Patents by Inventor Mariko Niizeki

Mariko Niizeki 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: 11772397
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a recess formed on a part of a side wall of a cassette case, an arm portion, a roller partly exposed from the tape cassette, a first protrusion including a first leading end, and a second protrusion including a second leading end. The first leading end and the second leading end protrudes toward first side. The first leading end is positioned on a first virtual line or further to the first side than the first virtual line. The first virtual line connects an exposed part of an outer peripheral surface of the roller with a connection portion between the recess and a wall comprising the arm portion. The second leading end is positioned further to the first side than a second virtual line. The second virtual line connects the exposed part of the outer peripheral surface of the roller with the first leading end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kondo, Mariko Niizeki, Shunsuke Mizutani
  • Publication number: 20230166547
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a recess formed on a part of a side wall of a cassette case, an arm portion, a roller partly exposed from the tape cassette, a first protrusion including a first leading end, and a second protrusion including a second leading end. The first leading end and the second leading end protrudes toward first side. The first leading end is positioned on a first virtual line or further to the first side than the first virtual line. The first virtual line connects an exposed part of an outer peripheral surface of the roller with a connection portion between the recess and a wall comprising the arm portion. The second leading end is positioned further to the first side than a second virtual line. The second virtual line connects the exposed part of the outer peripheral surface of the roller with the first leading end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Tomohiro KONDO, Mariko NIIZEKI, Shunsuke MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20230166548
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a cassette case, a tape roll, a print tape wound around the tape roll, a ribbon roll, an ink ribbon wound around the ribbon roll, a recess, an arm portion, and a guide. The print tape and the ink ribbon are conveyed inside the cassette case and the arm portion. The arm portion includes a discharge port to discharge the print tape and the ink ribbon. The guide is provided at a position downstream of the discharge port, on a conveyance path of the print tape and the ink ribbon. A first end of the guide includes a roller members configured to rotate around a shaft extending in the up-down direction. The guide is configured to guide the ink ribbon, by the first end coming into contact with the ink ribbon, to a winding path branching from the conveyance path and toward the ribbon winding spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Tomohiro KONDO, Mariko NIIZEKI, Shunsuke MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20210008909
    Abstract: A cartridge includes: a cartridge case; a first supply portion including a heat-sensitive medium; and a second supply portion including an adhesive medium. The heat-sensitive medium includes a base material, a plurality of heat-sensitive layers, and at least one heat-insulating layer in a stacked state. The heat-sensitive layers include: a first heat-sensitive layer for producing a first color when heated above a first temperature; and a second heat-sensitive layer for producing a second color when heated above a second temperature higher than. the first temperature. The cartridge case includes: an opening for exposing the heat-sensitive medium; and a guide part positioned downstream of the opening in a conveying direction of the heat-sensitive medium for guiding the heat-sensitive medium and the adhesive medium bonded to a surface of the heat-sensitive medium opposite the base material with respect to the plurality of heat-sensitive layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Kohei Terada, Keisuke Nishihara, Akira Minami, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Yasuhiro Torii, Mariko Niizeki
  • Patent number: 9550381
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a cassette case, a tape containment area, a first wall portion, a guide portion, a second wall portion, a third wall portion, and a fourth wall portion. The cassette case includes a top face, a bottom face, a front face, and a pair of side faces. The tape containment area is an area in which a tape roll is accommodated. The first wall portion is provided along a portion of an outer perimeter of the tape containment area. The guide portion is provided downstream from the first wall portion on a feed path. The second wall portion is provided between the first wall portion and the guide portion. The third wall portion is provided on an opposite side of a tape from the second wall portion. The fourth wall portion is provided between the second wall portion and the guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mariko Niizeki, Tsutomu Kato, Hisako Tonishi, Khairul Fatasha Mohd, Masashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9073346
    Abstract: First fixed value is set as decreasing variable number C and second fixed value corresponding to measured resistance value of a thermal head is determined as constant K(R). Energization of the thermal head is started immediately after start of printing period and the energization is kept until lapse of pulse application time calculated based on chopping duty ratio determined based on thermal head voltage and the constant K(R). Engergization of the thermal head is stopped at lapse of the pulse application time and withheld until lapse of unit time. Calculation value (C(V)×K(TH)) calculated based on temperature and voltage of the thermal head is decremented from the current decreasing variable number C to obtain renewed decreasing variable number C. When the renewed decreasing variable number C is larger than 0, serial processes of calculating pulse application time, keeping and withholding energization of the thermal head are repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Horiuchi, Mariko Niizeki, Mohd Khairul Fatasha
  • Publication number: 20150183230
    Abstract: First fixed value is set as decreasing variable number C and second fixed value corresponding to measured resistance value of a thermal head is determined as constant K(R). Energization of the thermal head is started immediately after start of printing period and the energization is kept until lapse of pulse application time calculated based on chopping duty ratio determined based on thermal head voltage and the constant K(R). Engergization of the thermal head is stopped at lapse of the pulse application time and withheld until lapse of unit time. Calculation value (C(V)×K(TH)) calculated based on temperature and voltage of the thermal head is decremented from the current decreasing variable number C to obtain renewed decreasing variable number C. When the renewed decreasing variable number C is larger than 0, serial processes of calculating pulse application time, keeping and withholding energization of the thermal head are repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Takashi Horiuchi, Mariko Niizeki, Mohd Khairul Fatasha
  • Publication number: 20140307038
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes a cassette case, a tape containment area, a first wall portion, a guide portion, a second wall portion, a third wall portion, and a fourth wall portion. The cassette case includes a top face, a bottom face, a front face, and a pair of side faces. The tape containment area is an area in which a tape roll is accommodated. The first wall portion is provided along a portion of an outer perimeter of the tape containment area. The guide portion is provided downstream from the first wall portion on a feed path. The second wall portion is provided between the first wall portion and the guide portion. The third wall portion is provided on an opposite side of a tape from the second wall portion. The fourth wall portion is provided between the second wall portion and the guide portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mariko Niizeki, Tsutomu Kato, Hisako Tonishi, Khairul Fatasha Mohd, Masashi Iwamoto