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).

  • Patent number: 7945194
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an image carrier and a toner carrier having a concave portion arrayed in a regular pattern on its surface. A latent image that is carried on the image carrier is developed by toner carried in the concave portion by applying a development voltage to the toner carrier. After the toner carrier has developed the latent image, at least one layer of toner remains in the concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Hiroshi Kato, Tomohiro Aruga, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20110109709
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting unit that ejects liquid toward a target ejection medium and a target ejection medium support member that is disposed so as to oppose the liquid ejecting unit and supports the target ejection medium, includes a conductive shielding member that covers a first side of the target ejection medium, which opposes the liquid ejecting unit, at an edge area including an edge perpendicular to a feeding direction of the target ejection medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Masaru KOBASHI, Daisuke MATSUMOTO, Yasunori KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20110102490
    Abstract: In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a potential controller that is capable of switching states between a same potential state where potentials at a predetermined portion at the side of the liquid ejecting unit and a predetermined portion at the side of the ejected medium supporting unit are the same and a potential difference generation state where a potential difference is generated between the predetermined portion at the side of the liquid ejecting unit and the predetermined portion at the side of the ejected medium supporting unit. The potential controller forms the same potential state while the ejected medium is transported by the ejected medium transportation unit, and the potential controller forms the potential difference generation state in at least appropriate period while the ejected medium is not transported by the ejected medium transportation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Masaru KOBASHI, Daisuke MATSUMOTO, Yasunori KOIKE, Narihiro OKI
  • Publication number: 20110105228
    Abstract: When a game apparatus detects a double-touch in an area other than an area where an enemy character is displayed, the game apparatus causes a player character to perform a forward roll motion. On the other hand, when the game apparatus detects a touch operation onto the enemy character, a prohibition area is provided at a position of the enemy character. When the game apparatus detects a touch onto the prohibition area, even if the touch operation is the double-touch, the game apparatus prohibits the player character from performing the forward roll motion and causes the player character to attack the enemy character.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Shirou Mouri
  • Publication number: 20110103596
    Abstract: Sound data acquisition means acquires, from a sound input device, sound data representing a sound signal. First evaluation means evaluates the sound signal represented by the sound data, by using a first criterion for detecting whether or not the sound inputted into the sound input device is a breath. Second evaluation means evaluates the sound signal represented by the sound data, by using a second criterion which is different from the first criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Junya Osada, Arisa Hosaka
  • Publication number: 20110102506
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus including: an ejection target medium supporting section that is disposed to face the liquid ejecting section, and supports the ejection target medium and wherein in at least one of plural types of ejection target mediums having different thicknesses, a gap between the first surface of the ejection target medium supporting section and a rear surface facing the first surface in the ejection target medium is set to be smaller than a gap between a second surface facing the ejection target medium in the liquid ejecting section and a front surface facing the second surface in the ejection target medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Masaru KOBASHI, Daisuke MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110102507
    Abstract: A region of the predetermined portion of the medium-to-be-ejected supporting unit in the second direction has a position corresponding to at least one lateral end of the medium to be ejected in the second direction, and extends towards the inside and outside of the medium to be ejected from the position. The at least one lateral end of the medium to be ejected in the second direction is configured such that a line connecting a terminal end position of the predetermined portion of the medium-to-be-ejected supporting unit which is further inside than an end portion of the medium to be ejected, and a terminal end position of the predetermined portion of the liquid ejecting unit which is further outside than the end portion of the medium to be ejected, intersects with the medium to be ejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Masaru KOBASHI, Daisuke MATSUMOTO, Yasunori KOIKE, Narihiro OKI, Takao SHIZUMA
  • Publication number: 20110105230
    Abstract: A user can move the position of a pan flute in a horizontal direction on a screen by sliding a touch position in the horizontal direction on the screen while touching a touch panel with a stick. Moreover, when the user blows on a microphone hole, a musical sound of a pitch corresponding to a pipe of the pan flute which is displayed in an overlapping manner with a valid position display image at this time is outputted via a sound hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Junya Osada, Arisa Hosaka, Eiji Aonuma, Toru Minegishi, Daiki Iwamoto
  • Publication number: 20110102513
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus, including an electric potential control unit capable of switching between an identical electric potential state which sets a predetermined region of the liquid ejection unit side and a predetermined region of the ejecting medium support unit side to the identical electric potential and an electric potential difference generating state which generates the electric potential difference between both of them, wherein the liquid ejecting apparatus includes a configuration in which, when the ejecting medium passes through a liquid ejecting area to which the liquid is ejected by the liquid ejection unit, the electric potential control unit forms the identical electric potential state, and when the ejecting medium does not pass through the liquid ejecting area, the electric potential control unit forms the electric potential difference generating state for at least a proper period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Kiyoteru KATSUKI, Masaru KOBASHI, Daisuke MATSUMOTO, Yasunori KOIKE, Narihiro OKI
  • Patent number: 7929889
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit that has a toner carrier; a transferring unit that transfers the toner image on the transfer medium; and a cleaning unit that removes a toner that remains to be adhered to the latent image carrier, wherein the toner carrier carries a toner layer including a contact toner that is directly in contact with the surface of the toner carrier and a non-contact toner that is not directly in contact with the surface of the toner carrier on the surface thereof, and wherein a voltage of the transferring bias is a DC voltage that does not generate discharge between the image portion of the latent image carrier and the transfer medium but generate discharge between the non-image portion of the latent image carrier and the transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Atsunori Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 7907879
    Abstract: A development roller includes a base unit having a base recess and a base projection that are 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 on the circumference thereof a recess and a projection formed respectively in accordance with the base recess and the base projection of the base unit. Surface hardness of the projection is higher than surface hardness of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Masahiro Maeda, Junichi Suzuki, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 7907877
    Abstract: A developing device has a rotatable toner bearing member that bears toner having a particulate external additive externally added to core particles. Projecting sections are arranged in a regular manner on a surface of the toner bearing member. A longitudinal direction of a regulation member runs along an axial direction of the toner bearing member, and a leading edge of the regulation member in lateral and thickness directions faces an upstream side in a rotating direction of the toner bearing member. A relationship among the volume mean toner particle size A, the volume mean external additive particle size B, the ten-point average protrusion roughness. C, and the distance D between the leading edge and projecting sections is C <B <D <A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7904012
    Abstract: An image carrier cleaning device includes: a first charging member which charges an image carrier to the same polarity as that of a toner after a transfer operation of a toner image formed by the toner charged to a predetermined polarity and having an external additive added thereto; a cleaning member which comes into contact with the image carrier charged by the first charging member; and a second charging member which applies an electric charge having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the toner to the image carrier having passed through the cleaning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Kobashi, Yoichi Yamada, Masahiro Maeda, Atsunori Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 7897817
    Abstract: To provide a catalyst that has sufficient catalytic activity as a platinum catalyst and yet is readily separated from a target material and can be reused. A resin-supported platinum cluster catalyst containing a resin layer comprising a platinum particle core, the average diameter of which is from 1 nm to 10 nm, and a compound containing nitrogen (general formula R1NH2) surrounding the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Inter-University Research Institute Corporation National Institutes of Natural Sciences
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Uozumi, Yoichi Yamada, Takayasu Arakawa
  • Patent number: 7899376
    Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable toner bearing roller and a regulation blade. The toner bearing roller has regularly-arranged projecting sections and non-projecting sections, bears toner whose volume average particle diameter is smaller than a depth of the non-projecting section relative to the projecting section, and develops a latent image borne on an image bearing member with the toner borne on the toner bearing roller. The regulation blade is for regulating an amount of the toner borne on the toner bearing roller, and abuts, with a predetermined width, against a circumferential surface of the toner bearing roller in a circumferential direction thereof in such a manner that a longitudinal direction of the regulation blade is along a direction of a rotation axis of the toner bearing roller. A tip edge of the regulation blade in a lateral direction and a thickness direction thereof is located within an abutting section having the predetermined width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Takatomo Fukumoto, Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 7885554
    Abstract: A developing device that can be mounted to and dismounted from a mounting and dismounting section provided in an image forming apparatus main unit, the developing device includes: a developing device main unit; a positioning member for positioning the developing device main unit with respect to the mounting and dismounting section by engaging the mounting and dismounting section when the developing device is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the positioning member being fixed on a one end side in a longitudinal direction of the developing device main unit; a coupling member that is to be coupled to the mounting and dismounting section when the developing device is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the coupling member being attached to the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the developing device main unit in such a manner that its relative position to the developing device main unit can be changed; and an element capable of communication in a noncontacting manner with
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Junji Shirokoshi, Katsumi Okamoto, Yuichi Segawa, Satoru Miyamoto, Yoichi Yamada, Yasushige Hori, Takatomo Fukumoto
  • Publication number: 20110002895
    Abstract: The object is to provide a novel use application of a dental pulp stem cell collected from a deciduous tooth or a permanent tooth. Disclosed is a composition for autotransplantation or allotransplantation, which is characterized by comprising a dental pulp stem cell collected from a deciduous tooth or a permanent tooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Minoru Ueda, Yoichi Yamada, Sayaka Nakamura, Kenji Ito, Yudai Nishino
  • Publication number: 20100304859
    Abstract: A game apparatus includes an input device with which it is possible to specify a position on a screen of a display device. The game apparatus displays a game image representing a virtual game space on the display device. The movement of a first object in the game image is controlled based on an input made on the game image by using the input device. The game apparatus detects a path inputted on the game image by using the input device. The game apparatus moves a second object in the game image along the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Daiki IWAMOTO, Shirou MOURI, Hiromasa SHIKATA
  • Publication number: 20100304871
    Abstract: A game apparatus displays game space on a display means, and the game space includes a first area and a second area which interrupts continuity of a movement of an object in the first area. A user sets a moving route within the game space by means of a touch pen. The collision, that is, the object moves along the route. Assuming that the object moves to a next point position on the route, when the next point position where the object will enter the second area is set, the computer corrects the next point position to a target position within the first area, and then moves the object thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Daiki Iwamoto, Shirou Mouri
  • Publication number: 20100306717
    Abstract: A game apparatus detects a path inputted by a player, and moves an object placed in a virtual game space along the path. Moreover, the game apparatus controls the object, which is moving along the path, to perform a predetermined action, and determines a return position when the predetermined action is finished. The return position is a position at which the object having finished the predetermined action returns to the path, and is determined from among positions along the path. The game apparatus resumes the movement of the object along the path after returning the object, having finished the predetermined action, to the return position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi YAMADA, Daiki IWAMOTO, Shirou MOURI