Patents by Inventor Takanori Sakurai

Takanori Sakurai 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).

  • Patent number: 11966183
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance portion configured to convey a sheet, a second conveyance portion configured to convey the sheet, the second conveyance portion including an abutment portion configured to form a loop on the sheet by being abutted against a leading edge of a sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion, a curved guide portion, which is curved, configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion to the second conveyance portion, and a rotary member arranged downstream of the first conveyance portion and upstream of the second conveyance portion in a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to be driven to rotate by a surface of the sheet that is guided by the curved guide portion, the surface sliding against the curved guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11957802
    Abstract: A fluid sterilization apparatus according to an embodiment includes a tubular cover; a tubular portion provided inside the cover; a supply head provided at one end of the tubular portion; a discharge head provided at the other end of the tubular portion; at least one light-emitting element provided in at least one of the supply head and the discharge head and allowed to irradiate an inside of the tubular portion with ultraviolet rays; and a temperature control unit capable of controlling a temperature of a space between the cover and the tubular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Kato, Atsushi Fujioka, Naoto Sakurai, Seiya Iida, Takanori Ochi, Yukinobu Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20240004345
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, a conveyance path, a roller pair, and a duct. The roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller, the first roller and the second roller being configured to nip a sheet conveyed in the conveyance path to cool the sheet. The duct is provided to extend in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction. The duct includes a ventilation path forming portion and an opening portion continuous with the ventilation path forming portion and facing the conveyance path, the ventilation path forming portion being disposed to face a side of the roller pair opposite to a nip of the roller pair across a center line of the first roller and configured to form a ventilation path configured to allow air to pass therethrough between the first roller and the ventilation path forming portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventor: TAKANORI SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20230016356
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance portion configured to convey a sheet, a second conveyance portion configured to convey the sheet, the second conveyance portion including an abutment portion configured to form a loop on the sheet by being abutted against a leading edge of a sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion, a curved guide portion, which is curved, configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion to the second conveyance portion, and a rotary member arranged downstream of the first conveyance portion and upstream of the second conveyance portion in a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to be driven to rotate by a surface of the sheet that is guided by the curved guide portion, the surface sliding against the curved guide portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11480903
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance portion configured to convey a sheet, a second conveyance portion configured to convey the sheet, the second conveyance portion including an abutment portion configured to form a loop on the sheet by being abutted against a leading edge of a sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion, a curved guide portion, which is curved, configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion to the second conveyance portion, and a rotary member arranged downstream of the first conveyance portion and upstream of the second conveyance portion in a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to be driven to rotate by a surface of the sheet that is guided by the curved guide portion, the surface sliding against the curved guide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11460806
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first feeder provided downstream of a fixing portion heating a toner image formed on a first side of a sheet in a feeding direction, a second feeder provided adjacent downstream of the first feeder, and a guide contacting with a second side of the sheet fed by the first feeder and guiding toward the second feeder, a blower, a first duct guiding the air at a first position between the first and feeders, and a second duct at a second position between the first position and the first feeder. The first and second feeders are contactable to the sheet over an entire width. The air from the blower passes through the first duct, is sent to a feeding passage formed between the first and second feeders from the first position, and sent to the second side, then, the air passes through the second duct from the feeding passage via the second position and is exhausted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20220091557
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a first feeder provided downstream of a fixing portion heating a toner image formed on a first side of a sheet in a feeding direction, a second feeder provided adjacent downstream of the first feeder, and a guide contacting with a second side of the sheet fed by the first feeder and guiding toward the second feeder, a blower, a first duct guiding the air at a first position between the first and feeders, and a second duct at a second position between the first position and the first feeder. The first and second feeders are contactable to the sheet over an entire width. The air from the blower passes through the first duct, is sent to a feeding passage formed between the first and second feeders from the first position, and sent to the second side, then, the air passes through the second duct from the feeding passage via the second position and is exhausted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10954088
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet conveying apparatus, including: a conveying member conveying a sheet; and a first and second changing portions s configured to change a conveying direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveying member by curving the sheet, wherein the conveying direction of the sheet being conveyed by the conveying member is changed by the first changing portion so that the sheet is conveyed toward the second changing portion. The relationship ?a>?b is satisfied where ?a indicates an angle in which a conveying direction of the sheet is changed by the first changing portion and ?b indicates an angle in which a conveying direction of the sheet is changed by the second changing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Sakurai, Hiroshi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 10895835
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a hollow pressure rotator, a heater, a holder, and a bearing. The pressure rotator is configured to contact the fixing rotator. The heater is disposed inside the pressure rotator. The holder is configured to hold the pressure rotator and the heater. The bearing is configured to rotatably support the pressure rotator. The holder includes a curved face contact portion having a curved face conforming to an outer circumferential surface of the bearing to contact the bearing. The bearing includes a flange. The flange is configured to divide the bearing into an inboard area and an outboard area in an axial direction of the pressure rotator. The inboard area and the outboard area are asymmetrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ashikagaya, Satoshi Takahashi, Takanori Sakurai, Shigeaki Gotoh
  • Publication number: 20200356034
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a hollow pressure rotator, a heater, a holder, and a bearing. The pressure rotator is configured to contact the fixing rotator. The heater is disposed inside the pressure rotator. The holder is configured to hold the pressure rotator and the heater. The bearing is configured to rotatably support the pressure rotator. The holder includes a curved face contact portion having a curved face conforming to an outer circumferential surface of the bearing to contact the bearing. The bearing includes a flange. The flange is configured to divide the bearing into an inboard area and an outboard area in an axial direction of the pressure rotator. The inboard area and the outboard area are asymmetrical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Atsushi ASHIKAGAYA, Satoshi TAKAHASHI, Takanori SAKURAI, Shigeaki GOTOH
