Patents by Inventor Kazutoshi Yoshimura
Kazutoshi Yoshimura 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).
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Publication number: 20240036503Abstract: [Problem] To provide a stiffness measuring device capable of highly accurately measuring the stiffness of a recording material such as a sheet, and an image forming system equipped with the stiffness measuring device. [Solution] A stiffness measuring device includes a holding portion that holds a recording material so that a recording surface of the recording material is substantially parallel to a vertical direction, a pressing portion, and a stiffness acquiring section. The pressing portion presses a measurement point located on a lower side in the vertical direction than the portion of the recording material held by the holding portion. The stiffness acquiring section measure a reaction force obtained when the measurement point is pressed by the pressing portion and acquires the measured reaction force as the stiffness of the recording material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2023Publication date: February 1, 2024Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Yasuo KOYANAGI, Kazumichi YOSHIDA, Yoshihito SASAMOTO, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA
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Patent number: 11740580Abstract: Provided are an image forming system and a method for detecting glossiness capable of accurately detecting glossiness in various media having different conditions. The image forming system includes a sensor unit including a light source that irradiates a medium being conveyed with light and a gloss sensor that receives light emitted from the light source and specularly reflected on the medium and detects a diffusion distribution of light in the medium, and a detection condition setting unit that identifies a type of the medium being conveyed and sets a light amount of the light source and/or exposure time of the gloss sensor at the time of glossiness detection in accordance with the type of the medium. The image forming system further includes a glossiness detector that detects glossiness of the medium from a diffusion distribution of light detected by the gloss sensor under the detection condition set by the detection condition setting unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Akimasa Ishikawa, Hitoshi Asano, Yumiko Izumiya, Hirotada Seki, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Yasuo Koyanagi
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Patent number: 11708231Abstract: A paper sheet sensing device includes: a sheet thickness sensor that includes a reference member and a displacement sensor, and senses a sheet thickness of a conveyed recording medium by bringing the reference member into contact with the recording medium and sensing a position of a height of the reference member with the displacement sensor, the position of the height having changed with the recording medium; a first attacher to which the sheet thickness sensor is attached; a conveyor that nips and conveys the recording medium, and is disposed adjacent to the sheet thickness sensor at a predetermined distance equal to or shorter than a length of the recording medium being conveyed, in a conveyance direction of the recording medium; and a displacement preventer that prevents a change in an output of the displacement sensor due to a shift of a relative position of the height of the reference member.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2021Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Ogata, Masayuki Watanabe, Hidenori Mine
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Patent number: 11627234Abstract: A post-processing device includes: multiple types of post-processing modules that are disposed at predetermined installation positions within the post-processing device and each execute post-processing to an output sheet on which an image is formed; and a controller that (i) detects the post-processing modules at the installation positions and (ii) determines and controls adjustment contents of the post-processing modules based on a detection result.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Masayuki Watanabe, Hidenori Mine, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
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Patent number: 11591174Abstract: A physical property detecting device, includes: an insertion part that includes an insertion port through which a sheet is inserted and removed; a first physical property detector that detects a first physical property of the sheet in a non-nipping state; and a second physical property detector that nips the sheet and detects a second physical property of the sheet in a nipping state, wherein the first physical property detector and the second physical property detector are disposed at different positions in an insertion and removal direction of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Yumiko Izumiya, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
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Patent number: 11533408Abstract: To provide a sheet conveyance device capable of preventing degradation in quality of conveying a sheet and image quality even when a stiffness of the sheet is different between a sheet conveyance direction and a sheet width direction. A sheet conveyance device of an image forming apparatus includes an image forming part that conveys a sheet along a conveyance path; and a stiffness acquisition part that acquires a stiffness of the sheet in a first direction including a component in the sheet conveyance direction by bending the sheet in the first direction, and acquires a stiffness of the sheet in a second direction including a component in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction by bending the sheet in the second direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2021Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Hirotada Seki, Hitoshi Asano, Yumiko Izumiya, Akimasa Ishikawa, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Yasuo Koyanagi
