Patents by Inventor Toru KASHIMURA

Toru KASHIMURA 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: 20260151995
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting section that ejects a liquid; a detection circuit that acquires a vibration signal according to residual vibration generated in the ejecting section and outputs a signal according to the vibration signal; a switch circuit that switches whether or not to supply the vibration signal to the detection circuit; and a power supply circuit to which a first power supply signal is input and which outputs a second power supply signal to the switch circuit, in which the power supply circuit is configured to include a linear power supply circuit to which outputs a first voltage signal, and a switching power supply circuit to which outputs a second voltage signal, and output the first voltage signal or the second voltage signal as the second power supply signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2025
    Publication date: June 4, 2026
    Inventors: Madoka GOI, Tomonori YAMADA, Toru KASHIMURA, Ryuji FUJITA
  • Publication number: 20260084416
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head including a first discharge section and a second discharge section, a first drive circuit, a second drive circuit, and a startup control circuit that controls startup of the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit, in which the first drive circuit outputs a signal for stopping output of a head power supply signal from a power supply circuit when the head power supply signal is equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage, the second drive circuit outputs a signal for stopping output of a drive circuit power supply signal from the power supply circuit when the drive circuit power supply signal is equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage, and the startup control circuit starts a startup sequence of the first drive circuit, and then starts a startup sequence of the second drive circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2025
    Publication date: March 26, 2026
    Inventor: Toru KASHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20260084417
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head including a discharge section that discharges liquid by a drive signal, and a drive circuit substrate coupled to the head, in which the drive circuit substrate includes a drive circuit that outputs the drive signal, a first power supply wiring that couples a power supply circuit and the head, and a first overcurrent protection circuit provided on the first power supply wiring, the first overcurrent protection circuit has a first mode that puts the power supply circuit and the head in a conductive state and a second mode that puts the power supply circuit and the head in a non-conductive state, the first overcurrent protection circuit switches from the first mode to the second mode when a current flowing through the first power supply wiring is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2025
    Publication date: March 26, 2026
    Inventor: Toru KASHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20250303719
    Abstract: A head unit includes a wiring substrate including a first side, a second side located so as to face the first side, and a first supply point supplied with a first drive signal, wherein a first capacitor having a first electrode supplied with a first reference voltage signal and a second electrode supplied with a ground signal is located between an output connector electrically coupled to a first print head and the first supply point when viewed along a second axis perpendicular to a first axis connecting the first side and the second side, and a shortest distance between the output connector and the first electrode is shorter than a shortest distance between the output connector and the second electrode, and a shortest distance between the first supply point and the first electrode is longer than a shortest distance between the first supply point and the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2025
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: Ryuji FUJITA, Toru KASHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20250303702
    Abstract: A head unit includes an ejection unit configured to eject a liquid in accordance with a drive signal, and a drive unit supplied with a power supply voltage from outside and configured to output the drive signal, wherein the drive unit includes a first step-down circuit configured to step down the power supply voltage to output a first drive voltage, a second step-down circuit configured to step down the power supply voltage to output a second drive voltage, an output circuit supplied with the first drive voltage and configured to output the drive signal according to the first drive voltage, and a drive control circuit supplied with the second drive voltage and configured to control drive of the output circuit in accordance with the second drive voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2025
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: Ryuji FUJITA, Toru KASHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20250162311
    Abstract: A head unit includes a first nozzle that communicates with a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber volumes of which change in accordance with a drive signal, and ejects a liquid, an inspection signal output circuit to which a first piezoelectric element for outputting a first residual vibration signal, and a second piezoelectric element for outputting a second residual vibration signal, and which outputs an inspection signal, a processor for determining a state of the first nozzle based on the inspection signal, and a first switching circuit for switching whether to output the first residual vibration signal and the second residual vibration signal to the inspection signal output circuit, wherein the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element are electrically coupled at a first node, and the first switching circuit switches a conduction state between the first node and the inspection signal output circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Inventors: Toru KASHIMURA, Yoichiro KONDO
  • Patent number: 12257834
