Patents by Inventor Kosuke Nukui

Kosuke Nukui 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: 11938735
    Abstract: A printer includes a head, a lamp, a first sensor, and a processor. The head is configured to eject photocurable ink onto the object to be printed. The lamp is configured to irradiate light onto the object to be printed. The first sensor is configured to detect a temperature inside the printer. The processor causes the first sensor to acquire the temperature inside the printer. The processor acquires, based on the print data, a duty ratio indicating a printing ratio when ejecting the ink onto an ejection region of the object to be printed. The processor increases a number of times of a flushing operation compared to a predetermined reference number of times, when the acquired duty ratio is a low duty ratio lower than a predetermined reference duty ratio, and the temperature detected by the first sensor is higher than a predetermined reference temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Kobayashi, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 11905090
    Abstract: A fluid package, having a pouch with a compartment apartment delimited by a film and a spout, is provided. The film includes an outer layer, an inner layer, a light-shielding layer, and a bonding layer. An outer periphery of the light-shielding layer is located at a position on an inner side of outer peripheries of the outer layer and the inner layer, at one of a position same as an outer periphery of the container compartment and a position on an outer side with respect to the outer periphery of the container compartment. The light-shielding layer covers an entirety of the container compartment and blocks ultraviolet rays. The bonding layer bonds the outer layer and the inner layer with the light-shielding layer interposed there-between. The bonding layer includes a directly-bonded area, in which the outer layer and the inner layer are directly bonded, in a range surrounding the light-shielding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Nukui, Kenta Hasebe, Ai Sakaguchi, Eiichi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11897267
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge casing having a liquid storage chamber; a first wall; a second wall; and an air communication passage. The first wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid storage chamber. The second wall is positioned upward relative to the first wall. The air communication passage has a first communication hole in communication with the liquid storage chamber and a communication opening open to an atmosphere. The air communication passage includes: an air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall and in communication with the liquid storage chamber through the first communication hole; a second communication hole formed in the second wall; and a labyrinth path. The labyrinth path is positioned upward relative to the air chamber, and has one end in communication with the second communication hole and another end in communication with the communication opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Fumio Nakazawa, Naoya Okazaki, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroshi Taira, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11890875
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction includes a casing, and a lever supported by the casing. The lever is pivotable about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position. The lever includes a light-blocking portion configured to block or attenuate light traveling in a widthwise direction crossing the insertion direction and a gravitational direction, and a force-receiving portion positioned closer to a front wall of the casing than the light-blocking portion is to the front wall in the insertion direction. The light-blocking portion is positioned lower at the second position than at the first position. The pivot axis is positioned frontward of the light-blocking portion and rearward of the force-receiving portion in the insertion direction. The lever pivots from the second position to the first position upon application of an external force to the force-receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Fumio Nakazawa, Kosuke Nukui
  • Publication number: 20230286278
    Abstract: A system includes: a housing; a first tank; a second tank; a first reservoir configured to be connected to the first tank; a second reservoir configured to be connected to the second tank; and a liquid discharge head that ejects the liquid supplied from the first tank and the second tank. The housing includes: a front wall; a rear wall facing the front wall; and a housing side contact, the first reservoir and the second reservoir includes: a liquid flow hole; a first outer wall; and a second outer wall facing the first outer wall, the first tank includes a first flow pipe, and the second tank includes a second flow pipe. The system further includes a circuit board that is disposed on the second outer wall and has a reservoir side contact that contacts the housing side contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito ONO, Akinari ISHIBE, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Takahiro MIYAO, Kosuke NUKUI
  • Patent number: 11752781
    Abstract: A printer includes a head, a lamp, a first sensor, and a processor. The head is configured to eject photocurable ink onto the object to be printed supported by a platen. The lamp is configured to irradiate light onto the object to be printed on which the ink is ejected. The first sensor is provided inside the printer, and is configured to detect a temperature inside the printer. The processor causes the first sensor to acquire the temperature inside the printer. The processor acquires, based on the print data, a duty ratio indicating a printing ratio when ejecting the ink onto an ejection region of the object to be printed. The processor sets an illuminance of the light irradiated by the lamp, based on the temperature acquired by the first sensor and the acquired duty ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Kobayashi, Kosuke Nukui
  • Publication number: 20230271423
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a first surface, a second surface spaced apart from the first surface, and a third surface extending between the first surface and the second surface, with a liquid outlet through the first surface. A circuit board is mounted on the third surface. A locking mechanism includes a locking surface that extends above the third surface, and a liquid detection mechanism includes a light access portion. The light access portion is disposed between the circuit board and the locking surface, and the circuit board is disposed between the first surface and the light access portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya OKAZAKI, Tetsuro KOBAYASHI, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Kosuke NUKUI, Akihito ONO, Mikio HIRANO, Suguru TOMOGUCHI, Yutao WANG, Tomohiro KANBE
