Patents by Inventor Akihiro Gomi

Akihiro Gomi 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: 20120201555
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the invention includes; a cleaning member that collects liquid developer by cleaning a developer carrier; a first transporting path that moves the liquid developer collected by the cleaning member; an oscillating member that applies vibration to the liquid developer transported from the first transporting path; a developer supply unit that stores the liquid developer transported from a first transporting mechanism; a second transporting mechanism that includes a second transporting path that transports the liquid developer stored in the developer supply unit to a developer storage in a developing unit; and a control unit that adjusts a toner charge current applied to the toner charging unit and controls vibration applied to the oscillating member on the basis of the adjusted toner charge current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA, Akihiro GOMI, Tsutomu SASAKI, Naotaka HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20120121282
    Abstract: An image formation device comprises a control portion for controlling the amount of liquid developer supplied from a toner supply portion and the amount of carrier solution supplied from a carrier solution supply portion to adjust the toner concentration of liquid developer of a liquid developer concentration adjustment portion and to control the amount of liquid developer of the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion on the basis of the measured toner concentration of the liquid developer and the amount of the liquid developer, wherein the control portion adjusts the toner concentration of the liquid developer in the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion and controls the amount of the liquid developer in the liquid developer concentration adjustment portion when a recovered liquid stagnation detection portion does not detect that a recovered liquid is stagnant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi OBA, Akihiro GOMI
  • Patent number: 8180237
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method charges and exposes a latent image carrier to form a latent image. Bias is applied to liquid developer on a developer carrier, and liquid developer collected by a developer carrier cleaning member is stored in a collected developer storing portion. The state of the collected liquid developer is determined based on a state of bias application or detected image data, and a stirring amount of a conveying member that stirs the collected liquid developer is controlled based on the determined state to improve a property of the collected liquid developer conveyed to a storing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Sasaki, Kazuhiro Nishiyama, Akihiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 7885565
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier 20Y that carries liquid developer containing toner liquid and carrier liquid, a developer supply member 32Y that supplies liquid developer to the developer carrier 20Y, a developer carrier cleaning member 21Y that collects liquid developer from the developer carrier 20Y, a collection reservoir 31bY that stores the liquid developer collected by the developer carrier cleaning member 21Y, a supply section 31aY that makes liquid developer flow to the collection reservoir 31bY, a conveyance member 34Y that conveys the liquid developer collected in the collection reservoir 31bY in a first direction X and a conveyance capacity regulation section 100 that regulates the conveyance capacity of the conveyance member 34Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Sasaki, Kazuhiro Nishiyama, Akihiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 7719739
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region which has a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises: a light source which emits the light beam; a deflector which includes an oscillation mirror which oscillates about an oscillatory axis which is orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction, deflects the light beam emitted from the light source using the oscillation mirror, and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range which corresponds to the effective scanning region; a detector which detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position which is outside the first scanning range but is within the second scanning range, and outputs a signal; and a controller which controls a mirror drive signal fed to the oscillation mirror based on the output signal from the detector and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Yujiro Nomura, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 7710625
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region which has a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises: a light source which emits the light beam; a deflector which includes an oscillation mirror which oscillates about an oscillatory axis which is orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction, deflects the light beam emitted from the light source using the oscillation mirror, and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range which corresponds to the effective scanning region; a detector which detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position which is outside the first scanning range but is within the second scanning range, and outputs a signal; and a controller which controls a mirror drive signal fed to the oscillation mirror based on the output signal from the detector and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Yujiro Nomura, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 7698057
    Abstract: An in-vehicle navigation apparatus is equipped with (i) an HDD for recording map data for display and, further, (ii) an external memory, which is not an HDD and in which the map data recorded in the HDD can be copied. The navigation apparatus performs the following: when the main power is supplied to the map display device, the altitude of the position of the vehicle (startup altitude) is specified; when the specified startup altitude is equal to or higher than a reference altitude, the map data are read from the external memory and the corresponding map is thereby displayed on an image display device, with the HDD not activated; and when the specified startup altitude is lower than the reference altitude, the map data are read from the HDD and the corresponding map is thereby displayed on the image display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keita Kobayashi, Akihiro Gomi
  • Publication number: 20100086297
    Abstract: A concentration detection apparatus includes: a light-emitting element that emits light; a light-emitting-element holding unit that holds the light-emitting element; a light-receiving element that receives light emitted from the light-emitting element; a light-receiving-element holding unit that holds the light-receiving element and is provided opposite to the light-emitting-element holding unit with a gap therebetween; a moving unit that can move through or at the gap between the light-emitting-element holding unit and the light-receiving-element holding unit; and a gap adjusting unit that adjusts a value of the gap as a distance between the light-emitting-element holding unit and the light-receiving-element holding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA, Akihiro GOMI, Tsutomu SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20100080595
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier on which a latent image is formed; a charging unit that charges the latent image carrier; an exposing unit that exposes the latent image carrier charged by the charging unit and forms the latent image; a developing unit including a developer carrier that carries liquid developer including toner and carrier liquid, a developer feeding member that feeds the liquid developer to the developer carrier, a bias applying member that applies a bias to the liquid developer on the developer carrier, a developer carrier cleaning member that collects the liquid developer on the developer carrier, a collected developer storing portion that stores the liquid developer collected by the developer carrier cleaning member, a feeding unit that feeds the liquid developer to the collected developer storing portion and the developer feeding member, a conveying member that stirs the liquid developer collected by the collected developer storing portion, and a stirring amount
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu SASAKI, Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA, Akihiro GOMI
  • Publication number: 20090245833
    Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier 20Y that carries liquid developer containing toner liquid and carrier liquid, a developer supply member 32Y that supplies liquid developer to the developer carrier 20Y, a developer carrier cleaning member 21Y that collects liquid developer from the developer carrier 20Y, a collection reservoir 31aY that stores the liquid developer collected by the developer carrier cleaning member 21Y, a supply section 31bY that makes liquid developer flow to the collection reservoir 31aY, a conveyance member 34Y that conveys the liquid developer collected in the collection reservoir 31aY in a first direction X and a conveyance capacity regulation section 39bY that regulates the conveyance capacity of the conveyance member 34Y.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsutomu SASAKI, Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA, Akihiro GOMI
  • Patent number: 7557976
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes a deflector having an oscillation mirror that oscillates about an axis that is orthogonal to a main scanning direction. A detector detects a scanning light beam deflected by the oscillation mirror and moving in a scanning region. A controller adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror based on a detection signal outputted from the detector, and stops driving the oscillation mirror when the detection signal is not outputted from the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Yujiro Nomura, Ken Ikuma
  • Publication number: 20090135312
    Abstract: An image forming method which generates a video signal corresponding to an image forming command based on a video clock signal, modulates a light beam according to the video signal, and scans the modulated light beam along a main scanning direction by means of an oscillation mirror which resonates based on a drive signal, so as to form a latent image in an effective image region of a latent image carrier, the method includes: synchronizing the drive signal with the video clock signal to synchronize a detection signal with the video clock signal, the detection signal being output from a detector which detect the light beam scanned in the main scanning direction in a region away from an effective scan region which corresponds to the effective image region; controlling a resonant frequency of the oscillation mirror based on the detection signal so that the resonant frequency of the oscillation mirror almost coincides with the frequency of the drive signal; and adjusting a position, at which the latent image is w
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasumasa ISHIHARA, Yujiro NOMURA, Akihiro GOMI, Ken IKUMA
  • Publication number: 20090021817
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region which has a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises: a light source which emits the light beam; a deflector which includes an oscillation mirror which oscillates about an oscillatory axis which is orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction, deflects the light beam emitted from the light source using the oscillation mirror, and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range which corresponds to the effective scanning region; a detector which detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position which is outside the first scanning range but is within the second scanning range, and outputs a signal; and a controller which controls a mirror drive signal fed to the oscillation mirror based on the output signal from the detector and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro GOMI, Yujiro NOMURA, Ken IKUMA
  • Patent number: 7480087