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device in which an inter-wiring region between a first wiring through which a first drive signal, and a second wiring through which a second drive signal propagates includes a wide inter-wiring region in which an inter-wiring distance between the first wiring and the second wiring is larger than a sum of a wire width of a fourth wiring and a minimum diameter of a via wiring, and a narrow inter-wiring region in which the inter-wiring distance is smaller than the sum of the wire width of the fourth wiring and the minimum diameter of the via wiring, and larger than a wire width of the via wiring, and a third wiring is not located in the narrow inter-wiring region between a virtual line coupling a first terminal and a second terminal, and the wide inter-wiring region, in the inter-wiring region of a first wiring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Kashimura
  • Patent number: 12202264
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device including a drive circuit substrate that drives a piezoelectric element of a liquid discharge head, and that includes a substrate which includes a first wiring layer having a first wiring through which the first drive signal propagates, a second wiring layer having a second wiring through which the second drive signal propagates, and a third wiring layer located between the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and having a fourth wiring through which the reference voltage signal propagates, in which a third wiring through which the third drive signal propagates is provided on any one of the first wiring layer, the second wiring layer, and the third wiring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Kashimura
  • Patent number: 12162277
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device in which a drive circuit substrate that outputs a first drive signal supplied to a first electrode, a substrate, a first drive circuit that has a first circuit element in which a ground potential is supplied to one end and outputs the first drive signal, a first capacitor in which one end is electrically coupled to the second electrode and a ground potential is supplied to the other end, and a second capacitor in which one end is electrically coupled to the second electrode and a ground potential is supplied to the other end, the substrate includes a first surface and a second surface, the first capacitor is a chip capacitor, the second capacitor is an electrolytic capacitor, the first circuit element and the first capacitor are provided on the first surface, and the second capacitor is provided on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Kashimura
  • Publication number: 20230311492
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device in which an inter-wiring region between a first wiring through which a first drive signal, and a second wiring through which a second drive signal propagates includes a wide inter-wiring region in which an inter-wiring distance between the first wiring and the second wiring is larger than a sum of a wire width of a fourth wiring and a minimum diameter of a via wiring, and a narrow inter-wiring region in which the inter-wiring distance is smaller than the sum of the wire width of the fourth wiring and the minimum diameter of the via wiring, and larger than a wire width of the via wiring, and a third wiring is not located in the narrow inter-wiring region between a virtual line coupling a first terminal and a second terminal, and the wide inter-wiring region, in the inter-wiring region of a first wiring layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventor: Toru KASHIMURA
  • Patent number: 11772375
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a first drive signal, a second drive signal output circuit, a third drive signal output circuit that outputs a third drive signal, having a smaller voltage amplitude than voltage amplitudes of other drive signals, to drive the liquid ejecting head, and a first conductive component including a first conductive section that electrically couples the liquid ejecting head to the first drive signal output circuit, a second conductive section that electrically couples the liquid ejecting head to the second drive signal output circuit, and a third conductive section that electrically couples the liquid ejecting head to the third drive signal output circuit. The first conductive section is positioned between the second conductive section and the third conductive section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Yoichiro Kondo, Toru Kashimura, Asami Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20230126703
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device including a first piezoelectric element that has a first electrode and a second electrode and discharges a liquid from a first nozzle by being driven, a second piezoelectric element that has a third electrode and a fourth electrode and discharges a liquid from a second nozzle by being driven, a reference voltage signal propagation path that electrically couples the second electrode and the fourth electrode and propagates the reference voltage signal supplied to a first coupling point to the second electrode and the fourth electrode, and a first capacitor electrically coupled to the reference voltage signal propagation path at a second coupling point provided in the reference voltage signal propagation path, in which the second coupling point is located between the first coupling point and the second electrode in the reference voltage signal propagation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventor: Toru KASHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230127392
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device in which a drive circuit substrate that outputs a first drive signal supplied to a first electrode, a substrate, a first drive circuit that has a first circuit element in which a ground potential is supplied to one end and outputs the first drive signal, a first capacitor in which one end is electrically coupled to the second electrode and a ground potential is supplied to the other end, and a second capacitor in which one end is electrically coupled to the second electrode and a ground potential is supplied to the other end, the substrate includes a first surface and a second surface, the first capacitor is a chip capacitor, the second capacitor is an electrolytic capacitor, the first circuit element and the first capacitor are provided on the first surface, and the second capacitor is provided on the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventor: Toru KASHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230126918
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device including a drive circuit substrate that drives a piezoelectric element of a liquid discharge head, and that includes a substrate which includes a first wiring layer having a first wiring through which the first drive signal propagates, a second wiring layer having a second wiring through which the second drive signal propagates, and a third wiring layer located between the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and having a fourth wiring through which the reference voltage signal propagates, in which a third wiring through which the third drive signal propagates is provided on any one of the first wiring layer, the second wiring layer, and the third wiring layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventor: Toru KASHIMURA
  • Patent number: 11376844
    Abstract: A drive circuit for driving a first drive element having a first terminal and a second terminal and driving a second drive element having a third terminal and a fourth terminal, includes a first drive signal output circuit that is electrically coupled to the first terminal and outputs a first drive signal, a second drive signal output circuit that is electrically coupled to the third terminal and outputs a second drive signal, a reference voltage signal output circuit that outputs a reference voltage signal having a constant reference voltage value, and a first switch circuit having one end electrically coupled to an output terminal of the reference voltage signal output circuit and the other end electrically coupled to the second terminal and the fourth terminal. The first switch circuit switches whether or not to supply a second constant voltage signal to the second terminal and the fourth terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventors: Toru Kashimura, Yoichiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 11325376
    Abstract: A drive circuit includes a drive signal output circuit that outputs a drive signal supplied to the piezoelectric element and a first constant voltage signal that is constant at a first voltage value; a switch circuit having one end electrically coupled to an output terminal of the drive signal output circuit and the other end electrically coupled to the first terminal of the piezoelectric element, and a reference voltage signal output circuit that is electrically coupled to the second terminal of the piezoelectric element and outputs a second constant voltage signal which is constant at a second voltage value, in which before the reference voltage signal output circuit starts to output the second constant voltage signal, the one end and the other end of the switch circuit are controlled to be non-conductive, and the drive signal output circuit outputs the first constant voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: Toru Kashimura, Yoichiro Kondo, Tetsuo Takagi
  • Patent number: 11292251
    Abstract: A drive circuit includes a first voltage output circuit coupled to a first terminal and outputting a first voltage signal, a second voltage output circuit coupled to a second terminal and outputting a second voltage signal, and a drive signal output circuit coupled to the first terminal and outputting a drive signal. In a first mode, the second voltage output circuit outputs the second voltage signal and the drive signal output circuit outputs the drive signal whose voltage value varies. In a second mode, the second voltage output circuit outputs the second voltage signal and the drive signal output circuit outputs the drive signal which is constant at a third voltage value. In a third mode, the first voltage output circuit outputs the first voltage signal and the second voltage output circuit outputs the second voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Inventors: Toru Kashimura, Yoichiro Kondo, Tetsuo Takagi
  • Publication number: 20220063266
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a first drive signal, a second drive signal output circuit, a third drive signal output circuit that outputs a third drive signal, having a smaller voltage amplitude than voltage amplitudes of other drive signals, to drive the liquid ejecting head, and a first conductive component including a first conductive section that electrically couples the liquid ejecting head to the first drive signal output circuit, a second conductive section that electrically couples the liquid ejecting head to the second drive signal output circuit, and a third conductive section that electrically couples the liquid ejecting head to the third drive signal output circuit. The first conductive section is positioned between the second conductive section and the third conductive section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Yoichiro KONDO, Toru KASHIMURA, Asami OKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 11225067
    Abstract: A drive circuit for driving a first drive element having a first terminal and a second terminal and driving a second drive element having a third terminal and a fourth terminal, includes a first drive signal output circuit that is electrically coupled to the first terminal and outputs a first drive signal, and a second drive signal output circuit that is electrically coupled to the third terminal and outputs a second drive signal. The first drive signal output circuit includes a first reference voltage signal output circuit that outputs a first reference voltage signal. The first reference voltage signal output circuit is electrically coupled to the second terminal and the fourth terminal. The second drive signal output circuit is not electrically coupled to the second terminal and the fourth terminal. The first drive signal output circuit starts startup after the second drive signal output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventors: Toru Kashimura, Yoichiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 11192366
    Abstract: A length of a path between the input section and the third energy generation element in the wiring section is shorter than a length of a path between the input section and the first energy generation element in the wiring section and shorter than a length of a path between the input section and the second energy generation element in the wiring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okui, Eiju Hirai, Toru Kashimura, Yuki Watanabe