  • Patent number: 11707934
    Abstract: A printing-fluid containing device configured to be inserted into a cartridge attachment section in an insertion direction includes: a printing-fluid cartridge and an adaptor to which the cartridge is detachably assembled. The cartridge includes: a casing; a supply portion; a detection portion; and an engagement portion. The adaptor includes: an adaptor body; and an electrical interface. The detection portion includes a light accessible portion accessed by light from an outside of the cartridge. The engagement portion is engageable with the cartridge attachment section. The adaptor body has a front wall at its leading end in the insertion direction. The front wall has an opening through which the supply portion extends. The electrical interface is disposed on an outer surface of the adaptor body and electrically connectable to an electric contact of the cartridge attachment section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Nukui, Hiroaki Takahashi, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11685162
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes a first surface, a second surface spaced apart from the first surface, and a third surface extending between the first surface and the second surface, with a liquid outlet through the first surface. A circuit board is mounted on the third surface. A locking mechanism includes a locking surface that extends above the third surface, and a liquid detection mechanism includes a light access portion. The light access portion is disposed between the circuit board and the locking surface, and the circuit board is disposed between the first surface and the light access portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Okazaki, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Kosuke Nukui, Akihito Ono, Mikio Hirano, Suguru Tomoguchi, Yutao Wang, Tomohiro Kanbe
  • Patent number: 11639059
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge includes: a cartridge casing having a liquid storage chamber; a first wall; a second wall; and an air communication passage. The first wall is positioned upward relative to the liquid storage chamber. The second wall is positioned upward relative to the first wall. The air communication passage has a first communication hole in communication with the liquid storage chamber and a communication opening open to an atmosphere. The air communication passage includes: an air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall and in communication with the liquid storage chamber through the first communication hole; a second communication hole formed in the second wall; and a labyrinth path. The labyrinth path is positioned upward relative to the air chamber, and has one end in communication with the second communication hole and another end in communication with the communication opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuro Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Fumio Nakazawa, Naoya Okazaki, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Hiroshi Taira, Toyonori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11590758
    Abstract: A printing-fluid cartridge is inserted into a prescribed insertion space of a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction crossing a gravitational direction to be attached thereto in an attached posture. The printing-fluid cartridge includes: a housing including a storage chamber, a supply portion having a supply hole, an electrical interface disposed at an upper surface of the housing, and an interfering surface. The interfering surface is positioned upward of the storage chamber and extends in a widthwise direction of the housing. The interfering surface is positioned downward and frontward relative to the electrical interface and is configured to abut against a projection provided at another insertion space different from the prescribed insertion space of the cartridge-attachment section during an insertion of the printing-fluid cartridge into the another insertion space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Nukui, Fumio Nakazawa, Suguru Tomoguchi, Hiroaki Takahashi, Akihito Ono, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Takahiro Miyao
  • Publication number: 20230057827
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid pack including: a pouch configured to store a liquid therein; and a spout configured to be connectable to a part at one end in a first direction of the pouch, and having a channel in which the liquid passes. The pouch has: a liquid storing chamber configured to store the liquid therein and communicating with the channel of the spout, a sealing part configured to seal surrounding of the liquid storing chamber, and a liquid-non-storing chamber which is positioned to be separated with respect to the spout by the liquid storing chamber and the sealing part, and in which the liquid is not stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: AI SAKAGUCHI, EIICHI FUJIWARA, KENTA HASEBE, KOSUKE NUKUI, YUTAKA TAKAGIWA
  • Patent number: 11584130
    Abstract: A system includes: a housing; a first tank; a second tank; a first reservoir configured to be connected to the first tank; a second reservoir configured to be connected to the second tank; and a liquid discharge head that ejects the liquid supplied from the first tank and the second tank. The housing includes: a front wall; a rear wall facing the front wall; and a housing side contact, the first reservoir and the second reservoir includes: a liquid flow hole; a first outer wall; and a second outer wall facing the first outer wall, the first tank includes a first flow pipe, and the second tank includes a second flow pipe. The system further includes a circuit board that is disposed on the second outer wall and has a reservoir side contact that contacts the housing side contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Ono, Akinari Ishibe, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Kosuke Nukui
  • Publication number: 20230001711
