Patents by Inventor Yuichi Nishihara

Yuichi Nishihara 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: 20230271413
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a first discharge section that has a first piezoelectric element and discharges liquid by driving the first piezoelectric element with a driving signal; a driving signal generation section that generates the driving signal; a first selection section that performs a selection operation of selecting whether or not to apply each voltage of a plurality of driving waveforms included in the driving signal to the first piezoelectric element, based on a print data signal; a residual vibration detection section that detects residual vibration of the first discharge section after a voltage of a first driving waveform among the plurality of driving waveforms is applied to the first piezoelectric element; and a control section that generates the print data signal, in which the control section stops the driving signal generation section when causing the residual vibration detection section to detect the residual vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Yuichi NISHIHARA, Toru MATSUYAMA
  • Patent number: 9649846
    Abstract: An ink tank 25A includes an ink containing portion 120, an ink injection portion 113, an ink supply portion 117, and a pair of electrode pins 140a and 140b. The ink containing portion 120 has a visual check portion 114 that enables the position of the liquid surface of ink contained in the ink containing portion 120 to be visually checked from the outside in a reference posture, which is a posture at the time when the ink is supplied from the ink tank 25 to the print head portion 32. The ink supply portion 117 is connected to a lower portion 122A located below a lower end of the visual check portion 114 in the reference posture. Leading end portions 143a and 143b of the electrode pins 140a and 140b are arranged in the lower portion 122A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Munehide Kanaya, Yuichi Nishihara, Masaki Tsukida
  • Patent number: 9457583
    Abstract: A liquid storage container includes the first electrode, the second electrode which penetrate from an outside to an inside of a storage portion and extend in a direction intersecting a vertical direction, and a support portion which is provided in the storage portion and supports the first electrode. In the vertical direction, a height of the second electrode is equal to a height of the first electrode or is lower than the height of the first electrode. The support portion includes a support wall which supports the first electrode and a side wall intersects the support wall and is wide from the support wall in the vertically downward direction. The support wall is capable of being protruded to the second electrode side further than a meniscus formed in the ink between the first electrode and the support wall in the second electrode of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Kimura, Yasuyuki Kudo, Yuichi Nishihara, Masashi Kamiyanagi
  • Publication number: 20160263905
    Abstract: An ink tank 25A includes an ink containing portion 120, an ink injection portion 113, an ink supply portion 117, and a pair of electrode pins 140a and 140b. The ink containing portion 120 has a visual check portion 114 that enables the position of the liquid surface of ink contained in the ink containing portion 120 to be visually checked from the outside in a reference posture, which is a posture at the time when the ink is supplied from the ink tank 25 to the print head portion 32. The ink supply portion 117 is connected to a lower portion 122A located below a lower end of the visual check portion 114 in the reference posture. Leading end portions 143a and 143b of the electrode pins 140a and 140b are arranged in the lower portion 122A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Naomi KIMURA, Munehide KANAYA, Yuichi NISHIHARA, Masaki TSUKIDA
  • Patent number: 9417112
    Abstract: A liquid consumption device of the present invention has a holder in which an opening section is provided in a position to face a prism of an ink cartridge, a light emitting section, and a light receiving section. The holder has a region that changes a light amount of the reflected light emitted from the light emitting section and received by the light receiving section in a position spaced apart from the opening section at a predetermined distance in a main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Junpei Yoshida, Yuichi Nishihara, Takayuki Yazawa, Hidetoshi Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20160009098
    Abstract: A liquid storage container includes the first electrode, the second electrode which penetrate from an outside to an inside of a storage portion and extend in a direction intersecting a vertical direction, and a support portion which is provided in the storage portion and supports the first electrode. In the vertical direction, a height of the second electrode is equal to a height of the first electrode or is lower than the height of the first electrode. The support portion includes a support wall which supports the first electrode and a side wall intersects the support wall and is wide from the support wall in the vertically downward direction. The support wall is capable of being protruded to the second electrode side further than a meniscus formed in the ink between the first electrode and the support wall in the second electrode of the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naomi KIMURA, Yasuyuki KUDO, Yuichi NISHIHARA, Masashi KAMIYANAGI
  • Patent number: 9205662
