Patents by Inventor Kunio Tabata
Kunio Tabata 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).
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Publication number: 20120119618Abstract: A power generating device includes: a piezoelectric member that is formed from a piezoelectric material; one pair of electrodes that are installed to the piezoelectric member; a transformation unit that repeatedly transforms the piezoelectric member; an inductor that is installed between the one pair of electrodes and configures a resonance circuit together with a capacitive component of the piezoelectric member; a switch that is connected to the inductor in series; and a switch control unit that connects the switch when a transformation direction of the piezoelectric member is switched, and cuts off the switch when a time corresponding to a half period of a resonance period of the resonance circuit elapses.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunio TABATA, Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Noritaka IDE, Atsushi OSHIMA
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Publication number: 20120120136Abstract: A modulated signal is generated by performing pulse modulation of a drive waveform signal that is a reference for a drive signal to be applied to a capacitive load, and the drive signal is generated by performing power amplification of the acquired modulated signal and then smoothing the power-amplified modulated signal. Then, negative feedback of the drive signal applied to the capacitive load is applied to the drive waveform signal that is the reference for the drive signal. At this time, a predetermined analog compensation process for smoothing gain characteristics in a frequency band included in the drive signal is performed for the drive signal, then the acquired signal is converted into a digital signal, and negative feedback of the digital signal is applied to the drive waveform signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi OSHIMA, Kunio TABATA, Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Noritaka IDE
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Patent number: 8172373Abstract: A fluid ejection device including, a drive element capable of storing a charge depending on a voltage applied to the drive element, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a power recovery module that recovers power from the drive element by connecting the first capacitor and the second capacitor to the drive element in series, wherein the power recovery module switches the first capacitor out of the in-series connection to further recover power from the drive element.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2010Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Atsushi Oshima, Shinichi Miyazaki, Kunio Tabata, Nobuaki Azami, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Noritaka Ide
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Publication number: 20120092401Abstract: A head drive of an inkjet printer includes nozzles and corresponding actuators that eject liquid ink drops. A drive unit applies a drive signal to the actuators. The drive unit includes a drive waveform generator that generates a drive waveform signal to control the drive of the actuators. A modulator pulse modulates the drive waveform. A digital power amplifier amplifies power of the modulated signal. A low pass filter smoothes the amplified digital signal and supplies the signal as a drive signal to the actuators. An inverse filter provided in a subsequent stage of the drive waveform generator corrects at least the frequency characteristics of the filter to predetermined frequency characteristics, independent of the number of the actuators to drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunio TABATA, Toshiyuki SUZUKI, Osamu SHINKAWA, Tomoki HATANO, Atsushi OSHIMA
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Patent number: 8111409Abstract: A detecting apparatus includes a target section in which target elements to be detected are arranged in the direction of the motion of a moving body; a detecting section that detects the target elements with the motion of the moving body and outputs a waveform signal having an output level corresponding to its detection sensitivity; a first-digital-signal output section that binarizes the waveform signal with reference to a first threshold to output a first digital signal; a second-digital-signal output section that binarizes the waveform signal with reference to a second threshold which is higher in absolute value than the first threshold to output a second digital signal; and a determining section that determines whether the second digital signal has changed in status.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kunio Tabata, Kaneo Yoda, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Atsushi Oshima
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Patent number: 8100491Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles provided to the liquid jet head, an actuator provided corresponding to each of the nozzles, drive unit that applies a drive signal to the actuator, drive waveform signal generation unit that generates a drive waveform signal providing a reference of a signal for controlling the actuator, modulator unit that pulse-modulates the drive waveform signal generated by the drive waveform signal generation unit, a digital power amplifier for power-amplifying the modulated signal, which is pulse-modulated by the modulator unit, and a low-pass filter provided individually corresponding to the actuator and for supplying the actuator with the power amplified modulated signal power-amplified by the digital power amplifier as a drive signal after smoothing.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2007Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Atsushi Oshima, Kunio Tabata, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Osamu Shinkawa, Tomoki Hatano
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Patent number: 8100493Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of nozzles, an actuator provided for each nozzle and connected to the respective nozzle, and a drive unit for applying a drive signal to the actuator. The drive unit includes a drive waveform generator that generates a drive waveform signal for controlling the drive of the actuator, a modulator for performing a pulse modulation of the drive waveform signal to produce a modulated signal, a digital power amplifier for power amplifying the modulated signal to produce an amplified signal, a low-pass filter for smoothing the amplified signal and supplying the drive signal to the actuator, and a modulation signal correcting unit that corrects the modulated signal according to a power supply voltage of the digital power amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2009Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Atsushi Oshima, Kunio Tabata
