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).

  • Publication number: 20190092027
    Abstract: A waste liquid tank includes a case. The case includes a first accommodating portion having an inlet and a first communication opening, a second accommodating portion having a second communication opening and a connecting portion connecting the first communication opening and the second communication opening, wherein a cross-sectional area of the connecting portion is less than a cross-sectional area of the first accommodating portion and is less than a cross-sectional of the second accommodating portion. The waste liquid tank includes a first absorber accommodated in the first accommodating portion, a second absorber accommodated in the second accommodating portion and a third absorber accommodated in the connecting portion. The connecting portion includes a passage defined between the third absorber and a peripheral portion of the connecting portion, the passage allowing the first accommodating portion to communicate with the second accommodating portion and for air to pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10239320
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a first tank; a second tank; a recording portion including a first damper chamber and a second damper chamber; a first switch; a pump; a second switch; and a controller. The first switch is configured to be switched between a first state and a second state. The second switch is configured to be switched between a third state and a fourth state. After attachment of first and second cartridges to the inkjet recording apparatus, the controller performs an initial ink introduction including one of: a first drive process to drive the pump in a state where the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in the fourth state; and a second drive process to drive the pump in a state where the first switch is in the second state and the second switch is in the third state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10179457
    Abstract: A waste liquid tank includes a case. The case includes a first accommodating portion having an inlet and a first communication opening, a second accommodating portion having a second communication opening and a connecting portion connecting the first communication opening and the second communication opening, wherein a cross-sectional area of the connecting portion is less than a cross-sectional area of the first accommodating portion and is less than a cross-sectional of the second accommodating portion. The waste liquid tank includes a first absorber accommodated in the first accommodating portion, a second absorber accommodated in the second accommodating portion and a third absorber accommodated in the connecting portion. The connecting portion includes a passage defined between the third absorber and a peripheral portion of the connecting portion, the passage allowing the first accommodating portion to communicate with the second accommodating portion and for air to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10118395
    Abstract: A discharger is configured to discharge liquid in a liquid channel to outside the liquid channel. The liquid is at least one of first liquid and second liquid different from the first liquid. An agitator is configured to agitate the liquid in the liquid channel. When executed by a processor, instructions cause the processor to perform: an introducing process of, when the second liquid exists in the liquid channel, controlling the discharger to discharge the second liquid to outside the liquid channel and to introduce the first liquid from the tank into the liquid channel; an agitating process of, after the introducing process, controlling the agitator to agitate the liquid in the liquid channel; and a discharging process of, after the agitating process, controlling the discharger to discharge the liquid in the liquid channel agitated by the agitator to outside the liquid channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10112398
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus including: a liquid jet head, a receiving portion, a tube pump, and a controller. The controller carries out a process of acquiring present positional information of a pressing body inside the tube pump and a simultaneous process which simultaneously performs a flushing process and a discharge process and, as the flushing process, carries out a process of selectively performing either an ordinary flushing process or a restrained flushing process. In the simultaneous process, the controller carries out either the ordinary flushing process when the pressing body is not positioned to press an overlapped portion of a tube or the restrained flushing process when the pressing body is positioned to press the overlapped portion of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shotaro Iida, Toshiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 10105962
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a head; a first-liquid-passage member defining a first liquid passage as a portion of a liquid passage connecting between the head and a tank; a second-liquid-passage member, as another portion of the liquid passage, defining a second liquid passage and having a gas permeability less than the first-liquid-passage member; a purging device; and a controller configured to: obtain air-position information relating to a position of air having flowed into the liquid passage from a liquid inlet opening; and execute a liquid discharge processing in which the controller controls the purging device to execute a liquid purging operation such that an amount of the liquid discharged when the air position indicated by the air-position information is located in the second liquid passage is less than that of the liquid discharged when the air position is located in the first liquid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Publication number: 20180281394
    Abstract: An apparatus, for discharging a liquid through a head based on a first discharge instruction, is configured to: update a liquid amount V stored in the memory with a value equivalent to the amount of liquid instructed to be discharged by the first discharge instruction; determine whether the updated liquid amount V is equal to or larger a threshold amount; update the liquid amount V stored in a memory to a predetermined value in response to determining that the updated liquid amount V is equal to or larger than the threshold amount and receiving a second signal from the liquid level sensor; and prohibit the liquid from being discharged through the head in response to determining that the updated liquid amount V is less than the threshold amount and receiving the first signal from the liquid level sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Kenta HORADE, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281423
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a first tank; a second tank; a recording portion including a first damper chamber and a second damper chamber; a first switch; a pump; a second switch; and a controller. The first switch is configured to be switched between a first state and a second state. The second switch is configured to be switched between a third state and a fourth state. After attachment of first and second cartridges to the inkjet recording apparatus, the controller performs an initial ink introduction including one of: a first drive process to drive the pump in a state where the first switch is in the first state and the second switch is in the fourth state; and a second drive process to drive the pump in a state where the first switch is in the second state and the second switch is in the third state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281438
