Patents by Inventor Taku Kimura
Taku Kimura 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: 11926162Abstract: An ink refill container configured to refill an ink tank with ink and an ink refill system. An ink refill container includes a container main body having an ink chamber; an ink outlet forming portion provided at an edge of the container main body including an ink outlet configured to allow ink to flow out from the ink chamber; a valve provided in ink outlet forming portion and configured to seal the ink outlet in an openable and closable manner; and a positioning structure configured to abut on part of the ink tank and position the valve relative to ink tank when valve is opened. The positioning structure has a positioning surface located on an opposite side to a container main body side where the container main body is located, across the valve and extends in a direction intersecting with a center axis of the ink outlet.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2023Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Tadahiro Mizutani, Taku Ishizawa, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Naomi Kimura, Shoma Kudo, Manabu Akahane
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Publication number: 20230288856Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2023Publication date: September 14, 2023Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
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Patent number: 11703789Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the envelope; a third hardware processor that determines, in case the first hardware processor judges that the recording medium is the envelope, control for forming an image on the envelope by the image former on the basis of the basis weight of the envelope acquired by the second hardware processor.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2022Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
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Patent number: 11402786Abstract: A recording medium conveyance device includes storage that stores a recording medium, a conveyer that takes out the recording medium stored in the storage and conveys the recording medium as a conveyed object, an ultrasonic sensor that outputs a value indicating an attenuation amount of an ultrasonic wave caused by the conveyed object and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor executes an overlay detection process of detecting whether the conveyed object is in an overlay state in which a gap is present based on a result of output by the ultrasonic sensor, and prevents execution of the overlay detection process with respect to a first conveyed object that is to be conveyed first by the conveyer.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2021Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Taku Kimura, Masahiro Nonoyama, Junichi Masuda, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai
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Publication number: 20220229389Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2022Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
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Patent number: 11334012Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2021Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
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Patent number: 11221578Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance path that conveys a sheet; registration rollers that are arranged across the conveyance path and each comprise a nip part; a sheet locking member that locks a front end of a sheet conveyed in the conveyance path, where the sheet locking member swings between a first attitude and a second attitude, in the first attitude the sheet locking member locks the sheet on an upstream side of the nip part, and in the second attitude the sheet locking member is retracted to a downstream side of the nip part and allows the sheet to pass through the nip part; an energizer that energizes the sheet locking member to maintain the first attitude; and a hardware processor that detects deterioration of the energizer.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2019Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Taku Kimura, Masahiro Kamiya, Junichi Masuda, Masahiro Nonoyama, Kouei Cho, Akimasa Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20210405565Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
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Patent number: 11186457Abstract: Provided is a sheet conveyance apparatus armored with a housing, the sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a sheet conveyor that feeds a sheet to a downstream side in a direction of conveyance; a conveyance guide that guides the sheet to be conveyed; an ultrasonic sensor that detects the sheet guided by the conveyance guide; and a shield member that is conductive, wherein the ultrasonic sensor includes: a transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic wave having a predetermined frequency; and a receiver that receives the ultrasonic wave, the transmitter and the receiver are arranged along the conveyance guide, and the shield member is disposed between the housing and the receiver in a sheet-face perpendicular direction at an ultrasonic-irradiation position of the sheet being conveyed, the shield member covering an entirety of the receiver in plan view in the sheet-face perpendicular direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA INC.Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
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Publication number: 20210364973Abstract: A recording medium conveyance device includes storage that stores a recording medium, a conveyer that takes out the recording medium stored in the storage and conveys the recording medium as a conveyed object, an ultrasonic sensor that outputs a value indicating an attenuation amount of an ultrasonic wave caused by the conveyed object and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor executes an overlay detection process of detecting whether the conveyed object is in an overlay state in which a gap is present based on a result of output by the ultrasonic sensor, and prevents execution of the overlay detection process with respect to a first conveyed object that is to be conveyed first by the conveyer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Taku KIMURA, Masahiro NONOYAMA, Junichi MASUDA, Masahiro KAMIYA, Katsuhide SAKAI
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Publication number: 20200307935Abstract: Provided is a sheet conveyance apparatus armored with a housing, the sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a sheet conveyor that feeds a sheet to a downstream side in a direction of conveyance; a conveyance guide that guides the sheet to be conveyed; an ultrasonic sensor that detects the sheet guided by the conveyance guide; and a shield member that is conductive, wherein the ultrasonic sensor includes: a transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic wave having a predetermined frequency; and a receiver that receives the ultrasonic wave, the transmitter and the receiver are arranged along the conveyance guide, and the shield member is disposed between the housing and the receiver in a sheet-face perpendicular direction at an ultrasonic-irradiation position of the sheet being conveyed, the shield member covering an entirety of the receiver in plan view in the sheet-face perpendicular direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
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Patent number: 10787001Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a polygon mirror that deflects a light beam, the image forming apparatus includes: an optical sensor arranged such that the light beam deflected by the polygon mirror enters the optical sensor; and a hardware processor that measures an output level of the optical sensor and calculates, as a remaining life of the polygon mirror, an operation time of the polygon mirror to when the output level becomes a threshold value in a case of assuming that the output level ongoingly changes at a rate of change over time that is a change amount of the output level per unit operation time of the polygon mirror, using the measured output level.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Yutaka Yamamoto, Tatsuya Eguchi, Shigetaka Kato, Taku Kimura
