Patents by Inventor Masahiro Suetsugu

Masahiro Suetsugu 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: 20240176283
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus on which a first toner container and a second toner container are mountable, includes an apparatus body, and a moving unit including a first developing unit and a second developing unit, the moving unit being configured to move with respect to the apparatus body between an internal position and an external position. The first developing unit and the second developing unit are configured to be replenished with the toner from the first toner container and the second toner container mounted on the image forming apparatus, respectively, in a state in which the moving unit is at the external position and supported by the apparatus body. The moving unit is configured not to be movable from the external position to the internal position in a state in which the first toner container and the second toner container are mounted on the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Yuichiro Okawa, Noritomo Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro Hosohara, Takeo Kawanami, Shinichi Nishida, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Masahiro Suetsugu, Goshi Ozaki, Sohta Sugimoto, Mitsuhiro Sato
  • Publication number: 20240152072
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion, an accommodating portion, a remaining toner amount detecting portion, a display portion, and a controller. In a supplying operation, the controller sets a threshold changing on the basis of a first output value before toner supply from the toner container to the accommodating portion. The controller discriminates whether or not toner in a certain amount or more is supplied to the accommodating portion by comparing the threshold with a second output value after the toner is supplied from the toner container to the accommodating portion. The threshold is a value between the first output value and a third output value in when the toner in a total amount accommodated in the toner container that has never been used is supplied to the accommodating portion before supply of the toner, and is closer to the third value than to the first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: MASAHIRO SUETSUGU, SHINICHI NISHIDA, TETSUSHI UNEME, TSUYOSHI OGAWA
  • Publication number: 20240126188
    Abstract: A developing device includes an accommodating portion for accommodating toner, a developing roller and a stirring member. The developing device is for use with an image forming apparatus and detachably mounts a replenishing container for replenishing the toner. The accommodating portion includes a receiving opening through which the toner replenished from the accommodating portion is received in the accommodating portion, the receiving opening being provide on a first end side of the accommodating portion with respect to a rotational axis direction of the developing roller. An opening area of the receiving opening when the developing device is viewed in the rotational direction is wider than the opening area of the receiving opening when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Sohta Sugimoto, Shinichi Nishida, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Goshi Ozaki, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu
  • Publication number: 20240085822
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image bearing member, and a process unit attached to the apparatus body, the process unit including a frame including a storage portion configured to store developer, a developer bearing member configured to supply developer to the image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image; and a circuit board attached to the frame, wherein the circuit board includes a light emitting portion configured to emit light, and a light receiving portion configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting portion and having passed through an interior of the storage portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Tetsushi Uneme, Shinichi Nishida, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20240069467
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first unit including an image bearing member and a second unit. The second unit includes a developing roller to supply the toner to the image bearing member, a mounting portion in which the replenishing container is dismountably mounted and an accommodating portion to accommodate the toner replenished from the replenishing container. The second unit is movable between a first position where the developing roller contacts the image bearing member and a second position where the developing roller separates from the image bearing member. When a moving direction in which the second unit moves from the first position toward the second position is defined as a separating direction, the second unit is urged in the separating direction by a force which the mounting portion receives from the replenishing container when the replenishing container is mounted to the mounting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Goshi Ozaki, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Shinichi Nishida, Sohta Sugimoto, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu
  • Patent number: 11860556
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image bearing member, and a process unit attached to the apparatus body. The process unit includes a frame including a storage portion configured to store developer, a developer bearing member configured to supply developer to the image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image. and a circuit board attached to the frame. The circuit board includes a light emitting portion configured to emit light, and a light receiving portion configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting portion and having passed through an interior of the storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsushi Uneme, Shinichi Nishida, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230418182