    Abstract: A printer includes a platen, a first head, a second head, and an illumination device. In a normal print mode, the first head, the second head, and the illumination device are moved relatively with respect to the platen in a main scanning direction, in a state in which a distance between the platen and a predetermined position of the illumination device in the height direction is a first distance, and the ink is ejected onto an object to be printed placed on the platen and the light is irradiated onto the ejected ink. In a gloss print mode, the first head, the second head, and the illumination device are moved relatively with respect to the platen in the main scanning direction, in a state in which the distance between the platen and the predetermined position in the height direction is a second distance larger than the first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Kengo TAKEDA, Akihiro KOBAYASHI, Takahiro NISHIMOTO, Kosuke NUKUI, Kenta HASEBE
  • Publication number: 20230001712
    Abstract: A printer includes a platen, a first head, a second head, a first lamp, and a second lamp. The first head, the second head, the first lamp, and the second lamp are moved relatively with respect to the platen in a main scanning direction, and the platen is moved from the second head toward the first head relatively with respect to the first head, the second head, the first lamp, and the second lamp, repeatedly. The second head ejects the second ink onto the object to be printed placed on the platen while the first head, the second head, the first lamp, and the second lamp are moving in the main scanning direction. The first lamp irradiates light onto the second ink on the object to be printed while the first head, the second head, the first lamp, and the second lamp are moving in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Akihiro KOBAYASHI, Takahiro NISHIMOTO, Kosuke NUKUI, Kenta HASEBE, Kengo TAKEDA
  • Publication number: 20220388320
    Abstract: A printer includes a head, a lamp, a first sensor, and a processor. The head is configured to eject photocurable ink onto the object to be printed supported by a platen. The lamp is configured to irradiate light onto the object to be printed on which the ink is ejected. The first sensor is provided inside the printer, and is configured to detect a temperature inside the printer. The processor causes the first sensor to acquire the temperature inside the printer. The processor acquires, based on the print data, a duty ratio indicating a printing ratio when ejecting the ink onto an ejection region of the object to be printed. The processor sets an illuminance of the light irradiated by the lamp, based on the temperature acquired by the first sensor and the acquired duty ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Akihiro KOBAYASHI, Kosuke NUKUI
  • Publication number: 20220388319
    Abstract: A printer includes a head, a lamp, a first sensor, and a processor. The head is configured to eject photocurable ink onto the object to be printed. The lamp is configured to irradiate light onto the object to be printed. The first sensor is configured to detect a temperature inside the printer. The processor causes the first sensor to acquire the temperature inside the printer. The processor acquires, based on the print data, a duty ratio indicating a printing ratio when ejecting the ink onto an ejection region of the object to be printed. The processor increases a number of times of a flushing operation compared to a predetermined reference number of times, when the acquired duty ratio is a low duty ratio lower than a predetermined reference duty ratio, and the temperature detected by the first sensor is higher than a predetermined reference temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Akihiro KOBAYASHI, Kosuke NUKUI
  • Publication number: 20220332121
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge configured to be inserted into a cartridge-attachment section in an insertion direction includes a casing, and a lever supported by the casing. The lever is pivotable about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position. The lever includes a light-blocking portion configured to block or attenuate light traveling in a widthwise direction crossing the insertion direction and a gravitational direction, and a force-receiving portion positioned closer to a front wall of the casing than the light-blocking portion is to the front wall in the insertion direction. The light-blocking portion is positioned lower at the second position than at the first position. The pivot axis is positioned frontward of the light-blocking portion and rearward of the force-receiving portion in the insertion direction. The lever pivots from the second position to the first position upon application of an external force to the force-receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Takahiro MIYAO, Akihito ONO, Tetsuro KOBAYASHI, Fumio NAKAZAWA, Kosuke NUKUI
  • Publication number: 20220306365
    Abstract: A fluid package, having a pouch with a compartment apartment delimited by a film and a spout, is provided. The film includes an outer layer, an inner layer, a light-shielding layer, and a bonding layer. An outer periphery of the light-shielding layer is located at a position on an inner side of outer peripheries of the outer layer and the inner layer, at one of a position same as an outer periphery of the container compartment and a position on an outer side with respect to the outer periphery of the container compartment. The light-shielding layer covers an entirety of the container compartment and blocks ultraviolet rays. The bonding layer bonds the outer layer and the inner layer with the light-shielding layer interposed there-between. The bonding layer includes a directly-bonded area, in which the outer layer and the inner layer are directly bonded, in a range surrounding the light-shielding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Kosuke NUKUI, Kenta HASEBE, Ai SAKAGUCHI, Eiichi FUJIWARA
  • Patent number: 11413875
    Abstract: A liquid cartridge is insertable into an attachment portion of a printing device in an insertion direction and attached thereto in an upright posture. The liquid cartridge includes: a housing defining a liquid chamber; a substrate; a contact; and a memory electrically connected to the contact. The substrate in the upright posture defines a sloped surface facing upward and sloping relative to a first imaginary plane extending in the insertion direction and a widthwise direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and a gravitational direction. The contact is formed on the sloped surface. An acute angle formed between the sloped surface and the first imaginary plane is greater than an acute angle formed between the first imaginary plane and a second imaginary plane passing through: a contact point between the contact and a contact of the device; and a lower end of a wall constituting a holder of the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyao, Akihito Ono, Kosuke Nukui, Fumio Nakazawa, Hiroaki Takahashi, Tetsuro Kobayashi