Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Sagara
Tomoyuki Sagara 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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Publication number: 20110181667Abstract: There is provided an inkjet head that permits ink to be easily circulated therein and that is applicable to the ink containing fine particles, without making a structure thereof complicated. The inkjet head 25 has a piezoelectric substrate 1, a nozzle plate 21, and a manifold 11. The piezoelectric substrate 1 has a plurality of ink grooves 41, on a top surface thereof, which are separated from one another by partition walls 3 and which are provided with electrodes on inner walls of the grooves. The piezoelectric substrate 1 is accommodated in a recess 11u on a top surface of the manifold 11 so as to form a first common ink groove 5 and a second common ink groove 6. The nozzle plate 21 covers upper side of the plurality of ink grooves 41 so as to define the plurality of separated ink chambers 2, and covers top faces of the first common ink groove 5 and the second common ink groove 6 so as to define a first common ink chamber 5i and a second common ink chamber 6i.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2008Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Hiroe Takatani
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Patent number: 7703874Abstract: The inkjet head in accordance with the present invention includes a head unit formed by fixing a plurality of head elements to each other, and a nozzle plate fixed on the head unit. The head element has a pair of main surfaces and a front surface positioned between the pair of main surfaces, and the front surface has a plurality of openings respectively communicated with ink chambers. The head elements forming the head unit are fixed with their main surfaces brought into contact with each other. The nozzle plate is provided in contact with the front surface of the head unit across all the head elements forming the head unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2005Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Patent number: 7641320Abstract: An ink jet head has a plurality of first ink chambers (3) front end portions of which open at an end surface (A) of the substrate and rear end portions of which are blocked, and a plurality of second ink chambers (4) front end portions of which open at an end surface (B) on the opposite side to the end surface (A) and rear end portions of which are blocked. Furthermore, this ink jet head has electrodes formed upon inner walls of the first ink chambers (3) and the second ink chambers (4), a first common ink chamber (6) formed between the rear end portions of the second ink chambers (4) and the end surface (A) and communicated with the first ink chambers (3), and a second common ink chamber (7) formed between the rear end portions of the first ink chambers (3) and the end surface (B) and communicated with the second ink chambers (4). And this ink jet head has a nozzle plate covering the first ink chambers (3) and the second ink chambers (4), and having nozzle holes formed to correspond to those ink chambers.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2005Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Patent number: 7585059Abstract: An ink jet head is provided which includes: a piezoelectric board having a plurality of elongated channels arranged parallel to each other and isolated from each other by channel walls; and a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle holes provided in association with the respective channels, and bonded onto the piezoelectric board with the nozzle holes located at generally longitudinally middle positions of the respective channels; wherein the nozzle plate has trench-like recesses each having a predetermined width and a predetermined depth and extending perpendicularly to the channels as being spaced equidistantly from the nozzle holes longitudinally of the channels; gaps for communication between adjacent channels are defined by the recesses between a surface of the nozzle plate and upper face portions of the channel walls located equidistantly from the nozzle holes; and active areas contributable to ink ejection are defined in each of the channels on opposite sides of the corresponding nozzle hole along thType: GrantFiled: November 16, 2005Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Patent number: 7400515Abstract: An electrode connection structure between outer lead(s) of TCP(s), being first circuit board(s), and actuator member electrode(s) for connection to external circuitry, being second circuit board(s); actuator member(s) electrode(s) for connection to external circuitry being formed in or on floor(s) of recess(es) which is/are step(s) smaller in magnitude than thickness(es) of outer lead(s) protruding from polyimide substrate(s) of TCP(s); adhesive(s) having thickness(es) more or less equal to difference(s) between step(s) and thickness(es) of outer lead(s); and outer lead(s) being electrically and mechanically connected to electrode(s) for connection to external circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2005Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Publication number: 20080117257Abstract: The inkjet head in accordance with the present invention includes a head unit formed by fixing a plurality of head elements to each other, and a nozzle plate fixed on the head unit. The head element has a pair of main surfaces and a front surface positioned between the pair of main surfaces, and the front surface has a plurality of openings respectively communicated with ink chambers. The head elements forming the head unit are fixed with their main surfaces brought into contact with each other. The nozzle plate is provided in contact with the front surface of the head unit across all the head elements forming the head unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2005Publication date: May 22, 2008Inventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Publication number: 20080100665Abstract: An ink jet head is provided which includes: a piezoelectric board having a plurality of elongated channels arranged parallel to each other and isolated from each other by channel walls; and a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle holes provided in association with the respective channels, and bonded onto the piezoelectric board with the nozzle holes located at generally longitudinally middle positions of the respective channels; wherein the nozzle plate has trench-like recesses each having a predetermined width and a predetermined depth and extending perpendicularly to the channels as being spaced equidistantly from the nozzle holes longitudinally of the channels; gaps for communication between adjacent channels are defined by the recesses between a surface of the nozzle plate and upper face portions of the channel walls located equidistantly from the nozzle holes; and active areas contributable to ink ejection are defined in each of the channels on opposite sides of the corresponding nozzle hole along thType: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2005Publication date: May 1, 2008Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Publication number: 20070263039Abstract: An ink jet head has a plurality of first ink chambers (3) front end portions of which open at an end surface (A) of the substrate and rear end portions of which are blocked, and a plurality of second ink chambers (4) front end portions of which open at an end surface (B) on the opposite side to the end surface (A) and rear end portions of which are blocked. Furthermore, this ink jet head has electrodes formed upon inner walls of the first ink chambers (3) and the second ink chambers (4), a first common ink chamber (6) formed between the rear end portions of the second ink chambers (4) and the end surface (A) and communicated with the first ink chambers (3), and a second common ink chamber (7) formed between the rear end portions of the first ink chambers (3) and the end surface (B) and communicated with the second ink chambers (4). And this ink jet head has a nozzle plate covering the first ink chambers (3) and the second ink chambers (4), and having nozzle holes formed to correspond to those ink chambers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2005Publication date: November 15, 2007Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Sagara
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Patent number: 7290868Abstract: There are provided driving electrodes (25) on walls (24) separating both sides of individual ink chambers (22) formed in the form of an array of multiple grooves. External circuit connecting electrodes (11) for connecting these driving electrodes (25) to an external circuit are formed on exposed surface regions of electrically conductive material (10) filled in the individual ink chambers (22) at a rear end portion of a head. Each of the aforesaid exposed surface regions has an area larger than the cross-sectional area of each ink chamber as measured along a direction perpendicular to the ink chamber array.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2004Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Tomoyuki Sagara, Shigeaki Kakiwaki, Hirotsugu Matoba
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Patent number: 7225540Abstract: The step of forming an electrode for external connection applies a conductive resin (10) to one end portion of each of a plurality of ink chambers (26) within each of the ink chambers (26) and to the top surface of each of a plurality of protrusions over a piezoelectric substrate (60) in one line perpendicular to the direction in which the ink chambers (26) extend. Subsequently, the conductive resin (10) located on the top surface of each of the plurality of ink chamber partitions is removed by polishing or grinding. As a result, the conductive resin (10) filling a space within each ink chamber (26) constitutes an electrode for external connection. This allows the capacitance due to the piezoelectric substrate to be decreased. Further, the driving frequency of the ink jet head can be increased. Thus, an ink jet head and its manufacturing method can be provided with a reduced power consumption, with an increased productivity and reliability and that allows a high speed printing.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2003Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Sagara
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Publication number: 20060071972Abstract: There are provided driving electrodes (25) on walls (24) separating both sides of individual ink chambers (22) formed in the form of an array of multiple grooves. External circuit connecting electrodes (11) for connecting these driving electrodes (25) to an external circuit are formed on exposed surface regions of electrically conductive material (10) filled in the individual ink chambers (22) at a rear end portion of a head. Each of the aforesaid exposed surface regions has an area larger than the cross-sectional area of each ink chamber as measured along a direction perpendicular to the ink chamber array.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2004Publication date: April 6, 2006Inventors: Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Tomoyuki Sagara, Shigeaki Kakiwaki, Hirotsugu Matoba
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Publication number: 20050286240Abstract: An electrode connection structure between outer lead(s) of TCP(s), being first circuit board(s), and actuator member electrode(s) for connection to external circuitry, being second circuit board(s); actuator member(s) electrode(s) for connection to external circuitry being formed in or on floor(s) of recess(es) which is/are step(s) smaller in magnitude than thickness(es) of outer lead(s) protruding from polyimide substrate(s) of TCP(s); adhesive(s) having thickness(es) more or less equal to difference(s) between step(s) and thickness(es) of outer lead(s); and outer lead(s) being electrically and mechanically connected to electrode(s) for connection to external circuitry.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2005Publication date: December 29, 2005Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Tomoyuki Sagara, Yoshinori Nakajima
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Publication number: 20050068374Abstract: The step of forming an electrode for external connection applies a conductive resin (10) to one end portion of each of a plurality of ink chambers (26) within each of the ink chambers (26) and to the top surface of each of a plurality of protrusions over a piezoelectric substrate (60) in one line perpendicular to the direction in which the ink chambers (26) extend. Subsequently, the conductive resin (10) located on the top surface of each of the plurality of ink chamber partitions is removed by polishing or grinding. As a result, the conductive resin (10) filling a space within each ink chamber (26) constitutes an electrode for external connection. This allows the capacitance due to the piezoelectric substrate to be decreased. Further, the driving frequency of the ink jet head can be increased. Thus, an ink jet head and its manufacturing method can be provided with a reduced power consumption, with an increased productivity and reliability and that allows a high speed printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2003Publication date: March 31, 2005Inventor: Tomoyuki Sagara
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Publication number: 20040201650Abstract: In a pattern forming apparatus that forms a pattern by jetting out an ink from nozzle opening sections of nozzles, the nozzles are formed by bonding a top plate to a surface of a substrate on which a concave section is formed, and the substrate is combined with the top plate by melting a combining layer formed on at least one of the substrate and the top plate. With this, the shape accuracy of the nozzle opening sections of the pattern forming apparatus is ensured.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2004Publication date: October 14, 2004Inventors: Kaoru Higuchi, Hitoshi Isono, Tomoyuki Sagara, Chiyoshi Yoshioka
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Patent number: 5728240Abstract: A method of adjusting position of a member including an adjustable portion made of material having shape memory effect, comprising the steps of: (a) heat-treating for shape memory the member in a first shape such that the first shape is memorized in the adjustable portion; (b) plastically deforming the adjustable portion to a second shape after cooling the adjustable portion to less than a shape recovery temperature; and (c) locally heating the adjustable portion to more than the shape recovery temperature so as to subject the adjustable portion to local shape recovery.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1995Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tatsushi Yamamoto, Tomoyuki Sagara, Tetsurou Muramatsu, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Renzaburou Miki
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Patent number: 5485337Abstract: A thin magnetic head is formed by a magnetic substrate, an element portion, a protective plate, and the like. A plurality of external connection terminals are arranged on the surface of the magnetic substrate to extend from the element portion. A plurality of lead terminals are arranged in correspondence to respective ones of the external connection terminals. The lead terminals are held between a base film and a cover film or by a glass substrate, so that at least surfaces being opposed to the external connection terminals are exposed. Conductive layers are interposed between the opposed ones of the lead terminals and the external connection terminals respectively. The lead terminals are electrically connected with the external connection terminals by the conductive layer.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1994Date of Patent: January 16, 1996Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Sagara