Patents by Inventor Yukihiro Hanaoka

Yukihiro Hanaoka 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: 8690300
    Abstract: An ink tank, which is mountable on an ink jet printer, includes an ink outlet adapted to supply ink stored in the ink tank to the ink jet printer through the outlet; an air communicating hole configured to introduce air into the ink tank through the hole in accordance with an amount of the ink supplied to the ink jet printer from the ink tank; a passage communicating with the ink outlet; a prism formed in the ink tank and adapted to detect whether a remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is below a predetermined level or not; a filter disposed between the prism and the passage; and an ink chamber connected to an upstream opening of the passage. The prism and the filter are disposed in the ink chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nishioka, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Manabu Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140030001
    Abstract: A printer has two separate movable blades, a stationary blade, and a movable blade drive mechanism for driving the movable blades against the stationary blade. Such mechanism may link and drive the movable blades to cut the roll paper against the stationary blade such that one movable blade leads and the other follows. The printer may further include a main frame with a roll paper compartment and a printing mechanism for printing on the roll paper, a cover frame movably connected to the main frame and having an openable cover for the roll paper compartment, a movable blade frame disposed to the main frame for supporting the movable blades with the blade tips in opposition, and a stationary blade frame disposed to the cover frame for supporting the stationary blade in a position substantially transverse to the paper transportation path during cutting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8596894
    Abstract: A first movable blade and a second movable blade cooperate as part of a cutter drive mechanism to cut roll paper in conjunction with a fixed blade. A gear train 132 has a first gear 141 that rotates when drive power from the cutter motor 131 is input thereto, and a second gear 142 to which rotation of the first gear 141 is transferred, causing the second gear 142 to turn. A first eccentric pin 151 engaging the first movable blade 81 is disposed at an eccentric position to the first gear 141, and a second eccentric pin 152 engaging the second movable blade 82 is disposed at an eccentric position to the second gear 142. The first movable blade 81 has a first guide channel 115 regulating the cutting operation of the first movable blade 81 on the first blade point 114 side, and the first guide channel 115 and the first eccentric pin 151 together render a first opposing cam 161.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 8573871
    Abstract: A printer has a main frame with a roll paper compartment for storing roll paper and a printing mechanism for printing on the roll paper; a cover frame movably connected to the main frame and having an openable cover for the roll paper compartment; a movable blade frame disposed to the main frame for supporting first and second movable blades with the blade tips in opposition; a stationary blade frame disposed to the cover frame for supporting a stationary blade in a position substantially transverse to the paper transportation path during cutting; and a movable blade drive mechanism for linking and driving the first and second movable blades to cut the roll paper in a scissor action against the stationary blade and such that one movable blade leads and the other movable blade follows, with the movable blades disposed such that the paths of the tips overlap during cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20130241981
    Abstract: An ink tank, which is mountable on an ink jet printer, includes an ink outlet adapted to supply ink stored in the ink tank to the ink jet printer through the outlet; an air communicating hole configured to introduce air into the ink tank through the hole in accordance with an amount of the ink supplied to the ink jet printer from the ink tank; a passage communicating with the ink outlet; a prism formed in the ink tank and adapted to detect whether a remaining amount of the ink in the ink tank is below a predetermined level or not; a filter disposed between the prism and the passage; and an ink chamber connected to an upstream opening of the passage. The prism and the filter are disposed in the ink chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Nishioka, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 8465124
    Abstract: A carriage guide mechanism for a printer enables using plural rolling bearings to move a carriage along a guide shaft with no play or vibration. The carriage bearing units of the printer carriage guide mechanism have three rolling bearings each that hold the guide shaft from three directions. The outer ring of each rolling bearing makes line contact with the outer ring roller surfaces, which each face a different direction and are formed on the guide plate of the guide shaft, and contact therebetween is maintained by the urging force of a flat spring. Because chatter and vibration, particularly play and vibration around the center axis of the guide shaft, can be prevented when the carriage moves, a drop in print quality due to vibration of the printhead caused by carriage chatter or vibration can be reliably prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Hironori Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8445285
    Abstract: A liquid for ejection includes a bio-specimen, and at least one kind of first compounds expressed by Formula (1), wherein, in Formula (1), m?8, and 8?n?18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Fukushima, Yukihiro Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 8439584
    Abstract: A paper cutting device for cutting sheet material from the lengthwise edges of the material toward the middle comprising a stationary blade and first and second movable blades with the sheet material placed between the stationary blade and the first and second movable blades. The paper cutting device enables the spacing between the stationary blade and the first and second movable blades to be opened by moving the stationary blade frame and the movable blade frame relative to each other. The first movable blade and second movable blade are supported on a first stud and second stud, respectively, near the distal ends of the edge of the blade part of the stationary blade so that the paths of the blade tips overlap when cutting the sheet material. The movable blade drive mechanism drives the first movable blade and second movable blade with the first movable blade leading and the second movable blade following.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8408687
    Abstract: An ink tank of the foam type which is provided with a detected portion capable of exactly and surely detecting the amount of ink used by the printer or remaining in the ink tank. The ink tank includes a sub ink chamber that is disposed or formed between a main ink chamber and an ink outlet of an ink tank of a foam type. When an amount of air flowing into the sub ink chamber increases, one or more reflecting surfaces of a right-angled prism, which function as ink interfaces, resume their original function of reflecting surfaces, thereby enabling the detection of an ink end. Air bubbles having entered the sub ink chamber are surely led onto the one or more reflecting surfaces by a bubble storage part. At an ink passage having a narrow width, which is defined by the one or more reflecting surfaces, air bubbles are pressed against the one or more reflecting surfaces to be put to a crushed state and in surface contact with the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nishioka, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 8354278
