Patents by Inventor Toshiro UEDA

Toshiro UEDA 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: 12076995
    Abstract: When inspection driving is performed by a liquid ejection head, a signal output circuit outputs a determination signal indicating whether a nozzle is an abnormal nozzle. The inspection driving is driving the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from the nozzle for checking whether the nozzle is the abnormal nozzle. A recovery device performs a recovery operation of discharging liquid from the nozzle. A controller is configured to: in response to receiving a first signal, perform the inspection driving and, in response to determining that the determination signal transmitted from the signal output circuit indicates that the abnormal nozzle exists, store flag information in a memory, the flag information indicating that the recovery operation needs to be performed; and in response to receiving a second signal different from the first signal and determining that the memory stores the flag information, control the recovery device to perform the recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade, Hironori Takasaki, Toshiro Ueda, Tatsuya Shindo, Ryuji Horata
  • Patent number: 11845285
    Abstract: Aspects of a disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device enables previously disabled liquid discharge through a head after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid chamber of a tank reaches a predetermined level or higher. Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device that deactivates an alarm after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid reaches a predetermined level or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11794478
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head having a plurality of nozzles, a determination circuit, a clock, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the clock is in an on or off state. In response to determining that the clock is in an on state, the controller is configured to perform an inspection process at a first time. In the inspection process, the controller drives the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from a nozzle of the plurality nozzles and receive a determination signal that is output from the determination circuit in response to ejection of liquid from the nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. In response to determining that the clock is in an off state, the controller is configured to perform the inspection process at a predetermined time that is a time after the clock is returned to an on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Shindo, Toshiro Ueda, Ryuji Horata, Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade, Hironori Takasaki
  • Publication number: 20230173816
    Abstract: Aspects of a disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device enables previously disabled liquid discharge through a head after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid chamber of a tank reaches a predetermined level or higher. Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device that deactivates an alarm after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid reaches a predetermined level or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11607879
    Abstract: A cap device includes a cap, an accommodation member, and a cover. The cap covers a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head. The accommodation member is accommodated in the cap and is fixed to the cap. The accommodation member has a conductivity and receives a voltage that generates a potential difference between the liquid ejection head and the accommodation member. The accommodation member includes a first portion and a second portion connected with each other. The cover covers the second portion of the accommodation member, and has a surface that is co-planar with a surface of the first portion. The cover has a conductivity and receives a voltage that generates a potential difference between the liquid ejection head and the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11571906
    Abstract: Aspects of a disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device enables previously disabled liquid discharge through a head after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid chamber of a tank reaches a predetermined level or higher. Another aspects of the disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device that deactivates an alarm after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid reaches a predetermined level or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Publication number: 20220234352
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a liquid ejection head having a plurality of nozzles, a determination circuit, a clock, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether the clock is in an on or off state. In response to determining that the clock is in an on state, the controller is configured to perform an inspection process at a first time. In the inspection process, the controller drives the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from a nozzle of the plurality nozzles and receive a determination signal that is output from the determination circuit in response to ejection of liquid from the nozzle of the plurality of nozzles. In response to determining that the clock is in an off state, the controller is configured to perform the inspection process at a predetermined time that is a time after the clock is returned to an on state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Tatsuya SHINDO, Toshiro UEDA, Ryuji HORATA, Zenichiro SASAKI, Kenta HORADE, Hironori TAKASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220234344
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a first circuit to output a determination signal indicating that ejecting ink is in failure, a second circuit to output a temperature signal indicating a temperature, a recovery device to perform a recovery operation, and a controller. The controller causes a recovery device to perform a first recovery operation based on a first failure-nozzle data in response to determining that a first temperature and a second temperature satisfy a predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Toshiro Ueda, Tatsuya Shindo, Ryuji Horata, Zenichiro Sasaki, Kenta Horade
  • Publication number: 20220234357
    Abstract: When inspection driving is performed by a liquid ejection head, a signal output circuit outputs a determination signal indicating whether a nozzle is an abnormal nozzle. The inspection driving is driving the liquid ejection head to eject liquid from the nozzle for checking whether the nozzle is the abnormal nozzle. A recovery device performs a recovery operation of discharging liquid from the nozzle. A controller is configured to: in response to receiving a first signal, perform the inspection driving and, in response to determining that the determination signal transmitted from the signal output circuit indicates that the abnormal nozzle exists, store flag information in a memory, the flag information indicating that the recovery operation needs to be performed; and in response to receiving a second signal different from the first signal and determining that the memory stores the flag information, control the recovery device to perform the recovery operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Zenichiro SASAKI, Kenta HORADE, Hironori TAKASAKI, Toshiro UEDA, Tatsuya SHINDO, Ryuji HORATA
  • Patent number: 11247458
