Patents by Inventor Akihiro Kobayashi

Akihiro Kobayashi 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: 9091978
    Abstract: A fixing device may include a nip member, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The endless belt may be in sliding contact with the nip member. The rotating body may nip the endless belt to constitute a nip region. The stay may be disposed opposite to the nip region, and may receive a pressure from the nip member. A pressure direction may be defined as a first direction. The rotating body may define an axial direction as a second direction. The stay may have a first wall. The first wall may include a center portion, a first end portion, a second end portion and a supporting portion. The first end portion may include a first low rigidity portion. The second end portion may include a second low rigidity portion. The supporting portion may provide a convex shape protruding toward the nip member upon receiving the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maruyama, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20150163708
    Abstract: A wireless access system includes: a first communication system that performs communications by a first communication scheme; a second communication system that performs communications by a second communication scheme different from the first communication scheme; and a communication terminal capable of communicating with both the first communication system and the second communication system. A base station of the first communication system transmits, to the communication terminal, a threshold value in accordance with an elapsed time is measured from a first point in time at which the communication terminal previously enters a second communication area that is an area of the second communication system to a second point in time at which the communication terminal previously exits from the second communication area to a first communication area that is an area of the first communication system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: TAKESHI KUNUGI, Noboru Hasegawa, Akihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9020388
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first process unit and a second process unit. The first process unit includes: a first photosensitive member configured to carry a first developer image to be transferred onto a transfer medium; and a blade member configured to scrape substances attached to a surface of the first photosensitive member off the surface of the first photosensitive member. The second process unit includes: a second photosensitive member configured to carry a second developer image to be transferred onto the transfer medium having the first developer image transferred thereon; and a holding member configured to remove substances attached to a surface of the second photosensitive member from the surface of the second photosensitive member, temporarily hold the substances and return the substances to the surface of the second photosensitive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Fukuchi, Atsushi Fukui, Masanori Tsuruko, Akihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9008548
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a metal plate, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The metal plate has a main part comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion positioned therebetween and having rigidity higher than that of the first end portion and the second end portion. The endless belt has an inner peripheral surface configured to be in sliding contact with the metal plate. The main part is aligned with the rotating body in a direction from the metal plate to the rotating body. The stay is disposed opposite to the nip region with respect to the metal plate. The stay and the main part of the metal plate are deformable upon application of the load to the stay such that the main part provides a convex shape protruding toward the rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20150093167
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fusing belt; a heater; a nip member; and a backup member. The endless fusing belt has a width in a widthwise direction. The nip member is disposed spaced apart from the heater. The nip member has a contact surface. The contact surface has widthwise end portions in the widthwise direction. The backup member is configured to nip the fusing belt in cooperation with the nip member. The fusing belt is configured to move in a moving direction at a position where the fusing belt is nipped between the nip member and the backup member. The contact surface has at least two grooves one formed in corresponding one of the widthwise end portions and another formed in the other of the widthwise end portions and extending at an angle equal to or smaller than 10 degrees with respect to the moving direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hazeyama, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Akihiro Kobayashi, Naoyuki Iwata, Kei Ishida, Takuji Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20150093163
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a main body having a surface. The main body may accommodate a photosensitive member disposed away from the surface and along a conveying path and a fuser. The fuser may be disposed downstream from the photosensitive member along the conveying path and has a portion disposed further away from the surface than the photosensitive member. The fuser may include an endless belt and a nip plate. The nip plate may include a first surface with lubricant thereon that faces an inner surface of the endless belt, and a second surface that extends from an end of the first surface. The second surface may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the endless belt and includes the furthest downstream portion of the nip plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maruyama, Akihiro Kobayashi, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata
  • Publication number: 20140294465
