Patents by Inventor Shunsuke Mizutani
Shunsuke Mizutani 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: 9815305Abstract: A printing apparatus, including a sheet conveyer unit with a first roller unit, a printer unit, and a controller, is provided. The controller executes a first-face printing process, wherein an image is printed on a first face of a sheet; a switchback process, wherein the sheet after the first-face printing process is conveyed in a reverse direction by the first roller unit; a second-face printing process, wherein the image is printed on a second face of the sheet; a first ink amount determining process to determine whether an ink amount discharged in the first-face printing process at an end area of the sheet is one of greater than and equal to a first threshold amount; and a switchback setting process, wherein, if the ink amount is smaller than the first threshold amount, a rotation speed of the first roller unit is set at a higher rotation speed.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shunsuke Mizutani, Tetsuya Ouchi
-
Publication number: 20170133872Abstract: A battery cell (10) with two battery cell terminals (11, 12) which are contactable from inside and/or outside the battery cell (10), and an electrochemical part (20) comprising at least one separator. Upon the achievement of a predefined temperature, the at least one separator is at least partially impermeable to ions which can be generated in the electrochemical part (20). The battery cell (10) has a rapid discharge unit (30), which is connectable between the battery cell terminals (11, 12) and which, in a switched-in and consequently activated state, has a predefined resistance value. The predefined resistance value is selected such that, with the rapid discharge unit (30) switched-in, the at least one separator achieves the predefined temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2016Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Hideki Masuda, Yutaro Katsumata, Marcel Wilka, Marco Friedrich, Stephan Leuthner, Cornelius Liebenow, Yuji Ashida, Shunsuke Mizutani, Daisuke Konishi, Shinya Kitano
-
Publication number: 20170133716Abstract: A battery cell with improved safety. The battery cell comprises two battery cell terminals which are contactable from outside of the battery cell and an electrochemical part comprising at least one positive electrode and at least one negative electrode, an electrolyte comprising at least one conductive salt and at least one solvent, and at least one separator, wherein the at least one separator becomes at least partially impermeable for ions which can be generated inside of the electrochemical part, when the at least one separator reaches a predefined temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2016Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Hideki Masuda, Shunsuke Mizutani, Yudai Kawasoe, Yutaro Katsumata, Marcel Wilka, Marco Friedrich
-
Publication number: 20160339705Abstract: An inkjet printer has a printing head, a sheet conveying mechanism, a carriage mounting a printing head and configured to be reciprocally movable in a printing area and non-printing area. A cap is provided to be movable between a capping position an uncap position. A controller of the inkjet printer is configured to execute a printing process, a standby process, and a capping process in which the controller causes the carriage to move to the non-printing area and moves the cap from the uncap position to the capping position. The controller causes the carriage to move into the printing area when the next printing command is received after the standby process is finished and before the carriage moving process has been completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2016Publication date: November 24, 2016Inventor: Shunsuke MIZUTANI
-
Publication number: 20160288546Abstract: A printing apparatus, including a sheet conveyer unit with a first roller unit, a printer unit, and a controller, is provided. The controller executes a first-face printing process, wherein an image is printed on a first face of a sheet; a switchback process, wherein the sheet after the first-face printing process is conveyed in a reverse direction by the first roller unit; a second-face printing process, wherein the image is printed on a second face of the sheet; a first ink amount determining process to determine whether an ink amount discharged in the first-face printing process at an end area of the sheet is one of greater than and equal to a first threshold amount; and a switchback setting process, wherein, if the ink amount is smaller than the first threshold amount, a rotation speed of the first roller unit is set at a higher rotation speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Inventors: Shunsuke MIZUTANI, Tetsuya OUCHI
-
Patent number: 9409427Abstract: An inkjet printer has a printing head, a sheet conveying mechanism, a carriage mounting a printing head and configured to be reciprocally movable in a printing area and non-printing area. A cap is provided to be movable between a capping position an uncap position. A controller of the inkjet printer is configured to execute a printing process, a standby process, and a capping process in which the controller causes the carriage to move to the non-printing area and moves the cap from the uncap position to the capping position. The controller causes the carriage to move into the printing area when the next printing command is received after the standby process is finished and before the carriage moving process has been completed.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 9302483Abstract: A controller of an inkjet recording apparatus executes, after receiving a recording instruction, first flushing by controlling a recording head to idly eject ink toward a cap from which the ink is discharged by a pump to a detachable waste ink tank. After executing the first flushing, the controller executes image recording by controlling a conveying unit and a recording head to repeat a unit action in which the recording head ejects ink onto a recording medium conveyed by a predetermined line feed length in a conveying direction. After detecting arrival of a flushing timing during the image recording both when a threshold time elapses and when one of repeated unit actions is completed, the controller executes second flushing by controlling the recording head to idly eject ink toward a fixed ink receiving member.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2014Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Publication number: 20160089886Abstract: An inkjet printer has a printing head, a sheet conveying mechanism, a carriage mounting a printing head and configured to be reciprocally movable in a printing area and non-printing area. A cap is provided to be movable between a capping position an uncap position. A controller of the inkjet printer is configured to execute a printing process, a standby process, and a capping process in which the controller causes the carriage to move to the non-printing area and moves the cap from the uncap position to the capping position. The controller causes the carriage to move into the printing area when the next printing command is received after the standby process is finished and before the carriage moving process has been completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2015Publication date: March 31, 2016Inventor: Shunsuke MIZUTANI
