Patents by Inventor Akihiro Fukutomi

Akihiro Fukutomi 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: 9977237
    Abstract: An optical scanner includes a polygonal mirror; a mirror for reflecting the beam from the polygonal mirror; an optical box having a cap and containing the mirror; a first mirror regulating portion in a direction of a normal line of the mirror, the first regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the reflecting surface and a back surface as is closer to the cap; and a second mirror regulating portion in a beam sub-scanning direction, the second regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the mirror as is closer to the cap; wherein the mirror has a plurality of apex lines, and the first regulating portion and the second regulating portion are disposed at positions which are remoter from the cap than the apex line that is closest to the cap, with respect to a direction perpendicular to a main scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ohta, Akihiro Fukutomi, Tomoyuki Kawano
  • Publication number: 20160313554
    Abstract: An optical scanner includes a polygonal mirror; a mirror for reflecting the beam from the polygonal mirror; an optical box having a cap and containing the mirror; a first mirror regulating portion in a direction of a normal line of the mirror, the first regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the reflecting surface and a back surface as is closer to the cap; and a second mirror regulating portion in a beam sub-scanning direction, the second regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the mirror as is closer to the cap; wherein the mirror has a plurality of apex lines, and the first regulating portion and the second regulating portion are disposed at positions which are remoter from the cap than the apex line that is closest to the cap, with respect to a direction perpendicular to a main scan direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ohta, Akihiro Fukutomi, Tomoyuki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9411157
    Abstract: An optical scanner includes a polygonal mirror; a mirror for reflecting the beam from the polygonal mirror; an optical box having a cap and containing the mirror;a first mirror regulating portion in a direction of a normal line of the mirror, the first regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the reflecting surface and a back surface as is closer to the cap; and a second mirror regulating portion in a beam sub-scanning direction, the second regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the mirror as is closer to the cap; wherein the mirror has a plurality of apex lines, and the first regulating portion and the second regulating portion are disposed at positions which are remoter from the cap than the apex line that is closest to the cap, with respect to a direction perpendicular to a main scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ohta, Akihiro Fukutomi, Tomoyuki Kawano
  • Patent number: 9170524
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a polygon mirror has converged to the number of rotations that allows image formation to be performed, and the determination unit is capable of detecting a first timing and a second timing and determines that the polygon mirror has converged to a number of rotations that allows the image formation to be performed based on an earlier one of the first timing and the second timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Nagatoshi, Akihiro Fukutomi, Daisuke Miyagawa, Naoki Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150055967
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a polygon mirror has converged to the number of rotations that allows image formation to be performed, and the determination unit is capable of detecting a first timing and a second timing and determines that the polygon mirror has converged to a number of rotations that allows the image formation to be performed based on an earlier one of the first timing and the second timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Jun Nagatoshi, Akihiro Fukutomi, Daisuke Miyagawa, Naoki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8902271
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a polygon mirror has converged to the number of rotations that allows image formation to be performed, and the determination unit is capable of detecting a first timing and a second timing and determines that the polygon mirror has converged to a number of rotations that allows the image formation to be performed based on an earlier one of the first timing and the second timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Nagatoshi, Akihiro Fukutomi, Daisuke Miyagawa, Naoki Inoue
  • Publication number: 20140292996
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a polygon mirror has converged to the number of rotations that allows image formation to be performed, and the determination unit is capable of detecting a first timing and a second timing and determines that the polygon mirror has converged to a number of rotations that allows the image formation to be performed based on an earlier one of the first timing and the second timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Nagatoshi, Akihiro Fukutomi, Daisuke Miyagawa, Naoki Inoue
  • Publication number: 20140211288
