Patents by Inventor Masahiko Sekimoto

Masahiko Sekimoto 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: 10639912
    Abstract: An ejection device includes: an ejection portion that ejects liquid droplets onto one surface of a recording medium that is fed; a first drying portion that applies light energy to the one surface in a noncontact manner to thereby dry the liquid droplets; and a second drying portion that comes in contact with only other surface of the recording medium in which the liquid droplets have been dried toy the first drying portion, and heats the recording medium to thereby dry the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomozumi Uesaka, Masahiko Sekimoto, Hiroshi Ikeda, Hiroshi Inoue, Norihisa Takemoto, Satoshi Hasebe, Takeshi Zengo, Yukari Motosugi
  • Publication number: 20190214278
    Abstract: A substrate attaching/detaching unit includes a stocker accommodating a plurality of substrate holders 80 and adapted so that the substrate holders 80 are aligned in a vertical direction with one another in a horizontal posture, a first substrate holder conveying mechanism that takes the substrate holders 80 into and out of the stocker, an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the first substrate holder conveying mechanism in the vertical direction, a second substrate holder conveying mechanism that transfers the substrate holder to and from the first substrate holder conveying mechanism, and a substrate attaching/detaching mechanism that attaches and detaches the substrate to and from the substrate holder held in the second substrate holder conveying mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Toshio YOKOYAMA, Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Kenichi KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190091993
    Abstract: An ejection device includes: an ejection portion that ejects liquid droplets onto one surface of a recording medium that is fed; a first drying portion that applies light energy to the one surface in a noncontact manner to thereby dry the liquid droplets; and a second drying portion that comes in contact with only other surface of the recording medium in which the liquid droplets have been dried toy the first drying portion, and heats the recording medium to thereby dry the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Tomozumi Uesaka, Masahiko Sekimoto, Hiroshi Ikeda, Hiroshi Inoue, Norihisa Takemoto, Satoshi Hasebe, Takeshi Zengo, Yukari Motosugi
  • Patent number: 10160013
    Abstract: A rinsing bath which can simplify a discharging structure of a rinsing liquid is disclosed. The rinsing bath includes an inner bath for storing the rinsing liquid, an overflow bath configured to receive the rinsing liquid overflowing the inner bath, a stopper for closing a drain hole provided on a bottom of the inner bath, an actuator configured to move the stopper between a closing position in which the stopper closes the drain hole and a opening position in which the stopper is away from the drain hole, a rinsing liquid supply pipe configured to supply the rinsing liquid into the inner bath, and a drain pipe coupled to a bottom of the overflow bath. The drain hole communicates between an inside of the inner bath and an inside of the overflow bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshio Yokoyama, Kenichi Kobayashi, Kenichi Akazawa
  • Patent number: 10141211
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises a transferring device including a grasping section configured to grasp a substrate holder, and a transferring section configured to transfer the substrate holder grasped by the grasping section, and a processing bath for storing a substrate held by the substrate holder so that a surface of the substrate is vertically oriented, and processing the substrate. The grasping section is configured to grasp the substrate holder with a surface of the substrate oriented horizontally. The transferring section is configured to transfer the substrate holder above the processing bath, with the surface of the substrate oriented horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Yokoyama, Masahiko Sekimoto, Kenichi Kobayashi, Kenichi Akazawa, Takashi Mitsuya, Keiichi Kurashina
  • Publication number: 20170358472
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a transferring device including a grasping section configured to grasp a substrate holder, and a transferring section configured to transfer the substrate holder grasped by the grasping section, and a processing bath for storing a substrate held by the substrate holder so that a surface of the substrate is vertically oriented, and processing the substrate. The grasping section is configured to grasp the substrate holder with a surface of the substrate oriented horizontally. The transferring section is configured to transfer the substrate holder above the processing bath, with the surface of the substrate oriented horizontally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Toshio YOKOYAMA, Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Kenichi KOBAYASHI, Kenichi AKAZAWA, Takashi MITSUYA, Keiichi KURASHINA
  • Patent number: 9840101
    Abstract: Provided is a droplet ejection apparatus including: an ejecting mechanism in which plural ejection units which eject droplets from a nozzle to a transported recording medium are disposed in a zig-zag form in an intersection direction that intersects a transport direction of the recording medium; and a release unit which releases humidified air from a release port which is open in the recording medium side between ejection units in the intersection direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Shinji Seto
