Patents by Inventor Mikio Kitagishi

Mikio Kitagishi 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: 11383542
    Abstract: A recording system includes a recording device including a recording unit that performs recording onto a medium, a transporting belt that includes an adhesive layer and transports the medium stuck on the adhesive layer, a drive unit that drives the transporting belt, a control unit that includes a detection unit for detecting a load current flowing in the drive unit and that controls the drive unit. The recording system further includes a peeling device that peels the medium from the transporting belt, and a notification device that provides a notification. The control unit causes the notification device to provide a notification on a time to replace the adhesive layer, based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Kitagishi, Katsuya Asamoto
  • Patent number: 11241897
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a printing apparatus, which the printing apparatus includes: a platen for supporting the medium, an imaging unit, a winding shaft for winding the medium, a shaft adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the position of the winding shaft, and a notifying unit configured to perform notification, comprising: a jig installing step for attaching one end of a strip-shaped jig, on which graduations are formed, to the winding shaft, and locking the jig to the platen, along a transporting path at both ends in a width direction of the medium, an imaging step for imaging the graduations by the imaging unit at two locations different from each other, in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the medium on the platen, a notifying step for notifying a result based on an image imaged by the imaging unit, and an adjusting step for adjusting the shaft adjusting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Kitagishi
  • Publication number: 20210086537
    Abstract: A recording system includes a recording device including a recording unit that performs recording onto a medium, a transporting belt that includes an adhesive layer and transports the medium stuck on the adhesive layer, a drive unit that drives the transporting belt, a control unit that includes a detection unit for detecting a load current flowing in the drive unit and that controls the drive unit. The recording system further includes a peeling device that peels the medium from the transporting belt, and a notification device that provides a notification. The control unit causes the notification device to provide a notification on a time to replace the adhesive layer, based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Mikio KITAGISHI, Katsuya ASAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200307280
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a printing apparatus, which the printing apparatus includes: a platen for supporting the medium, an imaging unit, a winding shaft for winding the medium, a shaft adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the position of the winding shaft, and a notifying unit configured to perform notification, comprising: a jig installing step for attaching one end of a strip-shaped jig, on which graduations are formed, to the winding shaft, and locking the jig to the platen, along a transporting path at both ends in a width direction of the medium, an imaging step for imaging the graduations by the imaging unit at two locations different from each other, in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the medium on the platen, a notifying step for notifying a result based on an image imaged by the imaging unit, and an adjusting step for adjusting the shaft adjusting mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventor: Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Patent number: 10737513
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a discharge portion that discharges liquid to a medium to be transported in a transporting direction, and a supporting portion that has a supporting surface supporting the medium, in which the supporting surface does not have unevenness in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction, but has groove portions formed continuously along the width direction, and the groove portions are formed with suction holes which suck the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Takenaka, Mikio Kitagishi
  • Patent number: 10562325
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a transporting unit that transports a medium in a transporting direction, a discharge portion that discharges a liquid to the medium positioned in a discharge range, and a supporting portion that has a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface, as a supporting surface supporting the medium to be transported by the transporting unit, in which the first supporting surface supports the medium in the discharge range and does not have unevenness in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction, the second supporting surface supports the medium on a downstream side of the discharge range in the transporting direction and includes uneven portions in which a first portion and a second portion which is further recessed than the first portion are formed alternately in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Takenaka, Mikio Kitagishi
  • Publication number: 20180290464
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a discharge portion that discharges liquid to a medium to be transported in a transporting direction, and a supporting portion that has a supporting surface supporting the medium, in which the supporting surface does not have unevenness in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction, but has groove portions formed continuously along the width direction, and the groove portions are formed with suction holes which suck the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Ryota TAKENAKA, Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Publication number: 20180290466
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a transporting unit that transports a medium in a transporting direction, a discharge portion that discharges a liquid to the medium positioned in a discharge range, and a supporting portion that has a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface, as a supporting surface supporting the medium to be transported by the transporting unit, in which the first supporting surface supports the medium in the discharge range and does not have unevenness in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction, the second supporting surface supports the medium on a downstream side of the discharge range in the transporting direction and includes uneven portions in which a first portion and a second portion which is further recessed than the first portion are formed alternately in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Ryota TAKENAKA, Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9956796
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction; a medium support that supports the medium; a medium pressing unit that has a first regulation section that regulates bending of an end portion of the medium from the medium support in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction and a second regulation section that regulates moving of the end portion of the medium to an outer side in the width direction; and a printing unit that performs printing on the medium supported on the medium support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Kitagishi
