Patents by Inventor Tomoichirou Ohta

Tomoichirou Ohta 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: 7106987
    Abstract: A fixing device has a magnetic field generator; an electric power supplier for electric power supply to the magnetic field generator; electric power controller for controlling an electric power value to be supplied by the electric power supplier; a fixing member, disposed in the magnetic field, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic field; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a discriminator for discriminating whether the apparatus is in order by comparing a detected temperature to a reference temperature in a period from a start of heating the fixing member to arrival at a predetermined temperature; and a reference temperature changer for changing the reference temperature on the basis of the supplied electric power value upon the electric power controller changing the electric power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Publication number: 20060140657
    Abstract: A fixing device has a magnetic field generator; an electric power supplier for electric power supply to the magnetic field generator; electric power controller for controlling an electric power value to be supplied by the electric power supplier; a fixing member, disposed in the magnetic field, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic field; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a discriminator for discriminating whether the apparatus is in order by comparing a detected temperature to a reference temperature in a period from a start of heating the fixing member to arrival at a predetermined temperature; and a reference temperature changer for changing the reference temperature on the basis of the supplied electric power value upon the electric power controller changing the electric power value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Patent number: 7053345
    Abstract: A heating apparatus has a magnetic flux generator and a rotatable induction heating element for generating heat through electromagnetic induction by the action of magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator, and heats a material to be heated by causing the material to be heated to contact the induction heating element. The heating apparatus further includes a thermistor for detecting a surface temperature of the induction heating element, power supply circuits for controlling power to be supplied to the magnetic flux generator on the basis of signals from the temperature detection, a Curie temperature reaching detector for detecting that the temperature of the induction heating element reaches the Curie temperature, and control circuits for detecting that the material to be heated is wound around the induction heating element on the basis of signals from the thermistor and the Curie temperature reaching detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Fukushi, Manabu Yamauchi, Hiroto Nishihara, Yasuyuki Aiko, Hidehiko Kinoshita, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takamitsu Hirayama
  • Patent number: 7039336
    Abstract: A fixing device has a magnetic field generator; an electric power supplier for electric power supply to the magnetic field generator; electric power controller for controlling an electric power value to be supplied by the electric power supplier; a fixing member, disposed in the magnetic field, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic field; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a discriminator for discriminating whether the apparatus is in order by comparing a detected temperature to a reference temperature in a period from a start of heating the fixing member to arrival at a predetermined temperature; and a reference temperature changer for changing the reference temperature on the basis of the supplied electric power value upon the electric power controller changing the electric power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Patent number: 6987251
    Abstract: A heating apparatus has a magnetic flux generator and a rotatable induction heating element for generating heat through electromagnetic induction by the action of magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator, and heats a material to be heated by causing the material to be heated to contact the induction heating element. The heating apparatus further includes a thermistor for detecting a surface temperature of the induction heating element, power supply circuits for controlling power to be supplied to the magnetic flux generator on the basis of signals from the temperature detection, a Curie temperature reaching detector for detecting that the temperature of the induction heating element reaches the Curie temperature, and control circuits for detecting that the material to be heated is wound around the induction heating element on the basis of signals from the thermistor and the Curie temperature reaching detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Fukushi, Manabu Yamauchi, Hiroto Nishihara, Yasuyuki Aiko, Hidehiko Kinoshita, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takamitsu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20060006169
    Abstract: A heating apparatus has a magnetic flux generator and a rotatable induction heating element for generating heat through electromagnetic induction by the action of magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator, and heats a material to be heated by causing the material to be heated to contact the induction heating element. The heating apparatus further includes a thermistor for detecting a surface temperature of the induction heating element, power supply circuits for controlling power to be supplied to the magnetic flux generator on the basis of signals from the temperature detection, a Curie temperature reaching detector for detecting that the temperature of the induction heating element reaches the Curie temperature, and control circuits for detecting that the material to be heated is wound around the induction heating element on the basis of signals from the thermistor and the Curie temperature reaching detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Fukushi, Manabu Yamauchi, Hiroto Nishihara, Yasuyuki Aiko, Hidehiko Kinoshita, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takamitsu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20060002730
    Abstract: A fixing device has a magnetic field generator; an electric power supplier for electric power supply to the magnetic field generator; electric power controller for controlling an electric power value to be supplied by the electric power supplier; a fixing member, disposed in the magnetic field, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic field; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a discriminator for discriminating whether the apparatus is in order by comparing a detected temperature to a reference temperature in a period from a start of heating the fixing member to arrival at a predetermined temperature; and a reference temperature changer for changing the reference temperature on the basis of the supplied electric power value upon the electric power controller changing the electric power value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Patent number: 6959158
