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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Patent number: 10500866Abstract: The liquid container is detachable from a case of a liquid ejection apparatus. The liquid container has a bag-shaped member that is flexible and has a storage portion for storing a liquid therein, and a connection member attached to the bag-shaped member. The connection member has a liquid introducing outlet into which a liquid introducing portion of the liquid ejection apparatus is inserted, a container-side electrical connection unit to which an apparatus-side electrical connection unit of the liquid ejection apparatus is connected, and a handle that pivots with respect to the connection member. In a state where the liquid container is arranged in the case, the handle is provided at a position exposed to the outside of the case, and when the liquid container is mounted to/removed from the case, the handle is brought into a second orientation in which the handle is pivoted from a first orientation.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Kawate, Tadahiro Mizutani, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Takumi Nagashima, Akihiro Toya, Hiroyoshi Ozeki, Manabu Yamaguchi, Tetsuya Takamoto
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Patent number: 10471723Abstract: 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: June 8, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Noriyuki Fukasawa, Taku Ishizawa, Tadashi Watanabe, Ryoichi Tanaka, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Patent number: 10457065Abstract: There is provided a liquid container that comprises an upper wall and a bottom wall; a liquid supply port provided in the bottom wall; a first chamber provided on a +Z direction side that is an upper wall side; a second chamber provided on a ?Z direction side that is a bottom wall side; a partition wall configured to part the first chamber from the second chamber; and a connecting hole configured to connect the first chamber with the second chamber. The second chamber is connected with the liquid supply port. The first chamber is connected with the liquid supply port via the connecting hole and the second chamber. The second chamber includes a return flow path that is turned back along an X direction. A liquid contained in the first chamber is flowed from the connecting hole through the return flow path to the liquid supply port.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2018Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Koichi Toba, Yasuhiko Yoshikawa, Ryoichi Tanaka, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Publication number: 20190299624Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2017Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Taku ISHIZAWA, Noriyuki FUKUSAWA, Naomi KIMURA, Shoma KUDO, Manabu AKAHANE
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Publication number: 20190299625Abstract: An ink refill container 63 includes a container main body 64 including an ink storage chamber 76, an ink outlet-forming portion 66 provided on an end portion of the container main body forming an ink outlet 65 that allows the ink to flow out from the ink storage chamber, and a valve 74 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 73 on an outer side of the ink outlet-forming portion. in which the positioning portion 73 is closer to the container main body than the valve 74 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 41-45 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: June 7, 2017Publication date: October 3, 2019Applicant: 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: 10399344Abstract: A liquid container comprises a liquid supply port provided in a bottom wall, a first chamber configured to contain a liquid, a second chamber configured to contain the liquid and to include at least one sub-chamber having a smaller dimension in the X direction than that of the first chamber, a partition wall configured to part the first chamber from the second chamber, and a connecting hole configured to connect the first chamber with the second chamber. The second chamber is connected with the liquid supply port, and the first chamber is connected with the liquid supply port via the connecting hole and the second chamber. The liquid contained in the first chamber is flowed from the connecting hole into the second chamber and is subsequently introduced through the sub-chamber to the liquid supply port.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Ryoichi Tanaka, Taku Ishizawa, Atsushi Kobayashi, Koichi Toba, Yoshiaki Shimizu, Shun Oya
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Patent number: 10384454Abstract: A method for manufacturing a refilled cartridge is provided for performing refilling of printing material after use of a cartridge comprising a chamber of variable capacity, a detection section that optically detects the printing material inside the chamber, an air introduction port that introduces outside air into the chamber, a valve section that opens and closes the air introduction port according to the negative pressure inside the chamber, and a supply port that supplies the printing material within the chamber to the outside. With this manufacturing method, the printing material is refilled into the chamber so that a designated volume of air exists after refilling of the printing material is completed.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2013Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Atsushi Kobayashi, Izumi Nozawa, Hidetoshi Kodama
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Publication number: 20190232667Abstract: A liquid container comprises a liquid supply port provided in a bottom wall, a first chamber configured to contain a liquid, a second chamber configured to contain the liquid and to include at least one sub-chamber having a smaller dimension in the X direction than that of the first chamber, a partition wall configured to part the first chamber from the second chamber, and a connecting hole configured to connect the first chamber with the second chamber. The second chamber is connected with the liquid supply port, and the first chamber is connected with the liquid supply port via the connecting hole and the second chamber. The liquid contained in the first chamber is flowed from the connecting hole into the second chamber and is subsequently introduced through the sub-chamber to the liquid supply port.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Ryoichi TANAKA, Taku ISHIZAWA, Atsushi KOBAYASHI, Koichi TOBA, Yoshiaki SHIMIZU, Shun OYA
