Patents by Inventor Akihiro Kawakita

Akihiro Kawakita 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: 10571849
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a first conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a second conveyance unit, a stacking unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls, in a case where a sheet stacking condition of the stacking unit does not satisfy a predetermined stacking condition, the second conveyance unit to convey the sheet at a second conveyance speed that is faster than the first conveyance speed. The control unit controls, in a case where the sheet stacking condition of the stacking unit satisfies the predetermined stacking condition, the second conveyance unit to convey the sheet at a third conveyance speed that is slower than the second conveyance speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20200052289
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that can attain a smaller increase in direct current resistance after charge discharge cycles. An aspect of the invention resides in a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery wherein a positive electrode active material includes a secondary particle formed by aggregation of primary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide, and a secondary particle formed by aggregation of primary particles of a rare earth compound. On a surface of the secondary particle of the lithium transition metal oxide, the secondary particle of the rare earth compound is attached to a recess formed between adjacent primary particles of the lithium transition metal oxide in such a manner that the secondary particle of the rare earth compound is attached to each of the primary particles forming the recess. The lithium transition metal oxide includes magnesium dissolved therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daizo Jito, Akihiro Kawakita, Takeshi Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20200036005
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous-electrolyte secondary battery contains a nickel-containing lithium transition metal oxide and is a primary particle alone of a lithium transition metal oxide that contains nickel in an amount of 80 mol % or more relative to the whole molar quantity of a metal element other than lithium or a secondary particle formed by aggregation of two to five particles. A rare earth compound and a magnesium compound adhere to the surface of the primary particle alone or the secondary particle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daizo Jito, Takeshi Ogasawara, Akihiro Kawakita, Motoharu Saito
  • Publication number: 20190312274
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material according to an embodiment includes secondary particles each formed of aggregated primary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide containing 80 mol % or more of nickel, based on a total molar amount of a metal element other than lithium. The positive electrode active material further includes a rare earth compound attached to each surface of the secondary particles and one or more lithium compounds attached to each surface of the primary particles inside the secondary particles. The lithium compounds include lithium hydroxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro KAWAKITA, Takeshi OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 10418626
    Abstract: There is provided a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery capable of suppressing a decrease in the capacity retention ratio after high-temperature cycles. There is provided a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes a secondary particle formed by aggregation of primary particles formed of a lithium transition metal oxide. A rare-earth compound secondary particle formed by aggregation of particles formed of a rare-earth compound adheres to a recess formed between primary particles adjacent to each other on a surface of the secondary particle, and the rare-earth compound secondary particle adheres to both the primary particles adjacent to each other in the recess. The lithium transition metal oxide contains tungsten dissolved therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawakita, Takeshi Ogasawara, Daizo Jito
  • Patent number: 10384895
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a first feeding device which does not notify abnormal sheet feeding or a second feeding device which notifies the abnormal sheet feeding is connectable includes a sheet receiving portion, a sheet detector, an image forming unit, and a controller. In a case that the first feeding device is connected to the image forming apparatus, the controller discriminates that the abnormal sheet feeding occurs in the first feeding device when the detector does not detect the sheet at first timing. In a case that the second feeding device is connected to the image forming apparatus, the controller discriminates that the abnormal sheet feeding occurs at the sheet receiving portion when the detector does not detect the sheet at second timing and notification of the abnormal sheet feeding is not provided from the second feeding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Akinobu Nishikata, Satoru Yamamoto, Koji Yumoto, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 10362182
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus transmits a sheet feeding request to the sheet feeding device, obtains a sheet through a receiving device and performs image formation on the sheet. The receiving device comprises an inlet sensor for detecting a sheet fed from the sheet feeding device. The image forming apparatus transmits the sheet feeding request to the sheet feeding device again in a case where the inlet sensor does not detect a sheet within a predetermined time after the sheet feeding device starts to feed a sheet and no signal indicating an abnormality with regard to a sheet is received from the sheet feeding device. If the number of times the sheet feeding request is transmitted exceeds a predetermined number of times, the image forming apparatus stops operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Yumoto, Satoru Yamamoto, Akinobu Nishikata, Takashi Yokoya, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20190168982
