Patents by Inventor Ken Higuchi
Ken Higuchi 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: 10988917Abstract: A toilet flushing device includes a first rim water pipe within which is formed a first water passage through which water flows to a first rim discharge hole, through which water is discharged to a rim part of a toilet bowl. The first rim water pipe extends from the first rim discharge hole toward a rear part of the toilet bowl, and the rear part side of the first rim water pipe is positioned lower than the first rim discharge hole.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2017Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: LIXIL CorporationInventors: Ken Higuchi, Takeya Ichiyanagi, Yasuhiro Kondo
-
Publication number: 20190330830Abstract: A toilet bowl device includes a toilet bowl main body, a toilet bowl washing tank disposed on an upper surface of the toilet bowl main body, and a tank cover covering the toilet bowl washing tank. A tank volume of the toilet bowl washing tank is 3 L or more. A relationship of Db?Da/5 is satisfied when a horizontal distance from a foremost end of the tank cover to a rearmost end of the tank cover is Da and a horizontal distance from a foremost end of the tank cover to the rearmost end of the tank cover is Db.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2019Publication date: October 31, 2019Applicant: LIXIL CorporationInventors: Ken HIGUCHI, Masafumi FUKAGAWA, Shuhei HAMADA, Kazuhiko HARITAKE, Kazuya YASHIMA, Yuki NISHIO, Gousuke SAKAKIBARA, Junpei YAMAGUCHI
-
Publication number: 20190112798Abstract: A toilet flushing device includes a first rim water pipe within which is formed a first water passage through which water flows to a first rim discharge hole, through which water is discharged to a rim part of a toilet bowl. The first rim water pipe extends from the first rim discharge hole toward a rear part of the toilet bowl, and the rear part side of the first rim water pipe is positioned lower than the first rim discharge hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2017Publication date: April 18, 2019Applicant: LIXIL CorporationInventors: Ken HIGUCHI, Takeya ICHIYANAGI, Yasuhiro KONDO
-
Patent number: 9702130Abstract: A toilet flush tank is provided that is capable of preventing an increase in the external dimensions of a toilet main body even when the toilet flush tank is placed below the upper surface of a toilet main body and is also capable of performing toilet cleaning in a stable manner. A toilet flush tank stores cleaning water to be provided to a toilet main body having a toilet bowl and a toilet drainage channel that communicates with the downstream side of the toilet bowl. This toilet flush tank is placed inside a space below the toilet bowl and provided with a recessed portion that conforms to the shape of the toilet drainage channel at the upper surface of the toilet flush tank.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: LIXIL CORPORATIONInventors: Kouji Fukuya, Naokazu Onishi, Ken Higuchi, Yuji Saito, Kojiro Watari
-
Publication number: 20150159356Abstract: A toilet flush tank is provided that is capable of preventing an increase in the external dimensions of a toilet main body even when the toilet flush tank is placed below the upper surface of a toilet main body and is also capable of performing toilet cleaning in a stable manner. A toilet flush tank stores cleaning water to be provided to a toilet main body having a toilet bowl and a toilet drainage channel that communicates with the downstream side of the toilet bowl. This toilet flush tank is placed inside a space below the toilet bowl and provided with a recessed portion that conforms to the shape of the toilet drainage channel at the upper surface of the toilet flush tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Kouji FUKUYA, Naokazu ONISHI, Ken HIGUCHI, Yuji SAITO, Kojiro WATARI
-
Patent number: 9009877Abstract: Air suction device for a flush toilet configured to suction air from a toilet drain duct having a suction chamber dividing a tank body interior, a float in the suction chamber and an on-off valve closing an air inlet when the float lifts to prevent air flow from the toilet drain duct side into the suction chamber. The air inlet is higher than the water level in a toilet flushing standby mode. The on-off valve opens the air inlet to allow air flow form the drain duct side in the suction chamber when flush water in the tank drops such that the float is lowered form the raised position. An embodiment includes a valve chest, a float and attracting member for on-off valve manipulation. Another embodiment includes a valve chest with a small air flow manipulation hole.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Lixil CorporationInventors: Koji Miwa, Kojiro Watari, Hitomi Yamai, Ken Higuchi
-
Patent number: 8677519Abstract: A drainage connector communicates between a drain outlet of a toilet drainage path connected to a toilet bowl and a connecting port of a drain conduit led into a room equipped with a toilet body. The drainage connector includes a casing formed with a flow inlet connected to the drain outlet and a flow outlet connected to the port, and piping disposed in the casing. The piping has an upstream piping having an upstream opening communicating with the flow inlet and forming a downward flow path when the drain outlet communicates with the port and a downstream piping connected to the upstream piping and having a downstream opening open to the casing in a lateral direction along an inner surface of the casing so that flush water flows out in the lateral direction. The downstream piping forms an upward flow path when the drain outlet communicates with the port.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Lixil CorporationInventors: Takamasa Ina, Yasuhiro Kondo, Keisuke Hirai, Ken Hirabayashi, Ken Higuchi, Masafumi Fukagawa
-
Patent number: 8595868Abstract: An air suction device for a toilet drain passage includes a suction tank partitioned by a diaphragm into an upper chamber and a lower chamber communicating with the passage, and an electromagnetic drive device moving the diaphragm upward. The drive device has a cylindrical case body installed away from the tank, a moving member housed in the case body so as to be vertically movable, and a moving device located on a lower end of the case body. The moving device has a casing and an actuator assembled in the casing to move the moving member. The case body has a first airtight chamber surrounded by the moving member and the moving device. The first airtight chamber has a cubic capacity changed by movement of the moving member and communicates with the first chamber. The first airtight chamber sucks air in the first chamber to move the diaphragm upward.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2008Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: LIXIL CorporationInventors: Masafumi Fukagawa, Ken Higuchi
-
Method and apparatus for forming image, surface-property-modifying sheet, and thermal transfer sheet
Patent number: 8536088Abstract: In an image-forming method, a ribbon-shaped thermal transfer sheet with a dye layer and a protective material layer arranged side-by-side in the longitudinal direction is moved, and thermal energy is applied from a thermal head while arranging a recording medium to face the dye layer to thermally transfer the dye layer onto the recording medium to form an image. Thermal energy is applied while arranging the image to face the protective material layer to thereby form a protective layer on the image by thermal transfer. A ribbon-shaped surface-property-modifying sheet including a surface-property-modifying region for modifying the surface of the protective layer is moved, and the protective layer is aligned with the surface-property-modifying region of the surface-property-modifying sheet. Heat and pressure are applied from the thermal head and the surface-property-modifying sheet is detached after cooling to modify the surface condition of the protective layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2008Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takaaki Murakami, Ken Higuchi, Yasushi Hirumi -
Patent number: 8520263Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of recording image information and additional information added separately from the image information to a photographic printing medium is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes: image information acquisition means for acquiring the image information, additional information acquisition means for acquiring the additional information, and recording means for recording the image information acquired by the image information acquisition means and the additional information acquired by the additional information acquisition means to the photographic printing medium, wherein the recording means can record the additional information by applying a transparent material that absorbs light of a specific wavelength to the area that does not absorb the light on a recording surface of the photographic printing medium.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2006Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Naoki Takizawa, Ken Higuchi
-
Patent number: 8441509Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a recording medium; a thermal transfer sheet that has an ink layer, and a protective material layer thermally transferred onto the recording medium to form a protective layer; a reforming sheet that has a printing opening portion for causing the ink layer and the protective material layer to come into contact with a surface of the recording medium, and a surface property reforming portion for reforming surface properties of the protective layer; and a thermal head that heats and causes the surface property reforming portion to come into pressing contact with the recording medium through the thermally transferred protective material layer, wherein a temperature limitation area is set in an outer peripheral portion of an area where the surface properties are reformed, and heating of the surface property reforming portion in the temperature limitation area is restricted.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2011Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Jun Matsuoka, Ken Higuchi
-
Patent number: 8421831Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit conveying a medium to be recorded in a predetermined direction, a thermal transfer sheet including an ink layer thermally transferred onto the medium to form a printing layer, and a protective material layer thermally transferred onto the medium to form a protection layer, a transfer sheet traveling unit causing the thermal transfer sheet to travel, a reforming sheet including a printing opening for bringing the ink layer and the protective material layer into contact with a surface of the medium, and a surface property reforming unit reforming the surface property of the protection layer, a reforming sheet traveling unit causing the reforming sheet to travel, and a thermal head pressing the surface property reforming unit on the medium through the protective material layer having been thermally transferred to thereby heat the pressed surface property reforming unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2011Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Inventors: Jun Matsuoka, Ken Higuchi
-
Patent number: 8421832Abstract: A surface property modifying sheet cartridge includes two reels that are disposed in parallel with a predetermined interval, a surface property modifying sheet that is provided in a tensioned state between the two reels in a manner such that end parts thereof are respectively fixed to the two reels and are wound respectively around the two reels, and a case part configured to store the two reels and the surface property modifying sheet. In the surface property modifying sheet cartridge, the case part includes a penetrating part that exposes a part of the surface property modifying sheet positioned between the two reels.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Inventors: Ken Higuchi, Hiromi Tsujie
-
Patent number: 8272797Abstract: A printer includes a fragment receiving section provided below a cutter and receiving a non-printing area cut off as a fragment falling thereinto, and a printed matter receiving section provided below the cutter and receiving a printing area cut off as a piece of printed matter and falling thereinto. The fragment receiving section includes a rocking plate rocked by a rocking mechanism between a first rocking position, where an upper end of the rocking plate resides on the downstream side in a paper conveying direction with respect to a cutting position so as to allow the fragment to fall into the fragment receiving section, and a second rocking position, where the upper end of the rocking plate resides on the upstream side in the paper conveying direction with respect to the cutting position so as to guide the piece of printed matter into the printed matter receiving section.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2009Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Toshiyasu Morimoto, Ken Higuchi
-
Publication number: 20120210506Abstract: A flush tank device (10) includes a tank body (20) storing flush water to flush a toilet body (1), a water supply device (30) supplying flush water into the tank body, and an air suction device (40) sucking air in a toilet drain duct (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: August 23, 2012Applicant: LIXIL CORPORATIONInventors: Koji Miwa, Kojiro Watari, Hitomi Yamai, Ken Higuchi
-
Patent number: 8149255Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveying unit that conveys a recording medium in a predetermined direction, a thermal transfer sheet traveling unit that causes a thermal transfer sheet to travel in a predetermined direction, a modification sheet moving unit that moves a surface modification sheet, a thermal head that applies thermal energy and thermally transfers sequentially a dye layer and a protective layer of the thermal transfer sheet onto the recording medium while the dye layer or the protective layer opposes the surface of the recording medium, and a modification sheet protecting unit disposed in a movement path of the surface modification sheet, and configured to prevent adhesion of dust to the surface modification sheet or to eliminate the adhesion.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2009Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Ken Higuchi, Takaaki Murakami, Hiromi Tsujie
-
Publication number: 20120056964Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a recording medium; a thermal transfer sheet that has an ink layer, and a protective material layer thermally transferred onto the recording medium to form a protective layer; a reforming sheet that has a printing opening portion for causing the ink layer and the protective material layer to come into contact with a surface of the recording medium, and a surface property reforming portion for reforming surface properties of the protective layer; and a thermal head that heats and causes the surface property reforming portion to come into pressing contact with the recording medium through the thermally transferred protective material layer, wherein a temperature limitation area is set in an outer peripheral portion of an area where the surface properties are reformed, and heating of the surface property reforming portion in the temperature limitation area is restricted.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Inventors: Jun Matsuoka, Ken Higuchi
-
Publication number: 20120056965Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit conveying a medium to be recorded in a predetermined direction, a thermal transfer sheet including an ink layer thermally transferred onto the medium to form a printing layer, and a protective material layer thermally transferred onto the medium to form a protection layer, a transfer sheet traveling unit causing the thermal transfer sheet to travel, a reforming sheet including a printing opening for bringing the ink layer and the protective material layer into contact with a surface of the medium, and a surface property reforming unit reforming the surface property of the protection layer, a reforming sheet traveling unit causing the reforming sheet to travel, and a thermal head pressing the surface property reforming unit on the medium through the protective material layer having been thermally transferred to thereby heat the pressed surface property reforming unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Inventors: Jun MATSUOKA, Ken Higuchi
-
Publication number: 20120044314Abstract: A surface property modifying sheet cartridge includes two reels that are disposed in parallel with a predetermined interval, a surface property modifying sheet that is provided in a tensioned state between the two reels in a manner such that end parts thereof are respectively fixed to the two reels and are wound respectively around the two reels, and a case part configured to store the two reels and the surface property modifying sheet. In the surface property modifying sheet cartridge, the case part includes a penetrating part that exposes a part of the surface property modifying sheet positioned between the two reels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2011Publication date: February 23, 2012Inventors: Ken Higuchi, Hiromi Tsujie
-
Publication number: 20100313344Abstract: Disclosed is a drainage connector which can realize a flushing toilet of excellent usability. The drainage connector (10) establishes communication between a drain outlet (6B) of a toilet drainage path (L) leading to the downstream side of a toilet bowl (2) formed in a toilet body (1) and a connecting port (31) of a drain conduit (30) led into the room to be equipped with the toilet body (1). The drainage connector (10) is equipped with a casing (11) having a flow inlet (12) connected to the drain outlet (6B) and a flow outlet (18) connected to the connecting port (31), and an internal piping (20) arranged in the casing (11). The internal piping (20) is constituted of an upstream piping (22) having an upstream opening (21) communicating with the flow inlet (12), for forming a downward flow path, and a downstream piping (23) connected to the upstream piping (22) and having a downstream opening (24) opened into the casing (11), for forming an upward flow path.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: December 16, 2010Applicant: INAX CORPORATIONInventors: Takamasa Ina, Yasuhiro Kondo, Keisuke Hirai, Ken Hirabayashi, Ken Higuchi, Masafumi Fukagawa