Patents by Inventor Shigeo Sugimura
Shigeo Sugimura 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: 9592073Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a fluid chamber; a volume varying unit configured to vary the volume of the fluid chamber; a fluid supplying unit configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure; and an ejection command switching unit configured to switch a fluid ejection between a pulsed flow ejection which ejects the fluid in a pulsed manner by activating the volume varying unit and varying the volume of the fluid chamber and a continuous flow ejection which ejects the fluid with a fluid supply pressure from the fluid supplying unit higher than that in the case of the pulsed flow ejection in a state in which the volume varying unit is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki Kojima, Shigeo Sugimura, Kunio Tabata
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Publication number: 20150292496Abstract: Pulsating flow generating apparatus that changes the volume of a fluid chamber and injects fluid from a fluid injection opening in a pulsed manner, includes: an inlet flow channel for supplying fluid from a fluid supplying unit to the fluid chamber; a volume changing unit that changes the volume of the fluid chamber; an outlet flow channel that delivers the fluid from the fluid chamber to the fluid injection opening; a discharge flow channel that discharges the fluid from the fluid chamber; and an opening and closing valve that opens and closes the discharge flow channel, wherein the synthetic inertance of the discharge flow channel is set smaller than the synthetic inertance of the outlet flow channel, an operation of the volume changing unit is started while closing the opening and closing valve, and the operation of the volume changing unit is stopped while opening the opening and closing valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2015Publication date: October 15, 2015Inventors: Yasuhiro ONO, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Hideki KOJIMA
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Publication number: 20150224527Abstract: A fluid ejection method includes: supplying fluid at a predetermined fluid supply flow rate to a pressure chamber; generating a pulsed flow by varying the volume of the pressure chamber at a predetermined frequency; and ejecting the pulsed flow, wherein the fluid supply flow rate is proportional to the frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Yasuhiro ONO
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Patent number: 9097248Abstract: Pulsating flow generating apparatus that changes the volume of a fluid chamber and injects fluid from a fluid injection opening in a pulsed manner, includes: an inlet flow channel for supplying fluid from a fluid supplying unit to the fluid chamber; a volume changing unit that changes the volume of the fluid chamber; an outlet flow channel that delivers the fluid from the fluid chamber to the fluid injection opening; a discharge flow channel that discharges the fluid from the fluid chamber; and an opening and closing valve that opens and closes the discharge flow channel, wherein the synthetic inertance of the discharge flow channel is set smaller than the synthetic inertance of the outlet flow channel, an operation of the volume changing unit is started while closing the opening and closing valve, and the operation of the volume changing unit is stopped while opening the opening and closing valve.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2010Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Shigeo Sugimura, Hideki Kojima
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Publication number: 20150182244Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a pulsating flow generation section adapted to eject a fluid in a pulsed manner; a fluid supply section adapted to supply the pulsating flow generation section with the fluid; a fluid supply tube having flexibility adapted to communicate the pulsating flow generation section and the fluid supply section with each other; and a drive control section adapted to perform drive control of the pulsating flow generation section and the fluid supply section, wherein the drive control section starts up the pulsating flow generation section, makes the fluid supply section supply the fluid at a first flow rate for a predetermined time period, and then makes the fluid supply section supply the fluid at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate after the predetermined time period elapses.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2015Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Takahiro MATSUZAKI, Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA
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Publication number: 20150182245Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a fluid chamber; a volume varying unit configured to vary the volume of the fluid chamber; a fluid supplying unit configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure; and an ejection command switching unit configured to switch a fluid ejection between a pulsed flow ejection which ejects the fluid in a pulsed manner by activating the volume varying unit and varying the volume of the fluid chamber and a continuous flow ejection which ejects the fluid with a fluid supply pressure from the fluid supplying unit higher than that in the case of the pulsed flow ejection in a state in which the volume varying unit is stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2015Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Kunio TABATA
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Patent number: 9005227Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a fluid chamber; a volume varying unit configured to vary the volume of the fluid chamber; a fluid supplying unit configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure; and an ejection command switching unit configured to switch a fluid ejection between a pulsed flow ejection which ejects the fluid in a pulsed manner by activating the volume varying unit and varying the volume of the fluid chamber and a continuous flow ejection which ejects the fluid with a fluid supply pressure from the fluid supplying unit higher than that in the case of the pulsed flow ejection in a state in which the volume varying unit is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2010Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hideki Kojima, Shigeo Sugimura, Kunio Tabata