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a case receiving a cartridge, a tank, a head, and a controller to: when the cartridge is installed in the case, calculate an outflow amount Qc based on heights Hc, Hs and flow path resistances; read the amounts Vc, Vs from a memory; subtract the outflow amount Qc from the read liquid amount Vc to calculate new liquid amount Vc; add the outflow amount Qc to the read liquid amount Vs to calculate new liquid amount Vs; store the calculated liquid amounts Vc, Vs in the memory; after a time period from at the time the calculated liquid amounts Vc, Vs stored elapses, again calculate the outflow amount Qc and the liquid amounts Vc, Vs and store the calculated liquid amounts Vc, Vs in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Takagi, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11247457
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus is configured to activate a first notification in a case where a liquid level of a tank is less than a threshold. In a case where a cartridge is installed after activating the first notification, a controller determines outflow amount Vcs of the liquid flowing into the tank based on the liquid amount of the installed cartridge, and controls a notification device based on the determined outflow amount Vcs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11243729
    Abstract: An image recording system includes a plurality of image recording apparatuses. In a case where a certain image recording apparatus of the image recording apparatuses has a failure nozzle proportion of failure nozzles of all the nozzles of the recording head smaller than or equal to a threshold, image recording is performed on the certain image recording apparatus based on a recording instruction. In a case where the certain image recording apparatus has a failure nozzle proportion exceeding the threshold, a recording instruction is transmitted to a different image recording apparatus having a failure nozzle proportion smaller than that of the certain image recording apparatus, and image recording is performed on the different image recording apparatus based on the recording instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuta Toda, Masayoshi Hayashi, Yasuhiro Nakano, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Toshiro Ueda, Haruka Azechi
  • Publication number: 20210347179
    Abstract: Aspects of a disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device enables previously disabled liquid discharge through a head after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid chamber of a tank reaches a predetermined level or higher. Another aspects of the disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device that deactivates an alarm after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid reaches a predetermined level or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta HORADE, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20210300018
    Abstract: A cap device includes a cap, an accommodation member, and a cover. The cap covers a nozzle surface of a liquid ejection head. The accommodation member is accommodated in the cap and is fixed to the cap. The accommodation member has a conductivity and receives a voltage that generates a potential difference between the liquid ejection head and the accommodation member. The accommodation member includes a first portion and a second portion connected with each other. The cover covers the second portion of the accommodation member, and has a surface that is co-planar with a surface of the first portion. The cover has a conductivity and receives a voltage that generates a potential difference between the liquid ejection head and the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Publication number: 20210303245
    Abstract: An image recording system includes a plurality of image recording apparatuses. In a case where a certain image recording apparatus of the image recording apparatuses has a failure nozzle proportion of failure nozzles of all the nozzles of the recording head smaller than or equal to a threshold, image recording is performed on the certain image recording apparatus based on a recording instruction. In a case where the certain image recording apparatus has a failure nozzle proportion exceeding the threshold, a recording instruction is transmitted to a different image recording apparatus having a failure nozzle proportion smaller than that of the certain image recording apparatus, and image recording is performed on the different image recording apparatus based on the recording instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yuta Toda, Masayoshi Hayashi, Yasuhiro Nakano, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Toshiro Ueda, Haruka Azechi
  • Patent number: 11072181
    Abstract: Aspects of a disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device enables previously disabled liquid discharge through a head after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid chamber of a tank reaches a predetermined level or higher. Another aspects of the disclosure relates to a liquid discharge device that deactivates an alarm after a cartridge including a first liquid chamber is replaced and before the liquid level in a second liquid reaches a predetermined level or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10933649
    Abstract: The liquid discharge device starts executing an initial process of discharging the liquid, based on determining that a low level signal is received after receiving a high level signal from an installation sensor and that a low level signal is received after receiving a high level signal from a liquid level sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiro Ueda, Mikio Ogawa, Kenta Horade
  • Publication number: 20200406628
    Abstract: The liquid discharge device starts executing an initial process of discharging the liquid, based on determining that a low level signal is received after receiving a high level signal from an installation sensor and that a low level signal is received after receiving a high level signal from a liquid level sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiro UEDA, Mikio OGAWA, Kenta HORADE
  • Patent number: 10864743
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a case receiving a cartridge having a first chamber, a tank having a second chamber, a head, and a controller to: calculate outflow amount Qa flowed from the second chamber for a time period ?t based on discharge amount Dh; calculate outflow amount Qc flowed from the first chamber toward the second chamber for the time period ?t based on the outflow amount Qa and flow path resistances; read liquid amounts Vc and Vs of the first and second chambers from a memory; subtract the outflow amount Qc from the read liquid amount Vc to calculate new liquid amount Vc; subtract the outflow amount Qa from the read liquid amount Vs and add the outflow amount Qc to calculate new liquid amount Vs; and store the calculated liquid amounts Vc and Vs in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mikio Ogawa, Toshiro Ueda
  • Publication number: 20200331260
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a case receiving a cartridge, a tank, a head, and a controller to: when the cartridge is installed in the case, calculate an outflow amount Qc based on heights Hc, Hs and flow path resistances; read the amounts Vc, Vs from a memory; subtract the outflow amount Qc from the read liquid amount Vc to calculate new liquid amount Vc; add the outflow amount Qc to the read liquid amount Vs to calculate new liquid amount Vs; store the calculated liquid amounts Vc, Vs in the memory; after a time period from at the time the calculated liquid amounts Vc, Vs stored elapses, again calculate the outflow amount Qc and the liquid amounts Vc, Vs and store the calculated liquid amounts Vc, Vs in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAGI, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA