Patents by Inventor Hirohiko Aiba

Hirohiko Aiba 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: 20240053696
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing unit including a fixing member, a heating member, and a temperature detection portion, and a control portion configured to execute warm-up processing. If a temperature of the heating member at a first timing in a period of time in which the heating member is being heated in the warm-up processing is a first temperature, a temperature of the heating member at a second timing that is in the period of time and that is later than the first timing is a second temperature, and a temperature of the heating member at a timing different from the first timing and the second timing is a third temperature, the control portion is configured to change a fixing condition used in the job, based on the first temperature, the second temperature, and the third temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: KOHEI HAEMATSU, TAKAHIRO UCHIYAMA, KEISUKE MOCHIZUKI, HIROHIKO AIBA
  • Patent number: 11774890
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hirohiko Aiba, Tomoki Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20220326643
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hirohiko Aiba, Tomoki Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 11397394
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hirohiko Aiba, Tomoki Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20210200129
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hirohiko Aiba, Tomoki Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 10983465
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushikl Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hirohiko Aiba, Tomoki Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 10969713
    Abstract: A controller controls power to be supplied to a plurality of heat-generating blocks obtained by dividing a heater in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction for a recording material, and when images formed on a plurality of sheets of the recording material having an equal size are continuously heated, and the controller determines whether each of the heat-generating blocks is a heat-generating block which is passed by the recording material or a heat-generating block which is not passed by the recording material on the basis of a detection temperature by a temperature detecting element when prescribed power is supplied to the heat-generating block and changes a control condition in heating on the basis of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohiko Aiba, Tomonori Sato, Hideaki Yonekubo
  • Publication number: 20210034000
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Masato Sako, Hirohiko Aiba, Tomoki Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20200341416
    Abstract: A controller controls power to be supplied to a plurality of heat-generating blocks obtained by dividing a heater in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction for a recording material, and when images formed on a plurality of sheets of the recording material having an equal size are continuously heated, and the controller determines whether each of the heat-generating blocks is a heat-generating block which is passed by the recording material or a heat-generating block which is not passed by the recording material on the basis of a detection temperature by a temperature detecting element when prescribed power is supplied to the heat-generating block and changes a control condition in heating on the basis of the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Hirohiko Aiba, Tomonori Sato, Hideaki Yonekubo
  • Patent number: 10656573
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a plurality of heat generating elements, a plurality of temperature detecting elements, and an energization controlling portion for selectively controlling, based on the temperature detected by each of the plurality of temperature detecting elements, electrical power to be supplied to the plurality of heat generating elements. The plurality of temperature detecting elements are arranged in each of the plurality of heat generating elements, and the energization controlling portion controls electrical power supply to the plurality of heat generating elements for the purpose of heating a non-sheet-passing heating region, through which a recording material does not pass, among the plurality of heating regions, based on a temperature detected by a temperature detecting element that is farthest from a conveyance reference position of the recording material, among the plurality of temperature detecting elements arranged in the non-sheet-passing heating region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirohiko Aiba
  • Patent number: 10488791
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material, a fixing portion configured to heat and to fix the toner image formed on the recording material, and a controller configured to control the apparatus, which is operable to form an image on a recording material having a first size and a recording material having a second size smaller than the first size in a direction perpendicular to a recording material feeding direction. If a printing instruction for printing on the recording material of the first size is received while continuously printing on the recording material of the second size at a first throughput, the controller controls the apparatus so as to print on the recording material of the second size at a second throughput, lower than the first throughput, before printing on the recording material of the first size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Hirose, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Hirohiko Aiba, Taisuke Minagawa, Mahito Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20190212679
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a plurality of heat generating elements, a plurality of temperature detecting elements, and an energization controlling portion for selectively controlling, based on the temperature detected by each of the plurality of temperature detecting elements, electrical power to be supplied to the plurality of heat generating elements. The plurality of temperature detecting elements are arranged in each of the plurality of heat generating elements, and the energization controlling portion controls electrical power supply to the plurality of heat generating elements for the purpose of heating a non-sheet-passing heating region, through which a recording material does not pass, among the plurality of heating regions, based on a temperature detected by a temperature detecting element that is farthest from a conveyance reference position of the recording material, among the plurality of temperature detecting elements arranged in the non-sheet-passing heating region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventor: Hirohiko Aiba
  • Publication number: 20190204768
