Patents by Inventor Hisaaki Kawano

Hisaaki Kawano 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: 20070189794
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 7228084
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 7062193
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed member, in which the fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil, a conductive plate metal having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal, and a female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil and detachably connected to a male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20050281576
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20050025516
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed member, in which the fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil, a conductive plate metal having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal, and a female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil and detachably connected to a male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6813456
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed member, in which the fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil, a conductive plate metal having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal, and a female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil and detachably connected to a male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20040208664
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA and TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6748184
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20040028422
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6660979
    Abstract: A fixing device comprising an endless heating member which is adapted to be contacted with a fixable member to thereby enable an image on the fixable member to be thermally fixed, an electromagnetic inductive coil member disposed close to the endless heating member and inductively heating the endless heating member, and an AC power supply circuit supplying an AC current to the electromagnetic inductive coil member. The coil member is constructed such that in a state where the coil member is positioned in the fixing device, a ratio between an inductance L of the coil member and a load resistance R of the coil member meets a condition of L/R<50×10−6 (H/&OHgr;).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6625405
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Toshiba
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20030091362
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed member, in which the fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil, a conductive plate metal having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal, and a female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil and detachably connected to a male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20030081961
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20030062363
    Abstract: A fixing device comprising an endless heating member which is adapted to be contacted with a fixable member to thereby enable an image on the fixable member to be thermally fixed, an electromagnetic inductive coil member disposed close to the endless heating member and inductively heating the endless heating member, and an AC power supply circuit supplying an AC current to the electromagnetic inductive coil member. The coil member is constructed such that in a state where the coil member is positioned in the fixing device, a ratio between an inductance L of the coil member and a load resistance R of the coil member meets a condition of L/R<50×10−6 (H/&OHgr;).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6522846
    Abstract: An electrophotographic fixing device allowing a flow of an AC current through an electromagnetic induction coil arranged close to a heating roller having a metal layer formed of a conductor and allowing the heat generation of the heating roller to heat a to-be-fixed members. The fixing device comprises a circuit board for outputting the AC current from an output terminal and passing the current through the electromagnetic induction coil. A connection plate having a thickness twice or more the current penetration depth and having one end side fixed by a fastening screw to the output terminal of the circuit board, and a male-side connection terminal provided on the other end of the plate metal. A female-side connection terminal provided at an end of a leader line of the electromagnetic induction coil is detachably connected to the male-side connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Kinouchi, Osamu Takagi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6507008
    Abstract: The present invention is a fixing device for use in an electrophotographic apparatus arranged in a structure in which a high-frequency current is flowed through an induction coil provided close to an endless member having a metal layer made of a conductive material and the endless member is caused to generate heat to heat a material to be fixed. This fixing device is characterized in that, when a start-up operation is started by electrically conducting the induction coil, the endless member is rotated after the metal layer reaches a temperature higher than a final setting temperature, and for a predetermined time from starting rotation of the endless member, a high-frequency current having a size corresponding to a control value of a temperature lower than the final setting temperature and higher than a target temperature is supplied to the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakayama, Hisaaki Kawano, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6498906
    Abstract: When a voltage abnormality error signal from a drive control section is at a low level, a control section determines a normal state. When the voltage abnormality error signal has arisen to a high level, the control section does not immediately determine an abnormal state and instead measures a time in which the voltage abnormality error signal is at the high level. If the measured time does not exceed a predetermined error timer value (limit value) T, the control section ignores this abnormal state as a temporary voltage abnormality. If the time in which the voltage abnormality error signal is at the high level exceeds the error timer value T, the control section determines a serviceman call error (SC) as the occurrence of voltage abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taizo Kimoto, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Noriyuki Umezawa, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6496665
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When the power source is turned on, all the electric power defined by subtracting an electric power amount consumed by components other than the fixing device is supplied to the magnetic excitation coil to perform heating. As the structural components of the photocopier and auxiliary devices added to the photocopier operate, the electric power defined by subtracting, from the maximum input electric power, the electric power consumed by the structural components of the photocopier and the auxiliary devices is supplied to perform heating. In this manner, the heat roller of the fixing device is heated, in a short time, to a temperature which enables fixing, so that the time required for first copying can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Umezawa, Taizo Kimoto, Kenji Takano, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6495810
    Abstract: A fixing device comprising an endless heating member which is adapted to be contacted with a fixable member to thereby enable an image on the fixable member to be thermally fixed, an electromagnetic inductive coil member disposed close to the endless heating member and inductively heating the endless heating member, and an AC power supply circuit supplying an AC current to the electromagnetic inductive coil member. The coil member is constructed such that in a state where the coil member is positioned in the fixing device, a ratio between an inductance L of the coil member and a load resistance R of the coil member meets a condition of L/R<50×10−6 (H/&OHgr;).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Takagi, Satoshi Kinouchi, Kazuhiko Kikuchi, Hisaaki Kawano, Hiroshi Nakayama, Kenji Takano, Taizo Kimoto, Noriyuki Umezawa, Masahiko Ogura
  • Patent number: 6466751
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on paper has a controller for changing paper feed intervals of a feeding device based on a mode set by a setting device. The controller may stop the feeding of the paper by the feeding device based on a temperature at an end portion of the fixing device detected by a temperature detector. The controller may control the paper feed intervals in such a manner that the paper feed intervals are small for a paper having a width greater than a threshold, large for a paper having a width; equal to or less than the threshold with no designation of a high using frequency, and small for a paper having a width equal to or less than the threshold with a designation of a high using frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisaaki Kawano