Patents by Inventor Koji Nihonyanagi
Koji Nihonyanagi 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: 20240085831Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Patent number: 11841657Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2022Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Publication number: 20230273551Abstract: An image forming system comprising: an apparatus main body equipped with an image forming portion, and a control portion that controls a fixing operation of fixing the image on the recording material, wherein a first fixing unit having a first heater and a first number of first temperature detection elements that detect the temperature of the first heater and a second fixing unit having a second heater and a second number of second temperature detection elements that detect the temperature of the second heater, can be selectively mounted on the apparatus main body, and the control portion controls the fixing operation on the basis of first temperature information detected by the first temperature detection elements when the first fixing unit is mounted, and controls the fixing operation on the basis of second temperature information detected by the second temperature detection elements when the second fixing unit is mounted.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Inventor: Koji NIHONYANAGI
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Publication number: 20220299918Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Patent number: 11448987Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, in continuous image formation in which images are continuously formed and fixed on a plurality of recording materials in a fixing portion, with a period from start of the continuous image formation on a first recording material to arrival thereof at the fixing unit being regarded as a first period, and with a period from the arrival of the first recording material at the fixing portion to the end of the continuous image formation being regarded as a second period, a second maximum energizing duty that is set when the control portion supplies power to a plurality of heating elements in the second period is higher than a first maximum energizing duty that is set when the control portion supplies power to the plurality of heating elements in the first period.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Nihonyanagi, Masato Sako
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Patent number: 11378902Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Patent number: 11300912Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on original image data; a selection unit configured to determine a non-image region of the sheet to which toner does not attach in a formation of the image by the image forming unit based on the original image data, and select, from the non-image region, a determination region depending on an image defect to be detected; a reading unit configured to read a surface of the sheet; and a control unit configured to obtain read image data by causing the reading unit to read the determination region after the image forming unit has formed the image, and perform detection processing for detecting whether the image defect has occurred based on the read image data.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2021Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shizuma Nishimura, Koji Nihonyanagi
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Publication number: 20220011706Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on original image data; a selection unit configured to determine a non-image region of the sheet to which toner does not attach in a formation of the image by the image forming unit based on the original image data, and select, from the non-image region, a determination region depending on an image defect to be detected; a reading unit configured to read a surface of the sheet; and a control unit configured to obtain read image data by causing the reading unit to read the determination region after the image forming unit has formed the image, and perform detection processing for detecting whether the image defect has occurred based on the read image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Shizuma Nishimura, Koji Nihonyanagi
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Publication number: 20210302880Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, in continuous image formation in which images are continuously formed and fixed on a plurality of recording materials in a fixing portion, with a period from start of the continuous image formation on a first recording material to arrival thereof at the fixing unit being regarded as a first period, and with a period from the arrival of the first recording material at the fixing portion to the end of the continuous image formation being regarded as a second period, a second maximum energizing duty that is set when the control portion supplies power to a plurality of heating elements in the second period is higher than a first maximum energizing duty that is set when the control portion supplies power to the plurality of heating elements in the first period.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Koji Nihonyanagi, Masato Sako
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Patent number: 11126121Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a control portion that controls a conveying speed of recording materials when the recording materials pass through a nip portion; wherein the control portion, in a case of continuous sheet passing of the recording materials each having a smaller width than the recording materials each having a maximum width: executes, in a case where a representative value of the number of the recording materials having the smaller width for one operation of the continuous sheet passing is smaller than a predetermined threshold, a first operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a first speed; and executes, in a case where the representative value is the threshold or more, a second operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a second speed lower than the first speed.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Nihonyanagi, Masato Sako
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Publication number: 20210034001Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a control portion that controls a conveying speed of recording materials when the recording materials pass through a nip portion; wherein the control portion, in a case of continuous sheet passing of the recording materials each having a smaller width than the recording materials each having a maximum width: executes, in a case where a representative value of the number of the recording materials having the smaller width for one operation of the continuous sheet passing is smaller than a predetermined threshold, a first operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a first speed; and executes, in a case where the representative value is the threshold or more, a second operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a second speed lower than the first speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Koji Nihonyanagi, Masato Sako
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Publication number: 20190377289Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Patent number: 10416598Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2015Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Publication number: 20170102650Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus that includes a heater including a plurality of independently controllable heating blocks in a longitudinal direction thereof, each including a first conductor, a second conductor, and a heating element. At least one of electrodes corresponding to the respective heating blocks is disposed in an area where the heating element is located in the longitudinal direction on a second surface of the heater that is opposite to a first surface that comes into contact with an endless belt. An electrical contact is arranged so as to face the second surface of the heater. An overheating occurring in a no-media passage portion when an image formed on a recording material having a small size is heated is suppressed or reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2015Publication date: April 13, 2017Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi, Ryota Ogura
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Patent number: 9494899Abstract: A heater used for a fixing device includes a substrate, first and second conductor patterns formed at either end of the substrate in the short direction of the substrate, a third conductor pattern formed between the first and second conductor patterns and separated from the two conductor patterns, a first heating member disposed between the first and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the two conductor patterns, and a second heating member disposed between the second and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the conductor patterns. The heater has both end regions in which the widths of the third conductor pattern in the short direction is smaller than that of a middle portion of the third conductor pattern. The widths of the first and second heating members in the end regions are smaller than the widths of the first and second heating members in the other region, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2015Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hisashi Nakahara, Hideaki Yonekubo, Satoru Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Koji Nihonyanagi, Yasuhiro Shimura, Nozomu Nakajima, Yuji Fujiwara, Yusaku Iwasawa
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Publication number: 20150293483Abstract: A heater used for a fixing device includes a substrate, first and second conductor patterns formed at either end of the substrate in the short direction of the substrate, a third conductor pattern formed between the first and second conductor patterns and separated from the two conductor patterns, a first heating member disposed between the first and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the two conductor patterns, and a second heating member disposed between the second and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the conductor patterns. The heater has both end regions in which the widths of the third conductor pattern in the short direction is smaller than that of a middle portion of the third conductor pattern. The widths of the first and second heating members in the end regions are smaller than the widths of the first and second heating members in the other region, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2015Publication date: October 15, 2015Inventors: Hisashi Nakahara, Hideaki Yonekubo, Satoru Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Koji Nihonyanagi, Yasuhiro Shimura, Nozomu Nakajima, Yuji Fujiwara, Yusaku Iwasawa
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Patent number: 9098035Abstract: A heater used for a fixing device includes a substrate, first and second conductor patterns formed at either end of the substrate in the short direction of the substrate, a third conductor pattern formed between the first and second conductor patterns and separated from the two conductor patterns, a first heating member disposed between the first and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the two conductor patterns, and a second heating member disposed between the second and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the conductor patterns. The heater has both end regions in which the widths of the third conductor pattern in the short direction is smaller than that of a middle portion of the third conductor pattern. The widths of the first and second heating members in the end regions are smaller than the widths of the first and second heating members in the other region, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2013Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hisashi Nakahara, Hideaki Yonekubo, Satoru Taniguchi, Hiroyuki Sakakibara, Koji Nihonyanagi, Yasuhiro Shimura, Nozomu Nakajima, Yuji Fujiwara, Yusaku Iwasawa
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Patent number: 9086663Abstract: The heater is capable of improving heat generation uniformity in a sheet feeding area while suppressing the temperature rise of a non-sheet feeding portion. Each of heat generation lines includes a plurality of heat blocks in which a plurality of heat generating resistors are electrically connected in parallel between two conductive members. The heat generation lines are arranged in a lateral direction of the substrate, and the heat blocks are arranged so that the end of the heat block in the heat generation line of a first row does not overlap with the end of the heat block in the heat generation line of a second row in a longitudinal direction of a heater.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2013Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Koji Nihonyanagi
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Patent number: 9081345Abstract: A sheet interval, serving as the distance between conveyed recording materials, is properly controlled based on a kind of a recording material and any one of a printing ratio, an adhesion amount of toner, and the presence or absence of graphic data, thus allowing printing at throughput suitable for, for example, the kind of the recording material and the printing ratio without changing an image forming condition such that image quality does not vary.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2011Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Wataru Uchida, Tomoyuki Araki, Toshiaki Miyashiro, Mitsuhiro Ito, Taro Ishifune, Koji Nihonyanagi, Jun Asami, Keigo Akiya, Ryo Iwasawa, Jun Agata
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Patent number: 8971744Abstract: The image heating apparatus includes an unit for spacing each of a buck-up member and a pressure roller apart from a flexible belt member which is electrified to generate heat, or heated by a source of heat at start-up, i.e. in a previous stage to heating an image, or an unit for controlling a pressure to decrease a contact area in the direction of the axis of rotation compared with the contact area for a period to heat an image. This can control, as much as possible, heat conduction from the flexible belt which is electrified to generate heat, or heated by the source of heat to the back-up member and the pressure roller at the start-up, i.e. the previous stage to heating an image.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2012Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Nihonyanagi, Kuniaki Kasuga, Yutaka Sato, Takashi Narahara