    Abstract: A liquid consuming apparatus 200 includes a photosensor 80 capable of facing a prism 320 provided in a liquid container, and a control unit 100. The control unit 100 performs remaining status determination processing for determining remaining status of liquid in the liquid container, based on a detection signal detected by the photosensor 80 due to reflection from the prism 320 when light is emitted by the photosensor 80, performs ambient light determining processing for determining whether or not the remaining status determination processing is affected by ambient light, based on the detection signal detected by the photosensor 80 when light is not emitted by the photosensor 80, and continues printing until the end of printing on a sheet that is being printed, even if the control unit 100 determines that the influence of ambient light is present, by the ambient light determination processing during execution of printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Tsukida, Yuichi Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20150239255
    Abstract: A liquid consuming apparatus 200 includes a photosensor 80 capable of facing a prism 320 provided in a liquid container, and a control unit 100. The control unit 100 performs remaining status determination processing for determining remaining status of liquid in the liquid container, based on a detection signal detected by the photosensor 80 due to reflection from the prism 320 when light is emitted by the photosensor 80, performs ambient light determining processing for determining whether or not the remaining status determination processing is affected by ambient light, based on the detection signal detected by the photosensor 80 when light is not emitted by the photosensor 80, and continues printing until the end of printing on a sheet that is being printed, even if the control unit 100 determines that the influence of ambient light is present, by the ambient light determination processing during execution of printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Masaki Tsukida, Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 9102144
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a liquid receptacle, a head, a driving unit for the head, a detection unit that detects a remaining state of a liquid, and a control unit that controls the driving unit and, in the case where the liquid receptacle and the detection unit are in a predetermined positional relationship, determines whether or not there is liquid remaining in the liquid receptacle based on a detection signal from the detection unit. In the case where the control unit has determined that greater than or equal to a specified value of the liquid in the liquid receptacle has been consumed without the liquid receptacle and the detection unit arriving at the predetermined positional relationship, the control unit performs forced detection control that sets the liquid receptacle and the detection unit to the predetermined positional relationship and causes the detection unit to detect the remaining state of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 9086312
    Abstract: A printing device has a detecting section in which a light emitting section and a light receiving section are provided, liquid reservoirs for storing liquid in which a prism is provided to reflect light emitted from the light emitting section corresponding to a remaining state of the liquid, and a control section. The control section determines whether a process for air bubbles that is a process corresponding to an adhesion state of air bubbles in the prism is to be conducted or not based on a signal of light reception results obtained by receiving reflected light from the prism by the light receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8727467
    Abstract: A liquid consumption device includes a liquid container, a prism, a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit and a control unit. The prism is provided to the liquid container, and configured to receive light that is made incident from outside and to emit the incident light toward the outside according to a liquid residual state inside the liquid container. The control unit is configured to determine a threshold value of the liquid container for determining a light radiation volume by the light emitting part and/or the liquid residual state, based on a light volume of reflected light reflected by an outer surface of the prism and received by the light receiving unit upon radiation of the light by the light emitting unit. The control unit is configured to determine the liquid residual state based on a light volume of the light received by the light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8662648
    Abstract: A liquid consumption apparatus includes a detection portion in which a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion are arranged, a liquid container that houses a liquid and in which a prism having a cavity is disposed, a carriage with respect to which the liquid container is attachable and detachable, and in which an opening is provided in a position that opposes the prism, and a light shielding portion disposed in the opening in the carriage. When a driving portion moves the carriage in a direction in which the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are arranged, noise light produced by the prism bottom surface or cavity portion is suppressed, as a result of the light shielding portion blocking part of irradiated light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Kamiyanagi, Yuichi Nishihara, Junpei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20130320248
    Abstract: A liquid consumption device of the present invention has a holder in which an opening section is provided in a position to face a prism of an ink cartridge, a light emitting section, and a light receiving section. The holder has a region that changes a light amount of the reflected light emitted from the light emitting section and received by the light receiving section in a position spaced apart from the opening section at a predetermined distance in a main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junpei YOSHIDA, Yuichi NISHIHARA, Takayuki YAZAWA, Hidetoshi YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20130321505
