Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Tomino

Toshiaki Tomino 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: 10627761
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that has an image carrier for supporting toner and prints a first image formed by exposure to the image carrier and a developing processing on continuous paper; and a hardware processor that controls the image former so as to print a second image on the continuous paper in a case where information on at least one of coverage and a printing distance of the first image formed by the image former meets a predetermined condition, wherein the hardware processor controls the image former so as to stop forming the second image on the image carrier before a toner amount of the second image per unit width at a predetermined position on the image carrier in a main scanning direction exceeds a threshold value affecting an exposure memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Patent number: 10338522
    Abstract: A cooling device has: first and second guide rollers disposed in the body of a cooling device on upstream and downstream sides, respectively, as seen in a direction in which a continuous medium is fed, and guiding a cooling belt to move in that direction; and a path selection mechanism allowing selection between a non-abutting transport path which does not cause the continuous medium to abut against the cooling belt and an abutting transport path which causes the continuous medium to abut against the cooling belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Publication number: 20190061387
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus with rollers capable of coming into contact with or leaving a recording medium, in which meandering of the recording medium is suppressed. The apparatus includes a tension adjuster for adjusting a tension applied to the recording medium nipped between a plurality of roller pairs. The tension adjuster is located upstream of, among the roller pairs, the most upstream roller pair located on the most upstream side in the conveyance path or downstream of, among the roller pairs, the most downstream roller pair located on the most downstream side in the conveyance path and the tension adjuster rotates in the direction of conveyance of the recording medium to adjust the tension of the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Patent number: 10209657
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion that includes a developing portion configured to supply toner to an image bearing member bearing an electrostatic latent image formed thereon to develop the electrostatic latent image as a toner image, and is configured to form a toner image on a long paper sheet; a notification portion configured to notify a user about information; and a control portion configured to calculate, in accordance with coverage of a toner image that is a target of image formation, a toner image formation distance with which successive image formation is possible without forcibly discharging degraded toner from the developing portion, and to control the notification portion to notify the calculated toner image formation distance as a first toner image formation distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Publication number: 20180275581
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that has an image carrier for supporting toner and prints a first image formed by exposure to the image carrier and a developing processing on continuous paper; and a hardware processor that controls the image former so as to print a second image on the continuous paper in a case where information on at least one of coverage and a printing distance of the first image formed by the image former meets a predetermined condition, wherein the hardware processor controls the image former so as to stop forming the second image on the image carrier before a toner amount of the second image per unit width at a predetermined position on the image carrier in a main scanning direction exceeds a threshold value affecting an exposure memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventor: Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Patent number: 10073400
    Abstract: An image formation device includes: an image formation section configured to develop, using toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier based on job image information, thereby transferring a first image onto continuous paper; a hardware processor configured to determine whether or not a serial printing distance is equal to or shorter than a first threshold, wherein the serial printing distance is a distance at which the first image is printed on the continuous paper, and control the image formation section to print the first image on the continuous paper when the serial printing distance is equal to or shorter than a first threshold, and to decrease the proportion of deteriorated toner in a developer by printing the first image and a second image on the continuous paper when the serial printing distance exceeds a first threshold, wherein the second image is based on an image information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Publication number: 20170315487
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion that includes a developing portion configured to supply toner to an image bearing member bearing an electrostatic latent image formed thereon to develop the electrostatic latent image as a toner image, and is configured to form a toner image on a long paper sheet; a notification portion configured to notify a user about information; and a control portion configured to calculate, in accordance with coverage of a toner image that is a target of image formation, a toner image formation distance with which successive image formation is possible without forcibly discharging degraded toner from the developing portion, and to control the notification portion to notify the calculated toner image formation distance as a first toner image formation distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventor: Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Publication number: 20170277105
    Abstract: An image formation device includes: an image formation section configured to develop, using toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier based on job image information, thereby transferring a first image onto continuous paper; a hardware processor configured to determine whether or not a serial printing distance is equal to or shorter than a first threshold, wherein the serial printing distance is a distance at which the first image is printed on the continuous paper, and control the image formation section to print the first image on the continuous paper when the serial printing distance is equal to or shorter than a first threshold, and to decrease the proportion of deteriorated toner in a developer by printing the first image and a second image on the continuous paper when the serial printing distance exceeds a first threshold, wherein the second image is based on an image information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventor: Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Publication number: 20170261928
    Abstract: A cooling device has: first and second guide rollers disposed in the body of a cooling device on upstream and downstream sides, respectively, as seen in a direction in which a continuous medium is fed, and guiding a cooling belt to move in that direction; and a path selection mechanism allowing selection between a non-abutting transport path which does not cause the continuous medium to abut against the cooling belt and an abutting transport path which causes the continuous medium to abut against the cooling belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Patent number: 9690239
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes the following. A conveying unit conveys a continuous sheet at least longer than a length of the apparatus itself. A first rotating member can be pressed to and separated from a second rotating member. The first rotating member can be rotated separated from the second rotating member. The continuous sheet can be stopped and held when the first rotating member is separated from the second rotating member. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit. When the continuous sheet is stopped and held and the rotation of the first rotating member is started separated from the second rotating member, the control unit moves at least one of the first rotating member and the continuous sheet so that the continuous sheet is not in contact with the first rotating member, and then the control unit starts rotation of the first rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Ui, Kazunori Katada, Toshiaki Tomino
