Patents by Inventor Tomohisa Higuchi

Tomohisa Higuchi 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: 10071556
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus, comprising: a carriage to move in a 1st direction; a recording head; an ink reservoir; an ink receiver; and a waste liquid reservoir configured to be connected to the ink receiver to let the ink move between the ink receiver and the waste liquid reservoir, wherein: the ink reservoir is disposed not to overlap with the carriage in a 2nd direction perpendicularly intersecting with the 1st direction and an up and down direction, and at least a part of the ink reservoir is disposed at a position outside of a moving range of the carriage in the 1st direction; and in the 1st direction, the waste liquid reservoir is disposed to overlap with the ink reservoir and is disposed at a position outside of the moving range of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohiro Wada, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Patent number: 9994034
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber which stores a liquid, an inlet formed in a surface of the tank, and an outlet through which the liquid from the liquid storage chamber flows; a cap which is movable between a first position and a second position; a cover which is movable relative to the tank between a closed position and an open position; and a holding member which is connected to the cap and which holds the cap at the second position. The cap at the second position or the holding member is configured to obstruct a movement of the cover from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20180141344
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid, an inlet through which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid flow channel configured to let the liquid flow therethrough from the liquid storage chamber; a cap configured to be attachable to the tank to cover the inlet; a cover configured to be movable relative to the tank between a closed position where a surface, of the tank, in which the inlet is formed is covered and an open position where the surface of the tank is exposed; and a holder configured to hold the cap removed from the tank. The cover is prevented from moving to the closed position by the cap held by the holder to be positioned in a movement area of the cover moving from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI, Suguru TOMOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180072065
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including: a tank having a liquid storing chamber, an erected wall through which the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber is visible from outside of the tank, and an inlet which is formed to penetrate through the erected wall and via which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber; a liquid consuming section which consumes the liquid stored in the liquid storing chamber; and a cover. A transmitting section and a checking section are formed in an upper surface, of the cover, under a condition that the cover is in the exposure position, the transmitting section configured to transmit information optically to a user of the liquid consuming apparatus and the checking section configured to prevent the liquid moving on a particular surface of the cover from arriving at the transmitting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180056659
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid chamber, an upstanding wall facing a particular direction, and an inlet formed in a surface of the tank; a liquid-consuming unit consuming liquid stored in the liquid chamber; a cover rotatable between a covering position where the upstanding wall is covered with the cover and an exposure position where the upstanding wall is exposed, around a rotation axis extending in a further direction; and a casing including an engaging target part which holds the cover in the covering position, and supporting the tank, liquid-consuming unit, and cover. The cover includes: an engaging part to engage with the engaging target part in the state that the cover is in the covering position; and a tab which is subjected to an operation for releasing an engagement between the engaging part and the engaging target part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9873258
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid, an inlet through which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid flow channel configured to let the liquid flow therethrough from the liquid storage chamber; a cap configured to be attachable to the tank to cover the inlet; a cover configured to be movable relative to the tank between a closed position where a surface, of the tank, in which the inlet is formed is covered and an open position where the surface of the tank is exposed; and a holder configured to hold the cap removed from the tank. The cover is prevented from moving to the closed position by the cap held by the holder to be positioned in a movement area of the cover moving from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi, Suguru Tomoguchi
  • Patent number: 9821563
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including: a tank having a liquid storing chamber, an erected wall through which the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber is visible from outside of the tank, and an inlet which is formed to penetrate through the erected wall and via which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber; a liquid consuming section which consumes the liquid stored in the liquid storing chamber; and a cover. A transmitting section and a checking section are formed in an upper surface, of the cover, under a condition that the cover is in the exposure position, the transmitting section configured to transmit information optically to a user of the liquid consuming apparatus and the checking section configured to prevent the liquid moving on a particular surface of the cover from arriving at the transmitting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20170282568
    Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus, comprising: a carriage to move in a 1st direction; a recording head; an ink reservoir; an ink receiver; and a waste liquid reservoir configured to be connected to the ink receiver to let the ink move between the ink receiver and the waste liquid reservoir, wherein: the ink reservoir is disposed not to overlap with the carriage in a 2nd direction perpendicularly intersecting with the 1st direction and an up and down direction, and at least a part of the ink reservoir is disposed at a position outside of a moving range of the carriage in the 1st direction; and in the 1st direction, the waste liquid reservoir is disposed to overlap with the ink reservoir and is disposed at a position outside of the moving range of the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohiro WADA, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170266977
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber which stores a liquid, an inlet formed in a surface of the tank, and an outlet through which the liquid from the liquid storage chamber flows; a cap which is movable between a first position and a second position; a cover which is movable relative to the tank between a closed position and an open position; and a holding member which is connected to the cap and which holds the cap at the second position. The cap at the second position or the holding member is configured to obstruct a movement of the cover from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9757951
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid chamber, an upstanding wall facing a particular direction, and an inlet formed in a surface of the tank; a liquid-consuming unit consuming liquid stored in the liquid chamber; a cover rotatable between a covering position where the upstanding wall is covered with the cover and an exposure position where the upstanding wall is exposed, around a rotation axis extending in a further direction; and a casing including an engaging target part which holds the cover in the covering position, and supporting the tank, liquid-consuming unit, and cover. The cover includes: an engaging part to engage with the engaging target part in the state that the cover is in the covering position; and a tab which is subjected to an operation for releasing an engagement between the engaging part and the engaging target part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20170246872
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes a casing, a tank formed with a liquid storage chamber which stores liquid, an inlet which allows the liquid to be poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid outflow channel which allows the liquid to flow out from the liquid storage chamber, a conveying mechanism which conveys a recording medium along a conveying path extending in a front-rear direction, a carriage which moves in a left-right direction, and a head mounted on the carriage and having a nozzle which jets the liquid onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveying mechanism. The tank, the conveying path, and the carriage are arranged inside the casing, the tank is arranged outside the conveying path in the left-right direction, and at least a part of the tank is arranged inside both ends of a movement area of the carriage in the left-right direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI, Akira SHINODA, Akinori IGARASHI, Suguru TOMOGUCHI, Hisaki SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20170246895
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording system includes a first ink chamber and a second ink chambers and a monitor. One of the inkjet recording apparatus can display first inquiry information and second inquiry information. The first inquiry information regards ink to be retained in first ink chamber. The second inquiry information regards ink to be retained in second ink chamber. The second inquiry information is displayed after displaying the first inquiry information. Another one of the inkjet recording apparatus can display inquiry information. The inquiry information regards to only ink to be retained in the first ink chamber but also ink to be retained in the second ink chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: MANA HONOKI, KENTA HORADE, YOSHINORI OSAKABE, TOMOHISA HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170173968
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid chamber, an upstanding wall facing a particular direction, and an inlet formed in a surface of the tank; a liquid-consuming unit consuming liquid stored in the liquid chamber; a cover rotatable between a covering position where the upstanding wall is covered with the cover and an exposure position where the upstanding wall is exposed, around a rotation axis extending in a further direction; and a casing including an engaging target part which holds the cover in the covering position, and supporting the tank, liquid-consuming unit, and cover. The cover includes: an engaging part to engage with the engaging target part in the state that the cover is in the covering position; and a tab which is subjected to an operation for releasing an engagement between the engaging part and the engaging target part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9682568
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber which stores a liquid, an inlet formed in a surface of the tank, and an outlet through which the liquid from the liquid storage chamber flows; a cap which is movable between a first position and a second position; a cover which is movable relative to the tank between a closed position and an open position; and a holding member which is connected to the cap and which holds the cap at the second position. The cap at the second position or the holding member is configured to obstruct a movement of the cover from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20170151798
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber configured to store a liquid, an inlet through which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid flow channel configured to let the liquid flow therethrough from the liquid storage chamber; a cap configured to be attachable to the tank to cover the inlet; a cover configured to be movable relative to the tank between a closed position where a surface, of the tank, in which the inlet is formed is covered and an open position where the surface of the tank is exposed; and a holder configured to hold the cap removed from the tank. The cover is prevented from moving to the closed position by the cap held by the holder to be positioned in a movement area of the cover moving from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI, Suguru TOMOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9649845
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus includes a casing, a tank formed with a liquid storage chamber which stores liquid, an inlet which allows the liquid to be poured into the liquid storage chamber, and a liquid outflow channel which allows the liquid to flow out from the liquid storage chamber, a conveying mechanism which conveys a recording medium along a conveying path extending in a front-rear direction, a carriage which moves in a left-right direction, and a head mounted on the carriage and having a nozzle which jets the liquid onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveying mechanism. The tank, the conveying path, and the carriage are arranged inside the casing, the tank is arranged outside the conveying path in the left-right direction, and at least a part of the tank is arranged inside both ends of a movement area of the carriage in the left-right direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi, Akira Shinoda, Akinori Igarashi, Suguru Tomoguchi, Hisaki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9623691
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus and an inkjet recording system includes a first ink chamber and a second ink chambers and a monitor. One of the inkjet recording apparatus can display first inquiry information and second inquiry information. The first inquiry information regards ink to be retained in first ink chamber. The second inquiry information regards ink to be retained in second ink chamber. The second inquiry information is displayed after displaying the first inquiry information. Another one of the inkjet recording apparatus can display inquiry information. The inquiry information regards to only ink to be retained in the first ink chamber but also ink to be retained in the second ink chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mana Honoki, Kenta Horade, Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Patent number: 9586409
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid chamber, an upstanding wall facing a particular direction, and an inlet formed in a surface of the tank; a liquid-consuming unit consuming liquid stored in the liquid chamber; a cover rotatable between a covering position where the upstanding wall is covered with the cover and an exposure position where the upstanding wall is exposed, around a rotation axis extending in a further direction; and a casing including an engaging target part which holds the cover in the covering position, and supporting the tank, liquid-consuming unit, and cover. The cover includes: an engaging part to engage with the engaging target part in the state that the cover is in the covering position; and a tab which is subjected to an operation for releasing an engagement between the engaging part and the engaging target part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Osakabe, Tomohisa Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20170028737
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid consuming apparatus including: a tank having a liquid storing chamber, an erected wall through which the liquid inside the liquid storage chamber is visible from outside of the tank, and an inlet which is formed to penetrate through the erected wall and via which the liquid is poured into the liquid storage chamber; a liquid consuming section which consumes the liquid stored in the liquid storing chamber; and a cover. A transmitting section and a checking section are formed in an upper surface, of the cover, under a condition that the cover is in the exposure position, the transmitting section configured to transmit information optically to a user of the liquid consuming apparatus and the checking section configured to prevent the liquid moving on a particular surface of the cover from arriving at the transmitting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170008295
    Abstract: A liquid-consuming apparatus includes: a tank including a liquid storage chamber which stores a liquid, an inlet formed in a surface of the tank, and an outlet through which the liquid from the liquid storage chamber flows; a cap which is movable between a first position and a second position; a cover which is movable relative to the tank between a closed position and an open position; and a holding member which is connected to the cap and which holds the cap at the second position. The cap at the second position or the holding member is configured to obstruct a movement of the cover from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori OSAKABE, Tomohisa HIGUCHI