Patents by Inventor Yoichi Yamada

Yoichi Yamada 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: 20120132231
    Abstract: In the printer, after ink is discharged from nozzle openings by making a closed space area, formed by bringing a cap into contact with a recording head, enter into a negative pressure state due to negative pressure accumulated in a discharge flow path by driving a pump, when making the negative pressure state of the closed space area be subjected to a pressure change in a direction of coming to an atmospheric pressure state, after the air flows into the closed space area by making a second opening and closing valve provided at an inflow flow path which makes the closed space area and an aerial space communicate with each other be in an opened state, the inflow of the air into the closed space area through the inflow flow path is stopped in a state where negative pressure remains in the closed space area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke MATSUMOTO, Yoichi YAMADA, Masaru KOBASHI
  • Patent number: 8175497
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a rotatable image carrier; a protective agent supplying unit supplying a protective agent to the image carrier; a first charging unit charging the image carrier to the same polarity as a regular charging polarity of a toner; a second charging unit charging the protective agent supplied to the image carrier to the opposite polarity to the regular charging polarity of the toner; an exposure unit forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a development unit developing the electrostatic latent image of the image carrier; and a transfer unit transferring the image of the image carrier, wherein the second charging unit is disposed between the protective agent supplying unit and the development unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Yoichi Yamada, Masahiro Maeda, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8175498
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier; a first charging unit which charges the latent image carrier; a second charging unit which supplies a charge having a reverse polarity of the charged polarity of the toner; a toner carrying roller which carries a toner layer containing both a contact toner which comes in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller and a non-contact toner which comes in contact with the contact toner and does not come in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller; an electric field forming unit which develops the electrostatic latent image by the toner by generating an alternate electric field as a toner fly electric field between the latent image carrier and the toner carrying roller; and a transfer unit which transfers a toner image formed by developing the electrostatic latent image to a transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Masaru Kobashi, Mikio Furumizu
  • Patent number: 8170454
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image holder that holds on its surface an electrostatic latent image in which an image portion and a non-image portion have different potentials; a toner carrying roller that carries a toner layer including both contact toner which directly contacts a surface of the roller and non-contact toner which contacts the contact toner but does not contact the surface of the roller; and an electric field forming unit that forms an alternating electric field to cause an electric field strength exerted between the non-image portion on the surface of the latent image holder and the surface of the toner carrying roller to be lower than a contact toner fly start electric field strength and higher than a non-contact toner fly start electric field strength, between the latent image holder and the toner carrying roller, as a toner fly electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Daisuke Matsumoto, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8147304
    Abstract: The game apparatus shoots a moving object from a predetermined weapon object and moves the moving object in a three-dimensional space in a case where an input from an input device is received. At least one of the size, the shape, and the number of a contact determination area defined for the moving object is changed in accordance with a distance over which the moving object moves in the three-dimensional space. The game apparatus determines whether or not the contact determination area defined for the moving object contacts a contact determination area defined for a target object. A predetermined game process is performed when the determination result of a contact determination step is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8100765
    Abstract: In an attack operation receiving step, an input of an operation for attacking an enemy object is received. In a determination step, when the input of the operation for attacking is received, it is determined whether or not a body strength value of the enemy object is within a predetermined range. When it is determined that the body strength value of the enemy object is within the predetermined range, a setting step of setting the enemy object to substantially the same state as where the body strength value of the enemy object is zero, regardless of the degree of damage caused by the attack motion, is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Yoshiyuki Oyama, Keisuke Nishimori, Kazuaki Morita
  • Patent number: 8103128
    Abstract: A video game device calculates an angle of an object 71, etc., with respect to a reference direction in a three-dimensional space. Then, the video game device defines a virtual cylindrical model for each of a plurality of objects so that a bottom surface of each cylindrical model is perpendicular to the reference direction. The video game device defines a plurality of cylindrical models for a predetermined object if the inclination of the predetermined object with respect to the reference direction is greater than a predetermined angle. Then, the video game device determines whether or not the defined cylindrical models have an overlap therebetween. Then, if two cylindrical models are determined to be overlapping with each other, the video game device gives a predetermined change to the two objects in response to the collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Aonuma, Yoichi Yamada, Hajime Nakamura, Hiroshi Umemiya
  • Patent number: 8087170
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a developing agent carrier of a hollow or solid cylindrical shape having an outer peripheral surface and an irregularity section formed on the outer peripheral surface to carry a developing agent is provided. The method comprises a step of preparing a base material of a hollow or solid cylindrical shape which is to become the developing agent carrier, the base material having an outer peripheral surface; and a step of forming the irregularity section by pressing dice for formation of the irregularity section against the outer peripheral surface of the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Sakurai, Yoichi Yamada, Junichi Nakahara, Masanao Kunugi, Tomohiro Aruga, Katsumi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8086150
    Abstract: A developing device includes a toner particle-bearing roller that bears toner particles on its surface and develops a latent image borne by an image-bearing member with those toner particles, the toner particle-bearing roller has a projection portion disposed on its surface, the projection portion having a top surface having a flat portion, and a width of the top surface being equal to or more than a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Tomohiro Aruga, Noboru Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8086152
    Abstract: The present invention provides a developing device that includes a toner bearing member that includes regularly arranged projection sections and depressed sections for bearing toner, and that develops a latent image borne on an image bearing member with the toner borne on the projection sections and the depressed sections, wherein the latent image is developed in a state in which a projection section covering ratio at which toner contacting the projection sections covers the projection sections is smaller than a depressed section covering ratio at which toner contacting the depressed sections covers the depressed sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8081911
    Abstract: A development roller includes a base unit having a base recess and a base projection formed in a predetermined area of a circumference surface of the base unit, and a surface layer formed on the circumference surface of the base unit and having a recess and a projection formed respectively in accordance with the base recess and the base projection of the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Masahiro Maeda, Junichi Suzuki, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8081910
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit; a transferring unit; and a cleaning unit, wherein a voltage of the non-image portion of the latent image carrier is Vo, a voltage of the developing bias at the time when a force generated to bias the toner charged with the regular charging polarity in a direction from the latent image carrier to the toner carrier is maximum is Vmax, and a voltage of the developing bias at the time when a force generated to bias the toner charged with the regular charging polarity in a direction from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier is maximum is Vmin, in the developing position, an equation |Vmax?Vo|>|Vmin?Vo| is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Atsunori Kitazawa, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20110304620
    Abstract: A plurality of polygons are placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space. Each of plural types of first textures corresponding to plural types of attributes which the plurality of polygons have is mapped to the polygon that has the attribute of the type corresponding to the first texture, the 3-dimensional virtual space is shot by a first virtual camera, and thereby a main image is generated. In addition, each of the plural types of second textures corresponding to plural types of attributes which the plurality of polygons have is mapped to the polygon that has the attribute of the type corresponding to the second texture, the 3-dimensional virtual space is shot by a second virtual camera, and thereby a main image is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Hiromu TAKEMURA, Ryo TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20110306418
    Abstract: Respective orientations (a pitch angle, a roll angle, and a yaw angle) of the input device are detected based on angular velocity data outputted from a gyro sensor unit of an input device. Then, it is determined whether the pitch angle is within a first range or within a second range. When it has been determined that the pitch angle is within the first range, a posture of an object is updated based on the roll angle. When it has been determined that the pitch angle is within the second range, the posture of the object is updated based on the yaw angle. Accordingly, operability can be improved in a game executed in accordance with an orientation of the input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Ryo Tanaka, Hidemaro Fujibayashi
  • Publication number: 20110306411
    Abstract: A game apparatus displays on a screen an image of a virtual space as viewed from a predetermined viewing direction. The game apparatus displays a viewing direction map in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied, such that the viewing direction is set to a predetermined direction on the screen. Furthermore, the game apparatus displays a fixed direction map in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied, such that a direction preset in the virtual space is set to a predetermined direction on the screen. Note that when map images are displayed, the fixed direction map is preferably displayed after the viewing direction map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Yutaka Hiramuki, Hiromu Takemura, Ryo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110298875
    Abstract: A maintenance apparatus that removes bubbles from a nozzle is provided in a printer that includes a recording head having a nozzle capable of ejecting ink from a nozzle opening formed in a nozzle formation surface. The maintenance apparatus includes: a pressurizing pump that pressurizes the ink in the nozzle in a direction in which the ink is discharged from the nozzle opening; and a contact member having an upper surface that makes contact with the nozzle formation surface so as to cover the nozzle opening, and that has, formed therein, a flow channel whose pressure loss is greater than that of the nozzle and that allows air to pass through from the side of the upper surface. The ink within the nozzle is pressurized by the pressurizing pump in a state in which the contact member is in contact with the nozzle formation surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaru KOBASHI, Yoshiyuki KUREBAYASHI, Yoichi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20110298865
    Abstract: There is provided a nozzle contact unit capable of realizing a contact state, where a contact surface comes into close contact with a nozzle formation surface to block a plurality of nozzle openings, and a separated state, where the contact surface is separated from the nozzle formation surface. The nozzle contact unit separates the contact surface from the nozzle formation surface to sequentially open the nozzle openings preferentially from the nozzle opening of the nozzle with a shorter flow passage length of ink flowing from a supply port to the nozzle via a common ink chamber among the plurality of nozzle openings in a procedure from the contact state to the separated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Yoshiyuki Kurebayashi, Masaru Kobashi
  • Publication number: 20110292136
    Abstract: A printer includes a fluid ejecting head having a plurality of nozzles, an ink supply channel and a maintenance device. The maintenance device includes a pressure regulating mechanism configured to reduce the pressures in the interiors of the ink supply channels at a position of pressure reduction, and a tight cap being brought into abutment with the fluid ejecting head so that the nozzle openings of the nozzles which receives a supply of ink through flow channels which are subject to relatively small pressure losses first by priority according to the magnitudes of the pressure losses in the respective flow channels extending from the position of pressure reduction to the respective nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki KUREBAYASHI, Yoichi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20110291929
    Abstract: Correspondence data representing correspondence between a plurality of selection target objects and the attitude of an input device is stored in an information processing apparatus. In accordance with attitude/motion data acquired from the input device, the attitude of the input device is calculated. In accordance with the correspondence data, a selection target object corresponding to the attitude of the input device is selected thereby to perform a process based on the selection target object having been selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Ryo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110294574
    Abstract: A first area and a second area are set in a virtual space. Then, based on first configuration information for configuring a first state of a game world, a first object to be placed in the first area is generated. In addition, a second object to be placed in the second area is generated based on second configuration information for configuring a second state different from the first state at a predetermined position in the virtual space to which the first configuration information is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Hiromu Takemura, Yutaka Hiramuki