Patents by Inventor Takakazu Kihira

Takakazu Kihira 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: 10737491
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of individual liquid chambers, a common supply channel, and a common collection channel. The plurality of nozzles discharges a liquid. The plurality of individual liquid chambers communicates with the plurality of nozzles, respectively. The common supply channel communicates with the plurality of individual liquid chambers. The common collection channel communicates with the plurality of individual liquid chambers. At least a part of at least one of the common supply channel and the common collection channel is disposed at a position overlapping with the plurality of individual liquid chambers when the plurality of individual liquid chambers is projected in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Odaka, Takahiro Yoshida, Takakazu Kihira
  • Patent number: 10576742
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle plate in which a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid is formed in a nozzle array direction, a channel plate including partition walls to form a plurality of individual chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a diaphragm bonded to the channel plate to form a wall of the plurality of individual chambers, and a plurality of electromechanical transducers bonded to the diaphragm to deform the diaphragm to generate a pressure in the plurality of individual chambers, and a cycle of vibration of natural vibration generated in the liquid in the plurality of individual chambers is equal to or larger than a cycle of a primary mode of lateral vibration of the plurality of electromechanical transducers in the nozzle array direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takakazu Kihira, Tomoaki Murakami, Masami Iwama, Kouichi Nakano
  • Patent number: 10399355
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid, a plurality of individual chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of discharge channels communicating with the plurality of individual chambers, a plurality of supply-side common chambers connected to the plurality of individual chambers, and a plurality of discharge-side common chambers connected to the plurality of discharge channels. The plurality of discharge-side common chamber has a same fluid resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakai, Toshimichi Odaka, Takakazu Kihira, Takahiro Yoshida, Shiomi Andou, Yukio Otome, Katsuya Ishii
  • Publication number: 20190263119
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of individual liquid chambers, a common supply channel, and a common collection channel. The plurality of nozzles discharges a liquid. The plurality of individual liquid chambers communicates with the plurality of nozzles, respectively. The common supply channel communicates with the plurality of individual liquid chambers. The common collection channel communicates with the plurality of individual liquid chambers. At least a part of at least one of the common supply channel and the common collection channel is disposed at a position overlapping with the plurality of individual liquid chambers when the plurality of individual liquid chambers is projected in a vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Toshimichi Odaka, Takahiro Yoshida, Takakazu Kihira
  • Publication number: 20190224974
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a nozzle plate in which a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid is formed in a nozzle array direction, a channel plate including partition walls to form a plurality of individual chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a diaphragm bonded to the channel plate to form a wall of the plurality of individual chambers, and a plurality of electromechanical transducers bonded to the diaphragm to deform the diaphragm to generate a pressure in the plurality of individual chambers, and a cycle of vibration of natural vibration generated in the liquid in the plurality of individual chambers is equal to or larger than a cycle of a primary mode of lateral vibration of the plurality of electromechanical transducers in the nozzle array direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Takakazu KIHIRA, Tomoaki Murakami, Masami Iwama, Kouichi Nakano
  • Patent number: 10259231
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head, includes a nozzle from which liquid is discharged, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber, the liquid flowing through the supply channel in a first direction, and a filter disposed upstream of the supply channel, the liquid filtering through the filter in a second direction. The first direction intersects the second direction, and the supply channel includes an inlet disposed at a position overlapping the filter in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Odaka, Takahiro Yoshida, Takakazu Kihira, Takayuki Nakai
  • Patent number: 10179452
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is discharged, a plurality of individual-liquid-chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a plurality of individual-drainage-channels communicating with the plurality of individual-liquid-chambers, respectively, a drainage-side common-liquid-chamber communicating with each of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels, a filter having filter holes and disposed between the plurality of individual-drainage-channels and the drainage-side common-liquid-chamber, and an intermediate-drainage-channel disposed between the filter and the plurality of individual-drainage-channels. The intermediate-drainage-channel faces the filter and communicates with two or more of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Iwama, Yukio Otome, Takahiro Yoshida, Takakazu Kihira, Takayuki Nakai, Shiomi Andou, Isamu Suzuki, Ryuji Yoshida, Kanshi Abe, Junichi Iwata, Katsuya Ishii, Toshimichi Odaka
