Patents by Inventor Masato Hodai

Masato Hodai 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).

  • Thermal printer ink ribbon cassette apparatus
    Patent number: 5714996
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette apparatus which eliminates slack in an ink ribbon when the ink ribbon cassette is loaded on a printer. The ink ribbon is supplied from a supply reel and taken up on a take-up reel both supported on the cassette. A detector detects when the cassette is loaded on the cassette apparatus and in turn drives the take-up reel to draw a short length of the ink ribbon onto the take-up reel. The rotatable supply member is restrained by spring tension from rotating and from supplying the ribbon, providing a back tension on the ink ribbon and preventing slack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sato
    Inventor: Masato Hodai