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).

  • Liquid discharging apparatus and control method thereof
    Patent number: 8596768
    Abstract: When a printing head is filled with an ink, a circulating pump is controlled so that an ink equal to or greater than the entire volume of a circulating path circulates from a feeding path hole to a returning path hole via a printing head (in a forward direction), and after that, the circulating pump is controlled so that the ink equal to or greater than the entire volume of the circulating path circulates from the returning path hole to the feeding path hole via the printing head (in a reverse direction). By doing so, gas (bubbles) in the circulating path may be more securely discharged to a sub tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai
  • Liquid supply method
    Patent number: 8585191
    Abstract: A liquid supply method of a liquid ejecting apparatus including a tank having a liquid capacity greater than that of a liquid storage unit in which liquid is stored, and a liquid ejection unit that ejects the liquid supplied from the tank side, the liquid supply method comprising the steps of: firstly supplying all the liquid in the liquid storage unit to the tank; agitating the liquid accommodated in the tank; and secondly supplying the liquid in the tank to the liquid ejection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Toshio Kumagai
  • Flow path unit and image forming apparatus that includes flow path unit
    Patent number: 8579422
    Abstract: A flow path unit includes: a tank that accumulates a discharge fluid; a main flow path pipe that is connected to the tank and that includes a horizontal section that transfers the discharge fluid in the horizontal direction; a diverging flow path pipe that diverges in plurality from the main flow path pipe and in which each is respectively connected to a plurality of discharge units that discharge the discharge fluid; a pump; a bypass flow path pipe that is connected to the main flow path pipe; a valve that switches the flow or otherwise of the discharge fluid in the bypass flow path pipe by opening and closing; and a control unit that switches between a first control state of recycling the discharge fluid in a flow path that passes through the horizontal section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Toshio Kumagai, Kaoru Koike
  • Liquid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 8573760
    Abstract: An outgoing path port and a returning path port of a circulation path are at a position that is lower than a printing head. The outgoing path port and a discharge port of a discharge path are at a position that is lower than the returning path port. When ink droplets are ejected from the printing head, ink is pumped from a main tank to a sub tank using a supply pump, and ink is pumped from the outgoing path port to the printing head using a circulation pump with an opening and closing valve open and an opening and closing valve closed. In a case where discharge of ink in the sub tank and a circulation path is instructed before replacing of an ink unit, ink is pumped from the outgoing path port to a junction side using the circulation pump with both of the valves open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hori, Toshio Kumagai, Kaoru Koike
  • INK JET RECORDING METHOD, ULTRAVIOLET-RAY CURABLE INK, AND INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20130286120
    Abstract: An ink jet recording method includes ejecting an ultraviolet-ray curable ink of which a viscosity at 28° C. is 8 mPa·s or more from a head to a recording medium, and curing the ultraviolet-ray curable ink attached to the recording medium, wherein, in the ejecting of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink, the ultraviolet-ray curable ink is heated such that a temperature of the ejected ultraviolet-ray curable ink becomes 28° C. to 40° C., and a viscosity of the ultraviolet-ray curable ink at the temperature is 15 mPa·s or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kobayashi, Yusuke Mizutaki, Toshio Kumagai, Masaaki Ando, Hiroaki Kida, Kaoru Koike, Mitsuaki Yoshizawa
  • LIQUID INJECTING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20130265372
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshiharu ARUGA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Hitoshi MATSUMOTO
  • Fluid ejecting apparatus and method of controlling the fluid ejecting apparatus
    Patent number: 8550591
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai, Hiroki Matsuoka
  • LIQUID INJECTING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20130235127
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiharu ARUGA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Hitoshi MATSUMOTO
  • Fluid ejecting apparatus and image formation method
    Patent number: 8465145
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes: a fluid ejecting unit that ejects a colored fluid and a colorless fluid toward a fluid ejection target medium; an irradiating unit that irradiates ultraviolet rays onto a fluid that lies on or over the fluid ejection target medium so as to cure the fluid; and a controlling unit that controls the fluid ejecting operation of the fluid ejecting unit and the ultraviolet ray irradiating operation of the irradiating unit. The controlling unit performs control so that the colorless fluid is ejected on an image that is made of the colored fluid that landed on the fluid ejection target medium. After the start of the agglomeration of the colorless fluid that landed on the image, the controlling unit performs control so that ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the colorless fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Usuda, Toshio Kumagai, Kazutoshi Fujisawa