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a liquid receptacle, a head, a driving unit for the head, a detection unit that detects a remaining state of a liquid, and a control unit that controls the driving unit and, in the case where the liquid receptacle and the detection unit are in a predetermined positional relationship, determines whether or not there is liquid remaining in the liquid receptacle based on a detection signal from the detection unit. In the case where the control unit has determined that greater than or equal to a specified value of the liquid in the liquid receptacle has been consumed without the liquid receptacle and the detection unit arriving at the predetermined positional relationship, the control unit performs forced detection control that sets the liquid receptacle and the detection unit to the predetermined positional relationship and causes the detection unit to detect the remaining state of the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20130320247
    Abstract: A printing device has a detecting section in which a light emitting section and a light receiving section are provided, liquid reservoirs for storing liquid in which a prism is provided to reflect light emitted from the light emitting section corresponding a remaining state of the liquid, and a control section. The control section determines whether a process for air bubbles that is a process corresponding to an adhesion state of air bubbles in the prism is to be conducted or not based on a signal of light reception results obtained by receiving reflected light from the prism by the light receiving section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi NISHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20120293590
    Abstract: A liquid chamber for a liquid ejecting apparatus includes a prism disposed on a bottom portion of the liquid chamber. The prism includes a first reflection surface having a first reflection region by which light incident on the prism from a light emitting element is reflected when liquid does not make contact with the first reflecting region. The prism includes a relief that includes a first relief surface opposed to the first reflection region. The thickness of the prism between the first reflection region and the first relief surface is substantially constant. The constant thickness of the prism between the first reflection region and the first relief surface suppresses deflection of the first reflection region, thereby improving sensitivity for the detection of liquid in the liquid chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Junpei Yoshida, Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8177319
    Abstract: A liquid jetting apparatus receives delivery of liquid from a liquid delivery system including a delivery system-side terminal. The liquid jetting apparatus includes a apparatus-side terminal, a contact sensing portion and a remaining level sensor portion. The apparatus-side terminal contacts the delivery system-side terminal when receiving delivery of liquid from the liquid delivery system. The contact sensing portion supplies a first electrical signal to the apparatus-side terminal to sense contact between the apparatus-side terminal and the system-side terminal. The remaining level sensor portion supplies a second electrical signal different from the first electrical signal to the apparatus-side terminal to sense a liquid volume in the liquid delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20110291663
    Abstract: The printing apparatus applies a first waveform to the liquid detection sensor, and measures a second waveform output from the liquid detection sensor in response to the application of the first waveform. Based on a measurement result of the second waveform, the printing apparatus inspects whether the liquid detection sensor can be driven. Further, prior to the application of the first waveform to the liquid detection sensor, the printing apparatus measures the first waveform itself, and performs an inspection based on a measurement result of the first waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8066343
    Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid detecting apparatus that drives a liquid detecting unit that outputs two detection signals having phases opposite to each other in accordance with the amount of liquid. The liquid detecting apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes: a driving unit that outputs a driving signal to the liquid detecting unit; a differential amplifying unit that performs differential amplification on said two detection signals that are output from the liquid detecting unit on the basis of the driving signal so as to output a differential amplification detection signal; and a signal detecting unit that makes a judgment as to whether the amount of liquid is not less than a predetermined amount or not by means of the differential amplification detection signal input from the differential amplifying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8052266
    Abstract: A liquid detection device that drives a liquid detecting portion includes a driving portion, a signal detecting portion, a high-pass filter portion, a first switch, and a control portion. The driving portion supplies a driving signal or a preliminary charging voltage to the liquid detecting portion. The signal detecting portion receives a detection signal from the liquid detecting portion. The high-pass filter portion has a capacitor portion and is arranged between the liquid detecting portion and the signal detecting portion. The first switch is arranged between the liquid detecting portion and the high-pass filter portion, and electrically connects or interrupts a line between the liquid detecting portion and the high-pass filter portion. The control portion controls the driving portion and the first switch to execute detection of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nishihara