Patents by Inventor Masaharu Oyama

Masaharu Oyama 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: 7055922
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes: actuators each including a scanning electrode, a piezoelectric element and a recording electrode and arranged in a matrix pattern of n rows by m columns (where n and m are natural numbers equal to or greater than two) in terms of electrical circuit; and a driving circuit for supplying a scanning signal to the scanning electrodes for each column, while supplying a recording signal to each row of the recording electrodes in synchronization with the scanning signal. The actuators are geometrically arranged in n rows by m columns. A relay terminal, extending in a vertical direction, is provided in at least one inter-column space between vertical columns of the actuators for relaying signals from the driving circuit to the recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes. The recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes are connected to the relay terminal via lead wires extending in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Ikeda, Koichi Baba, Masaharu Oyama
  • Publication number: 20050052492
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes: actuators each including a scanning electrode, a piezoelectric element and a recording electrode and arranged in a matrix pattern of n rows by m columns (where n and m are natural numbers equal to or greater than two) in terms of electrical circuit; and a driving circuit for supplying a scanning signal to the scanning electrodes for each column, while supplying a recording signal to each row of the recording electrodes in synchronization with the scanning signal. The actuators are geometrically arranged in n rows by m columns. A relay terminal, extending in a vertical direction, is provided in at least one inter-column space between vertical columns of the actuators for relaying signals from the driving circuit to the recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes. The recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes are connected to the relay terminal via lead wires extending in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Ikeda, Koichi Baba, Masaharu Oyama
  • Patent number: 6830302
    Abstract: An inkjet head driving circuit driving piezoelectric actuators 21 for ink ejection provided on an inkjet head H includes one D/A converter 62 that converts a digital signal into an analog voltage and outputs the analog voltage, and a waveform generating portion 64 into which an output voltage of the D/A converter 62 is input, and which generates a voltage rising waveform when the output voltage of the D/A converter 62 is larger than a predetermined potential that is midway between a maximum value and a minimum value of that output voltage, and generates a voltage rising waveform when the output voltage of the D/A converter 62 is smaller than the predetermined potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Masumoto, Hiroaki Miyaso, Masaharu Oyama
  • Patent number: 6793311
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving signal includes, in one printing cycle, a pulse signal applied with an interval that is shorter than a predetermined pulse interval being equal to a Helmholtz period of a head, and a pulse signal applied with an interval that is longer than the predetermined pulse interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Baba, Koji Ikeda, Koji Matsuo, Masashi Tomita, Masaharu Oyama, Masaichiro Tatekawa
  • Patent number: 6783212
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes: actuators each including a scanning electrode, a piezoelectric element and a recording electrode and arranged in a matrix pattern of n rows by m columns (where n and m are natural numbers equal to or greater than two) in terms of electrical circuit; and a driving circuit for supplying a scanning signal to the scanning electrodes for each column, while supplying a recording signal to each row of the recording electrodes in synchronization with the scanning signal. The actuators are geometrically arranged in n rows by m columns. A relay terminal, extending in a vertical direction, is provided in at least one inter-column space between vertical columns of the actuators for relaying signals from the driving circuit to the recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes. The recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes are connected to the relay terminal via lead wires extending in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Ikeda, Koichi Baba, Masaharu Oyama
  • Patent number: 6736479
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving circuit always supplies an auxiliary pulse signal in every printing cycle. When ink is to be discharged, the driving circuit supplies, after the auxiliary pulse signal is supplied, an ink discharge pulse signal for driving the actuator so that the ink is discharged and so that an ink meniscus vibration in the nozzle is resonant with that caused by the auxiliary pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Baba, Koji Ikeda, Koji Matsuo, Masashi Tomita, Masaharu Oyama, Masaichiro Tatekawa
  • Publication number: 20040032436
    Abstract: An inkjet head driving circuit driving piezoelectric actuators 21 for ink ejection provided on an inkjet head H includes one D/A converter 62 that converts a digital signal into an analog voltage and outputs the analog voltage, and a waveform generating portion 64 into which an output voltage of the D/A converter 62 is input, and which generates a voltage rising waveform when the output voltage of the D/A converter 62 is larger than a predetermined potential that is midway between a maximum value and a minimum value of that output voltage, and generates a voltage rising waveform when the output voltage of the D/A converter 62 is smaller than the predetermined potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Kenichi Masumoto, Hiroaki Miyaso, Masaharu Oyama
  • Publication number: 20030227519
