Patents by Inventor Kiyoteru Katsuki

Kiyoteru Katsuki 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: 20230302807
    Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a first liquid supply path that supplies ink to a first liquid supply port corresponding to a cartridge, a second liquid supply path that supplies ink in a second liquid container to a second liquid supply port corresponding to a cartridge, a selector that selects either the first liquid supply path or the second liquid supply path, an on-off valve and a pump that, when the first liquid supply path is selected by the selector, supplies ink via the first liquid supply path to the cartridge, and an on-off valve and the pump that, when the second liquid supply path is selected by the selector, supplies ink via the second liquid supply path to the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Yoshiharu MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20230018269
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid container configured to be detachably attached to a printer body. The liquid container includes a liquid containing portion, a supplying passage member, and an adapter. The liquid containing portion is a portion for containing liquid. The supplying passage member has a supplying passage in liquid communication with the liquid containing portion, the liquid contained in the liquid containing portion being supplied toward the printer body through the supplying passage. The adapter is mounted on the supplying passage member and configured to couple the supplying passage to the printer body. The adapter and the supplying passage member are joined by snap fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro KARASAWA, Naoki NAITO, Yuji AOKI, Kazuyuki HIRATA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI
  • Patent number: 11141986
    Abstract: A liquid housing body includes a bag that is flexible and that houses a liquid therein, a liquid lead-out member that is attached to an end of the bag and that includes a liquid lead-out portion for leading the liquid in the bag to a liquid ejecting apparatus, a spacer member disposed in the bag, and a filter unit that has a thickness smaller than the spacer member, that is disposed between the liquid lead-out member and the spacer member in the bag, and that supplies the liquid to the liquid lead-out member through a filter, in which, in a use state of the liquid housing body, the liquid lead-out member, the filter unit, and the spacer member are aligned in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: 11130342
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a carriage that mounts a liquid ejecting head provided with a nozzle surface in which nozzles to eject a liquid are formed, and is configured to move the liquid ejecting head between an ejection area used to cause the liquid ejecting head to eject the liquid onto a medium and a maintenance area used to perform maintenance of the liquid ejecting head, and a liquid receiving portion that has a size equal to or larger than the nozzle surface, is opposed to the nozzle surface located at a detachment position defined in the maintenance area, and receives the liquid discharged from the nozzles when detaching a liquid supply coupling portion detachably coupled to the liquid ejecting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Yoshida, Kiyoteru Katsuki, Junya Suzuki, Hitotoshi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20200307234
    Abstract: A liquid housing body includes a bag that is flexible and that houses a liquid therein, a liquid lead-out member that is attached to an end of the bag and that includes a liquid lead-out portion for leading the liquid in the bag to a liquid ejecting apparatus, a spacer member disposed in the bag, and a filter unit that has a thickness smaller than the spacer member, that is disposed between the liquid lead-out member and the spacer member in the bag, and that supplies the liquid to the liquid lead-out member through a filter, in which, in a use state of the liquid housing body, the liquid lead-out member, the filter unit, and the spacer member are aligned in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoteru KATSUKI
  • Publication number: 20200230961
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a carriage that mounts a liquid ejecting head provided with a nozzle surface in which nozzles to eject a liquid are formed, and is configured to move the liquid ejecting head between an ejection area used to cause the liquid ejecting head to eject the liquid onto a medium and a maintenance area used to perform maintenance of the liquid ejecting head, and a liquid receiving portion that has a size equal to or larger than the nozzle surface, is opposed to the nozzle surface located at a detachment position defined in the maintenance area, and receives the liquid discharged from the nozzles when detaching a liquid supply coupling portion detachably coupled to the liquid ejecting head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi YOSHIDA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Junya SUZUKI, Hitotoshi KIMURA
  • Patent number: 10000064
    Abstract: Technology enabling stably attaching a cartridge having a fluid supply port and a waste fluid inlet to a fluid ejection device. The cartridge has a bottom wall with a fluid supply port for supplying fluid to the fluid ejection device, and a waste fluid inlet for recovering waste fluid from the fluid ejection device, a first side wall having a first contact part capable of contacting a first fastening member of the cartridge holder when the cartridge is installed in the cartridge holder, and a second side wall having a second contact part capable of contacting a second fastening member of the cartridge holder when the cartridge is installed in the cartridge holder. When looking at the cartridge from the bottom wall side, an imaginary first line passing through the first contact part and the second contact part passes between the fluid supply port and the waste fluid inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoteru Katsuki, Tomohiro Mizuta
  • Patent number: 9994027
    Abstract: Technology suppressing installation of a cartridge for supplying fluid and recovering waste fluid in a wrong orientation to a fluid ejection device is provided. The cartridge has a box-shaped case. The cartridge includes a fluid pack that stores a fluid and that is disposed in the case and a waste fluid retainer that is disposed beside the fluid pack inside the case. The waste fluid retainer is configured to hold waste fluid introduced to the case from the fluid ejection device. At least one corner of a side of the case on the side on which the fluid pack is disposed is beveled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Publication number: 20170297342
    Abstract: Technology suppressing installation of a cartridge for supplying fluid and recovering waste fluid in a wrong orientation to a fluid ejection device is provided. The cartridge has a box-shaped case. The cartridge includes a fluid pack that stores a fluid and that is disposed in the case and a waste fluid retainer that is disposed beside the fluid pack inside the case. The waste fluid retainer is configured to hold waste fluid introduced to the case from the fluid ejection device. At least one corner of a side of the case on the side on which the fluid pack is disposed is beveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventor: Kiyoteru KATSUKI