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Publication number: 20220390889Abstract: Provided are an image forming system and a method for detecting glossiness capable of accurately detecting glossiness in various media having different conditions. The image forming system includes a sensor unit including a light source that irradiates a medium being conveyed with light and a gloss sensor that receives light emitted from the light source and specularly reflected on the medium and detects a diffusion distribution of light in the medium, and a detection condition setting unit that identifies a type of the medium being conveyed and sets a light amount of the light source and/or exposure time of the gloss sensor at the time of glossiness detection in accordance with the type of the medium. The image forming system further includes a glossiness detector that detects glossiness of the medium from a diffusion distribution of light detected by the gloss sensor under the detection condition set by the detection condition setting unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Akimasa ISHIKAWA, Hitoshi ASANO, Yumiko IZUMIYA, Hirotada SEKI, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Yasuo KOYANAGI
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Publication number: 20220191340Abstract: To provide a sheet conveyance device capable of preventing degradation in quality of conveying a sheet and image quality even when a stiffness of the sheet is different between a sheet conveyance direction and a sheet width direction. A sheet conveyance device of an image forming apparatus includes an image forming part that conveys a sheet along a conveyance path; and a stiffness acquisition part that acquires a stiffness of the sheet in a first direction including a component in the sheet conveyance direction by bending the sheet in the first direction, and acquires a stiffness of the sheet in a second direction including a component in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction by bending the sheet in the second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2021Publication date: June 16, 2022Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Hirotada SEKI, Hitoshi ASANO, Yumiko IZUMIYA, Akimasa ISHIKAWA, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Yasuo KOYANAGI
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Publication number: 20220177257Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor that acquires first and second data groups of paper characteristics by measuring a recording medium; a processor that determines a parameter for controlling at least one of image formation and conveyance of a recording medium on a conveyance path based on the first and second data groups acquired by the sensor; an image former that forms an image on a recording medium conveyed on the conveyance path based on the parameter. The processor compares the first and second paper characteristic data groups, the first paper characteristic data group has been measured at a first time period and the second paper characteristic data group has been measured at a second time period nearer to a present time than the first time period, and the processor controls the image formation based on a the comparison result.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Satoshi Ogata, Yumiko Izumiya, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Hiroyuki Maruyama, Masashi Sugano, Tsuyoshi Yoneyama
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Publication number: 20220176715Abstract: A conveyance device includes a conveyance path on which a medium is carried; a first detector that detects the medium on the conveyance path and generates first property data; and a hardware processor that acquires the first property data and second property data generated by detecting the medium disposed at a position away from the conveyance path.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Inventors: KAZUTOSHI YOSHIMURA, SATOSHI OGATA, MASAYUKI WATANABE, HIDENORI MINE
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Patent number: 11286125Abstract: A measuring device, includes a physical property value detector and a push contact member that pushes to bring a sheet material in contact with the physical property value detector; and further includes a first processor that stops conveyance of the sheet material, pushes to bring the sheet material in contact with the physical property value detector, and detects a physical property value of the sheet material; a second processor that, after having detected the physical property value, cancels the pushing by the push contact member, separates the sheet material from the physical property value detector, and starts conveyance of the sheet material; and a physical property value specifier that specifies the physical property value on a basis of physical property values of a plurality of positions within a surface of the sheet material detected by executing the first processing and the second processing repeatedly.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Yumiko Izumiya, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Hitoshi Asano, Hirotada Seki, Akimasa Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20220046142Abstract: A post-processing device includes: multiple types of post-processing modules that are disposed at predetermined installation positions within the post-processing device and each execute post-processing to an output sheet on which an image is formed; and a controller that (i) detects the post-processing modules at the installation positions and (ii) determines and controls adjustment contents of the post-processing modules based on a detection result.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Masayuki Watanabe, Hidenori Mine, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
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Publication number: 20210354941Abstract: A paper sheet sensing device includes: a sheet thickness sensor that includes a reference member and a displacement sensor, and senses a sheet thickness of a conveyed recording medium by bringing the reference member into contact with the recording medium and sensing a position of a height of the reference member with the displacement sensor, the position of the height having changed with the recording medium; a first attacher to which the sheet thickness sensor is attached; a conveyor that nips and conveys the recording medium, and is disposed adjacent to the sheet thickness sensor at a predetermined distance equal to or shorter than a length of the recording medium being conveyed, in a conveyance direction of the recording medium; and a displacement preventer that prevents a change in an output of the displacement sensor due to a shift of a relative position of the height of the reference member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2021Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: KAZUTOSHI YOSHIMURA, SATOSHI OGATA, MASAYUKI WATANABE, HIDENORI MINE
