Patents by Inventor Takao Sameshima

Takao Sameshima 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: 11947305
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Patent number: 11846894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20230134527
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20230078527
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Patent number: 11573521
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
  • Patent number: 11556088
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Publication number: 20220404735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11467514
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container having a replenishment port, a developer bearing member, a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to the amount of developer accommodated in the developer container, a notification portion capable of notifying a first state, and a second state, and a control portion. The maximum amount of the developer that the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a value obtained by adding the amount of the developer accommodated in a replenishment container containing the developer for replenishment to the first amount, and wherein notification of the second state corresponds to notification of a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is larger than a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is the smallest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20210405552
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container having a replenishment port, a developer bearing member, a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to the amount of developer accommodated in the developer container, a notification portion capable of notifying a first state, and a second state, and a control portion, wherein the maximum amount of the developer that the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a value obtained by adding the amount of the developer accommodated in a replenishment container containing the developer for replenishment to the first amount, and wherein notification of the second state corresponds to notification of a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is larger than a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is the smallest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20210405577
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Publication number: 20210405574
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
  • Patent number: 7085517
    Abstract: An image forming unit is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus and includes an image bearing member and an intermediate transfer member to which a toner image on the image bearing member is transferred. The image bearing member and the intermediate transfer member are movable relative to each other in the image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takao Sameshima
  • Patent number: 6807393
    Abstract: An image forming unit is detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus and includes a first unit including an image bearing member, and a second unit including an intermediate transfer member to which is transferred a toner image on the image bearing member. The toner image on the intermediate transfer member is transferred to a recording material, and at least either of the first and second units is detachable from and attachable to the image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Sameshima, Mitsugu Inomata
  • Publication number: 20030202818
    Abstract: An image forming unit detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, and an intermediate transfer member to which a toner image on the image bearing member is transferred, the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer member being movable relative to each other in the image forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takao Sameshima
  • Patent number: 6564025
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing body. A transferring portion transfers an unfixed image in the image bearing body onto a recording material, while conveying the recording material. A fixing portion fixes the unfixed image onto the recording material, while conveying the recording material having the unfixed image is transferred in the transferring portion. A flexure detecting device detects flexure of the recording material between the transferring portion and the fixing portion. A recording material detecting device detects the presence/absence of the recording material at a downstream side of the fixing portion with respect to a conveying direction of the recording material. A control device controls a convey velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion on the basis of a time from the detection of the recording material detected by the recording material detecting device to the detection of the flexure of the recording material detected by the flexure detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Sameshima, Shoji Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6522845
    Abstract: An image forming unit detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus has an image bearing body, a charging device for charging the image bearing body, a first unit having the image bearing body and the charging device, an intermediate transferring body, a transferring device for transferring a toner image on the image bearing body to the intermediate transferring body, and a second unit having the intermediate transferring body and the transferring device. One of the first unit and the second unit is supplied with electrical power through the other unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takao Sameshima
  • Publication number: 20030012582
    Abstract: An image forming unit detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, the image forming unit comprising a first unit including an image bearing member, a second unit including an intermediate transfer member to which transferred is a toner image on the image bearing member, wherein the toner image on the intermediate transfer member is transferred to a recording material, and at least either of the first and second units is detachable from and attachable to the image forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Sameshima, Mitsugu Inomata
  • Patent number: 6493528
    Abstract: An image forming unit is detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus and includes a first unit including an image bearing member, and a second unit including an intermediate transfer member to which is transferred a toner image on the image bearing member. The toner image on the intermediate transfer member is transferred to a recording material, and at least either of the first and second units is detachable from and attachable to the image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Sameshima, Mitsugu Inomata
  • Patent number: 6453135
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an image carrier unit having an image carrier for carrying an image and a transfer material carrier unit having a transfer material carrier for carrying a transfer material, the transfer material carrier unit being capable of assuming a first state when the image on the image carrier is transferred onto a transfer material carried by the transfer material carrier and a second state that the transfer material carrier unit escapes more than the first state. The image carrier unit is detachably attached to an apparatus body through a space formed in the apparatus body after the transfer material carrier unit enters in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Sameshima, Takashi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20020061198
    Abstract: The present invention relates to animage forming apparatus which has an image bearing body, a transferring portion for transferring an unfixed image on the image bearing body onto a recording material while conveying the recording material, a fixing portion for fixing the unfixed image onto the recording material while conveying the recording material having the unfixed image transferred in the transferring portion, flexure detecting device for detecting flexure of the recording material between the transferring portion and the fixing portion, recording material detecting device for detecting presence/absence of the recording material on a downstream side of the fixing portion with respect to a conveying direction of the recording material, and control device for controlling a convey velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion on the basis of a time from the detection of the recording material detected by the recording material detecting device to the detection of the flexure of the recording mat
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Sameshima, Shoji Maruyama