Patents by Inventor Katsuko Aoki

Katsuko Aoki 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: 20090246479
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording water-based ink composition includes a polymer obtained by emulsion polymerization of a monomer having an ethylene-type unsaturated bond in the molecule and divinylbenzene in the presence of a reactive emulsifier, a polyethylene-based wax, a water-soluble resin, water, and a colorant. When ink coat is formed on a plastic film having a degree of gloss at 60° of 140 to 150 by discharging droplets of the ink composition onto the plastic film, the ink coat has a degree of gloss at 60° within a range of 50 to 120.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mukai, Katsuko Aoki, Takashi Mori, Hirofumi Sakiyama, Tomoaki Seko, Keiichi Bessho
  • Patent number: 7431761
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition that, while improving print quality, advantageously has excellent ink ejection stability and does not significantly erode members such as a head and, at the same time, can meet a recent demand for highly skillful printing conditions, for example, high-speed printing with very small amounts of droplets. Ink jet recording is carried out using an ink composition comprising an acetylene glycol, an alcohol adduct of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide, and a pyrrolidone or its derivative in a specific composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuko Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080152828
    Abstract: An inkjet recording method for printing by ejecting droplets of a water-based ink composition onto a recording medium having a recording surface which is a plastic film and by causing the droplets to adhere to the recording surface, including: using, as the water-based ink composition, a water-based ink composition including at least colorant, between 0.1 wt % and 1.5 wt % of a silicon-based surfactant, alkanediol, pyrrolidone derivative, thermoplastic resin, and water; and heating the water-based ink composition that has adhered to the recording surface to a temperature of 40° C. or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi MUKAI, Katsuko AOKI
  • Publication number: 20080152877
    Abstract: A recording method for printing on a plastic film surface of a print medium by ejecting droplets of a water-based ink composition onto the plastic film surface includes applying a water-based ink composition on the plastic film surface, and heating the water-based ink composition on the plastic film surface to a temperature of 40° C. or more. The water-based ink composition contains a coloring agent, 0.1% to 1.5% by weight of a silicone surfactant, an acetylene glycol surfactant, a pyrrolidone derivative, a thermoplastic resin, and water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Mukai, Katsuko Aoki
  • Publication number: 20080028980
    Abstract: An ink composition containing an aprotic polar solvent, a thermoplastic resin, a pigment, a cyclic amide, a surfactant, and water and is printable on a recording surface that is a plastic film. The ink composition is capable of forming a record, having high weather resistance properties such as adhesion, scratch resistance, and water resistance, on a recording surface that is a plastic film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Katsuko Aoki, Tsuyoshi Sano
  • Publication number: 20060181568
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet recording apparatus having an ink jet recording head provided with a plurality of nozzles through which inks of a plurality of colors are ejected, a cap to be detachably brought into close contact with a nozzle face in which holes of the plurality of nozzles are formed, and ink-suction means which sucks an ink within the ink jet recording head by way of the cap. The apparatus is configured such that contact angles ?a of the inks with respect to the nozzle face and contact angles ?b of the inks with respect to the cap have a relation of ?a>?b; and the angles ?a are 50° or larger, and differences between the angles ?a and the angles ?b are 40° or larger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventor: Katsuko Aoki
  • Publication number: 20060075926
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition that, while improving print quality, advantageously has excellent ink ejection stability and does not significantly erode members such as a head and, at the same time, can meet a recent demand for highly skillful printing conditions, for example, high-speed printing with very small amounts of droplets. Ink jet recording is carried out using an ink composition comprising an acetylene glycol, an alcohol adduct of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide, and a pyrrolidone or its derivative in a specific composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventor: Katsuko Aoki
  • Patent number: 6281911
    Abstract: An ink cartridge 2 with a waste ink absorbing function includes a division room 70 formed in the interior portion of a cartridge case 30 for storing a waste ink absorbing member 20, and a plastic film 60 forming at least part of the division room 70. By cutting or peeling off the plastic film 60, the waste ink absorbing member 20 stored within can be replaced, which simplifies the replacement of the waste ink absorbing member 20. After replacement, the plastic film 60 may be mounted onto the cartridge case 30. Use of the plastic film is economical when compared with a structure in which a plastic plate is mounted onto a cartridge case. Also, the ink cartridge 2 can be reduced in size and weight as a whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Chiyoshige Nakazawa, Manabu Yamada, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Atsushi Nishioka, Katsuko Aoki
  • Patent number: 6176912
    Abstract: An ink jet printer is disclosed, which jets a water-soluble ink from a recording head comprising at least an ink passage-forming member and an orifice through the orifice to form flying droplets which form a dot image on a recording medium, wherein at least a portion of the ink passage-forming member is composed of borosilicate glass and the water-soluble ink comprises at least one of urea and thiourea. Further, an ink for use in the ink jet printer is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kato, Chiyoshige Nakazawa, Kazuhiko Sato, Hiroshi Mukai, Katsuko Aoki, Youichi Kubomura
  • Patent number: 5972086
    Abstract: An ink jet printer is disclosed, which jets a water-soluble ink from a recording head comprising at least an ink passage-forming member and an orifice through the orifice to form flying droplets which form a dot image on a recording medium, wherein at least a portion of the ink passage-forming member is composed of borosilicate glass and the water-soluble ink comprises at least one of urea and thiourea. Further, an ink for use in the ink jet printer is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Kato, Chiyoshige Nakazawa, Kazuhiko Sato, Hiroshi Mukai, Katsuko Aoki, Youichi Kubomura
  • Patent number: 5892528
    Abstract: A water-soluble ink for ink jet type recording is disclosed, which comprises water, a water-soluble dye, a wetting agent and a surfactant, wherein said surfactant is a mixture comprising a compound represented by the following formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R represents a halogen atom or an alkyl group; and n represents a positive integer, and a compound represented by the following formula (B): ##STR2## The water-soluble ink for ink jet type recording may provide a high quality printed image having a large printed dot diameter on various kinds of papers such as ordinary paper and poor quality paper with a reduced amount of ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Chiyoshige Nakazawa, Kenichi Kato, Katsuko Aoki, Youichi Kubomura, Hiroshi Mukai