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Patent number: 9005226Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a pulsating flow generation section adapted to eject a fluid in a pulsed manner; a fluid supply section adapted to supply the pulsating flow generation section with the fluid; a fluid supply tube having flexibility adapted to communicate the pulsating flow generation section and the fluid supply section with each other; and a drive control section adapted to perform drive control of the pulsating flow generation section and the fluid supply section, wherein the drive control section starts up the pulsating flow generation section, makes the fluid supply section supply the fluid at a first flow rate for a predetermined time period, and then makes the fluid supply section supply the fluid at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate after the predetermined time period elapses.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2010Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takahiro Matsuzaki, Hideki Kojima, Shigeo Sugimura
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Publication number: 20110089256Abstract: A fluid ejection apparatus ejecting fluid from an ejection port, includes: a suction port provided at a position apart from the ejection port and applied with a negative pressure; and a fluid channel provided between the vicinity of the ejection port and the suction port, and configured to suck the fluid in the vicinity of the ejection port by the surface tension of the fluid and move the same toward the suction port.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Takahiro MATSUZAKI
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Publication number: 20110054505Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes: a fluid chamber; a volume varying unit configured to vary the volume of the fluid chamber; a fluid supplying unit configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a predetermined pressure; and an ejection command switching unit configured to switch a fluid ejection between a pulsed flow ejection which ejects the fluid in a pulsed manner by activating the volume varying unit and varying the volume of the fluid chamber and a continuous flow ejection which ejects the fluid with a fluid supply pressure from the fluid supplying unit higher than that in the case of the pulsed flow ejection in a state in which the volume varying unit is stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Kunio TABATA
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Publication number: 20110037795Abstract: A fluid ejection method includes: supplying fluid at a predetermined fluid supply flow rate to a pressure chamber; generating a pulsed flow by varying the volume of the pressure chamber at a predetermined frequency; and ejecting the pulsed flow, wherein the fluid supply flow rate is proportional to the frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2010Publication date: February 17, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Yasuhiro ONO
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Publication number: 20110036859Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a pulsating flow generation section adapted to eject a fluid in a pulsed manner; a fluid supply section adapted to supply the pulsating flow generation section with the fluid; a fluid supply tube having flexibility adapted to communicate the pulsating flow generation section and the fluid supply section with each other; and a drive control section adapted to perform drive control of the pulsating flow generation section and the fluid supply section, wherein the drive control section starts up the pulsating flow generation section, makes the fluid supply section supply the fluid at a first flow rate for a predetermined time period, and then makes the fluid supply section supply the fluid at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate after the predetermined time period elapses.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2010Publication date: February 17, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Takahiro MATSUZAKI, Hideki KOJIMA, Shigeo SUGIMURA
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Publication number: 20110006127Abstract: Pulsating flow generating apparatus that changes the volume of a fluid chamber and injects fluid from a fluid injection opening in a pulsed manner, includes: an inlet flow channel for supplying fluid from a fluid supplying unit to the fluid chamber; a volume changing unit that changes the volume of the fluid chamber; an outlet flow channel that delivers the fluid from the fluid chamber to the fluid injection opening; a discharge flow channel that discharges the fluid from the fluid chamber; and an opening and closing valve that opens and closes the discharge flow channel, wherein the synthetic inertance of the discharge flow channel is set smaller than the synthetic inertance of the outlet flow channel, an operation of the volume changing unit is started while closing the opening and closing valve, and the operation of the volume changing unit is stopped while opening the opening and closing valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2010Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro ONO, Shigeo SUGIMURA, Hideki KOJIMA
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Patent number: 7172262Abstract: To provide a capping unit, a capping method, and a droplet dispense unit capable of a liquid-filling operation to an inkjet head and recovery operation of the inkjet head in imperfect dispense condition without useless discharge of liquid dispensed by an inkjet system. A capping unit to cover a dispense head with a covering device, the dispense head including cavities to store liquid, nozzles communicating with the cavities, and a dispense device to dispense the liquid stored in the cavities through the nozzles. The covering device is equipped with a first cover including a gas-permeable member having high gas permeability and a second cover including a wetting member to keep the vicinity of the nozzles in a wet condition.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2004Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Shigeo Sugimura, Fumio Takagi
