Patents by Inventor Kuniaki Nakano
Kuniaki Nakano 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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Patent number: 9229392Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a nip forming member, a supporting member, a heating source, a heat conducting member, and a reflecting member. The pressuring member comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The nip forming member presses the fixing belt toward the pressuring member. The heat conducting member comes into contact with an inner circumference face of the fixing belt and absorbs a radiant heat emitted from the heating source. The reflecting member includes a reflecting part and a regulating part. The reflecting part reflects the radiant heat emitted to the supporting member toward the heat conducting member. The regulating part is unified with the reflecting part and comes into contact with the inner circumference face of the fixing belt to regulate looseness of the fixing belt.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2014Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Kuniaki Nakano
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Patent number: 9158233Abstract: A conveyance device includes a housing, a formation member, and a detection section. The housing has a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, and a first communication path. The first and second conveyance paths each are a conveyance path for conveying a developer. The first communication path allows a first end portion of the first conveyance path and a first end portion of the second conveyance path to be in communication with each other via a communication surface. The communication surface has a first region and a second region. The formation member forms the second region of the communication surface so that a height of the second region from a bottom portion of the first communication path is lower than a height of the first region from the bottom portion of the first communication path. The detection section detects the amount of the developer.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Yamazaki, Eiji Nimura, Kuniaki Nakano, Koji Kuramashi, Yoshihiro Yamagishi
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Publication number: 20150253695Abstract: A unit assembly (10) includes an image forming unit (20) and an intermediate transfer unit (40), and is configured insertably/removably with respect to an apparatus main body. The image forming unit (20) includes a plurality of process units (200A to 200D) and a joint member (80) that joints the plurality of process units (200A to 200D). The intermediate transfer unit (40) is held by the image forming unit (20). The intermediate transfer unit (40) and the joint member (80) have a first positioning section (611, 612) for mutually relative positioning.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2013Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Naoaki Kurimoto
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Patent number: 9104136Abstract: A developer conveyance device includes a housing and a conveyance member. The conveyance member is supported to the housing and rotates to convey developer. The conveyance member includes a shaft portion, a helical member, and a plurality of reinforcement members. The plurality of reinforcement members are disposed in a circumferential direction of rotation of the conveyance member.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Eiji Nimura, Koji Kuramashi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Yoshihiro Yamagishi
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Publication number: 20150205249Abstract: A unit assembly (10) is provided with an image forming unit (20) and an intermediate transfer unit (40), and is configured to be capable of being inserted into and removed from an apparatus body (110). The image forming unit (20) has first processing units (200A to 200D), developing units (4A to 4D), a positioning portion, and a link member (80). The positioning portion is provided in each of the developing units (4A to 4D) and determines the mutual relative positions of the developing units (4A to 4D). The link member (80) links the developing units (4A to 4D) to each other. The intermediate transfer unit (40) is held by the image forming unit (20).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2013Publication date: July 23, 2015Inventors: Naoaki Kurimoto, Kuniaki Nakano, Hiroshi Kubota
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Patent number: 9081337Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a guiding member. The guiding member includes a first guide surface, a second guide surface, and a pair of third guide surfaces consecutively installing both end portions in the axial direction of the first guide surface and both end portions in the axial direction of the second guide surface. The first end edge of the first guide surface has a first circular arc shape arranged such that a center portion in the axial direction projects toward the downstream side in the rotation direction with respect to both end portions in the axial direction. The second guide surface is one of a curved surface in a second circular arc shape arranged such that a center portion in the axial direction is close to the first circumference surface with respect to both end portions in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2014Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Yuuya Shimohora
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Publication number: 20150185692Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes, as working sections, a paper output tray (16), a paper feeding cassette (13), and attachment sections to which toner cartridges (71) through (74), a waste toner container (69), and a unit assembly (11) are attached. Out of the working sections, a high-frequency working section with a high working frequency is provided on a front surface of the image forming apparatus, and a low-frequency working section with a low working frequency is provided on a side surface of the image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2013Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Naoaki Kurimoto, Kuniaki Nakano, Hiroshi Kubota