    Abstract: An optical scanner includes a polygonal mirror; a mirror for reflecting the beam from the polygonal mirror; an optical box having a cap and containing the mirror;a first mirror regulating portion in a direction of a normal line of the mirror, the first regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the reflecting surface and a back surface as is closer to the cap; and a second mirror regulating portion in a beam sub-scanning direction, the second regulating portion being provided opposed to such a surface of the mirror as is closer to the cap; wherein the mirror has a plurality of apex lines, and the first regulating portion and the second regulating portion are disposed at positions which are remoter from the cap than the apex line that is closest to the cap, with respect to a direction perpendicular to a main scan direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ohta, Akihiro Fukutomi, Tomoyuki Kawano
  • Patent number: 8432593
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a plate member, having a rotation axis and a reflection surface, that deflects and scans a laser beam emitted from a light source by performing reciprocating-rotation around the rotation axis, an actuator configured to drive the plate member, an f?-lens configured to focus the laser beam deflected by the plate member on a surface of a photosensitive drum, and an optical box configured to house the plate member, the actuator, and the f?-lens. The actuator is provided nearer to a side of the optical box toward which the laser beam is reflected by the reflection surface than the reflection surface of the plate member is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Publication number: 20100172005
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a plate member, having a rotation axis and a reflection surface, that deflects and scans a laser beam emitted from a light source by performing reciprocating-rotation around the rotation axis, an actuator configured to drive the plate member, an f?-lens configured to focus the laser beam deflected by the plate member on a surface of a photosensitive drum, and an optical box configured to house the plate member, the actuator, and the f?-lens. The actuator is provided nearer to a side of the optical box toward which the laser beam is reflected by the reflection surface than the reflection surface of the plate member is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Patent number: 7471433
    Abstract: The optical scanning apparatus includes a polygonal rotatable mirror which deflects a light beam emitted from a light source, a drive motor which rotates said polygonal rotatable mirror, and an optical box which holds said drive motor, wherein a fitting hole in which a bearing of said drive motor fits, is provided in said optical box, and a wall surface of this fitting hole has notch portions partially arranged. Thereby, the heat release property of the bearing of the polygonal rotatable mirror drive motor becomes good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Shima, Akihiro Fukutomi, Taku Murotani
  • Patent number: 7457020
    Abstract: The optical scanning apparatus has a first light source, a second light source disposed in a side-by-side relationship with the first light source in a sub-scanning direction, a deflector deflecting respectively a first light beam outgoing from the first light source and a second light beam outgoing from the second light source, and scanning over different scanned surfaces with the light beams, a first optical member provided in a first optical path between the first light source and the deflector, wherein the first light beam outgoing from the first light source passes through, a second optical member provided in a second optical path between the second light source and the deflector, wherein the second light beam outgoing from the second light source passes through, disposed beside the first optical member in the sub-scanning direction, the second optical member having the same optical characteristic as the first optical member, a holding member that holds a side face of the optical member and a side face o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Fukutomi, Ken-ichi Tomita, Masaki Sato
  • Patent number: 7453487
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus for correcting the curvature of a scanning line effectively by a small number or parts, having a rotary polygon mirror for scanning a ray of light, and a reflecting mirror formed over an entire area in the scanning direction of the ray of light, and scanning the ray of light on an image bearing member, the reflecting mirror is nipped and held between a support member for supporting the reflecting mirror and a pressure member for pressing the reflecting mirror toward the support member side, and the pressure member is movable in a main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Sato, Ken-Ichi Tomita, Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Patent number: 7446917
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus constructed to dispose optical elements guiding light beams to a deflector such as a rotary polygon mirror at a low cost with high accuracy, includes a first light source, a second light source, a deflector, a first optical member provided on a first optical path between the first light source and the deflector, a second optical member provided on a second optical path between the second light source and the deflector, and one wall holding both of a side surface of the first optical member and a side surface of the second optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken-ichi Tomita, Masaki Sato, Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Patent number: 7355771