  • Patent number: 10105951
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a head drive controller. The liquid discharge head includes an actuator including an electromechanical transducer element. The head drive controller controls the liquid discharge head. The head drive controller includes a drive waveform generator and a voltage updater. The drive waveform generator generates a drive waveform to be applied to the electromechanical transducer element. The voltage updater updates a voltage value of the drive waveform to a larger value with an elapse of time. The voltage updater sets a time interval of update of the voltage value to be longer as a number of times of the update is greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Kondo, Takakazu Kihira, Masahiro Itoh
  • Publication number: 20180272730
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head, includes a nozzle from which liquid is discharged, an individual chamber communicating with the nozzle, a supply channel communicating with the individual chamber, the liquid flowing through the supply channel in a first direction, and a filter disposed upstream of the supply channel, the liquid filtering through the filter in a second direction. The first direction intersects the second direction, and the supply channel includes an inlet disposed at a position overlapping the filter in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Toshimichi ODAKA, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Takakazu KIHIRA, Takayuki NAKAI
  • Publication number: 20180272743
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles to discharge a liquid, a plurality of individual chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, a plurality of discharge channels communicating with the plurality of individual chambers, a plurality of supply-side common chambers connected to the plurality of individual chambers, and a plurality of discharge-side common chambers connected to the plurality of discharge channels. The plurality of discharge-side common chamber has a same fluid resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakai, Toshimichi Odaka, Takakazu Kihira, Takahiro Yoshida, Shiomi Andou, Yukio Otome, Katsuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 10076918
    Abstract: A liquid-discharging head includes a pressure-generating element configured to be actuated to apply pressure on liquid in a pressure chamber from which the liquid is discharged through a nozzle, an actuation controller configured to control actuation of the pressure-generating element, a heat-releasing member configured to contact the actuation controller, and a cover member configured to cover the actuation controller and part of the heat-releasing member. The heat-releasing member includes a first heat-releasing member and a second heat-releasing member. The first heat-releasing member is arranged outside the cover member and has a surface exposed to external air. The second heat-releasing member is arranged inside the cover member and has a first end portion to contact the actuation controller. The first heat-releasing member and the second heat-releasing member are arranged to contact each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Murakami, Takahiro Yoshida, Masami Iwama, Takakazu Kihira
  • Publication number: 20180194135
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a plurality of nozzles from which liquid is discharged, a plurality of individual-liquid-chambers communicating with the plurality of nozzles, respectively, a plurality of individual-drainage-channels communicating with the plurality of individual-liquid-chambers, respectively, a drainage-side common-liquid-chamber communicating with each of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels, a filter having filter holes and disposed between the plurality of individual-drainage-channels and the drainage-side common-liquid-chamber, and an intermediate-drainage-channel disposed between the filter and the plurality of individual-drainage-channels. The intermediate-drainage-channel faces the filter and communicates with two or more of the plurality of individual-drainage-channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Masami IWAMA, Yukio OTOME, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Takakazu KIHIRA, Takayuki NAKAI, Shiomi ANDOU, Isamu SUZUKI, Ryuji YOSHIDA, Kanshi ABE, Junichi IWATA, Katsuya ISHll, Toshimichi ODAKA
  • Patent number: 9895881
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharging device includes a liquid droplet discharging head including a nozzle hole, a pressurized liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle hole, a vibration plate constituting a side of the pressurized liquid chamber, a control device, and a thin film piezoelectric substance to vibrate the vibration plate by a drive voltage to discharge liquid droplets and a voltage application device to apply a voltage waveform having a voltage equal to or greater than the drive voltage between when the main power is activated and when first print starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takakazu Kihira, Naoya Kondo
  • Publication number: 20170253062
