which extend in parallel with a sub scanning direction. A black ink is adapted to be supplied to one row of nozzles. Color inks are adapted to be supplied to the other rows of nozzles, the color inks being different for each of the other rows of nozzles. Positions of the second row of nozzles to the fourth row of nozzles are shifted by ? or ? of an arrangement pitch of the nozzles, in the sub scanning direction, for each of the rows of nozzles, with respect to positions of the first row of nozzles. In a high-speed black mode, the color inks are ejected from corresponding nozzles, in connection with ink ejection of the black ink from corresponding nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tanaka, Akira Takagi, Hirokazu Nunokawa, Katsuhiro Okubo, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20060164467
    Abstract: A conductive nozzle plate is formed with a nozzle orifice. An insulative layer is formed on a first face of the nozzle plate. A head body includes a pressure chamber adapted to contain liquid therein and a pressure generating element operable to cause pressure fluctuation in the liquid. The head body is attached to a second face of the nozzle plate so as to communicate the pressure chamber with the nozzle orifice. The second face of the nozzle plate and the head body are fixed to a head case. A conductive head cover covers a part of the first face of the nozzle plate while exposing the nozzle orifice. A part of the nozzle plate and the head cover directly come into contact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shibuya, Yasunori Koike, Noriaki Okazawa, Katsuhiro Okubo, Gaku Ko, Tatsuo Akatsu, Takateru Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20050270317
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus and a liquid jetting method are achieved that can prevent unexpected landing position displacement relating to satellite droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Yue Gao, Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 6945637
    Abstract: A vibration plate forms a part of each of pressure chambers communicated with a nozzle orifice from which a liquid droplet is ejected. A plurality of piezoelectric vibrators include a drive vibrator and a dummy vibrator which are disposed on the vibration plate such that at least the drive vibrator opposes to each of the pressure chambers. The drive vibrator is provided with a drive electrode, a first piezoelectric layer laminated on the drive electrode, and a first common electrode laminated on the first piezoelectric layer. The dummy vibrator is provided with a connection electrode electrically connected to the first common electrode, a second piezoelectric layer laminated on the connection electrode, and a second common electrode laminated on the second piezoelectric layer and electrically connected to the first common electrode. A first terminal is electrically connected to the drive electrode to supply a drive signal thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20050200641
    Abstract: A plurality of nozzles forms the first row of nozzles, the second row of nozzles, the third row of nozzles and the fourth row of nozzles, which extend in parallel with a sub scanning direction. A black ink is adapted to be supplied to one row of nozzles. Color inks are adapted to be supplied to the other rows of nozzles, the color inks being different for each of the other rows of nozzles. Positions of the second row of nozzles to the fourth row of nozzles are shifted by ? or ? of an arrangement pitch of the nozzles, in the sub scanning direction, for each of the rows of nozzles, with respect to positions of the first row of nozzles. In a high-speed black mode, the color inks are ejected from corresponding nozzles, in connection with ink ejection of the black ink from corresponding nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tanaka, Akira Takagi, Hirokazu Nunokawa, Katsuhiro Okubo, Tatsuya Nakano
  • Publication number: 20030214563
    Abstract: A vibration plate forms a part of each of pressure chambers communicated with a nozzle orifice from which a liquid droplet is ejected. A plurality of piezoelectric vibrators include a drive vibrator and a dummy vibrator which are disposed on the vibration plate such that at least the drive vibrator opposes to each of the pressure chambers. The drive vibrator is provided with a drive electrode, a first piezoelectric layer laminated on the drive electrode, and a first common electrode laminated on the first piezoelectric layer. The dummy vibrator is provided with a connection electrode electrically connected to the first common electrode, a second piezoelectric layer laminated on the connection electrode, and a second common electrode laminated on the second piezoelectric layer and electrically connected to the first common electrode. A first terminal is electrically connected to the drive electrode to supply a drive signal thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20030210308
    Abstract: A vibration plate forms a part of a pressure chamber communicated with a nozzle orifice from which a liquid droplet is ejected. The pressure chamber is defined by first edges extending in a first direction with a first dimension and second edges extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction with a second dimension shorter than the first dimension. A piezoelectric vibrator is disposed on the vibration plate so as to oppose to the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a drive electrode extending beyond one of the second edges, a first piezoelectric layer laminated on the drive electrode so as to extend beyond the second edges, and a first common electrode laminated on the first piezoelectric layer. A drive terminal is electrically connected to the drive electrode to supply a drive signal thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 6634742
    Abstract: Ink flow paths are formed that corresponds in number to the ink chambers of a mounted ink cartridge, to supply ink from the ink chambers to a recording head. These ink flow paths are constituted by first communication paths (59, 60), which communicate with the ink outlets of corresponding ink chambers, second communication paths (61, 67), which communicate with the corresponding ink inlets of the recording head, and convergent flow paths (65), which connect the first and the second communication paths and converge as they approach the recording head. Filters (56) are located in the second communication paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Owaki, Fujio Akahane, Takayuki Iijima, Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 6375316
    Abstract: An ink feed container that accommodates a plurality of ink storage bags in a small space. Ink storage bags are accommodated in a case main body, and are separated by a partitioning plate. The partitioning plate has at least one partitioning plate engaging part which engages with the case main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Okubo, Katsuhiko Iida
  • Publication number: 20010030676
    Abstract: Ink flow paths are formed that corresponds in number to the ink chambers of a mounted ink cartridge, to supply ink from the ink chambers to a recording head. These ink flow paths are constituted by first communication paths (59, 60), which communicate with the ink outlets of corresponding ink chambers, second communication paths (61, 67), which communicate with the corresponding ink inlets of the recording head, and convergent flow paths (65), which connect the first and the second communication paths and converge as they approach the recording head. Filters (56) are located in the second communication paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Hiroshige Owaki, Fujio Akahane, Takayuki Iijima, Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 6190006
    Abstract: Segment terminal electrodes for connecting to the segment terminals of TCP and common terminal electrodes at both ends in a direction in which these segment terminal electrodes are arranged are formed on the surface of an actuator unit and the common terminal electrodes at both ends of each row are connected via conductive members. Each grounding conductor on TCP is mutually connected via each common terminal electrode component on the actuator unit. Therefore, the common terminal electrodes on plural actuator units can conduct to grounding conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiko Kurashima, Shuji Yonekubo, Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 6106112
    Abstract: An ink feed container that accommodates a plurality of ink storage bags in a small space. Ink storage bags are accommodated in a case main body separated by a partitioning plate. Detectable pieces of detection plates, which are mounted on the ink storage bags, are positioned so that they deviate from each other. Pointed ends on the detectable pieces are arranged at uniform heights. When an ink storage bag becomes empty, the corresponding detectable piece displaces a common detection lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Okubo, Katsuhiko Iida
  • Patent number: D447169
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Okubo, Takao Kobayashi, Masahiro Isono, Seiji Mochizuki