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device that may include a nip member, an endless belt, a rotating member and a stay. The stay may have a first supporting face. The first supporting face may have a first downstream edge. The first downstream edge may have a first portion, a third portion, and a second portion. The second portion may be positioned between the first portion and the third portion. The second supporting face may have a second downstream edge. The second downstream edge may have a fourth portion, a sixth portion, and a fifth portion. The second portion and the fifth portion may define a first distance. The first portion and the fourth portion may define a second distance. The third portion and the sixth portion may define a third distance. The second distance and the third distance may be longer than the first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20140294464
    Abstract: A fixing device may include a nip member, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The endless belt may be in sliding contact with the nip member. The rotating body may nip the endless belt to constitute a nip region. The stay may be disposed opposite to the nip region, and may receive a pressure from the nip member. A pressure direction may be defined as a first direction. The rotating body may define an axial direction as a second direction. The stay may have a first wall. The first wall may include a center portion, a first end portion, a second end portion and a supporting portion. The first end portion may include a first low rigidity portion. The second end portion may include a second low rigidity portion. The supporting portion may provide a convex shape protruding toward the nip member upon receiving the pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maruyama, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20140294462
    Abstract: A fixing device may include a metal plate, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The metal plate may have a main part comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion positioned therebetween and having rigidity higher than that of the first end portion and the second end portion. The endless belt may have an inner peripheral surface configured to be in sliding contact with the metal plate. The main part may be aligned with the rotating body in a direction from the metal plate to the rotating body. The stay may be disposed opposite to the nip region with respect to the metal plate. The stay and the main part of the metal plate may be deformable upon application of the load to the stay such that the main part may provide a convex shape protruding toward the rotating body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Naoyuki Iwata, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20140294463
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing device that may include a nip member, a rotating body and an endless belt. The endless belt may be in sliding contact with the nip member. The rotating body may constitute a nip region. The nip region may define a first, second and third imaginary planes. The first imaginary plane may be perpendicular to the sliding direction. The second imaginary plane may be perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating body and may contain a first end portion of the nip region. The third imaginary plane may contain a second end portion of the nip region. The first surface may be a convex shape in a first cross-section along the first imaginary plane, and may be concave shape concaved in a direction opposite to the rotating body in second and third cross-sections along the second and third imaginary planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki Iwata, Yusuke Murodate, Akihiro Kobayashi, Tomoaki Hazeyama, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Yuji Nishigaki
  • Patent number: 8794221
    Abstract: In an oil separator provided in a cylinder head cover of an internal combustion engine and equipped with a partition wall disposed between a blow-by gas inlet and a blow-by gas outlet and having through holes each serving as an orifice for increasing a flow velocity of blow-by gas flow, a collision plate is arranged adjacent to the partition wall so as to be opposed to each of the through holes, for separating oil mist from blow-by gases. At least one upstanding wall is disposed downstream of the collision plate in a manner so as to be adjacent to an opening defined between a lower end of the collision plate and the bottom face of a separator chamber, for recapturing oil mist, once-separated from the blow-by gases but rescattering along with the blow-by gas flow passing through the opening of the collision plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle Filter Systems Japan Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kobayashi, Masanori Suto
  • Patent number: 8726876
    Abstract: An oil separator disposed inside a cylinder head cover of an internal combustion engine. The oil separator includes a body section defining an elongate separator chamber and having a blowby gas inlet and a blowby gas outlet. A partition wall is disposed to divide the separator chamber into an inlet chamber at side of the blowby gas inlet and an outlet chamber at side of the blowby gas outlet. The partition wall is formed with a plurality of passage holes each of which is triangular in cross-section. A collision plate is disposed inside the outlet chamber and located opposite to the passage holes of the partition wall. A slit-like opening is defined by a lower section of the collision plate and communicated with a drain section for discharging oil separated from blowby gas into a valve operating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Mahle Filter Systems Japan Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Kobayashi, Atsushi Nonaka, Masanori Suto
  • Publication number: 20140093275
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first process unit and a second process unit. The first process unit includes: a first photosensitive member configured to carry a first developer image to be transferred onto a transfer medium; and a blade member configured to scrape substances attached to a surface of the first photosensitive member off the surface of the first photosensitive member. The second process unit includes: a second photosensitive member configured to carry a second developer image to be transferred onto the transfer medium having the first developer image transferred thereon; and a holding member configured to remove substances attached to a surface of the second photosensitive member from the surface of the second photosensitive member, temporarily hold the substances and return the substances to the surface of the second photosensitive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao Fukuchi, Atsushi Fukui, Masanori Tsuruko, Akihiro Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20140071920
    Abstract: A transmitting unit of a base station transmits data to a radio terminal with a plurality of frequency bands. A transfer unit of the base station transfers a part of data to be transmitted by the transmitting unit to another base station, so that data transmission to the radio terminal is performed in the other base station. A receiving unit of the other base station receives data transferred by the transfer unit of the base station. A transmitting unit of the other base station transmits data received by the receiving unit to the radio terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi KAMEI, Shunichi MURASAWA, Akihiro KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8602492
    Abstract: A seat for a passenger comprises reinforcing structure bodies reinforcing seatbacks, connection support portions connecting the reinforcing structure bodies to a vehicle-body wall portion so as to support the reinforcing structure bodies at the vehicle-body wall portion, pressure-receiving portions provided in the seatbacks and supported so as to move rearwardly by being pressed by passengers in a vehicle rear collision, the pressure-receiving portions being arranged at a specified height position which is a distance upwardly away from lower end portions of the seatbacks, and headrest moving-mechanism portions moving headrests forwardly or upwardly in accordance with a rearward move of the pressure-receiving portions. Accordingly, a passenger's head portion can be protected effectively with a simple structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kouichi Nakaya, Akihiro Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20130321924
    Abstract: An anti-reflection material comprising a coating film formed on at least a part of surface of a substrate having translucency and consisting of a binder, silica particles and air reserves, said silica particles being arranged forming two layers one on the other on the substrate surface, a first layer on the substrate side being formed by covering the substrate surface with the silica particles and having said air reserves between said substrate and said silica particles, and the silica particles of a second layer covering part of the silica particles of said first layer and having said air reserves between the silica particles of said first layer and the silica particles of said second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Akihiro Kobayashi, Tatsuya Nakano, Takahisa Takada
  • Publication number: 20130322929
    Abstract: A powder accommodation container includes an accommodation container body that accommodates powder, a transport member and a discharge port. The transport member is arranged in an inside of the accommodation container body, rotates about a rotating shaft, and transports powder in the inside of the accommodation container body. The discharge port is provided on the accommodation container body and discharges the powder accommodated in the accommodation container body to an outside of the accommodation container body. The transport member includes a first transport piece transporting the powder toward the discharge port at a position corresponding to the discharge port, and a second transport piece arranged on a downstream side in a rotating direction of the rotating shaft than the first transport piece. The second transport piece has a length that is in non-contact with the inner surface at an immediate downstream of the discharge port in the rotating direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8570557
    Abstract: In a case where a select communication with an apparatus main body is performed, an option side controller selected by a select signal determines whether a command-save-bit is true or not. In a case where the command-save-bit is not true, the option side controller executes a processing in accordance with the command signal. In a case where the command-save-bit is true, the option side controller stores contents of the command signal into a memory. In a case where the simultaneous communication with the apparatus main body is performed, all of the option side controllers read the command signal from the memory and executes a processing in accordance with the command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8537708
    Abstract: This is a method for transmitting packets. The transmission method includes measuring a time taken for feedback indicating that a packet including context information has been lost; and switching between a first mode and a second mode based on the measured time taken for the feedback, the first mode being a mode for periodically transmitting a packet including the context information and the second mode being a mode for transmitting a packet including the context information in response to the feedback indicating that a packet including the context information has been lost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Yabe, Yasuhiro Yoshika, Yashushi Miyagawa, Akio Ohhashi, Isamu Fukuda, Akihiro Kobayashi, Kouichirou Higashi
  • Patent number: 8469718
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus (10) including a sensor (20), a cable (80), a circuit board (50) and a housing (30) accommodating the circuit board. The housing (30) includes a first member (100) and a second member (200). The first member (100) supports the circuit board (50) in such a condition that the circuit board (50) is electrically connected to an external terminal (40). The second member (200) receives the cable (80) inserted thereinto and is engaged with the first member (100), thereby accommodating the circuit board (50) in cooperation with the first member (100). As a result of engagement between the first member (100) and the second member (200), the housing (30) establishes an electric connection of the circuit board (50) to the cable (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kobayashi, Shingo Yoshida