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a controller configured to start feeding a sheet from a feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of an insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet when an amount of insert sheets stacked on a stacking tray as a feed source is higher than a predetermined amount, wherein in a case in which the amount of the insert sheets on the stacking tray is lower than the predetermined amount, the controller starts feeding a sheet from the feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of the insert sheet when an other stacking tray on which an amount of insert sheets is higher than the predetermined amount is present, and the controller starts feeding the sheet from the feeding unit after confirming the presence or absence of the insert sheet when the other stacking tray is absent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Koji Yumoto, Takashi Yokoya, Akihiro Kawakita, Akinobu Nishikata
  • Patent number: 10281852
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion that detachably mounts either one of a fixing portion and another fixing portion. Each fixing portion includes a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member that, together, form a nip for fixing a toner image on a sheet, and a memory. A rubbing rotatable member executes a rubbing process of rubbing a surface of the first rotatable member, and a moving mechanism moves the rubbing rotatable member between a rubbing position, in which the rubbing rotatable member is in contact with the first rotatable member, and a stand-by position, in which the rubbing rotatable member is separated from the first rotatable member. In addition, a controller stores information corresponding to an execution frequency of the rubbing process designated by an operator through an operating panel, in the memory of the fixing portion that has been mounted in the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20190126690
    Abstract: A tire has a tread surface, the tread surface including a circumferential groove extending in a tire circumferential direction, a lug groove extending in a direction intersecting the circumferential groove, and a plurality of land parts partitioned by the circumferential groove and the lug groove. A width-direction groove extending in a tire widthwise direction is formed on a land part of the plurality of land parts. An in-groove sipe is arranged along one side edge of a groove bottom of the width-direction groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi ISHIKAWA, Akihiro KAWAKITA
  • Patent number: 10218000
    Abstract: A positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries is provided with which increased DCR after cycling can be controlled. A positive electrode active material according to an aspect of the present invention is secondary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide formed through the aggregation of primary particles of the oxide, the lithium transition metal oxide containing at least Ni. Secondary particles of a rare earth compound formed through the aggregation of particles of the rare earth compound are adhering to depressions each created between adjacent two of the primary particles on the surfaces of the secondary particles. The secondary particles of the rare earth compound are adhering to both of the two adjacent primary particles at the depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawakita, Takeshi Ogasawara, Daizo Jito
  • Publication number: 20190037101
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a conversion unit configured to convert image data based on a conversion condition corresponding to a halftone process type; an image processing unit configured to perform a halftone process to the image data; and a controller configured to control an image forming unit to form a predetermined measurement image on an image carrier, to control the measurement unit to measure the predetermined measurement image, and to generate a predetermined conversion condition corresponding to a predetermined halftone process type based on a measurement result. In a case where the predetermined halftone process type is not performed by the image processing unit from when the predetermined measurement image is formed last time, the controller skips formation of the predetermined measurement image by the image forming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 10193153
    Abstract: There is provided a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery capable of suppressing an increase in DCR during cycles. There is provided a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes a secondary particle formed by aggregation of primary particles formed of a lithium transition metal oxide. A rare-earth compound secondary particle formed by aggregation of particles formed of a rare-earth compound adheres to a recess formed between primary particles adjacent to each other on a surface of the secondary particle, and the rare-earth compound secondary particle adheres to both the primary particles adjacent to each other in the recess. A tungsten-containing compound adheres to an interface of primary particles inside the secondary particle formed of the lithium transition metal oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daizo Jito, Takeshi Ogasawara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20180352096
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus transmits a sheet feeding request to the sheet feeding device, obtains a sheet through a receiving device and performs image formation on the sheet. The receiving device comprises an inlet sensor for detecting a sheet fed from the sheet feeding device. The image forming apparatus transmits the sheet feeding request to the sheet feeding device again in a case where the inlet sensor does not detect a sheet within a predetermined time after the sheet feeding device starts to feed a sheet and no signal indicating an abnormality with regard to a sheet is received from the sheet feeding device. If the number of times the sheet feeding request is transmitted exceeds a predetermined number of times, the image forming apparatus stops operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Koji Yumoto, Satoru Yamamoto, Akinobu Nishikata, Takashi Yokoya, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20180346270