-
Publication number: 20150091976Abstract: A controller of an inkjet recording apparatus executes, after receiving a recording instruction, first flushing by controlling a recording head to idly eject ink toward a cap from which the ink is discharged by a pump to a detachable waste ink tank. After executing the first flushing, the controller executes image recording by controlling a conveying unit and a recording head to repeat a unit action in which the recording head ejects ink onto a recording medium conveyed by a predetermined line feed length in a conveying direction. After detecting arrival of a flushing timing during the image recording both when a threshold time elapses and when one of repeated unit actions is completed, the controller executes second flushing by controlling the recording head to idly eject ink toward a fixed ink receiving member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2014Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 8430502Abstract: A printing device configured to operate selectively in one of a single-sided printing mode and a double-sided printing mode comprises a printing unit configured to eject ink, and a controller. When the printing device operates in the double-sided printing mode, the controller is configured to calculate a drying time for a front-side image printed by the printing unit on a front side of a sheet, and to determine whether the calculated drying time exceeds a predetermined threshold value. When the controller determines that the drying time dose not exceed the predetermined threshold value, the controller is configured to control the printing unit to print a back-side image on a back side of the sheet. When the controller determines that the drying time exceeds the predetermined threshold value, the controller is configured to control the printing unit not to print the back-side image on the back side of the sheet, and to print the back-side image on a front side of a next sheet.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2009Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 8390898Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a sheet feed tray, a sheet feed roller, an image recording unit, an output unit, a first conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium from the sheet feed tray to the output unit via the image recording unit, and a second conveying unit configured to return the recording medium, which has conveyed via the image recording unit, to the sheet feed tray. The image recording medium further includes an image memory configured to store image data to be recorded by the image recording unit and a controller configured to control the sheet feed roller, the image recording unit, the first conveying unit, and the second conveying unit to record the image on the recording medium. The controller is configured to control the sheet feed roller to start feeding a following recording medium subsequent to a preceding recording medium fed by the sheet feed roller irrespective of whether or not the image data for the following recording medium is stored in the image memory.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2009Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 8235493Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a sheet-feed mechanism; a sheet-detect portion; an image recording portion having a nozzle face; a cap for covering the nozzle face; a sucking mechanism; a drive source which generates a drive force; a drive-force transmitting mechanism which transmits one of a forward-direction drive force and a reverse-direction drive force to the sheet-feed mechanism and the sucking mechanism respectively for feeding of the sheet in one direction by the sheet-feed mechanism and an operation of the sucking mechanism, and which transmits the other thereof to the sheet-feed mechanism for feeding of the sheet in another direction by the sheet-feed mechanism; and a controller which controls the drive source such that the sheet is fed in the one direction and discharged without the feeding in said other direction by the sheet-feed mechanism after the sheet-detect portion has detected the sheet during the operation of the sucking mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenta Horade, Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 8201916Abstract: An image recorder includes a driving source generating any of a first-direction force and a second-direction force, a function executing mechanism executing a functional operation, a switching mechanism switching between a first state to allow the function executing mechanism to execute the functional operation and a second state to forbid the function executing mechanism to execute the functional operation, a transmission mechanism transmitting the first-direction force to a feed roller unit and the function executing mechanism and transmitting the second-direction force to the feed roller unit and the switching mechanism, and a controller that after detection of a sheet on a tray, controls the driving source to generate the second-direction force such that the switching mechanism switches to the second state, and thereafter controls the driving source to generate the first-direction force such that the feed roller unit nips the sheet on the tray.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2010Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shunsuke Mizutani, Kenta Horade
-
Patent number: 8061797Abstract: An image recording apparatus having a both-side printing function for ejecting ink to record images on a first face and a second face of a recording medium is provided. The image recording apparatus includes: a conveying unit which conveys the recording medium; a driving unit which drives the conveying unit; a conveying path along which the recording medium is conveyed; a holding unit which is provided on the conveying path and holds a part of the recording medium; and a controller which controls the image recording apparatus to enter a power saving mode of interrupting power supply to at least the driving unit in a state that the recording medium is held by the holding unit, after the image is recorded on the first face of the recording medium but before the image is recoded on the second face of the recording medium.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 8027059Abstract: An image processing device has a main unit, a storage unit, a first processing unit, a second processing unit, a first determination unit, and a first replacement unit. The storage unit is provided in the main unit that stores a color image having ground color and different color from the ground color, the color image being formed by color-pixels including a ground color pixel and a different color pixel, the ground color pixel having the ground color, the different color pixel having the different color. The first processing unit scales down the color image to produce a first gray-scale image which is simply represented by brightness having a plurality of brightness values, the first gray-scale image being formed by first gray-scale pixels. The second processing unit determines the brightness value of each of the color pixels to produce a histogram showing a distribution of the color pixels with respect to the brightness.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Publication number: 20110069102Abstract: An image recording apparatus including: a sheet-feed mechanism; a sheet-detect portion; an image recording portion having a nozzle face; a cap for covering the nozzle face; a sucking mechanism; a drive source which generates a drive force; a drive-force transmitting mechanism which transmits one of a forward-direction drive force and a reverse-direction drive force to the sheet-feed mechanism and the sucking mechanism respectively for feeding of the sheet in one direction by the sheet-feed mechanism and an operation of the sucking mechanism, and which transmits the other thereof to the sheet-feed mechanism for feeding of the sheet in another direction by the sheet-feed mechanism; and a controller which controls the drive source such that the sheet is fed in the one direction and discharged without the feeding in said other direction by the sheet-feed mechanism after the sheet-detect portion has detected the sheet during the operation of the sucking mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenta Horade, Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Publication number: 20110050780Abstract: An image recorder includes a driving source generating any of a first-direction force and a second-direction force, a function executing mechanism executing a functional operation, a switching mechanism switching between a first state to allow the function executing mechanism to execute the functional operation and a second state to forbid the function executing mechanism to execute the functional operation, a transmission mechanism transmitting the first-direction force to a feed roller unit and the function executing mechanism and transmitting the second-direction force to the feed roller unit and the switching mechanism, and a controller that after detection of a sheet on a tray, controls the driving source to generate the second-direction force such that the switching mechanism switches to the second state, and thereafter controls the driving source to generate the first-direction force such that the feed roller unit nips the sheet on the tray.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shunsuke Mizutani, Kenta Horade
-
Publication number: 20100238475Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a sheet feed tray, a sheet feed roller, an image recording unit, an output unit, a first conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium from the sheet feed tray to the output unit via the image recording unit, and a second conveying unit configured to return the recording medium, which has conveyed via the image recording unit, to the sheet feed tray. The image recording medium further includes an image memory configured to store image data to be recorded by the image recording unit and a controller configured to control the sheet feed roller, the image recording unit, the first conveying unit, and the second conveying unit to record the image on the recording medium. The controller is configured to control the sheet feed roller to start feeding a following recording medium subsequent to a preceding recording medium fed by the sheet feed roller irrespective of whether or not the image data for the following recording medium is stored in the image memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2009Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Publication number: 20100141700Abstract: A printing device configured to operate selectively in one of a single-sided printing mode and a double-sided printing mode comprises a printing unit configured to eject ink, and a controller. When the printing device operates in the double-sided printing mode, the controller is configured to calculate a drying time for a front-side image printed by the printing unit on a front side of a sheet, and to determine whether the calculated drying time exceeds a predetermined threshold value. When the controller determines that the drying time dose not exceed the predetermined threshold value, the controller is configured to control the printing unit to print a back-side image on a back side of the sheet. When the controller determines that the drying time exceeds the predetermined threshold value, the controller is configured to control the printing unit not to print the back-side image on the back side of the sheet, and to print the back-side image on a front side of a next sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2009Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shunsuke Mizutani
-
Patent number: 7726770Abstract: An inkjet printer includes: a print head; a maintaining unit; a timing unit; a notifying unit; a maintenance command determining unit; and a maintenance operation executing unit. The print head is formed with one or more ink ejection opening for printing a printing medium by ejecting ink through the ink ejection opening. The maintaining unit restores the ink ejection state of the print head by flowing ink through the ink ejection opening. The timing unit keeps track of an elapsed time after the maintaining unit has executed a maintenance operation. The notifying unit notifies a user when it is time to execute a maintenance operation if the elapsed time measured by the timing unit exceeds a prescribed time. The maintenance command determining unit determines whether or not the user has issued a command to execute a maintenance operation with the maintaining unit after the notifying unit has issued a notification.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2006Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shunsuke Mizutani, Jun Morikawa