Patents by Inventor Satoshi Chiba

Satoshi Chiba 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: 20160246244
    Abstract: In a printing apparatus, an end of a destaticization section in a definition direction is positioned further on an outer side than an end of a transport belt in the definition direction. In addition, the printing apparatus is provided with an operation mechanism section that changes a location of the destaticization section that comes into contact with a sheet of paper, which is electrostatically adsorbed to the transport belt, by operating the destaticization section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Kazunori MORI, Satoshi CHIBA, Yoshikazu KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20160243854
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transport belt that transports a sheet, a charging roller that supplies an electric charge to the transport belt, a print head that causes ink to be attached to a printing surface of the sheet electrostatically adsorbed on the transport belt, a charge eliminating unit that is displaceable between a charge elimination position and a retreated position and that eliminates the electric charge from the printing surface by coming in contact with the printing surface of the sheet, and a charge elimination control device that controls the position of the charge eliminating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Satoshi CHIBA, Yoshikazu KOIKE, Kazunori MORI
  • Patent number: 9365054
    Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a cleaning blade that cleans the surface of a transport belt that attracts a sheet of recording paper by electrostatic adsorption and transports the attracted recording paper, and a pressing roller. The width of the cleaning blade is smaller than the width of the pressing roller that is located downstream of the cleaning blade, and thus, ink, paper dust, and the like that have escapes from both ends of the cleaning blade to the outside and have not been wiped off are caught by the pressing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 9315046
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a recording surface of a recording medium, a discharge section that discharges the recording medium, and a first bending member that is in contact with the recording medium which passes through the recording unit in the transport path and is transported toward the discharge section to bend the recording medium, in which the first bending member bends the recording medium in such a manner that the recording surface is directed inside by displacing both side portions of the recording medium in a width direction with respect to a central portion of the recording medium in the width direction of the recording medium at a position on a further upstream side in a direction of the transport than a contact position of the discharge section where a feeding force is applied to the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kodama, Satoshi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20160089912
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a mount base having a mount surface on which a sheet discharged through a medium discharge outlet is mounted, the mount surface facing the recording surface of the sheet; a projection rib that is provided in the mount base, is projectable from the mount surface, and extends along a discharge direction of the sheet discharged through the medium discharge outlet, through a center of the sheet in a width direction crossing the discharge direction of the sheet; and a projection mechanism that causes the projection rib to project from the mount surface to a rib height according to a dimension of the sheet in the width direction discharged through the medium discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Satoshi CHIBA, Hidetoshi KODAMA, Toru TANJO, Kohei Ueno
  • Patent number: 9296224
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a recording surface of a recording medium, a discharge section that discharges the recording medium which is transported from the recording unit along a transport path, a first bending member that is in contact with the recording medium which passes through the recording unit in the transport path and is transported toward the discharge section to bend the recording medium, and a second bending member that is in contact with the recording medium on a further downstream side in a direction of the transport than a contact position of the discharge section where a feeding force is applied to the recording medium and maintains a bending shape of the recording medium which is bent by the first bending member as it is, in which the second bending member has mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kodama, Satoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 9199484
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discharge section that discharges a recording medium, a first bending member that is in contact with the recording medium and is transported toward the discharge section to bend the recording medium, a second bending member that is in contact with the recording medium on a further downstream side in a direction of the transport than a contact position of the discharge section, a mounting section where the recording medium that is discharged from the discharge section is mounted, and a first biasing member that is in contact with a surface on a rear end side in the transport direction of the recording medium mounted on the mounting section and on a side opposite to the recording surface to perform biasing toward a recording surface side on a further downstream side than the contact position of the discharge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kodama, Satoshi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20150217571
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus having a wiping device which performs a first wiping operation in which the first surface wipes the nozzle forming surface while setting a contact pressure of a wiper with respect to the nozzle forming surface to a first contact pressure, in a state where the pressurizing portion is driven and the pressure of liquid in the nozzles is set to be equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure and a second wiping operation in which the second surface wipes the nozzle forming surface wiped by the first surface while setting the contact pressure of the wiper with respect to the nozzle forming surface to a second contact pressure less than the first contact pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi CHIBA, Kazuhiko SATO
  • Publication number: 20140292974
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discharge section that discharges a recording medium, a first bending member that is in contact with the recording medium and is transported toward the discharge section to bend the recording medium, a second bending member that is in contact with the recording medium on a further downstream side in a direction of the transport than a contact position of the discharge section, a mounting section where the recording medium that is discharged from the discharge section is mounted, and a first biasing member that is in contact with a surface on a rear end side in the transport direction of the recording medium mounted on the mounting section and on a side opposite to the recording surface to perform biasing toward a recording surface side on a further downstream side than the contact position of the discharge section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi KODAMA, Satoshi CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20140292907
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a transport belt including an inner layer and an outer layer containing a hydrophobic material and having a supporting surface on which a recording medium is supported, a charging device for the transport belt, a line head having a nozzle, and at least either a capping unit or a wiping unit in a region opposing the supporting surface of the transport belt. While an ink is ejected onto the recording medium, the distance between the supporting surface and at least either the capping unit or the wiping unit is larger than the distance between the nozzle of the line head and the supporting surface. The charging device electrically charges the outer layer with an AC current with a frequency in the range of 10 Hz to 200 Hz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20140292979
