Patents by Inventor Satoru Tobita
Satoru Tobita 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).
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Patent number: 10730292Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of individual liquid chambers, a common liquid chamber, a deformable damper, and a damper chamber. The plurality of nozzles is arrayed in a nozzle array direction, to discharge liquid. The plurality of individual liquid chambers is communicated with the plurality of nozzles. The common liquid chamber supplies liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers. The deformable damper constitutes part of a wall face of the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber is disposed along the nozzle array direction with the damper interposed between the damper chamber and the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber extends to an outer area in the nozzle array direction than an individual liquid chamber of the plurality of individual liquid chambers at each end in the nozzle array direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiko Kohda, Satoru Tobita, Ryo Kasahara, Ryohta Matsufuji, Norimasa Sohgawa
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Publication number: 20180290446Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of individual liquid chambers, a common liquid chamber, a deformable damper, and a damper chamber. The plurality of nozzles is arrayed in a nozzle array direction, to discharge liquid. The plurality of individual liquid chambers is communicated with the plurality of nozzles. The common liquid chamber supplies liquid to the plurality of individual. liquid chambers. The deformable damper constitutes part of a wall face of the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber is disposed along the nozzle array direction with the damper interposed between the damper chamber and the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber extends to an outer area in the nozzle array direction than an individual liquid chamber of the plurality of individual liquid chambers at each end in the nozzle array direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiko KOHDA, Satoru TOBITA, Ryo KASAHARA, Ryohta MATSUFUJI, Norimasa SOHGAWA
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Patent number: 10022963Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of individual liquid chambers, a common liquid chamber, a deformable damper, and a damper chamber. The plurality of nozzles is arrayed in a nozzle array direction, to discharge liquid. The plurality of individual liquid chambers is communicated with the plurality of nozzles. The common liquid chamber supplies liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers. The deformable damper constitutes part of a wall face of the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber is disposed along the nozzle array direction with the damper interposed between the damper chamber and the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber extends to an outer area in the nozzle array direction than an individual liquid chamber of the plurality of individual liquid chambers at each end in the nozzle array direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiko Kohda, Satoru Tobita, Ryo Kasahara, Ryohta Matsufuji, Norimasa Sohgawa
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Publication number: 20170129245Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of individual liquid chambers, a common liquid chamber, a deformable damper, and a damper chamber. The plurality of nozzles is arrayed in a nozzle array direction, to discharge liquid. The plurality of individual liquid chambers is communicated with the plurality of nozzles. The common liquid chamber supplies liquid to the plurality of individual liquid chambers. The deformable damper constitutes part of a wall face of the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber is disposed along the nozzle array direction with the damper interposed between the damper chamber and the common liquid chamber. The damper chamber extends to an outer area in the nozzle array direction than an individual liquid chamber of the plurality of individual liquid chambers at each end in the nozzle array direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2016Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiko KOHDA, Satoru TOBITA, Ryo KASAHARA, Ryohta MATSUFUJI, Norimasa SOHGAWA
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Patent number: 8911062Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes a channel plate forming an individual liquid chamber in communication with nozzles configured to eject liquid drops, a wall surface member forming a wall surface of the individual liquid chamber, and a drive unit disposed on the wall surface member side and configured to generate a pressure applied to a drive region inside the individual liquid chamber. In the liquid-jet head, a fluid resistance part is formed by disposing an island part in a liquid supply channel configured to supply a liquid to the individual liquid channel, and the island part includes a gradient part on the channel plate side, at least a part of the gradient part being formed such that the part of the gradient part faces the drive region inside the individual liquid chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Satoru Tobita
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Patent number: 8845051Abstract: A droplet ejecting apparatus includes a recording head including nozzles, liquid chambers communicating with the respective nozzles and storing ink, and actuators for applying pressure to the respective liquid chambers; and a print control unit configured to generate drive signals for driving the respective actuators to eject droplets from the nozzles. The drive signal includes a first contracting waveform component for ejecting a droplet and a second contracting waveform component for further contracting the liquid chamber after application of the first contracting waveform component but not ejecting a droplet. The second contracting waveform component is output at oscillation-damping timing at which a pressure wave generated by the first contracting waveform component is damped, in a condition where an environmental temperature is high, and is output at resonating timing at which resonance with the generated pressure wave occurs, in a condition where the environmental temperature is low.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2013Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shuusuke Iwata, Naoko Kitaoka, Satoru Tobita
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Patent number: 8777349Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head and a driving waveform generator. The recording head has a nozzle, a liquid chamber, and a pressure generator. The driving waveform generator is connected to the pressure generator to generate and output a driving waveform including a plurality of driving pulses per driving cycle to eject a droplet from the nozzle. A last one of the driving pulses includes a first expansion waveform element, a first retaining waveform element, a first contraction waveform element, a second retaining waveform element, a second contraction waveform element, a third retaining waveform element, and a second expansion waveform element. The first contraction waveform element has a potential difference greater than a potential difference of the first expansion waveform element. The second contraction waveform element has a time period longer than a time period of the first contraction waveform element.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2012Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Tobita, Takashi Satou
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Publication number: 20140160193Abstract: A droplet ejecting apparatus includes a recording head including nozzles, liquid chambers communicating with the respective nozzles and storing ink, and actuators for applying pressure to the respective liquid chambers; and a print control unit configured to generate drive signals for driving the respective actuators to eject droplets from the nozzles. The drive signal includes a first contracting waveform component for ejecting a droplet and a second contracting waveform component for further contracting the liquid chamber after application of the first contracting waveform component but not ejecting a droplet. The second contracting waveform component is output at oscillation-damping timing at which a pressure wave generated by the first contracting waveform component is damped, in a condition where an environmental temperature is high, and is output at resonating timing at which resonance with the generated pressure wave occurs, in a condition where the environmental temperature is low.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shuusuke Iwata, Naoko Kitaoka, Satoru Tobita
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Patent number: 8657401Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a printing head unit, a driving waveform generator that generates and outputs a driving waveform having four or more driving pulses in chronological order per driving cycle, and a selector that selects and applies one of multiple driving pulses to a pressure generator to cause a printing head unit to selectively discharge a liquid droplet of three or more different sizes. The driving waveform includes three or more driving pulses at least having a final driving pulse to collectively discharge the biggest liquid droplet. The driving waveform includes a micro-driving pulse for discharging a smallest droplet within a time period of from about 2×Tc to about 4×Tc after the driving waveform starts being outputted when Tc represents a natural vibration period of a separate liquid chamber of the printing head unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Tobita, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Naoko Kitaoka, Takashi Satou
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Publication number: 20130242001Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes a channel plate forming an individual liquid chamber in communication with nozzles configured to eject liquid drops, a wall surface member forming a wall surface of the individual liquid chamber, and a drive unit disposed on the wall surface member side and configured to generate a pressure applied to a drive region inside the individual liquid chamber. In the liquid-jet head, a fluid resistance part is formed by disposing an island part in a liquid supply channel configured to supply a liquid to the individual liquid channel, and the island part includes a gradient part on the channel plate side, at least a part of the gradient part being formed such that the part of the gradient part faces the drive region inside the individual liquid chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2013Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Satoru Tobita
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Publication number: 20130070010Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a printing head unit, a driving waveform generator that generates and outputs a driving waveform having four or more driving pulses in chronological order per driving cycle, and a selector that selects and applies one of multiple driving pulses to a pressure generator to cause a printing head unit to selectively discharge a liquid droplet of three or more different sizes. The driving waveform includes three or more driving pulses at least having a final driving pulse to collectively discharge the biggest liquid droplet. The driving waveform includes a micro-driving pulse for discharging a smallest droplet within a time period of from about 2×Tc to about 4×Tc after the driving waveform starts being outputted when Tc represents a natural vibration period of a separate liquid chamber of the printing head unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: March 21, 2013Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Satoru TOBITA, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Naoko Kitaoka, Takashi Satou
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Patent number: 8393716Abstract: A liquid ejection head is disclosed. The liquid ejection includes a flow channel plate, the flow channel plate being formed from one thin plate, the flow channel plate being formed with one or more pressure generating chambers, a fluid resistance section which supplies liquid to the pressure generating chamber, and a nozzle hole which opposes the pressure generating chamber. The flow channel plate is made of a metal material, and wherein the flow plate includes the pressure generating chamber which is formed of a groove-shaped indentation; the nozzle hole which is formed at one end in a longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped indentation; and the fluid resistance section which is formed at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped indentation. The pressure generating chamber, the nozzle head, and the fluid resistance section are formed such that they deform the thin plate in a thickness direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2010Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Tobita, Masayuki Kinoshita, Kaori Fujii
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Patent number: 8348407Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes nozzles, separate chambers, a common chamber, inlet portions, a filter unit, and ribs. Droplets of liquid are ejected from the nozzles. The separate chambers are communicated with the nozzles. The inlet portions are communicated with the corresponding separate chambers. Liquid is supplied from the common chamber to the separate chambers through the inlet portions. The filter unit is disposed between the inlet portions and the common chamber to filter liquid in an area across the separate chambers in a first direction in which the nozzles are arrayed. The ribs are disposed in the filter unit at intervals corresponding in size to at least two of the separate chambers in the first direction to partition the filter unit. The inlet portions are communicated in the first direction with each other in at least one portion of each of the inlet portions facing the filter unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Ryouta Matsufuji, Hideyuki Makita, Tadashi Mimura, Satoru Tobita, Tomohiko Koda
