Patents by Inventor Masafumi Maeda
Masafumi Maeda 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: 7366455Abstract: The image fixing apparatus includes a heater having a heat generating resistor on a substrate, a heater holder for holding said heater, and a backup roller for forming a nip portion in cooperation with said heater, wherein said heater holder has, in a direction along a short side of said heater, a contact area facing said resistor forming area and coming into contact with said heater, and non-contact areas provided on both sides of the contact area and not coming into contact with said heater, and the contact area has a width equal to or larger than the resistor forming area. With this configuration, it is possible to provide the image fixing apparatus capable of restraining a stress applied to the heater and an image heating apparatus capable of restraining a rise in temperature of a sheet non-feeding portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2005Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Hiroaki Sakai, Akira Kato, Tomoyuki Makihira, Masafumi Maeda
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Publication number: 20080092805Abstract: A forward direction-only path (first substrate transport path) is formed for transporting substrates in a forward direction to pass the substrates on to an exposing apparatus. A separate, substrate transport path (second substrate transport path) is formed exclusively for post-exposure bake (PEB). Substrate transport along each path is carried out independently of substrate transport along the other. A fourth main transport mechanism is interposed as a predetermined substrate transport mechanism between transfer points consisting of a buffer acting as a temporary storage module for temporarily storing the substrates and a post-exposure bake (PEB) unit corresponding to a predetermined treating unit. This arrangement forms the path for transporting the substrates between the buffer and the PEB unit, to allow PEB treatment of the substrates to be performed smoothly. Similarly, the substrates are transported smoothly to the buffer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2007Publication date: April 24, 2008Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Masafumi Maeda, Takashi Taguchi
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Patent number: 7323060Abstract: A forward direction-only path (first substrate transport path) is formed for transporting substrates in a forward direction to pass the substrates on to an exposing apparatus. A separate, substrate transport path (second substrate transport path) is formed exclusively for post-exposure bake (PEB). Substrate transport along each path is carried out independently of substrate transport along the other. A fourth main transport mechanism is interposed as a predetermined substrate transport mechanism between transfer points consisting of a buffer acting as a temporary storage module for temporarily storing the substrates and a post-exposure bake (PEB) unit corresponding to a predetermined treating unit. This arrangement forms the path for transporting the substrates between the buffer and the PEB unit, to allow PEB treatment of the substrates to be performed smoothly. Similarly, the substrates are transported smoothly to the buffer.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2004Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Masafumi Maeda, Takashi Taguchi
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Patent number: 7283145Abstract: The n image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, includes a heater including a substrate, and plural heat generating resistors formed on the substrate along a longitudinal direction thereof, and plural switching elements connected electrically between a power source and the plural heat generating resistors, wherein the plural heat generating resistors include at least two first heat generating resistors driven by a first switching element and at least a second heat generating resistor driven by a second switching element, and the second heat generating resistor is provided between the at least two first heat generating resistors in a direction of a shorter side of the substrate. In this manner there can be provided an image heating apparatus with a heater of an excellent durability, and a heater adapted for use in such apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akira Kato, Hiroaki Sakai, Masafumi Maeda, Seietsu Miura, Hiroshi Takami, Tomoyuki Makihira, Atsushi Iwasaki
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Patent number: 7257340Abstract: To prevent jamming with small-sized print materials without disturbing an image located at a trailing end of a print material, an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum that carries a toner image, a transfer device which can apply a transfer bias to the transfer roller to transfer the toner image to a print material passing through the transfer nip portion, and a control device for controlling a transfer bias set value set in order to apply a predetermined transfer bias to the transfer roller. The control device switches a first transfer bias set value to a second bias set value smaller than the first transfer bias set value while the print material is passing through the transfer nip portion, in order to change the transfer bias applied to the transfer roller.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2006Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Masafumi Maeda, Taro Ishifune
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Publication number: 20070182798Abstract: The heating apparatus comprises a substrate extending in one direction and a plurality of heat generating members provided on one surface of the substrate along a longitudinal direction thereof and wherein at least one of the plural heat generating members has heat generating regions having different heat generation amount per unit length in the longitudinal direction, substrate reinforcing members are provided on the other surface of the substrate in correspondence to the high heat generating regions provided on one surface of the substrate. By the virtue of the invention, cost can be reduced, emergency safety upon occurrence of overrun of a CPU can be achieved, and increase in temperature of a sheet non-passing portion can be suppressed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2007Publication date: August 9, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyuki Makihira, Masafumi Maeda
