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).

  • Patent number: 10245865
    Abstract: An object of the invention is, in a recording-apparatus liquid container having a viewing portion through which the ink level can be viewed. A printer 1 includes a carriage 11 having a recording head 10. The carriage 11 carries at least one ink tank 13 that stores the ink to be supplied to the recording head 10 and that has a filling port 15 through which the ink is poured from a refilling container 14. The ink tank 13 has a level checking portion 13a that is formed of a transparent material through which the liquid level can be viewed. The carriage 11 has a first viewing portion 16 through which the level checking portion 13a of the ink tank 13 can be viewed and a cleaning mechanism 30 that wipes off the ink deposited on the level checking portion 13a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20190061363
    Abstract: Provided is a technique for reducing the likelihood of air bubbles flowing to a liquid ejection head, in a liquid tank mounted on a carriage. The liquid tank mounted on the carriage movable in a Y direction includes a liquid chamber, a liquid inlet port, an atmospheric air introduction portion, a liquid outlet, and a division wall arranged in the liquid chamber. The division wall has first division walls perpendicular to the Y direction in a mounted state on the carriage, and the liquid chamber includes a plurality of small liquid chambers partitioned by the first division walls, an upper communication portion allowing the small liquid chambers to be in communication with each other, and a lower communication portion positioned below the upper communication, and allowing the small liquid chambers to be in communication with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Sawadaishi, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo
  • Patent number: 10183495
    Abstract: A technique of reducing the possibility that a liquid remains in a buffer chamber is provided. There is provided a liquid supply device configured to supply a liquid to a liquid ejection head. The liquid supply device comprises a liquid containing chamber configured to contain the liquid; an air communication path configured to include a first connection portion at one end that is connected with the liquid containing chamber and an air outlet port at the other end that is open to the atmosphere; and a buffer chamber provided in the middle of the air communication path. The air communication path includes a connection path that is located on a downstream side of the buffer chamber in the air communication path in a flow direction of a fluid from the air outlet port toward the liquid containing chamber and is configured to include a second connection portion at an upstream end connected with the buffer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Kudo, Munehide Kanaya, Naomi Kimura
  • Patent number: 10183491
    Abstract: A tank comprises a container body configured to contain an ink and an ink fill port configured to accept the ink to be injected into the container body. A cap is provided to close the ink fill port when the cap is attached to the tank. The cap comprises a covering portion configured to cover the ink fill port; a seal portion protruded from the covering portion to be inserted into the ink fill port and configured to close the ink fill port when the seal portion is inserted in the ink fill port; and a skirt portion protruded from the covering portion in a direction of protrusion of the seal portion from the covering portion and located away from the seal portion when the covering portion is viewed from a seal portion side. The skirt portion is protruded more than the seal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenao Suzuki, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Soshi Okawa, Koji Kawai, Ekie Purnomo, Muhamad Gigih Agung Pratomo, Muhamad Auf
  • Publication number: 20190009569
    Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a first shell having a liquid storage chamber configured to store liquid and a liquid inlet portion through which the liquid is poured to the liquid storage chamber, a second shell that is a different member from the first shell, a holding member for holding a mutual positional relationship between the first shell and the second shell to be constant, and an atmospheric communication channel that makes outside and the liquid storage chamber communicate with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma KUDO, Naomi KIMURA, Yasuke HIRASAWA, Yuta KOMATSU
  • Patent number: 10173432
    Abstract: A decrease in the capacity of an ink tank can be easily avoided while downsizing a printer. A printer includes a printing head, an ink tank, a carriage provided with the printing head movable back and forth, and a medium conveyance device that conveys a printing medium on a conveyance path intersecting the carriage moving direction. An axis line along the carriage moving direction is an X axis and an axis line orthogonal to the X axis is a Y axis, an axis line orthogonal to the X and Y axises is defined as a Z axis. When viewed along the Z axis, the ink tank is located in a region outside a movable region of the carriage along the Y axis, and is arranged so as to extend across a region outside the conveyance path along the X axis and a region that is overlapped with the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Okumura, Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura, Motoyoshi Shirotori
  • Patent number: 10160218
    Abstract: For printers there are issues relating to consideration to be given to heat sources. A printer is provided with a printhead capable of executing printing on a printing medium by jetting an ink onto the printing medium, a tank having an ink container portion capable of containing ink to be supplied to the printhead, and a heat source. A low thermal conductance part that reduces thermal conductance is positioned between the heat source and the ink container portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura
  • Patent number: 10118398
    Abstract: There is provided a plug member that is detachably mounted to a liquid inlet to close the liquid inlet. The plug member comprises a sealing part configured to close the liquid inlet, such that at least part of the sealing part is inserted in the liquid inlet; and a cover part arranged around at least part of circumference of the sealing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Nishimaki, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Shoichi Ishizawa, Yoshiyuki Tanaka, Koji Kawai, Makoto Omuro
  • Patent number: 10112399
    Abstract: A liquid jet apparatus comprises a liquid jet head, a carriage carrying the liquid jet head in a side-to-side direction, a liquid flow channel, and a liquid container in fluid communication with the liquid jet head through the liquid flow channel. The liquid container includes a liquid containing chamber arranged along a front/back direction orthogonal to the side-to-side direction; a liquid outlet port, from which the liquid contained in the liquid containing chamber flows to the liquid flow channel; and a liquid inlet port, through which the liquid is injected into the liquid containing chamber. The liquid inlet port has an end surface that does not face in a vertical direction relative to a normal posture of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Kudo, Takashi Koase, Toshiya Okada, Yasunori Koike, Tetsuya Takamoto, Nobutaka Suzuki, Satoshi Tamai, Toru Nakazawa, Katsutomo Tsukahara, Masayuki Kanazawa, Naofumi Mimura, Keigo Iizawa, Yutaka Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10105961
    Abstract: A liquid supply device includes a liquid container that includes a liquid containing chamber, which is capable of containing liquid, and a liquid inlet, which allows the liquid containing chamber to be filled with liquid. An external member covers at least a portion of the liquid container excluding a portion where the liquid inlet is located from an outer side. A seal member seals a gap between the external member and the liquid inlet. The liquid supply device is configured to allow the liquid to be supplied from the liquid container to a printing unit that performs printing on a medium using the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Munehide Kanaya, Shoma Kudo
  • Patent number: 10105959
    Abstract: A liquid supplying apparatus, configured to supply a liquid to a liquid ejecting section that is configured to eject the liquid, includes a tank configured to contain the liquid, the tank including a liquid containing section, and a container section connected to the tank. The container section is exposed to air through the tank, and the container section is connected to the liquid containing section of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenao Suzuki, Munehide Kanaya, Naomi Kimura, Koki Hayashi, Koji Nishimaki, Shoma Kudo
  • Publication number: 20180272774
    Abstract: An object of the invention is, in a recording-apparatus liquid container having a viewing portion through which the ink level can be viewed. A printer 1 includes a carriage 11 having a recording head 10. The carriage 11 carries at least one ink tank 13 that stores the ink to be supplied to the recording head 10 and that has a filling port 15 through which the ink is poured from a refilling container 14. The ink tank 13 has a level checking portion 13a that is formed of a transparent material through which the liquid level can be viewed. The carriage 11 has a first viewing portion 16 through which the level checking portion 13a of the ink tank 13 can be viewed and a cleaning mechanism 30 that wipes off the ink deposited on the level checking portion 13a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Shoma KUDO, Naomi KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20180272731
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording head that performs recording; a carriage that has a recording head on the bottom and is movable in a width direction intersecting a medium transport direction; at least one ink tank loaded on the carriage, above the recording head, the ink tank storing ink to be supplied to the recording head and having a filling port from which ink can be poured from a refilling container. The ink tank has, at least in one portion thereof, a level checking portion formed of a transparent material through which the liquid level in the liquid container can be viewed. The carriage has a first viewing portion through which the level checking portion of the ink tank can be viewed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Naomi KIMURA, Shoma KUDO, Takashi KOASE
  • Publication number: 20180250943
    Abstract: A printer comprises a main body cover configured to change over a state between a closed state and an open state; a tank including an ink container portion configured to contain ink and an ink inlet configured to inject the ink; a tank cover configured to change over a state between a closed state and an open state; and an ink bottle including a container portion and a delivery portion. In the open state of both the main body cover and the tank cover, the ink bottle is self-supported and configured to deliver the ink from the delivery portion of the ink bottle to the ink inlet. A space is formed between the main body cover and the ink bottle when the ink bottle is self-supported. At least part of the ink bottle is located in a locus drawn by the main body cover during rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Taku ISHIZAWA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Naomi KIMURA, Shoma KUDO, Ryoichi TANAKA, Tadashi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20180244052
    Abstract: A decrease in the capacity of an ink tank can be easily avoided while downsizing a printer. A printer includes a printing head, an ink tank, a carriage provided with the printing head movable back and forth, and a medium conveyance device that conveys a printing medium on a conveyance path intersecting the carriage moving direction. An axis line along the carriage moving direction is an X axis and an axis line orthogonal to the X axis is a Y axis, an axis line orthogonal to the X and Y axises is defined as a Z axis. When viewed along the Z axis, the ink tank is located in a region outside a movable region of the carriage along the Y axis, and is arranged so as to extend across a region outside the conveyance path along the X axis and a region that is overlapped with the conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki OKUMURA, Shoma Kudo, Naomi Kimura, Motoyoshi Shirotori
  • Publication number: 20180244063
    Abstract: Provided is a printer wherein ink can be easily injected and filled into a tank. A printer including: a printing head; a housing; a body cover shiftable between a closed state of closing an opening of the housing and an open state of exposing the opening; a tank including an ink container and an ink inlet port receiving the ink injection into the ink container; and a tank cover shiftable between a closed state of closing the ink inlet port and an open state of exposing the ink inlet port. The body cover in the closed state covers a portion of the tank cover, and the ink inlet port is located outside a region of the body cover. The tank cover changes from the closed state to the open state, triggered by the body cover changing from the closed state to the open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki OKUMURA, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Motoyoshi Shirotori
  • Publication number: 20180244056
    Abstract: A technique is provided that can suppress leakage of a liquid from a tank. When an ink tank is in a reference orientation in which ink is injected into the ink tank, an atmospheric air introducing inlet of an atmospheric air communication path is located on an upper end side of the ink containing portion. Also, when the ink tank is in the reference orientation, when the ink tank is in a second orientation in which the ink tank has been rotated by 90° from the reference orientation, and when the ink tank is in a third orientation in which the ink tank has been rotated by 180°, at least a portion of the atmospheric air communication path is located at a height position of an upper end portion of the ink containing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoma KUDO, Naomi KIMURA
  • Patent number: 10040295
    Abstract: A liquid supply device that supplies a liquid to a head that ejects the liquid to an object includes a liquid storage chamber, an air introduction port, an atmospheric release flow path where one end is in communication with the air introduction port and another end is open to the atmosphere, and an air storage chamber configured to store air and provided in a portion of the atmospheric release flow path. A liquid supply flow path that supplies the liquid from the liquid storage chamber to the head is formed in a wall defining the air storage chamber. Thus, the size of a liquid ejection system is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shoma Kudo, Munehide Kanaya, Naomi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20180170064
    Abstract: In conventional liquid jet apparatuses, improvement in usability is desired. A liquid jet apparatus including a liquid jet head, a liquid container that can store liquid, a housing that covers the liquid jet head and the liquid container, and an operation unit can be operated by a user, a liquid injection port that enables liquid to be injected is formed in the liquid container, when the operation unit is viewed from the front, the first liquid container is arranged between the operation unit and one side wall of the housing, and the second liquid container is arranged between the other side wall opposite to the one side wall of the housing and the operation unit, the housing includes a first cover that covers at least a portion of the first liquid container, and a second cover that covers at least a portion of the second liquid container, and the first cover and the second cover are independently configured to be openable/closable relative to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki HIGUCHI, Takaaki ISHIKAWA, Hidenao SUZUKI, Naomi KIMURA, Koji KAWAI, Shoma KUDO, Takanori MATSUDA, Ekie Pumomo, Muhamad Gigih Agung Pratomo, Muhamad Auf
  • Patent number: D836113
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Hidenao Suzuki, Munehide Kanaya