  • Publication number: 20160282775
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes the following. A conveying unit conveys a continuous sheet at least longer than a length of the apparatus itself. A first rotating member can be pressed to and separated from a second rotating member. The first rotating member can be rotated separated from the second rotating member. The continuous sheet can be stopped and held when the first rotating member is separated from the second rotating member. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit. When the continuous sheet is stopped and held and the rotation of the first rotating member is started separated from the second rotating member, the control unit moves at least one of the first rotating member and the continuous sheet so that the continuous sheet is not in contact with the first rotating member, and then the control unit starts rotation of the first rotating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto UI, Kazunori KATADA, Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Patent number: 9158263
    Abstract: A cooling device includes a conveying portion configured to convey a sheet while holding the sheet between a first belt and a second belt; a stretching roller configured to drive the first belt inside the first belt; and a cooling portion having a flow-passage forming portion for forming a flow passage of a cooling medium and configured to cool the sheet through the first belt. Moreover, the cooling device includes a press roller provided inside the second belt and facing the flow-passage forming portion through the second belt and the first belt; and a contacting/separating portion configured to have the second belt contact with/separate from the cooling portion through the first belt by moving the press roller. The stretching roller has a lower end portion located below a cooling surface of the cooling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Patent number: 9122210
    Abstract: A cooling section has a flow passage-forming section for forming a flow passage through which a cooling medium flows and cools a sheet via a first belt. A pressing roller is provided inside a second belt, faces the flow passage-forming section via the second belt and the first belt, and presses the second belt onto the cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Tomino
  • Publication number: 20140308057
    Abstract: A cooling device includes a conveying portion configured to convey a sheet while holding the sheet between a first belt and a second belt; a stretching roller configured to drive the first belt inside the first belt; and a cooling portion having a flow-passage forming portion for forming a flow passage of a cooling medium and configured to cool the sheet through the first belt. Moreover, the cooling device includes a press roller provided inside the second belt and facing the flow-passage forming portion through the second belt and the first belt; and a contacting/separating portion configured to have the second belt contact with/separate from the cooling portion through the first belt by moving the press roller. The stretching roller has a lower end portion located below a cooling surface of the cooling portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Publication number: 20140270878
    Abstract: A cooling section has a flow passage-forming section for forming a flow passage through which a cooling medium flows and cools a sheet via a first belt. A pressing roller is provided inside a second belt, faces the flow passage-forming section via the second belt and the first belt, and presses the second belt onto the cooling section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Publication number: 20140270877
    Abstract: A cooling section cools a sheet via a belt. The cooling section has a flow passage-forming section for forming a flow passage through which a cooling medium flows and a medium supply section for supplying the cooling medium to the flow passage so that the cooling medium flows through the flow passage from a downstream side to an upstream side in a feeding direction of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc,
    Inventor: Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Publication number: 20120237257
    Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes: a main body of the apparatus that forms a color image; and an intermediate transfer unit for transferring the color image formed by the main body of the apparatus, wherein the intermediate transfer unit is configured to be removed from and to be inserted into the main body of the apparatus, and wherein the intermediate transfer unit is configured to perform a door-like opening and closing movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Toshiaki TOMINO, Motoji KAWAMOTO, Shinobu KONNO
  • Patent number: 8219001
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a drum-shaped image carrier; a transfer and separation device which includes a conveyor belt for conveying a transfer material, a transfer roller for supporting the conveyor belt, and a nip regulating roller that is disposed downstream of the transfer roller in a conveyance direction of the transfer material; a transfer region changing section adapted to change a downstream end of the transfer region in a conveyance direction of the transfer material by changing a position of the nip regulating roller; and a transfer pressure changing section which changes a transfer pressure that corresponds to a pressure by the transfer roller against the image carrier, wherein the transfer pressure changing section changes the transfer pressure in correspondence with the change of the downstream end of the transfer region by the transfer region changing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sendo, Toshiaki Tomino, Kouki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110091243
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image carrier, rotating in a first direction and a second direction, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction; a transfer device for transferring the toner image; a cleaning device comprising a cleaning blade for cleaning the image carrier; and a cleaning blade exchanging section for exchanging the cleaning blade, wherein the apparatus works in such ways that, after the cleaning blade exchanging section has retracted the cleaning blade to a retracted position, the cleaning blade exchanging section rotates the image carrier in the second direction, whereby any foreign material, adhered onto the image carrier while the cleaning blade is exchanged, is moved upstream of the cleaning position of the cleaning blade, then the cleaning blade is pressed against the image carrier, and the image carrier is subsequently rotated in the first direction, so that the image carrier is cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tomino, Hiroshi Isokawa, Shinichi Tsukamura, Tetsuya Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20090279918
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: a drum-shaped image carrier; a transfer and separation device which comprises: a conveyor belt for conveying a transfer material; a transfer roller for supporting the conveyor belt; and a nip regulating roller that is disposed downstream of the transfer roller in a conveyance direction of the transfer material; and a transfer region changing section adapted to change a downstream end of the transfer region in a conveyance direction of the transfer material by changing a position of the nip regulating roller; wherein the transfer region changing section sets the nip regulating roller, at a first position at which the conveyor belt is supported such that a direction of separation of the conveyor belt from the image carrier at the downstream end of the transfer region coincides with a tangential direction with respect to the image carrier, or at a second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi SENDO, Toshiaki TOMINO, Kouki TAKAHASHI