  • Patent number: 9786532
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is described herein. The substrate processing apparatus comprises a transferring device including: a grasping section configured to grasp a substrate holder, a transferring section configured to transfer the substrate holder grasped by the grasping section, and a processing bath for storing a substrate held by the substrate holder so that a surface of the substrate is vertically oriented. The grasping section is configured to grasp the substrate holder with a surface of the substrate oriented horizontally. The transferring section is configured to transfer the substrate holder above the processing bath, with the surface of the substrate oriented horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Yokoyama, Masahiko Sekimoto, Kenichi Kobayashi, Kenichi Akazawa, Takashi Mitsuya, Keiichi Kurashina
  • Publication number: 20170225497
    Abstract: Provided is a droplet ejection apparatus including: an ejecting mechanism in which plural ejection units which eject droplets from a nozzle to a transported recording medium are disposed in a zigzag form in an intersection direction that intersects a transport direction of the recording medium; and a release unit which releases humidified air from a release port which is open in the recording medium side between ejection units in the intersection direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Shinji Seto
  • Publication number: 20160059271
    Abstract: A rinsing bath which can simplify a discharging structure of a rinsing liquid is disclosed. The rinsing bath includes an inner bath for storing the rinsing liquid, an overflow bath configured to receive the rinsing liquid overflowing the inner bath, a stopper for closing a drain hole provided on a bottom of the inner bath, an actuator configured to move the stopper between a closing position in which the stopper closes the drain hole and a opening position in which the stopper is away from the drain hole, a rinsing liquid supply pipe configured to supply the rinsing liquid into the inner bath, and a drain pipe coupled to a bottom of the overflow bath. The drain hole communicates between an inside of the inner bath and an inside of the overflow bath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Toshio YOKOYAMA, Kenichi KOBAYASHI, Kenichi AKAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20150357213
    Abstract: A substrate attaching/detaching unit includes a stocker accommodating a plurality of substrate holders 80 and adapted so that the substrate holders 80 are aligned in a vertical direction with one another in a horizontal posture, a first substrate holder conveying mechanism that takes the substrate holders 80 into and out of the stocker, an elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the first substrate holder conveying mechanism in the vertical direction, a second substrate holder conveying mechanism that transfers the substrate holder to and from the first substrate holder conveying mechanism, and a substrate attaching/detaching mechanism that attaches and detaches the substrate to and from the substrate holder held in the second substrate holder conveying mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Toshio YOKOYAMA, Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Kenichi KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9186915
    Abstract: A drying device includes: a drying unit including: a heating space having a heating unit; a drying space that has a conveyance path of a recording medium and in which the recording medium is dried by radiation heat produced by the heating unit; and a partition member that separates the heating space and the drying space from each other in such a manner that gas can move between the heating space and the drying space; a first supply unit that supplies gas to the drying unit in a direction that is opposite to a conveying direction of the recording medium; and a second supply unit that supplies gas to the drying unit in a direction from the heating unit to the partition member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hasebe, Norio Hokari, Hirotake Sasaki, Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshinobu Hamazaki, Masato Matsuduki
  • Publication number: 20150270147
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of inhibiting diffusion of a chemical solution atmosphere around a processing bath. The substrate processing apparatus has a processing bath for storing a substrate holder holding a substrate and for processing the substrate, a lifter configured to support the substrate holder, store the substrate holder in the processing bath, and take out the substrate holder from the processing bath, and a cover configured to cover the periphery of the substrate holder taken out from the processing bath by the lifter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Kenichi KOBAYASHI, Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Toshio YOKOYAMA, Kenichi AKAZAWA, Keiichi KURASHINA, Takashi MITSUYA
  • Publication number: 20150270151
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a transferring device including a grasping section configured to grasp a substrate holder, and a transferring section configured to transfer the substrate holder grasped by the grasping section, and a processing bath for storing a substrate held by the substrate holder so that a surface of the substrate is vertically oriented, and processing the substrate. The grasping section is configured to grasp the substrate holder with a surface of the substrate oriented horizontally. The transferring section is configured to transfer the substrate holder above the processing bath, with the surface of the substrate oriented horizontally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Toshio YOKOYAMA, Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Kenichi KOBAYASHI, Kenichi AKAZAWA, Takashi MITSUYA, Keiichi KURASHINA
  • Publication number: 20150251450
    Abstract: A drying device includes: a drying unit including: a heating space having a heating unit; a drying space that has a conveyance path of a recording medium and in which the recording medium is dried by radiation heat produced by the heating unit; and a partition member that separates the heating space and the drying space from each other in such a manner that gas can move between the heating space and the drying space; a first supply unit that supplies gas to the drying unit in a direction that is opposite to a conveying direction of the recording medium; and a second supply unit that supplies gas to the drying unit in a direction from the heating unit to the partition member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi Hasebe, Norio Hokari, Hirotake Sasaki, Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshinobu Hamazaki, Masato Matsuduki
  • Patent number: 9126435
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying device that conveys a recording medium; a droplets ejecting device that ejects droplets onto the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; a drying unit that dries the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; and a varying unit that varies a conveyance path length from the droplets ejecting device to the drying unit in accordance with at least one of a conveyance speed of the recording medium and an ejected droplets permeation characteristic of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshinobu Hamazaki, Satoshi Hasebe, Hirotake Sasaki, Motoharu Nakao
  • Publication number: 20150109391
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveying device that conveys a recording medium; a droplets ejecting device that ejects droplets onto the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; a drying unit that dries the droplets that have been ejected on the recording medium being conveyed by the conveying device; and a varying unit that varies a conveyance path length from the droplets ejecting device to the drying unit in accordance with at least one of a conveyance speed of the recording medium and an ejected droplets permeation characteristic of the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshinobu Hamazaki, Satoshi Hasebe, Hirotake Sasaki, Motoharu Nakao
  • Patent number: 8777198
    Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus can meet the request for a smaller-sized compact apparatus while ensuring a sufficient immersion depth of a substrate in a processing liquid. The substrate holding apparatus includes: a substrate holder for supporting a substrate (W) by bringing a peripheral portion of a surface of the substrate (W) into contact with a first sealing member; and a substrate pressing section for lowering relative to the substrate holder so as to press the substrate (W) held by the substrate holder downward, thereby bringing a first sealing member into pressure contact with the substrate (W). The substrate pressing section is provided with a second ring-shaped sealing member which makes pressure contact with an upper surface of a ring-shaped holding section of the substrate holder, thereby sealing the peripheral region of the substrate pressing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Sekimoto, Seiji Katsuoka, Naoki Dai, Teruyuki Watanabe, Takahiro Ogawa, Kenichi Suzuki, Kenichi Kobayashi, Yasuyuki Motoshima, Ryo Kato
  • Publication number: 20130015075
    Abstract: A plating apparatus has an ashing unit (300) configured to perform an ashing process on a resist (502) applied on a surface of a seed layer (500) formed on a substrate (W), and a pre-wetting section (26) configured to provide hydrophilicity to a surface of the substrate after the ashing process. The plating apparatus includes a pre-soaking section (28) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into contact with a treatment solution to clean or activate a surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate. The plating apparatus also includes a plating unit (34) configured to bring the surface of the substrate into a plating solution in a plating tank while the resist is used as a mask so as to form a plated film (504) on the surface of the seed layer formed on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Masahiko SEKIMOTO, Yasuhiko Endo, Stephen Strausser, Takashi Takemura, Nobutoshi Saito, Fumio Kuriyama, Junichiro Yoshioka, Kuniaki Horie, Yoshio Minami, Kenji Kamoda
  • Patent number: 8225803
    Abstract: A substrate processing method and apparatus can securely carry out a pre-plating treatment that enables uniform plating in the necessary area of the surface of a substrate. The substrate processing method carries out a cleaning treatment and a catalyst-imparting treatment of a surface of a substrate as pre-plating treatments and then electroless plates a metal film on the catalyst-imparted surface of the substrate. The cleaning treatment is carried out in a wider area of the surface of the substrate than that area to which a catalyst is imparted by the catalyst-imparting treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Katsuoka, Masahiko Sekimoto, Toshio Yokoyama, Teruyuki Watanabe, Takahiro Ogawa, Kenichi Kobayashi, Mitsuru Miyazaki, Yasuyuki Motojima