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Publication number: 20210078813Abstract: Provided is a recording medium detection device which prevents a recording medium from jamming. The device comprises: a first roller and a second roller which nip and transport a recording medium; a roller shaft which rotatably supports the second roller; a shaft support; and a displacement detector. The shaft support supports the roller shaft movably in the thickness direction of the recording medium. The displacement detector detects displacement of the second roller in the thickness direction. The shaft support further supports the second roller movably in the transportation direction of the recording medium through the roller shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Yumiko Izumiya, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Hitoshi Asano, Hirotada Seki, Akimasa Ishikawa, Masashi Sugano, Tsuyoshi Yoneyama, Hiroyuki Maruyama
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Publication number: 20210078816Abstract: Provided is a recording medium detection device which prevents the decline in productivity. The recording medium detection device comprises a first detecting section and a second detecting section. The first detecting section performs a first adjustment process and makes a detection of a recording medium being transported. The second detecting section is located more downstream than the first detecting section in the transportation direction of the recording medium, performs a second adjustment process which takes a longer time than the first adjustment process, and makes a detection of the recording medium being transported.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Yumiko Izumiya, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Hitoshi Asano, Hirotada Seki, Akimasa Ishikawa, Masashi Sugano, Tsuyoshi Yoneyama, Hiroyuki Maruyama
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Publication number: 20200370883Abstract: A sheet distinction device includes a measurer, a housing, a shutter, a calibration plate, and a controller. The measurer emits light to a sheet, receives light reflected from the sheet, and acquires detection information for determining physical properties of the sheet. The housing houses the measurer and is provided with an opening through which the emitted light and the reflected light pass. The shutter switches between a closed state in which the opening is closed and an open state in which the opening is open. The calibration plate is provided on a surface of the shutter which is on an inner side in the closed state. In the closed state, the measurer emits light to a calibration plate and receives reflected light to acquire acquisition information. The controller calibrates the measurer based on the acquisition information.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2020Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Satoshi OGATA, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Yumiko IZUMIYA
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Publication number: 20200356037Abstract: A sheet distinction device includes a slot, a detector, a presser, a measurer, a calculator, and an operation controller. A sheet is inserted into the slot. The detector detects that the sheet has reached a detection position of the slot. The presser moves the sheet in a direction perpendicular to an insertion direction of the sheet to press a surface of the sheet against a measurement surface of the measurer. The measurer measures physical properties of the sheet. The calculator calculates an information value indicating time taken to insert the sheet. The operation controller controls operation start time and operation speed of the presser in accordance with the information value calculated by the calculator.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Inventors: Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Satoshi OGATA, Yumiko IZUMIYA
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Publication number: 20200255239Abstract: A measuring device, includes a physical property value detector and a push contact member that pushes to bring a sheet material in contact with the physical property value detector; and further includes a first processor that stops conveyance of the sheet material, pushes to bring the sheet material in contact with the physical property value detector, and detects a physical property value of the sheet material; a second processor that, after having detected the physical property value, cancels the pushing by the push contact member, separates the sheet material from the physical property value detector, and starts conveyance of the sheet material; and a physical property value specifier that specifies the physical property value on a basis of physical property values of a plurality of positions within a surface of the sheet material detected by executing the first processing and the second processing repeatedly.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Yumiko IZUMIYA, Satoshi OGATA, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Hitoshi ASANO, Hirotada SEKI, Akimasa ISHIKAWA
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Publication number: 20200192261Abstract: A setting determination apparatus includes: a measurer that measures a physical property of a medium; and a hardware processor. The hardware processor specifies a basis weight and a type of the medium based on a result of the measurement by the measurer and outputs the specified basis weight and type of the medium as a medium setting candidate for an operation setting for image forming.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Satoshi OGATA, Yumiko IZUMIYA, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA
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Publication number: 20200122942Abstract: A physical property detecting device, includes: an insertion part that includes an insertion port through which a sheet is inserted and removed; a first physical property detector that detects a first physical property of the sheet in a non-nipping state; and a second physical property detector that nips the sheet and detects a second physical property of the sheet in a nipping state, wherein the first physical property detector and the second physical property detector are disposed at different positions in an insertion and removal direction of the sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Yumiko Izumiya, Satoshi Ogata, Kazutoshi Yoshimura