  • Publication number: 20200183311
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance portion configured to convey a sheet, a second conveyance portion configured to convey the sheet, the second conveyance portion including an abutment portion configured to form a loop on the sheet by being abutted against a leading edge of a sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion, a curved guide portion, which is curved, configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance portion to the second conveyance portion, and a rotary member arranged downstream of the first conveyance portion and upstream of the second conveyance portion in a sheet conveyance direction, and configured to be driven to rotate by a surface of the sheet that is guided by the curved guide portion, the surface sliding against the curved guide portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20180305152
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet conveying apparatus, including; a conveying member conveying a sheet; and a first and second changing portions s configured to change a conveying direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveying member by curving the sheet, wherein the conveying direction of the sheet being conveyed by the conveying member is changed by the first changing portion so that the sheet is convoyed toward the second changing portion. The relationship ?a>?b is satisfied where ?a indicates an angle in which a conveying direction of the sheet is changed by the first changing portion and ?b indicates an angle in which a conveying direction of the sheet is changed by the second changing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Takanori Sakurai, Hiroshi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 9774760
    Abstract: An image reading device includes: an image reading unit configured to, in a process of reciprocating relative to a fixed document, read a document image using one or a plurality of reading colors, and when a plurality of reading colors are used, read the document image while successively switching the reading colors in a process of moving; a moving unit configured to move the image reading unit; a moving speed changing unit configured to change moving speeds of the image reading unit in an outgoing path and a return path based on a number “N” (where N is a positive integer) of the reading colors by the image reading unit; and a reading color number changing unit configured to change reading color numbers of the image reading unit in the outgoing path and the return path based on the number “N” of the reading colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Sakurai, Kenichi Satoh
  • Patent number: 9592992
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion forming an image on a sheet, a first sheet conveyance path guiding the sheet to the image forming portion, a second sheet conveyance path guiding the sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming portion, and a re-conveyance path connecting the second sheet conveyance path and the first sheet conveyance path. The image forming apparatus further includes a connecting path connecting a point on the way of the second sheet conveyance path with a point on the way of the re-conveyance path and is configured to convey a sheet to the re-conveyance path through the connecting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Mizuguchi, Takanori Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20160366303
    Abstract: An image reading device includes: an image reading unit configured to, in a process of reciprocating relative to a fixed document, read a document image using one or a plurality of reading colors, and when a plurality of reading colors are used, read the document image while successively switching the reading colors in a process of moving; a moving unit configured to move the image reading unit; a moving speed changing unit configured to change moving speeds of the image reading unit in an outgoing path and a return path based on a number “N” (where N is a positive integer) of the reading colors by the image reading unit; and a reading color number changing unit configured to change reading color numbers of the image reading unit in the outgoing path and the return path based on the number “N” of the reading colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Takanori Sakurai, Kenichi Satoh
  • Patent number: 9417607
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device; a temperature detecting unit measuring a temperature of a main body; a cooling unit cooling the inside of the image forming apparatus; and a controller controlling the cooling unit based on result of the temperature detecting unit. The controller increases an air flow rate of the cooling unit such that the air flow rate is higher than a predetermined rate if the result of the temperature detecting unit is higher than a first temperature during non image forming and the controller increases an air flow rate of the cooling unit such that the air flow rate is higher than the predetermined rate if the result of the temperature detecting unit is higher than a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature during an image forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takanori Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9411275
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form, in a first position, a toner image on a sheet using toner containing a parting material; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device in a second position, by heat and pressure; a fan configured to flow air along an air flow path between the image forming device and the fixing device; and a partition configured and positioned to substantially separate between the air flow path and a sheet feeding path from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Sugiyama, Koji Nojima, Takanori Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20160176677
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion forming an image on a sheet, a first sheet conveyance path guiding the sheet to the image forming portion, a second sheet conveyance path guiding the sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming portion, and a re-conveyance path connecting the second sheet conveyance path and the first sheet conveyance path. The image forming apparatus further includes a connecting path connecting a point on the way of the second sheet conveyance path with a point on the way of the re-conveyance path and is configured to convey a sheet to the re-conveyance path through the connecting path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Kouhei Mizuguchi, Takanori Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20150241841
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a developing device; a temperature detecting unit measuring a temperature of a main body; a cooling unit cooling the inside of the image forming apparatus; and a controller controlling the cooling unit based on result of the temperature detecting unit; wherein the controller increases an air flow rate of the cooling unit such that the air flow rate is higher than a predetermined rate if the result of the temperature detecting unit is higher than a first temperature during non image forming and the controller increases an air flow rate of the cooling unit such that the air flow rate is higher than the predetermined rate if the result of the temperature detecting unit is higher than a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature during an image forming operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventor: Takanori SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20140178091
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form, in a first position, a toner image on a sheet using toner containing a parting material; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device in a second position, by heat and pressure; a fan configured to flow air along an air flow path between the image forming device and the fixing device; and a partition configured and positioned to substantially separate between the air flow path and a sheet feeding path from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Shinichi Sugiyama, Koji Nojima, Takanori Sakurai