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body having a first metal terminal, a plurality of toner cartridges to store toner and including a housing storing the toner, a supporting member provided at one end, and a memory medium including a chip for recording information about the toner cartridge and an electrical contact and being supported by the supporting member, and a tray movable between a housed position and a drawn-out position. The tray includes a frame which can mount the plurality of toner cartridges, a plurality of tray-side electrical contacts provided at the frame and able to contact the electrical contact of the memory medium of the plurality of toner cartridges respectively, and a second metal terminal electrically connected to the plurality of tray-side electrical contacts and able to contact the first metal terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Yu Fukasawa, Yukio Kubo, Daisuke Abe, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Patent number: 11789378
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body; a developing cartridge having a housing, a memory medium, a memory medium unit, a developer carrier, and a protrusion portion in the longitudinal direction of the developer carrier; and a tray having a frame, an image bearing member, a guide member provided at one end in the longitudinal direction, an electric contact portion with the memory medium, and a memory unit support portion. The guide member includes a portion which functions as a memory unit support portion, and a downstream portion located downstream of the memory unit support portion in the mounting direction of the developing cartridge. The memory unit support portion guides the protrusion portion to the downstream portion when the developing cartridge is mounted on the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Fukasawa, Yukio Kubo, Daisuke Abe, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230205129
    Abstract: [Task] To further develop conventional technique. [SOLUTION] An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a plurality of process cartridges detachably mountable to the main assembly. The process cartridges each includes a photosensitive member, a first frame rotatably supporting the photosensitive member, a developing member for depositing toner onto the photosensitive member, and a second frame rotatably supporting the developing member and movable relative to the first frame between a developing position for the developing member to deposit the toner onto the photosensitive member and a retracted position in which the developing member is more remote from the photosensitive member than in the developing position. The apparatus further includes a connecting member 201 connecting at least two of the second frames of the process cartridges and removable from at least one of the process cartridges and from the main assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro Suetsugu, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Shinjiro Toba, Shinichi Nishida, Yuichi Fukui, Takeo Kawanami, Yasuyuki Egami
  • Publication number: 20230185215
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a container and a detecting portion. The detecting portion includes a light emitting element, a light receiving element, and a light guiding portion. The light guiding portion includes first to fourth projected portions. An upper surface of the second projected portion is positioned above a first virtual rectilinear line along an upper surface of the first projected portion in a case where an upper surface of the second projected portion is viewed in a direction crossing both a first direction and a direction of gravitation. An upper surface of the third projected portion is positioned above a second virtual rectilinear line along an upper surface of the fourth projected portion as viewed in a direction crossing a second direction and the direction of gravitation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Shinichi Nishida, Tetsushi Uneme, Masahiro Suetsugu
  • Publication number: 20220206410
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image bearing member, and a process unit attached to the apparatus body, the process unit including a frame including a storage portion configured to store developer, a developer bearing member configured to supply developer to the image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image; and a circuit board attached to the frame, wherein the circuit board includes a light emitting portion configured to emit light, and a light receiving portion configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting portion and having passed through an interior of the storage portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Tetsushi Uneme, Shinichi Nishida, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20220075286
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body; a developing cartridge having a housing, a memory medium, a memory medium unit, a developer carrier, and a protrusion portion in the longitudinal direction of the developer carrier; and a tray having a frame, an image bearing member, a guide member provided at one end in the longitudinal direction, an electric contact portion with the memory medium, and a memory unit support portion. The guide member includes a portion which functions as a memory unit support portion, and a downstream portion located downstream of the memory unit support portion in the mounting direction of the developing cartridge. The memory unit support portion guides the protrusion portion to the downstream portion when the developing cartridge is mounted on the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Yu Fukasawa, Yukio Kubo, Daisuke Abe, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Patent number: 11204566
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a tray movable between a position housed in a main body and a drawn-out position withdrawn from the main body. The tray includes a frame on which a developing cartridge is mountable, an image bearing member that faces a developer carrier when the developing cartridge is mounted on the frame, an electrical contact portion which abuts on and is electrically connected to a memory medium when the developing cartridge is mounted on the frame, a guide member provided at one end of the developing cartridge when it is mounted on the frame for guiding a protrusion portion and the memory medium unit, the guide member including a portion which abuts on the protrusion portion so that the protrusion portion is positioned, and a memory unit support portion which supports the memory medium unit when the developing cartridge is mounted on the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Fukasawa, Yukio Kubo, Daisuke Abe, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Publication number: 20210018859
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body; a developing cartridge having a housing, a memory medium, a memory medium unit, a developer carrier, and a protrusion portion in the longitudinal direction of the developer carrier; and a tray having a frame, an image bearing member, a guide member provided at one end in the longitudinal direction, an electric contact portion with the memory medium, and a memory unit support portion. The guide member includes a portion which functions as a memory unit support portion, and a downstream portion located downstream of the memory unit support portion in the mounting direction of the developing cartridge. The memory unit support portion guides the protrusion portion to the downstream portion when the developing cartridge is mounted on the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Yu Fukasawa, Yukio Kubo, Daisuke Abe, Mitsuhiro Sato, Masahiro Suetsugu, Kengo Sakai
  • Patent number: 7211732
    Abstract: A cable connecting structure, which includes a cable accommodating box comprising: a box main body in which a connected portion of two cables is accommodated; a first flange portion which is attached to one end of said box main body, and includes a first cable port through which one of said two cables is received; and a second flange portion which is attached to other end of said box main body, and includes a second cable port through which other of said two cables is received, and a tube portion for retrieving a grounding cable, a main portion of which protrudes inward said box main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Fujikura Ltd., Viscas Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Yagi, Shozo Kobayashi, Hiroshi Niinobe, Yasuichi Mitsuyama, Noriaki Horiguchi, Masahiro Suetsugu
  • Publication number: 20050221650
    Abstract: A cable connecting structure, which includes a cable accommodating box comprising: a box main body in which a connected portion of two cables is accommodated; a first flange portion which is attached to one end of said box main body, and includes a first cable port through which one of said two cables is received; and a second flange portion which is attached to other end of said box main body, and includes a second cable port through which other of said two cables is received, and a tube portion for retrieving a grounding cable, a main portion of which protrudes inward said box main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicants: THE FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FUJIKURA LTD., Viscas Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Yagi, Shozo Kobayashi, Hiroshi Niinobe, Yasuichi Mitsuyama, Noriaki Horiguchi, Masahiro Suetsugu
  • Patent number: 5991689
    Abstract: In a navigation apparatus for a vehicle, a route is determined in an ordinary-road-preferential mode or a toll-road-preferential mode, and route guidance is provided based on the thus-determined route. When the vehicle deviates from the determined route, redetermination is conducted so as to obtain a new route based on which guidance is provided. For example, when the vehicle has deviated from a route determined in the ordinary-road-preferential mode in order to enter a toll road, the user operates a toll-road-preference ON touch button so to change the determination mode to the toll-road preferential mode, so that route redetermination is carried out in a state in which priority is given to toll roads. In the navigation apparatus, optimum interchanges of a special road are automatically searched, and a route that preferentially uses the special road is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Aito, Masahiro Suetsugu, Toyoji Hiyokawa, Kazuteru Maekawa, Takeshi Yanagikubo
  • Patent number: 5850618
    Abstract: Goals desired by a user are searched based on the search reference data that serve as reference for searching the goals, the order of priority of the goals is determined from a relationship between the data of goals and the data of a reference position, and the data of the thus determined order of priority are indicated. Even when the car is running, therefore, the user is allowed to easily select within a short time the goals that conform to his desire with reference to the order of priority. Accordingly, the user can devote himself to driving. When the goals are to be indicated, a map scale is so determined that the goals are indicated in a predetermined number or in a number not less than the predetermined number, and the goals are indicated on the map of this scale. Therefore, the scale of the map picture indicating the goals is automatically so adjusted, and can be easily discerned by the user. Therefore, the user is liberated from the need to manually adjust the reduced scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Suetsugu, Kyoumi Morimoto, Hiroaki Kondo