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Patent number: 10350901Abstract: An ink bottle comprises a container main body configured to contain ink that is to be supplied to an ink tank, an ink outlet forming portion provided on an end of the container main body and configured to include an ink outlet that causes the ink to be flowed out from the container main body, and a valve provided in the ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner. The ink outlet is formed in an end face of the ink outlet forming portion. The end face is arranged to face an opposite side of the ink outlet forming portion that is opposite to a container main body side thereof. A first recess is formed in an outer side portion of the ink outlet on the end face to be recessed toward the container main body side.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2017Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Koichi Toba, Ryoichi Tanaka, Taku Ishizawa, Manabu Akahane, Tadashi Watanabe, Noriyuki Fukasawa
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Patent number: 10350896Abstract: The structure of an ink supplying container is improved. The ink supplying container includes a container body that contains ink and an ink outlet formation portion that is mounted on the leading end side of the container body, and forms an ink outlet. The ink outlet formation portion includes a tubular channel portion that forms a supplying channel into which an ink inlet channel member of an ink tank is inserted and an outlet valve unit accommodated in the tubular channel portion. The outlet valve unit is configured such that, (i) in a non-supplying state, the ink outlet is sealed, and (ii) in a supplying state, the supplying channel of an annular channel portion is in communication with an ink inlet channel of the ink inlet channel member, in the tubular channel portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2018Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Taku Ishizawa, Takumi Nagashima, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Publication number: 20190168510Abstract: A bottle set includes a bottle and a lid member. The bottle has an ink container, a nozzle and a joint portion integrally formed with the nozzle and having a thread configured to engage the nozzle with the ink container. The lid member is attachable to and detachable from the bottle. An outflow port is formed in the nozzle. The outflow port is configured such that the ink in the ink container flows out from the outflow port. The lid member has a tubular barrel, a top plate that closes a barrel end of the tubular barrel, and a plug projecting from the top plate toward the nozzle. A distance from the barrel end of the tubular barrel to a distal end of the plug being shorter than a distance from a nozzle end of the nozzle to the joint portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: Takumi NAGASHIMA, Tetsuya TAKAMOTO, Hiroyuki NAKAMURA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI
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Publication number: 20190126626Abstract: The likelihood that a liquid discharge failure will occur in a cartridge including a liquid absorber is reduced. A cartridge includes: a liquid supply unit configured to receive a liquid supply needle; a first chamber in which a liquid absorber is arranged; a second chamber in which the liquid absorber is not arranged and the liquid supply unit is provided; and a filter that is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber. The length of the filter in a longitudinal direction is larger than half the length of the liquid absorber in the longitudinal direction, and the capillary force of the liquid absorber in a bottom face portion is larger than the capillary force of the liquid absorber in a central portion in a height direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2018Publication date: May 2, 2019Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku ISHIZAWA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Shun OYA
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Publication number: 20190126630Abstract: A cartridge includes a liquid supply portion configured to receive a liquid supply needle; a first chamber provided with a liquid absorber, a second chamber not provided with the liquid absorber and provided with the liquid supply portion; and a filter provided between the first chamber and the second chamber. A length of the filter in a longitudinal direction of the filter is longer than half a length of the liquid absorber in the longitudinal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2018Publication date: May 2, 2019Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Shun OYA, Taku ISHIZAWA, Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI, Mao OTASHIRO
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Publication number: 20190126627Abstract: The cartridge includes: a case; a liquid containing chamber that is provided inside the case; an atmosphere communication passage that is provided inside the case, and brings the liquid containing chamber into communication with the atmosphere outside the case; and a liquid supply unit that supplies liquid inside the liquid containing chamber to the liquid ejection device. An absorber chamber in which a liquid absorber is arranged and an air chamber in which the liquid absorber is not arranged are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, inside the liquid containing chamber, at least a portion of a side face, of the liquid absorber, that is adjacent to the air chamber is in contact with air inside the air chamber, and a connection port that connects the atmosphere communication passage and the air chamber is provided in an upper portion of the air chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2018Publication date: May 2, 2019Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Taku Ishizawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Shun Oya, Ryoichi Tanaka