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a recording surface of a recording medium, a discharge section that discharges the recording medium, and a first bending member that is in contact with the recording medium which passes through the recording unit in the transport path and is transported toward the discharge section to bend the recording medium, in which the first bending member bends the recording medium in such a manner that the recording surface is directed inside by displacing both side portions of the recording medium in a width direction with respect to a central portion of the recording medium in the width direction of the recording medium at a position on a further upstream side in a direction of the transport than a contact position of the discharge section where a feeding force is applied to the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi KODAMA, Satoshi CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20140292978
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that performs recording on a recording surface of a recording medium, a discharge section that discharges the recording medium which is transported from the recording unit along a transport path, a first bending member that is in contact with the recording medium which passes through the recording unit in the transport path and is transported toward the discharge section to bend the recording medium, and a second bending member that is in contact with the recording medium on a further downstream side in a direction of the transport than a contact position of the discharge section where a feeding force is applied to the recording medium and maintains a bending shape of the recording medium which is bent by the first bending member as it is, in which the second bending member has mobility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi KODAMA, Satoshi CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20140284177
    Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a cleaning blade that cleans the surface of a transport belt that attracts a sheet of recording paper by electrostatic adsorption and transports the attracted recording paper, and a pressing roller. The width of the cleaning blade is smaller than the width of the pressing roller that is located downstream of the cleaning blade, and thus, ink, paper dust, and the like that have escapes from both ends of the cleaning blade to the outside and have not been wiped off are caught by the pressing roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8718521
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a transfer roller having a recessed portion in a circumferential surface; a driving portion for rotatably driving the transfer roller; an image carrier belt for carrying an image; a tension roller around which the image carrier belt is wound for making contact with the transfer roller interposed by the image carrier belt; a biasing portion for biasing the tension roller towards the transfer roller; and a position-regulating portion that, when the transfer roller rotates and the transfer roller and the image carrier belt make contact, causes a position to be maintained at which the image carrier belt wound around the tension roller intersects a virtual circumferential surface that is an extension of the circumferential surface of the transfer roller into the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Chiba, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 8644719
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning roller which contacts an intermediate transfer belt for carrying an image developed using a liquid developer, a cleaning roller which contacts the other cleaning roller and has a greater axial length than the other cleaning roller, and a rubber blade which contacts the cleaning roller and has a greater axial length than the cleaning roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Shiiya, Satoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8543042
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a transfer belt on which an image is transferred, a belt suspension roller that suspends the transfer belt, a transfer roller that is arranged to face the belt suspension roller with the transfer belt in between and includes a shaft portion and a concave portion formed in a shaft direction, and a support member that is arranged on the shaft portion of the transfer roller and includes a first circumferential portion arranged in the concave portion as seen from a shaft direction of the transfer roller, a second circumferential portion arranged at one side of the concave portion in a rotation direction, and a third circumferential portion arranged at the other side of the concave portion in the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Tanaka, Satoshi Chiba, Koichi Kamijo
  • Patent number: 8457511
    Abstract: An image forming method includes transferring images carried by an image carrier to a transfer material by a transfer roller coming in contact with the image carrier via the transfer material, the transfer roller having a concaved portion in its circumferential surface and contacting with or being separated from the image carrier due to its rotation, separating the transfer roller from the image carrier by the rotation of the transfer roller after transferring the images to the transfer material, stopping the transfer roller in a state where the transfer roller is separated from the image carrier, and moving the image carrier and cleaning the image carrier using a cleaning member while the transfer roller is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8351832
    Abstract: An image forming method includes: feeding a transfer material to a transfer portion by gate rollers; contacting the transfer material with a transfer material grip member that is disposed on a transfer roller; holding the transfer material on an elastic holding portion which holds the transfer material disposed on the circumference surface of the transfer roller; transferring the transfer material held by the holding portion; and transferring an image at the transfer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kamijo, Satoshi Chiba, Shinichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8331837
    Abstract: An image-forming device comprising: an image-carrier belt that carries an image; a belt-driving roller that causes the image-carrier belt to move, the image-carrier belt being engaged around the belt-driving roller; a tension roller that applies a tension to the image-carrier belt, the image-carrier belt being engaged around the tension roller; a transfer roller having a concaved portion and a gripper, the transfer roller coming into contact with the tension roller interposed by the image-carrier belt, and transferring the image that is carried by the image-carrier belt onto the transfer material; a contacting/diverging part that causes the tension roller to move and that causes the transfer roller and the image-carrier belt to come into contact with or diverge from one another; a delivery part that delivers the transfer material that is gripped by the gripper; and a support member that pivotally supports the transfer roller and supports the delivery part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Tanaka, Satoshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 8315546
    Abstract: A transfer device includes an image carrier that carries an image and a transfer roller having a recessed section, a transfer medium gripping member that is disposed in the recessed section and grips a transfer medium, and an elastic member that forms a transfer nip by abutting upon the image carrier, the transfer roller transferring the image carried by the image carrier to the transfer medium by abutting upon the image carrier. The transfer medium gripping member grips the transfer medium when the recessed section moves to a position of the transfer nip and the image carrier and the transfer roller do not contact to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kamijo, Satoshi Chiba, Shinichi Tanaka