    Abstract: A liquid-discharging head includes a pressure-generating element configured to be actuated to apply pressure on liquid in a pressure chamber from which the liquid is discharged through a nozzle, an actuation controller configured to control actuation of the pressure-generating element, a heat-releasing member configured to contact the actuation controller, and a cover member configured to cover the actuation controller and part of the heat-releasing member. The heat-releasing member includes a first heat-releasing member and a second heat-releasing member. The first heat-releasing member is arranged outside the cover member and has a surface exposed to external air. The second heat-releasing member is arranged inside the cover member and has a first end portion to contact the actuation controller. The first heat-releasing member and the second heat-releasing member are arranged to contact each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki MURAKAMI, Takahiro YOSHIDA, Masami IWAMA, Takakazu KIHIRA
  • Publication number: 20170225461
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head and a head drive controller. The liquid discharge head includes an actuator including an electromechanical transducer element. The head drive controller controls the liquid discharge head. The head drive controller includes a drive waveform generator and a voltage updater. The drive waveform generator generates a drive waveform to be applied to the electromechanical transducer element. The voltage updater updates a voltage value of the drive waveform to a larger value with an elapse of time. The voltage updater sets a time interval of update of the voltage value to be longer as a number of times of the update is greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Kondo, Takakazu Kihira, Masahiro Itoh
  • Publication number: 20160339694
    Abstract: A liquid droplet discharging device includes a liquid droplet discharging head including a nozzle hole, a pressurized liquid chamber communicating with the nozzle hole, a vibration plate constituting a side of the pressurized liquid chamber, a control device, and a thin film piezoelectric substance to vibrate the vibration plate by a drive voltage to discharge liquid droplets and a voltage application device to apply a voltage waveform having a voltage equal to or greater than the drive voltage between when the main power is activated and when a first print starts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Takakazu KIHIRA, Naoya Kondo
  • Patent number: 8833921
    Abstract: A thin-film forming apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate by using an ink-jet method includes an ink applying unit that applies an ink drop for thin-film formation to a predetermined area on a surface of the substrate; at least one laser light source for heating the ink drop thereby forming a thin film; and a laser-light irradiating unit that irradiates, with a laser light from the laser light source, a first spot positioned on a back side of the predetermined area of the substrate to which the ink drop has been applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takakazu Kihira, Yoshikazu Akiyama, Osamu Machida, Masahiro Yagi, Ryoh Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8727505
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer element that includes an electromechanical transducer film formed of a complex oxide (PZT) including lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti). The electromechanical transducer film is formed by laminating plural PZT thin films until a thickness of the formed electromechanical transducer film becomes a predetermined thickness. When an atomic weight ratio (Pb/(Zr+Ti)) of average Pb included in the formed electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Pb(avg) and an atomic weight ratio (Pb/(Zr+Ti)) of Pb in any one of laminate interfaces of the plural PZT thin films is denoted by Pb(interface), the Pb(avg) is greater than or equal to 100 atomic percentage (at %) and less than or equal to 110 atomic percentage (at %), and a fluctuation ratio ?Pb=Pb(avg)?Pb(interface) of Pb in the laminate interface is less than or equal to 20 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Yoshikazu Akiyama, Masaru Shinkai, Keiji Ueda, Kanshi Abe, Takakazu Kihira, Naoya Kondo
  • Patent number: 8690297
    Abstract: A sol-gel liquid for use in forming an individualized electromechanical conversion film of an electromechanical conversion element by inkjet methods, including a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or the PZT and other metal complex oxides; and an organic solvent having properties surrounded by A, B, C, D, E and F in triangular composition diagram of FIG. 3, and having a viscosity of from 3 to 13 mPa·s, a surface tension of 30±5 mN/m and a dehydration rate of from 70 to 80% relative to pure water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keiji Ueda, Yoshikazu Akiyama, Osamu Machida, Akira Shimofuku, Takakazu Kihira
  • Patent number: 8646180
    Abstract: A method of producing an electromechanical transducer includes a first step of partially modifying a surface of a first electrode; a second step of applying a sol-gel liquid including a metal composite oxide to a predetermined area of the partially-modified surface of the first electrode; a third step of performing drying, thermal decomposition, and crystallization on the applied sol-gel liquid to form an electromechanical transduction film, wherein the drying includes a heat-treatment at 120° C., the decomposition includes thermal decomposition performed at 500° C., and the crystallization includes heat treatment for crystallization at 700° C.; a fourth step of repeating the first, second, and third steps to obtain the electromechanical transduction film with a desired thickness; and a fifth step of forming a second electrode on the electromechanical transduction film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Akiyama, Takakazu Kihira, Keiji Ueda, Akira Shimofuku, Osamu Machida