Patents by Inventor Masahiro Hayashi

Masahiro Hayashi 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: 11951747
    Abstract: A tank includes: a tank body defining a storage chamber; a recessed portion provided at the tank body; a slider positioned in the recessed portion; a fitting portion provided at the slider; and a sealing member. The recessed portion has an injection opening in communication with the storage chamber, and a connection opening through which a liquid container is connectable. The slider includes a nozzle extending toward the connection opening in an extending direction and having a communication opening communicable with the injection opening. The slider is movable toward and away from the connection opening in the extending direction while rotating relative to the recessed portion. The fitting portion can be fitted with the liquid container. The sealing member can provide a liquid tight sealing to a gap between the slider and the recessed portion, and allow liquid flow between the communication opening and the injection opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Naoya Okazaki, Satoru Oki, Nanami Abe
  • Patent number: 11945230
    Abstract: An image-recording apparatus includes: a first tank defining a first storage chamber; a second tank defining a second storage chamber; a conveying mechanism for conveying sheets along a conveying path extending in a depthwise direction and a widthwise direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and the depthwise direction; and a recording head including a nozzle. Liquid in the first storage chamber is supplied through a communication port to the second storage chamber and then to the recording head through a liquid outlet port. The second storage chamber is positioned further in a first depthwise direction relative to the nozzle and further in a first widthwise direction relative to the conveying path. A volume of a prescribed space above a liquid level equal to a height of the communication port in the second storage chamber is greater than that of a liquid channel between the liquid outlet port and the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Akinari Ishibe, Yuma Tanabe, Masatake Sato, Akihito Kobayashi, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20240100847
    Abstract: A printing-agent container, having a container body, an outflow port, and an identifying portion, is provided. The container body has a chamber for containing a printing agent. Through the outflow port, the printing agent flows out of the chamber. The identifying portion is provided to the container body correspondingly to a type of the printing agent contained in the chamber of the container body. The identifying portion has an inner surface defining the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Yuma TANABE, Satoru OKI, Yuji FUKUTA
  • Publication number: 20240100846
    Abstract: A cartridge configured to be inserted in a first direction into a case having a plurality of engagement portions is provided. The cartridge has a body and a key member. The body has a chamber for storing a printing agent. The key member is located on the body at a position associated with a type of the printing agent stored in the chamber and is configured to engage with a corresponding one of the plurality of engagement portions of the case. The key member has a surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The surface is configured to contact the corresponding one of the plurality of engagement portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Yuma TANABE, Satoru OKI, Yuji FUKUTA
  • Patent number: 11938736
    Abstract: A printing liquid container includes first and second members having a supply port and a valve, respectively. The members rotate with respect to each other between first and second states. The valve closes and opens the supply port in the first and second states, respectively. The first and second members have first and second fitting portions, respectively. The fitting portions fit to a fitted portion of a tank in the first state. The second fitting portion allows rotation of the second member with respect to the fitted portion when the first fitting portion are fitted to the fitting portion. The first member does not rotate together with the second member due to fitting between the fitted portion and the first fitting portion. The second member cannot be removed from the fitted portion due to fitting of the second fitting portion to the fitted portion in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Satoru Oki, Nanami Ashida, Naoya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11926233
    Abstract: A vehicle control device configured to control supply of electric power generated by a solar panel mounted on a vehicle includes a supply destination setting unit configured to set, based on a condition of the vehicle, a target device that is a destination for the supply of the electric power generated by the solar panel, a target setting unit configured to set, depending on the target device set by the supply destination setting unit, target output electric power to be output from the solar panel to the target device, and a power controller configured to control the electric power to be supplied from the solar panel to the target device based on the target output electric power set by the target setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuma Miyamoto, Masahiro Takahashi, Akinori Kawamura, Taisuke Hayashi, Takashi Fukai, Kohki Ohkoshi
  • Publication number: 20240075789
    Abstract: A control device includes a controller that executes determining a connection between a first unit that has a boarding space which allows a user to board and is provided with a predetermined facility and that is provided with a first path through which a fluid used in the predetermined facility passes and a second unit that is configured to be separated from and connected to the first unit and that has a drive device of a vehicle that is formed by being connected to the first unit, and supplying the fluid in the first path to a second unit side to absorb heat generated from the drive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshinari OGAWA, Kohta TARAO, Shinya KIJIMA, Osamu FUKAWATASE, Koji YASUI, Toshiyuki KOBAYASHI, Hitomi NAKATANI, Kuniaki JINNAI, Nobuki HAYASHI, Masahiro NAGANO, Akihiro ITO
