Patents by Inventor Keigo Sugai

Keigo Sugai 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: 9994048
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that discharges a liquid from each of a plurality of nozzles and causes a liquid column to extend downwardly; a liquid droplet generating unit that irradiates the liquid column with a laser beam from a position separated from the plurality of nozzles and separates liquid droplets from the liquid column; and a direction changing unit that applies energy to the liquid droplets and changes a flying direction of the liquid droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Patent number: 9975353
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has a plurality of nozzles that discharge a column-shaped liquid; a liquid droplet generating unit that applies cyclically changing energy to positions of the column-shaped liquids discharged from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, which are separated from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, and that generates liquid droplets; and a direction changing unit that changes a flying direction of at least some liquid droplets of the generated liquid droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Publication number: 20180086094
    Abstract: A fluid discharging apparatus includes a storage chamber storing a fluid, a discharge port communicating with the storage chamber, a supply unit supplying the fluid to the storage chamber by pressure, a moving object moving in a first direction toward the discharge port and in a second direction away from the discharge port, a pressure changing mechanism, and a control unit controlling the moving object and the pressure changing mechanism. The control unit performs discharge processing, moving processing, and pressure control processing. In the discharge processing, the moving object moves from a closed position closing the discharge port in the first direction to discharge the fluid. In the moving processing, the moving object moves in the second direction while the fluid is discharged from the discharge port. In the pressure control processing, the pressure changing mechanism suppresses a pressure increase in storage chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Hirofumi SAKAI, Keigo SUGAI, Takahiro KATAKURA, Junichi SANO, Shinichi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20180085773
    Abstract: A fluid discharging apparatus includes an accommodation unit that accommodates a fluid, a discharge port that communicates with the accommodation unit, a moving object that moves in a first direction toward the discharge port and in a second direction away from the discharge port in the accommodation unit, and a control unit that controls driving of the moving object. The control unit performs discharging processing and moving processing. In the discharging processing, the discharge port is opened by moving the moving object from a closed position at which the discharge port is closed, in the second direction, and then the fluid is extruded and discharged from the discharge port by moving the moving object in the first direction. In the moving processing, the moving object is moved in the second direction during a period when the fluid is discharged from the discharge port in the discharging processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Hirofumi SAKAI, Takahiro KATAKURA, Keigo SUGAI, Junichi SANO, Shinichi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20180085777
    Abstract: A fluid discharge apparatus includes a storage chamber, a pressure chamber, a moving body, and a pressure changing mechanism. The storage chamber stores a fluid. The pressure chamber is in communication with the storage chamber through a communication opening, and includes a discharge port to discharge the fluid. The moving body moves inside the storage chamber toward the communication opening, raises a pressure of the fluid in the pressure chamber, and discharges the fluid through the discharge port. The pressure changing mechanism is provided so as to face the pressure chamber, and changes a pressure of the pressure chamber. The pressure changing mechanism actuates in a direction to reduce the pressure chamber pressure after the moving body has started to move toward the communication opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Hirofumi SAKAI, Keigo SUGAI, Takahiro KATAKURA, Junichi SANO, Shinichi NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 9919539
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that prints an image while forming a layered body, which has a layered structure in which a plurality of ink layers formed by applying a photocurable ink is layered and at least a portion of the plurality of ink layers is an image layer, on a printing medium, is provided with a first ink layer forming section that coats a printing medium with a first photocurable ink that configures a lowermost layer of the plurality of ink layers to form the lowermost layer, and causes the lowermost layer to be cured while irradiating the lowermost layer with light after at least three seconds elapse; and a second ink layer forming section that applies an ink layer other than the lowermost layer after the first photocurable ink is cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Sugai, Masahisa Otake
  • Patent number: 9919514
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has a nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged, that discharges a liquid from each of the plurality of nozzles, and that causes liquid columns to extend downwardly; a liquid droplet generating unit that irradiates at least the two liquid columns with a laser beam in a direction obliquely intersecting with the arrangement direction when viewed from the center of the nozzle array and that separates liquid droplets from the liquid column; and a direction changing unit that applies energy to the liquid droplets and changes flying directions of the liquid droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Patent number: 9908330
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has nozzles that discharge a column-shaped liquid; a liquid droplet generating unit that applies cyclically changing energy to positions of the column-shaped liquids discharged from the nozzles, which are separated from the nozzles, and that generates liquid droplets; and a direction changing unit that changes a flying direction of at least some liquid droplets of the generated liquid droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Publication number: 20170252769
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device is a fluid ejection device adapted to eject a fluent material, including a fluent material chamber supplied with the fluent material, a moving object, which can reciprocate in the fluent material chamber, a nozzle part having a discharge port communicating with the fluent material chamber, and an inner wall on a periphery of the discharge port on which a tip part of the moving object can contact from the fluent material chamber side, and an actuator having contact with a back end part of the moving object to reciprocate the moving object to thereby discharge the fluent material from the discharge port. The actuator has a plurality of solid-state displacement elements connected in series to each other, and one end of one of the plurality of solid-state displacement elements has contact with the back end part of the moving object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Keigo SUGAI, Eiji OKAMOTO, Shinichi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170252770
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device is a fluid ejection device adapted to eject a fluent material including an actuator, and a drive signal supply section adapted to output a signal used to drive the actuator, wherein the actuator includes a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element connected in series to each other. The drive signal supply section is capable of outputting a first drive waveform and a second drive waveform having a voltage change part steeper than that of the first drive waveform to the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element, outputs the second drive waveform to the second piezoelectric element in a case of outputting the first drive waveform to the first piezoelectric element, and outputs the first drive waveform to the second piezoelectric element in a case of outputting the second drive waveform to the first piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: Keigo SUGAI
  • Publication number: 20170182798
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that discharges a liquid from each of a plurality of nozzles and causes a liquid column to extend downwardly; a liquid droplet generating unit that irradiates the liquid column with a laser beam from a position separated from the plurality of nozzles and separates liquid droplets from the liquid column; and a direction changing unit that applies energy to the liquid droplets and changes a flying direction of the liquid droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventor: Keigo SUGAI
  • Publication number: 20170182763
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has a nozzle array in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged, that discharges a liquid from each of the plurality of nozzles, and that causes liquid columns to extend downwardly; a liquid droplet generating unit that irradiates at least the two liquid columns with a laser beam in a direction obliquely intersecting with the arrangement direction when viewed from the center of the nozzle array and that separates liquid droplets from the liquid column; and a direction changing unit that applies energy to the liquid droplets and changes flying directions of the liquid droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventor: Keigo SUGAI
  • Publication number: 20170182769
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has nozzles that discharge a column-shaped liquid; a liquid droplet generating unit that applies cyclically changing energy to positions of the column-shaped liquids discharged from the nozzles, which are separated from the nozzles, and that generates liquid droplets; and a direction changing unit that changes a flying direction of at least some liquid droplets of the generated liquid droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventor: Keigo SUGAI
  • Publication number: 20170182797
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has a plurality of nozzles that discharge a column-shaped liquid; a liquid droplet generating unit that applies cyclically changing energy to positions of the column-shaped liquids discharged from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, which are separated from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, and that generates liquid droplets; and a direction changing unit that changes a flying direction of at least some liquid droplets of the generated liquid droplets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventor: Keigo SUGAI
  • Patent number: 9446614
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head that discharges ink to a printing region, and causes ink dots formed on the printing region to be cured to form a line image in a first direction, and a movement section that that causes the printing medium to move relative to the head in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in which the printing region is divided into a plurality of areas in the second direction, and the movement section alternately switches the area in which the line image is formed by the head between the plurality of areas while causing the printing medium to relatively move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Sugai, Masahisa Otake, Yoshikazu Hama
  • Publication number: 20160193859
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a head that discharges ink to a printing region, and causes ink dots formed on the printing region to be cured to form a line image in a first direction, and a movement section that that causes the printing medium to move relative to the head in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in which the printing region is divided into a plurality of areas in the second direction, and the movement section alternately switches the area in which the line image is formed by the head between the plurality of areas while causing the printing medium to relatively move.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Keigo SUGAI, Masahisa OTAKE, Yoshikazu HAMA
  • Publication number: 20160185130
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that prints an image while forming a layered body, which has a layered structure in which a plurality of ink layers formed by applying a photocurable ink is layered and at least a portion of the plurality of ink layers is an image layer, on a printing medium, is provided with a first ink layer forming section that coats a printing medium with a first photocurable ink that configures a lowermost layer of the plurality of ink layers to form the lowermost layer, and causes the lowermost layer to be cured while irradiating the lowermost layer with light after at least three seconds elapse; and a second ink layer forming section that applies an ink layer other than the lowermost layer after the first photocurable ink is cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Keigo SUGAI, Masahisa OTAKE
  • Patent number: 9242498
    Abstract: With the printing method according to the above described aspect of the present invention, when first ink and second ink made of resin are placed on a printing medium, a first dot for which a first ink droplet land on the printing medium and a plurality of second dots for which a plurality of second ink droplets land on the printing medium are in contact, but adjacent ones of the second dots are separated from each other. With this printing method, the first ink is high in stretchability, and the glass transition point when the second ink is cured is higher than the glass transition point when the first ink is cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Tsunoya, Keigo Sugai, Yoshikazu Hama
  • Patent number: 9139093
    Abstract: The printed matter manufacturing method includes the steps of providing a printed layer in a predetermined pattern on a substrate, and providing an open part penetrating through the substrate and the printed layer in an open part formation region. The printed matter manufacturing method has a step of providing a buffer layer for mitigating a shock imparted to the printed layer when the open part is provided, so that the buffer layer contacts the printed layer in at least a portion of a periphery of the open part formation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keigo Sugai, Seigo Momose
  • Patent number: 8956716
    Abstract: A printed material includes a first printed layer and a second printed layer. The first printed layer is produced by printing using a first curing ink which is provided in a first processing region for deformation process and contains at least a monofunctional polymerizable compound. The second printed layer is produced by printing using a second curing ink which is provided in a second processing region for shear processing and contains at least a multifunctional polymerizable compound. In the first curing ink, y1/x1 is 0.5 or less, where x1 and y1 are respective masses of the monofunctional polymerizable compound and the multifunctional polymerizable compound in the first curing ink. In the second crying ink, y2/x2 is 1 or greater, where x2 and y2 are respective masses of the monofunctional polymerizable compound and the multifunctional polymerizable compound in the second curing ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai