Patents by Inventor Noriyuki Kawamata

Noriyuki Kawamata 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: 10160240
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jie Xiu, Keisuke Wakakusa, Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20180264859
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a conveyor which conveys a print medium along a conveyance path; a print head which execute printing at a first position on the conveyance path; a cutter which cuts the print medium at least partially at a second position on the downstream side from the first position in the conveyance path; and a processor. The processor acquires a specified length along the conveyance path, acquires a first margin length along a conveyance direction in a first margin part, acquires a separation distance along the conveyance path between the first position and a third position which includes the second position and which is located on the conveyance path and between the first position to the second position, and determines whether the separation distance is equal to or longer than a first total length which is the total of the specified length and the first margin length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 10071571
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path; a support member configured to support the sheet; a recording portion; a plurality of contact portions configured to come into contact with the sheet; a plurality of support ribs; a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path; and a third transporting portion configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path. On the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is formed with the upper guide member to project toward the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata, Takashi Omura
  • Patent number: 10063726
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a first housing; and a second housing, the second housing including: a base part; a supporting part; an image reader; and a detector, the first housing including: an image forming unit and a cover, wherein: the cover has a 1st region disposed on a lower position of the detector and a 2nd region disposed on an upper position of a moving range of a recording head; the 1st region has a recessed part recessed downward, an inner bottom surface of the recessed part being disposed at a position lower that an upper edge position of the 2nd region; the base part has a housing part; and a lower edge of the detector is lower than the upper edge position of the 2nd region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakashima, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 10023412
    Abstract: A conveying device conveys a sheet selectively along a first conveying path and a second conveying path which are connected at a junction into a common path portion. A reading unit reads an image of a sheet conveyed in the common path portion. A shutter is disposed in the second conveying path at a position upstream of the junction in a sheet conveying direction. The shutter is movable between a first position and a second position. The actuator is disposed in the common path portion and movable between a third position and a fourth position in response to the shutter moving between the first position and the second position, respectively. In a case where a detection sensor detects that the actuator is at the fourth position, a controller controls the conveying device to convey the sheet along the second conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakashima, Katsuro Miura, Noriyuki Kawamata, Tianjin Xie
  • Publication number: 20180170074
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a transporting roller; a driven roller provided opposite the transporting roller to sandwich the recording medium between the driven roller and the transporting roller, while moving in an approaching-departing direction based on a thickness of the recording medium; a first biasing member biasing the driven roller to the transporting roller; a platen; a recording portion configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles; and a cooperative portion moving along with the movement of the driven roller in the approaching-departing direction to move the platen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9942437
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided. The image reading apparatus includes: a platen glass; a moving member; a reading section held by the moving member, the reading section having a reading surface, a light-receiving element, a substrate section, and a case section; a transmission member; and a first biasing section. The moving member includes a facing surface that faces the substrate section. The case section includes a first wall and a second wall. The transmission member includes a first contacting section, a second contacting section, and a connecting section. The first biasing section is disposed such that its one end makes a contact with the facing surface of the moving member and its other end makes a contact with the connecting section of the transmission member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20180037039
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jie Xiu, Keisuke Wakakusa, Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20170368847
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion provided in a first transport path; a support member configured to support the sheet; a recording portion; a plurality of contact portions configured to come into contact with the sheet; a plurality of support ribs; a second transporting portion provided in a second transport path connected with the first transport path; and a third transporting portion configured to sandwich and transport the sheet in the first transporting direction or toward the second transport path. On the upstream side to the second transporting portion in the second transporting direction, a projecting portion is formed with the upper guide member to project toward the lower guide member below a virtual line linking a nip position of the sheet due to the third transporting portion with another nip position of the sheet due to the second transporting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata, Takashi Omura
  • Publication number: 20170327331
    Abstract: A conveying device conveys a sheet selectively along a first conveying path and a second conveying path which are connected at a junction into a common path portion. A reading unit reads an image of a sheet conveyed in the common path portion. A shutter is disposed in the second conveying path at a position upstream of the junction in a sheet conveying direction. The shutter is movable between a first position and a second position. The actuator is disposed in the common path portion and movable between a third position and a fourth position in response to the shutter moving between the first position and the second position, respectively. In a case where a detection sensor detects that the actuator is at the fourth position, a controller controls the conveying device to convey the sheet along the second conveying path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakashima, Katsuro Miura, Noriyuki Kawamata, Tianjin Xie
  • Patent number: 9796542
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device having sheet feed tray configured to support multiple sheets be movably inserted to a main body. A sheet feed roller is configured to contact the sheet supported by the sheet feed tray and rotate to apply a feeding force to feed the sheet in a sheet feed direction. The sheet feed roller is configured to contact the sheet feed tray when there is no sheet on the sheet feed tray. A push latch mechanism is arranged on a downstream side with respect to the sheet feed roller in the sheet feed direction. A state of the push latch mechanism is alternately switched between an engaged state and a disengaged state every time when a pressing force is applied to the push latch mechanism. A first spring is configured to exert an elastic force to move the sheet feed tray toward a near side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Shiohara, Yohei Hashimoto, Masamitsu Ukai, Hirotaka Mori, Noriyuki Kawamata, Masahito Saeki, Hiroyuki Okuchi, Makoto Souda
