Patents by Inventor Kentaro Murayama

Kentaro Murayama 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: 11951753
    Abstract: A printing cassette includes: a case including a first case portion, a second case portion, and a third case portion; a first tape, at least a portion of which is accommodated in the third case portion; and a gear, a portion of which is accommodated in the second case portion and the other portion of which is located outside of the case, the gear being rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to a first direction. The first case portion has an outlet through which the first tape is discharged. The first case portion, the second case portion, and the third case portion are disposed in an order of the first case portion, the second case portion, and the third case portion in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama
  • Publication number: 20240051314
    Abstract: A printing device includes a printing cassette, and a platen roller. The printing cassette includes: a print tape; an input part into which a drive force is to be inputted; an output part rotatable about a rotational axis extending in a first direction; a transmission mechanism for transmitting the drive force from the input part to the output part; and a case. The case houses therein at least a part of the print tape, at least a part of the input part, at least a part of the output part, and at least part of the transmission mechanism. At least a part of the output part is positioned outside the case. The output part is positioned inside an outer edge of the case in a projection view where the output part and the case are projected onto a plane perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama
  • Publication number: 20240010014
    Abstract: There is provided a printing cassette attachable to a printer body including a cassette accommodating portion provided with a first engaging portion. The printing cassette includes a printing tape roll configured of a printing tape, and a guide case arranged at a different position from the printing tape roll in a first direction parallel to a center axis of the printing tape roll. The guide case has a guide portion configured to guide the printing tape paid out from the printing tape roll, a first side surface positioned to overlap with the guide portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a first engagement surface engageable with the first engaging portion. The first engagement surface extends from the first side surface to cross therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Shinji UKAI, Kentaro MURAYAMA, Yuya TAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20240010013
    Abstract: A printing cassette is attachable to a printer body including a cassette accommodating portion provided with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion. The printing cassette includes a power transmission mechanism including an input rotational part and an output rotational part, and a guide case accommodating the power transmission mechanism therein. The guide case has a guide portion configured to guide a printing tape, a first side surface and a second side surface interposing the power transmission mechanism therebetween, a first engagement surface engageable with the first engaging portion, and a second engagement surface engageable with the second engaging portion. A first imaginary straight line is defined in the printing cassette, the first imaginary straight line passing through the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface and being interposed between a rotation axis of the input rotational part and a rotation axis of the output rotational part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Shinji UKAI, Kentaro MURAYAMA, Kosuke HIGASHI
  • Patent number: 11840069
    Abstract: A printing device includes a printing cassette, and a platen roller. The printing cassette includes: a print tape; an input part into which a drive force is to be inputted; an output part rotatable about a rotational axis extending in a first direction; a transmission mechanism for transmitting the drive force from the input part to the output part; and a case. The case houses therein at least a part of the print tape, at least a part of the input part, at least a part of the output part, and at least part of the transmission mechanism. At least a part of the output part is positioned outside the case. The output part is positioned inside an outer edge of the case in a projection view where the output part and the case are projected onto a plane perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 11813879
    Abstract: A printer includes a housing having a first surface having a cassette mounting opening, a print head extending toward the cassette mounting opening from an inside of the housing, a platen roller, and a printing cassette mountable on the housing by insertion to the cassette mounting opening in a first direction. The first surface has first and second areas both adjacent to the cassette mounting opening. The second area is opposite to the first area with respect to the cassette mounting opening in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The first and second areas are located upstream from the print head in a cassette mounting direction. In a state where the printing cassette is mounted on the housing, respective portions of the printing cassette adjacent to the first and second areas are located outside the housing beyond the first and second areas, respectively, in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama
  • Publication number: 20230356537
    Abstract: An auxiliary tape cassette is attachable to a printing device body together with a printing tape cassette. The printing tape cassette includes a printing tape and a printing-tape-cassette rotation transmission member. The auxiliary tape cassette includes an auxiliary tape, an auxiliary-tape-cassette rotation transmission member, and a case. The auxiliary tape is used for printing on the printing tape. The auxiliary-tape-cassette rotation transmission member is connectable to the printing-tape-cassette rotation transmission member of the printing tape cassette. The case accommodates therein at least a part of the auxiliary-tape-cassette rotation transmission member and at least a part of the auxiliary tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Kosuke HIGASHI, Kentaro MURAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230294431
    Abstract: An auxiliary tape cassette includes: an auxiliary tape; and a case. The auxiliary tape is used for printing on a printing tape. The case accommodates therein at least a part of the auxiliary tape. The case has: a discharge opening; and a guide part. The discharge opening discharges the printing tape to an outside. The guide part guides the printing tape supplied from an outside of the case toward the discharge opening. The guide part has a curvature forming member that causes the printing tape to be curved such that a portion in a width direction of the printing tape is distended in a thickness direction by contacting the printing tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kosuke HIGASHI, Kentaro MURAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230219354
    Abstract: An auxiliary tape cassette includes: an auxiliary tape; a gear; and a case. The auxiliary tape is used for printing on a printing tape. The gear transmits a driving force from an outside. The case accommodates therein at least a part of the auxiliary tape and at least a part of the gear. The case has: a discharge opening; and a guide part. The discharge opening discharges the printing tape to an outside. The guide part guides the printing tape supplied from an outside of the case toward the discharge opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kosuke HIGASHI, Kentaro MURAYAMA, Shinji UKAI
  • Patent number: 11698596
