Patents by Inventor Satoru Katagami

Satoru Katagami 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).

  • Publication number: 20240034075
    Abstract: A printing device 1 includes a setting section 2 that sets a roll-shaped print medium P, a winding section 5 that winds up the print medium P, a print head 3 that forms an image by ejecting ink onto an image forming surface P1 of the print medium P, and a drying oven 10 that is disposed downstream of the print head 3 in the transport direction and that is for drying ink that was ejected onto the print medium P, wherein the drying oven 10 includes a heating section 11 for heating the print medium P and the heating section 11 is configured such that the heating temperature at the inlet side of the drying oven 10 in the transport direction A is higher than the heating temperature at the outlet side of the drying oven 10 in the transport direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Kazutoshi FUJISAWA, Satoru KATAGAMI, Yuichi WASHIO
  • Publication number: 20230294421
    Abstract: A drying unit includes a first contact heating unit provided inside a housing, and a second contact heating unit provided downstream in a transport direction from the first contact heating unit inside the housing. The first contact heating unit includes a first contact heating surface configured to come into contact with a back surface of a medium after printing. The second contact heating unit includes a second contact heating surface configured to come into contact with the back surface of the medium after printing. The first contact heating surface is curved to have a shape protruding in a direction opposite to the second contact heating surface, and the second contact heating surface is curved to have a shape protruding in a direction opposite to the first contact heating surface. The first contact heating surface has a radius of curvature larger than that of the second contact heating surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Satoru KATAGAMI, Hiroshi TOYAMA, Yuichi WASHIO
  • Publication number: 20230286293
    Abstract: A drying unit includes a housing and a first contact heating unit. The first contact heating unit is provided inside the housing. The first contact heating unit includes a first contact heating surface configured to come into contact with a back surface of a medium after printing. The first contact heating unit can change posture from first posture to second posture, in a state where a first engagement portion engages with a first guide portion of a first support portion and a second engagement portion engages with a second guide portion of a second support portion, by a movement from a first position where the first contact heating surface faces the back surface of the medium after printing to a second position where the first contact heating surface is more separated from the back surface of the medium after printing as compared to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yuichi WASHIO, Kazutoshi FUJISAWA, Satoru KATAGAMI
  • Patent number: 11590775
    Abstract: A recording device includes a transport unit configured to alternately repeat transport and stop of a recording medium, a recording head configured to discharge ink onto the recording medium to form an image while the recording medium is stopped in an image forming region, a drying unit including a plate in which a plurality of openings for blowing an air flow are formed in a position facing the recording medium transported by the transport unit, and being configured to dry the recording medium on which an image is formed by the recording head, and a relative movement unit configured to move the recording medium and the plate relatively in an intersecting direction that intersects a facing direction in which the recording medium and the plate face each other, while the recording medium is stopped in the image forming region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Katagami
  • Patent number: 11267272
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a support portion configured to support a part of a printing medium to be transported, a heating portion configured to heat the part of the printing medium supported by the support portion, and a curved portion disposed upstream of the support portion in a transport path of the printing medium and including a curved surface that curves the transport path. The curved portion is formed of a member having a lower thermal conductivity than the support portion. In addition, the temperature of the curved portion is lower than the temperature of the support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toyama, Satoru Katagami
  • Patent number: 11260682
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a set section on which a printing medium is set, a winding unit configured to wind, the printing medium transported from the set section, a head configured to discharge an ink onto an image forming surface of the printing medium being transported, thereby forming an image, and a drying chamber formed downstream of the head in a transport direction and downward of the head, the drying chamber being configured to dry the ink discharged to the printing medium, wherein the drying chamber is provided with an endless belt made of metal and configured to transport the printing medium while being in contact with an image non-forming surface on an opposite side of the printing medium from the image forming surface, and a plurality of rollers over which the endless belt is stretched, the plurality of rollers being configured to cause the endless belt to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Katagami
  • Publication number: 20220055380