  • Publication number: 20170225495
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction; a medium support that supports the medium; a medium pressing unit that has a first regulation section that regulates bending of an end portion of the medium from the medium support in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction and a second regulation section that regulates moving of the end portion of the medium to an outer side in the width direction; and a printing unit that performs printing on the medium supported on the medium support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventor: Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9662907
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction; a medium support that supports the medium; a medium pressing unit that has a first regulation section that regulates bending of an end portion of the medium from the medium support in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction and a second regulation section that regulates moving of the end portion of the medium to an outer side in the width direction; and a printing unit that performs printing on the medium supported on the medium support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Kitagishi
  • Patent number: 9649842
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of head units, in each of which a plurality of recording heads are disposed so as to be aligned in a main scanning direction in a holding member as a frame body, and a plurality of nozzle openings for discharging ink being disposed in a sub scanning direction in each recording head. The head units are aligned such that center lines thereof in the main scanning direction differ from each other in the main scanning direction. M (M is a natural number) liquid ejecting heads are attachable to each holding member in the main scanning direction. N (M>N (N is a natural number)) liquid ejecting heads, which discharge liquid, among the M liquid ejecting heads are arranged so as to be close to a center side of an entire width of the head units in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshige Owaki, Mikio Kitagishi, Tomohiro Yuda, Katsuhiro Okubo
  • Publication number: 20170021642
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction; a medium support that supports the medium; a medium pressing unit that has a first regulation section that regulates bending of an end portion of the medium from the medium support in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction and a second regulation section that regulates moving of the end portion of the medium to an outer side in the width direction; and a printing unit that performs printing on the medium supported on the medium support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventor: Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9487025
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction; a medium support that supports the medium; a medium pressing unit that has a first regulation section that regulates bending of an end portion of the medium from the medium support in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction and a second regulation section that regulates moving of the end portion of the medium to an outer side in the width direction; and a printing unit that performs printing on the medium supported on the medium support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Kitagishi
  • Publication number: 20160089904
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a medium in a transport direction; a medium support that supports the medium; a medium pressing unit that has a first regulation section that regulates bending of an end portion of the medium from the medium support in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction and a second regulation section that regulates moving of the end portion of the medium to an outer side in the width direction; and a printing unit that performs printing on the medium supported on the medium support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventor: Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Patent number: 9254684
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head that ejects fluid onto a recording medium, a transport device that transports the recording medium along a support surface, and a heating device that heats the recording medium. The heating device is provided with plural first heating units in a direction crossing the transport direction in a state where a side of the first heating unit is parallel with the transport direction, and a second heating unit which extends in the transport direction at a boundary region which is present between the neighboring first heating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Kitagishi, Miho Ota
  • Patent number: 9168763
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a holding unit that holds a liquid receptacle containing a liquid; a recording head that ejects, onto a recording medium, the liquid supplied from the liquid receptacle held by the holding unit; a heating unit that heats the recording medium; and a suction unit that includes a suction port for sucking air to the heating unit. Here, the suction port is disposed in a location that enables the atmosphere around the liquid receptacle to be sucked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Miho Ota, Mikio Kitagishi
  • Publication number: 20150035925
    Abstract: The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a medium, an ink jet head that ejects ink onto the medium, and a recording-medium support unit having a support surface on which the medium is supported. The support surface has suction holes, which are located outside a print area in which the ink is ejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Mikio KITAGISHI
  • Patent number: 8888273
    Abstract: The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a medium, an ink jet head that ejects ink onto the medium, and a recording-medium support unit having a support surface on which the medium is supported. The support surface has suction holes, which are located outside a print area in which the ink is ejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Kitagishi
  • Publication number: 20140285575
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of head units, in each of which a plurality of recording heads are disposed so as to be aligned in a main scanning direction in a holding member as a frame body, and a plurality of nozzle openings for discharging ink being disposed in a sub scanning direction in each recording head. The head units are aligned such that center lines thereof in the main scanning direction differ from each other in the main scanning direction. M (M is a natural number) liquid ejecting heads are attachable to each holding member in the main scanning direction. N (M>N (N is a natural number)) liquid ejecting heads, which discharge liquid, among the M liquid ejecting heads are arranged so as to be close to a center side of an entire width of the head units in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshige OWAKI, Mikio KITAGISHI, Tomohiro YUDA, Katsuhiro OKUBO