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Publication number: 20200201233Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance path that conveys a sheet; registration rollers that are arranged across the conveyance path and each comprise a nip part; a sheet locking member that locks a front end of a sheet conveyed in the conveyance path, where the sheet locking member swings between a first attitude and a second attitude, in the first attitude the sheet locking member locks the sheet on an upstream side of the nip part, and in the second attitude the sheet locking member is retracted to a downstream side of the nip part and allows the sheet to pass through the nip part; an energizer that energizes the sheet locking member to maintain the first attitude; and a hardware processor that detects deterioration of the energizer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2019Publication date: June 25, 2020Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Taku Kimura, Masahiro Kamiya, Junichi Masuda, Masahiro Nonoyama, Kouei Cho, Akimasa Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20190308420Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a polygon mirror that deflects a light beam, the image forming apparatus includes: an optical sensor arranged such that the light beam deflected by the polygon mirror enters the optical sensor; and a hardware processor that measures an output level of the optical sensor and calculates, as a remaining life of the polygon mirror, an operation time of the polygon mirror to when the output level becomes a threshold value in a case of assuming that the output level ongoingly changes at a rate of change over time that is a change amount of the output level per unit operation time of the polygon mirror, using the measured output level.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Yutaka YAMAMOTO, Tatsuya EGUCHI, Shigetaka KATO, Taku KIMURA
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Patent number: 10126692Abstract: A power supply control device including a chopper circuit generating a heater current for a halogen heater, a current feedback circuit generating a current feedback signal indicating a current amount based on an amount of the heater current, and a constant current circuit performing pulse-width modulation of the heater current amount according to a difference between a target heater current amount and the current amount indicated by the current feedback signal. The current feedback circuit switches between methods at least including a first method and a second method for generating the current feedback signal. The current feedback signal indicates a greater current amount with the first method than with the second method, and the current feedback circuit uses the first method during a period with a predetermined time length starting from when the halogen heater is turned on, and uses the second method after elapse of the period.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Mikiyuki Aoki, Seiichi Kirikubo, Taku Kimura, Akinori Kimata, Takeshi Tamada
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Patent number: 10112314Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes: a moving mechanism configured to move a punching apparatus in a width direction orthogonal to a transportation direction of a sheet; and a sensor configured to optically detect a mark formed on the sheet and indicating a position to be punched. The mark is configured such that an interval in the transportation direction between a plurality of feature portions extending in the width direction is configured to be changed depending on the width direction. The moving mechanism is configured to determine a position of the punching apparatus in the width direction based on a difference between respective timings of detection of the plurality of feature portions.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Hiroaki Takatsu, Tatsuya Eguchi, Takeshi Ishida, Isao Watanabe, Taku Kimura
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Patent number: 10027835Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a movable body configured to illuminate a document with light; and an apparatus body configured to wirelessly transmit power to the movable body, wherein the movable body includes receiver coils, and a feed circuit in which the receiver coils uses receiving power to supply power to a load, the apparatus body includes transmitter coils placed along a track of the receiver coils, the transmitter coils and the receiver coils are placed such that power supply efficiency of any receiver coil with the transmitter coil placed along the track of the receiver coil fluctuates, and power supply efficiency related to one receiver coil increases at a position where power supply efficiency related to the other receiver coil drops, and the feed circuit supplies power sequentially using the receiving power of the receiver coil whose power supply efficiency is increased to highest among the receiver coils.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2017Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Takeshi Ishida, Tatsuya Eguchi, Isao Watanabe, Hiroaki Takatsu, Taku Kimura, Atomu Nakashima
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Patent number: 10003714Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire atmosphere pressure in the installation place of the image forming apparatus, photoconductors, light sources configured to radiate laser light, and a polygon mirror configured to be rotatable. The polygon mirror exposes the photoconductors by reflecting the laser light toward the photoconductors while rotating. The image forming apparatus further includes a control device configured to control rotation of the polygon mirror. The control device outputs an enable signal for allowing the image forming apparatus to perform printing, if rotation of the polygon mirror is stabilized after start of the rotation, and advances the timing of outputting the enable signal as the atmosphere pressure increases.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2017Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Tatsuya Eguchi, Isao Watanabe, Takeshi Ishida, Hiroaki Takatsu, Taku Kimura, Atomu Nakashima
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Publication number: 20180059571Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire atmosphere pressure in the installation place of the image forming apparatus, photoconductors, light sources configured to radiate laser light, and a polygon mirror configured to be rotatable. The polygon mirror exposes the photoconductors by reflecting the laser light toward the photoconductors while rotating. The image forming apparatus further includes a control device configured to control rotation of the polygon mirror. The control device outputs an enable signal for allowing the image forming apparatus to perform printing, if rotation of the polygon mirror is stabilized after start of the rotation, and advances the timing of outputting the enable signal as the atmosphere pressure increases.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Tatsuya EGUCHI, Isao WATANABE, Takeshi ISHIDA, Hiroaki TAKATSU, Taku KIMURA, Atomu NAKASHIMA
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Publication number: 20170374217Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a movable body configured to illuminate a document with light; and an apparatus body configured to wirelessly transmit power to the movable body, wherein the movable body includes receiver coils, and a feed circuit in which the receiver coils uses receiving power to supply power to a load, the apparatus body includes transmitter coils placed along a track of the receiver coils, the transmitter coils and the receiver coils are placed such that power supply efficiency of any receiver coil with the transmitter coil placed along the track of the receiver coil fluctuates, and power supply efficiency related to one receiver coil increases at a position where power supply efficiency related to the other receiver coil drops, and the feed circuit supplies power sequentially using the receiving power of the receiver coil whose power supply efficiency is increased to highest among the receiver coils.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2017Publication date: December 28, 2017Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Takeshi ISHIDA, Tatsuya EGUCHI, Isao WATANABE, Hiroaki TAKATSU, Taku KIMURA, Atomu NAKASHIMA