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, and a plate heater including an electrode portion provided outside of an end portion of the film with respect to a longitudinal direction of the film at an end portion of the heater, with a lubricant being applied in a region where the heater contacts the film. A supporting member supports a surface of the heater. In addition, a sealing member contacts a surface of the heater where the electrode portion of the heater is provided, and is provided at a position closer to a center of the heater than is the electrode portion. Further, the sealing member includes an engaging portion engaging with an end portion of the supporting member with respect to a widthwise direction of the heater, and a cantilever contact portion contacting a surface of the heater where the electrode portion is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Hirohiko Aiba, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Masaki Hirose, Mahito Yoshioka, Taisuke Minagawa, Fumiki Inui, Keita Nakajima, Kazushi Nishikata
  • Patent number: 10254686
    Abstract: The fixing apparatus includes a cylindrical heating film, a nip portion forming member, a roller; a motor, a control unit, and an acquisition unit. The apparatus executes a fixing process of conveying and heating the recording material carrying the toner image to fix the toner image to the recording material at the nip portion. The apparatus is further configured to execute a first mode of stopping the supply of power to the motor just after the end of the fixing process and a second mode of stopping the supply of power to the motor after a low-speed rotation period for rotating the motor at a rotational speed set lower than the target rotational speed during the fixing process after the end of the fixing process, and to select one of the first and second modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taisuke Minagawa, Mahito Yoshioka, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Hirohiko Aiba, Masaki Hirose
  • Patent number: 10254691
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable cylindrical film, a contact member, a nip forming member, and regulating member. The regulating member includes an inner surface regulating surface that contacts and regulates a position of an inner surface of the film, and that, with respect to a rotational direction of the film, includes a first region remotest from a nip and a second region closer to the nip than the first region, the second region being positioned in a side upstream of a center of the nip with respect to a recording material feeding direction. The inner surface regulating surface is inclined so as to be spaced from the inner surface of the film toward a longitudinal center of the film, and a degree of inclination of the inner surface regulating surface is greater in the first region than in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Hirose, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Hirohiko Aiba, Keita Nakajima, Kazushi Nishikata, Fumiki Inui, Koichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10241453
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material. The fixing device includes a heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a supporting member for supporting the heater, the supporting member being provided in a hollow space, a first portion for preventing lateral movement of the film in a generatrix direction of the film, the first portion being supported by a frame of the fixing device and holding the supporting member, and a second portion opposed to a surface of the heater where the heater contacts the film and elongated along a widthwise direction of the heater, the second portion being provided at the same position with the generatrix direction of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirohiko Aiba, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Masaki Hirose, Mahito Yoshioka, Taisuke Minagawa, Fumiki Inui, Keita Nakajima, Kazushi Nishikata
  • Publication number: 20190025744
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming a toner image on a sheet; a fixing portion for heating and fixing the toner on the sheet; and a controller for controlling the apparatus which is operable to form an image on the sheet having a first size and the sheet having a second size smaller than the first size. When a print instruction on the sheet of the first size during a period in which a print is formed on the sheet of the second size at a first throughput, the controller controls the apparatus so as to print on the sheet of the second size at a second throughput which is lower than the first throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Masaki Hirose, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Hirohiko Aiba, Taisuke Minagawa, Mahito Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 10114337
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an image-forming unit, a fixing device including a heating rotator and a pressure member forming a nip portion together with the heating rotator, and a bias-applying unit applying bias to the heating rotator. Image forming modes each having a time interval between a preceding recording material and a succeeding recording material which is different from each other can be performed. A control unit executes a first control while the recording materials are being conveyed at the nip portion, and a second control while the recording materials are not being conveyed at the nip portion due to the time interval. A switching time in the image forming mode in which the time interval is a first time interval is determined to be longer than in the image forming mode in which the time interval is a second time interval shorter than the first time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Honke, Satoru Taniguchi, Mahito Yoshioka, Hirohiko Aiba, Taisuke Minagawa, Masaki Hirose
  • Publication number: 20180203386
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film; a contact member, a nip forming member, and a regulating member provided at a longitudinal end portion of the film and including an inner surface regulating surface. As viewed in a longitudinal direction of the film, with respect to a rotational direction of the film, the inner surface regulating surface includes a first region remotest from the nip and a second region closer to the nip than the first region is. The inner surface regulating surface is inclined so as to be spaced from the inner surface of the film toward a longitudinal center of the film with respect to a longitudinal direction of the film, and a degree of inclination of the inner surface regulating surface is larger in the first region than in the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Masaki Hirose, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Hirohiko Aiba, Keita Nakajima, Kazushi Nishikata, Fumiki Inui, Koichi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20180107141
    Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material onto the recording material. The fixing device includes a heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a supporting member for supporting the heater, the supporting member being provided in a hollow space, a first portion for preventing lateral movement of the film in a generatrix direction of the film, the first portion being supported by a frame of the fixing device and holding the supporting member, and a second portion opposed to a surface of the heater where the heater contacts the film and elongated along a widthwise direction of the heater, the second portion being provided at the same position with the generatrix direction of the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Hirohiko Aiba, Satoru Taniguchi, Takashi Honke, Masaki Hirose, Mahito Yoshioka, Taisuke Minagawa, Fumiki Inui, Keita Nakajima, Kazushi Nishikata