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Publication number: 20070065191Abstract: The image heating apparatus includes a cylindrical film, a heating member, and a drive roller, wherein a recording material bearing an image is heated while the recording material is bound and conveyed by the nip portion, and a distance between a contact position between the film and the recording material and a contact position which the film and the drive roller is equal to or less than 3.5 mm over a longitudinal direction of the nip portion, and a line formed by connecting positions at which said film is separated in the longitudinal direction of the nip portion from the recording material in the conveyance direction has an arc shape. Thus a heating process can be executed while suppressing creases in the recording material and a density loss in the image formed on the recording material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2006Publication date: March 22, 2007Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Masafumi Maeda
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Publication number: 20060127115Abstract: It is an object of the preset invention to prevent jamming with small-sized print materials without disturbing an image located at a trailing end of a print material. An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum that carries a toner image, a transfer device which can apply a transfer bias to the transfer roller to transfer the toner image to a print material passing through the transfer nip portion, and a control device for controlling a transfer bias set value set in order to apply a predetermined transfer bias to the transfer roller. The control device switches a first transfer bias set value to a second bias set value smaller than the first transfer bias set value while the print material is passing through the transfer nip portion, in order to change the transfer bias applied to the transfer roller.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2006Publication date: June 15, 2006Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Masafumi Maeda, Taro Ishifune
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Publication number: 20060123947Abstract: In a refining method for boron-containing silicon, boron-containing silicon is irradiated with an electron beam in a vacuum vessel to melt the boron-containing silicon. A boron compound-forming substance is introduced into the vacuum vessel, and boron contained in the molten silicon is formed into a boron compound. After at least a portion of the boron compound has vaporized, irradiation with the electron beam is stopped. The high-purity molten silicon can then be solidified.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2005Publication date: June 15, 2006Inventors: Norichika Yamauchi, Takehiko Shimada, Masafumi Maeda
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Patent number: 7058322Abstract: To prevent jamming with small-sized print materials without disturbing an image located at a trailing end of a print material, an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum that carries a toner image, a transfer device which can apply a transfer bias to the transfer roller to transfer the toner image to a print material passing through the transfer nip portion, and a control device for controlling a transfer bias set value set in order to apply a predetermined transfer bias to the transfer roller. The control device switches a first transfer bias set value to a second bias set value smaller than the first transfer bias set value while the print material is passing through the transfer nip portion, in order to change the transfer bias applied to the transfer roller.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2004Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Masafumi Maeda, Taro Ishifune
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Publication number: 20060045589Abstract: The image fixing apparatus includes a heater having a heat generating resistor on a substrate, a heater holder for holding said heater, and a backup roller for forming a nip portion in cooperation with said heater, wherein said heater holder has, in a direction along a short side of said heater, a contact area facing said resistor forming area and coming into contact with said heater, and non-contact areas provided on both sides of the contact area and not coming into contact with said heater, and the contact area has a width equal to or larger than the resistor forming area. With this configuration, it is possible to provide the image fixing apparatus capable of restraining a stress applied to the heater and an image heating apparatus capable of restraining a rise in temperature of a sheet non-feeding portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2005Publication date: March 2, 2006Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Hiroaki Sakai, Akira Kato, Tomoyuki Makihira, Masafumi Maeda
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Publication number: 20050280682Abstract: The n image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, includes a heater including a substrate, and plural heat generating resistors formed on the substrate along a longitudinal direction thereof, and plural switching elements connected electrically between a power source and the plural heat generating resistors, wherein the plural heat generating resistors include at least two first heat generating resistors driven by a first switching element and at least a second heat generating resistor driven by a second switching element, and the second heat generating resistor is provided between the at least two first heat generating resistors in a direction of a shorter side of the substrate. In this manner there can be provided an image heating apparatus with a heater of an excellent durability, and a heater adapted for use in such apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2005Publication date: December 22, 2005Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akira Kato, Hiroaki Sakai, Masafumi Maeda, Seietsu Miura, Hiroshi Takami, Tomoyuki Makihira, Atsushi Iwasaki
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Publication number: 20050161159Abstract: A forward direction-only path (first substrate transport path) is formed for transporting substrates in a forward direction to pass the substrates on to an exposing apparatus. A separate, substrate transport path (second substrate transport path) is formed exclusively for post-exposure bake (PEB). Substrate transport along each path is carried out independently of substrate transport along the other. A fourth main transport mechanism is interposed as a predetermined substrate transport mechanism between transfer points consisting of a buffer acting as a temporary storage module for temporarily storing the substrates and a post-exposure bake (PEB) unit corresponding to a predetermined treating unit. This arrangement forms the path for transporting the substrates between the buffer and the PEB unit, to allow PEB treatment of the substrates to be performed smoothly. Similarly, the substrates are transported smoothly to the buffer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2004Publication date: July 28, 2005Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Masafumi Maeda, Takashi Taguchi