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a first feeding device which does not notify abnormal sheet feeding or a second feeding device which notifies the abnormal sheet feeding is connectable includes a sheet receiving portion, a sheet detector, an image forming unit, and a controller. In a case that the first feeding device is connected to the image forming apparatus, the controller discriminates that the abnormal sheet feeding occurs in the first feeding device when the detector does not detect the sheet at first timing. In a case that the second feeding device is connected to the image forming apparatus, the controller discriminates that the abnormal sheet feeding occurs at the sheet receiving portion when the detector does not detect the sheet at second timing and notification of the abnormal sheet feeding is not provided from the second feeding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Akinobu Nishikata, Satoru Yamamoto, Koji Yumoto, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20180348688
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit that stores recording sheets, an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet, an insertion unit that inserts an interleaving sheet between recording sheets, a first detection unit configured to detect presence or absence of a recording sheet in the storage unit, a second detection unit configured to detect a remaining amount of recording sheets in the storage unit, and a control unit configured to control sheet feeding start timing of the interleaving sheet based on detection results acquired by the first detection unit and the second detection unit
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Koji Yumoto, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita, Yutaka Ando, Akihiro Arai, Yuichiro Oda
  • Publication number: 20180341210
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to execute a print job for printing on a sheet supplied from a sheet supplying mechanism constructed by a first sheet feeding apparatus configured to temporarily stop conveyance of the sheet within a conveyance path thereof or a second sheet feeding apparatus configured not to temporarily stop conveyance of the sheet within a conveyance path thereof, the image forming apparatus including: an image former configured to form an image on the sheet; an obtaining device configured to obtain apparatus information representing a type of an apparatus constructing the sheet supplying mechanism; and a controller configured to determine, based on the apparatus information and the sheet supplying mechanism instructed to feed the sheet by the print job, timings to send, to the sheet supplying mechanism, a feed request for starting to feed the sheet and a delivery request for instructing to deliver the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawakita, Satoru Yamamoto, Koji Yumoto, Akinobu Nishikata, Takashi Yokoya
  • Publication number: 20180321634
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station, a mounting portion for mounting one of fixing devices, each including a first roller and a second roller which cooperate to form a nip for fixing a toner image on a sheet fed from the image forming station, a rubbing roller configured to rub a surface of the first roller, a storing portion capable of storing information, a counter for counting sheets fed to the fixing device mounted on the mounting portion and to store a number indicative of the number counted by the counter in the storing portion of the fixing device, and an executing portion for effecting a rubbing treatment to the first roller of the fixing device, when the number counted by the counter on the basis of the number in the storing portion of the fixing device mounted on the mounting portion exceeds a predetermined number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Katsuya Nakama, Satoru Yamamoto, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Akinobu Nishikata, Akihiro Kawakita, Toshiyuki Miyake, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 10114327
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a sheet; a sheet moving motor configured to move the sheet in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet; and a controller configured to determine a movement amount of the sheet to be moved by the sheet moving motor for each sheet, wherein the controller sets a first movement amount for a first sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the first sheet, the controller sets a second movement amount for a second sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the second sheet, and controls the sheet moving motor such that the first sheet is moved in the width direction by the first movement amount when an image is formed on a second side of the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 10114328
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a movable regulation member that regulates a trailing edge side position of a sheet stack stored in a storage portion in a sheet feeding direction, a trailing edge detection portion, movable together with the regulation member, that detects a sheet surface on the trailing edge side of the sheet stack, and a control unit that detects whether the regulation member is positioned to an end surface on the trailing edge side of the sheet stack based on a detection result by the trailing edge detection portion, and that causes a display unit to provide a warning if the regulation member is not positioned to the end surface, wherein, if a predetermined sheet with thicknesses different between leading edge and trailing edge sides thereof in the sheet feeding direction is set by a setting unit, the control unit does not cause the display unit to provide the warning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Takashi Yokoya, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita