Patents by Inventor Kenji Shimomura

Kenji Shimomura 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: 20240075734
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes nozzle arrays and a controller. Each of the nozzle arrays includes nozzles arranged in a row along a nozzle array direction. The nozzle arrays are arranged in parallel with each other in a direction perpendicular to the nozzle array direction. The controller is configured to perform such control that in a case where the nozzle arrays include a first nozzle array including a non-ejection nozzle, a defect in a printed image due to the non-ejection nozzle is interpolated by using ejection of an ink by a first nozzle and at least one second nozzle in a second nozzle array different from the first nozzle array among the nozzle arrays, the first nozzle being at a position corresponding to a pixel onto which the non-ejection nozzle is intended to eject an ink, the at least one second nozzle being adjacent to the first nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 11397881
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is equipped with: an image data receiving unit that receives image data; and a print data generating unit that generates multiple value data as print data by performing a halftone process on the image data and converting the image data into at least three values. The print data generating unit administers a halftone process that includes a density fluctuation suppressing process that results in the print data always including a zero value except for a case in which all of the pixels that constitute the image data are converted into a maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shimomura, Masahiro Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20210357713
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is equipped with: an image data receiving unit that receives image data; and a print data generating unit that generates multiple value data as print data by performing a halftone process on the image data and converting the image data into at least three values. The print data generating unit administers a halftone process that includes a density fluctuation suppressing process that results in the print data always including a zero value except for a case in which all of the pixels that constitute the image data are converted into a maximum value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji SHIMOMURA, Masahiro KAWASHIMA
  • Patent number: 11155110
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes: a conveyer configured to convey a print medium; an inkjet head configured to eject ink to the print medium conveyed by the conveyer; a flow adjuster configured to adjust strength of an air flow in an under-head space which is a space between the inkjet head and the conveyer; and a controller configured to control the flow adjuster such that the smaller a satellite droplet generated from the ink ejected by the inkjet head is, the stronger the air flow in the under-head space is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shimomura, Hironao Adachi
  • Publication number: 20200307284
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes: a conveyer configured to convey a print medium; an inkjet head configured to eject ink to the print medium conveyed by the conveyer; a flow adjuster configured to adjust strength of an air flow in an under-head space which is a space between the inkjet head and the conveyer; and a controller configured to control the flow adjuster such that the smaller a satellite droplet generated from the ink ejected by the inkjet head is, the stronger the air flow in the under-head space is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji SHIMOMURA, Hironao ADACHI
  • Patent number: 10513126
    Abstract: A halftone processing of an image processing apparatus includes: performing a drop-less halftone processing on image data of each color corresponding to one or more ink colors including at least one selected from all ink colors of an inkjet printer in descending order of lightness of the all ink colors, the drop-less halftone processing having a minimum drop number per pixel greater than a minimum drop number per pixel in a normal halftone processing of generating drop data having a number of levels corresponding to a maximum drop number per pixel; and performing the normal halftone processing on image data of each color corresponding to the other ink colors other than the one or more ink colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20190118548
    Abstract: A halftone processing of an image processing apparatus includes: performing a drop-less halftone processing on image data of each color corresponding to one or more ink colors including at least one selected from all ink colors of an inkjet printer in descending order of lightness of the all ink colors, the drop-less halftone processing having a minimum drop number per pixel greater than a minimum drop number per pixel in a normal halftone processing of generating drop data having a number of levels corresponding to a maximum drop number per pixel; and performing the normal halftone processing on image data of each color corresponding to the other ink colors other than the one or more ink colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 10003721
    Abstract: An image processing method comprising: converting an RGB input signal to a CMYK signal; converting the RGB input signal to a common color signal including lightness; generating a first Gray signal including a Gray value substituted for CMY values forming gray in the CMYK signal; generating a second Gray signal including a Gray value corresponding to a K value greater than a threshold in the CMYK signal; generating a Gray output signal in a CMYKGray output signal indicating color material amounts of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), and gray (Gray) for printing by multiplying the generated first Gray signal and the generated second Gray signal respectively by coefficients corresponding to the lightness in the common color signal and then synthesizing the first Gray signal and the second Gray signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Shimomura
  • Patent number: 9751325
    Abstract: Using a plurality of colors of inks comprising an oil-based ink containing a dye lake pigment and an oil-based ink containing a pigment other than dye lake pigments, and superposing the plurality of colors of inks when printing, the oil-based ink containing a dye lake pigment is ejected on a printing medium prior to the oil-based ink containing a pigment other than dye lake pigments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shimomura, Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20170118381
    Abstract: An image processing method comprising: converting an RGB input signal to a CMYK signal; converting the RGB input signal to a common color signal including lightness; generating a first Gray signal including a Gray value substituted for CMY values forming gray in the CMYK signal; generating a second Gray signal including a Gray value corresponding to a K value greater than a threshold in the CMYK signal; generating a Gray output signal in a CMYKGray output signal indicating color material amounts of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), and gray (Gray) for printing by multiplying the generated first Gray signal and the generated second Gray signal respectively by coefficients corresponding to the lightness in the common color signal and then synthesizing the first Gray signal and the second Gray signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 9272529
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a transfer unit that transfers a paper, a print unit that has three or more nozzle rows aligned along a transfer direction of the paper, and a controller that ejects ink on the paper by controlling the print unit while transferring the paper by controlling the transfer unit. The most-upstream nozzle row of the nozzle row and the most-downstream nozzle row are capable of ejecting ink whose color has a lowest brightness among colors of ink to be used for printing. The controller selects the most-upstream nozzle row or the most-downstream nozzle row as a nozzle row for ejecting the ink whose color has a lowest brightness according to a type of the paper. According to the printer, it becomes possible to restrict contaminations on a printed media while also restricting degradation of print quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shimomura, Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9199464
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of head modules of a first inkjet head includes a black nozzle array configured to eject a black ink and a cyan nozzle array configured to eject a cyan ink. A plurality of nozzles of the cyan nozzle array and a plurality of nozzles of the black nozzle array are offset by a half pitch in a main scanning direction. Each of a plurality of head modules of at least one second inkjet head other than the first inkjet head includes a magenta nozzle array configured to eject a magenta ink and a yellow nozzle array configured to eject a yellow ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Shimomura
  • Patent number: 9162476
    Abstract: Upon determination that a paper to be printed is a first type of paper, a controller deletes pixels at least in one line from one side end of a pattern image forming a black information code in an information recording direction, and drives a printing unit to eject an ink of at least one color other than black in addition to an ink of black to pixels at least in one line at each of two side ends in the information recording direction of the pattern image with the pixels at least in the one line being deleted such that the pattern image is printed with a same width in the information recording direction as a width of the black information code included in an image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20150231878
    Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a transfer unit that transfers a paper, a print unit that has three or more nozzle rows aligned along a transfer direction of the paper, and a controller that ejects ink on the paper by controlling the print unit while transferring the paper by controlling the transfer unit. The most-upstream nozzle row of the nozzle row and the most-downstream nozzle row are capable of ejecting ink whose color has a lowest brightness among colors of ink to be used for printing. The controller selects the most-upstream nozzle row or the most-downstream nozzle row as a nozzle row for ejecting the ink whose color has a lowest brightness according to a type of the paper. According to the printer, it becomes possible to restrict contaminations on a printed media while also restricting degradation of print quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji SHIMOMURA, Hiroshi HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20150183229
    Abstract: Using a plurality of colors of inks comprising an oil-based ink containing a dye lake pigment and an oil-based ink containing a pigment other than dye lake pigments, and superposing the plurality of colors of inks when printing, the oil-based ink containing a dye lake pigment is ejected on a printing medium prior to the oil-based ink containing a pigment other than dye lake pigments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji SHIMOMURA, Hiroshi HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9061496
    Abstract: A printer includes a first printing unit configured in printing a code image to form first dots on respective pixels of the code image and a second printing unit configured in printing the code image to form second dots between the first dots in a width direction of a region with a width of two or more pixels having the first dots formed by the first printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shimomura, Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20150091964
    Abstract: Upon determination that a paper to be printed is a first type of paper, a controller deletes pixels at least in one line from one side end of a pattern image forming a black information code in an information recording direction, and drives a printing unit to eject an ink of at least one color other than black in addition to an ink of black to pixels at least in one line at each of two side ends in the information recording direction of the pattern image with the pixels at least in the one line being deleted such that the pattern image is printed with a same width in the information recording direction as a width of the black information code included in an image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Kenji SHIMOMURA
  • Publication number: 20150062247
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of head modules of a first inkjet head includes a black nozzle array configured to eject a black ink and a cyan nozzle array configured to eject a cyan ink. A plurality of nozzles of the cyan nozzle array and a plurality of nozzles of the black nozzle array are offset by a half pitch in a main scanning direction. Each of a plurality of head modules of at least one second inkjet head other than the first inkjet head includes a magenta nozzle array configured to eject a magenta ink and a yellow nozzle array configured to eject a yellow ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Kenji SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 8960838
    Abstract: A printer includes a print unit that ejects ink droplets of at least one ink color onto the sheet, at least one roller that feeds the printed sheet, and a controller that controls the print unit to print the sheet based on image data that defines an ink provision amount of each ink color for every dot according to a print resolution. The controller detects, based on the image data, a broad solid area, and carries out a print setting change with respect to the broad solid area by making the print resolution in the image data lower and making the ink provision amount of each ink color in the image data larger according to the print resolution that is made lower. According to the printer, stains on the printed sheet can be restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Shimomura, Hiroshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20150002568
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus includes a printing unit including four inkjet heads configured to discharge black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, respectively, to a transferred sheet; and a control unit configured to control the printing unit, wherein the printing unit, when forming a gray image by the printing unit, forms a grey image with three color inks other than black when a level of influence on an ink landing position by an airflow under the inkjet head is a predetermined level or higher, forms the grey image with the black ink when the level of influence is lower than the predetermined level, and controls the printing unit to set higher print resolution and set smaller an ink discharge amount for one pixel from the inkjet head than when forming the gray image with other three color inks, in forming the gray image with the black ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Kenji SHIMOMURA