  • Patent number: 9783381
    Abstract: A conveyor includes: a supporting member which supports the first and second roller units to allow the first and second rollers to take one of a first conveyance position and a first retracted position; a movable member which is movable between a first position where the first roller and the second roller take the first conveyance position and a second position where the rollers take the first retracted position; a cover member which is switchable between a closed state where the cover member is a part of the conveyance passage and an open state where a part of the conveyance passage is open; and an interlocking mechanism which is configured to move the movable member to the second position when the cover member is in the open state and moves the movable member to the first position when the cover member is in the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kawamata, Yasuhira Ota
  • Patent number: 9764567
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a transporting roller; a driven roller provided opposite the transporting roller to sandwich the recording medium between the driven roller and the transporting roller, while moving in an approaching-departing direction based on a thickness of the recording medium; a first biasing member biasing the driven roller to the transporting roller; a platen; a recording portion configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles; and a cooperative portion moving along with the movement of the driven roller in the approaching-departing direction to move the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20170251120
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus including: a first housing; and a second housing, the second housing including: a base part; a supporting part; an image reader; and a detector, the first housing including: an image forming unit and a cover, wherein: the cover has a 1st region disposed on a lower position of the detector and a 2nd region disposed on an upper position of a moving range of a recording head; the 1st region has a recessed part recessed downward, an inner bottom surface of the recessed part being disposed at a position lower that an upper edge position of the 2nd region; the base part has a housing part; and a lower edge of the detector is lower than the upper edge position of the 2nd region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakashima, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20170251123
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided. The image reading apparatus includes: a platen glass; a moving member; a reading section held by the moving member, the reading section having a reading surface, a light-receiving element, a substrate section, and a case section; a transmission member; and a first biasing section. The moving member includes a facing surface that faces the substrate section. The case section includes a first wall and a second wall. The transmission member includes a first contacting section, a second contacting section, and a connecting section. The first biasing section is disposed such that its one end makes a contact with the facing surface of the moving member and its other end makes a contact with the connecting section of the transmission member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriyuki KAWAMATA
  • Patent number: 9713930
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device is described in which maintenance is performed by a maintenance unit upon a recording head. The maintenance unit is located on a base unit. The base unit includes a wall portion supporting a plurality of gear shafts protruding in a width direction from the wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jie Xiu, Keisuke Wakakusa, Iwane Sano, Masao Mimoto, Yasuhira Ota, Shingo Ito, Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20170157956
    Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a transporting roller; a driven roller provided opposite the transporting roller to sandwich the recording medium between the driven roller and the transporting roller, while moving in an approaching-departing direction based on a thickness of the recording medium; a first biasing member biasing the driven roller to the transporting roller; a platen; a recording portion configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles; and a cooperative portion moving along with the movement of the driven roller in the approaching-departing direction to move the platen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9650221
    Abstract: A conveyor includes: a conveyor roller unit including a conveyor roller; a transmission mechanism; a driven roller unit including a driven roller; a supporting member which supports the conveyor roller unit and the driven roller unit to allow the conveyor roller unit and the driven roller unit to take a conveyance position or a retracted position; and a movable member which is movable between a first position where the conveyor roller and the driven roller take the conveyance position and a second position where the conveyor roller and the driven roller take the refracted position. The movable member moves from the second position to the first position when the conveyor roller in the second position rotates in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Kawamata, Yasuhira Ota
  • Patent number: 9654658
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a housing; a first supporter having a document support surface; a cover switchable between a closed state for covering the support surface and a spaced state for exposing the support surface; a driving device for generating a driving force; a mover movable by the driving force; and an image reader supported by the mover to perform a reading operation. A controller obtains first information that changes depending upon change in a magnitude of a force acting on the support surface. The controller determines, based on the obtained first information, whether the driving device generates the driving force based on a first driving manner or a second driving manner different from the first driving manner, as a driving manner of the driving device. The controller controls the driving device to generate the driving force based on a determined driving manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriyuki Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9617109
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a casing; a sheet-feeder tray having a supporting surface for supporting a sheet-shaped recording medium; a recording unit which is configured to record an image on the recording medium fed from the sheet-feeder tray; a discharge roller pair configured to discharge, from the casing, the recording medium on which the image has been recorded by the recording unit; an opening-closing member which is provided on the downstream of the discharge roller pair in a direction in which the recording medium is discharged by the discharge roller pair and is rotatable between a first position where a discharging slot of the recording medium discharged by the discharge roller pair is closed and a second position where the discharging slot is open; and a restricting mechanism configured to restrict the rotation of the opening-closing member from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhira Ota, Noriyuki Kawamata, Motohiro Okamura