Patents by Inventor Toshihiro Kitahara

Toshihiro Kitahara 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: 7077501
    Abstract: A method of assembling an ink jet head unit, according to the present invention, is used to assemble the ink jet head unit configured by fixing a plurality of ink jet heads such that one ink jet head is fixed to the other ink jet head adjacent thereto, each ink jet head having an ink ejecting portion in which a plurality of nozzles to eject ink are arrayed. In this method, the ink jet heads are positioned by abutting the ink jet heads on a common positioning unit, and the plurality of ink jet heads are fixed such that one ink jet head is fixed to the other ink jet head adjacent thereto, in a state that the ink jet heads are so positioned as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Tatsutoshi Hashimoto, Hiroshi Hashi, Noriko Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7069057
    Abstract: There is disclosed a cellular phone in which communication of information for a call including a voice is carried out in a communication section for the call, and communication of information which is different from the call information and which includes an image to be displayed is carried out in a communication section for information. A first display section in which the information for the call is displayed, and a second display section in which details of the information including the image to be displayed are enlarged and displayed are disposed in a cellular phone main body. An attachable/detachable operation key for inputting characters or instruction information is disposed so that the key can be attached/detached with respect to the cellular phone main body. The information is transmitted/received between the attachable/detachable operation key and the cellular phone main body by cable or by radio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Ishibashi, Yutaka Adachi, Hiroyoshi Kobayashi, Masatoshi Homan, Toshihiro Kitahara, Yoichi Iba, Hisanori Tetsuka
  • Patent number: 7008052
    Abstract: An ink jet printer includes ink jet heads for recording an image on a recording medium, an ink bottle for holding ink, an ink supply path connecting the ink bottle to each ink jet head, and an electromagnetic valve provided on the path. In the printer, the bottle, the valve and the heads are arranged downward in this order in the vertical direction, the path constantly exists upwards in the vertical direction in such a manner that air entered into the path moves up above the valve due to a difference in the specific gravity between the air and the ink, the path is provided with a branching portion provided between the valve and the heads, and a sub ink tank is provided at an end of the branching portion so as to be positioned lower than the heads in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Yamada, Takashi Matsuyama, Masanobu Shimizu, Kaoru Horie, Keiji Izumi, Hiroshi Hashi, Toshihiro Kitahara, Takashi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 6964468
    Abstract: A printer comprises a transportation belt, a printer head, and a pneumatic paper sucker. The transportation belt is driven by a driving roller that drives a driven roller. The printer head includes a plurality of head units each having ink-jet surfaces. In the printer, print paper is adsorbed to the transportation belt by the sucker, and transported in a direction of transportation. Ink drops jetted out from the head units are shot at correct points on the print paper specified in print data. Thus, printing is achieved. According to the printer, the printer head need not be shifted in the process of printing, but printing can be achieved at a high speed. Moreover, the costs of manufacturing can be reduced, and the printer can be designed compactly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi
  • Patent number: 6902254
    Abstract: A printer system includes a host computer, K, C, M, and Y printer elements for four colors, a paper feeding section, and a head cleaning section. The printer elements each include a head controller and print head groups. The head controllers are connected to the host computer via SCSI interfaces in a daisy chain. When printing, the host computer transfers information, such as an image-printing region, image-printing data, to the head controllers via the SCSI interfaces, thereby executing image printing. The printer system can control a large number of print heads with a simple configuration and also can perform high-accuracy image printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Sugaya, Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi, Fujio Kosaka, Katsunori Kumai
  • Publication number: 20050062810
    Abstract: There is disposed a sealing mechanism having a container which stores an ink liquid; an ink head which spouts the ink liquid; and an ink channel switching section which is disposed in an ink channel connecting the container to the ink head and which switches the ink channel to a sealed state or an opened state, wherein the ink liquid flowing into the ink head from the container is quickly replaced with air (bubble) flowing through the container from the ink head during the switching of the ink channel to the opened state from the sealing state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi
  • Publication number: 20050062799
    Abstract: A method of assembling an ink jet head unit, according to the present invention, is used to assemble the ink jet head unit configured by fixing a plurality of ink jet heads such that one ink jet head is fixed to the other ink jet head adjacent thereto, each ink jet head having an ink ejecting portion in which a plurality of nozzles to eject ink are arrayed. In this method, the ink jet heads are positioned by abutting the ink jet heads on a common positioning unit, and the plurality of ink jet heads are fixed such that one ink jet head is fixed to the other ink jet head adjacent thereto, in a state that the ink jet heads are so positioned as described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Tatsutoshi Hashimoto, Hiroshi Hashi, Noriko Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20040257410
    Abstract: An ink jet printer includes ink jet heads for recording an image on a recording medium, an ink bottle for holding ink, an ink supply path connecting the ink bottle to each ink jet head, and an electromagnetic valve provided on the path. In the printer, the bottle, the valve and the heads are arranged downward in this order in the vertical direction, the path constantly exists upwards in the vertical direction in such a manner that air entered into the path moves up above the valve due to a difference in the specific gravity between the air and the ink, the path is provided with a branching portion provided between the valve and the heads, and a sub ink tank is provided at an end of the branching portion so as to be positioned lower than the heads in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Yamada, Takashi Matsuyama, Masanobu Shimizu, Kaoru Horie, Keiji Izumi, Hiroshi Hashi, Toshihiro Kitahara, Takashi Miyazawa
  • Publication number: 20040246322
    Abstract: In discharge recovery processing, a continuous sheet 23 is moved from a facing position facing a head portion 21 to a first position (in the down direction in the drawing) as an evacuating position in the discharge recovery processing, thereafter, a discharge recovery processing unit 22 in the standby mode at a second position (in the up direction in the drawing) different from the facing position is moved to the facing position, and the discharge recovery processing is performed. In the discharge recovery processing, the head unit 21 is not moved and therefore the preferable positional reproducibility is obtained after ending the discharge recovery processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Sugaya, Fujio Kosaka, Katsunori Kumai, Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi
  • Publication number: 20040104961
    Abstract: A recovery device for an ink jet printer includes a recovery unit having a wiper and a cap. When performing recovery processing, the recovery unit is inserted into a lower portion of a print head. The wiper moves along the +Y direction above the cap in a retreated state, and wipes the ink discharge surface of the print head. Also, in a state where the wiper is retreated outside the moving locus of the cap, the cap moves upward and caps the ink discharge surface of the print head. In this capping state, discharging and sucking of ink are performed for cleaning. This recovery device for an ink jet printer has a simple structure, and allows the suction of discharged ink during recovery processing to be efficiently performed. Furthermore, the present recovery device has a smaller space required for placement, thereby enabling the size-reduction of a printer apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hashi, Toshihiro Kitahara, Fujio Kosaka, Katsunori Kumai, Takumi Sugaya
  • Publication number: 20040043799
    Abstract: There is disclosed a cellular phone in which communication of information for a call including a voice is carried out in a communication section for the call, and communication of information which is different from the call information and which includes an image to be displayed is carried out in a communication section for information. A first display section in which the information for the call is displayed, and a second display section in which details of the information including the image to be displayed are enlarged and displayed are disposed in a cellular phone main body. An attachable/detachable operation key for inputting characters or instruction information is disposed so that the key can be attached/detached with respect to the cellular phone main body. The information is transmitted/received between the attachable/detachable operation key and the cellular phone main body by cable or by radio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Ishibashi, Yutaka Adachi, Hiroyoshi Kobayashi, Masatoshi Homan, Toshihiro Kitahara, Yoichi Iba, Hisanori Tetsuka
  • Patent number: 6672705
    Abstract: A printer comprises a transportation belt, a printer head, and a pneumatic paper sucker. The transportation belt is driven by a driving roller that drives a driven roller. The printer head includes a plurality of head units each having ink-jet surfaces. In the printer, print paper is adsorbed to the transportation belt by the sucker, and transported in a direction of transportation. Ink drops jetted out from the head units are shot at correct points on the print paper specified in print data. Thus, printing is achieved. According to the printer, the printer head need not be shifted in the process of printing, but printing can be achieved at a high speed. Moreover, the costs of manufacturing can be reduced, and the printer can be designed compactly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi
  • Patent number: 6595819
    Abstract: This invention provides equipment for fabricating partitioning ribs of a plasma display device. The equipment comprises a head, a driver, an X position sensor and a Y position sensor, a laser displacement sensor for detecting the distance of the head from a glass plate or substrate, a motor and a motor driver for moving the head relative to the glass plate, and a CPU for controlling various circuits. The head has nozzle members for ejecting partitioning rib grains by an electrostatic ejection method or ink jet technology to form partitioning ribs. The driver controls the volume of the partitioning rib grains ejected from the head. The X and Y position sensors detect the position of the head relative to the glass plate within a plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi, Akihiro Kubota, Susumu Kobayashi, Hidetoshi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20030128253
    Abstract: A printer comprises a transportation belt, a printer head, and a pneumatic paper sucker. The transportation belt is driven by a driving roller that drives a driven roller. The printer head includes a plurality of head units each having ink-jet surfaces. In the printer, print paper is adsorbed to the transportation belt by the sucker, and transported in a direction of transportation. Ink drops jetted out from the head units are shot at correct points on the print paper specified in print data. Thus, printing is achieved. According to the printer, the printer head need not be shifted in the process of printing, but printing can be achieved at a high speed. Moreover, the costs of manufacturing can be reduced, and the printer can be designed compactly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi
  • Patent number: 6578945
    Abstract: A printer is provided which includes a printer head disposed above a transportation belt, a paper attraction apparatus, and an ink discharge surface recovery apparatus. In order to conduct recovery treatment of an ink discharge surface, the transportation belt is retractable and the recovery apparatus is inserted into the gap formed between the printer head and transportation belt in a direction perpendicular to a paper transportation. In the inserted state, ink is discharged from the ink discharge surface toward a cap of the recovery apparatus, the clogged state of the nozzle is eliminated, and recovery treatment is completed. The recovery apparatus is thereafter retracted to the side of transportation belt. With this structure, the recovery treatment of the ink discharge surface can be easily conducted, an increase in the printer size is avoided, and adjustment, maintenance, and control can be easily conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hashi, Toshihiro Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20030044211
    Abstract: A printer system includes a host computer, K, C, M, and Y printer elements for four colors, a paper feeding section, and a head cleaning section. The printer elements each include a head controller and print head groups. The head controllers are connected to the host computer via SCSI interfaces in a daisy chain. When printing, the host computer transfers information, such as an image-printing region, image-printing data, to the head controllers via the SCSI interfaces, thereby executing image printing. The printer system can control a large number of print heads with a simple configuration and also can perform high-accuracy image printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Sugaya, Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi, Fujio Kosaka, Katsunori Kumai
  • Patent number: 6519824
    Abstract: A wiring board manufacturing system, which is an electric wiring forming system, utilizes a magnesium alloy as a conductive metal for wiring pattern forming, and mixes and heats the magnesium alloy chips thereof in a cylinder (feeding unit) with a built-in screw, melting same into an alloy slurry of a thixotropic state. The alloy slurry thereof is discharged onto a board. The board is mounted on a work stage of a stage unit, which is driven and controlled in accordance with wiring pattern data inputted by a CAD or the like, and a wiring pattern is formed on the board with the discharged alloy. According to this system, it is possible to provide an electric wiring forming system, which does away with the effects on the environment resulting from waste liquid at manufacturing, enables manufacturing time to be shortened, and moreover, uses an inexpensive metallic material for forming a wiring pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Nagasaki, Hiroyoshi Kobayashi, Toshihiro Kitahara
  • Patent number: 6515734
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is arranged to project one unit of a circuit pattern onto the surface of a resist on a substrate to be manufactured and to expose it over the surface of this resist. The exposure apparatus includes a processing unit that enables forming a high-resolution circuit pattern image on the substrate by the use of an image display which is able to ensure a wide display region without deteriorating the resolution, and that when dividing the one unit of circuit pattern into a plurality of regions in order to ensure an inexpensive, reliable exposure operation, divides it so that adjacent ones of the divided regions may partly overlap each other. An exposure device includes a plurality of optical systems each of that projects one of a plurality of the divided regions onto the surface of the resist on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Yamada, Susumu Kikuchi, Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroya Fukuyama, Tatsuo Nagasaki
  • Publication number: 20020044168
    Abstract: A printer comprising a printer head disposed above a transportation belt and composed of a plurality of head units having an ink discharge surface, a paper attraction apparatus, and an ink discharge surface recovery apparatus, wherein in order to conduct the recovery treatment of the ink discharge surface, the printer head is moved upward and the recovery apparatus is inserted into the gap formed between the printer head and transportation belt in the direction perpendicular to the paper transportation direction of transportation belt. In the inserted state, ink is discharged from the ink discharge surface toward a cap of the recovery apparatus, the clogged state of the nozzle is eliminated, and recovery treatment is completed. The recovery apparatus is thereafter retracted to the side of transportation belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hashi, Toshihiro Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20020018097
    Abstract: A printer comprises a transportation belt, a printer head, and a pneumatic paper sucker. The transportation belt is driven by a driving roller that drives a driven roller. The printer head includes a plurality of head units each having ink-jet surfaces. In the printer, print paper is adsorbed to the transportation belt by the sucker, and transported in a direction of transportation. Ink drops jetted out from the head units are shot at correct points on the print paper specified in print data. Thus, printing is achieved. According to the printer, the printer head need not be shifted in the process of printing, but printing can be achieved at a high speed. Moreover, the costs of manufacturing can be reduced, and the printer can be designed compactly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kitahara, Hiroshi Hashi