    Abstract: An optical scanning device has a light shield plate where a scanning line emitted from a light source passes through a scanning lens, and is reflected by a rotation polygon mirror, and after that, passes through the scanning lens again, and is reflected by the scanning lens at the opposite side of the rotation polygon mirror by nipping the scanning lens, wherein the light shield plate is placed at a position wherein the distance between the rotation polygon mirror and the scanning lens, the thickness in the optical axial direction of the scanning lens, the angle by which the scanning line incident the rotation polygon mirror and the convergent angle of the scanning line satisfies a certain relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken-ichi Tomita, Masaki Sato, Akihiro Fukutomi, Hidekazu Shimomura, Kazumi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20070273949
    Abstract: The optical scanning apparatus has a first light source, a second light source disposed in a side-by-side relationship with the first light source in a sub-scanning direction, a deflector deflecting respectively a first light beam outgoing from the first light source and a second light beam outgoing from the second light source, and scanning over different scanned surfaces with the light beams, a first optical member provided in a first optical path between the first light source and the deflector, wherein the first light beam outgoing from the first light source passes through, a second optical member provided in a second optical path between the second light source and the deflector, wherein the second light beam outgoing from the second light source passes through, disposed beside the first optical member in the sub-scanning direction, the second optical member having the same optical characteristic as the first optical member, a holding member that holds a side face of the optical member and a side face o
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Fukutomi, Ken-ichi Tomita, Masaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20070228266
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus constructed to dispose optical elements guiding light beams to a deflector such as a rotary polygon mirror at a low cost with high accuracy, includes a first light source, a second light source, a deflector, a first optical member provided on a first optical path between the first light source and the deflector, a second optical member provided on a second optical path between the second light source and the deflector, and one wall holding both of a side surface of the first optical member and a side surface of the second optical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-ichi TOMITA, Masaki Sato, Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Patent number: 7230638
    Abstract: An image forming device, characterized in that the shape of the optical path of a third laser beam from a third semiconductor laser (19M) to a third photo-sensitive member drum (IM) is approximately the same as that of the optical path of a first laser beam from a first semiconductor laser (19C) to a first photo-sensitive member drum (1C), a second virtual line connecting the rotating center of the third photo-sensitive member drum (IM) to the rotating center of a fourth photo-sensitive member drum (IK) is tilted relative to a first virtual line connecting the rotating center of the first photo-sensitive member drum (1C) to the rotating center of the second photo-sensitive member drum (IY), and an angle formed by the rotating axis (x2) of a second rotating polygon mirror (20b) and the second virtual line (12) is equal to an angle formed by the rotating axis (x1) of a first rotating polygon mirror (20a) and the first virtual line (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Publication number: 20060290773
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which helps to achieve a reduction in cost, therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including: a first laser scanner unit for emitting a first laser beam and a second laser beam, which has a first laser source for generating the first laser beam, a second laser source for generating the second laser beam, and a first rotary mirror for deflecting the first laser beam and the second laser beam generated from the first laser source and the second laser source; a second laser scanner unit for emitting a third laser beam and a fourth laser beam, which has a third laser source for generating the third laser beam, a fourth laser source for generating the fourth laser beam, and a second rotary mirror for deflecting the third laser beam and the fourth laser beam generated from the third laser source and the fourth laser source; a first photosensitive member irradiated with the first laser bea
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Fukutomi
  • Publication number: 20060164709
    Abstract: An optical scanning device has a light shield plate where a scanning line emitted from a light source passes through a scanning lens, and is reflected by a rotation polygon mirror, and after that, passes through the scanning lens again, and is reflected by the scanning lens at the opposite side of the rotation polygon mirror by nipping the scanning lens, wherein the light shield plate is placed at a position wherein the distance between the rotation polygon mirror and the scanning lens, the thickness in the optical axial direction of the scanning lens, the angle by which the scanning line incident the rotation polygon mirror and the convergent angle of the scanning line satisfies a certain relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken-Ichi Tomita, Masaki Sato, Akihiro Fukutomi, Hidekazu Shimomura, Kazumi Kimura