Patents by Inventor Susumu Hirakata

Susumu Hirakata 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: 9643412
    Abstract: An ejection apparatus is provided with a plurality of ejection units, a controller that controls a temperature of a liquid, and a supply mechanism that includes a plurality of supply units. The plurality of supply units flow the liquid in a predetermined flow direction. Respective portion of the plurality of supply units in the flow direction are connected to the ejection units to supply the liquid to the ejection units. A downstream side portion of one of the supply units in the flow direction is connected to another one of supply units via a heat transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihisa Takemoto, Atsushi Murakami, Manabu Numata, Hiroshi Ikeda, Susumu Hirakata
  • Patent number: 8176630
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head includes: a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles ejecting a liquid droplet; a flow path member that includes: pressure generating chambers that communicate with the nozzles; and liquid supply paths through which liquid is supplied to the pressure generating chambers; and a damper portion that is disposed in at least one part of a region, the region being on the nozzle plate, corresponding to the liquid supply paths, the damper portion reducing a fluctuation of an ejection amount of the liquid droplets to enable stable ejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kataoka, Hideki Fukunaga, Hiroshi Inoue, Yuji Nishimura, Susumu Hirakata, Atsumichi Imazeki
  • Patent number: 8141973
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head comprises an ejector, a liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure and a liquid viscosity-increase prevention controller. The ejector includes a nozzle for ejecting a liquid droplet, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle through a communication path, and an actuator for applying pressure to a liquid in the pressure chamber. The liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure prevents an increase of viscosity of the liquid in the ejector. The liquid viscosity-increase prevention controller changes the operation frequency of the liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure between when the liquid droplet is ejected from the nozzle and when ejection of the liquid droplet is paused and no liquid droplet is being ejected from the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinobu Hamazaki, Susumu Hirakata
  • Publication number: 20100252528
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head includes: a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles ejecting a liquid droplet; a flow path member that includes: pressure generating chambers that communicate with the nozzles; and liquid supply paths through which liquid is supplied to the pressure generating chambers; and a damper portion that is disposed in at least one part of a region, the region being on the nozzle plate, corresponding to the liquid supply paths, the damper portion reducing a fluctuation of an ejection amount of the liquid droplets to enable stable ejection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Kataoka, Hideki Fukunaga, Hiroshi Inoue, Yuji Nishimura, Susumu Hirakata, Atsumichi Imazeki
  • Patent number: 7798628
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head includes: a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles ejecting a liquid droplet; a flow path member that includes: pressure generating chambers that communicate with the nozzles; and liquid supply paths through which liquid is supplied to the pressure generating chambers; and a damper portion that is disposed in at least one part of a region, the region being on the nozzle plate, corresponding to the liquid supply paths, the damper portion reducing a fluctuation of an ejection amount of the liquid droplets to enable stable ejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kataoka, Hideki Fukunaga, Hiroshi Inoue, Yuji Nishimura, Susumu Hirakata, Atsumichi Imazeki
  • Publication number: 20090160887
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head comprises an ejector, a liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure and a liquid viscosity-increase prevention controller. The ejector includes a nozzle for ejecting a liquid droplet, a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle through a communication path, and an actuator for applying pressure to a liquid in the pressure chamber. The liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure prevents an increase of viscosity of the liquid in the ejector. The liquid viscosity-increase prevention controller changes the operation frequency of the liquid viscosity-increase prevention structure between when the liquid droplet is ejected from the nozzle and when ejection of the liquid droplet is paused and no liquid droplet is being ejected from the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshinobu Hamazaki, Susumu Hirakata
  • Publication number: 20080049085
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejection head includes: a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles ejecting a liquid droplet; a flow path member that includes pressure generating chambers that communicate with the nozzles; and liquid supply paths through which liquid is supplied to the pressure generating chambers; and a damper portion that is disposed in at least one part of a region, the region being on the nozzle plate, corresponding to the liquid supply paths, the damper portion reducing a fluctuation of an ejection amount of the liquid droplets to enable stable ejection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Masaki Kataoka, Hideki Fukunaga, Hiroshi Inoue, Yuji Nishimura, Susumu Hirakata, Atsumichi Imazeki
  • Patent number: 7246874
    Abstract: The present invention provides a maintenance device which can suction ink in a short period of time and with a small amount of consumed ink. The maintenance device has a plurality of capping portions disposed so as to face a plurality of unit heads which can discharge liquid drops onto a recording medium; a plurality of small chambers communicating with the plurality of capping portions, respectively; a suction portion suctioning interiors of the small chambers; and a plurality of valve mechanisms independently controlling airtight states of the interiors of the small chambers. The present invention also provides a recording device equipped with this maintenance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Hirakata, Yoshihira Rai, Nobuhiro Katsuta, Hiroaki Satoh
  • Publication number: 20050057603
    Abstract: The present invention provides a maintenance device which can suction ink in a short period of time and with a small amount of consumed ink. The maintenance device has a plurality of capping portions disposed so as to face a plurality of unit heads which can discharge liquid drops onto a recording medium; a plurality of small chambers communicating with the plurality of capping portions, respectively; a suction portion suctioning interiors of the small chambers; and a plurality of valve mechanisms independently controlling airtight states of the interiors of the small chambers. The present invention also provides a recording device equipped with this maintenance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Susumu Hirakata, Yoshihira Rai, Nobuhiro Katsuta, Hiroaki Satoh
  • Patent number: 6578947
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ink drying prevention apparatus that can prevent ink within an ink-jet recording head from drying, for a long period of time. The ink drying prevention apparatus prevents ink within an ink-jet recording head from drying, and includes a porous substance permeated with a seal liquid that is nonvolatile and incompatible with the ink within the head, wherein the porous substance can contact a nozzle surface of the ink-jet recording head. The seal liquid forms plural meniscuses in an interface with the nozzle surface and inside the porous substance to block air paths, thereby preventing ink within a nozzle exposed to the nozzle surface from drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Suwabe, Susumu Hirakata, Satoshi Mohri, Yuji Suemitsu, Hiroaki Satoh
  • Patent number: 5764267
    Abstract: A conduction recording head forms an image on a recording sheet by connecting return path electrodes and recording electrodes conductively through a printing and recording medium. Recording electrodes, a drive circuit and connector electrodes are all disposed integrally on a flexible insulating film as a main head part which is disposed on a rigid support member through an elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Akutsu, Hiroh Soga, Shigehito Ando, Susumu Hirakata
  • Patent number: 5598195
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electrostatic attracting-type ink jet recording method by which an ink dot which has adhered to the recording medium or intermediate recording material can be prevented from affecting the drawing direction of the subsequently jetting ink, whereby an ink can be invariably allowed to jet onto a proper position to form an image with a high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Okamoto, Susumu Hirakata
  • Patent number: 5466654
    Abstract: A display medium is disclosed, comprising at least the following layers, in this order: a heating resistive layer, a conductive layer, a background layer and an erasable thermochromic layer, and comprising a heating resistive layer which may comprise at least two layers. The display medium may also comprise a contact resistance reducing layer on the heating resistive layer and a protective layer on the erasable thermochromic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Akutsu, Hiroh Soga, Shigehito Ando, Susumu Hirakata, Kazuo Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5387460
    Abstract: A thermal printing ink medium which electrically generates heat to transfer an ink thereof to a transfer material to form an image thereon is disclosed, which comprises a first heating element layer, a second heating element layer in contact with said first heating element layer, said second heating element layer having a greater volume resistivity than said first heating element layer, a conductive layer in contact with said second heating element layer, an ink layer provided on the side of said conductive layer opposite to said second heating element layer, and an adhesion-improving layer formed on the interface between said conductive layer and second heating element layer by the interaction therebetween so as to have a given volume resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Susumu Hirakata, Eiichi Akutsu, Toru Okamoto, Hiroh Soga, Shigehito Ando