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Patent number: 9008553Abstract: A developer conveying device includes a housing, a developer conveyance path and a conveying member. The developer conveyance path extends between the pair of wall portions of the housing. The conveying member conveys developer from one wall portion toward the other. The conveying member includes a spiral member, shaft portions, a rib member, a supporting member and a projecting portion. The spiral member is formed by connecting spiral pieces in a conveying direction of the developer and includes a hollow interior formed by the connected spiral pieces. The rib member extends in the conveying direction and bridges adjacent ones of the spiral pieces of the spiral member. The supporting member connects an end part of the rib member in the conveying direction and the shaft portion. The projecting portion projects from the end part of the rib member more toward the wall portion than the supporting member.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2013Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Eiji Nimura, Koji Kuramashi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Yoshihiro Yamagishi
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Publication number: 20150063881Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a guiding member. The guiding member includes a first guide surface, a second guide surface, and a pair of third guide surfaces consecutively installing both end portions in the axial direction of the first guide surface and both end portions in the axial direction of the second guide surface. The first end edge of the first guide surface has a first circular arc shape arranged such that a center portion in the axial direction projects toward the downstream side in the rotation direction with respect to both end portions in the axial direction. The second guide surface is one of a curved surface in a second circular arc shape arranged such that a center portion in the axial direction is close to the first circumference surface with respect to both end portions in the axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2014Publication date: March 5, 2015Inventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Yuuya Shimohora
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Publication number: 20150063883Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heating source, a heat conducting member and a reflecting member. The fixing belt is arranged rotatably. The pressuring member is arranged outside the fixing belt and comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The heating source is arranged inside the fixing belt to emit radiant heat. The heat conducting member comes into contact with an inner circumference face of the fixing belt and absorbs the radiant heat emitted from the heating source. The reflecting member includes a reflecting part and a nip forming part. The reflecting part reflects the radiant heat emitted from the heating source toward the heat conducting member. The nip forming part is unified with the reflecting part and comes into contact with the inner circumference face of the fixing belt to press the fixing belt to the pressuring member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2014Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: Kuniaki NAKANO
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Publication number: 20150063882Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a nip forming member, a supporting member, a heating source, a heat conducting member, and a reflecting member. The pressuring member comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip. The nip forming member presses the fixing belt toward the pressuring member. The heat conducting member comes into contact with an inner circumference face of the fixing belt and absorbs a radiant heat emitted from the heating source. The reflecting member includes a reflecting part and a regulating part. The reflecting part reflects the radiant heat emitted to the supporting member toward the heat conducting member. The regulating part is unified with the reflecting part and comes into contact with the inner circumference face of the fixing belt to regulate looseness of the fixing belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2014Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Kuniaki NAKANO
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Patent number: 8956686Abstract: Disclosed is a preparation method of a radiation image conversion panel by a vapor deposition method, in which a support member is supported and rotated and the stimulable phosphor evaporated from the evaporation source is deposited onto the support member to form a stimulable phosphor layer. The radiation image conversion panel manufactured by the method is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2006Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta Medical & Graphic, Inc.Inventors: Masashi Kondo, Kuniaki Nakano, Shigetami Kasai, Hideki Shibuya
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Patent number: 8929754Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner box, a base, a detection sensor, a counter and a controller. The waste toner box collects toner not transferred to a sheet but remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor. The base is for placing the waste toner box thereon, and a position of the base changes with a weight of the waste toner box placed thereon. The detection sensor detects the position of the base to detect an amount of toner in the waste toner box placed on the base. The counter counts the number of sheets with images formed thereon. The controller determines whether or not to continue image formation on a sheet on a basis of a signal from the detection sensor and the counter.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Toshiki Takiguchi
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Patent number: 8913925Abstract: A developer conveying device includes a housing, a developer conveyance path and a conveying member. The developer conveyance path extends between a pair of wall portions. The conveying member includes a spiral member, an inner wall portion and shaft portions. The spiral member is formed by connecting spiral pieces, each forming one spiral turn, in a conveying direction of the developer and includes a hollow interior formed by the connected spiral pieces. The inner wall portion includes a plurality of planar portions which define the hollow interior of the spiral member and are connected at predetermined angles in a circumferential direction of the rotation of the conveying member. The shaft portions are arranged at opposite end parts of the spiral member, rotatably supported on the wall portions and serve as a rotary shaft for the rotation of the conveying member.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Koji Kuramashi, Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Kuniaki Nakano, Eiji Nimura