    Abstract: A fixing device is for fixing a developing agent image to a recording sheet by electrostatically spraying a charged fixing solution toward the developing agent image on the sheet. The fixing device includes a container portion, a plurality of nozzles, and a potential difference generating portion. The container portion is configured to store therein the fixing solution. The plurality of nozzles is in communication with the container portion and configured to spray the fixing solution toward the developing agent image. The potential difference generating portion is configured to generate a potential difference between the fixing solution stored in the plurality of nozzles and the recording sheet conveyed at a position separated from the plurality of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kakigahara, Kengo Takeda, Jun Mihara, Satoshi Murata, Shinya Yamamoto, Tomoaki Hattori, Kumiko Sakaguchi, Takayuki Higuchi, Tatsuya Ezaka, Emi Shimizu, Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 11643236
    Abstract: A tape having a strip shape extending in a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction includes: a subject surface located on the tape and exposed in a thickness direction; a first marker provided on the subject surface and being greater than the subject surface in reflectivity to light with a particular wavelength; and a second marker provided on the subject surface and being less than the subject surface in the reflectivity. At least a portion of the first marker and at least a portion of the second marker are identical to each other in position in the widthwise direction. At least a portion of one of the first marker and the second marker and at least a portion of another of the first marker and the second marker are different from each other in position in the lengthwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Murayama, Haruki Matsumoto, Yukiko Takami, Harumitsu Inoue
  • Patent number: 11580341
    Abstract: In a printing device, a supply portion is configured to convey a tape in its longitudinal direction. The tape includes: a plurality of labels arranged continuously in the longitudinal direction; and a plurality of storage elements provided on respective ones of the plurality of labels. A first storage element is provided on a first label and configured to store first authentication data. The second storage element is provided on a second label and configured to store second authentication data. A printing portion is configured to print on the plurality of labels. A controller is configured to perform: reading the first authentication data from the first storage element and the second authentication data from the second storage element by a reading portion; and determining whether the first authentication data is correlated to the second authentication data to meet an authentication condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Murayama, Kohei Terada, Yuji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11565538
    Abstract: A printer includes a printing unit, a conveying unit, a cutting unit, a casing and a controller. The controller is configured to perform receiving a setting for a discharge mode of a printed medium piece. The controller is configured to further perform, in a case where the discharge mode is currently set to a forcible discharge mode, forcibly discharging the printed medium piece from the casing through the discharging opening, a leading edge of a continuous printing medium being conveyed by a first feed amount in the conveying direction by driving the conveying unit such that the printed medium piece is pushed by the leading edge of the continuous printing medium. The controller is configured to further perform, in a case where the discharge mode is currently set to a non-forcible discharge mode, non-forcibly discharging the printed medium piece from the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuichi Kanda, Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 11465424
    Abstract: A printing device includes a printing mechanism, a first member, a second member and a RFID. The printing mechanism is configured to perform printing. The first member has a portion constituting a receiving portion. The receiving portion configured to receive therein a holder. The holder retains therein a consumable goods and is provided with a RFID. The holder is contactable with the portion of the first member when the holder is attached to the receiving portion. The second member is movable relative to the first member. The RFID reader is provided at the second member and is configured to read data stored in the RFID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Mizutani, Kentaro Murayama, Shota Iijima
  • Patent number: 11433689
    Abstract: A cassette includes: a housing; and a medium having a first portion contained in the housing and a second portion protruding to an outside of the housing. The second portion of the medium is a protruding portion having an indicator portion on which information is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kentaro Murayama
  • Publication number: 20220274422
    Abstract: A printing cassette that is attached to a printer main body, the printer main body including a print head, a platen roller facing the print head, and a drive source configured to cause the platen roller to rotate, the printing cassette comprising: a first tape on which printing is performed by the print head; an input unit that is rotatable around a rotation axis thereof and is transmitted a driving force from the drive source; and an output unit that is rotatable around a rotation axis thereof and is configured to transmit to the platen roller the driving force that is transmitted to the input unit, wherein the first tape is conveyed by the platen roller in a state where the printing cassette is attached to the printer main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Kentaro Murayama, Shota Iijima
  • Publication number: 20220258499
    Abstract: In a print device, the conveyance member conveys a tape on which printing is performed. The tape has a base material and a release material bonded together. The tape includes a print portion on which an image is printed by the head. The printed tape is used to create a printed matter. The half cutter performs a half cut to cut through the release material without cutting through the base material. The full cutter performs a full cut to cut through the tape conveyed by the conveyance member. The controller controls the half cut so that the half cutter cuts through the release material at a position downstream side of a most downstream end of the print portion of the printed tape, which is conveyed by the conveyance member and is printed by the head, in a conveying direction of the tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Shinji UKAI, Hiromitsu MIZUTANI, Kentaro MURAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220219468
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing apparatus main body, and a print cassette attachable to and detachable from the printing apparatus main body. The print cassette includes a roll of a first tape, a supply spool rotatable about a rotation axis, a second tape wound around the supply spool and used for printing or protecting of the first tape, an output gear to output a driving force outside, an input spool rotatable about a rotation axis. The supply spool, the output gear, and the roll are disposed in order of the supply spool, the output gear, and the roll in the axial direction of the rotation axis of the supply spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventor: Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: D1009990
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama, Yuya Tagami, Kosuke Higashi
  • Patent number: D1009991
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Ukai, Kentaro Murayama, Yuya Tagami, Kosuke Higashi