  • Publication number: 20170297343
    Abstract: Technology enabling stably attaching a cartridge having a fluid supply port and a waste fluid inlet to a fluid ejection device. The cartridge has a bottom wall with a fluid supply port for supplying fluid to the fluid ejection device, and a waste fluid inlet for recovering waste fluid from the fluid ejection device, a first side wall having a first contact part capable of contacting a first fastening member of the cartridge holder when the cartridge is installed in the cartridge holder, and a second side wall having a second contact part capable of contacting a second fastening member of the cartridge holder when the cartridge is installed in the cartridge holder. When looking at the cartridge from the bottom wall side, an imaginary first line passing through the first contact part and the second contact part passes between the fluid supply port and the waste fluid inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Tomohiro MIZUTA
  • Patent number: 9561663
    Abstract: An ink cartridge has an ink pack that holds ink and a case that holds the ink pack. The case has a case body forming an ink pack storage space R, and a cover that is removably attached to the case body. An ink supply opening is formed in the front wall of the case body, and a body-side pedestal protruding from the interior of the case body toward the cover inside the case is formed at the opposite end as the ink supply opening. When the cover is attached to the case with an ink pack inside, the back end part of the ink pack is held between a cover-side pedestal protruding from the interior of the cover and the body-side pedestal. The back side of the body-side pedestal forms an exterior recess on the case that can be used as a fingerhold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: 9527292
    Abstract: A maintenance unit 20 of a printer 1 has a waste ink recovery tank 24 that recovers waste ink. First and second mixing tubes 22A and 22B connect to the waste ink recovery tank 24. One mixing tube 22A branches into a tube BK and a tube Y, and the second mixing tube 22B branches into a tube C and a tube M. Black ink BK and yellow ink Y are merged and mixed in first mixing tube 22A before entering the waste ink recovery tank 24. The mixed inks from both mixing tubes then mix and flow together through a flow path 33 in the waste ink recovery tank 24. As a result, the chance of the ink inlets to the waste ink recovery tank becoming clogged by ink that has increased in viscosity can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Publication number: 20160136961
    Abstract: An ink cartridge has an ink pack that holds ink and a case that holds the ink pack. The case has a case body forming an ink pack storage space R, and a cover that is removably attached to the case body. An ink supply opening is formed in the front wall of the case body, and a body-side pedestal protruding from the interior of the case body toward the cover inside the case is formed at the opposite end as the ink supply opening. When the cover is attached to the case with an ink pack inside, the back end part of the ink pack is held between a cover-side pedestal protruding from the interior of the cover and the body-side pedestal. The back side of the body-side pedestal forms an exterior recess on the case that can be used as a fingerhold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Publication number: 20160052277
    Abstract: A maintenance unit 20 of a printer 1 has a waste ink recovery tank 24 that recovers waste ink. First and second mixing tubes 22A and 22B connect to the waste ink recovery tank 24. One mixing tube 22A branches into a tube BK and a tube Y, and the second mixing tube 22B branches into a tube C and a tube M. Black ink BK and yellow ink Y are merged and mixed in first mixing tube 22A before entering the waste ink recovery tank 24. The mixed inks from both mixing tubes then mix and flow together through a flow path 33 in the waste ink recovery tank 24. As a result, the chance of the ink inlets to the waste ink recovery tank becoming clogged by ink that has increased in viscosity can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: 8991987
    Abstract: A printer includes: a fluid ejecting head provided with multiple nozzles that eject ink; an ink supply tube that supplies the ink to the fluid ejecting head; and a pressure application mechanism that pressurizes the ink to swell from the nozzles by pressurizing the ink within the ink supply tube and then depressurizes the interior of the ink supply tube while the ink is swelling from the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Yoichi Yamada, Daisuke Matsumoto, Tomohiro Aruga, Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: 8807700
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device including: a fluid ejection head having a nozzle surface in which fluid ejection nozzles are arrayed; a head cap that covers the nozzle surface; a fluid storage unit in which an ejection fluid that is ejected from the nozzles of the fluid ejection head is stored; a moisturizing fluid supply unit that supplies to the head cap a moisturizing fluid that keeps the head cap moist; a moisturizing fluid storage unit that stores the moisturizing fluid supplied to the head cap from the moisturizing fluid supply unit; and a moisturizing fluid supply control unit that controls the amount of moisturizing fluid supplied to the head cap after the ejection fluid stored in the fluid storage unit reaches a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Publication number: 20140022315
    Abstract: A printer includes: a fluid ejecting head provided with multiple nozzles that eject ink; an ink supply tube that supplies the ink to the fluid ejecting head; and a pressure application mechanism that pressurizes the ink to swell from the nozzles by pressurizing the ink within the ink supply tube and then depressurizes the interior of the ink supply tube while the ink is swelling from the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Yoichi Yamada, Daisuke Matsumoto, Tomohiro Aruga, Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: 8550600
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejection unit that ejects a liquid onto an ejection target medium, a conductive brush provided adjacent to the liquid ejection unit and whose tip opposes the ejection target medium, and a same potential formation unit that sets the conductive brush and a predetermined portion of the liquid ejection unit to the same potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoteru Katsuki, Yoichi Yamada, Masaru Kobashi, Daisuke Matsumoto, Yasunori Koike, Narihiro Oki
  • Patent number: 8465121
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting head in which nozzles that eject fluid are provided; a wiper that wipes a nozzle formation face, in which nozzle orifices of the nozzles are formed, in the fluid ejecting head; and a pressurization mechanism which changes the curvature of a concave liquid surface formed in the nozzle, in the nozzle by performing pressurization on the fluid in the fluid ejecting head at the time of the wiping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Masaru Kobashi, Kiyoteru Katsuki
  • Patent number: D1016142
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Karasawa, Naoki Naito, Yuji Aoki, Kiyoteru Katsuki