Patents by Inventor Yukihiro Niekawa

Yukihiro Niekawa 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: 20160223693
    Abstract: A radiographic image capturing apparatus includes: a readout IC equipped with a plurality of readout circuits connected to signal lines, respectively; a power source circuit which supplies a power to the readout IC; and a discharge circuit disposed on a path through which the power source circuit supplies the power to the readout IC, the discharge circuit being is capable of connecting the path and a GND to each other. The discharge circuit connects the path and the GND during a sleep mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventor: Yukihiro NIEKAWA
  • Patent number: 9341723
    Abstract: A radiographic image capturing apparatus includes: a readout IC equipped with a plurality of readout circuits connected to signal lines, respectively; a power source circuit which supplies a power to the readout IC; and a discharge circuit disposed on a path through which the power source circuit supplies the power to the readout IC, the discharge circuit being is capable of connecting the path and a GND to each other. The discharge circuit connects the path and the GND during a sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20150338531
    Abstract: A radiographic image capturing apparatus includes: a readout IC equipped with a plurality of readout circuits connected to signal lines, respectively; a power source circuit which supplies a power to the readout IC; and a discharge circuit disposed on a path through which the power source circuit supplies the power to the readout IC, the discharge circuit being is capable of connecting the path and a GND to each other. The discharge circuit connects the path and the GND during a sleep mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventor: Yukihiro NIEKAWA
  • Patent number: 8399846
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation image detecting system including a cassette type radiation image detecting apparatus capable of being driven by electric power supplied from a built-in battery; a charge controlling circuit to control charging of the battery; a cradle supplying electric power to the radiation image detecting apparatus; and a cable supplying electric power to the radiation image detecting apparatus, wherein the radiation image detecting apparatus includes a connection section being electrically connected to each of the cradle and the cable to receive the electric power; the battery is charged by the cradle being connected to the connection section and by the cable being connected to the connection section; and the charge controlling circuit switches a charging current between a time when the cradle is connected to the connection section and a time when the cable is connected to the connection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Niekawa, Yoshihiko Eguchi
  • Patent number: 8215748
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording device capable of recording an image with no conspicuous joint line between bands each being formed by multiple horizontal scanning. A band having a width corresponding to a predetermined amount M of movement is formed by (n+1)-times record scanning. The ink-jet recording device has a controller which allows a second group of nozzles to perform recording at the time of the (n+l)+lth horizontal scanning and beyond where the relations L=Mx(n+l)+a and M>a are satisfied, where L is a row length of all the nozzles of a recording head and ? is a low length of a second group of nozzles and allocate recording data to each of the nozzles so that the border in the region recorded by the horizontal scanning on the upstream side of the relative vertical scanning direction may be formed within the width of the band formed by the first to (n+l)-th horizontal scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Patent number: 8193509
    Abstract: A radiation image detector including: an internal power supply section, which is capable of being charged, to supply power to each section; an external power supply terminal to receive power from an external power source to allow the internal power supply section to be charged; and a power supply control section to control supply of the power to the internal power supply section, the power being received from the external power source via the external power supply terminal, wherein when detecting that the external power supply terminal receives power from the external power source, the power supply control section judges an operating state of each section, and controls supply of the power to the internal power supply section according to the operating state of each section, the power being received from the external power source via the external power supply terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Niekawa, Yoshihiko Eguchi
  • Publication number: 20120006994
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation image detecting system including a cassette type radiation image detecting apparatus capable of being driven by electric power supplied from a built-in battery; a charge controlling circuit to control charging of the battery; a cradle supplying electric power to the radiation image detecting apparatus; and a cable supplying electric power to the radiation image detecting apparatus, wherein the radiation image detecting apparatus includes a connection section being electrically connected to each of the cradle and the cable to receive the electric power; the battery is charged by the cradle being connected to the connection section and by the cable being connected to the connection section; and the charge controlling circuit switches a charging current between a time when the cradle is connected to the connection section and a time when the cable is connected to the connection section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA MEDICAL & GRAPHIC, INC.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Niekawa, Yoshihiko Eguchi
