Patents by Inventor Shotaro Tamai

Shotaro Tamai 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: 11951740
    Abstract: A communication plate in which are provided a first communication channel communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber and a first common liquid chamber communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber at positions different from positions at which the first communication channel communicates with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber, and a nozzle substrate in which a first nozzle communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber in common via the first communication channel is provided. A second communication channel communicating with the first common liquid chamber and communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber in common is provided in the pressure chamber substrate or the communication plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Tamai, Takahiro Katakura, Takanori Aimono, Yuta Okawa, Hitoshi Takaai
  • Patent number: 11878527
    Abstract: The control portion controls (i) a discharging operation of discharging the liquid from the plurality of nozzles by driving the plurality of energy generation elements and (ii) a pressurization operation of pressurizing the liquid from the individual flow path side in a state in which the plurality of nozzles are sealed by the sealing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Katakura, Takanori Aimono, Yuta Okawa, Shotaro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11833818
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a first pressure chamber that applies pressure to a liquid; a second pressure chamber that applies pressure to the liquid; a nozzle channel that extends in a first direction and includes a nozzle that ejects the liquid; a first communication channel that extends in a second direction crossing the first direction and enables the first pressure chamber and the nozzle channel to communicate with each other; a second communication channel that extends in the second direction and enables the second pressure chamber and the nozzle channel to communicate with each other; and a first branch channel that has a portion extending in the first direction and enables the first pressure chamber and the nozzle channel to communicate with each other through a path different from a path of the first communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuma Fukuzawa, Eiju Hirai, Yoichi Naganuma, Shotaro Tamai, Akinori Taniuchi
  • Patent number: 11780225
    Abstract: When a pressure of the liquid inside the common supply flow path is higher than a pressure of the liquid inside the pressure chamber, the adjustment portion changes the cross-sectional area to be a first cross-sectional area when a pressure difference, which is a difference between the pressure of the liquid inside the common supply flow path and the pressure of the liquid inside the pressure chamber, is a first pressure difference, and changes the cross-sectional area to be a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area when the pressure difference is a second pressure difference larger than the first pressure difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Katakura, Takanori Aimono, Shotaro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11766865
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle array including nozzles via which liquid is to be discharged and which are arrayed in a first direction; a nozzle passage that leads to a nozzle and extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a first pressure chamber; a second pressure chamber disposed adjacent to the first pressure chamber in the first direction; a first communicating passage via which the first pressure chamber communicates with an interior of the nozzle passage and which extends in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions; and a second communicating passage via which the second pressure chamber communicates with the interior of the nozzle passage and which extends in the third direction. As viewed from the second direction, an inner wall surface of the first communicating passage positioned on a side of the second communicating passage includes a first inclined surface that extends in a fourth direction intersecting the first and third directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Tamai, Takanori Aimono, Takahiro Katakura, Yuma Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 11738557
    Abstract: The nozzle channel includes a first portion that extends in the first direction and communicates with the first communication channel and a second portion that extends in a third direction crossing the first direction and orthogonal to the second direction and communicates with the first portion, and an angle formed between the first direction and the third direction is larger than 0° and smaller than 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Naganuma, Yuma Fukuzawa, Shotaro Tamai
  • Publication number: 20230249457
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle; first to fourth pressure chambers; a communication flow path communicating between the nozzle and the first to fourth pressure chambers; first to fourth driving elements; a first common liquid chamber communicating with the first and the second pressure chambers; and a second common liquid chamber communicating with the third and the fourth pressure chambers. A first joining position from the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber to the nozzle is closer to end portions of the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber on a nozzle side than to the nozzle, and a second joining position from the third pressure chamber and the fourth pressure chamber to the nozzle is closer to end portions of the third pressure chamber and the fourth pressure chamber on the nozzle side than to the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Takanori AIMONO, Yuma FUKUZAWA, Shohei MIZUTA, Shotaro TAMAI, Shun KATSUIE
  • Publication number: 20230249459
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle; first to fourth pressure chambers; a communication flow path coupled to the nozzle and communicating between the nozzle and the first to fourth pressure chambers; first to fourth flow paths coupling the communication flow path and the first to fourth pressure chambers; a first-common-liquid-chamber communicating with the first-pressure-chamber and the second-pressure-chamber; and a second-common-liquid-chamber communicating with the third-pressure-chamber and the fourth-pressure-chamber. The first-flow-path and the second-flow-path are arranged side by side in a first-direction, the third-flow-path and the fourth-flow-path are arranged side by side in the first-direction, and the first-flow-path and the second-flow-path, and the third-flow-path and the fourth-flow-path are arranged to be shifted in a second-direction orthogonal to the first-direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Takanori AIMONO, Yuma FUKUZAWA, Shohei MIZUTA, Shotaro TAMAI, Shun KATSUIE
  • Patent number: 11654681
    Abstract: Wall surfaces of the nozzle channel include a first wall surface which extends in the first direction and in which the nozzle is provided and a second wall surface which extends in the first direction and is opposite to the first wall surface, wall surfaces of the first communication channel include a third wall surface which extends in the second direction and a distance from which to the nozzle in the first direction is longest and a fourth wall surface which extends in the second direction and is opposite to the third wall surface, and a fifth wall surface which extends in a third direction set between the first direction and the second direction is provided between the second wall surface and the fourth wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Naganuma, Yuma Fukuzawa, Shotaro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11577509