    Abstract: A recording device includes a transport unit configured to alternately repeat transport and stop of a recording medium, a recording head configured to discharge ink onto the recording medium to form an image while the recording medium is stopped in an image forming region, a drying unit including a plate in which a plurality of openings for blowing an air flow are formed in a position facing the recording medium transported by the transport unit, and being configured to dry the recording medium on which an image is formed by the recording head, and a relative movement unit configured to move the recording medium and the plate relatively in an intersecting direction that intersects a facing direction in which the recording medium and the plate face each other, while the recording medium is stopped in the image forming region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventor: Satoru KATAGAMI
  • Patent number: 11173727
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing portion that performs printing on a printing medium, a heating portion that heats the printing medium, which is performed downstream of the printing portion in transport of the printing medium, and a controller. The heating portion is disposed in a position facing a back surface, on which the printing is performed. The controller executes first control for putting the heating portion in a first state in which the heating portion is in contact with the back surface during a transport stop period, in which transport of the printing medium is stopped, and executes second control for putting the heating portion in a second state in which the heating portion contacts the back surface at a lower degree than in the first state during a transport period, in which the transport of the printing medium is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toyama, Satoru Katagami
  • Publication number: 20200384780
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing portion that performs printing on a printing medium, a heating portion that heats the printing medium, which is performed downstream of the printing portion in transport of the printing medium, and a controller. The heating portion is disposed in a position facing a back surface, on which the printing is performed. The controller executes first control for putting the heating portion in a first state in which the heating portion is in contact with the back surface during a transport stop period, in which transport of the printing medium is stopped, and executes second control for putting the heating portion in a second state in which the heating portion contacts the back surface at a lower degree than in the first state during a transport period, in which the transport of the printing medium is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi TOYAMA, Satoru KATAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20200384781
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a support portion configured to support a part of a printing medium to be transported, a heating portion configured to heat the part of the printing medium supported by the support portion, and a curved portion disposed upstream of the support portion in a transport path of the printing medium and including a curved surface that curves the transport path. The curved portion is formed of a member having a lower thermal conductivity than the support portion. In addition, the temperature of the curved portion is lower than the temperature of the support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi TOYAMA, Satoru KATAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20200376863
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including a set section on which a printing medium is set, a winding unit configured to wind, the printing medium transported from the set section, a head configured to discharge an ink onto an image forming surface of the printing medium being transported, thereby forming an image, and a drying chamber formed downstream of the head in a transport direction and downward of the head, the drying chamber being configured to dry the ink discharged to the printing medium, wherein the drying chamber is provided with an endless belt made of metal and configured to transport the printing medium while being in contact with an image non-forming surface on an opposite side of the printing medium from the image forming surface, and a plurality of rollers over which the endless belt is stretched, the plurality of rollers being configured to cause the endless belt to rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventor: Satoru KATAGAMI
  • Patent number: 10618317
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a drying unit, and has, a first mode in which a temperature of the drying unit is decreased by performing a control of electric connection to a heater of the drying unit or a temperature control of the heater after starting the maintenance work, and the temperature of the drying unit is increased by performing the control of electric connection to the heater or the temperature control of the heater after the maintenance work, and a second mode in which the temperature of the drying unit is decreased by performing the control of electric connection to the heater or the temperature control of the heater after the starting of the maintenance work, and the temperature of the drying unit is increased by performing the control of electric connection to the heater or the temperature control of the heater during the maintenance work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Katagami
  • Patent number: 10556443
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a recording section including a plurality of ink heads configured to discharge, ink, a first reaction solution head, and a second reaction solution head configured to discharge the reaction solution, a driving section configured to drive the recording section, and a controller configured to execute causing the driving section to move the recording section in a first direction, causing the plurality of ink heads to discharge the ink, and causing the first reaction solution head and the second reaction solution head to discharge the reaction solution. The plurality of ink heads are arranged in the first direction. The first reaction solution head is located downstream in the first direction of an ink head located most downstream in the first direction. The second reaction solution head is located between two ink heads located adjacent to each other in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Katagami, Kazuyoshi Tanase, Tsutomu Sasaki, Yuichi Washio