  • Patent number: 8079697
    Abstract: Clogging of an ink-jetting opening is more reliably prevented, by inkjet recording apparatus 1 having recording heads 3a-3d each having an ink-jetting surface 30 in which an ink-jetting opening for jetting photo-curable ink toward a recording medium K is formed, light emitting devices 4 and 4 which emit light rays onto ink landed on the surface of recording medium K, platen 2 which supports recording medium K from its back side under a condition that recording medium K is faced to recording heads 3a-3d and light emitting devices 4 and 4, and box member 50 and 50 which prevent the light rays received from light emitting device 4 from reflecting toward ink-jetting surface 30, wherein box member 50 and 50 are placed at the side of recording medium K, and are closer to light emitting device 4 than the rear surface of recording medium K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20110147601
    Abstract: A radiation image detector including: an internal power supply section, which is capable of being charged, to supply power to each section; an external power supply terminal to receive power from an external power source to allow the internal power supply section to be charged; and a power supply control section to control supply of the power to the internal power supply section, the power being received from the external power source via the external power supply terminal, wherein when detecting that the external power supply terminal receives power from the external power source, the power supply control section judges an operating state of each section, and controls supply of the power to the internal power supply section according to the operating state of each section, the power being received from the external power source via the external power supply terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA MEDICAL & GRAPHIC, INC.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Niekawa, Yoshihiko Eguchi
  • Patent number: 7780255
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus having a recording head unit having nozzle lines driven with multi-phase drive, a moving unit to move the recording head unit in a scanning direction crossing the nozzle lines, a clock generating unit, and a recording head control section. The recording head control section includes a phase control section to control each drive phase of the nozzle lines on the basis of the clock signals, and controls the recording head unit such that, by driving the nozzle lines with the drive phases controlled by the phase control section during movement of the recording head unit by the moving unit, an image is recorded with a plurality of pixels reduced by a predetermined reduced pattern, and with predetermined times of repetition of this recording, an image recording in the recording area is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Patent number: 7758179
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus 1 is provided with: a recording head 10 to eject light-hardenable ink onto a recording medium S; a plurality of light sources 12a and 13a configured with semiconductor light emitting elements to radiate light onto the light-hardenable ink; a constant voltage power supply 14 to receive an alternating current and convert into a direct current power having a predetermined voltage; constant current circuits 15a and 15b to convert the direct current power supplied from the constant voltage power supply into a direct current power having a predetermined current value and to supply the direct current power to the light sources; and a control section 16 to control the current value of the direct current power supplied from the constant current circuits, where a plurality of the light sources are connected serially and a plurality of the constant current circuits are provided in accordance with number of blocks 11a and 11b which are configured with a plurality of light sources divided int
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20100141695
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording device and method capable of recording a high-quality image with no conspicuous joint belt-like line formed along the border portions between bands each of which is formed by horizontal scannings by serial recording. A band having a width corresponding to a predetermined amount M of movement is formed by (n+1) recording scannings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.,
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Patent number: 7722158
    Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: a conveyance section which conveys a recording medium; a plurality of recording heads each aligned along a conveyance direction of the recording medium, which ejects the same kind of photo-curing type ink onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance section; and a plurality of light irradiating sections each aligned along the conveyance direction of the recording medium, which irradiates light onto the recording medium to which the photo-curing type ink has been ejected from each of the plurality of recording heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20090284574
    Abstract: An ink jet recording device has a recording head equipped with a nozzle for ejecting photocuring ink to a recording medium and also has light irradiation devices equipped with light sources for irradiating the photocuring ink deposited on the recording medium with light. The light irradiation devices can apply light to each block region in irradiation region on the recording medium divided into block regions and can bring the divided block region into an irradiation state or a non-irradiation state on a region by region basis. Further, in recording operation, on and off of the light sources are switched over by time sharing such that at least one of the block regions is in the non-irradiation state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20090231404