    Abstract: An image forming method which generates a video signal corresponding to an image forming command based on a video clock signal, modulates a light beam according to the video signal, and scans the modulated light beam along a main scanning direction by means of an oscillation mirror which resonates based on a drive signal, so as to form a latent image in an effective image region of a latent image carrier, the method includes: synchronizing the drive signal with the video clock signal to synchronize a detection signal with the vide clock signal, the detection signal being output from a detector which detect the light beam scanned in the main scanning direction in a region away from an effective scan region which corresponds to the effective image region; controlling a resonant frequency of the oscillation mirror based on the detection signal so that the resonant frequency of the oscillation mirror almost coincides with the frequency of the drive signal; and adjusting a position, at which the latent image is wr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasumasa Ishihara, Yujiro Nomura, Akihiro Gomi, Ken Ikuma
  • Publication number: 20080291516
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region which has a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises: a light source which emits the light beam; a deflector which includes an oscillation mirror which oscillates about an oscillatory axis which is orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction, deflects the light beam emitted from the light source using the oscillation mirror, and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range which corresponds to the effective scanning region; a detector which detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position which is outside the first scanning range but is within the second scanning range, and outputs a signal; and a controller which controls a mirror drive signal fed to the oscillation mirror based on the output signal from the detector and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro GOMI, Yujiro NOMURA, Ken IKUMA
  • Patent number: 7436564
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region having a predetermined width. A deflector includes an oscillation mirror which deflects the light beam and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range corresponding to the effective scanning region A detector detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position outside the first scanning range but within the second scanning range, and outputs a detection signal A controller drives the oscillation mirror based on the detection signal and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror, and stops driving the oscillation mirror when the detection signal is not outputted from the detector even though a light source is turned on to emit the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Yujiro Nomura, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 7391003
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming unit in which a light beam scans in a second scan region wider than a first scan region. The light beam is modulated in accordance with an image signal within the range of the first scan region for every scanning cycle and guided onto the effective image region to form a line latent image. A write timing adjuster adjusts a write start position for writing a latent image along the main scanning direction, based on a time difference between a first detection signal output when a first light beam scanning away from the effective image region moves passed an optical sensor, and a second detection signal output when a second light beam scanning toward the effective image region moves passed the optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Nomura, Akihiro Gomi, Ken Ikuma
  • Publication number: 20080106589
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier that includes an effective image region which has a predetermined width along a main scanning direction; a latent image forming unit that has a structure in which a deflection mirror surface makes a light beam scan in a second scan region which is wider than a first scan region which corresponds to the effective image region, that modulates the light beam in accordance with an image signal within the range of the first scan region for every scanning cycle, and that guides the modulated light beam onto the effective image region, thereby forming a line latent image which corresponds to the image signal; an optical sensor that detects a scanning light beam, which moves outside the first scan region within the second scan region, to output a signal; and a write timing adjuster that controls the timing of start modulating the light beam and accordingly adjusts a write start position for start writing a latent image along the main scanning direction, base
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro NOMURA, Akihiro GOMI, Ken IKUMA
  • Publication number: 20080065323
    Abstract: An in-vehicle navigation apparatus is equipped with (i) an HDD for recording map data for display and, further, (ii) an external memory, which is not an HDD and in which the map data recorded in the HDD can be copied. The navigation apparatus performs the following: when the main power is supplied to the map display device, the altitude of the position of the vehicle (startup altitude) is specified; when the specified startup altitude is equal to or higher than a reference altitude, the map data are read from the external memory and the corresponding map is thereby displayed on an image display device, with the HDD not activated; and when the specified startup altitude is lower than the reference altitude, the map data are read from the HDD and the corresponding map is thereby displayed on the image display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keita Kobayashi, Akihiro Gomi
  • Publication number: 20070297035
    Abstract: A light scanning apparatus makes a light beam scan along a main scanning direction on an effective scanning region which has a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises: a light source which emits the light beam; a deflector which includes an oscillation mirror which oscillates about an oscillatory axis which is orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction, deflects the light beam emitted from the light source using the oscillation mirror, and makes the light beam scan a second scanning range which contains but extends beyond a first scanning range which corresponds to the effective scanning region; a detector which detects the scanning light beam which moves through a position which is outside the first scanning range but is within the second scanning range, and outputs a signal; and a controller which controls a mirror drive signal fed to the oscillation mirror based on the output signal from the detector and accordingly adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro GOMI, Yujiro NOMURA, Ken IKUMA