Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Shingai

Hiroyuki Shingai 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: 11366626
    Abstract: An operation panel unit is used for an image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit is configured to input various control instructions to the image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit includes a display portion, an NFC reading portion, and a USB port. The NFC reading portion and the USB port are disposed on different surfaces of the display portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Publication number: 20220146976
    Abstract: A printer includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet by an electrophotographic method, and a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet by an inkjet method. An image recording position of the recording unit is located above an image forming position of the image forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SHINGAI, Shohei ICHIKAWA, Kazutoshi NAKAMURA, Shota SHINOYA
  • Patent number: 11025786
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing including a first side surface, and a second side surface opposing the first side surface in the first direction, and an NFC board and a USB board that are disposed in the casing. The NFC board has a first board surface. The USB board has a second board surface on which a USB port is mounted. The NFC board and The USB board that are disposed in the casing at a position closer to the first side surface in the first direction than the second side surface. The second board surface is located at a level different from the first board surface in the direction normal to the first board surface. The USB board does not overlap with the NFC board when viewed in the direction normal to the first board surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shingai, Yuji Takimoto
  • Publication number: 20200310711
    Abstract: An operation panel unit is used for an image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit is configured to input various control instructions to the image forming apparatus. The operation panel unit includes a display portion, an NFC reading portion, and a USB port. The NFC reading portion and the USB port are disposed on different surfaces of the display portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SHINGAI
  • Publication number: 20200112644
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing including a first side surface, and a second side surface opposing the first side surface in the first direction, and an NFC board and a USB board that are disposed in the casing. The NFC board has a first board surface. The USB board has a second board surface on which a USB port is mounted. The NFC board and The USB board that are disposed in the casing at a position closer to the first side surface in the first direction than the second side surface. The second board surface is located at a level different from the first board surface in the direction normal to the first board surface. The USB board does not overlap with the NFC board when viewed in the direction normal to the first board surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SHINGAI, Yuji TAKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9232098
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path; a platen a sheet pressing member made of a resin member; spacers provided on both end portions of the sheet pressing member in a width direction, wherein each of the spacers protrudes toward a platen side, a tip end of the spacer in the protrusion direction contacting the platen at positions out of a reading range of a reading unit in the width direction to secure a gap between the sheet pressing member and a platen; and a protruding portion provided on a central portion of the sheet pressing member in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Patent number: 9055184
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an imaging unit, a moving mechanism moving the imaging unit between a first position and a second position, a conveyance mechanism, a sun gear, and a planetary gear that rotates by being meshed with the sun gear and having a rotation center configured to revolve around the sun gear. The apparatus also includes a first output gear meshed with the planetary gear and transmits a driving force to the moving mechanism, a second output gear meshed with the planetary gear and transmits a driving force to the conveyance mechanism, a load generation part increasing a rotational resistance of the first output gear when the imaging unit is located at the first position, and a meshing part being meshed with teeth of the planetary gear when the planetary gear revolves around the sun gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Patent number: 9019578
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a conveyed document reading function and a placed document reading function includes: a moving mechanism for moving an imaging unit; a hinge mechanism for swingably connecting a document cover to a document platen; a conveyance mechanism provided to the document cover for conveying a document upon operation of the conveyed document reading function; a driving force transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting a driving force generated from a driving source to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism; a first gear rotatable by receiving the driving force from the driving force transmission mechanism; and a second gear rotatable with being meshed with the first gear for transmitting the driving force to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism, a rotating center line of which coincides with a swinging center line of the hinge mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shingai, Takayuki Akimatsu, Yasuo Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 9013766
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a base section; a reading unit; a movable body; a drive unit; and a cable. The movable body supports the reading unit and reciprocates between first and second end positions in a first direction. The drive unit is disposed on a first side where the first end position is located. The cable has one end portion fixed to a base wall of the base section and another end portion connected to the reading unit. The cable includes: a first elongated portion extending from the one end portion; a curved portion extending from the first elongated portion toward a second side where the second end position is located and then curving toward the first side; and a second elongated portion connected to the another end portion. The curved portion has a part overlapping with the drive unit in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Yamasaki, Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Publication number: 20150036197
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path; a platen a sheet pressing member made of a resin member; spacers are provided on both end portions of the sheet pressing member in a width direction, wherein each of the spacers protrudes toward a platen side, a tip end of the spacer in the protrusion direction contacting the platen at positions out of a reading range of a reading unit in the width direction to secure a gap between the sheet pressing member and a platen; and a protruding portion provided on a central portion of the sheet pressing member in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Publication number: 20140211280
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a base section; a reading unit; a movable body; a drive unit; and a cable. The movable body supports the reading unit and reciprocates between first and second end positions in a first direction. The drive unit is disposed on a first side where the first end position is located. The cable has one end portion fixed to a base wall of the base section and another end portion connected to the reading unit. The cable includes: a first elongated portion extending from the one end portion; a curved portion extending from the first elongated portion toward a second side where the second end position is located and then curving toward the first side; and a second elongated portion connected to the another end portion. The curved portion has a part overlapping with the drive unit in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuo Yamasaki, Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Publication number: 20140146372
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a conveyed document reading function and a placed document reading function includes: a moving mechanism for moving an imaging unit; a hinge mechanism for swingably connecting a document cover to a document platen; a conveyance mechanism provided to the document cover for conveying a document upon operation of the conveyed document reading function; a driving force transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting a driving force generated from a driving source to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism; a first gear rotatable by receiving the driving force from the driving force transmission mechanism; and a second gear rotatable with being meshed with the first gear for transmitting the driving force to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism, a rotating center line of which coincides with a swinging center line of the hinge mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shingai, Takayuki Akimatsu, Yasuo Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8695964
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device to convey a sheet in a sheet path is provided. The sheet conveying device includes a separator roller, which is arranged to be rotatably in contact with the sheet to apply conveying force to the sheet, a pad assembly including a separator pad, which is arranged to be in contact with the sheet stack to apply convey resistance to the sheet stack, and a holder, which is swingably attached to a base member and holds the separator pad, the base member being in a fixed position with respect to the separator roller, a spring, which urges the pad assembly toward the separator roller, and a slidable member, which is attached to the pad assembly to be integrally movable with the pad assembly and to be slidably in contact with a first slidable section in the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Hamaguchi, Takaaki Mukai, Ryoichi Matsushima, Kotaro Kurokawa, Hiroyuki Shingai, Kazutoshi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140092446
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus comprising: an imaging unit; a moving mechanism moving the imaging unit between a first position and a second position; a conveyance mechanism; a sun gear; a planetary gear that rotates by being meshed with the sun gear and having a rotation center configured to revolve around the sun gear; a first output gear meshed with the planetary gear and transmits a driving force to the moving mechanism; a second output gear meshed with the planetary gear and transmits a driving force to the conveyance mechanism; a load generation part increasing a rotational resistance of the first output gear when the imaging unit is located at the first position, and a meshing part being meshed with teeth of the planetary gear when the planetary gear revolves around the sun gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Patent number: 8666286
    Abstract: An image reading device is provided, which includes a controller configured to, when a carriage reaches a turn-around position in a moving direction, control a motor to once stop, then rotate in a second direction opposite to a first direction such that a planetary gear swings to a position separated from an output gear and that an intermediate gear moves to an engagement position to engage with the output gear, and thereafter again rotate in the first direction so as to transmit a driving force from the motor to the output gear via an input gear, a planetary gear, and the intermediate gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Patent number: 8393610
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is configured to feed stacked sheets one by one in a sheet feed direction, is provided with a sheet tray configured to accommodate the stacked sheets, a feed-out roller protruded from the sheet tray and configured to feed the stacked sheets from the sheet tray, a feed-out nip member arranged above and opposite to the feed-out roller, the feed-out nip member being configured to contact an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets and bias the sheets toward the feed-out roller, a separation unit located on a downstream side, in the sheet feed direction, of the feed-out roller, the separation unit separating a lowermost sheet from the stacked sheets fed by the feed-out roller, and a friction member configured to contact the uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets at a position different from a position where the feed-out nip member contacts the uppermost sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Publication number: 20130026708
    Abstract: An image reading device is provided, which includes a controller configured to, when a carriage reaches a turn-around position in a moving direction, control a motor to once stop, then rotate in a second direction opposite to a first direction such that a planetary gear swings to a position separated from an output gear and that an intermediate gear moves to an engagement position to engage with the output gear, and thereafter again rotate in the first direction so as to transmit a driving force from the motor to the output gear via an input gear, a planetary gear, and the intermediate gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SHINGAI
  • Patent number: 8348262
    Abstract: A document feeding device for feeding documents comprises a document input tray on which documents to be fed are placed, a document output tray to which the documents are ejected, and a feeding mechanism which is provided for a feeding path connecting the document input tray and the document output tray via a scanning position and feeds each document from the document input tray to the scanning position and from the scanning position to the document output tray. The document output tray includes a tray part which holds the ejected documents, a projecting part which pushes up a part of the ejected documents on the upstream side in a feeding direction and thereby lifts an upstream end of the ejected documents, and a pressing member which makes contact with the ejected documents from above at a position on the downstream side of the projecting part's apex in the feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai
  • Patent number: 8316353
    Abstract: A method and system for analyzing a problem in a computing environment. Symptom rules that include associated problem information are generated in a symptom catalog. An input file including a stack trace provided in response to detecting the problem is received. Function names included in contiguous lines in the stack trace are identified. In response to a search for the function names in the symptom catalog, the function names found in the search are matched to keywords included in a symptom rule. The computing system retrieves problem information that corresponds to the matched keywords. A report is generated that includes the stack trace and a solution included in the retrieved problem information. The generated report uses a text attribute to emphasize the text of the function names included in the stack trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomu Aoyama, Toshimichi Arima, Kyoichi Ozaki, Hiroyuki Shingai, Masaaki Suehiro
  • Patent number: 8251363
    Abstract: An image reader is provided, which includes an intermediate feed roller that is disposed downstream relative to a separation roller on a feeding path and configured to rotate in contact with a document sheet separated and fed by the separation roller and feed the document sheet to a downstream side on the feeding path so as to restrain a variation of a tensile force applied to the document sheet, which variation may be caused when the document sheet is fed and away from the separation roller, and only a single U-turn roller that is disposed downstream relative to the intermediate feed roller on the feeding path, and configured to rotate in contact with the document sheet fed by the intermediate feed roller and feed the document sheet to a reading unit in a U-turn manner on a U-turn path curved along an outer circumferential surface of the U-turn roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shingai