Patents by Inventor Tadahiro Mizutani
Tadahiro 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).
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Publication number: 20220055369Abstract: Convenience of an ink bottle and a bottle set is improved. An ink bottle includes: a container portion that contains ink; a guiding portion that is formed in one end portion of the container portion, and includes an outflow port from which the ink in the container portion flow out; and a cover that covers at least an end portion of the container portion on the opposite side of the guiding portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku ISHIZAWA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Ryoichi TANAKA, Manabu AKAHANE, Koichi TOBA, Takumi NAGASHIMA, Yoshiaki SHIMIZU, Tadashi WATANABE, Noriyuki FUKASAWA
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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: 11192380Abstract: Convenience of an ink bottle and a bottle set is improved. An ink bottle includes: a container portion that contains ink; a guiding portion that is formed in one end portion of the container portion, and includes an outflow port from which the ink in the container portion flow out; and a cover that covers at least an end portion of the container portion on the opposite side of the guiding portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku Ishizawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Manabu Akahane, Koichi Toba, Takumi Nagashima, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Tadashi Watanabe, Noriyuki Fukasawa
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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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Patent number: 11117379Abstract: An ink replenish container comprises a container main body that is able to store the ink; an ink outlet formation member, attached to a front end side of the container main body, to form an ink outlet; and a cap attachable to a front end side of the ink outlet formation member. The ink outlet includes an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface located inward of the outer circumferential surface, the inner circumferential surface surrounding an opening through which the ink passes. The cap includes a first protrusion that is configured to contact with the outer circumferential surface of the ink outlet to form a first exit seal portion, and a second protrusion that is configured to contact with the inner circumferential surface of the ink outlet to form a second exit seal portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2019Date of Patent: September 14, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Noriyuki Fukasawa, Taku Ishizawa, Tadashi Watanabe, Ryoichi Tanaka, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Publication number: 20210263692Abstract: To provide a technique in which an image forming process is not restricted even when consumption information cannot be transmitted to the outside such as a server in an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an operation control portion for executing a plurality of functions for forming an image; a memory that stores availability information of the plurality of functions according to a specified contract that defines usage conditions of the image forming apparatus; and a determination portion that determines, when a usage request for at least one of the plurality of functions is received, with reference to the availability information, whether or not the at least one of the plurality of functions corresponding to the usage request received is configured to be used, in which the operation control portion controls operation of the image forming apparatus in accordance with a determination result of the determination portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku ISHIZAWA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI
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Patent number: 11097549Abstract: There is provided a technique of improving the mounting position of a liquid container relative to a liquid ejection device. The liquid container configured to be mountable to and dismountable from a case of the liquid ejection device includes a bag-like member that has flexibility and that includes a containing portion provided to contain a liquid inside thereof; and connection member that is located at an end of the bag-like member. The connection member includes a liquid outlet configured such that a liquid introducing element of the liquid ejection device is inserted in the liquid outlet; a container-side electrical connecting structure configured such that a device-side electrical connecting structure of the liquid ejection device is connected with the container-side electrical connecting structure; and two guided elements configured such that at least respective parts of two guide elements of the case are fitted in the two guided elements in a state that the liquid container is placed in the case.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2017Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Takumi Nagashima, Hiroyuki Kawate, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Akihiro Toya, Tetsuya Takamoto, Tadahiro Mizutani, Hiroyoshi Ozeki, Manabu Yamaguchi
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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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Publication number: 20210229453Abstract: A liquid storage container includes: a housing including a case having a case opening, and a lid that closes the case opening; and a sheet that holds the lid and the case together, the sheet extending over lid exterior faces and case exterior faces and being disposed so as to surround the outer circumference of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Noriyuki Fukasawa, Taku Ishizawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Mao Otashiro
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Patent number: 11072180Abstract: An ink tank that communicates with an ink ejecting head, includes: an ink chamber configured to house ink; an ink inlet portion that communicates with the ink chamber and that receives ink supplied from an ink supply container; and an ink viewing portion that is a portion of a wall that defines the ink chamber and that enables the ink in the ink chamber to be viewed from an outside, the ink chamber having an ink guide wall for guiding the ink from the ink inlet portion toward the ink viewing portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2019Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Hideki Okumura, Naomi Kimura
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Patent number: 11065879Abstract: An ink refill container 31 includes a container body 61 including an inner tube portion 62 constituting an ink containing chamber 41, an inner bottom 64 joined to the inner tube portion 62, an ink-outlet forming portion 38 that is provided in the inner tube portion 62 and that includes an ink outlet 46, and a cover 75 including an outer bottom 76 covering the inner bottom 64 from below. The cover 75 includes a receiving recess 95 that is configured of the outer bottom 76 and a tubular receiving wall 93 integrally coupled to the outer bottom 76 and that receives an ink IK leaked from the ink containing chamber 41 through a junction of the container body 61 and the inner bottom 64.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Taku Ishizawa
