Patents by Inventor Tomohiro Kanbe

Tomohiro Kanbe 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).

  • Publication number: 20150085031
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes a front face oriented toward a first direction, a printing fluid supply portion positioned at the front face, a rear face positioned opposite the front face and oriented toward a second direction opposite the first direction, an electrical interface positioned between the front face and the rear face and facing, and an engagement surface facing in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro KANBE, Yuki TAKAGI, Hirotake NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150070445
    Abstract: There is provided a protective cap configured to be installed into a liquid cartridge installation section having a liquid supply tube in fluid connection with a recording head for jetting a liquid via a flexible tube. The protective cap includes: an chamber defined by a case in a liquid-tight manner; a liquid absorbing member filled in the chamber; a connecting portion having a connecting channel in communication with the chamber and configured to be connected with the liquid supply tube; and an atmosphere communication portion via which the chamber communicates an outside of the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Tomohiro KANBE, Masayuki TAKATA
  • Patent number: 8939561
    Abstract: An ink containing device includes an ink cartridge and an adaptor. The ink cartridge includes a first main body having a first surface facing a first direction and a chamber that stores ink, an ink outlet portion disposed on the first surface of the first main body and that directs the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the first main body; and an ink detecting portion that detects an amount of the ink stored in the chamber. The adapter is attachable to the ink cartridge. The adapter includes a second main body and a movable member that moves with respect to the second main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20150022597
    Abstract: An ink containing device includes an ink cartridge and an adaptor. The ink cartridge comprises a first main body comprising a chamber configured to store ink, and an ink outlet portion disposed on a first surface of the first main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the first main body, and an ink detecting portion configured to detect an amount of the ink stored in the ink chamber. The adaptor is configured to attach to the ink cartridge. The adaptor comprises a second main body comprising a second surface, and an electrical interface disposed on the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro KANBE, Yuki TAKAGI, Hirotake NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8931888
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes a front face oriented toward a first direction, a printing fluid supply portion positioned at the front face, a rear face positioned opposite the front face and oriented toward a second direction opposite the first direction, an electrical interface positioned between the front face and the rear face and facing, and an engagement surface facing in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8899716
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes an ink chamber, a shaft, and a pivotable member including a float. The pivotable member is configured to move about the shaft between a first position and a second position when the float moves. The float is positioned higher when the pivotable member is in the first position than when the pivotable member is in the second position. The float has a triangular shape when viewed in an axial direction of the shaft, and the triangular shape comprises a first side having a first dimension, a second side having a second dimension, and a third side having a third dimension. The first dimension is greater than each of the second dimension and the third dimension, and the first side is positioned above a vertex between the second side and the third side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Takagi, Tomohiro Kanbe, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8864292
    Abstract: In a print fluid cartridge, a main body has a first surface facing in a first direction. A print fluid outlet part is provided on the main body, and has an opening at the first surface. An electric interface is provided at an external surface of the main body and faces in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The electric interface moves relative to the main body in the first direction and in a direction opposite to the first direction between a first position and a second position that are apart from each other in the first direction and the direction opposite to the first direction. The main body supports the electric interface at the second position against pressure that is applied to the electric interface in a direction opposite to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140292960
    Abstract: The printing fluid supply apparatus comprises the printing fluid cartridge and a cartridge accommodating portion. The cartridge accommodating portion comprises a casing, and an engage member. The printing fluid cartridge comprises a main body including a chamber, an ink outlet portion, an engage portion, a contact portion, and a biasing member. The contact portion allows the engage member to rotate toward the first position by contacting with the engage member and allows the biasing member to make elastic deformation while the printing fluid cartridge installing to the casing. The engage member in the first position engages the engage portion, and the printing fluid cartridge is held in an accommodated position against the biasing portion when the printing fluid cartridge is achieved to the accommodated position in the casing. The biasing portion allows the printing fluid cartridge being held in the casing to move opposite to the insertion direction when the engage member rotates to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Kanbe
  • Patent number: 8833905
    Abstract: An ink containing device includes an ink cartridge and an adaptor. The ink cartridge comprises a first main body comprising a chamber configured to store ink, and an ink outlet portion disposed on a first surface of the first main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the first main body, and an ink detecting portion configured to detect an amount of the ink stored in the ink chamber. The adaptor is configured to attach to the ink cartridge. The adaptor comprises a second main body comprising a second surface, and an electrical interface disposed on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8833914
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a liquid chamber, a first path having a flow resistance R, a second path, a recording head configured such that a predetermined operation of the recording head causes liquid to flow to the recording head at a flow rate greater than or equal to a minimum flow rate I, a pressure responsive portion including a membrane configured to move in response to the internal pressure of the second path and configured to move when a pressure differential between inside and outside of the membrane is greater than or equal to a minimum pressure differential ?P, a detector configured to detect a position of the membrane, and a controller configured to determine presence of the liquid in the liquid chamber based on detection by the detector. The following condition is satisfied: flow resistance R?(minimum pressure differential ?P/minimum flow rate I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiro Kanbe
  • Publication number: 20140160198
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes at least one electrical interface configured to be electrically connected to at least one contact, and a light attenuating portion configured to attenuate light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro KANBE, Yuki TAKAGI, Hirotake NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140098145
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a liquid chamber, a first path having a flow resistance R, a second path, a recording head configured such that a predetermined operation of the recording head causes liquid to flow to the recording head at a flow rate greater than or equal to a minimum flow rate I, a pressure responsive portion including a membrane configured to move in response to the internal pressure of the second path and configured to move when a pressure differential between inside and outside of the membrane is greater than or equal to a minimum pressure differential ?P, a detector configured to detect a position of the membrane, and a controller configured to determine presence of the liquid in the liquid chamber based on detection by the detector. The following condition is satisfied: flow resistance R?(minimum pressure differential ?P/minimum flow rate I).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro KANBE
  • Publication number: 20140085387
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes a front face oriented toward a first direction, a printing fluid supply portion positioned at the front face, a rear face positioned opposite the front face and oriented toward a second direction opposite the first direction, at least one electrical interface positioned between the front face and the rear face, and an engagement surface facing in the second direction. The at least one electrical interface is offset from the printing supply portion with respect to a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The at least one electrical interface is positioned closer to the front face than the engagement surface is, and the at least one electrical interface and the engagement surface intersect a plane which is parallel with the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro KANBE, Hirotake NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8678573
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes a front side, a rear side, an upper side, a lower side, a tubular fluid supply portion positioned at the lower side of the front side, a pivotable member configured to pivot about a pivot point and comprising an end portion. The pivot point is positioned at the upper side and the end portion is positioned at the rear side. The printing fluid cartridge also includes a light attenuating portion protruding from the upper side of the front side and configured to attenuate light, and an electrical interface positioned between the pivotable member and the light attenuating portion. An upper end of the light attenuating portion is positioned below the electrical interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotake Nakamura, Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi
  • Publication number: 20140055536
    Abstract: An ink containing device comprises an ink cartridge and an adaptor. The ink cartridge comprises a first main body comprising a chamber configured to store ink, an ink outlet portion disposed on a first surface of the first main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the first main body wherein the first surface faces a first direction, and an electrical interface disposed on the first main body. The adaptor is configured to be in an attached state with the ink cartridge. The adaptor comprises a second main body comprising a first contact disposed on a particular surface facing a particular direction, and a second contact disposed on a further surface and electrically connected to the first contact, wherein the second contact is electrically connected to the electrical interface in the attached state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAGI, Tomohiro KANBE, Yasuhiro KATO, Hirotake NAKAMURA, Hirofumi KONDO
  • Publication number: 20140055535
    Abstract: An ink cartridge comprises a main body comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a chamber, configured to store ink, disposed between the first surface and the second surface; an ink outlet portion disposed on the first surface of the main body configured to direct the ink from the chamber to an exterior of the main body; and an electronic circuit board disposed on the main body. The electronic circuit board comprises an electrical interface, a first portion facing a second direction that intersects a first plane that is perpendicular to the first direction, a second portion facing a third direction away from the ink outlet portion that intersects a second plane that is parallel to the first direction, and a connecting portion between the first portion and the second portion. The electrical interface is disposed on an area of the electronic circuit board including the connecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAGI, Tomohiro KANBE, Yasuhiro KATO, Hirotake NAKAMURA, Hirofumi KONDO
  • Patent number: 8657425
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes a case, an ink supply opening, and a light transmissive member positioned in the case and facing the ink supply opening. The light transmissive member is configured to allow light entering via the ink supply opening to pass therethrough. The light transmissive member includes a reflective surface having a first reflectance for light entering via the ink supply opening and passing through the light transmissive member when the reflective surface contacts ink stored in the ink chamber. The reflective surface has a second reflectance for light entering via the ink supply opening and passing through the light transmissive member when the reflective surface does not contact ink stored in the ink chamber. The first reflectance is different from the second reflectance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8651639
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes at least one electrical interface configured to be electrically connected to at least one contact, and a light attenuating portion configured to attenuate light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kanbe, Yuki Takagi, Hirotake Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140015904
    Abstract: A printing fluid cartridge includes a front face oriented toward a first direction, a printing fluid supply portion positioned at the front face, a rear face positioned opposite the front face and oriented toward a second direction opposite the first direction, an electrical interface positioned between the front face and the rear face and facing, and an engagement surface facing in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro KANBE, Yuki TAKAGI, Hirotake NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8616687
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a main body with a chamber formed therein that receives an imaging material, a circuit board having at least one opening formed through the circuit board; and an electrode disposed on the circuit board. The main body includes a support surface that supports the circuit board, a first protrusion protruding from the support surface and that contacting a first surface of the circuit board. The first surface of the circuit board extends in a direction perpendicular to the support surface. The main body also includes a second protrusion protruding from the support surface and disposed in the at least one opening. The second protrusion includes an end portion that covers a portion of the circuit board. In addition, a method for manufacturing the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Takagi, Toyonori Sasaki, Tomohiro Kanbe, Hirotake Nakamura