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Publication number: 20050001873Abstract: To provide a capping unit, a capping method, and a droplet dispense unit capable of a liquid-filling operation to an inkjet head and recovery operation of the inkjet head in imperfect dispense condition without useless discharge of liquid dispensed by an inkjet system. A capping unit to cover a dispense head with a covering device, the dispense head including cavities to store liquid, nozzles communicating with the cavities, and a dispense device to dispense the liquid stored in the cavities through the nozzles. The covering device is equipped with a first cover including a gas-permeable member having high gas permeability and a second cover including a wetting member to keep the vicinity of the nozzles in a wet condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2004Publication date: January 6, 2005Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shigeo Sugimura, Fumio Takagi
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Patent number: 5975668Abstract: An ink jet printer provided with an ink jet print head having a nozzle, an ink channel that is connected to the nozzle, and an electrostatic actuator that is composed of a diaphragm that is provided in a part of the ink channel and an electrode placed outside of the ink channel opposite to the diaphragm. The diaphragm is distorted by means of an electrostatic force generated by applying voltage to the electrostatic actuator thereby performing printing with ink droplets ejected from the nozzle. The electrostatic actuator driver comprises a timing pulse generator, charge circuit and discharge circuit. The driver controls an amount of charge to be charged to the electrostatic actuator as well as charge rate thereof corresponding to the environmental operating condition of the ink jet printer.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Masahiro Fujii, Ikuhiro Miyashita, Shigeo Sugimura, Hiroshi Koeda, Naoki Kobayashi, Asahiro Oguchi
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Patent number: 5821951Abstract: An ink jet printer provided with an ink jet print head having a nozzle, an ink channel that is connected to the nozzle, and an electrostatic actuator that is composed of a diaphragm that is provided in a part of the ink channel and an electrode placed outside of the ink channel opposite to the diaphragm. The diaphragm is distorted by means of an electrostatic force generated by applying voltage to the electrostatic actuator thereby performing printing with ink droplets ejected from the nozzle. The electrostatic actuator driver comprises a timing pulse generator, charge circuit and discharge circuit. The driver controls an amount of charge to be charged to the electrostatic actuator as well as charge rate thereof corresponding to the environmental operating condition of the ink jet printer.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1997Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Masahiro Fujii, Ikuhiro Miyashita, Shigeo Sugimura, Hiroshi Koeda, Naoki Kobayashi, Asahiro Oguchi
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Patent number: 5668579Abstract: An ink jet printer provided with an ink jet print head having a nozzle, an ink channel that is connected to the nozzle, and an electrostatic actuator that is composed of a diaphragm that is provided in a part of the ink channel and an electrode placed outside of the ink channel opposite to the diaphragm. The diaphragm is distorted by means of an electrostatic force generated by applying voltage to the electrostatic actuator thereby performing printing with ink droplets ejected from the nozzle. The electrostatic actuator driver comprises a timing pulse generator, charge circuit and discharge circuit. The driver controls an amount of charge to be charged to the electrostatic actuator as well as charge rate thereof corresponding to the environmental operating condition of the ink jet printer.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 1994Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Masahiro Fujii, Ikuhiro Miyashita, Shigeo Sugimura, Hiroshi Koeda, Naoki Kobayashi, Asahiro Oguchi
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Patent number: 5631683Abstract: An inkjet cartridge is provided in which by applying an appropriate initial pressure to an ink reservoir or sack at the start of printing does not excessively increase the pressure in an ink reservoir or sack when the remaining ink level is high, and enables effective use of the remaining ink when the remaining ink level is low. The inkjet cartridge comprises an ink reservoir for storing the recording ink, a circuit element for ejecting ink supplied from ink reservoir according to the display data from a host processor to be recorded. A head case and an ink supply case accommodating the ink reservoir. A thick-wall region of the ink reservoir is pressed by a pressure rod via a through-hole. A guide is provided to push the thick-wall region to one side of the ink reservoir is disposed in the top portion of the case or the guide is provided around the thick-wall region of the ink reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1994Date of Patent: May 20, 1997Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Atushi Nishioka, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Shigeo Sugimura, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Sato
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Patent number: 5397386Abstract: A plastic ink jet recording head is provided utilizing a water-soluble ink comprised of water-soluble dye having the chemical structure of: ##STR1## The ink composition comprises a surfactant in the range 0.01 wt. to 0.1 wt. of having an acetylene glycol surfactant having a chemical structure of: ##STR2## and an acetylene glycol-ethylene oxide adduct is provided having a chemical of: ##STR3## wherein m and n are each integers of at least 1.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1994Date of Patent: March 14, 1995Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Chiyoshige Nakazawa, Youichi Kubomura, Shigeo Sugimura