Patents by Inventor Shoma Kudo
Shoma Kudo 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: 11938739Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2023Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Manabu Akahane, Makoto Kobayashi, Naomi Kimura, Hideki Okumura, Shoma Kudo, Tetsuya Takamoto, Hiroaki Sakai
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Patent number: 11926162Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2023Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Manabu Akahane
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Publication number: 20230311524Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Taku ISHIZAWA, Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Naomi KIMURA, Shoma KUDO, Manabu AKAHANE
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Publication number: 20230219349Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Ryoichi TANAKA, Manabu AKAHANE, Makoto KOBAYASHI, Naomi KIMURA, Hideki OKUMURA, Shoma KUDO, Tetsuya TAKAMOTO, Hiroaki SAKAI
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Patent number: 11667123Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2022Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Manabu Akahane
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Patent number: 11639060Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2021Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Manabu Akahane, Makoto Kobayashi, Naomi Kimura, Hideki Okumura, Shoma Kudo, Tetsuya Takamoto, Hiroaki Sakai
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Publication number: 20230016176Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Taku ISHIZAWA, Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Naomi KIMURA, Shoma KUDO, Manabu AKAHANE
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Patent number: 11541662Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Manabu Akahane
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Patent number: 11518173Abstract: A liquid tank includes: a liquid supply section; a liquid chamber; a liquid-communication flow path an air-communication flow path. The liquid-communication flow path has, in a liquid flow direction from the liquid chamber toward the liquid ejecting head: an upstream end coupled to the liquid chamber; an upward flow path located downstream of the upstream end and extending upward in the attached state; a downward flow path located downstream of the upward flow path and extending downward in the attached state; and a downstream end located downstream of the downward flow path and coupled to the liquid supply section and the air-communication flow path. The liquid-communication flow path has, at an intermediate position thereof, a narrow portion in which the sectional area of the liquid-communication flow path is small.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2021Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shoma Kudo, Yusuke Hirasawa
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Patent number: 11312147Abstract: A liquid storage container which includes a liquid storage chamber that includes a bottom surface, an upper surface facing the bottom surface, a first side surface orthogonal to the bottom surface and the upper surface, and a second side surface orthogonal to the bottom surface and the upper surface and facing the first side surface, and, in which the first side surface is provided with a visual recognition surface configured such that the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber is visually recognized, the bottom surface is provided with a prism for detecting the liquid, and the liquid storage chamber is provided with a wall surface closer to the upper surface than the prism and closer to the bottom surface than an end of the visual recognition surface, which is on a side of the upper surface, in a first direction from the upper surface toward the bottom surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Makoto Sawadaishi, Naomi Kimura, Yusuke Hirasawa, Shoma Kudo
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Publication number: 20220055370Abstract: A liquid tank includes: a liquid supply section; a liquid chamber; a liquid-communication flow path an air-communication flow path. The liquid-communication flow path has, in a liquid flow direction from the liquid chamber toward the liquid ejecting head: an upstream end coupled to the liquid chamber; an upward flow path located downstream of the upstream end and extending upward in the attached state; a downward flow path located downstream of the upward flow path and extending downward in the attached state; and a downstream end located downstream of the downward flow path and coupled to the liquid supply section and the air-communication flow path. The liquid-communication flow path has, at an intermediate position thereof, a narrow portion in which the sectional area of the liquid-communication flow path is small.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shoma KUDO, Yusuke HIRASAWA
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Publication number: 20220032638Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Ryoichi TANAKA, Manabu AKAHANE, Makoto KOBAYASHI, Naomi KIMURA, Hideki OKUMURA, Shoma KUDO, Tetsuya TAKAMOTO, Hiroaki SAKAI
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Patent number: 11225083Abstract: A lever provided in a liquid storage apparatus that includes a liquid filling port, the lever including a first member that is pivotable relative to an apparatus body of the liquid storage apparatus, a second member that is pivotable relative to the first member, and a flexible sealing plug that seals the liquid filling port, the first member including a lever body on which the sealing plug is mounted, a first attaching portion provided on a first end of the lever body, the first attaching portion configured to pivotably engage with the apparatus body, and a second attaching portion provided on a second end of the lever body, the second attaching portion configured to pivotably engage with the second member.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura
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Patent number: 11179944Abstract: An ink refill container includes a container main body including an ink storage chamber, an ink outlet-forming portion provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve provided in the ink outlet-forming portion configured to openably seal the ink outlet, in which the ink outlet-forming portion includes a positioning portion on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion is closer to the container main body than the valve is to the container main body in a central axis direction of the ink outlet, and in which the positioning portion partially abuts against an ink tank when the valve is opened for refilling the ink to the ink tank, to thereby position the valve relative to the ink tank.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Manabu Akahane, Makoto Kobayashi, Naomi Kimura, Hideki Okumura, Shoma Kudo, Tetsuya Takamoto, Hiroaki Sakai
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Publication number: 20210237456Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Taku ISHIZAWA, Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Naomi KIMURA, Shoma KUDO, Manabu AKAHANE
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Patent number: 11007787Abstract: There are provided an ink refill container configured to appropriately refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system including such an ink refill container. An ink refill container 63 includes a container main body 64 provided to include an ink chamber 76; an ink outlet forming portion 66 provided at an edge of the container main body to include an ink outlet 65 configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve 74 provided in the ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to the ink tank when the valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface 84 that is located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and that is extended in a direction intersecting with a center axis 85 of the ink outlet.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2020Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Manabu Akahane
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Publication number: 20210129546Abstract: A lever provided in a liquid storage apparatus that includes a liquid filling port, the lever including a first member that is pivotable relative to an apparatus body of the liquid storage apparatus, a second member that is pivotable relative to the first member, and a flexible sealing plug that seals the liquid filling port, the first member including a lever body on which the sealing plug is mounted, a first attaching portion provided on a first end of the lever body, the first attaching portion configured to pivotably engage with the apparatus body, and a second attaching portion provided on a second end of the lever body, the second attaching portion configured to pivotably engage with the second member.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shoma KUDO, Naomi KIMURA
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Patent number: 10987957Abstract: A liquid container includes a first liquid accommodating chamber 31, a filter 50, a filter chamber 42 in which the filter is disposed, and a partition wall 47 that divides the first liquid accommodating chamber and the filter chamber. The filter chamber is disposed on the ?Z side of the first liquid accommodating chamber, which is vertically below the first liquid accommodating chamber. The partition wall has a flow-out path 51, which has an outlet 106 covered by the filter and through which the liquid having passed through the filter flows to the liquid ejecting head, a first communication path 48 having a first communication port 111, and a second communication path 49 having a second communication port 112. The communication paths are provided at positions different from the position of the flow-out path and communicate with the first liquid accommodating chamber and the filter chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura
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Patent number: 10981390Abstract: The liquid container comprises: a first chamber that is surrounded by a plurality of walls and is configured to contain a liquid; a liquid inlet port for pouring the liquid into the first chamber; an air opening port that is opened to air; a liquid lead-out port that leads the liquid out of the first chamber; an air lead-in port that is formed in, out of the plurality of walls surrounding the first chamber, a first wall different from the wall constituting a top surface; and an air communication path that allows the air opening port and the air lead-in port to communicate with each other. The air lead-in port is separated from a corner portion where the first wall crosses with another wall.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2017Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hidenao Suzuki, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Takanori Matsuda, Koji Kawai
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Patent number: D962941Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Hidenao Suzuki, Munehide Kanaya