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a pressure chamber substrate; and a communication plate, in which the pressure chamber substrate includes a first pressure chamber that extends in a first direction and applies pressure to a liquid, and a first supply channel, and the communication plate includes a first communication channel that extends in a second direction intersecting with the first direction and communicates with the first supply channel, and a second supply channel that communicates with the first supply channel and the first pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Tamai, Yuma Fukuzawa, Shohei Mizuta
  • Patent number: 11559989
    Abstract: The individual flow path includes a nozzle communicating with an outside, a first flow path, in the middle of which the nozzle is disposed and which extends in a first direction that is an in-plane direction of a nozzle surface of the nozzle plate in which the nozzle opens, a second flow path coupled to the first flow path and extending in a second direction other than the first direction, a third flow path coupled to the second flow path and extending in the third direction other than the second direction, and a pressure chamber which is disposed in the third flow path and in which a pressure change is induced by the energy generating element. A cross-sectional area of the first flow path is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the second flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Tamai, Kazuaki Uchida, Akinori Taniuchi
  • Patent number: 11554584
    Abstract: a first sloped portion that is provided between the first wall surface and the third wall surface includes a first constituting surface that extends in a third direction between the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Naganuma, Yuma Fukuzawa, Hitoshi Takaai, Shotaro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11548280
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including: an individual flow path row in which a plurality of individual flow paths communicating with a nozzle that ejects a liquid in a first axis direction are arranged in parallel along a second axis orthogonal to a first axis, and a first common liquid chamber communicating with the plurality of individual flow paths, in which each of the plurality of individual flow paths has a pressure chamber that stores a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuma Fukuzawa, Shotaro Tamai, Yoichi Naganuma, Akira Miyagishi, Kazuaki Uchida
  • Patent number: 11491785
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including: an individual flow path row in which a plurality of individual flow paths communicating with a nozzle that ejects a liquid in a first axis direction are arranged in parallel along a second axis orthogonal to a first axis, and a first common liquid chamber communicating with the plurality of individual flow paths, in which each of the plurality of individual flow paths has a pressure chamber that stores a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuma Fukuzawa, Shotaro Tamai, Yoichi Naganuma, Akira Miyagishi, Kazuaki Uchida
  • Publication number: 20220348014
    Abstract: When a pressure of the liquid inside the common supply flow path is higher than a pressure of the liquid inside the pressure chamber, the adjustment portion changes the cross-sectional area to be a first cross-sectional area when a pressure difference, which is a difference between the pressure of the liquid inside the common supply flow path and the pressure of the liquid inside the pressure chamber, is a first pressure difference, and changes the cross-sectional area to be a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area when the pressure difference is a second pressure difference larger than the first pressure difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Takahiro KATAKURA, Takanori AIMONO, Shotaro TAMAI
  • Publication number: 20220348016
    Abstract: The control portion controls (i) a discharging operation of discharging the liquid from the plurality of nozzles by driving the plurality of energy generation elements and (ii) a pressurization operation of pressurizing the liquid from the individual flow path side in a state in which the plurality of nozzles are sealed by the sealing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Takahiro KATAKURA, Takanori AIMONO, Yuta OKAWA, Shotaro TAMAI
  • Publication number: 20220305779
    Abstract: Provided is a drive method of a liquid discharging head including a first step of acquiring physical property information indicating a physical property of liquid in the liquid discharging head, a second step of determining a waveform of a drive signal based on the physical property information, a third step of forming a first liquid column by supplying a first waveform, which is included in a first drive signal among the drive signals having the waveforms determined in the second step, to a drive element, and a fourth step of, when the first liquid column is formed, forming a second liquid column by supplying a second waveform, which is included in a second drive signal among the drive signals having the waveforms determined in the second step, to the drive element, and thereafter discharging a part or all of liquid constituting the second liquid column as a droplet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Takahiro KATAKURA, Takanori AIMONO, Shotaro TAMAI
  • Publication number: 20220288926
    Abstract: Provided is a drive method of a liquid discharging head including a first step of forming a first liquid column by supplying a drive signal having a first waveform to a drive element, and a second step of, when the first liquid column is formed, forming a second liquid column by supplying a drive signal having a second waveform to the drive element, and thereafter discharging a part or all of liquid constituting the second liquid column as a droplet, in which when a drive signal having the first waveform but not having the second waveform is supplied to the drive element, a droplet is not discharged from the discharging portion, and when a drive signal having the second waveform but not having the first waveform is supplied to the drive element, a droplet is not discharged from the discharging portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Takahiro KATAKURA, Takanori AIMONO, Shotaro TAMAI
  • Publication number: 20220281223
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle array including nozzles via which liquid is to be discharged and which are arrayed in a first direction; a nozzle passage that leads to a nozzle and extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a first pressure chamber; a second pressure chamber disposed adjacent to the first pressure chamber in the first direction; a first communicating passage via which the first pressure chamber communicates with an interior of the nozzle passage and which extends in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions; and a second communicating passage via which the second pressure chamber communicates with the interior of the nozzle passage and which extends in the third direction. As viewed from the second direction, an inner wall surface of the first communicating passage positioned on a side of the second communicating passage includes a first inclined surface that extends in a fourth direction intersecting the first and third directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Shotaro TAMAI, Takanori AIMONO, Takahiro KATAKURA, Yuma FUKUZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220234354
    Abstract: A communication plate in which are provided a first communication channel communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber and a first common liquid chamber communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber at positions different from positions at which the first communication channel communicates with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber, and a nozzle substrate in which a first nozzle communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber in common via the first communication channel is provided. A second communication channel communicating with the first common liquid chamber and communicating with the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber in common is provided in the pressure chamber substrate or the communication plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Shotaro TAMAI, Takahiro KATAKURA, Takanori AIMONO, Yuta OKAWA, Hitoshi TAKAAI