Patents by Inventor Toshio Kumagai
Toshio Kumagai 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: 20140253633Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus which includes a discharge head that includes a nozzle forming surface on which nozzles for discharging liquid are formed; a wiping member that performs wiping by relatively moving on the nozzle forming surface while abutting on the nozzle forming surface; a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies cleaning liquid provided for the wiping; and a control unit that performs reciprocating wiping control which performs the wiping by causing the wiping member for holding the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply unit to perform a reciprocating operation in which, after relative movement is performed in a first direction along the nozzle forming surface, relative movement is performed in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshihiro KOBAYASHI, Toshio KUMAGAI, Norihiro MASUDA, Katsuyoshi ONODERA
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Publication number: 20140253634Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus which includes: a discharge head that includes a nozzle forming surface on which nozzles for discharging liquid are formed; a wiping member that performs wiping by relatively moving on the nozzle forming surface in a state in which a wiping surface abuts on the nozzle forming surface; a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies cleaning liquid to a liquid supplied surface which is a different surface from the nozzle forming surface and with which the wiping surface can come into contact; and a control unit that causes the wiping surface to abut on the liquid supplied surface to which the cleaning liquid is supplied, and then causes the wiping surface to relatively move on the nozzle forming surface in a state in which the wiping surface abuts on the nozzle forming surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshihiro KOBAYASHI, Toshio KUMAGAI, Katsuyoshi ONODERA, Kazutoshi SHIMIZU
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Publication number: 20140247313Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a main tank configured to agitate a liquid accommodated in the main tank; a sub tank configured to receive the liquid supplied from the main tank; heads that eject the liquid supplied from the sub tank; and a liquid supply tube having connector tubes that branch off to the heads respectively; a pump that sucks liquid from the main tank and discharges such liquid to the sub tank; and a valve separated from the pump that operates to allow or restrict flow of the liquid between the main tank and the sub tank. The main ink tank may include a drawer assembly, a portion of which is manually movable to agitate the liquid. The main tank may have a capacity that is greater than that of the sub tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2014Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Toshio Kumagai
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Publication number: 20140225959Abstract: A printing apparatus which performs printing by ejecting liquid onto a printing medium includes a gas flow generating section that generates a gas flow to collect and exhaust liquid not used for printing, and a gas-liquid separation cyclone that swirls the gas flow so that the liquid is centrifugally separated from a gas which moves along the gas flow, wherein the gas flow generating section exhausts the gas along the gas flow after the liquid is separated from the gas by the gas-liquid separation cyclone.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshihiro KOBAYASHI, Toshio KUMAGAI, Norihiro MASUDA
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Publication number: 20140210909Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2014Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshiharu ARUGA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Hitoshi MATSUMOTO
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Patent number: 8783826Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle that ejects fluid; a transporting section that transports in a direction of transportation a medium on which the fluid lands; and a mist sucking section that sucks air including a mist portion when the nozzle ejects the fluid, so as to move the mist portion from a route that extends from the nozzle to the spot on the medium where the fluid lands. The mist portion is a portion of mist, which is part of the fluid ejected by the nozzle that does not land on the medium and is floating.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2013Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai, Hiroki Matsuoka
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Patent number: 8764140Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus including a liquid storage unit that stores a liquid; a tank having a liquid capacity greater than that of the liquid storage unit; a liquid supply unit supplying the liquid in the liquid storage unit to the tank; an agitation device that agitates the liquid accommodated in the tank; and a liquid ejection unit that ejects the liquid from the tank.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2013Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Toshio Kumagai
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Publication number: 20140168296Abstract: When filling a printing head with ink, ink in a sub-tank is circulated through a forward path port, a forward path, the printing head, a return path, a return path port, and the sub-tank by pumping ink from the forward path port side to the printing head side by a circulation pump in a state where a plurality of nozzles is sealed by bringing a contact member of a capping device into contact with a nozzle formation surface. Thereafter, sealing of the plurality of nozzles by the capping device is released while pressurizing the sub-tank by a pressure adjusting device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2014Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kaoru KOIKE, Toshio KUMAGAI
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Patent number: 8727490Abstract: A fluid discharging apparatus includes: a nozzle for discharging fluid onto a medium; and a rotating body that has a holding region for holding the medium and a non-holding region on its peripheral surface and that rotates while facing the peripheral surface toward the nozzle. The rotating body includes a receiving member for receiving fluid discharged from the nozzle for flushing when the non-holding region faces the nozzle and a removing member for removing the fluid, received by the receiving member, from the receiving member.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Toshio Kumagai, Kaoru Koike
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Patent number: 8727514Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2013Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Yoshiharu Aruga, Toshio Kumagai, Hitoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 8708467Abstract: Provided is a liquid injecting apparatus equipped with a liquid injecting head, which is mounted on a carriage and moved reciprocally in a widthwise direction of a target, and a valve unit, which is mounted on the carriage to be supplied with liquid via a supply passage from a liquid retainer and to supply liquid to the liquid injecting head. The valve unit has a pressure chamber connected to the liquid retainer via the supply passage; a valve, which opens or closes the supply passage to supply liquid to the pressure chamber; and a flexible film member, which is displaced based on a negative pressure generated as liquid in the pressure chamber decreases to thereby operate the valve.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2013Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Yoshiharu Aruga, Toshio Kumagai, Hitoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 8690301Abstract: When filling a printing head with ink, ink in a sub-tank is circulated through a forward path port, a forward path, the printing head, a return path, a return path port, and the sub-tank by pumping ink from the forward path port side to the printing head side by a circulation pump in a state where a plurality of nozzles is sealed by bringing a contact member of a capping device into contact with a nozzle formation surface. Thereafter, sealing of the plurality of nozzles by the capping device is released while pressurizing the sub-tank by a pressure adjusting device.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai
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Publication number: 20140071214Abstract: A filter unit includes: a space portion, through which a liquid passes, whose outer cross-sectional shape when cut along the direction orthogonal to the axial direction is circular or polygonal; a filter provided at the surface on one end side of the space portion in the axial direction thereof; a protruding member, provided at the surface on the other end side of the space portion in the axial direction thereof, that protrudes toward a center area of the surface on the one end side of the space portion; an inflow channel that allows the liquid to flow into the space portion from a direction tangential to the side circumferential surface of the space portion; and an outflow channel that allows the liquid to pass through the filter and flow out from the space portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kaoru KOIKE, Toshio KUMAGAI, Masaaki ANDO, Haruhisa UEZAWA
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Publication number: 20140055538Abstract: There is provided an ink cartridge which is formed from an ink-filled ink pack and a hermetic outer shell case for housing the ink pack and which supplies ink to a recording head by means of application of air pressure to a space between the outer shell case and the ink pack. The outer shell case is formed by coupling an upper case and a lower case together. The ink-filled ink pack is housed in the lower case, and the upper case is laid on the lower case from above. The upper and lower cases are hermetically sealed by vibratory welding or heat welding, thus constituting the ink cartridge.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Taku ISHIZAWA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Masanori KAMIJYO
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Patent number: 8657415Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a common liquid chamber which is common to each pressure chamber and stores ink, a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber which communicate with the common liquid chamber, a first nozzle which communicates with the first pressure chamber and a second nozzle which communicates with the second pressure chamber, a first piezoelectric vibrator which causes pressure fluctuation in ink in the first pressure chamber and a second piezoelectric vibrator which causes pressure fluctuation in ink in the second pressure chamber, and a communication flow path which makes the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber communicate with each other, wherein the flow of ink is generated in the communication flow path by driving the first piezoelectric vibrator and the second piezoelectric vibrator.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Toshio Kumagai
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Publication number: 20140043415Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a liquid storage unit that stores a liquid; a tank having a liquid capacity greater than that of the liquid storage unit; a liquid supply unit supplying the liquid in the liquid storage unit to the tank; an agitation device that agitates the liquid accommodated in the tank; and a liquid ejection unit that ejects the liquid from the tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Toshio Kumagai
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Patent number: 8636347Abstract: There is provided an ink cartridge which is formed from an ink-filled ink pack and a hermetic outer shell case for housing the ink pack and which supplies ink to a recording head by means of application of air pressure to a space between the outer shell case and the ink pack. The outer shell case is formed by coupling an upper case and a lower case together. The ink-filled ink pack is housed in the lower case, and the upper case is laid on the lower case from above. The upper and lower cases are hermetically sealed by vibratory welding or heat welding, thus constituting the ink cartridge.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Taku Ishizawa, Toshio Kumagai, Masanori Kamijyo
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Publication number: 20140002543Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a nozzle that ejects fluid; a transporting section that transports in a direction of transportation a medium on which the fluid lands; and a mist sucking section that sucks air including a mist portion when the nozzle ejects the fluid, so as to move the mist portion from a route that extends from the nozzle to the spot on the medium where the fluid lands. The mist portion is a portion of mist, which is part of the fluid ejected by the nozzle that does not land on the medium and is floating.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kaoru KOIKE, Toshio KUMAGAI, Hiroki MATSUOKA
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Patent number: 8608269Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a drum that rotates while holding a medium on its outer periphery, a head that ejects a fluid on to the medium held on the periphery of the drum, a fixing section that fixes the fluid ejected on to the medium by the head, a measuring section that measures a diameter of the drum, and a controller that varies an ejection timing of the fluid ejected from the head in accordance with variation in the diameter of the drum measured by the measuring section.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2012Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hidenori Usuda, Hideo Noro, Toshio Kumagai, Shinichi Kamoshida
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Patent number: 8596775Abstract: A filter unit includes: a space portion, through which a liquid passes, whose outer cross-sectional shape when cut along the direction orthogonal to the axial direction is circular or polygonal; a filter provided at the surface on one end side of the space portion in the axial direction thereof; a protruding member, provided at the surface on the other end side of the space portion in the axial direction thereof, that protrudes toward a center area of the surface on the one end side of the space portion; an inflow channel that allows the liquid to flow into the space portion from a direction tangential to the side circumferential surface of the space portion; and an outflow channel that allows the liquid to pass through the filter and flow out from the space portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai, Masaaki Ando, Haruhisa Uezawa