  • Publication number: 20240066880
    Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a tank and a cartridge. The cartridge is configured to be detachably attached to the tank in an attachment-detachment direction crossing a vertical direction. The cartridge includes a first storage chamber. The tank includes a second storage chamber, a liquid passage, and a gas passage. The liquid passage has a first end, a second end, and a first extending portion. The second end is formed with a second opening open to an atmosphere. The first extending portion extends from the second opening in the attachment-detachment direction. The gas passage has a third end, a fourth end, and a second extending portion. The fourth end is formed with a fourth opening open to the atmosphere. The second extending portion extends from the fourth opening in the attachment-detachment direction. The second opening is at a position different from the fourth opening in the attachment-detachment direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI, Yoshinori OSAKABE, Akinari ISHIBE, Tatsuya SHINDO, Masahiro HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20240059076
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a head having a nozzle; a signal outputting part having an electrode and configured to output a signal indicating a magnitude of an electric change in the electrode; and a controller. The controller is configured to execute a determination as to whether or not the nozzle is normal based on the signal output from the signal outputting part in a case that the controller drives the head so as to eject a liquid droplet from the nozzle toward the electrode. The controller is configured to determine that the nozzle is normal in a case that the magnitude of the electric change is within a predetermined normal range, and to determine that the nozzle has a first abnormality in a case that the magnitude of the electric change is greater than the normal range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: MASAHIRO HAYASHI, TAKAFUMI NAKASE, RYUJI HORATA, NOBUMASA TANAKA, KENTA HORADE, ZENICHIRO SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20230405997
    Abstract: A tank set includes: tanks arranged in a predetermined direction, each of the tanks being composed of a casing including: a liquid storage chamber defined by mutually opposing two surfaces and configured to store liquid; an inlet provided to inject the liquid into the liquid storage chamber; and a liquid outflow port through which the liquid flows out from the liquid storage chamber to a liquid-consuming unit. Each of the two surfaces extends in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction, and is at least partially composed of a film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Taichi SHIRONO, Masako KAWAGOE, Yoshinori OSAKABE
  • Publication number: 20230405996
    Abstract: According to one aspect, the disclosure provides an image recording apparatus including a liquid supplying device. The liquid supplying device includes a tank, a cartridge, an atmospheric communication portion, and a recording portion. The tank has a second storage chamber configured to store liquid, a liquid passage in communication with the second storage chamber, and a gas passage in communication with the second storage chamber. The atmospheric communication portion includes a buffer tank defining a buffer chamber configured to store gas, a single communication flow passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with the second storage chamber, and an air communication passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with an atmosphere. When the cartridge is attached to the tank, the buffer chamber is positioned below the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber is positioned below the buffer chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Yoshinori OSAKABE, Akinari ISHIBE, Hiroaki TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20230382121
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: an installing part; a printer; and a controller. The printing apparatus is configured to operate in a contract mode. The consumable item includes a memory. Consumable item information includes first type information indicating that the consumable item has a first type corresponding to the contract mode or second type information indicating that the consumable item has a second type corresponding to a non-contract mode. The controller is configured to execute an information writing process of writing, in the memory, a predetermined information for treating the consumable item as the consumable item of the first type, in a case that the second type information is included in the consumable item information stored in the memory of the consumable item installed in the installing part and that the printing apparatus is required to operate in the contract mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Sadaaki MIYAZAKI, Tetsunori MORI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Satoru OKI
  • Publication number: 20230384727
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: an installing part in which a consumable item to be used in printing is to be installed; a printer configured to print an image on a printing medium by using the consumable item installed in the installing part; and a controller. The printing apparatus is configured to operate in a contract mode based on content of a contract regarding the consumable item to be used in the printing. The controller is configured to execute a profit returning process of performing profit return according to the content of the contract in a case that the consumable item installed in the installing part has a type corresponding to a non-contract mode not based on the content of the contract and that the printing apparatus is operated in the contract mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Satoru OKI, Sadaaki MIYAZAKI, Tetsunori MORI
  • Publication number: 20230382123