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Patent number: 11059299Abstract: An ink replenishing container includes a first bottom surface that defines a portion of an ink storage portion in which an ink is stored, a first side wall that intersects the first bottom surface and defines a portion of the ink storage portion, an ink outlet that communicates with the ink storage portion, and a second side wall that is disposed outside the first side wall, and that is not in contact with the ink stored in the ink storage portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2020Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku Ishizawa, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Patent number: 11052668Abstract: The liquid container includes a housing member including an external circumferential wall surrounding a liquid storing chamber, an opening surrounded by an end portion of the external circumferential wall, and a closing wall opposing the liquid storing chamber at a position deep inside with respect to the opening, an external edge portion of the closing wall coupled to an end portion of the external circumferential wall, in which the liquid outlet portion is provided in the external circumferential wall; a valve provided in the liquid outlet portion, the valve being opened by having both a first pipe through which atmospheric air flows and a second pipe through which the liquid flows inserted therein when the liquid is made to flow out from the liquid storing chamber; a flexible wall sealing the opening portion; and an inner wall that extends from the closing wall towards an opening portion side in an area surrounded by the external circumferential wall and that is in contact with the flexible wall.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2020Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Seigo Miyazawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa
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Publication number: 20210197575Abstract: In a state in which a cartridge body is not inserted in a cartridge receiving section provided on a printer side, an electronic component mounting section is held at an initial position to the cartridge body. The cartridge body is linearly inserted into the cartridge receiving section of the printer along a first direction, which is an insertion direction of the cartridge body, to a second position before a first position in which the cartridge body is in a mounted state in the cartridge receiving section. By the cartridge body being linearly inserted from the second position to the first position along the first direction, the electronic component mounting section is moved from the initial position in a second direction different from the first direction to couple the electronic component to electrical coupling portions provided on the printer side.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshihiro KOIZUMI, Tadahiro MIZUTANI
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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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Patent number: 11001068Abstract: An ink replenish container comprises a container main body that is able to store the ink; and an ink outlet formation member, attached to a front end side of the container main body, to form an ink outlet. The container main body includes a screw formation portion having a screw for engaging with the ink outlet formation member, and a shoulder portion provided on a front end side of the screw formation portion. The ink outlet formation member includes an abutting portion that abuts the shoulder portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2017Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Noriyuki Fukasawa, Taku Ishizawa, Tadashi Watanabe, Ryoichi Tanaka, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Publication number: 20210129551Abstract: The printing system includes a liquid supply container that stores a liquid; a printing device that receives a liquid supplied from the liquid supply container and performs printing; an imaging device that acquires image information including at least a part of the liquid supply container; an acquisition section that acquires reference information; a determination section that collates the image information with the reference information and determines whether or not the liquid is allowed to be supplied according to a collation result; and a control section that controls the printing device according to the determination.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Taku ISHIZAWA, Ryoichi TANAKA
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Patent number: 10974512Abstract: An ink replenishing container includes an ink storage member in which an ink is stored, the ink storage member having a first side wall that defines the ink storage member and an opening portion surrounded by the first side wall, an ink outlet that communicates with the ink storage portion, and a film member that closes the opening portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2020Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku Ishizawa, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Publication number: 20210078333Abstract: There is provided a technique of improving the mounting position of a liquid container relative to a liquid ejection device. The liquid container configured to be mountable to and dismountable from a case of the liquid ejection device includes a bag-like member that has flexibility and that includes a containing portion provided to contain a liquid inside thereof; and connection member that is located at an end of the bag-like member. The connection member includes a liquid outlet configured such that a liquid introducing element of the liquid ejection device is inserted in the liquid outlet; a container-side electrical connecting structure configured such that a device-side electrical connecting structure of the liquid ejection device is connected with the container-side electrical connecting structure; and two guided elements configured such that at least respective parts of two guide elements of the case are fitted in the two guided elements in a state that the liquid container is placed in the case.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2017Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Takumi NAGASHIMA, Hiroyuki KAWATE, Yoshiaki SHIMIZU, Akihiro TOYA, Tetsuya TAKAMOTO, Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Hiroyoshi OZEKI, Manabu YAMAGUCHI
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Publication number: 20210060960Abstract: An ink container includes: a container body that contains ink; and an ink outlet forming portion that has an ink outlet. The container body includes a first connection portion provided around an opening. The ink outlet forming portion includes a second connection portion connectable to the first connection portion. The first connection portion includes a first screw forming portion provided on an outer surface. The second connection portion includes a second screw forming portion provided on an inner surface and configured to be brought into thread engagement with the first screw forming portion. The container body and the ink outlet forming portion include a stopper located inside an outer circumference of the second connection portion in a radial direction, the center of which is a center axis of the first connection portion and the second connection portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiaki SHIMIZU, Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Taku ISHIZAWA