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Publication number: 20110273501Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus according to the present invention is a liquid jet apparatus including a plurality of nozzles, an actuator provided for each nozzle and connected to the respective nozzle, a drive waveform signal generation unit that generates a drive pulse, and a drive unit that applies the drive pulse to the actuator, wherein the drive unit includes a transistor pair, wherein the transistor pair: has two transistors connected to each other in a push-pull manner, and power-amplifies the drive pulse. The drive unit also includes a low-pass filter disposed between the transistor pair and the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunio TABATA, Atsushi OSHIMA
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Publication number: 20110254887Abstract: A capacitive load driving device includes a drive waveform generator that generates a drive waveform signal, a subtractor that outputs a difference signal between the drive waveform signal and a feedback signal, a modulator that pulse-modulates the difference signal to output a modulated signal, a digital power amplifier that amplifies the modulated signal to output an amplified digital signal, a low pass filter that smoothes the amplified digital signal to output a drive signal for a capacitive load, a feedback circuit that outputs the feedback signal obtained from the drive signal, and an adjusting section that adjusts frequency characteristics of the feedback circuit based on capacitance of the capacitive load to be driven.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2011Publication date: October 20, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Noritaka IDE, Kunio TABATA, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Atsushi OSHIMA, Hiroyuki YOSHINO
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Publication number: 20110242172Abstract: A capacitive load driving circuit includes: a drive waveform signal generator that generates a drive waveform signal; a subtractor that outputs a differential signal between the drive waveform signal and a feedback signal; a modulator that pulse-modulates the differential signal and outputs a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier that amplifies the power of the modulated signal and outputs a power-amplified modulated signal; a smoothing filter that smoothes the power-amplified modulated signal, and outputs a drive signal of the capacitive load; a compensator that causes a phase to precede the drive signal; and an attenuator that attenuates signal amplitude in a band at least including a modulation frequency of the modulated signal. A signal output from a connecting point between the inductor and the wire is made to pass through the compensator and the attenuator and is then used as a feedback signal to the subtractor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Atsushi OSHIMA, Kunio TABATA, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Noritaka IDE
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Publication number: 20110234702Abstract: A capacitive load driving device includes a drive waveform generator adapted to generate a drive waveform signal, a subtraction section adapted to output a differential signal between the drive waveform signal and two feedback signals, a modulator adapted to perform pulse modulation on the differential signal to obtain a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier adapted to power-amplify the modulated signal to obtain an amplified digital signal, a low pass filter including an inductor and a capacitor, and adapted to smooth the amplified digital signal to obtain a drive signal of a capacitive load, a first feedback circuit adapted to feedback the drive signal to the subtraction section as a first feedback signal, and a second feedback circuit adapted to set forward a phase of the drive signal and to feed back the drive signal to the subtraction section as a second feedback signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi OSHIMA, Kunio TABATA, Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Noritaka IDE
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Patent number: 8022743Abstract: A pulse width modulation circuit includes: a reference signal generator which generates a plurality of mutually differing reference signals; a comparator which compares the reference signals and an input signal with respect to magnitude, and outputs results of the comparison as a plurality of comparison signals with mutually differing phases; and a synthesizer which, using a logical operation, outputs the plurality of comparison signals output from the comparator as a pulse width modulated signal configured of one or more binary signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2009Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Nobuaki Azami, Atsushi Oshima, Noritaka Ide, Kunio Tabata
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Publication number: 20110213396Abstract: An excision device configured to excise living tissue by ejecting liquid includes: a supplying unit configured to supply liquid to be ejected; a chamber configured to be filled with the supplied liquid; an ejection nozzle connected to the chamber; a drive member configured to be deformed in the direction to reduce the volume of the chamber when a drive voltage is applied more than a case where the drive voltage is not applied; a liquid ejecting unit configured to eject the liquid in the chamber in a pulsed manner from the ejection nozzle by applying the drive voltage to the drive member in a state in which the chamber is filled with the supplied liquid; and an air-bubble detecting unit configured to detect air bubbles in the chamber by detecting an electric current flowing in the drive member when the drive voltage is applied to the drive member.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2011Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunio TABATA, Takahiro MATSUZAKI, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Takeshi SETO
