Patents by Inventor Tetsuo Asada
Tetsuo Asada 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: 11890862Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima, Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga
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Patent number: 11760592Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: an accommodating unit having a placement surface on which the stack of sheets is mounted; an inclined member having an inclined surface inclined relative to the placement surface to extend in an inclined direction and a back surface opposite the inclined surface; a sheet pick-up unit for feeding an uppermost sheet in the stack of sheets toward the inclined member; and a sheet separating member provided on the inclined surface. The sheet separating member includes a plurality of separation pieces and a support portion those made of resin. The support portion supports the separation pieces at positions closer to the back surface than to the inclined surface so that the separation pieces are movable away from the placement surface in the inclined direction and toward the back surface in a normal direction of the inclined surface independently from one another.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Tadanobu Chikamoto, Gakuro Kanazawa
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Patent number: 11644120Abstract: A fluidic device includes a casing in which a fluid passage is disposed and which has an outer surface including a detection target surface (bottom surface) that is to contact a detection part of a sensor so that at least one of a temperature and a vibration of the fluidic device is detected; and a plug detachably disposed on the casing and configured to cover the detection target surface (bottom surface).Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2018Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: TLV CO., LTD.Inventor: Tetsuo Asada
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Patent number: 11518635Abstract: In a transport device, a cover defining a portion of a transport path is pivotable between a closed state and an open state. The cover is movable while in the closed state between a first position and a second position lower than the first position. An urging member urges the cover from the second position toward the first position. The cover includes a main body for guiding the sheet in the transport direction and an engagement portion engaged with a frame when the cover is at the first position to restrict pivoting of the cover from the first position to a third position at which the cover is in the open state. The engagement portion is disengaged from the frame when the cover is at the second position to allow pivoting of the cover from the second position to the third position.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Asami Hashimoto, Gakuro Kanazawa, Yoichiro Nishimura
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Patent number: 11352226Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a housing, a tray, a feed roller, an arm, a pad, and a protruding portion. The housing has a sheet conveyance path. The tray includes a bottom plate having a sheet support surface that supports a sheet. The sheet conveyance path extends upward from the sheet support surface. The feed roller rotates about a rotational axis and feeds the sheet supported on the sheet support surface in a first direction. The arm rotatably supports the feed roller. The arm swingably moves about an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the feed roller. The pad is disposed on the bottom plate. The pad has a higher friction coefficient than a friction coefficient of the sheet support surface. The protruding portion protrudes upward from the sheet support surface at a position shifted from the pad in a second direction opposite from the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoichiro Nishimura, Asami Hashimoto, Gakuro Kanazawa, Tetsuo Asada
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Publication number: 20220040995Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Hirotaka AOKI, Satoru NAKAKITA, Shota IIJIMA, Kenji SAMOTO, Yuji KOGA
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Publication number: 20210395028Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: an accommodating unit having a placement surface on which the stack of sheets is mounted; an inclined member having an inclined surface inclined relative to the placement surface to extend in an inclined direction and a back surface opposite the inclined surface; a sheet pick-up unit for feeding an uppermost sheet in the stack of sheets toward the inclined member; and a sheet separating member provided on the inclined surface. The sheet separating member includes a plurality of separation pieces and a support portion those made of resin. The support portion supports the separation pieces at positions closer to the back surface than to the inclined surface so that the separation pieces are movable away from the placement surface in the inclined direction and toward the back surface in a normal direction of the inclined surface independently from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Tadanobu CHIKAMOTO, Gakuro KANAZAWA
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Patent number: 11186455Abstract: A housing is formed with a first opening and a sheet conveyance path. A tray is inserted into the housing through the first opening in a first direction and pulled out in a second direction opposite from the first direction. The tray supports a sheet. The tray includes a bottom plate, a front plate, and a cover. The bottom plate supports a sheet. The front plate protrudes upward from an end portion of the bottom plate in the second direction. The cover is configured to move between a first position at which the cover closes a second opening and a second position at which the cover opens the second opening. The second opening is defined by an end of a top plate in the second direction and an upper end of the front plate, the top plate covering an upper side of a space that accommodates a sheet.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2019Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Yoichiro Nishimura, Asami Hashimoto, Gakuro Kanazawa