  • Liquid injecting apparatus
    Patent number: 8449089
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Aruga, Toshio Kumagai, Hitoshi Matsumoto
  • Fluid ejection device and fluid stirring method for the same, and fluid storage device and fluid stirring method for the same
    Patent number: 8398190
    Abstract: A fluid storage device for storing a fluid, and a fluid ejection head for ejecting the fluid fed from the fluid storage device are provided. The fluid storage device is provided with a storage tank, and a spherical body formed of a magnetic material and provided inside the storage tank. Also provided are three or more attraction devices for attracting the spherical body; and a switching device for switching between attraction and non-attraction by the attraction devices according to a movement path selected from a plurality of movement paths based on a predetermined selection condition, and moving the spherical body inside the storage tank in the selected movement path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Kumagai
  • Fluid ejecting apparatus and fluid ejecting method
    Patent number: 8388082
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus includes a rotatable drum that holds a medium on a periphery thereof, a head that ejects a fluid onto the medium held by the drum, a fixing portion that fixes the fluid ejected from the head onto the medium, an outer-radius measuring portion that measures an outer radius of the drum, an adjusting portion that adjusts a distance between the drum and the head, and a controller that causes the adjusting portion to adjust a distance between the head and the medium in accordance with a variation in the outer radius of the drum measured by the outer-radius measuring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Usuda, Hideo Noro, Toshio Kumagai, Shinichi Kamoshida
  • FILTER UNIT, LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS, AND BUBBLE REMOVAL METHOD
    Publication number: 20130050362
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru KOIKE, Toshio KUMAGAI, Masaaki ANDO, Haruhisa UEZAWA
  • Liquid supply method
    Patent number: 8336999
    Abstract: A liquid supply method of a liquid ejecting apparatus including a tank having a liquid capacity greater than a storage amount of the liquid which is stored in a liquid storage unit, and a liquid ejection unit that ejects the liquid supplied from the tank side includes the steps of: firstly supplying all the liquid in the liquid storage unit to the tank; agitating the liquid accommodated in the tank; and secondly supplying the liquid in the tank to the liquid ejection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Toshio Kumagai
  • FLUID EJECTING APPARATUS, AND FLUID EJECTING METHOD
    Publication number: 20120274697
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori USUDA, Hideo NORO, Toshio KUMAGAI, Shinichi KAMOSHIDA
  • LIQUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF
    Publication number: 20120224007
    Abstract: When a printing head is filled with an ink, a circulating pump is controlled so that an ink equal to or greater than the entire volume of a circulating path circulates from a feeding path hole to a returning path hole via a printing head (in a forward direction), and after that, the circulating pump is controlled so that the ink equal to or greater than the entire volume of the circulating path circulates from the returning path hole to the feeding path hole via the printing head (in a reverse direction). By doing so, gas (bubbles) in the circulating path may be more securely discharged to a sub tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai
  • LIQUID DISCHARGING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF
    Publication number: 20120223981
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru Koike, Toshio Kumagai
  • LIQUID INJECTING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20120212549
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiharu ARUGA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Hitoshi MATSUMOTO
  • LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20120212550
    Abstract: An outgoing path port and a returning path port of a circulation path are at a position that is lower than a printing head. The outgoing path port and a discharge port of a discharge path are at a position that is lower than the returning path port. When ink droplets are ejected from the printing head, ink is pumped from a main tank to a sub tank using a supply pump, and ink is pumped from the outgoing path port to the printing head using a circulation pump with an opening and closing valve open and an opening and closing valve closed. In a case where discharge of ink in the sub tank and a circulation path is instructed before replacing of an ink unit, ink is pumped from the outgoing path port to a junction side using the circulation pump with both of the valves open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hori, Toshio Kumagai, Kaoru Koike
  • Fluid ejecting apparatus, and fluid ejecting method
    Patent number: 8240792
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Usuda, Hideo Noro, Toshio Kumagai, Shinichi Kamoshida