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Patent number: 10239323Abstract: It is difficult to reduce the number of parts of a known bottle set. A bottle set includes: a bottle having an ink container capable of containing ink, and a nozzle through which the ink in the ink container can flow out; and a lid member that is attachable to and detachable from the bottle, and can cover the nozzle in a state where the lid member is attached to the bottle. An outflow port from which the ink in the ink container can flow out is formed in the nozzle, the lid member has a sealing portion that seals the outflow port in a state where the lid member is attached to the bottle, and the sealing portion is integrally formed in the lid member.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takumi Nagashima, Tetsuya Takamoto, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Tadahiro Mizutani
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Publication number: 20190084308Abstract: An object is to provide a technique that maintains good contact between apparatus-side terminals and contact portions in a second cartridge configured to contain multiple different types of inks. In the cartridge, a center contact portion provided on center in an X direction among a plurality of contact portions is arranged to intersect with a first center plane. Part of the plurality of contact portions is placed in a range where a cartridge-side engagement portion is located, in the X direction. An engagement center is provided between the first center plane and a second center plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Noriyuki FUKASAWA, Taku Ishizawa, Tadahiro Mizutani, Shun Oya
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Patent number: 10220628Abstract: A technique of enhancing attachment of a liquid supply unit to a liquid ejection device is provided. A first ink cartridge 100a and a second ink cartridge 100b are attached to a carriage 27 of a printing device 10 via a holder structure 200. Each of the first and the second ink cartridges 100a and 100b includes a circuit substrate 130 having a plurality of terminals 151 to 159 which are electrically connected with a device-side terminal assembly 250 provided on the holder structure 200. Each of the first and the second ink cartridges 100a and 100b also includes a main engagement part 120 configured to engage with a lever member 230 of the holder structure 200 as an engaged part, such as to limit motion of the circuit substrate 130 away from the holder structure 200. The circuit substrate 130 includes a first terminal 151 and a second terminal 152 located on respective ends in an array direction of the terminals.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takayuki Shiota, Atsushi Kobayashi, Tadahiro Mizutani, Shun Oya
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Patent number: 10220627Abstract: A technique of enhancing attachment of a liquid supply unit to a liquid ejection device is provided. A first ink cartridge 100a and a second ink cartridge 100b are attached to a carriage 27 of a printing device 10 via a holder structure 200. Each of the first and the second ink cartridges 100a and 100b includes a circuit substrate 130 having a plurality of terminals 151 to 159 which are electrically connected with a device-side terminal assembly 250 provided on the holder structure 200. Each of the first and the second ink cartridges 100a and 100b also includes a main engagement part 120 configured to engage with a lever member 230 of the holder structure 200 as an engaged part, such as to limit motion of the circuit substrate 130 away from the holder structure 200. The circuit substrate 130 includes a first terminal 151 and a second terminal 152 located on respective ends in an array direction of the terminals.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takayuki Shiota, Atsushi Kobayashi, Tadahiro Mizutani, Shun Oya
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Patent number: 10214018Abstract: A printing material supply system includes a printing device and a cartridge. The printing device has a cartridge mounting structure. The cartridge is removably attached to the cartridge mounting structure. The cartridge mounting structure has a device-side terminal, a lever, a first device-side locking element and a second device-side locking element. The device-side terminal is configured to contact with a cartridge-side terminal. The first device-side locking element is configured as part of the lever. The second device-side locking element is configured to engage with a second locking surface of a second cartridge-side locking element. The cartridge-side terminal has a cartridge-side contact portion configured to be in contact with the device-side terminal. The cartridge-side contact portion is provided on the negative Z-axis side of the second locking surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Izumi Nozawa, Hidetoshi Kodama, Tadahiro Mizutani, Kazutoshi Matsuzaki, Kazumasa Harada, Satoshi Nakata, Hidetaka Kawata
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Publication number: 20190039381Abstract: Provided is a highly-convenient ink replenishment container. The ink replenishment container includes: a container main body portion capable of containing the ink; and an ink outlet forming portion that is to be attached to an end portion of the container main body portion and at which an ink outlet through which the ink flows out is formed. In a region located outside of the ink outlet, the ink replenishment container includes an erroneous insertion prevention portion that protrudes relative to the ink outlet in a direction opposite to the container main body portion in an axial direction as an axial center, and is configured to be inserted into a recessed portion and to prevent erroneous insertion into the ink tank. The erroneous insertion prevention portion includes protrusions that can be attached and detached, the protrusions are attached and detached in accordance with the shape of the recessed portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku ISHIZAWA, Tadahiro MIZUTANI