    Abstract: Clogging of an ink-jetting opening is more reliably prevented, by inkjet recording apparatus 1 having recording heads 3a-3d each having an ink-jetting surface 30 in which an ink-jetting opening for jetting photo-curable ink toward a recording medium K is formed, light emitting devices 4 and 4 which emit light rays onto ink landed on the surface of recording medium K, platen 2 which supports recording medium K from its back side under a condition that recording medium K is faced to recording heads 3a-3d and light emitting devices 4 and 4, and box member 50 and 50 which prevent the light rays received from light emitting device 4 from reflecting toward ink-jetting surface 30, wherein box member 50 and 50 are placed at the side of recording medium K, and are closer to light emitting device 4 than the rear surface of recording medium K.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA MEDICAL & GRAPHIC, INC.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20080278560
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus 1 is provided with: a recording head 10 to eject light-hardenable ink onto a recording medium S; a plurality of light sources 12a and 13a configured with semiconductor light emitting elements to radiate light onto the light-hardenable ink; a constant voltage power supply 14 to receive an alternating current and convert into a direct current power having a predetermined voltage; constant current circuits 15a and 15b to convert the direct current power supplied form the constant voltage power supply into a direct current power having a predetermined current value and to supply the direct current power to the light sources; and a control section 16 to control the current value of the direct current power supplied form the constant current circuits, where a plurality of the light sources are connected serially and a plurality of the constant current circuits are provided in accordance with number of blocks 11a and 11b which are configured with a plurality of light sources divided int
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Patent number: 7419256
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a conveyance device for moving a recording medium P in a predetermined direction; a recording device for recording an image on the recording medium P by using an ink cured by photo irradiation; light irradiating devices for irradiating light to the ink landed on the recording medium P; sensors for detecting illumination intensity of the light irradiated from each of the light irradiating devices; and a controller for controlling each of the conveyance device, the recording device, the light irradiating devices, and the sensors, wherein the controller controls the illumination intensities of the light irradiating devices so that the illumination intensities are substantially the same as each other, in accordance with the light irradiating device having the lowest illumination intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Patent number: 7331648
    Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus having: a recording head having a plurality of nozzles formed thereon to jet ink; a feeding device to feed a recording medium; and a control unit to control ink jetting from the nozzles of the recording head so that the recording head is driven with multi-phase drive to record with recorded pixel locations shifted at every drive phase switching by an integer times a pixel width of a recording resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Patent number: 7216955
    Abstract: An inkjet printer capable of inhibiting color tone change on a recording-finished image with an easy structure. The inkjet printer has: a plurality of recording heads for jetting ink having different colors from each other, wherein an image is recorded by moving the plurality of the recording heads over a recording medium conveyed along a conveyance direction, along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction; each recording head has a plurality of nozzles for jetting the ink as minute liquid drops; the plurality of nozzles are arrayed at intervals of predetermined number of pixels along the conveyance direction in each recording head; and each nozzle of one recording head is arranged at a position shifted from each nozzle of the other recording head along the conveyance direction so as to dispose each nozzle of the one recording head within the interval between the nozzles of the other recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Niekawa
  • Publication number: 20070103495
    Abstract: An inkjet recording device includes: a recording head provided with a nozzle for jetting ink, wherein the inkjet recording device records an image by jetting the ink from the recording head onto a recording medium, while moving the recording head and the recording medium relatively, and the inkjet recording device further comprises, a viewing distance setting unit for setting a parameter corresponding to a distance from which the recording medium after a recording is viewed; a recording mode setting unit for setting a recording mode based on the parameter set by the viewing distance setting unit; and a control device for controlling an operation of a jetting of the ink by the recording head and the relative movement of the recording head and the recording medium so that the recording is performed according to the recording mode set by the recording mode setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Niekawa, Tsutomu Yoneyama