    Abstract: A liquid for discharge includes: a biospecimen; and at least one kind of compounds represented by the formula (1). In the formula (1), m?8, and 6?n?20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Fukushima, Yukihiro Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 8182063
    Abstract: A multicolor-use ink cartridge has obverse surface-side ink chambers and formed on an obverse surface side of a horizontal plate portion of a rigid plastic plate and reverse surface-side ink chambers and formed on a reverse surface side thereof. Since these ink chambers are arranged in a breadthwise direction so as to be staggered in a mutually overlapping state with the horizontal plate portion interposed therebetween, it is possible to make small the dimension in a direction in which the ink chambers are arranged. The respective ink chambers are formed by joining flat portions of three-dimensionally molded flexible plastic films to obverse surface-side recesses formed on the obverse surface of the horizontal plate portion and reverse surface-side recesses formed on the reverse surface thereof, respectively. Therefore, it is possible to form ink chambers having high sealability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 8123328
    Abstract: An ink chamber is formed with a vent port allowing atmospheric air to enter therein and an ink outlet from which ink is taken out. An optical member has an ink contact face capable of contacting with ink contained in the ink chamber. The ink contact face includes a detection face at which a remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber is optically detected in accordance with an amount of air entered into the ink chamber via the vent port. A first ink absorbing member is disposed in the vicinity of the ink contact face, and capable of absorbing the ink in the ink chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Koji Yamada, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Manabu Yamada
  • Publication number: 20110181661
    Abstract: A carriage guide mechanism for a printer enables using plural rolling bearings to move a carriage along a guide shaft with no play or vibration. The carriage bearing units of the printer carriage guide mechanism have three rolling bearings each that hold the guide shaft from three directions. The outer ring of each rolling bearing makes line contact with the outer ring roller surfaces, which each face a different direction and are formed on the guide plate of the guide shaft, and contact therebetween is maintained by the urging force of a flat spring. Because chatter and vibration, particularly play and vibration around the center axis of the guide shaft, can be prevented when the carriage moves, a drop in print quality due to vibration of the printhead caused by carriage chatter or vibration can be reliably prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Hironori Maekawa
  • Publication number: 20110177490
    Abstract: A liquid for discharge includes: a biospecimen; and at least one kind of compounds represented by the formula (1). In the formula (1), m?8, and 6?n?20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi FUKUSHIMA, Yukihiro HANAOKA
  • Patent number: 7867450
    Abstract: A liquid droplet ejecting head includes a nozzle unit having a nozzle capable of ejecting liquid droplets and a pressure generating passage communicating with the nozzle. A driving unit includes a nozzle unit mounting portion and an actuator. The nozzle unit is detachably mounted on the nozzle unit mounting portion, and the actuator changes an inner volume of the pressure generating passage of the nozzle unit in order to eject the liquid droplets from the nozzle of the nozzle unit mounted on the nozzle unit mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Toshihiko Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20100327008
    Abstract: A liquid for ejection includes a bio-specimen, and at least one kind of first compounds expressed by Formula (1), wherein, in Formula (1), m?8, and 8?n?18.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi FUKUSHIMA, Yukihiro Hanaoka
  • Publication number: 20100201763
    Abstract: An ink tank of the foam type which is provided with a detected portion capable of exactly and surely detecting the amount of ink used by the printer or remaining in the ink tank. The ink tank includes a sub ink chamber that is disposed or formed between a main ink chamber and an ink outlet of an ink tank of a foam type. When an amount of air flowing into the sub ink chamber increases, one or more reflecting surfaces of a right-angled prism, which function as ink interfaces, resume their original function of reflecting surfaces, thereby enabling the detection of an ink end. Air bubbles having entered the sub ink chamber are surely led onto the one or more reflecting surfaces by a bubble storage part. At an ink passage having a narrow width, which is defined by the one or more reflecting surfaces, air bubbles are pressed against the one or more reflecting surfaces to be put to a crushed state and in surface contact with the latter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nishioka, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Manabu Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100177132
    Abstract: An ink chamber is formed with a vent port allowing atmospheric air to enter therein and an ink outlet from which ink is taken out. An optical member has an ink contact face capable of contacting with ink contained in the ink chamber. The ink contact face includes a detection face at which a remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber is optically detected in accordance with an amount of air entered into the ink chamber via the vent port. A first ink absorbing member is disposed in the vicinity of the ink contact face, and capable of absorbing the ink in the ink chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Koji Yamada, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 7722176
    Abstract: An ink tank of the foam type which is provided with a detected portion capable of exactly and surely detecting the amount of ink used by the printer or remaining in the ink tank. The ink tank includes a sub ink chamber that is disposed or formed between a main ink chamber and an ink outlet of an ink tank of a foam type. When an amount of air flowing into the sub ink chamber increases, one or more reflecting surfaces of a right-angled prism, which function as ink interfaces, resume their original function of reflecting surfaces, thereby enabling the detection of an ink end. Air bubbles having entered the sub ink chamber are surely led onto the one or more reflecting surfaces by a bubble storage part. At an ink passage having a narrow width, which is defined by the one or more reflecting surfaces, air bubbles are pressed against the one or more reflecting surfaces to be put to a crushed state and in surface contact with the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Nishioka, Yukihiro Hanaoka, Manabu Yamada
  • Patent number: 7708369
    Abstract: An ink chamber is formed with a vent port allowing atmospheric air to enter therein and an ink outlet from which ink is taken out. An optical member has an ink contact face capable of contacting with ink contained in the ink chamber. The ink contact face includes a detection face at which a remaining amount of ink in the ink chamber is optically detected in accordance with an amount of air entered into the ink chamber via the vent port. A first ink absorbing member is disposed in the vicinity of the ink contact face, and capable of absorbing the ink in the ink chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hanaoka, Koji Yamada, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Manabu Yamada