    Abstract: An information management apparatus includes: a communication interface configured to communicate, via a network, with a printer configured to execute printing by using consumables; and a controller configured to execute: an offer application receiving process for receiving an offer application to a collection operator of the consumables from a terminal device configured to communicate with the communication interface; a first generating process for generating first privilege information regarding the printing by the printer in response to the offer application received in the offer application receiving process; a collection information obtaining process for obtaining collection information in the collection operator of the consumables received the offer application; and a second generating process for generating second privilege information regarding the printing by the printer in response to the collection information obtained in the collection information obtaining process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Satoru OKI, Tetsunori MORI, Sadaaki MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230388434
    Abstract: An information management system includes: an information handling apparatus; and an information management apparatus which communicates with the information handling apparatus via a network. The information handling apparatus executes: an identification information obtaining process; and an identification information sending process. The information management apparatus executes: an identification information receiving process; a recipient associating process; a collection information obtaining process; a privilege information generating process; a recipient determining process; and a privilege information granting process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Naoya OKAZAKI, Masahiro HAYASHI, Satoru OKI, Tetsunori MORI, Taichiro KIMOTO, Sadakki MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230347652
    Abstract: A container includes a container body defining a storage chamber therein. The container body has a liquid supply opening that is open frontward and a communication opening that is open to the storage chamber. The container body includes: a liquid channel extending in a front-rear direction to connect the communication opening to the liquid supply opening; a front wall; a rear wall; a first side wall; a second side wall; an upper wall; and a lower wall. At least one of the first side wall and the second side wall has a recessed portion whose inner surface protrudes from an inner surface of the one of the first and second side walls. At least a part of the recessed portion is positioned above the liquid supply opening in an up-down direction. The inner surface of the recessed portion defines a part of the storage chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Satoru OKI, Yuma TANABE, Yuji FUKUTA
  • Publication number: 20230347655
    Abstract: A container includes a container body, and a cover attached to the container body. The container body includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a liquid channel. The container body has a storage chamber in fluid communication with the liquid channel and positioned between the front wall and the rear wall in a front-rear direction. The liquid channel extends in the front-rear direction to have a supply opening that is open on the front wall and that is open frontward. The cover has an opening that is open rearward and the cover covers least a part of an outer surface of the front wall. The supply opening of the container body is positioned below a lower end of the opening of the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro HAYASHI, Naoya OKAZAKI, Satoru OKI, Yuma TANABE, Yuji FUKUTA
  • Patent number: 11801676
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a piezoelectric body disposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. The piezoelectic body contains lead zirconate titanate. The piezoelectric element also includes a seed layer containing lead disposed between the lower electrode and the piezoelectric body. The seed layer has an amorphous structure at least over an entire surface layer portion on the piezoelectric body side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Masahiro Hayashi, Toshiaki Masuda
  • Patent number: 11787192
    Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a tank and a cartridge. The cartridge is configured to be detachably attached to the tank in an attachment-detachment direction crossing a vertical direction. The cartridge includes a first storage chamber. The tank includes a second storage chamber, a liquid passage, and a gas passage. The liquid passage has a first end, a second end, and a first extending portion. The second end is formed with a second opening open to an atmosphere. The first extending portion extends from the second opening in the attachment-detachment direction. The gas passage has a third end, a fourth end, and a second extending portion. The fourth end is formed with a fourth opening open to the atmosphere. The second extending portion extends from the fourth opening in the attachment-detachment direction. The second opening is at a position different from the fourth opening in the attachment-detachment direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi, Yoshinori Osakabe, Akinari Ishibe, Tatsuya Shindo, Masahiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11780232
    Abstract: According to one aspect, the disclosure provides an image recording apparatus including a liquid supplying device. The liquid supplying device includes a tank, a cartridge, an atmospheric communication portion, and a recording portion. The tank has a second storage chamber configured to store liquid, a liquid passage in communication with the second storage chamber, and a gas passage in communication with the second storage chamber. The atmospheric communication portion includes a buffer tank defining a buffer chamber configured to store gas, a single communication flow passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with the second storage chamber, and an air communication passage allowing the buffer chamber to communicate with an atmosphere. When the cartridge is attached to the tank, the buffer chamber is positioned below the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber is positioned below the buffer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Yoshinori Osakabe, Akinari Ishibe, Hiroaki Takahashi