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes: actuators each including a scanning electrode, a piezoelectric element and a recording electrode and arranged in a matrix pattern of n rows by m columns (where n and m are natural numbers equal to or greater than two) in terms of electrical circuit; and a driving circuit for supplying a scanning signal to the scanning electrodes for each column, while supplying a recording signal to each row of the recording electrodes in synchronization with the scanning signal. The actuators are geometrically arranged in n rows by m columns. A relay terminal, extending in a vertical direction, is provided in at least one inter-column space between vertical columns of the actuators for relaying signals from the driving circuit to the recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes. The recording electrodes and the scanning electrodes are connected to the relay terminal via lead wires extending in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Kouji Ikeda, Koichi Baba, Masaharu Oyama
  • Publication number: 20030122888
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving signal includes, in one printing cycle, a pulse signal applied with an interval that is shorter than a predetermined pulse interval being equal to a Helmholtz period of a head, and a pulse signal applied with an interval that is longer than the predetermined pulse interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Koichi Baba, Koji Ikeda, Koji Matsuo, Masashi Tomita, Masaharu Oyama, Masaichiro Tatekawa
  • Publication number: 20030071869
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes: a head body provided with a nozzle and a pressure chamber; an actuator including a piezoelectric element and an electrode for applying a voltage across the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for supplying a driving signal to the electrode of the actuator. The driving circuit always supplies an auxiliary pulse signal in every printing cycle. When ink is to be discharged, the driving circuit supplies, after the auxiliary pulse signal is supplied, an ink discharge pulse signal for driving the actuator so that the ink is discharged and so that an ink meniscus vibration in the nozzle is resonant with that caused by the auxiliary pulse signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Koichi Baba, Koji Ikeda, Koji Matsuo, Masashi Tomita, Masaharu Oyama, Masaichiro Tatekawa
  • Patent number: 6513893
    Abstract: In a head drive unit of ink-jet recorder and the like, for the purpose of reducing amount of data for head driving waveform and data processing time, a time data at a point where an electric current changes and an electric current data are stored in time data storage means and electric current data storage means, and the time data is compared with a count data of an address counter. The electric current data is then output to drive a head, when the data matches as a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electrc Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Esaki, Naomi Shirai, Hirokazu Ikeda, Toshihiro Asoh, Masaharu Oyama, Takanobu Kajikawa, Kenichi Kimori, Michiteru Shichiro
  • Patent number: 6428149
    Abstract: An electrostatic ink jet recording apparatus which includes a first electrode which is a recording electrode, a second electrode which is a collecting electrode, and a third electrode which is a common electrode. A potential difference is selectively given between the first and second electrodes for selectively attracting toner particles by electrostatic force. The ink is then ejected and traveled onto a recording medium for printing by applying potential to the third electrode. This configuration prevents dispersion of toner particles while applying ejection signals, enabling to suppress ejection failure and unstable discharge even in high frequency prints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Mizuyama, Masaharu Oyama
  • Publication number: 20020048028
    Abstract: In a head drive unit of ink-jet recorder and the like, for the purpose of reducing amount of data for head driving waveform and data processing time, a time data at a point where an electric current changes and an electric current data are stored in time data storage means and electric current data storage means, and the time data is compared with a count data of an address counter. The electric current data is then output to drive a head, when the data matches as a result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Takahiro Esaki, Naomi Shirai, Hirokazu Ikeda, Toshihiro Asoh, Masaharu Oyama, Takanobu Kajikawa, Kenichi Kimori, Michiteru Shichiro
  • Patent number: 5790142
    Abstract: By increasing/deceasing electric energy per unit time supplied to heat energy generation means arranged in a liquid chamber having a nozzle, the amount of the ink emitted from the nozzle can be changed to correct a difference in dot diameter which occurs nozzle by nozzle and a change in dot diameter with time and to permit gradational printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunichi Uchinami, Masaharu Oyama, Shinsuke Sato, Akihiro Yamashita, Hirokazu Ikeda, Tomoyuki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 5657062
    Abstract: An ink discharging device includes arrayed nozzle holes and corresponding ink flow paths leading thereto. An electrode is provided between the adjacent ink flow paths in such a manner as to be exposed to both of the adjacent ink flow paths so that each electrode works as a common electrode for both of the adjacent ink flow paths. By energizing a conductive ink between the electrodes within the corresponding ink flow path, a portion of the conductive ink is discharged through the corresponding nozzle hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Shiraishi, Mitsuhide Matsuda, Tomoyuki Noguchi, Masaharu Oyama
  • Patent number: 5159355
    Abstract: An ink jet apparatus includes a pair of electrodes disposed on an inner wall of an ink reservoir that is provided with a nozzle. An AC voltage is applied to the electrodes to preheat the conductive ink and prevent electrolysis of the conductive ink. A DC voltage is applied to the electrodes after the ink has been preheated to evaporate the conductive ink so that the increase in ink volume jets the conductive ink from the nozzle. The AC voltage is applied within a frequency range especially effective to suppress electrolysis of the conductive ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Horio, Hiroaki Sakai, Masaharu Oyama, Mituhide Matuda