Patents by Inventor Akinobu Hirayama

Akinobu Hirayama 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: 9354540
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to form electrostatic latent images for correction on a photosensitive member; a voltage application unit configured to apply a voltage to a process unit; a current detection unit configured to detect a current to the voltage application unit via the process unit when the voltage is applied to the process unit; and a conversion unit configured to convert an output value detected by the current detection unit such that a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a formation period of the electrostatic latent image for correction becomes larger than a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a one-rotation period of the photosensitive member on which the electrostatic latent image is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Kumada, Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takateru Ohkubo, Akinobu Hirayama, Yoshiko Kubo
  • Patent number: 9110395
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a moving member equipped with a pressed portion and a detected portion, and in which the detected portion is configured to move to a predetermined position above the pressed portion by the pressed portion being pressed by the cartridge when the cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and a detection device configured to detect whether the cartridge is attached by detection light passing the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sadaaki Tani, Akinobu Hirayama, Takateru Ohkubo, Takahito Ueno
  • Patent number: 9110422
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit arranged in the vicinity of the circumference of each photosensitive member and the process unit is configured to act on the photosensitive member in forming a toner image thereon. The image forming apparatus detects a time period since a laser beam emission unit emits a laser beam to the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image for detection until the formed electrostatic latent image for detection or a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image for detection reaches the process unit, and performs color misregistration correction control based on the result of detection. In this case, a control unit at least decreases the light amount of a pre-exposure LED when the electrostatic latent image for detection passes through a position facing the pre-exposure LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takamitsu Soda, Akinobu Hirayama, Hiromitsu Kumada, Yoshiko Kubo, Takateru Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 9075370
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit arranged in the vicinity of the circumference of each photosensitive member and the process unit is configured to act on the photosensitive member in forming a toner image thereon. The image forming apparatus detects a time period since a laser beam emission unit emits a laser beam to the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image for detection until the formed electrostatic latent image for detection or a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image for detection reaches the process unit, and performs color misregistration correction control based on the result of detection. In this case, a control unit at least decreases the light amount of a pre-exposure LED when the electrostatic latent image for detection passes through a position facing the pre-exposure LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takamitsu Soda, Akinobu Hirayama, Hiromitsu Kumada, Yoshiko Kubo, Takateru Ohkubo
  • Publication number: 20150117887
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit arranged in the vicinity of the circumference of each photosensitive member and the process unit is configured to act on the photosensitive member in forming a toner image thereon. The image forming apparatus detects a time period since a laser beam emission unit emits a laser beam to the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image for detection until the formed electrostatic latent image for detection or a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image for detection reaches the process unit, and performs color misregistration correction control based on the result of detection. In this case, a control unit at least decreases the light amount of a pre-exposure LED when the electrostatic latent image for detection passes through a position facing the pre-exposure LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takamitsu Soda, Akinobu Hirayama, Hiromitsu Kumada, Yoshiko Kubo, Takateru Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8938190
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit arranged in the vicinity of the circumference of each photosensitive member and the process unit is configured to act on the photosensitive member in forming a toner image thereon. The image forming apparatus detects a time period since a laser beam emission unit emits a laser beam to the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image for detection until the formed electrostatic latent image for detection or a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image for detection reaches the process unit, and performs color misregistration correction control based on the result of detection. In this case, a control unit at least decreases the light amount of a pre-exposure LED when the electrostatic latent image for detection passes through a position facing the pre-exposure LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takamitsu Soda, Akinobu Hirayama, Hiromitsu Kumada, Yoshiko Kubo, Takateru Ohkubo
  • Publication number: 20150016832
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to form electrostatic latent images for correction on a photosensitive member a voltage application unit configured to apply a voltage to a process unit; a current detection unit configured to detect a current to the voltage application unit via the process unit when the voltage is applied to the process unit; and a conversion unit configured to convert an output value detected by the current detection unit such that a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a formation period of the electrostatic latent image for correction becomes larger than a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a one-rotation period of the photosensitive member on which the electrostatic latent image is not formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Kumada, Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takateru Ohkubo, Akinobu Hirayama, Yoshiko Kubo
  • Patent number: 8879970
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to form electrostatic latent images for correction on a photosensitive member; a voltage application unit configured to apply a voltage to a process unit; a current detection unit configured to detect a current to the voltage application unit via the process unit when the voltage is applied to the process unit; and a conversion unit configured to convert an output value detected by the current detection unit such that a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a formation period of the electrostatic latent image for correction becomes larger than a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a one-rotation period of the photosensitive member on which the electrostatic latent image is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Kumada, Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takateru Ohkubo, Akinobu Hirayama, Yoshiko Kubo
  • Publication number: 20140314433
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member configured to be rotated; scanning means for scanning, by light corresponding to image data, the photosensitive member that is charged, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member; and a contacting member in contact with the photosensitive member to form a nip portion. In a correction mode in which a shift of an image is corrected based on a detection result obtained by detecting, at the nip portion, an electrostatic latent image for correction formed on the photosensitive member by the scanning means, a width of the electrostatic latent image for correction is equal to or more than a width of the nip portion in a rotation direction of the photosensitive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI kAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamashita, Yasuo Yoda, Akinobu Hirayama, Takateru Ohkubo, Kenji Watanabe, Hiromitsu Kumada, Yoshiko Kubo, Hiroshi Hagiwara, Shuhei Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130084085
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a moving member equipped with a pressed portion and a detected portion, and in which the detected portion is configured to move to a predetermined position above the pressed portion by the pressed portion being pressed by the cartridge when the cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and a detection device configured to detect whether the cartridge is attached by detection light passing the predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sadaaki Tani, Akinobu Hirayama, Takateru Ohkubo, Takahito Ueno
  • Publication number: 20130004204
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit arranged in the vicinity of the circumference of each photosensitive member and the process unit is configured to act on the photosensitive member in forming a toner image thereon. The image forming apparatus detects a time period since a laser beam emission unit emits a laser beam to the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image for detection until the formed electrostatic latent image for detection or a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image for detection reaches the process unit, and performs color misregistration correction control based on the result of detection. In this case, a control unit at least decreases the light amount of a pre-exposure LED when the electrostatic latent image for detection passes through a position facing the pre-exposure LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hagiwara, Takamitsu Soda, Akinobu Hirayama, Hiromitsu Kumada, Yoshiko Kubo, Takateru Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 7720412
    Abstract: A process cartridge in which before use, the separation of a predetermined distance between a charging roller and a photosensitive drum can be maintained, and in use, the separation state of the charging roller can be released without increasing the burden on a user. The process cartridge includes a charging roller separation member moveable between the first position to hold the separation of the charging roller from the photosensitive drum and the second position to abut the charging roller on the photosensitive drum. One of a photosensitive member unit and a developing unit includes a hook portion holding the separation member in the first position, and the other includes a hook portion that releases the separation member from the hook portion to move the separation member to the second position when the developing unit is pivoted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Anan, Akinobu Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20080138109
    Abstract: A process cartridge in which before use, the separation of a predetermined distance between a charging roller and a photosensitive drum can be maintained, and in use, the separation state of the charging roller can be released without increasing the burden of a user. The process cartridge includes a charging roller separation member moveable between the first position to hold the separation of the charging roller from the photosensitive drum and the second position to abut the charging roller on the photosensitive drum. One of a photosensitive member unit and a developing unit includes a hook portion holding the separation member in the first position, and the other includes a hook portion that releases the separation member from the hook portion to move the separation member to the second position when the developing unit is pivoted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Anan, Akinobu Hirayama
  • Patent number: D599846
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kojiro Yasui, Tachio Kawai, Koji Yamaguchi, Tadashi Horikawa, Yasufumi Yoshino, Akinobu Hirayama, Sadaaki Tani, Hiroshi Takarada
  • Patent number: D599847
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kojiro Yasui, Tachio Kawai, Koji Yamaguchi, Tadashi Horikawa, Yasufumi Yoshino, Akinobu Hirayama, Sadaaki Tani, Hiroshi Takarada