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).

  • Publication number: 20090214282
    Abstract: A housing includes a hollow body case having a communicating portion that communicates the interior and the exterior with each other; a first shaft accommodated in the body case and supporting a recording medium wound into roll form; and a second shaft accommodated in the body case and taking up the recording medium that is let out from the interior of the body case to the exterior from the first shaft via the communicating portion and again introduced from the exterior of the body case into the interior via the communicating portion. The second shaft is movable relative to the body case so that the shortest distance to the inner circumferential surface of the body case increases as the second shaft takes up the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru KOIKE, Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20090213173
    Abstract: A liquid injecting apparatus includes an injection head for injecting liquid that is cured by irradiation of an energy ray to a target, an irradiation unit that solidifies the liquid injected to the target by irradiating the energy ray, and a removal unit that removes the liquid adhering to a light emitting part of the irradiation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiro MASUDA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Shinichi KAMOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20090213202
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a first retainer and a second retainer arranged side by side in a thrust direction, the first and second retainers being rotatable and retaining a long recording medium wound therearound; a guide mechanism that draws the recording medium wound around the first retainer in the thrust direction and guides the recording medium in a direction in which the recording medium can be wound around the second retainer; and a recording unit that performs a first recording process on the recording medium wound in a single layer around and retained by the first retainer under rotation of the first retainer and a second recording process on the recording medium wound in a single layer around and retained by the second retainer under rotation of the second retainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru KOIKE, Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Patent number: 7575308
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes liquid cartridges, each of which includes a liquid container and a pressure chamber, the liquid container having a flexible portion and storing liquid therein, and the pressure chamber applying pressure to the flexible portion of the liquid container; a liquid ejection head, which ejects the liquid; liquid flow paths, which communicate the liquid containers with the liquid ejection head; and an air supply member, which supplies pressurized air to the pressure chambers for compressing the flexible portions so as to supply the liquid from the liquid containers to the liquid flow paths. The air supply member includes: a distribution member, which has an air intake portion for introducing the pressurized air, and air outlet portions for distributing the pressurized air to the liquid cartridges, and branch flow paths, which respectively communicate the air outlet portions with the pressure chambers of the liquid cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Kumagai, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20090196803
    Abstract: There is provided a waste liquid treating device including a drum like waste liquid tank that can be rotated in which liquid that is cured by irradiation of energy ray is introduced as waste liquid, a rotation driving unit for rotating the drum like waste liquid tank about a rotation axis of the drum like waste liquid tank, and an irradiation unit for irradiating energy ray for curing waste liquid in the drum like waste liquid tank that is rotated by the rotation driving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20090189931
    Abstract: A liquid storing device includes a storage unit that stores a liquid to be consumed and a rotation member inside the storage unit that rotates around a rotation axis. A blade member is installed to the rotation member to be movable in the axis direction of the rotation axis with respect to the rotation member and has a specific gravity smaller than that of the liquid. A detection member detects the blade member when the blade member is located vertically at a detection position. When the rotation member rotates in one direction, the blade member agitates the liquid while moving toward the lower side of a liquid surface of the liquid in the vertical direction along the axis direction in accordance with rotation of the rotation member. When the rotation member stops rotating, the blade member floats toward the liquid surface due to buoyancy of the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo NORO, Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20090189947
    Abstract: Provided is a waste liquid processing device including: a waste liquid tank collecting a liquid cured by irradiation of energy rays as a waste liquid; an irradiation portion irradiating curing energy rays to a liquid level of the waste liquid contained in the waste liquid tank; and an external applying portion applying external force to at least one of the waste liquid tank and the contained waste liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo NORO, Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20090184988
    Abstract: A rotary-member control apparatus includes a rotary member that rotates while supporting an object on the outer curved surface of the member. A motor is supplied with current based on a current profile representing the magnitude pattern of current to rotate the rotary member. A detecting element detects a rotation state of the rotary member during rotation. A control unit generates a one-rotation current profile, representing the magnitude pattern of current corrected on the basis of the detected rotation state, corresponding to one rotation of the rotary member, and supplies corrected current to rotate the rotary member. When the length of the medium in the rotation direction, the length of the medium in the axial direction, or the type of the medium is changed, the control unit generates the one-rotation current profile before starting printing, and repeatedly supplies the corrected current to the motor to print the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo NORO, Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20090185020
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio KUMAGAI, Kaoru KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20090184996
    Abstract: An ink injecting apparatus includes a nozzle that is used for injecting ultraviolet-curable ink to a medium, an irradiation unit that includes an irradiation face for irradiating an ultraviolet ray to the ultraviolet-curable ink adhering to the medium, and a rotary body that has a holding area for holding the medium and a non-holding area on a circumferential face, rotates with the circumferential face facing the irradiation face, and includes a touch member that moves to a position for touching the irradiation face and is brought into touch with the irradiation face in the non-holding area in accordance with rotation of the rotary body for removing the ultraviolet-curable ink adhering to the irradiation face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiro MASUDA, Toshio KUMAGAI, Shinichi KAMOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20090180938
    Abstract: Provided is a waste liquid processing device including: a carrier transporting a waste liquid attached thereto; an attachment portion attaching a liquid cured by irradiation of energy rays to the carrier; an irradiation portion irradiating the energy rays to the waste liquid attached to the carrier by the attachment portion so as to cure the waste liquid; and a removal portion removing the waste liquid cured by the irradiation portion from the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo Noro, Toshio Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20090179932
    Abstract: A printer has a carriage on which a recording head and pumps are mounted. An air supply device and ink cartridges are provided in a frame of the printer. The pumps are connected to the air supply device with an air supply tube. Each pump is connected to corresponding one of the ink cartridges with an ink supply tube. Based on actuation of a drive mechanism of the air supply device, air is supplied from the air supply device to the pumps. Based on changes in the pressure of the air, each pump draws ink from the corresponding ink cartridge and supplies the ink to the recording head. This permits the carriage to reciprocate in a reliable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Patent number: 7524044
    Abstract: A printer has a carriage on which a recording head and pumps are mounted. An air supply device and ink cartridges are provided in a frame of the printer. The pumps are connected to the air supply device with an air supply tube. Each pump is connected to corresponding one of the ink cartridges with an ink supply tube. Based on actuation of a drive mechanism of the air supply device, air is supplied from the air supply device to the pumps. Based on changes in the pressure of the air, each pump draws ink from the corresponding ink cartridge and supplies the ink to the recording head. This permits the carriage to reciprocate in a reliable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20090020920
    Abstract: A three-dimensional object forming apparatus forms a three-dimensional object by binding powder particles with a curable liquid. The apparatus includes a powder layer forming unit that spreads a powder to a uniform thickness to form a powder layer. A curable liquid ejection head ejects the curable liquid to the powder layer through an ejection nozzle. A sectional data producing device produces sectional data at each of a plurality of cross sections of a desired three-dimensional object according to shape data of the desired three-dimensional object. A cross-sectional member forming section is also included by which cross-sectional members are formed by ejecting the curable liquid to the powder layer from the curable liquid ejection head according to the sectional data and thus binding the powder layer. The cross-sectional member forming section includes a permeation rate controller controlling the permeation rate of the curable liquid to the powder layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio KUMAGAI, Kazutoshi FUJISAWA, Akio ITO
  • Publication number: 20090009544
    Abstract: A fluid ejecting apparatus including a head that ejects fluid, a first fluid storing section for storing the fluid that is located below the head, a second fluid storing section for storing the liquid that is located above the first fluid storing section, a pumping mechanism capable of moving the fluid from the first fluid storing section to the second fluid storing section through the head, and a controller that alternates between a first control mode wherein the pumping mechanism moves the fluid from the first fluid storing section to the second fluid storing section and a second control mode in which the fluid is allowed to flow from the second fluid storing section to the first fluid storing section through the head. Upon receiving an instruction to turn off the power, the controller shifts to the second control mode and then turns off the power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Kumagai, Jun Shimazaki
  • Publication number: 20090004381
    Abstract: A three-dimensional molding apparatus for binding powder with a binding liquid to mold a three-dimensional object. When the three-dimensional object is cut into cross-sectional layers, a cross-section data generating unit generates cross-section data for each of the layers. A cross-sectional member forming unit spreads the powder so as to have a substantially uniform thickness to form a powder layer and supplies the binding liquid to the powder layer on the basis of the cross-section data to form a cross-sectional member corresponding to one layer of the three-dimensional object. A three-dimensional object molding unit forms a new powder layer on the powder layer in which the cross-sectional member is formed, supplies the binding liquid to the new powder layer on the basis of the cross-section data to form a new cross-sectional member, and laminates the new cross-sectional member on the previous cross-sectional member, thereby forming the three-dimensional object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutoshi FUJISAWA, Toshio KUMAGAI
  • Publication number: 20080303861
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a portable liquid ejecting unit for independently performing by itself a liquid ejection operation to an object, and a stationary unit to be equipped with the liquid ejecting unit so that the stationary unit is separably united with the same. The liquid ejecting unit has a liquid ejecting head for ejecting a liquid toward the object and a liquid container including a storage space for storing a liquid to be fed to the liquid ejecting head. The stationary unit has a liquid tank for storing a liquid to be fed to the liquid ejecting head. The apparatus further has liquid tank connection member for enabling interconnection between the liquid tank and the liquid ejecting head when the liquid ejecting unit is united with the stationary unit. The invention provides a liquid ejecting apparatus which can meet two needs for executing a large amount of printing and transporting when necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Kumagai, Atsushi Kobayashi, Satoshi Shinada
  • Publication number: 20080291242
    Abstract: A liquid container of the invention has a container body including a storage space and a liquid feed port and a liquid injection port which are installed on the container body. The liquid feed port is structured so as to interconnect the storage space and the liquid ejecting head with each other, when the liquid container is mounted on a liquid ejecting unit. The liquid injection port is structured so as to interconnect the storage space of the container body and a liquid tank of a stationary unit with each other, when the liquid ejecting unit is united with the stationary unit. The invention provides a liquid container effective in realization of a liquid ejecting apparatus which can meet two needs for executing a large amount of printing and transporting when necessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Kumagai, Atsushi Kobayashi, Satoshi Shinada
  • Publication number: 20080273048
    Abstract: The invention provides a liquid container for storing liquid to be supplied to a liquid consuming apparatus. The liquid container is constructed such that pressurized fluid is sent to its inside so that the liquid in the inside is delivered to the outside. The liquid container includes a container body which stores the liquid in its inside. The container body includes a pressurized fluid introduction port for introducing the pressurized fluid to the inside and a liquid delivery port for delivering the liquid to the outside. A detection unit is provided in the container body and outputs an output signal which is changed in accordance with a change in pressure of the liquid in the inside of the container body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Takahiro Naka, Takahiro Katakura, Atsushi Kobayashi, Satoshi Shinada, Toshio Kumagai, Taku Ishizawa, Takeo Seino, Hisashi Miyazawa, Takakazu Fukano, Hitotoshi Kimura, Yasunao Uehara, Masahide Matsuyama
  • Publication number: 20080225101
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a support drum that rotates while supporting a recording medium on a support surface thereof. A guide axis extends in parallel with a rotation axis of the support drum along the support surface. A carriage that is guided by the guide axis moves back and forth along the support surface. A recording head for ejecting ultraviolet curing type ink toward a recording medium is supported on the support surface. The recording head has head units and is mounted on the carriage. Each head unit ejects a different type of ultraviolet curing type ink to a different position along an extending direction of the guide axis. An ultraviolet emission unit of the recording apparatus includes ultraviolet light sources that generate ultraviolet light having at least an intensity, wavelength, or emission time that is different from those of the other ultraviolet light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshio Kumagai