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Publication number: 20120236052Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head and a driving waveform generator. The recording head has a nozzle, a liquid chamber, and a pressure generator. The driving waveform generator is connected to the pressure generator to generate and output a driving waveform including a plurality of driving pulses per driving cycle to eject a droplet from the nozzle. A last one of the driving pulses includes a first expansion waveform element, a first retaining waveform element, a first contraction waveform element, a second retaining waveform element, a second contraction waveform element, a third retaining waveform element, and a second expansion waveform element. The first contraction waveform element has a potential difference greater than a potential difference of the first expansion waveform element. The second contraction waveform element has a time period longer than a time period of the first contraction waveform element.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Satoru TOBITA, Takashi Satou
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Publication number: 20110057992Abstract: A liquid ejection head is disclosed. The liquid ejection includes a flow channel plate, the flow channel plate being formed from one thin plate, the flow channel plate being formed with one or more pressure generating chambers, a fluid resistance section which supplies liquid to the pressure generating chamber, and a nozzle hole which opposes the pressure generating chamber. The flow channel plate is made of a metal material, and wherein the flow plate includes the pressure generating chamber which is formed of a groove-shaped indentation; the nozzle hole which is formed at one end in a longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped indentation; and the fluid resistance section which is formed at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped indentation. The pressure generating chamber, the nozzle head, and the fluid resistance section are formed such that they deform the thin plate in a thickness direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Satoru TOBITA, Masayuki Kinoshita, Kaori Fujii
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Publication number: 20100328409Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes nozzles, separate chambers, a common chamber, inlet portions, a filter unit, and ribs. Droplets of liquid are ejected from the nozzles. The separate chambers are communicated with the nozzles. The inlet portions are communicated with the corresponding separate chambers. Liquid is supplied from the common chamber to the separate chambers through the inlet portions. The filter unit is disposed between the inlet portions and the common chamber to filter liquid in an area across the separate chambers in a first direction in which the nozzles are arrayed. The ribs are disposed in the filter unit at intervals corresponding in size to at least two of the separate chambers in the first direction to partition the filter unit. The inlet portions are communicated in the first direction with each other in at least one portion of each of the inlet portions facing the filter unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Ryouta MATSUFUJI, Hideyuki Makita, Tadashi Mimura, Satoru Tobita, Tomohiko Koda
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Patent number: 7744197Abstract: A method for manufacturing an inkjet recording head includes an ejecting step, a measuring step, dividing step and applying step. The ejecting step ejects test ink droplets and print ink droplets from nozzles. The measuring step measures ejection results of the test ink droplets. The dividing step divides a plurality of nozzles into a plurality of groups based on the ejection results. The applying step applies a group-based polarizing voltage determined for each group to the piezoelectric elements belonging to a corresponding group to polarize the piezoelectric elements so that ejection results of the print ink droplets fall in a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2006Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro Yamada, Satoru Tobita, Hitoshi Kida, Kenichi Kugai, Nobuhiro Kurosawa
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Patent number: 7695114Abstract: A disclosed inkjet head includes an ink channel unit formed by stacking a channel plate having a nozzle hole formed therein, a channel plate having a pressure chamber formed therein, and a channel plate having a restrictor formed therein and by bonding the channel plates together by diffusion bonding, which channel plates have substantially the same thickness; a pressure generating source attached to a surface of the ink channel unit and configured to generate pressure to jet ink; and a housing formed by stacking housing plates and by bonding the housing plates together by diffusion bonding and configured to hold the ink channel unit, which housing plates have substantially the same thickness as that of the channel plates.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2007Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Tomohiko Koda, Satoru Tobita, Takashi Sato, Yoshinari Suzuki
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Patent number: 7681987Abstract: An inkjet recording head includes a nozzle plate, chamber plate, and a diaphragm plate. The nozzle plate includes a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink droplets, a plurality of connecting channels in communication with the nozzles and pressure chambers. The nozzles are formed in a row at a uniform pitch. The connecting channels extend from the nozzles alternately in opposite directions in a staggered formation and are offset a prescribed angle to a direction orthogonal to the row of nozzles. The chamber plate includes the pressure chambers, restrictors, and common ink chambers formed therein. Each pressure chamber has an elongated shape extending in a direction orthogonal to the row of nozzles. The pressure chambers are formed in rows, one on either side of the row of nozzles, so that the pressure chambers in one row oppose the corresponding pressure chambers in the other row. The diaphragm plate has a vibration plate that seals the pressure chambers.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Tobita, Ryouta Matsufuji, Tomohiko Koda
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Patent number: 7654652Abstract: An ink jet head having: a common ink chamber for storing an ink supplied from an ink supply part; an ink supply path for supplying the ink stored in the common ink chamber; a pressure chamber to which the ink is supplied via the ink supply path; and a nozzle for discharging the ink in the pressure chamber in accordance with a pressure change in the pressure chamber. The components being constructed by stacking a plurality of thin plate members, wherein a plurality of the ink supply paths are arranged in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2005Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Tobita, Toshiharu Sumiya, Ryouta Matsufuji