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Publication number: 20140341619Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt, and a plurality of intermediate transfer rollers. A most upstream side intermediate transfer roller which is located most upstream in a moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt has a rotational axis arranged downstream from a rotational axis of a most upstream side photoreceptor drum which is located most upstream in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt when the most upstream side intermediate transfer roller is in its pressing position, while a most downstream side intermediate transfer roller which is located most downstream in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt has a rotational axis arranged upstream from a rotational axis of a most downstream side photoreceptor drum which is located most downstream in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt when the most downstream side intermediate transfer roller is in its pressing position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventor: Kuniaki NAKANO
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Patent number: 8824924Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt, and a plurality of intermediate transfer rollers. A most upstream side intermediate transfer roller which is located most upstream in a moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt has a rotational axis arranged downstream from a rotational axis of a most upstream side photoreceptor drum which is located most upstream in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt when the most upstream side intermediate transfer roller is in its pressing position, while a most downstream side intermediate transfer roller which is located most downstream in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt has a rotational axis arranged upstream from a rotational axis of a most downstream side photoreceptor drum which is located most downstream in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt when the most downstream side intermediate transfer roller is in its pressing position.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kuniaki Nakano
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Publication number: 20140023403Abstract: A developer conveyance device includes a housing and a conveyance member. The conveyance member is supported to the housing and rotates to convey developer. The conveyance member includes a shaft portion, a helical member, and a plurality of reinforcement members. The plurality of reinforcement members are disposed in a circumferential direction of rotation of the conveyance member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Inventors: Kuniaki Nakano, Eiji Nimura, Koji Kuramashi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Yoshihiro Yamagishi
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Patent number: 8620171Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer belt, a transfer roller and a tension roller over which the transfer belt is passed in a tensioned condition and which is made to be in an electrically floated state; it also includes a guide member that is installed in the vicinity of the tension roller. A control section, in transfer processing, controls a first switch so that the guide member is in a grounded state while controlling a second switch so that an electric current being caused to flow to the transfer roller becomes a first electric current; and in cleaning processing, controls the first switch so that the guide member is in an electrically floated state while controlling the second switch so that an electric current being caused to flow to the transfer roller becomes a second electric current.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2011Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideshi Izumi, Toshiki Takiguchi, Kuniaki Nakano
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Publication number: 20130315629Abstract: A developer conveying device includes a housing, a developer conveyance path and a conveying member. The developer conveyance path extends between a pair of wall portions. The conveying member includes a spiral member, an inner wall portion and shaft portions. The spiral member is formed by connecting spiral pieces, each forming one spiral turn, in a conveying direction of the developer and includes a hollow interior formed by the connected spiral pieces. The inner wall portion includes a plurality of planar portions which define the hollow interior of the spiral member and are connected at predetermined angles in a circumferential direction of the rotation of the conveying member. The shaft portions are arranged at opposite end parts of the spiral member, rotatably supported on the wall portions and serve as a rotary shaft for the rotation of the conveying member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Koji Kuramashi, Yoshihiro Yamagishi, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Kuniaki Nakano, Eiji Nimura
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Publication number: 20130315628Abstract: A conveyance device includes a housing, a formation member, and a detection section. The housing has a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path, and a first communication path. The first and second conveyance paths each are a conveyance path for conveying a developer. The first communication path allows a first end portion of the first conveyance path and a first end portion of the second conveyance path to be in communication with each other via a communication surface. The communication surface has a first region and a second region. The formation member forms the second region of the communication surface so that a height of the second region from a bottom portion of the first communication path is lower than a height of the first region from the bottom portion of the first communication path. The detection section detects the amount of the developer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventors: Hiroshi YAMAZAKI, Eiji NIMURA, Kuniaki NAKANO, Koji KURAMASHI, Yoshihiro YAMAGISHI