Patents by Inventor Shinji Yamana

Shinji Yamana 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: 20230077657
    Abstract: A thermopile sensor that is a temperature measuring device of a fusing device is held on a substrate. The substrate is provided with a cylindrical member extending in front of the thermopile sensor and an aperture disposed at an end of the cylindrical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Shinji YAMANA
  • Publication number: 20220299915
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixation belt that catches and conveys a sheet of paper, a heat source that heats the fixation belt, a temperature controlling section that decides an instruction to the heat source for each control cycle for controlling the temperature of the fixation belt, a temperature sensor that converts the temperature of the fixation belt into a digital value to detect the temperature of the fixation member as temperature data, a communications section that communicates with the temperature sensor according to the control cycle to acquire the temperature data, and a temperature calculating section that calculates the temperature to be acquired, based on the temperature data. The communications section performs a restoration process if a communication fault has occurred. The temperature calculating section performs a complementary process for complementing the temperature to be acquired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Shinji YAMANA
  • Patent number: 8811871
    Abstract: Provided are a fixing device and an image forming apparatus provided with the same, which prevent the winding of a small paper having a light weight on a fixing belt, and also prevents paper blockage and paper curling. A detachment angle, which is defined by a tangent line of a fixing roller and a paper conveying direction at a paper exit point of a fixing nip portion where the fixing roller and a pressing roller pressure-contact with each other, is kept at 23 degrees or more, and a sheet of paper passes through the fixing nip portion, and a setting temperature of the pressing roller is increased step by step in accordance with the number of the sheet of paper by a heater lamp provided in an inside of the pressing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: 8811875
    Abstract: A pair of meander regulating rollers are disposed on the paper input side at both the longitudinal ends of a fixing roller. If a fixing belt moves off to one side end from the correct position, the meander regulating roller arranged on the one side end presses the fixing belt so as to produce a force of moving the belt to the other side end, whereby the fixing belt is stabilized in a state where the belt is held by the meander regulating roller on the one side end. On the other hand, if the fixing belt moves off to the opposite side end due to uneven temperature distribution, imbalance nip load or the like in the axial direction, it is possible to restrain the meandering in a similar manner by means of the meander regulating roller on the other side end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: 8774693
    Abstract: A fixing device is provided with an endless fixing belt; a heating roller for heating the fixing belt; a fixing roller that has a shaft and extends the fixing belt between the fixing roller and the heating roller; a pressure roller for pressurizing the fixing roller via the fixing belt; and a deviation preventing member that is provided on the shaft of the fixing roller and suppresses moving of the fixing roller in a shaft direction. The fixing roller has an end portion with high hardness and an end portion with low hardness along the shaft direction of the fixing roller. The end portion with high hardness is in contact with the deviation preventing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: 8532529
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing portion provided with a fixing roller, a heating roller and a fixing belt; a pressing roller that presses a recording sheet to the fixing belt; a cleaning unit provided with a cleaning web that cleans up the pressing roller; and a contact/separation mechanism that separates fixing means from the pressing roller. Viscosity of silicone oil that impregnates the cleaning web is set to 3,000 cs or more, and the contact/separation mechanism separates the fixing belt from the pressing roller at the time of rotation operation before fixation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kageyama, Toshiaki Kagawa, Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: 8447218
    Abstract: A fixing roller 3 is provided with a regulating member 40 that moves in an axis direction in contact with a fixing belt 5 that meanders. A heating roller 6 that comes close to/departs from the fixing roller 3 is provided with an adjustable member 41 that causes the heating roller 6 to move in the direction orthogonal to the axis direction in linkage with movement of the regulating member 40. The adjustable member 41 does not move in the axis direction and moves freely in the direction orthogonal to the axis direction. The meandered fixing belt 5 is displaced to one side of the axis direction to collide with the regulating member 40. The regulating member 40 is pushed by the fixing belt 5 to move toward one side. The adjustable member 41 is pushed by the regulating member 40 to move in the direction orthogonal to the axis direction, and the heating roller 6 moves so as to depart from the fixing roller 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Yamana
  • Publication number: 20130058689