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Patent number: 6922534Abstract: A process cartridge includes a frame body, a substrate having a memory element, and a cartridge electrical contact and a cartridge pushing portion provided on the frame body. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which the process cartridge is loaded includes a main body electrical connector and main body electrical contacts. The cartridge pushing portion moves the main body electrical connector so that the process cartridge moves in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact when the process cartridge is loaded on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge pushing portion operates so as to give a pushing force for pushing the main body electrical contact in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact. In this way, the main body electrical contact and the cartridge electrical contact can be stably reliably brought into contact.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2002Date of Patent: July 26, 2005Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Goto, Seietsu Miura, Nobuya Tamura, Yoshihisa Ibaraki, Yoshiyuki Miyazaki, Masafumi Maeda, Masahide Tanoue, Fumito Nonaka
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Publication number: 20040190919Abstract: It is an object of the preset invention to prevent jamming with small-sized print materials without disturbing an image located at a trailing end of a print material. An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum that carries a toner image, a transfer device which can apply a transfer bias to the transfer roller to transfer the toner image to a print material passing through the transfer nip portion, and a control device for controlling a transfer bias set value set in order to apply a predetermined transfer bias to the transfer roller. The control device switches a first transfer bias set value to a second bias set value smaller than the first transfer bias set value while the print material is passing through the transfer nip portion, in order to change the transfer bias applied to the transfer roller.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Atsushi Iwasaki, Masafumi Maeda, Taro Ishifune
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Publication number: 20030123896Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a frame body, a substrate having a memory element and a cartridge electrical contact electrically connected and a cartridge pushing portion provided on the frame body. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which the process cartridge is loaded comprises main body electrical connecting means and main body electrical contacts. The cartridge pushing portion moves the main body electrical connecting means so that the process cartridge moves in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact when the process cartridge is loaded on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge pushing portion operates so as to give a pushing force for pushing the main body electrical contact in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact. In this way, the main body electrical contact and the cartridge electrical contact can be stably reliably brought into contact.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Goto, Seietsu Miura, Nobuya Tamura, Yoshihisa Ibaraki, Yoshiyuki Miyazaki, Masafumi Maeda, Masahide Tanoue, Fumito Nonaka
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Patent number: 5890443Abstract: A low-cost volume-reducing treatment method for waste which thermally decomposes or burns chlorine-containing waste while the generation of hydrogen chloride and dioxin is completely or considerably suppressed. According to the method, volume of the waste can be greatly reduced. Shredder dust and other waste which contains chlorine derived from, for example, chlorine-containing polymers is thermally decomposed or burned at a temperature of 300.degree. to 1000.degree. C. in a reducing atmosphere where unburned carbon remains. Preferably, a basic material like red mud which contains alkali metal oxides or alkaline earth metal oxides is added before treatment.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 1995Date of Patent: April 6, 1999Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Shinsei, Masafumi MaedaInventors: Sadao Taya, Masafumi Maeda
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Patent number: 5454424Abstract: This invention aims at casting a large silicon crystal grain-containing ingot (14) by melting a silicon material (20) by scanning the same with an electron beam, and gradually cooling molten silicon (5) thus obtained. A method of casting a crystalline silicon ingot by electron beam melting, involves of the steps of melting a silicon material (20) by scanning the same with an electron beam, cooling the outer lower surface of molten silicon (5) thus produced while increasing the temperature of the molten silicon (5) suitably so as to generate crystals thereof, and gradually precipitating a crystalline silicon ingot (14) by the weight of itself in accordance with the generation of the crystals.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1993Date of Patent: October 3, 1995Assignee: Nobuyuki MoriInventors: Nobuyuki Mori, Masafumi Maeda
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Patent number: 5356454Abstract: A mold powder for use in continuous casting, containing specified amounts of CaO, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, Li.sub.2 O, BaO, MgO, F and Na.sub.2 O, and further containing at least one of BN and C as aggregate. The mold powder, when used in continuous casting of a steel rich in strong reducing metal elements such as Al, Ti, REM and so forth, remarkably suppresses generation of deterioration in the surface quality of the slab and break out of the slab which are attributable inferior lubrication.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 1993Date of Patent: October 18, 1994Assignee: Kawasaki Steel CorporationInventors: Seiji Itoyama, Hidenari Kitaoka, Toshikazu Sakuraya, Kenichi Sorimachi, Saburo Moriwaki, Sumio Yamada, Chikashi Tada, Takahiro Mitumune, Shinichi Kaneko, Masafumi Maeda