    Abstract: A fixing device has a magnetic field generator; an electric power supplier for electric power supply to the magnetic field generator; electric power controller for controlling an electric power value to be supplied by the electric power supplier; a fixing member, disposed in the magnetic field, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy current generated by the magnetic field; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; a discriminator for discriminating whether the apparatus is in order by comparing a detected temperature to a reference temperature in a period from a start of heating the fixing member to arrival at a predetermined temperature; and a reference temperature changer for changing the reference temperature on the basis of the supplied electric power value upon the electric power controller changing the electric power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Publication number: 20050205560
    Abstract: A heating apparatus, for heating a material P to be heated by heat from a heat generation member 1 which has a predetermined curie temperature characteristic and generates heat by magnetic flux produced by a magnetic flux generation means 3, includes a discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the curie temperature characteristic of the heat generation member 1 is a predetermined characteristic and a control means for terminating supply of electric power to the magnetic flux generation means when the discrimination means determines that the curie temperature characteristic is not the predetermined characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroto Nishihara, Manabu Yamauchi, Kenji Fukushi, Yasuyuki Aiko, Hidehiko Kinoshita, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takamitsu Hirayama
  • Patent number: 6933480
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic field; a heating element for generating heat by eddy currents generated by the magnetic field; an electroconductive member for generating an electromotive force by a current flowing through the coil; and an electric circuit for generating a voltage by electrical collection from the electroconductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Publication number: 20050173416
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a magnetic flux generation means 25 and a rotatable induction heating element 21 for generating heat through electromagnetic induction by the action of magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generation means, and heats a material to be heated by causing the material to be heated to contact the induction heating element 21.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Fukushi, Manabu Yamauchi, Hiroto Nishihara, Yasuyuki Aiko, Hidehiko Kinoshita, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takamitsu Hirayama
  • Patent number: 6763204
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes an induction coil for generating a magnetic field upon electric power supply thereto; a fixing rotatable member for induction heat generation by the magnetic field generated by the induction coil; temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the fixing rotatable member; determining unit for determining an electric power value to be supplied to the induction coil on the basis of a detected temperature by the temperature detector; and a controller for controlling the electric power supply to the induction coil on the basis of the electric power value determined by the determining unit. The controller substantially continues to supply the electric power while the electric power value determined by the determining unit is higher than a predetermined value, and effects an ON/OFF control of rendering on and off the electric power supply when the electric power value is lower than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsaku Kondo, Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Publication number: 20040037580
    Abstract: A fixing device includes magnetic field generating means for generating a high frequency magnetic field; electric power supplying means for electric power supply to the magnetic field generating means; electric power control means for controlling an electric power value to be supplied by the electric power supplying means; a fixing member, disposed in the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating means, having an electroconductive layer which generates heat by eddy currents generated by the magnetic field; a temperature detecting member for detecting a temperature of the fixing member; discriminating means for making discrimination as to whether or not the apparatus is in order by comparing a detected temperature provided by the temperature detecting member a reference temperature in a period from start of heating the fixing member to arrival at a predetermined temperature of the fixing member; and reference temperature changing means for changing the reference temperature on the basis of the
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Patent number: 6691399
    Abstract: A method of mounting a coil inside a rotatable member for heating an image, includes a winding step of winding wire into a coil in a plane to provide a planer coil; and a mounting step of bending the planer coil and mounting it to a supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hayashi, Tomoichirou Ohta, Takashi Fujita, Ryuichirou Maeyama
  • Publication number: 20040007569
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic field; a heating element for generating heat by eddy currents generated by the magnetic field; an electroconductive member for generating an electromotive force by a current flowing through the coil; and an electric circuit for generating a voltage by electrical collection from the electroconductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Publication number: 20020146253
    Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes an induction coil for generating a magnetic field upon electric power supply thereto; a fixing rotatable member for induction heat generation by the magnetic field generated by the induction coil; temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the fixing rotatable member; determining means for determining an electric power value to be supplied to the induction coil on the basis of a detected temperature by the temperature detecting means; and control means for controlling the electric power supply to the induction coil on the basis of the electric power value determined by the determining means, wherein the control means substantially continues to supply the electric power while the electric power value determined by the determining means is higher than a predetermined value, and effects an ON/OFF control of rendering on and off the electric power supply when the electric power value is lower than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsaku Kondo, Tomoichirou Ohta
  • Patent number: 5956087
    Abstract: A linear image sensor includes N arrays of photoelectric converting pixels, wherein N is an even integer at least equal to 2. Each array is formed by arranging, with a predetermined pixel pitch in a first direction of the array, a plurality of pixels, and each of the pixels is so shaped that the area per unit length of the pixel decreases progressively from the center of the pixel both in the first direction of the array and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The N arrays themselves are provided with a mutual distance from each other of M/2 times the pixel pitch in the second direction and are mutually displaced by 1/N of the pixel pitch in the first direction so as to form a mutually interpolating arrangement, wherein M is a positive integer equal to at least 1 and wherein M and N are independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Takayama, Kazuhito Ohashi, Seiichirou Satomura, Tomoichirou Ohta, Noriyoshi Chizawa, Masafumi Kamei, Takashi Sugiura