Patents by Inventor Akihiro Watanabe

Akihiro Watanabe 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).

  • Publication number: 20160209775
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying body, a layer thickness limiting portion, and a rotation control portion. The layer thickness limiting portion includes a base body and a flexible member. The base body protrudes toward a part at a third position between a first position and a second position on the outer circumferential surface of the developer carrying body. The flexible member is a sheet-like member having flexibility, and is attached to the base body such that the flexible member covers, via a gap, a range of the base body from a front end surface facing the developer carrying body to an upper surface, and a bent portion covering a boundary portion between the front end surface and the upper surface of the base body is closer to the outer circumferential surface of the developer carrying body than the other part is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventor: Akihiro Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20160147172
    Abstract: A developing device 43 includes a first rotation control portion and a second rotation control portion. When a developing process is performed, the first rotation control portion causes a developer carrying member to rotate in a first rotation direction at a first rotation speed previously determined. When the developing process is not performed, the second rotation control portion causes the developer carrying member to rotate at a second rotation speed V2 faster than a rotation speed V1 during the developing process in a direction X2 reverse to a development rotation direction X1, and then, causes the developer carrying member to rotate at a third rotation speed V3 slower than the second rotation speed V2 in the direction X2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventor: Akihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9316941
    Abstract: A development execution control portion executes a development process by causing an intermediate lateral conveyance portion and a developing portion to operate. A developer replenishment control portion causes a developer replenishment portion to operate when a detection result of a developer amount sensor satisfies a predetermined shortage condition. A post-development processing control portion causes the intermediate lateral conveyance portion and the developing portion to operate continuously from and after a development process and then stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Amano, Akihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9298126
    Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a development roller, and a roller gear. The roller gear is disposed at one axial end of the development roller and transmits a rotational drive force to the development roller. The development roller includes a sleeve and a coating layer. The coating layer is formed by dipping the sleeve in a dipping bath with the sleeve directed axially vertically. The development roller is mounted to the housing such that a lower axial end of the development roller at the time of the dipping is an opposite axial end to the one axial end at which the roller gear is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solution Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Akihiro Watanabe, Chikara Ishihara, Yasuhiro Tauchi, Masashi Fujishima, Yu Sasaki, Hiroaki Sakai, Yasuhiro Oishi, Yukimasa Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9274453
    Abstract: A developing roller includes a roller main body disposed to face, without contact, an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier. In the roller main body, a boehmite layer has been formed on an outer circumferential surface of a base body that is made of a metal including aluminum, by a surface treatment by a boehmite method, and a resin coat layer has been formed on a surface of the boehmite layer, the resin coat layer being made of a resin material having electric conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oishi, Yuji Kamiyama, Akihiro Watanabe, Tamotsu Shimizu, Yoshinobu Yoneima, Shizuka Okada, Sakae Saito
  • Publication number: 20160018757
    Abstract: A development execution control portion executes a development process by causing an intermediate lateral conveyance portion and a developing portion to operate. A developer replenishment control portion causes a developer replenishment portion to operate when a detection result of a developer amount sensor satisfies a predetermined shortage condition. A post-development processing control portion causes the intermediate lateral conveyance portion and the developing portion to operate continuously from and after a development process and then stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Takeshi Amano, Akihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9239541
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum is axially rotatable and has a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A developing device includes a development roller spaced from the photosensitive drum. The development roller includes a cylindrical sleeve and a coating layer, and the photosensitive drum includes a cylindrical tube and a functional layer. Each of the coating layer and functional layer is formed by dipping the sleeve or tube into a dipping bath with the sleeve or tube directed axially vertically. An axial end portion of the development roller that is lower during the dipping process is disposed opposite to an axial end portion of the photosensitive drum that is higher during the dipping process, and an axial end portion of the development roller that is higher during the dipping process is disposed opposite to an axial end portion of the photosensitive drum that is lower during the dipping process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Akihiro Watanabe, Akira Matayoshi
  • Publication number: 20150331354
    Abstract: A photosensitive drum is axially rotatable and has a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A developing device includes a development roller spaced from the photosensitive drum. The development roller includes a cylindrical sleeve and a coating layer, and the photosensitive drum includes a cylindrical tube and a functional layer. Each of the coating layer and functional layer is formed by dipping the sleeve or tube into a dipping bath with the sleeve or tube directed axially vertically. An axial end portion of the development roller that is lower during the dipping process is disposed opposite to an axial end portion of the photosensitive drum that is higher during the dipping process, and an axial end portion of the development roller that is higher during the dipping process is disposed opposite to an axial end portion of the photosensitive drum that is lower during the dipping process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Akihiro WATANABE, Akira MATAYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20150293470
    Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a development roller, and a roller gear. The roller gear is disposed at one axial end of the development roller and transmits a rotational drive force to the development roller. The development roller includes a sleeve and a coating layer. The coating layer is formed by dipping the sleeve in a dipping bath with the sleeve directed axially vertically. The development roller is mounted to the housing such that a lower axial end of the development roller at the time of the dipping is an opposite axial end to the one axial end at which the roller gear is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu SHIMIZU, Akihiro WATANABE, Chikara ISHIHARA, Yasuhiro TAUCHI, Masashi FUJISHIMA, Yu SASAKI, Hiroaki SAKAI, Yasuhiro OISHI, Yukimasa WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20150261124
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developer carrier, a bias applying section, a leakage detecting section, and a bias controlling section. The developer carrier carries developer in the form of a layer of magnetized filaments to supply toner to the image carrier. The bias applying section applies to the developer carrier a development bias including a direct current voltage VmagDC and an alternating current voltage VmagAC superposed on each other. The leakage detecting section causes a discharge between the image carrier and the developer carrier and detects a leakage voltage when the discharge occurs. The leakage detecting section performs the leakage voltage detection in a blank region of the image carrier bearing no electrostatic latent image. The bias controlling section determines an alternating current voltage VmagAC according to a detected leakage voltage, and a frequency of the alternating current voltage VmagAC according to the voltage VmagAC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Shizuka Ikazaki, Akihiro Watanabe, Tamotsu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9134653
    Abstract: When image formation is not performed, an image forming apparatus performs a toner collection mode that includes a first positive rotation step of rotating a developer carrying member and a toner carrying member in the same direction as a direction at the time of image formation, in a state where a second bias applied to the toner carrying member is set at a higher voltage on the same polarity side as a toner than a first bias, and a reverse rotation step of rotating the developer carrying member and the toner carrying member in a direction reverse to the direction at the time of image formation after the first positive rotation step is performed, in a state where the first bias is set at a higher voltage on the same polarity side as the toner than the second bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Akihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9122193
    Abstract: A developing roller includes a roller main body disposed to face, without contact, an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier. A resin coat layer has been formed on an outer circumferential surface of the roller main body, the resin coat layer being made of a resin material having electric conductivity. A product of resistance component Rs [?] and electrostatic capacitance component Cs [F] in AC impedance Z of the roller main body is in a range from 2.79×10?7 to 6.77×10?5, the AC impedance Z being obtained when an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency f is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Yoneima, Yuji Kamiyama, Akihiro Watanabe, Tamotsu Shimizu, Shizuka Okada, Sakae Saito, Yasuhiro Oishi, Chikara Ishihara, Masashi Fujishima, Yoshimi Shimizu, Yasuhiro Tauchi, Yu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9122194
    Abstract: A developing roller includes a roller main body disposed to face, without contact, an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier. The roller main body includes a resin coat layer that is formed on an outer circumferential surface of a base body that is made of a metal including aluminum, the resin coat layer being made of a resin material and having electric conductivity. An AC impedance Z obtained from an application of an AC voltage at a frequency in a range from 0.05 Hz to 100 Hz is equal to or higher than 100?, and a phase angle ? satisfies a relationship of 0 rad<?<0.1 rad when a power factor is cos ?=Za/Z.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Yuji Kamiyama, Akihiro Watanabe, Yoshinobu Yoneima, Shizuka Okada, Sakae Saito, Yasuhiro Oishi
  • Publication number: 20150177644
    Abstract: A developing roller includes a roller main body disposed to face, without contact, an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier. The roller main body includes a resin coat layer that is formed on an outer circumferential surface of a base body that is made of a metal including aluminum, the resin coat layer being made of a resin material and having electric conductivity. An AC impedance Z obtained from an application of an AC voltage at a frequency in a range from 0.05 Hz to 100 Hz is equal to or higher than 100?, and a phase angle ? satisfies a relationship of 0 rad<?<0.1 rad when a power factor is cos ?=Za/Z.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Tamotsu Shimizu, Yuji Kamiyama, Akihiro Watanabe, Yoshinobu Yoneima, Shizuka Okada, Sakae Saito, Yasuhiro Oishi
  • Publication number: 20150177642
    Abstract: A developing roller includes a roller main body disposed to face, without contact, an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier. A resin coat layer has been formed on an outer circumferential surface of the roller main body, the resin coat layer being made of a resin material having electric conductivity. A product of resistance component Rs [?] and electrostatic capacitance component Cs [F] in AC impedance Z of the roller main body is in a range from 2.79×10?7 to 6.77×10?5, the AC impedance Z being obtained when an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency f is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Yoneima, Yuji Kamiyama, Akihiro Watanabe, Tamotsu Shimizu, Shizuka Okada, Sakae Saito, Yasuhiro Oishi, Chikara Ishihara, Masashi Fujishima, Yoshimi Shimizu, Yasuhiro Tauchi, Yu Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20150177643
    Abstract: A developing roller includes a roller main body disposed to face, without contact, an outer circumferential surface of an image carrier. In the roller main body, a boehmite layer has been formed on an outer circumferential surface of a base body that is made of a metal including aluminum, by a surface treatment by a boehmite method, and a resin coat layer has been formed on a surface of the boehmite layer, the resin coat layer being made of a resin material having electric conductivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oishi, Yuji Kamiyama, Akihiro Watanabe, Tamotsu Shimizu, Yoshinobu Yoneima, Shizuka Okada, Sakae Saito
  • Publication number: 20150165972
    Abstract: A roadside object detection apparatus to detect a roadside object using a plurality of captured images includes a height information detection unit configured to analyze the captured images, and to detect height information of an object in the captured images in a neighboring region having a distance less than or equal to a threshold from a vehicle having the roadside object detection apparatus installed; a height change detection unit configured to detect a change of a height of a road surface due to the roadside object from the height information in the neighboring region; a characteristic point extrapolation unit configured to determine positions having the change of the height detected as characteristic points of the roadside object, and to extrapolate the characteristic points into a far-off region having a distance greater than or equal to the threshold from the vehicle, based on a road model; and a roadside object detection unit configured to set a search range for the roadside object in the far-off re
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinao Takemae, Akihiro Watanabe, Fumiya Ichino
  • Patent number: 8948455
    Abstract: A characteristic point extraction section acquires an image captured by an image capture device and extracts characteristic points from the captured image, a vehicle lane boundary point selection section selects vehicle lane boundary points that indicate vehicle lanes from the extracted characteristic points, a distribution determination section determines the distribution of the vehicle lane boundary points, a system noise setting section sets each system noise based on the distribution of vehicle lane boundary points, and a travel path parameter estimation section stably predicts travel path parameters based on the vehicle lane boundary points, past estimation results, and the system noise that has been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Watanabe, Takahiro Kojo, Theerawat Limpibunterng, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8949109
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a selection of displayed content from a user. An obtaining unit is configured to obtain data corresponding to the selection. The data includes text data. An identification unit is configured to identify a keyword within the text data, and a storage unit is configured to generate a command to transmit the keyword to a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Hoshino, Kenichiro Kobayashi, Shouichi Doi, Akihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8934799
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a first voltage application section for applying a first bias to a magnetic roller, a second voltage application section for applying a second bias to a developing roller, and a controller for controlling the voltages of the first and second voltage application sections and the driving/rotating of the magnetic roller and the developing roller. When no image formation is taking place, the controller can execute a toner collection mode in which, with the first and second biases set at the same potential and the second bias set lower than the voltage applied to an image carrying member, the magnetic roller is rotated in the direction reverse to that in which it is rotated during image formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Akihiro Watanabe