    Abstract: A pair of meander regulating rollers are disposed on the paper input side at both the longitudinal ends of a fixing roller. If a fixing belt moves off to one side end from the correct position, the meander regulating roller arranged on the one side end presses the fixing belt so as to produce a force of moving the belt to the other side end, whereby the fixing belt is stabilized in a state where the belt is held by the meander regulating roller on the one side end. On the other hand, if the fixing belt moves off to the opposite side end due to uneven temperature distribution, imbalance nip load or the like in the axial direction, it is possible to restrain the meandering in a similar manner by means of the meander regulating roller on the other side end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji YAMANA
  • Patent number: 8391764
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fixing device including: a fixing belt provided across a fuser roller and a heating member in a tensioned state, which fixing belt is rotated; and a tension roller applying a load on the fixing belt from an inner circumferential side of the fixing belt, which tension roller is determined in position on the fixing belt so that a length of the fixing belt upstream of the fixing nip area in a fixing belt rotating direction, from the tension roller to the fixing member, is longer than that downstream of the fixing nip area in the fixing belt rotating direction, from the fixing member to the tension roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanaka, Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: 8295750
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a pair of fixing sections pressed against each other and including a fixing roller having a heater lamp incorporated therein and a pressure roller; an endless belt for heating the surface of the fixing roller by bringing a heating nip portion into contact with the fixing roller; and a plurality of support rollers supporting the endless belt therearound so as to give tension, and each having a heater lamp incorporated therein. The endless belt has a thickness of 0.08 mm or more and 0.14 mm or less, and the heating nip portion is formed in an angular range of 50° or more and 90° or less around a center axis of the fixing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Yamana
  • Publication number: 20120213562
    Abstract: Provided are a fixing device and an image forming apparatus provided with the same, which prevent the winding of a small paper having a light weight on a fixing belt, and also prevents paper blockage and paper curling. A detachment angle, which is defined by a tangent line of a fixing roller and a paper conveying direction at a paper exit point of a fixing nip portion where the fixing roller and a pressing roller pressure-contact with each other, is kept at 23 degrees or more, and a sheet of paper passes through the fixing nip portion, and a setting temperature of the pressing roller is increased step by step in accordance with the number of the sheet of paper by a heater lamp provided in an inside of the pressing roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji YAMANA
  • Publication number: 20120051808
    Abstract: A fixing roller 3 is provided with a regulating member 40 that moves in an axis direction in contact with a fixing belt 5 that meanders. A heating roller 6 that comes close to/departs from the fixing roller 3 is provided with an adjustable member 41 that causes the heating roller 6 to move in the direction orthogonal to the axis direction in linkage with movement of the regulating member 40. The adjustable member 41 does not move in the axis direction and moves freely in the direction orthogonal to the axis direction. The meandered fixing belt 5 is displaced to one side of the axis direction to collide with the regulating member 40. The regulating member 40 is pushed by the fixing belt 5 to move toward one side. The adjustable member 41 is pushed by the regulating member 40 to move in the direction orthogonal ito the axis direction, and the heating roller 6 moves so as to depart from the fixing roller 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventor: Shinji YAMANA
  • Publication number: 20110236089
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fixing device including: a fixing belt provided across a fuser roller and a heating member in a tensioned state, which fixing belt is rotated; and a tension roller applying a load on the fixing belt from an inner circumferential side of the fixing belt, which tension roller is determined in position on the fixing belt so that a length of the fixing belt upstream of the fixing nip area in a fixing belt rotating direction, from the tension roller to the fixing member, is longer than that downstream of the fixing nip area in the fixing belt rotating direction, from the fixing member to the tension roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanaka, Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: D667095
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yamana, Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: D669161
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yamana, Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: D669566
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yamana, Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: D669567
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yamana, Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: D670799
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yamana, Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: D689176
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato, Shinji Yamana
  • Patent number: D689177
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato, Shinji Yamana