  • Patent number: 10525738
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a drying unit that includes a bring-in port where a medium is brought in and a bring-out port where the medium is brought out, and dries ink applied onto the medium, and in a case in which printing is temporarily stopped and a predetermined maintenance work is performed, the medium is transported in a transporting direction which is a direction toward the bring-out port from the bring-in port in a maintenance work period from starting of the maintenance work to finishing of the maintenance work or in a partial period of the maintenance work period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Katagami, Yuichi Washio, Hiroshi Toyama
  • Publication number: 20190084329
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a recording section including a plurality of ink heads configured to discharge, ink, a first reaction solution head, and a second reaction solution head configured to discharge the reaction solution, a driving section configured to drive the recording section, and a controller configured to execute causing the driving section to move the recording section in a first direction, causing the plurality of ink heads to discharge the ink, and causing the first reaction solution head and the second reaction solution head to discharge the reaction solution. The plurality of ink heads are arranged in the first direction. The first reaction solution head is located downstream in the first direction of an ink head located most downstream in the first direction. The second reaction solution head is located between two ink heads located adjacent to each other in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Satoru KATAGAMI, Kazuyoshi TANASE, Tsutomu SASAKI, Yuichi WASHIO
  • Patent number: 10220638
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a reaction liquid application portion that applies reaction liquid to a recording medium, an ink application portion that applies ink which includes a color material that is coagulated using the reaction liquid onto the recording medium onto which the reaction liquid is applied, and a control portion that adjusts an amount per unit area of the reaction liquid that is applied to the recording medium from the reaction liquid application portion according to infiltration into the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Katagami, Kazuyoshi Tanase, Tsutomu Sasaki, Yuichi Washio
  • Patent number: 10093116
    Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus including: a driving roller which drives a recording medium in a predetermined direction by rotation thereof; a supporting member which supports the recording medium further on the downstream side in the predetermined direction than the driving roller; a discharge head which is provided to oppose the supporting member and discharges liquid to the recording medium supported by the supporting member; a tension control portion which adjusts tension of the recording medium supported by the supporting member by controlling tension of the recording medium based on a result of detecting tension of the recording medium further on the downstream side in the predetermined direction than the driving roller; and a first destaticizing portion which destaticizes the recording medium further on the upstream side in the predetermined direction than the driving roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toyama, Satoru Katagami
  • Publication number: 20180229512
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a drying unit, and has, a first mode in which a temperature of the drying unit is decreased by performing a control of electric connection to a heater of the drying unit or a temperature control of the heater after starting the maintenance work, and the temperature of the drying unit is increased by performing the control of electric connection to the heater or the temperature control of the heater after the maintenance work, and a second mode in which the temperature of the drying unit is decreased by performing the control of electric connection to the heater or the temperature control of the heater after the starting of the maintenance work, and the temperature of the drying unit is increased by performing the control of electric connection to the heater or the temperature control of the heater during the maintenance work.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Satoru KATAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20180229513
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a drying unit that includes a bring-in port where a medium is brought in and a bring-out port where the medium is brought out, and dries ink applied onto the medium, and in a case in which printing is temporarily stopped and a predetermined maintenance work is performed, the medium is transported in a transporting direction which is a direction toward the bring-out port from the bring-in port in a maintenance work period from starting of the maintenance work to finishing of the maintenance work or in a partial period of the maintenance work period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Satoru Katagami, Yuichi Washio, Hiroshi Toyama
  • Patent number: 9962930
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a reaction liquid application portion that applies dots of reaction liquid onto a recording medium by applying the reaction liquid to pixels in a pixel array in which rasters in which a plurality of pixels are lined up in a first direction are lined up in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction and an ink application portion that applies ink dots to the recording medium by applying ink which includes a color material that is coagulated using an action of the reaction liquid to the pixels of the pixel array, in which the reaction liquid application portion applies the reaction liquid dots by being separated by one pixel or more in the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Sasaki, Satoru Katagami, Kazuyoshi Tanase