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Patent number: 7984957Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus including a plurality of nozzles provided to a liquid jet head, an actuator corresponding to each of the nozzles, and drive unit that applies a drive pulse to each of the actuators, wherein the drive unit includes correction value storing unit that stores a drive pulse application timing correction value corresponding to the number of actuators to be driven at the same time, and drive pulse application timing correction unit that corrects the drive pulse application timing using the drive pulse application timing correction value stored in the correction value storing unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2009Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kunio Tabata, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Atsushi Oshima, Osamu Shinkawa, Tomoki Hatano
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Patent number: 7984956Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus according to the present invention is a liquid jet apparatus including a plurality of nozzles, an actuator provided for each nozzle and connected to the respective nozzle, a drive waveform signal generation unit that generates a drive pulse, and a drive unit that applies the drive pulse to the actuator, wherein the drive unit includes a transistor pair, wherein the transistor pair: has two transistors connected to each other in a push-pull manner, and power-amplifies the drive pulse. The drive unit also includes a low-pass filter disposed between the transistor pair and the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2009Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kunio Tabata, Atsushi Oshima
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Publication number: 20110128317Abstract: A capacitive load driving circuit includes: a voltage waveform output unit that outputs a voltage waveform used for driving a plurality of capacitive loads; and a voltage waveform applying unit that connects each of the plurality of capacitive loads to output of the voltage waveform output unit to thereby apply the voltage waveform to each of the plurality of capacitive loads, wherein the voltage waveform applying unit releases the connection between the capacitive load and the output of the voltage waveform output unit when voltage of the voltage waveform falls outside a voltage range determined for each of the plurality of capacitive loads, and connects the capacitive load to the output of the voltage waveform output unit when the voltage of the voltage waveform falls within the voltage range, to thereby apply a different voltage waveform to each of the plurality of capacitive loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi OSHIMA, Kunio TABATA, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Noritaka IDE
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Publication number: 20110109674Abstract: A liquid ejection device includes: a drive waveform generator generating a drive waveform signal; a modulator performing pulse modulation on a signal from the drive waveform generator to provide a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier performing power amplification on the modulated signal to provide an amplified digital signal; a Lowpass Filter smoothing the amplified digital signal to provide a drive signal of an actuator; a compensator advancing the phase of the drive signal to provide a negative feedback signal; and a subtractor providing a differential signal between the drive waveform signal and the negative feedback signal as an input signal to the modulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi OSHIMA, Kunio TABATA, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Noritaka IDE
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Publication number: 20110102486Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a Modulator that performs pulse modulation for a drive waveform signal that becomes a reference for a drive signal of an actuator so as to acquire a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier that amplifies the power of the modulated signal so as to acquire a amplified digital signal; a low pass filter that smoothes the amplified digital signal so as to acquire the drive signal; a variable power source circuit that can change a power source voltage of the digital power amplifier; and a power source voltage control unit that controls changes in the power source voltage in units of a driving pulse that configures the drive signal of the actuator and can independently drive the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kunio TABATA, Atsushi OSHIMA, Noritaka IDE, Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Hiroyuki YOSHINO
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Publication number: 20110090273Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus which, by applying a drive voltage waveform to a piezoelectric element which drives an ejection nozzle, ejects a liquid from the ejection nozzle. The apparatus includes a reference voltage generating unit which generates a plurality of reference voltages, a drive voltage waveform data storage unit classifies the drive voltage waveform as either a voltage increasing section, decreasing section, or holding section, and stores drive voltage waveform data including a required time of a waveform section configuring the drive voltage waveform, and a voltage, selected from the plurality of reference voltages for the waveform section. The apparatus also includes a drive voltage waveform application unit which, in accordance with information relating to an adjustment of the ejection amount of the liquid ejected from the ejection nozzle, changes the required time included in the drive voltage waveform data, and applies the drive voltage waveform to the piezoelectric element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shinichi MIYAZAKI, Kunio TABATA, Atsushi OSHIMA, Hiroyuki YOSHINO, Noritaka IDE
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Publication number: 20110054505Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a fluid chamber; a volume varying unit configured to vary the volume of the fluid chamber; a fluid supplying unit configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure; and an ejection command switching unit configured to switch a fluid ejection between a pulsed flow ejection which ejects the fluid in a pulsed manner by activating the volume varying unit and varying the volume of the fluid chamber and a continuous flow ejection which ejects the fluid with a fluid supply pressure from the fluid supplying unit higher than that in the case of the pulsed flow ejection in a state in which the volume varying unit is stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Kunio TABATA