    Abstract: An apparatus displays an S_Empty informing screen on a display when a count value N reaches a threshold Nth, reads a liquid amount Vc from an IC chip of a cartridge which is installed, calculates an outflow amount Qc of a liquid flowing out from the cartridge to a tank at a period ?t based on the read liquid amount Vc, and erases the S_Empty informing screen from the display when the calculated outflow amount Qc is equal to or larger than a threshold Qth1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Kenta HORADE, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281395
    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: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Kenta HORADE, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281397
    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: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAGI, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281439
    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: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281398
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a cartridge including a first liquid chamber and a first flow path; a tank including a second liquid chamber and a third flow path, at least one of the first flow path and the third flow path communicating the first and second liquid chambers when the cartridge is installed in an installation case; and a controller configured to: when the cartridge is installed in the installation case, determine a liquid amount Vs based on an outflow amount Qc of liquid flowed out from the cartridge toward the tank and a discharge liquid amount; determine whether elapsed time reaches standby time after determining that the liquid amount Vs reaches a first threshold value; and when the elapsed time reaches the standby time, perform image recording of next unit recording area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Shotaro IIDA, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281422
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus to which a cartridge is attachable includes: a tank including a storage chamber and an outlet port; a recording portion including a damper chamber and a recording head; an ink passage; a pump configured to suck fluid in the damper chamber; a first switch; and a controller. After attachment of the cartridge, the controller is configured to perform an initial ink introduction process to supply the ink from the cartridge to the storage chamber. The initial ink introduction process includes: a first suction process to drive the pump for a first period of time in a state where the first switch is in a first state to allow ink in the storage chamber to be sucked toward the damper chamber; and after performing the first suction process, an open process to switch the first switch to a second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180281396
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: an installation case receiving a cartridge including a first liquid chamber; a tank including a second liquid chamber; and a controller configured to: when the cartridge is installed in the installation case, determine a liquid amount Vs of liquid stored in the second liquid chamber based on an outflow amount of liquid flowed out from the cartridge toward the tank and a discharge liquid amount for performing image recording of unit recording area; when the liquid amount Vs reaches a first threshold, determine a first recording speed as a recording speed; when the liquid amount Vs does not reach the first threshold, determine a second recording speed slower than the first recording speed as the recording speed; and perform the image recording of unit recording area at the determined recording speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Nao MORIMOTO, Mikio OGAWA, Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180178522
    Abstract: There is provided a waste liquid tank including: a casing including an inner wall surface and a communication port; an absorber; a rib protruding from the inner wall surface, extending along the inner wall surface in an extending direction from a position distant from the communication port to a position close to the communication port, and being in contact with the absorber to form a gap between the absorber and the inner wall surface; and an atmosphere communication hole provided in a part, of the inner wall surface, facing the gap. An end of the rib on a side opposite to the communication port in the extending direction is closer to the communication port than the atmosphere communication hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20180178542
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes: a head; a first-liquid-passage member defining a first liquid passage as a portion of a liquid passage connecting between the head and a tank; a second-liquid-passage member, as another portion of the liquid passage, defining a second liquid passage and having a gas permeability less than the first-liquid-passage member; a purging device; and a controller configured to: obtain air-position information relating to a position of air having flowed into the liquid passage from a liquid inlet opening; and execute a liquid discharge processing in which the controller controls the purging device to execute a liquid purging operation such that an amount of the liquid discharged when the air position indicated by the air-position information is located in the second liquid passage is less than that of the liquid discharged when the air position is located in the first liquid passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventor: Toshiro UEDA
  • Patent number: 9969172
    Abstract: A liquid consuming apparatus includes: a liquid consumer; a liquid receiver; a first waste-liquid storage including (i) a first housing connected to the liquid receiver to allow liquid communication between the first housing and the liquid receiver, and (ii) a first liquid absorber disposed in the first housing; and a second waste-liquid storage including (a) a second housing connected to the first waste-liquid storage to allow liquid communication between the second housing and the first waste-liquid storage, and (b) a second liquid absorber disposed in the second housing. The first housing has a first opening that opens toward the second housing. The second housing has a second opening that opens toward the first housing. The first liquid absorber protrudes from the first opening to an outside of the first housing. The second liquid absorber is in contact with the first liquid absorber protruding from the first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo Nishikawa, Toshiro Ueda, Yuya Tatematsu, Hideo Fukue
  • Publication number: 20180072063
    Abstract: A waste liquid tank includes a case. The case includes a first accommodating portion having an inlet and a first communication opening, a second accommodating portion having a second communication opening and a connecting portion connecting the first communication opening and the second communication opening, wherein a cross-sectional area of the connecting portion is less than a cross-sectional area of the first accommodating portion and is less than a cross-sectional of the second accommodating portion. The waste liquid tank includes a first absorber accommodated in the first accommodating portion, a second absorber accommodated in the second accommodating portion and a third absorber accommodated in the connecting portion. The connecting portion includes a passage defined between the third absorber and a peripheral portion of the connecting portion, the passage allowing the first accommodating portion to communicate with the second accommodating portion and for air to pass therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda
  • Publication number: 20180001647
    Abstract: A discharger is configured to discharge liquid in a liquid channel to outside the liquid channel The liquid is at least one of first liquid and second liquid different from the first liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventor: Toshiro Ueda