Patents by Inventor Kazuma Hojo

Kazuma Hojo 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: 20230173823
    Abstract: A printing device includes a thermal head, a rotation shaft extending in an axial direction and rotatably supported, a pivot member connected to the rotation shaft and configured to pivot integrally with the rotation shaft about the rotation shaft, a biasing unit configured to bias the thermal head upward, a first pivot shaft supported by the pivot member, extending parallel to the axial direction, located below the rotation shaft, and configured to pivot integrally with the pivot member about the rotation shaft, a support member supported by the first pivot shaft to be movable along the first pivot shaft and to be pivotable about the first pivot shaft, the support member including a lower end portion located below the rotation shaft, and a pressing portion provided on the lower end portion of the support member and configured to press the thermal head downward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Kei Kondo, Yasutoshi Kano, Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10745646
    Abstract: Fragrance compounds having a unique chemical structure are provided, including esters and ethers of 3-cyclohexenyl methanol and derivatives thereof. The fragrance compounds can have multi-faceted odors. The fragrance compounds can be used alone or incorporated into a fragrance composition and/or consumer product to modify or enhance the odor of the fragrance composition and/or consumer product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: TAKASAGO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. Lankin, Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10583673
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a frame; a platen roller configured to be rotated; a movable body supported by the frame, to be movable in a first direction and a second direction; an AC motor provided on the frame; a transmission device provided on the frame, transmitting driving force of the AC motor to the movable body, moving the movable body in the first direction in accordance with rotation of the AC motor toward one side, and including at least an electromagnetic clutch; an encoder outputting a rotation signal in accordance with a rotation amount of the platen roller; and a controller. The controller starts the rotation of the AC motor toward the one side, determines whether the rotation amount of the platen roller in accordance with the rotation signal is not more than a predetermined value, and allows the electromagnetic clutch to be in a connected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Inoue, Kazuma Hojo, Ryohei Nakagawa, Takuya Kanda
  • Patent number: 10464347
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a platen; a moving mechanism having a first roller, a second roller, and a supporting member rotatably supporting the first and second rollers; a motor; a transmitting mechanism connected to the motor and the moving mechanism; a clutch provided on the transmitting mechanism; a sensor detecting a position of the moving mechanism; and a controller. The controller executes: starting driving of the motor so that the motor is rotated toward the other direction in a state that conveyance of the print medium by an external apparatus is stopped and that the clutch is in a connected state; performing determination as to whether the moving mechanism is located at an end, on a second side in the specified direction, of the moving range; and stopping the rotation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10442223
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a casing; a thermal head; a platen; a moving mechanism supported by the frame; a motor; a transmitting mechanism; a sensor detecting a position of the moving mechanism; a communication interface; and a controller. The controller is configured to: perform determination as to whether the moving mechanism is located at a reference position; perform determination as to whether a print signal is received from the external apparatus; and selectively execute one of first processing and second processing in accordance with results of these two determinations. The controller selectively executes the first processing when the moving mechanism is not located at the reference position and the print signal is received; and the controller selectively executes the second processing when the moving mechanism is located at the reference position and the print signal is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20190299676
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a frame; a platen roller configured to be rotated; a movable body supported by the frame, to be movable in a first direction and a second direction; an AC motor provided on the frame; a transmission device provided on the frame, transmitting driving force of the AC motor to the movable body, moving the movable body in the first direction in accordance with rotation of the AC motor toward one side, and including at least an electromagnetic clutch; an encoder outputting a rotation signal in accordance with a rotation amount of the platen roller; and a controller. The controller starts the rotation of the AC motor toward the one side, determines whether the rotation amount of the platen roller in accordance with the rotation signal is not more than a predetermined value, and allows the electromagnetic clutch to be in a connected state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Naoki Inoue, Kazuma Hojo, Ryohei Nakagawa, Takuya Kanda
  • Publication number: 20190153354
    Abstract: Fragrance compounds having a unique chemical structure are provided, including esters and ethers of 3-cyclohexenyl methanol and derivatives thereof. The fragrance compounds can have multi-faceted odors. The fragrance compounds can be used alone or incorporated into a fragrance composition and/or consumer product to modify or enhance the odor of the fragrance composition and/or consumer product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: TAKASAGO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. Lankin, Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20190118551
    Abstract: There is provided a printing system that performs printing on a printing medium conveyed in a conveyance direction, the system including: a printing apparatus that includes an installation portion in which an ink ribbon is removably installed, and a thermal head that heats the ink ribbon installed in the installation portion; a motor; an actuator coupled to the motor and moving the printing apparatus, depending on drive of the motor, in an intersecting direction intersecting with the conveyance direction; and a braking apparatus that brakes rotation of the motor, wherein the brake on the motor is active in a non-electrical-conduction state of the braking apparatus and the brake on the motor is inactive in an electrical conduction state of the braking apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10259239
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a platen facing a thermal head; a moving mechanism having first and second rollers; a motor; a transmitting mechanism; a clutch provided on the transmitting mechanism; a communication interface performing communication with an external apparatus; and a controller. The controller is configured to: start the driving of the motor toward one direction in a state that the clutch is in the connected state, after receiving a print signal, indicating that the print medium is located at a printable position; and to allow the clutch to be in a cutoff state and stop the driving of the motor toward the one direction, after ending of printing in accordance of the receiving of the print signal and before arrival of the moving mechanism at an end on a second side, opposite to the first side, in the specified direction of the moving range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10195879
    Abstract: There is provided a bracket of a printing apparatus including a thermal head and a platen and performing printing on a print medium. The bracket includes a frame; a moving mechanism supported to be movable with respect to the frame in a specified direction; a motor provided on the frame; a transmitting mechanism connected to the motor and to the moving mechanism; and an encoder which outputs a signal in accordance with movement of the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism includes: a first roller positioned, with respect to the platen facing the thermal head, on an upstream side of a conveyance path of the print medium; a second roller positioned, with respect to the platen, on a downstream side of the conveyance path; and a supporting member which rotatably supports the first roller and the second roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20180354279
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a platen facing a thermal head; a moving mechanism having first and second rollers; a motor; a transmitting mechanism; a clutch provided on the transmitting mechanism; a communication interface performing communication with an external apparatus; and a controller. The controller is configured to: start the driving of the motor toward one direction in a state that the clutch is in the connected state, after receiving a print signal, indicating that the print medium is located at a printable position; and to allow the clutch to be in a cutoff state and stop the driving of the motor toward the one direction, after ending of printing in accordance of the receiving of the print signal and before arrival of the moving mechanism at an end on a second side, opposite to the first side, in the specified direction of the moving range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20180345699
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a casing; a thermal head; a platen; a moving mechanism supported by the frame; a motor; a transmitting mechanism; a sensor detecting a position of the moving mechanism; a communication interface; and a controller. The controller is configured to: perform determination as to whether the moving mechanism is located at a reference position; perform determination as to whether a print signal is received from the external apparatus; and selectively execute one of first processing and second processing in accordance with results of these two determinations. The controller selectively executes the first processing when the moving mechanism is not located at the reference position and the print signal is received; and the controller selectively executes the second processing when the moving mechanism is located at the reference position and the print signal is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20180345700
    Abstract: There is provided a bracket of a printing apparatus including a thermal head and a platen and performing printing on a print medium. The bracket includes a frame; a moving mechanism supported to be movable with respect to the frame in a specified direction; a motor provided on the frame; a transmitting mechanism connected to the motor and to the moving mechanism; and an encoder which outputs a signal in accordance with movement of the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism includes: a first roller positioned, with respect to the platen facing the thermal head, on an upstream side of a conveyance path of the print medium; a second roller positioned, with respect to the platen, on a downstream side of the conveyance path; and a supporting member which rotatably supports the first roller and the second roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20180345689
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a platen; a moving mechanism having a first roller, a second roller, and a supporting member rotatably supporting the first and second rollers; a motor; a transmitting mechanism connected to the motor and the moving mechanism; a clutch provided on the transmitting mechanism; a sensor detecting a position of the moving mechanism; and a controller. The controller executes: starting driving of the motor so that the motor is rotated toward the other direction in a state that conveyance of the print medium by an external apparatus is stopped and that the clutch is in a connected state; performing determination as to whether the moving mechanism is located at an end, on a second side in the specified direction, of the moving range; and stopping the rotation of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10105980
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus which includes a base, a movable member which is movably held by the base, to be movable along a first direction which is parallel to the base, a spring which applies a bias to the movable member, at one side in the first direction, a bearing which is supported by the movable member, a roller which is rotatably supported by the bearing, and is extended in a second direction orthogonal to the base, and which guides the ink ribbon, a first detection target member which is provided to the roller, to be rotatable integrally with the roller, and a first sensor which is provided to the movable member, and is facing the first detection target member, and which detects rotation of the first detection target member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 10105973
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a frame; a platen facing a thermal head; a moving mechanism having first and second rollers; a motor; a transmitting mechanism; a clutch provided on the transmitting mechanism; a communication interface performing communication with an external apparatus; and a controller. The controller is configured to: start the driving of the motor toward one direction in a state that the clutch is in the connected state, after receiving a print signal, indicating that the print medium is located at a printable position; and to allow the clutch to be in a cutoff state and stop the driving of the motor toward the one direction, after ending of printing in accordance of the receiving of the print signal and before arrival of the moving mechanism at an end on a second side, opposite to the first side, in the specified direction of the moving range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20180281489
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus which includes a base, a movable member which is movably held by the base, to be movable along a first direction which is parallel to the base, a spring which applies a bias to the movable member, at one side in the first direction, a bearing which is supported by the movable member, a roller which is rotatably supported by the bearing, and is extended in a second direction orthogonal to the base, and which guides the ink ribbon, a first detection target member which is provided to the roller, to be rotatable integrally with the roller, and a first sensor which is provided to the movable member, and is facing the first detection target member, and which detects rotation of the first detection target member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20180281490
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a ribbon supply roll; a thermal head that heats an ink ribbon fed out from the ribbon supply roll and thereby transfers an ink onto an image receiving body; a ribbon take-up roll that takes up the ink ribbon after transfer of the ink; a supply side guide member disposed to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, so as to changeably apply tension to the ink ribbon by biasing force of a supply side spring member; and a take-up side guide member disposed to be displaced in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, so as to changeably apply tension to the ink ribbon by biasing force of a take-up side spring member. A spring constant of the supply side spring member is different from a spring constant of the take-up side spring member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Patent number: 9643908
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by the following general formula (A) wherein 1?-position is optically active; and one of R1 and R2 represents a methyl group and the other represents an ethyl group, or both R1 and R2 represent a methyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: TAKASAGO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuma Hojo
  • Publication number: 20160207862
    Abstract: The present invention provides a compound represented by the following general formula (A) wherein 1?-position is optically active; and one of R1 and R2 represents a methyl group and the other represents an ethyl group, or both R1 and R2 represent a methyl group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: TAKASAGO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuma HOJO