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Patent number: 11148439Abstract: A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2020Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Kensuke Hirate, Yoshiyuki Washino
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Patent number: 11077678Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima, Kenji Samoto, Yuji Koga
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Patent number: 11065891Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima
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Patent number: 10967656Abstract: A front plate is rotatably supported at an end portion of a tray in a pulling direction. The front plate rotatably moves between: a first position at which the front plate extends diagonally upward in the pulling direction from a first end portion at which a rotational axis is located toward a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and a second position at which the second end portion of the front plate is located at a position that is higher than the second end portion at the first position and that is shifted in an insertion direction from the second end portion at the first position. The front plate includes a grip and a surface. The surface of the front plate faces in the pulling direction and downward in a state where the front plate is located at the first position, wherein the surface surrounds the grip.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Yoichiro Nishimura, Asami Hashimoto, Gakuro Kanazawa
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Publication number: 20200398591Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2020Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Hirotaka AOKI, Satoru NAKAKITA, Shota IIJIMA
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Publication number: 20200331277Abstract: A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Kensuke HIRATE, Yoshiyuki WASHINO
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Publication number: 20200307929Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a housing, a tray, a feed roller, an arm, a pad, and a protruding portion. The housing has a sheet conveyance path. The tray includes a bottom plate having a sheet support surface that supports a sheet. The sheet conveyance path extends upward from the sheet support surface. The feed roller rotates about a rotational axis and feeds the sheet supported on the sheet support surface in a first direction. The arm rotatably supports the feed roller. The arm swingably moves about an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the feed roller. The pad is disposed on the bottom plate. The pad has a higher friction coefficient than a friction coefficient of the sheet support surface. The protruding portion protrudes upward from the sheet support surface at a position shifted from the pad in a second direction opposite from the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Inventors: Yoichiro NISHIMURA, Asami HASHIMOTO, Gakuro KANAZAWA, Tetsuo ASADA
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Publication number: 20200299085Abstract: In a transport device, a cover defining a portion of a transport path is pivotable between a closed state and an open state. The cover is movable while in the closed state between a first position and a second position lower than the first position. An urging member urges the cover from the second position toward the first position. The cover includes a main body for guiding the sheet in the transport direction and an engagement portion engaged with a frame when the cover is at the first position to restrict pivoting of the cover from the first position to a third position at which the cover is in the open state. The engagement portion is disengaged from the frame when the cover is at the second position to allow pivoting of the cover from the second position to the third position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Asami HASHIMOTO, Gakuro KANAZAWA, Yoichiro NISHIMURA
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Publication number: 20200172355Abstract: A housing is formed with a first opening and a sheet conveyance path. A tray is inserted into the housing through the first opening in a first direction and pulled out in a second direction opposite from the first direction. The tray supports a sheet. The tray includes a bottom plate, a front plate, and a cover. The bottom plate supports a sheet. The front plate protrudes upward from an end portion of the bottom plate in the second direction. The cover is configured to move between a first position at which the cover closes a second opening and a second position at which the cover opens the second opening. The second opening is defined by an end of a top plate in the second direction and an upper end of the front plate, the top plate covering an upper side of a space that accommodates a sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Yoichiro NISHIMURA, Asami HASHIMOTO, Gakuro KANAZAWA
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Publication number: 20200171859Abstract: A front plate is rotatably supported at an end portion of a tray in a pulling direction. The front plate rotatably moves between: a first position at which the front plate extends diagonally upward in the pulling direction from a first end portion at which a rotational axis is located toward a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and a second position at which the second end portion of the front plate is located at a position that is higher than the second end portion at the first position and that is shifted in an insertion direction from the second end portion at the first position. The front plate includes a grip and a surface. The surface of the front plate faces in the pulling direction and downward in a state where the front plate is located at the first position, wherein the surface surrounds the grip.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2019Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Yoichiro NISHIMURA, Asami HASHIMOTO, Gakuro KANAZAWA
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Patent number: 10668746Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima
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Publication number: 20200108634Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo ASADA, Hirotaka AOKI, Satoru NAKAKITA, Shota IIJIMA, Kenji SAMOTO, Yuji KOGA